Cop26: Boris Johnson calls for end to ‘great chainsaw massacre’ in wake of deforestation deal November 2, 2021 Boris Johnson has called for an end to the “great chainsaw massacre” in the wake of a landmark deal signed yesterday by world leaders to reverse deforestation. Johnson said at the United Nations’ Cop26 climate summit today that the deal is “not just a vital win in the struggle to contain global temperature increases, it [...]
Brexit: Truss summons French ambassador as fishing row escalates further October 28, 2021 France’s ambassador to the UK has been summoned to meet foreign secretary Liz Truss tomorrow as Paris refuses to back down over its threats to ban UK seafood and impose trade barriers. Truss said she wanted ambassador Catherine Colonna to explain to the UK’s Europe minister Wendy Morton the “disappointing and disproportionate threats made against [...]
Brexit: UK says France will break international law if it bans British seafood October 28, 2021 The UK has said France’s decision to ban British seafood exports and clamp down on cross-Channel trade next week will break international law and the post-Brexit trade deal. Environment secretary George Eustice said this morning that if France carries out its threats that it “will be met with an appropriate and calibrated response” as the [...]
Sunak cuts the Universal Credit taper rate to ease cost of living pressures October 27, 2021 Rishi Sunak has today cut the Universal Credit taper rate in a move that will put £2bn back into the pockets of the country’s lowest paid workers. Sunak announced in his Budget today that the taper rate will be slashed in December from 63 per cent to 55 per cent in a move that is [...]
France to ban UK seafood in retaliation for withholding fishing licences October 27, 2021 France will next week ban British seafood exports and disrupt trade of other goods if the UK does not grant a swathe of fishing licences. French President Emmanuel Macron escalated the feud between himself and Downing Street today, with Elysee spokesperson Gabriel Attal saying “we won’t let the British wipe their feet on the Brexit [...]
Budget: Labour says UK in store for ‘anaemic’ GDP growth under Tories October 27, 2021 Labour has claimed the UK is in store for “anaemic” GDP growth in the coming years in response to Rishi Sunak’s Budget today. Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves, filling in for Sir Keir Starmer who has Covid-19, said “the Conservatives are the party of high tax”. Forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) accompanying the [...]
Budget: Sunak unveils high spending and business rates cutting post-Covid Budget October 27, 2021 Rishi Sunak has increased day-to-day departmental spending by £150bn in today’s Budget, in what has been billed as the largest increase in the last century, and slashed business rates. Sunak said the £150bn boost would see every government department’s budget increase, while the tax cuts will see business rates slashed by £7bn. The chancellor also [...]
Sir Keir Starmer tests positive for Covid and will miss the Budget October 27, 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has tested positive for Covid-19 and will miss today’s autumn Budget. It was announced this afternoon that Starmer will miss Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) and the Budget, leaving shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves to respond to Rishi Sunak. Reeves and her deputy Bridget Phillipson met with Starmer just today, however Labour [...]
Labour puts pressure on Sunak to ease household cost of living pressures in Budget October 26, 2021 Labour has put pressure on Rishi Sunak to do more to ease household cost of living pressures in the autumn Budget as MPs hit out at the Treasury for releasing large parts of tomorrow’s announcement early. Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Bridget Phillipson today called on the government to cut VAT on energy bills [...]
Tory MP Owen Paterson faces suspension over ‘egregious’ breach of lobbying rules October 26, 2021 Tory MP Owen Paterson is facing a 30-day suspension from the House of Commons, after an “egregious” breach of parliament’s lobbying rules. Parliamentary commissioner for standards Kathryn Stone ruled today that the North Shropshire MP broke lobbying rules during his work for clinical diagnostics firm Randox, where he had been hired since 2015. He had [...]
