Brexit: German ambassador to UK ‘cautiously optimistic’ on NI Protocol deal December 4, 2022 One of Germany’s top diplomats is “cautiously optimistic” about the prospect of a UK-EU deal on the post-Brexit Northern Ireland Protocol, after a thawing in relations. Miguel Berger, Germany’s ambassador to Britain, said there is now an “openness to engage” from Downing Street and that UK-EU relations had improved since Boris Johnson was ousted. Both [...]
Zahawi: Army could be called in to ease Christmas strike disruption December 4, 2022 The army could be brought in to help with expected strike disruption over the Christmas period, Tory party chair Nadhim Zahawi has said. Zahawi said that members of the army may have to start “driving ambulances” and work on the borders as NHS staff and Border Force officers prepare to start industrial action. Many key [...]
Joe Biden to host Emmanuel Macron for White House state dinner December 1, 2022 Joe Biden will host Emmanuel Macron for a White House state banquet tonight as a part of the French President’s three-day US trip. The pair will have a four-course meal at the lavish dinner, which will come after tensions flared between Paris and Washington yesterday. Macron hit out at America’s “very aggressive” Inflation Reduction Act, [...]
Brexit: EU ready to ‘double down’ efforts in Northern Ireland Protocol talks December 1, 2022 Brussels is ready to “double down on efforts” to broker a deal on the post-Brexit Northern Ireland Protocol, according to the European Commission’s Vice President. Maros Sefcovic said there is now a “clear window of opportunity” to come to an agreement with the UK, after he spoke with foreign secretary James Cleverly this afternoon. Cleverly [...]
Boris Johnson tells local Tories he will stand in next election December 1, 2022 Boris Johnson has told his local Conservative association in Uxbridge and Ruislip that he will run again at the next election. The former Prime Minister informed the local party ahead of next week’s deadline for Tory MPs to confirm if they are standing for their seat again. It comes as a series of rising stars [...]
Ian Blackford to step down as SNP’s Westminster leader December 1, 2022 Ian Blackford has resigned as the Scottish National Party’s leader in Westminster, after he was effectively ousted by his own MPs. An SNP MP told CityAM that Blackford “jumped before he was pushed”, after senior MPs told the 61-year-old that his time was up. The coup was led by Stephen Flynn, who is now [...]
Warning on UK’s frosty China stance: Beijing could retaliate with supply chain disruption December 1, 2022 There are fresh warnings today about China’s ability to intentionally disrupt international supply chains, with claims the UK could be particularly vulnerable. The Evenstar Institute, a London foreign policy think tank, said in a new report today that “Beijing has repeatedly targeted direct trade for strategic purposes in recent years” and that “the UK is [...]
Exclusive: Labour targets £30m war chest for next election November 30, 2022 Labour party bosses want a £30m war chest to fight the next election, with Sir Keir Starmer stepping up his efforts to attract private donations to the party. Starmer has increased his appearances at donation dinners over recent months, according to Labour sources, as the party tries to break its financial dependence on the unions. [...]
Badenoch takes swipe at Johnson and Truss for setting UK trade deal deadlines November 30, 2022 Trade secretary Kemi Badenoch has taken a swipe at ex-PMs Boris Johnson and Liz Truss for setting public deadlines in trade negotiations. Badenoch told a Westminster committee today that public deadlines, like Johnson’s missed October targert for a UK-India trade deal, “can be incredibly unhelpful” and create “an incentive for more concessions” by British negotiators. [...]
UK summons Chinese ambassador over beating and arrest of BBC journalist November 29, 2022 The UK government has summoned China’s ambassador to London over the beating and arrest of a BBC journalist in Shanghai. Foreign secretary James Cleverly called ambassador Zheng Zeguang to the Foreign Office, with department sources calling the incident “completely unacceptable”. BBC journalist Ed Lawrence was beaten and arrested by Shanghai police yesterday, while reporting on [...]
