Samos: Greece’s treasure in the East Aegean Sea and spiritual home of Metaxa January 17, 2022 Stepping off the plane onto the ancient island of Samos is a treat for the senses, with arrivals greeted by the Aegean Sea to the east and the mighty Ampelos mountain to the West. While most of the postcard perfect images of this view show blue skies and an impenetrable sun, I was greeted by [...]
Khan tells PM his levelling up agenda will fail without long-term TfL funding January 17, 2022 The government’s plan to “level up” economically deprived parts of the UK will fail if Transport for London (TfL) is not given a long-term funding deal, London mayor Sadiq Khan has said. Khan today warned “tens of thousands of highly skilled jobs” across the UK were being put at risk by the government’s unwillingness to provide [...]
UK joining CPTPP won’t hurt environment or workers’ rights, says think tank report January 17, 2022 The UK’s ascension to the 11-country Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trade bloc will not lead to worse environmental standards or a diminishment of workers’ rights, according to a new think tank report. The Thatcherite Centre for Policy Studies think tank found new trade activity coming from joining the bloc would only [...]
Nadine Dorries hints at upcoming axing of BBC licence fee as funding is frozen January 16, 2022 Culture secretary Nadine Dorries has hinted the BBC licence fee will soon be scrapped as she oversees a two-year freeze on funding for the public broadcaster. Dorries took to Twitter today to confirm a Mail on Sunday story about the BBC licence fee being frozen for two years, which will lead to an effective funding [...]
England on track to shed all Covid restrictions this month, Dowden says January 16, 2022 England is on track to shed Covid restrictions implemented last month including the country’s work from home advice, Tory party chair Oliver Dowden has said. Dowen said “it all seems to be heading in the right direction” as Omicron cases in the UK begin to sharply drop and hospitalisations plateau. Patients in intensive care have [...]
Tory party chair says Johnson will ‘improve’ boozy Downing Street culture January 16, 2022 Boris Johnson is committed to “upping [the government’s] game” and “improving” the boozy culture in Downing Street, Tory party chair Oliver Dowden has said. Dowden said the many lockdown-breaking parties that happened in Downing Street were “unacceptable” and that “I’m angry about what happened”. There is now overwhelming evidence there was a culture of Covid [...]
Cabinet rallies around Boris Johnson in face of calls to resign January 13, 2022 Boris Johnson’s cabinet rallied around him today in a bid to put down a simmering rebellion in the Tory party that could cost the Prime Minister his job. A series of high-profile cabinet ministers went out to bat for the PM in broadcast interviews just 24 hours after Johnson faced a chorus of calls from [...]
England cuts Covid-enforced self-isolation from seven to five days January 13, 2022 People who test positive for Covid in England will be able to leave self-isolation after five days instead of seven from Monday, health secretary Sajid Javid has announced. Anyone who tests positive for Covid can leave self-isolation if they have two negative lateral flow tests after five full days, which brings England’s advice in line [...]
UK and India launch trade negotiations for post-Brexit deal January 13, 2022 The UK will officially launch negotiations for a post-Brexit trade deal with India today at an event in New Delhi. International trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan will make the formal announcement alongside Indian minister of commerce and industry Piyush Goyal, with the two set to outline parameters of the talks. A trade deal with India, one of [...]
Truss to restart talks with EU over Northern Ireland Protocol today January 13, 2022 Liz Truss will restart talks with the EU over the Northern Ireland Protocol today, with the foreign secretary claiming there is a “deal to be done”. Truss, who will meet with European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic at Chevening, said the EU has a “clear responsibility to help fix the myriad problems caused by the [...]
