Theresa May invites ministers to preview draft EU deal November 7, 2018 Theresa May has invited Cabinet ministers into Downing Street to catch a glimpse of the UK’s draft deal with the European Union. The deal being discussed is not the full withdrawal agreement and crucially does not contain the protocol on Northern Ireland, which Downing Street said was still to be finalised as negotiations were ongoing. The [...]
Irish Prime Minister casts fresh doubt on chances of reaching November Brexit deal November 7, 2018 Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar has said hopes of reaching a Brexit deal later this month are fading, echoing comments by the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier that "we are not there yet". Speaking at a conference while on a visit to Helsinki, Finland, the Taoiseach said: “I do think that, with every day that passes, the possibility [...]
EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager signals decision on Google Adsense investigation November 7, 2018 European competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager has said regulators are close to releasing findings against Google, which could see the tech giant hit with another record-breaking fine. The investigation is the third of its kind into Google and its parent firm Alphabet by the antitrust watchdog in recent years, after the firm was fined €4.3bn (£3.8bn) earlier this year over market [...]
The EU’s highest court sets date to decide whether the UK can reverse Brexit November 7, 2018 The EU’s highest court has set a date to decide whether or not Britain can reverse its Brexit decision. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) will review if it is possible for Britain to withdraw its decision to leave the EU in March 2019 on 27 November, according to Reuters. There is no indication of when [...]
DEBATE: Is Tim Berners-Lee right that we need to save the web from abuse? November 7, 2018 Is Tim Berners-Lee right that we need to save the web from abuse? Sven Hughes, chief executive and founder of Verbalisation and Global Influence, says YES. When info.cern.ch went live in 1991, it was the address of the world’s first ever website and web server. Sir Tim Berners-Lee was the man to create that website, and [...]
Hammond’s digital tax is an illogical game of whack-a-mole November 7, 2018 The introduction of a new digital services tax was the most depressingly inevitable part of Philip Hammond’s Budget speech last week. Years of pressure from a pincer movement of corporate tax moralists and traditional retailers have paid off. Starting in April 2020, profitable digital businesses with £500m in global revenues would face a two per cent [...]
Politicians should be wary of regulating the internet November 7, 2018 The internet is under scrutiny like never before. On Monday, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, architect of the world wide web, warned of his invention’s detrimental effect on society and democracy, and launched a “Magna Carta” so people can use it “freely, safely and without fear”. Then yesterday, the UK information commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, gave evidence to [...]
We must get over our fear of the private sector helping the NHS November 7, 2018 No one at either end of the political spectrum can dispute that the NHS is under significant pressure. From annual winter crises to the challenges of an ageing population, the health service is struggling to keep up with society’s demands. And it’s always non-emergency – though still life-changing – services that are pushed down the [...]
Downing Street denies leaked Brexit timetable November 6, 2018 Reports tonight of a leaked document apparently from the Department for Exiting the EU, which outlined the government’s strategy for revealing a successful Brexit deal to the press and MPs later this month, have been refuted by Downing Street. A spokesperson for the Prime Minister's office said the document seemed "childish", denying its authenticity: "The [...]
Theresa May emerges from Cabinet meeting insisting she will not agree a Brexit deal ‘at any cost’ November 6, 2018 Theresa May has emerged from a tense Cabinet meeting this morning insisting she will not agree to a Brexit deal "at any cost", despite the clock ticking on reaching a Withdrawal Agreement. The Prime Minister's spokesperson said ministers needed more time to consider possible mechanisms that will prevent the UK from being tied to the European [...]