Putin calls on Novichok suspects to defend themselves in public September 12, 2018 Vladmir Putin has encouraged two Russian men allegedly sent to kill former Soviet military officer Sergei Skripal to defend themselves publically. The Russian President said the men identified by the UK as Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov are “civilians”, claiming “there is nothing criminal here”. Read more: US, France, Germany and Canada back UK on [...]
Jean Claude Juncker’s State of the Union 2018 address: UK ‘will never be an ordinary third country’ after Brexit September 12, 2018 The UK will "never be an ordinary third country" for the EU, Jean-Claude Juncker said in this morning's State of the Union address – but indicated that the Chequers' proposal of a Single Market for goods is a non-starter. Giving his annual speech, the European Commission President told MEPs in Strasbourg that the UK would "always be [...]
Brexiter big beasts herald Economists for Free Trade report September 11, 2018 Brexiter big beasts Boris Johnson, Jacob Rees-Mogg, David Davis and Iain Duncan Smith were among a slew of MPs to endorse a new report claiming the UK could be as much as £1.1 trillion better off under a so-called World Trade Deal. The report, by the pro-Leave Economists for Free Trade, was launched by Rees-Mogg alongside EFT [...]
Students should remain in net migration figures, govt told September 11, 2018 Students should continue to count towards the UK's total immigration figures, the government's independent adviser has said, throwing Theresa May a rare lifeline on the issue. A new report, published this morning by the Migration Advisory Committee, acknowledged international students brought "clear benefits to the whole of the UK", and their ongoing inclusion would make it [...]
DEBATE: Is now the right time to redraw the parliamentary map and reduce the number of MPs? September 11, 2018 Is now the right time to redraw the parliamentary map and reduce the number of MPs? Olivia Utley, communications manager at Bright Blue, says YES. In terms of population, the largest constituency in the UK is the Isle of Wight, with an electorate of 110,924 in 2015. The smallest is Na h-Eileanan an Iar in [...]
Bosses of Citi, JPMorgan and Barclays slam equivalence as “‘insufficiently load-bearing’ for post-Brexit financial services trade September 11, 2018 Banking bosses have stressed that the government must push for a vastly improved equivalence regime, warning that the current system is "insufficiently load-bearing". Speaking before MPs of the Treasury Select Committee this morning, executives from Barclays, Citigroup and JPMorgan said they were already implementing their no deal contingency planning to ensure they were able to [...]
The EU’s existential crisis has spread to Sweden September 10, 2018 The tide of political upheaval has spread to Sweden, whose election has shaken any delusion that anti-EU frustration is confined to the Brexit-voting UK. In Sweden’s system of compromise and coalition, the far-right Sweden Democrats (SD) have been the big winners. While SD did not do as well as some had predicted, winning 17.6 per [...]
Boris Johnson, Brexit and party splits are set to dominate the conference season September 10, 2018 Brexit, leadership woes and growing rumours of a party splitting – rarely have the Conservatives and Labour gone into party conference season facing virtually the same challenges so intensely. As always, this year's Tory conference will be all about Boris Johnson. Love him or loathe him, and they seem to be the only opinions available on [...]
Sterling rises as Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier says ‘realistic’ to expect deal in matter of weeks September 10, 2018 Sterling climbed this afternoon after it was reported that the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier has said it is "realistic" to expect a Brexit deal in the next six-to-eight weeks. Talks between the UK and the European Commission are taking place again this week, ahead of the EU27 leaders meeting to discuss Brexit at a summit in Salzburg, [...]
The voices of reform must be heard over Brexit brooding September 10, 2018 "I’ve never played for a draw in my life.” That was the clarion call from the legendary former manager of Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson. And it’s a message to consider as the autumn term for business and the body politic begins. If ever there was a need for a new chapter of courageous capitalism to [...]