Politics

The car industry has been one of the most vocal against Brexit due to the damage it could inflict on car production in the UK. Now Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has said that none of the car makers in the UK is ready for a no-deal Brexit. He said he is “increasingly concerned” about the UK failing to reach any kind of deal with the EU. A “no deal” Brexit means that...

John McDonnell has sent early warning signs to London's financial sector saying he wants to "transform capitalism" and they had "better get used to it". The Shadow Chancellor pulled no punches in a strongly-worded interview with CityAM today. He said "we are sixth or fifth biggest economy in the world and yet at the same time we can't house our own people, a million foodbank parcels handed out last year - that is a system that's not working". His sentiment echoe that of...

Jeremy Hunt recently promoted to Foreign Secretary and in China a bid to establish new trade connections managed to get the nationality of his wife wrong in a botched bid to ingratiate himself with his hosts. Hunt, Britain’s top diplomat now managed to mix up regional rivals Japan and China, as well as mistake his wife’s nationality, boasting “my wife is Japanese.” He hastily corrected himself, telling his counterpart, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi: “my wife is Chinese. That’s a...

A group of almost 40 MPs have come together to sign an open letter pleading for a second referendum over Brexit, reports the Daily Mirror. The MPs form a cross party alliance hoping that the nation is given another chance to decide if leaving the EU is the what they really want. The letter reads: “Brexit is taking longer and costing more than we thought, and it’s been changing our communities, our hospitals and our job prospects in ways that...

The financial services industry must “unite and fight” against a no-deal Brexit that potentially erodes clients’ rights and damages the financial sector itself, warns the boss of one of the world’s largest independent financial services organisations. The warning from deVere Group founder and CEO, Nigel Green, comes as the UK's International Trade Secretary, Liam Fox, said that Britain should accept a ‘no-deal’ scenario, instead of requesting more negotiating time. It also follows MPs being told earlier this week by the Association of British Insurers that...

Theresa May's Chequers plan has fallen at the first hurdle after the EU's chief negotiator ruled out allowing the UK to collect customs duties on its behalf. Michel Barnier said the UK wanted to "take back control" of its money, law and borders - but so did the EU. He said the EU would not delegate "excises duty collection to a non-member", effectively sabotaging the compromised plan May put to the cabinet earlier this month. Although both he and the new...

A Brexit activist fined £20,000 for breaching spending rules during the EU referendum campaign has raised funds to appeal the decision in just two hours. Darren Grimes, who insists he was "completely innocent" of making false declarations in relation to a £680,000 donation to his BeLeave youth group from the main Vote Leave campaign, raised £20,000 through a crowdfunding campaign backed by right-wing media outlet Guido, who dubbed Grimes a "Brexit hero". He accused the Electoral Commission of acting out...

Stockpiles of medicines, medical devices and "substances of human origin" thought to be blood will be collected in preparation for a Brexit no-deal, the Health Secretary has said today. Matt Hancock, the new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, confirmed that provisions were been put in place by the department, adding that there will "obviously be a cost for this". He said medicines and medical devices will be stockpiled as well as substances of human origin, which under...

The Government has failed to publish the long-awaited Green Paper on social housing before summer recess, despite repeated promises to outline and consult on plans to tackle the current crisis. This preliminary report was due to set out what the Government intends to do to improve social housing, and mental health charity Mind was hoping to see it specifically address the issues faced by people with mental health problems living in, or waiting for, social housing. Vicki Nash, Head of...