Coronavirus 1) Emergency laws planned “Emergency laws to tackle coronavirus are being rushed in after the outbreak claimed its first British life yesterday. The measures will be announced next week to ensure public services and the transport network can keep operating if the crisis worsens. The unnamed British victim died in Japan after contracting the […]
Transport 1) Heathrow ruling throws ‘dozens’ of projects into doubt “Dozens of airport, road and energy projects have been thrown into doubt after judges delivered a crushing blow to plans for a third runway at Heathrow over its impact on the environment. The Court of Appeal ruled yesterday that the government’s policy on expanding the […]
Javid tells Johnson to give Sunak ‘space and freedom’ “Sajid Javid has told Boris Johnson to give his successor as chancellor “space to do his job without fear or favour” as No 10 prepares to turn on the spending taps in the budget. In a resignation statement that exposed the conflict over the government’s economic policy, […]
Mass coronavirus testing to be launched in Britain “Thousands of Britons will be tested by GPs for coronavirus, amid fears that the explosion of cases in Europe means there could be far more cases in the UK than are known about. Mass surveillance will be introduced, as Britain ramps up its response to the growing threat, […]
Trade talks 1) EU meets to agree “red lines” “Ministers from the EU will meet later to approve their mandate for post-Brexit trade talks with the UK. The document approved by the EU General Affairs Council on Tuesday morning will be the basis for future negotiations, to be carried out by Michel Barnier. It will […]
Johnson piles pressure on EU’s Brexit ‘time wasters’ by kick starting trade talks with the US “Boris Johnson is set to kick start trade talks with the US within the next two weeks, amid frustration in Number 10 at EU “time wasting.” The Prime Minister will next week (March 2) publish the Government’s “red lines” […]
UK claims EU is in disarray over Brexit negotiations “Britain has accused the EU of being in disarray in its approach to the post-Brexit trade talks, stepping up a war of words between the two sides. A week before the first round of formal talks in Brussels, a source close to the negotiations claimed that […]
Home Office 1) Patel gets ‘storm warning’ over civil service clashes “A former chief civil servant at the Home Office has warned that the department is in the grip of a number of “tropical storms” amid reports of clashes between Priti Patel and her chief mandarin. Sir David Normington, a former permanent secretary who served under […]
Home Office 1) Tories defend Patel over bullying allegations “Senior Tories have defended Priti Patel after she was accused of ‘bullying’ civil servants to the point of collapse over the failure to deport Jamaican criminals. The Home Secretary is said to rule her department by belittling officials, making unreasonable demands and creating an “atmosphere of […]
Government already mooting plans to loosen new immigration system… “Talented younger migrants could be permitted to enter Britain without a job offer under plans being considered by the Government to expand the country’s new points-based immigration system. Young applicants would score extra points over older migrants as part of a move to increase entry routes for […]
Patel says points-based system ‘will cut’ businesses’ reliance on cheap labour “Businesses will be forced to end their reliance on cheap low-skilled migrants and recruit more British workers under a new points-based immigration system, the Government will announce on Wednesday. Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, will introduce new laws next month aimed at limiting migration to […]
Homeowners should expect flooding, ministers will say “Homeowners should no longer automatically expect to be protected from major floods, ministers will announce in the coming weeks. Under a radical policy shift drawn up by the Environment Agency, flooding will be seen as inevitable due to the predicted effects of climate change. Instead of spending millions […]
Tory MPs warn against a ‘vendetta’ against the BBC “The Conservative party risks losing voters if it continues its “vendetta” against the BBC, senior Tories have warned amid a mounting backlash. Last night backbench MPs threatened to oppose reported plans by the government to scrap the licence fee and replace it with a subscription model. […]
Government “plans to scrap the Licence Fee and scale back the BBC” “Downing Street turned on the BBC last night — vowing to scrap the television licence fee and make viewers pay a subscription. The national broadcaster could also be compelled to downsize and sell off most of its radio stations. In a plan that […]
Johnson could ‘rip up’ Javid’s fiscal rules “Boris Johnson is considering ripping up Sajid Javid’s fiscal rules to allow for more spending and tax cuts to boost the economy after Brexit. No 10 signalled on Friday that the spending rules set out in the Conservatives’ general election manifesto could be loosened as the Prime Minister attempts […]