MP register update shows Boris Johnson used Heathrow lounge and Geoffrey Cox pocketed another £54k November 19, 2021 The latest update to the register of MPs’ interests shows that Prime Minister Boris Johnson was given use of the Windsor Suite at Heathrow Airport for three people on October 7, before he flew to Marbella on holiday. The Windsor Suite is a VIP lounge at Heathrow and has been used by royals including the [...]
Government ‘did not act on warnings’ from pre-Covid pandemic simulations, says audit November 19, 2021 The government failed to act on warnings from pandemic simulations and was left unprepared for Covid-19, according to a new parliamentary audit. Findings from a National Audit Office (NAO) audit said the government needs to “strengthen national resilience to prepare for future risks of this scale”, after its previous emergency plans lacked key detail on [...]
G7 calls Belarus ‘callous’ as 2,000 migrants gather at Polish border November 18, 2021 The G7 has called Belarus “callous” over its treatment of migrants, which has seen some 2,000 people gather in desperation at the Polish border. There are currently around 7,000 migrants residing in Belarus, according to presidential press secretary Natalya Eismont today, who hope of entering the European Union (EU). “The European Union shall open a [...]
Lib Dems call for bank tax hike to plug TfL funding gap November 18, 2021 The Liberal Democrats have called for taxes on banks to be hiked to help fill Transport for London’s (TfL) £6.6bn funding gap. The party called the long-running TfL funding saga between the government and mayor of London Sadiq Khan a “a ridiculous macho battle”, while urging them to “sort this mess out”. Khan last night [...]
‘Great train robbery’: Labour outrage at government cuts to HS2 November 18, 2021 Labour has labelled the government’s decision to cut the eastern leg of HS2, which would have connected Birmingham to Leeds, a “great train robbery”. Transport secretary Grant Shapps confirmed today, after a series of press stories this week, that the eastern leg of the high speed rail line will instead go from Birmingham to near [...]
TfL: Network planning for “managed decline” and return to 1970s without Whitehall funding November 18, 2021 LONDON’S transport network is headed for “managed decline” that will echo the 1970s if central government refuses to fill a growing funding black hole. Late on Wednesday evening, TfL’s finance committee published the bleakest assessment yet of the future of London’s public transport network, outlining an 18 per cent reduction in bus services and a [...]
Lower than forecast ULEZ receipts hit transport network’s coffers November 18, 2021 The expansion of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) has been so successful in driving down the use of heavily-polluting cars that it has blown a £600m hole in TfL’s forecasted budgets. The ULEZ was expanded out to the north and south circular in October as part of the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s push [...]
Many Tory MPs furious as Boris Johnson admits he ‘crashed the car’ in Tory sleaze row November 18, 2021 Prime Minister Boris Johnson urgently needs to rebuild public trust after admitting he “crashed the car into a ditch” in the row over standards at Westminster, according to warnings from his own MPs. Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab insisted ministers are committed to “fixing the problem” amid continuing frustration and anger among Tory MPs at [...]
Fresh restrictions blanket new Covid epicentre – Europe November 18, 2021 Ireland has become the latest European country to impose fresh Covid-19 restrictions, as the continent becomes the epicentre of the pandemic. From today, the country’s population will work from home where possible, though universities will not sink back into online teaching. Hospitality has also been impacted, with bars and restaurants having been ordered to [...]
Boris Johnson admits ex-MP Owen Paterson broke Westminster lobbying rule November 17, 2021 Boris Johnson has today admitted Owen Paterson broke Westminster’s lobbying rules, just two weeks after his government tried to get the ex-MP off the hook for a recommended 30-day suspension. Johnson told parliament’s Liaison Committee today that “there’s no question [Paterson] had fallen foul of the rules on paid advocacy as far as I could [...]
