EU-UK trade deal must share social and environmental standards, says Barnier December 21, 2019 The European Union want to agree common social and environmental standards in any free trade agreement with the UK to avoid a “race to the bottom”, Michel Barnier has said. The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator wrote an opinion piece on Project Syndicate published on Friday, which said the EU wanted to make the most of [...]
London Bridge attack: Civil servant recounts fighting terrorist with narwhal tusk December 21, 2019 A government worker who used a narwhal tusk to fight off the terrorist on London Bridge last month has spoken about the incident for the first time. Darryn Frost, who appeared in footage of the fight between the knifeman and members of the public on 29 November, has recounted how he was at an event [...]
Christmas weather: Flood warnings in place across England December 21, 2019 Flood warnings have been put in place across England with recent downpours set to continue. More than 100 warnings have been implemented across the south and east of England, as well as the Midlands and Yorkshire. There is a severe weather warning in place across southern England until noon on Sunday with around 30mm (1.18in) [...]
European stocks rally as Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal is approved December 21, 2019 European stocks came close to a record high on Friday following a vote on Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal in Parliament. The Prime Minister’s deal was passed in a second reading in the House of Commons, which now makes the UK’s exit from the EU on 31 January increasingly likely. Read more: UK stocks surge as [...]
Space Force: Donald Trump unveils new US military service December 21, 2019 Donald Trump has officially signed off funding for a US Space Force. It is the first new military service to be implemented in 70 years and was unveiled on Friday after the President signed the $738bn (£567bn) annual US military budget. It will fall under the US Air Force domain and will receive an initial [...]
UK approves £4bn sale of defence firm Cobham December 21, 2019 The government has agreed to allow US private equity firm Advent International to takeover the UK’s defence and aerospace company. Advent made a £4bn offer to buy Cobham earlier this year and the deal was accepted by shareholders last month. However the government held a consultation on the sale after the founding family raised possible [...]
HSBC and First Direct IT glitches leave customers unable to access online and mobile banking December 20, 2019 HSBC and First Direct have resolved issues causing intermittent problems for customers accessing online and mobile banking over the past 24 hours. Customers were unable to access their online or app banking from around 7:40pm last night and then again throughout today despite claims the issues had been resolved in the early hours of the [...]
Brexit bill: MPs back Boris Johnson’s EU withdrawal agreement December 20, 2019 MPs have voted in favour of Boris Johnson’s Brexit bill during today’s second reading in the House of Commons. It paves the way for the UK to leave the European Union by 31 January. Read more: Downing Street defends Zac Goldsmith peerage and cabinet role It was voted for by 358 MPs, while 234 voted [...]
Labour to vote against Brexit bill in second reading but some MPs could rebel December 20, 2019 Jeremy Corbyn has confirmed that Labour MPs will vote against Boris Johnson’s Brexit bill today. The Labour leader launched an attack on the Prime Minister’s deal, which is likely to pass regardless by virtue of the Conservative’s 80-seat majority. “We remain certain there is a better and fairer way for this country to leave the [...]
Downing Street defends Zac Goldsmith peerage and cabinet role December 20, 2019 No10 has defended the decision to appoint ousted Tory MP Zac Goldsmith to the House of Lords. Goldsmith lost his seat in Richmond Park to the Liberal Democrats in last week’s general election but has been made a peer in order to keep hold of his role as environment minister. Read more: Brexit bill: MPs [...]
