Independent Scotland would have to find extra £8.5bn in savings September 17, 2021 An independent Scotland would have to find a whopping £8.5bn in additional savings upon leaving the Union, a new report from the Institute for Government has found. Before Covid-19 struck, the Scottish deficit stood at 8.0 per cent, but the IfG warned that it was unlikely that Nicola Sturgeon’s government would be able to borrow [...]
All new London buses to be zero-emission Mayor says September 17, 2021 Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, has announced that new Transport for London (TfL) buses will be carbon neutral, as the UK prepares to host COP26. TfL said in a statement that by the end of next year, ten per cent of London’s bus network will be zero-emission as the network has committed to only [...]
Reshuffle day two: Jesse Norman sacked as Treasury minister September 16, 2021 Boris Johnson continues his reshuffle today, after a major shakeup to his top team yesterday afternoon. Johnson will fill dozens of ministerial roles that sit under the secretary of state in each department. 17.56 International trade minister sacked Trade minister Graham Stuart has been sacked, along with two others in the latest announcement. Stuart had [...]
Greensill aftermath: Boris Johnson-ordered review calls for strengthening of lobby rules September 16, 2021 A review ordered by Boris Johnson in response to concerns over David Cameron’s lobbying attempts has called for a strengthening of the rules. The second part of the long-awaited report by Nigel Boardman was published on Thursday and called for a variety of reforms in the wake of the Greensill scandal. Boardman noted that if [...]
Brexit: EU finserv groups call for extension to City clearing house access September 16, 2021 A trio of major lobby groups for Europe’s financial services sector have called on Brussels to extend the EU’s access to London clearing houses amid warnings of financial instability. The groups wrote to the European Commission today, warning “there is a significant risk of market disruption for EU clearing members and their clients” if the [...]
Katherine Zappone affair rocks Irish government as leak allegations pile up September 16, 2021 Irish government minister Simon Harris denied today lleaking information from cabinet and said he is “very seriously” considering making a complaint against the Sinn Fein TD who made the allegation. Speaking with the protection of privilege in the Dail this afternoon, Sinn Fein’s Matt Carthy claimed Harris had leaked information about the proposed appointment of [...]
Brexit: Lord David Frost outlines priorities for EU regulations bonfire September 16, 2021 The UK has launched an official review into EU regulation that is still in place in the UK, with Lord David Frost announcing that red tape on things like port services, vehicles and data rights is set to be slashed. Frost, the UK’s defacto Brexit minister, told the House of Lords that the UK had [...]
Johnson: UK, US and Australia nuclear submarine deal creates ‘inseparable’ partnership September 16, 2021 Boris Johnson has hailed the newly signed UK and US agreement to build Australian nuclear submarines as creating an “inseparable” partnership, which will “accelerate” the creation of a range of cyber and AI-based defence systems. Johnson told MPs today that the agreement will enhance “security” and ensure “regional stability” in the Indo-Pacific in thinly veiled [...]
130 universities in UK: Half of new Cabinet studied at Oxford or Cambridge September 16, 2021 Almost half of Boris Johnson’s new Cabinet went to Oxford or Cambridge universities while over 60 per cent attended a private school. New Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, Housing Secretary Michael Gove and Chancellor Rishi Sunak all attended Oxford University. Moreover, one in four of all Conservative MPs studied at one of the two prestigious universities, [...]
New ‘Britishness’ requirements for public service broadcasters set out by Govt September 16, 2021 Plans to protect “distinctively British” shows and broadcasters have been set out by the Media Minister today at the Royal Television Society Convention. Media Minister John Whittingdale announced the new rules for public service broadcasters (PSBs) to make “iconic, not generic” British shows in a bid to help them compete with US streaming giants. The [...]
