Boris denied election again as parliament shuts up shop for five weeks September 10, 2019 For the second time, opposition MPs denied Boris Johnson the General Election he wants in the Commons’ last act before parliament closed until 14 October. Though MPs voted in favour of an early election by 293 to 46, the government did not get the two-thirds majority of the whole house required. Read more: Speaker John [...]
Staffers (and cricketers) named in May’s resignation honours September 10, 2019 Theresa May has named former colleagues, staffers and England cricketers in her list of resignation honours. Olly Robbins, the civil servant who acted as chief negotiator with the EU during her tenure, has been rewarded with a KCMG – making him a knight commander. The same honour has gone to May’s PPS George Hollingbery. Patrick [...]
Brexit: MPs vote to publish Downing Street team’s prorogation messages September 9, 2019 Government officials may be forced to hand over reams of private and personal communications, after MPs voted to back a motion put forward by Dominic Grieve tonight. Grieve, a former attorney general and bete noire for Number 10, told colleagues he had deployed the highly unusual method to seize texts, WhatsApp messages and emails to [...]
Speaker pledges to step down on another dramatic day in Westminster September 9, 2019 Speaker John Bercow has confirmed he will stand down as early as tonight, and had a message for those working in Westminster: “We degrade parliament at our own peril”. Intervening in what promises to be a busy afternoon and evening, Bercow told MPs that he would stand down on Monday night if MPs backed Boris [...]
Brexit latest: Parliament to be prorogued tonight, PM’s spokesman confirms September 9, 2019 Parliament will be prorogued today, the Prime Minister’s spokesman has confirmed. Boris Johnson, who is currently in Dublin meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, is due to return to Westminster to open the debate this evening, as he seeks parliamentary approval for a general election for the second time in a week. After this vote, which [...]
Boris Johnson warned over ‘Herculean task’ of post-Brexit trade deals September 9, 2019 Boris Johnson has been warned to row back from his pledge to take the UK out of the European Union with or without a deal during his visit to Dublin. The Prime Minister arrived for talks with Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar this morning, with Westminster still in turmoil. Read more: Parliament will be prorogued tonight [...]
Mike Pence: The minute the UK is out of the EU, the US is in September 5, 2019 The US Vice President has tonight pledged a free trade deal with the UK “immediately upon the completion of Brexit”, saying Donald Trump stands “shoulder-to-shoulder” with the new Prime Minister. Speaking at a black-tie dinner at Guildhall in the City of London this evening, Mike Pence told business chiefs the country was like a phoenix [...]
PM: I’d rather be dead in a ditch than delay Brexit September 5, 2019 The Prime Minister has said he would rather be “dead in a ditch” than delay Brexit – shortly before a police officer appeared to faint behind him. Boris Johnson, who gave his speech more than an hour later than planned, told assembled journalists in Yorkshire that an extension would cost £1bn a month and be [...]
Johnson tells Pence: No deal on NHS – or chlorinated chicken September 5, 2019 Boris Johnson has told the US Vice President that the NHS will not be “on the table” during post-Brexit trade talks. Speaking as he welcomed Mike Pence to Downing Street today, the Prime Minister told journalists: “The National Health Service is not on the table as far as negotiations go.” He also joked: We’re not [...]
Prime Minister to seek election again next week September 5, 2019 MPs on both sides of the house are readying themselves for a second attemp by the Prime Minister to trigger election, after an unsuccessful last night. Boris Johnson failed to get a two-thirds majority as required under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act, after Labour whipped its MPs to abstain. Leader of the House Jacob Rees-Mogg [...]
