Tory backbenchers warn Boris Johnson to drop lockdown soon or face leadership challenge January 14, 2021 Boris Johnson has been warned by lockdown-sceptic Tory backbenchers that he will face a leadership challenge if he does not “set out a clear plan for when our full freedoms will be restored”. Former Brexit minister Steve Baker said to a group of Tory backbenchers that “it’s inevitable the Prime Minister’s leadership will be on [...]
Brexit: Michel Barnier says new UK-EU border friction here to stay January 14, 2021 Much of the post-Brexit trade disruption and regulatory issues in the past two weeks will not be fixable, according to the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier. Barnier said today that many things “changed for good” when the UK left the EU’s single market and customs union on 31 December, adding that “there are mechanical, [...]
Liz Truss to meet with Joe Biden’s new trade team over US tariffs on Scotch whisky January 14, 2021 International trade secretary Liz Truss has told MPs today that she will meet with Joe Biden’s top trade negotiator in short time to discuss US tariffs on Scotch whisky. Speaking in the House of Commons, Truss said: “I have been clear with the United States and the European Union that we want to de-escalate this [...]
Boris Johnson vows to reimburse fishermen hit by Brexit ‘teething problems’ January 13, 2021 Boris Johnson has vowed to reimburse Scottish fishermen facing post-Brexit disruption and said current difficulties were only “teething problems”. The Prime Minister told a Westminster committee today that he understood “the frustrations of the fishing community” and that it will only be “a temporary frustration”. British seafood exporters have been hit by two weeks of [...]
‘Appalling’ sized children food parcels were in line with government advice January 13, 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has revealed that the miserly free school meals handed out to children this week by a private company were in fact in line with government advice. Starmer hit out at Boris Johnson for distancing himself from the fiasco as the size of the meals had been dictated by Department of [...]
Labour’s Anneliese Dodds to call for ‘responsible fiscal framework’ in major speech January 13, 2021 Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds is set to make a definitive break from Jeremy Corbyn-era economic policies in a speech that will commit Labour to “responsible” government spending. Dodds will also urge Rishi Sunak to delay paying of fiscal policy cutbacks or tax increases until the UK’s economy has recovered from Covid, which has been the [...]
Exclusive: UK eyes adding climate provisions in US trade talks to woo Joe Biden January 13, 2021 The UK will try to add new provisions on climate change and environmental standards in US trade negotiations in a bid to woo incoming President Joe Biden. Trade secretary Liz Truss wants to build on current negotiations with the Donald Trump administration and potentially add things like enhanced protections on air pollution and corporate transparency [...]
Exclusive: City of London boss says financial services overlooked in Brexit talks January 13, 2021 City of London Corporation boss Catherine McGuinness has hit out at Boris Johnson’s government for taking financial services for granted and overlooking the City of London during the last two years of Brexit talks. McGuinness, who is policy chair at the powerful local authority, told City A.M. today that she wanted to see “those important [...]
UK sanctions China over ‘horrific’ treatment of Uyghur Muslims January 12, 2021 The UK has imposed sanctions on Chinese businesses in retaliation to the country’s “horrific” and “harrowing” treatment of Uyghur Muslims in the province of Xinjiang. Foreign secretary Dominic Raab announced today that the government would launch a review into which UK products can be exported to Xinjiang and introduce financial penalties for Chinese firms that [...]
Exclusive: Sadiq Khan rows with London Assembly over police recruitment numbers January 11, 2021 Sadiq Khan has been asked why he is planning to “spend money he does not have” to hire 6,000 new police officers by March, while the Metropolitan Police budget has a projected £1bn black hole over the next three years. The London Assembly’s Budget and Performance Committee has asked the mayor to explain why he [...]
