From Italy and Brexit to Trump, don’t blame every electoral upset on “populism” December 5, 2016 In a world characterised by steadily decreasing attention spans and rampantly rising information onslaughts, the temptation to simplify just to keep on top of the newsflow is immense. The risk, of course, being that critical nuances are disregarded and inaccurate conclusions are drawn before being flung around on social media and becoming alleged “fact” in a [...]
Here’s what protesters outside the Supreme Court during the Article 50 hearing had to say December 5, 2016 The Supreme Court hearing on how the government will trigger Article 50 began today. Outside the building, a group of about 20 to 30 protesters gathered to speak out, dance an Irish jig or wave their Union Jacks. Standing out in support of Brexit meaning Brexit was Catherine Cook, who travelled down from Newcastle to show her anger with Parliament. Ticking the box and leaving [...]
Article 50 hearing: Parliament had plenty of chances to ask for Brexit trigger legislation, says attorney general December 5, 2016 Parliament had the opportunity to push for legislation to be put in place to trigger Article 50, but choose not to, the attorney general has told the Supreme Court. On the first day of what is due to be a four-day hearing, Jeremy Wright argued the government's wish to start the UK's formal withdrawal procedure from the EU [...]
The euro makes back losses from pound and dollar as markets react to Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s resignation December 5, 2016 The euro regained its steep losses against the pound and the dollar as the week started with the defeat of Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in his flagship constitutional reform and his immediate resignation. The pound rose above €1.20 in the early hours of Monday morning before falling back to €1.1899 at the time of publication. [...]
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key unexpectedly steps down to focus on his family December 5, 2016 New Zealand Prime Minister John Key unexpectedly announced his resignation today after eight years in power. Key was partway through a third three-year term marked by political stability and economic reform after the global financial crisis when he told reporters he would step down to focus on family, Reuters reported. Deputy prime minister and finance [...]
The immigration debate needs liberal voices December 5, 2016 The debate over immigration would continue to rage even if the UK had voted to remain in the EU. Indeed, with fresh figures showing that non-EU migrants made up the bulk of recent arrivals, one could argue it would rage all the harder if we hadn’t voted to ‘take back control’. But with splits emerging in [...]
Tony Blair and Nick Clegg risk damaging British business by seeking to block Brexit December 5, 2016 As a businessman and a proud Brexiteer – I was treasurer and board member of the Vote Leave campaign – I am convinced that Britain’s best days lie ahead. But we need to be ambitious. If we are, and if we seize this Brexit opportunity together, Britain can change for the better. My online financial trading business, [...]
Following a year of major political change, will 2016 be regarded as a turning point in history? December 5, 2016 Ruth Lea, economic adviser at Arbuthnot Banking Group, says Yes. I have little doubt that 2016 will go down as a major turning point in British history, as indeed was 1973 when we joined the European Communities. Then Britain, racked by post-colonial self-doubt, chose to join Europe’s political project of “ever closer union”, with all [...]
MPs’ Magnitsky amendment to criminal finances bill would see abusers’ assets frozen in the UK December 5, 2016 New powers to freeze the UK assets of those suspected of abusing human rights have received the backing of a cross-party group of influential MPs ahead of a parliamentary vote on the latest anti-corruption legislation. The MPs, led by Dominic Raab, conservative MP for Esher & Walton, have tabled an amendment for the asset freezing [...]
Article 50 rematch: Government heads to top court with revamped Brexit argument December 5, 2016 All eyes will be on the Supreme Court today as the attorney general doubles-down on the government's claim that the Prime Minister does not need parliamentary approval to trigger Article 50. Jeremy Wright will be the first to put forward arguments in the four-day hearing, while lawyers for pro-parliament activists who won their argument at the [...]