Fixing the rail system means putting passengers first December 5, 2018 The headlines yesterday that Govia Thameslink Rail (GTR) must spend £15m on passenger improvements to hold onto its franchise will be welcome if overdue news for the droves of commuters whose lives were made hell during the timetable chaos earlier this year. The Department for Transport labelled GTR’s performance “unacceptable”, and has not only decreed [...]
Theresa May suffers historic defeat as Parliament takes back control of Brexit December 4, 2018 Theresa May suffered a humiliating series of blows on Tuesday as the government was found in contempt of Parliament for the first time in history and MPs backed a rebel amendment to her key Brexit legislation. During a day of high political drama the pound fell at one point to its lowest level against the dollar [...]
Nigel Farage quits Ukip over anti-Muslim policies and link with Tommy Robinson December 4, 2018 Nigel Farage has dramatically quit Ukip in protest at the party’s anti-Muslim policies under leader Gerard Batten. The former Ukip leader slammed the appointment of far-right activist Tommy Robinson as an adviser and the party’s “fixation” with Islam. Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Farage said he was leaving Ukip “with a heavy heart” due to [...]
Why a river of dirty money flows through the United Kingdom December 4, 2018 Britain first passed a law allowing for the creation of limited-liability companies – described by the Economist in 1999 as “the key to industrial capitalism” – in the mid-19th century. They quickly exploded in popularity. Those arrangements are now under close scrutiny, after landing at the heart of the money-laundering scandal that has enveloped Danish [...]
Waiting isn’t working for people seeking asylum in the UK December 4, 2018 It’s a Tuesday morning, and for many of us that familiar post-weekend dread remains, as we think about leaving our cosy beds for the glaring office lights. But mornings aside, working can offer so much more than a pay cheque – work can offer us a sense of purpose, inspiration, and the chance to connect with [...]
Former Bank of England governor Mervyn King savages May’s Brexit deal December 4, 2018 The former governor of the Bank of England Lord Mervyn King has slammed Theresa May’s Brexit deal and implicitly criticised his successor Mark Carney. King called the withdrawal agreement "incompetence of a high order". “It simply beggars belief that a government could be hell-bent on a deal that hands over £39 billion, while giving the EU both [...]
Brexit case: European Court says Article 50 can be reversed December 4, 2018 The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) said today that Article 50 could be reversed, halting the UK's exit from the European Union. Spanish judge, advocate general Campos Sanchez-Bordona, said in his non-binding opinion that reversing Article 50 would be within the powers of the UK as a sovereign state. He said: “Withdrawal from [...]
How the UK can work with Japan to make the world a safer and more stable place December 4, 2018 The language of diplomacy can sometimes be very general. Diplomats and politicians invoke the idea of “partnerships” and “strong bilateral relations” without making clear to their citizens why they matter or what the benefits might be. Talk about trading opportunities gives a sense of something practical emerging from these sorts of relationship, but trade and investment is just [...]
Rigged and ready: After recent gains, are oil prices set to recover? December 4, 2018 The oil market has had a tough time this year, with prices sliding since October. And yet, there’s been a radical turn of events over recent days, with the picture looking drastically different as the markets opened for trading this week. In fact, one of yesterday’s biggest market movements was oil, with brent crude surging [...]
DEBATE: Are we at risk of overreacting to the story of ‘forced hugging’ at Ted Baker? December 4, 2018 Are we at risk of overreacting to the story of ‘forced hugging’ at Ted Baker? Dr Joanna Williams, author of Women vs Feminism: Why We All Need Liberating from the Gender Wars, says YES. Alarming stories of sleazy bosses taking advantage of vulnerable young women can make it seem as if the workplace hasn’t changed since the 1960s. [...]