Brexit trade negotiations: UK increases preparations for no-deal May 17, 2020 The UK is gearing up preparations to walk away from Brexit trade negotiations with Brussels in June and to exit the EU transition period on 31 December without a deal. The third round of negotiations were completed on Friday, with both sides expressing frustration at the slow progress of talks. UK chief negotiator David Frost [...]
Coronavirus lockdown: Al fresco dining could be allowed within weeks May 17, 2020 Some restaurants, pubs and coffee shops could be allowed to open within weeks, which would be a month earlier than expected. Ministers are reportedly considering plans to allow hospitality venues to open in outdoor areas in what would be a boost to the sector. The plans would allow pubs, restaurants and coffee shops with outdoor [...]
OBR chief rules out post-crisis ‘v-shaped’ economic recovery for UK May 17, 2020 The head of the government’s independent budget watch dog has said a quick, “v-shaped” economic recovery is very unlikely for the UK as it comes out of the Covid-19 lockdown. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) director Robert Chote said today that people should “expect a slower recovery than the v-shaped” recovery first predicted by [...]
Michael Gove says 17,000 recruited to administer coronavirus tracing app May 17, 2020 Seventeen-thousand people have been recruited to administer the government’s coronavirus tracing programme, with the rollout of the app expected by the end of the month. Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said today that 17,000 of the 18,000 required contract tracers had been hired and that Britons across the country will be able to download the [...]
Brexit: ‘Tetchier’ trade talks offer little progress, says UK May 15, 2020 The UK has said “very little progress” has been made in the latest round of Brexit trade negotiations with the EU. In negotiations described as “tetchier” by one source, the UK and EU remain far apart on the most divisive key issues on securing a trading relationship after Brexit. Those include fisheries and the so-called [...]
Grant Shapps ‘optimistic’ of TfL bailout deal, but signals potential fare rises May 14, 2020 Transport secretary Grant Shapps has said he is “optimistic” a deal can be struck to rescue struggling Transport for London (TfL), while signalling that fare hikes may be a condition of any bailout. Shapps said at today’s press briefing that a bailout was on its way for TfL, just hours after Sadiq Khan said he [...]
UK government kick starts £2bn transport spending spree May 14, 2020 The government has begun a £2bn spending spree on the UK’s transport infrastructure, according to transport secretary Grant Shapps. Shapps said at today’s press briefing that the government had begun a slew of road and rail projects, which were first announced in the Conservatives’ 2019 election manifesto. Shapps said the government was in the process [...]
UK criticises EU for ‘lack of movement’ on key issues in Brexit trade talks May 14, 2020 The UK government has again slammed Brussels negotiators for their failure to compromise on key issues, signalling little progress in the post-Brexit trade negotiations as the third round of talks near a close. The UK’s chief Brexit negotiator David Frost attended cabinet today, telling members that the EU has not budged on some of the [...]
Sadiq Khan warns TfL will run out of cash today without government bailout May 14, 2020 London’s mayor Sadiq Khan has given the government an ultimatum saying that if Transport for London does not receive a bailout today the operator will have to cut tube and bus services. Speaking to LBC, Khan said: “Being blunt, today is the last day. Unless the government gives us confirmation of the grant we need, [...]
UK to order approved antibody coronavirus tests ‘as quickly as we can’ May 14, 2020 The government will be ordering the first batch of approved coronavirus antibody tests from Swiss manufacturer Roche “as quickly as we can”, according to a health minister. The test, which it is believed will show if someone has immunity from Covid-19, has been described as “a game changer” by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and a [...]
