Home Secretary Sajid Javid cuts holiday short to deal Channel migrants ‘major incident’ December 29, 2018 Home secretary Sajid Javid has cut his holiday short in order to deal with the growing number of migrants attempting to cross the Channel in dinghies to enter Britain. Javid yesterday declared the issue a “major incident”after almost 70 people were intercepted attempting to reach England over the past three days. He was also seeking an [...]
UK to spend £108m on ferries to prepare for no-deal Brexit December 29, 2018 The UK is planning to spend £108m on extra ferries to ease potential congestion at Dover in the event of a no-deal Brexit. French, Danish and British companies have been awarded the ferry contracts over the last few months, BBC News reported, which will allow almost 4,000 extra lorries a week to operate at other [...]
Trump rages in face of government shutdown, threatens to close US southern border unless he gets $5bn funding for Mexico border wall December 28, 2018 Donald Trump has threatened to close the United States’ southern border if Congress refuses to give $5bn in taxpayer funds for his Mexican border wall. Much of the federal government is currently shut down for lack of funding as the dispute over the proposed wall continues to rage, while Congress has been adjourned until next [...]
Jeremy Hunt says Brexit deal can still get through parliament if Irish backstop issue is clarified December 28, 2018 Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt has said Theresa May’s Brexit deal can get through parliament if the EU clarifies the so called Northern Irish backstop will be temporary. The backstop, an insurance policy to prevent the return of border checks between Ireland and Northern Ireland, has been a major sticking point in securing the Brexit divorce [...]
Merkel and Macron demand release of Ukrainian sailors captured by Russia in November December 28, 2018 Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron have demanded Russia release the 24 Ukrainian sailors captured last month in the Kerch Strait, which links the Black Sea with the Azov Sea. Moscow said the sailors, who were captured along with their ships, were crossing the Russian border illegally. Ukraine, on the other hand, said Russia’s capture of [...]
MPs demand ‘meaningful’ vote on all trade deals after Brexit December 28, 2018 MPs have called for the power to veto any trade deals negotiated by the government after Britain leaves the EU. In a move likely to be rejected by a government which has already pushed the so-called meaningful vote on Theresa May’s Brexit deal back a month to mid-January, the influential International Trade Committee has demanded [...]
Top EU official: MPs could still approve May’s deal in vote next month December 27, 2018 The likelihood of Britain abandoning Brexit altogether and staying in the European Union has increased slightly in recent months, but there is no public support for a second referendum, one of the bloc’s top officials has said. European Commissioner Guenther Oettinger told the Funke Media Group that there is still a chance MPs will vote for [...]
Italy wins Senate approval for 2019 budget December 23, 2018 The Italian government has won a vote of confidence in its budget for next year in the upper house this morning, racing to gain approval before the year-end deadline. The budget will now pass to the lower house of parliament for a vote by 31 December, so that it can take effect before the start [...]
Former Liberal Democrats leader Paddy Ashdown dies aged 77 December 23, 2018 British politician and former leader of the Liberal Democrats Lord Paddy Ashdown has passed away after being treated for cancer, aged 77. Once a marine commando and diplomat, Ashdown was the Liberal Democrats' longest-serving leader for 11 years between 1988 and 1999, also serving as an MP for Yeovil. He died last night after a battle with [...]
Jeremy Corbyn: Brexit will go ahead if Labour win a snap election December 22, 2018 Leader of the opposition Jeremy Corbyn has said that Brexit would go ahead if Labour won a snap election in the New Year. Corbyn has insisted he would try and secure a better deal with Brussels should Labour take power but refused to rule out a second EU referendum. "My proposal at this moment is [...]