The Royal Navy has been put on standby to protect British fishing waters from European boats in the event of a no-deal Brexit with four 80-metre armed patrol ships being readied for January 1. Ministers are understood to be preparing legislation to empower the Royal Navy Police “to board foreign vessels and arrest fishermen if […]
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The chancellor’s plan to combat the UK’s worst recession for 300 years has been attacked for its cuts to international aid spending that one former Tory minister claims will cause “100,000 preventable deaths, mainly among children.” Critics have also hit out at other parts of Rishi Sunak’s historic spending review which will see the government […]
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Families will be able to reunite at Christmas across the UK after the leaders of the four nations reach agreement about “bubbling” over the festivities. The rules will allow up to three households to meet-up and mix over five days between December 23-27, with travel restrictions around the whole of the UK relaxed for the […]
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Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled his fourth winter economic plan in six weeks by announcing the extension of the furlough scheme until March. It means the government will pay 80% of workers’ wages with companies paying national insurance and pension contributions. Support for self-employed had also been extended and the amount increased from previous Treasury statements. […]
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Northern Tory MPs have hit out at a letter by 20 of their southern Conservative colleagues – pushing for Manchester to accept tighter Covid restrictions – as “ill advised”. Labour mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham also hit back at what he called an “I’m alright Jack” letter signed by a score of Tory MPs […]
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Business leaders, metro mayors and northern politicians have given a mixed reaction to Rishi Sunak’s announcement that the government will pay 67% of wages for staff in businesses forced to shut because of Covid-19 restrictions. The chancellor described the expanded jobs support scheme as a safety net to protect jobs over a difficult winter period […]
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The UK’s logistics industry has criticised the government’s lack of border planning for Brexit, saying the UK is “sleepwalking into a disaster” when the transition period ends on December 31. Eight logistics organisations have written to Michael Gove to raise their concerns about the lack of customs agents, IT systems and physical infrastructure being built […]
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The sound of Tory knives sharpening is echoing round Westminster, Whitehall and constituency Conservative Clubs following today’s double-whammy to the party’s fortunes and future. A new poll has revealed the government’s performance has seen a surge in support for the Labour party, while reports abound that the chancellor is set to explode a tax bombshell […]
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Just eight months after securing an historic majority in the Commons, speculation is mounting as to how long Boris Johnson will remain in Number 10. Events have long since taken over the political agenda from Johnson and his Machiavellian chief advisor Dominic Cummings, neither of whom have seemed up to the task of effectively leading […]
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The number of British people receiving work-related benefits soared by 126% between March and May as the number of people employed over the same period plunged by 600,000. Office of National Statistics figures released today show the early impact of the lockdown on the UK’s economy but experts have warned its full effect will not […]
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