EU president Juncker says Trump ‘gave his word’ not to impose car tariffs February 18, 2019 European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has said he is confident US President Donald Trump will not impose higher tariffs on European car imports. “Trump gave me his word that there won't be any car tariffs for the time being. I believe him,” Juncker told local media, according to his spokesperson. Read more: EU vehicles pose [...]
Opinion: Why Michael Gove’s plan to force housebuilders to leave green spaces better than they found them is a good idea February 18, 2019 Last December, Michael Gove announced proposals to enforce biodiversity net gain at new housing schemes. This would essentially require natural environments to be left in a better state than they were found by developers. The consultation on the plans closed on Sunday and I hope it will produce a host of positive outcomes. The environmental [...]
UK Space Agency fires £18m into Oneweb for a global communications network in space February 18, 2019 The UK Space Agency has invested £18m into building a new global communications network in space, provided by Softbank-backed London satellite firm Oneweb. Named Project Sunrise, the system will initially be comprised of around 650 satellites, before expanding to more than 900 satellites over time. While on a visit to the European Space Agency today, science [...]
Labour’s Tom Watson warns more MPs will quit unless the party changes February 18, 2019 Labour’s deputy leader has warned more MPs will quit the party if it does not tackle anti-semitism and broaden its appeal. Speaking after seven MPs announced they had resigned from Labour, Tom Watson delivered a sobering assessment of the civil war engulfing the party as he called for “kinder and gentler” politics from Jeremy Corbyn’s [...]
Gang of Seven ex-Labour MPs told to have the courage of their convictions and trigger by-elections February 18, 2019 MPs who have quit the Labour party to form a new independent alliance are facing growing pressure to trigger by-elections. Seven MPs – Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Ann Coffey, Gavin Shuker, Mike Gapes and Chuka Umunna – announced on Monday morning they had resigned from Labour in protest at the party’s approach to [...]
Forget social networks – the future is community media, says the boss of Disciple Media February 18, 2019 In February last year, Matt Hancock (then culture secretary, now health secretary) launched his own smartphone app, imaginatively titled… “Matt Hancock”. Many scoffed at the idea of an MP thinking themselves so important that they needed an app. And there were jokes about how the app asked for user consent: “Matt Hancock would like to access [...]
Tech giants should be held to compulsory ‘code of ethics’, MPs say February 18, 2019 Facebook and other tech giants should face stricter regulation to tackle the spread of fake news and misuse of personal data, MPs said today. Facebook founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg was harshly criticised in the final report on disinformation by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Select Committee, having declined several invitations to attend [...]
Labour MPs expected to resign today over divisions on Brexit and antisemitism February 18, 2019 Rumblings of a Labour party split look set to reach a head as sources told the media the disaffected MPs would resign today. Senior party sources told the BBC that the leadership was expecting a handful to resignations while Sky News said the group would make a statement later this morning on "the future of British politics". Those [...]
UK faces ‘large gaps’ in the law as just 13 per cent of EU regulations have been transferred ahead of Brexit February 18, 2019 Businesses face extensive disruption on the UK's scheduled departure date from the EU unless thousands of laws are amended in time for the 29 March deadline. Just 13 per cent of EU legislative regulations have been earmarked for retention by the government, meaning it faces a huge task in ensuring that all relevant laws are [...]
Labour moderates are approaching breaking point February 17, 2019 Michael Dugher has been a member of the Labour party for 28 years and was a Labour MP from 2010-2017. Before entering parliament he worked in Downing Street for Gordon Brown. This week, he is resigning from the party – citing Jeremy Corbyn's failure to deal with anti-Semitism. Dugher says “the Labour party I joined [...]
