Chancellor Hammond must focus on the quality of infrastructure spending, not its quantity November 22, 2016 Keynes is back, or so it seems. Both left and right wing movements across the West are calling for greater government borrowing to finance infrastructure projects. In the US, Donald Trump is proposing to invest $500bn. In the UK, Labour’s John McDonnell wants an even more lavish £500bn programme, equivalent to around a quarter of [...]
Donald Trump isn’t actually going to pursue Hillary Clinton charges November 22, 2016 US President-elect Donald Trump has come over all magnanimous. A spokeswoman for Trump said he won't pursue a further investigation into Hillary Clinton's emails so she can "heal". In fact, the incoming President has backed down from his pledge to appoint a special prosecutor to look into the former Secretary of State. Kellyanne Conway, who managed [...]
No Brexit debate in parliament is creating sideshows, warns House of Lords November 22, 2016 A lack of healthy debate about Brexit in parliament risks creating more noise, such as the recent Article 50 case, elsewhere, the House of Lords has cautioned today. In a debate to discuss what degree parliament should be consulted on Brexit, the peers called on government to involve both houses more on its thinking on [...]
Oh Canada! Finance minister not fussed about UK trade deal November 22, 2016 Canada will be in no rush to strike up a trade deal with the UK following Brexit, a key minister has said today. As the UK moves closer to leaving the EU, many have been eager to know what kind of trade relations the country will be able to secure. But Canada's finance minister Bill Morneau has [...]
Minicab drivers are staging an anti-Uber protest in Westminster November 22, 2016 A fresh anti-Uber protest has hit the capital, aimed at piling more pressure on the Mayor of London to "take action" against the startup. Minicab drivers are staging a protest from Edgware Road, past Transport for London's offices in Victoria and which arrives at Westminster at 2.30pm. Members of drivers union United Private Hire Drivers (UPHD) are calling on Sadiq [...]
“It’s like Dad’s Army”: Michael O’Leary criticises government for “lunatic optimism” over Brexit November 22, 2016 Nobody could ever accuse Michael O’Leary of being bland. The Ryanair boss was vocal about his concerns ahead of Brexit and now he's speaking out once more over how the government is handling Britain’s departure from the European Union. Speaking at the Airport Operators Association’s annual conference, he criticised the government again for its approach and reaffirmed [...]
Boris: Hostility to Trump is against the UK’s national interests November 22, 2016 Foreign secretary Boris Johnson has warned MPs not to be premature in their judgement of President-elect Donald Trump, arguing that attacks on the US "could be damaging to the interests of this country". Speaking in the House of Commons earlier today, Johnson called on MPs to be "as positive as we possibly can be about the [...]
The EU parliament’s Brexit negotiator has warned that talks must close by the middle of 2019 November 22, 2016 The European Parliament's lead negotiators for Brexit talks has warned that discussions with the UK must conclude ahead of MEP election in mid-2019. Speaking after a meeting with UK Brexit secretary David Davis, Guy Verhofstadt said officials had just less than a year and a half to reach a deal if, as expected, Prime Minister [...]
Donald Trump has tweeted that Nigel Farage would do a “great job” as US ambassador, but Downing Street says: we’ve got one already, and he’s excellent November 22, 2016 President-elect Donald Trump has said that the UK's Nigel Farage would make an excellent ambassador to the US, but Downing Street has hit back saying there is "no vacancy". In a tweet overnight, Trump said: Many people would like to see @Nigel_Farage represent Great Britain as their Ambassador to the United States. He would do a [...]
Autumn Statement 2016: Philip Hammond shouldn’t base changes to pensions tax relief on older people’s situation today November 22, 2016 According to some reports, tomorrow’s Autumn Statement could be both the first and last for the new chancellor, because Philip Hammond is said to be in favour of sticking to a single annual Budget. We’ve become used to the biannual format, with a fresh set of policies emerging from the chancellor’s red box twice each year. [...]