Europe

Boris Johnson under pressure to end ALL lockdown rules despite worrying new data

Express– Tories worried about the impact lockdown is having on the economy and society have been calling for restrictions to be lifted as soon as possible to help the UK get back to normal. This morning it emerged the Government is planning to have given a jab to all over-50s by May, with

Business Europe

Should everyone with a positive Covid test be given £500 to self-isolate?

independent– In response to the concerns that many people are failing to self-isolate for 10 days when they get Covid, the health secretary, Matt Hancock, has apparently been pushing for the government to give a one-off and automatic £500 payment to everyone who displays a positive test. The prime minister’s spokesperson says the government has “no plans” to adopt

Europe

Priti Patel backs tough police crackdown on nation’s lockdown rule breakers

express– Home Secretary Ms Patel said police are under strict orders to hand out fines to anyone flouting the rules. She insisted officers would tackle those “putting the health of the nation at risk by not following the rules”. It comes as a senior police chief said people need to “accept the personal responsibility to […]

Business

UK shares jump as markets react to Brexit deal

bbc– UK stock markets have jumped in their first trading session after the Christmas break. It was investors’ first chance to react to the Brexit trade deal with the EU, since markets closed early on Christmas Eve, hours before the outcome emerged. The FTSE 100 rose about 2.3%, while the 250-share index was up more […]

Europe

Boris Johnson urges Tory MPs to back Brexit deal as full text published

theguardian– The EU and the UK government have published the full text of the Brexit trade deal less than a week before it is due to be implemented, as Boris Johnson urged his backbenchers to support the agreement when it reaches parliament next week. The deal, which comes to more than 1,250 pages, will be voted […]

Europe

Brexit trade talks may continue after MEPs’ deadline, says France

theguardian– The European parliament’s Sunday deadline may pass without agreement on a post-Brexit trade and security deal, France’s European affairs minister, Clément Beaune, has said, as British and EU negotiators continued to haggle over fishing rights. MEPs have said they will stage a vote of consent on 28 December if terms are agreed by the […]

Europe

French fisherman’s threat to HANG British naval officer exposed as Brexit talks stall

express– This week, the EU and UK are pushing to secure an agreement on their future trading relationship before the end of the transition period at the end of the calendar year. A deadline for talks was initially set for Sunday, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen agreed to an extension […]

Business

Will Brexit affect house prices and mortgages?

independent– On 31 December the post-Brexit transition period ends and, with or without a free trade deal with the European Union, the UK will start life outside the EU’s single market and customs union. That will, pretty much all economists tell us, have a substantial economic impact on our lives. But what exactly will those impacts […]

Europe

Brexit fishing row: UK ‘must defend its waters’ as bitter MEP turns on EU

express– The EU and UK are still no closer to securing a trade pact, with Government insiders claiming the chances of no deal being reached currently at around 80 percent. Mr Johnson has made it his personal mission to take control of talks, discussing pathways through with the likes of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, but other leaders

Business

DEAL PROBE Asda £6.8billion takeover by Issa brothers investigated by competitions watchdog

thesun– They agreed a deal with Asda’s US owner Walmart in October, which would bring the supermarket to British ownership for the first time in 20 years. Under the plans, the brothers from Blackburn will take a majority stake, alongside their partner TDR, a London private equity group. Walmart will also retain a minority stake […]