UK Parliament gives government power to begin EU exit

Britain lurched closer to leaving the European Union Monday when Parliament stopped resisting and gave Prime Minister Theresa May the power to file for divorce from the bloc. But in a blow to May’s government, the prospect of Scotland’s exit from the United Kingdom suddenly appeared nearer, too.

Scottish nationalism is same as racism, London mayor claims

The Labour mayor of London has likened Scottish nationalism to racism, insisting that there is “no difference” between them and those who try to “divide us on the basis of our background, race or religion”. He wrote in the Daily Record newspaper: “The last thing we need now is to pit different parts of our country or sections of our society against each other – or to further fuel division or seek separation.”

David Miliband: Labour is ‘further from power than any time in my life’

Speaking to The Times , 51-year-old Miliband – who narrowly lost out on the Labour leadership in 2010 – said: “I’m obviously deeply concerned that Labour is further from power than at any stage in my lifetime.” Miliband was interviewed by the newspaper after Labour’s humiliating defeat to the Conservatives in the Copeland by-election , which marked the first time a sitting party has gained a seat in a by-election since 1982.

Measures tabled to freeze ‘ill-gotten gains’ of dictators

New powers to stop “blood-stained dictators” and despots from laundering their money through the UK by freezing their assets have been tabled by the Government. Security Minister Ben Wallace said the move would send a “major signal” around the world that the UK could not be used as a base to hide “ill-gotten gains”.

Amid protests, UK lawmakers debate downgrading Trump visit

Thousands of protesters against U.S. President Donald Trump rallied outside Britain’s Parliament on Monday, while lawmakers inside urged the government to rescind its offer to the president of a state visit stamped with pomp, pageantry and royal approval. In a passionate debate that’s unlikely to change the British government’s position, Trump was labeled a misogynist, a bigot and a “petulant child” by opposition legislators.

SNP seize on Blair’s comments that case for Scottish independence is…

SNP seize on Blair’s comments that case for Scottish independence is “much more credible” in light of Brexit vote THE SNP leadership has seized on Tony Blair’s remarks that the case for Scottish independence was “much more credible” after the Brexit vote and that a second referendum was now “back on the agenda”. In a keynote speech in London for Open Britain, which campaigns against a so-called “hard Brexit” outside the European single market, the former Prime Minister called on pro-Europeans to “rise up” and persuade Leave voters to change their minds in the face of a Conservative Government bent on pursing “Brexit at any cost”.

MP warns over armed vigilantes targeting seagulls

Concerns have risen that seagulls will launch a fresh wave of attacks on Britons as the breeding season hits this spring Menacing seagulls are causing such havoc in Britain that vigilantes are arming themselves with guns and launching their own culls, an MP has said. Conservative MP Anne-Marie Trevelyan said locals have been “wandering the streets” of the picturesque seaside town near the Scottish border to kill the birds.

George Osborne defends six-figure sum roles on top of pay

My contribution to UK life, by five-jobs George: Osborne defends the roles that earn him six-figure sums on top of his MP’s salary These include pocketing A 620,000 from after-dinner speeches and taking up a controversial role with the US investment firm BlackRock George Osborne yesterday defended the jobs that earn him six-figure sums on top of his MP’s salary, claiming they are part of his ‘varied and interesting’ contribution to national life. The ex-Chancellor, who was sacked after the EU referendum , has been heavily criticised for accepting a string of well-paid roles while still serving on the Tory back benches.

Ruth Davidson in plea to Donald Trump to reverse travel ban

As protests are staged around the world, the Scottish Conservative leader added her voice to calls for the executive order to be reversed. She praised the UK Government for getting clarification on the status of UK dual citizens, but said: “I think at base, myself and many other people across the globe, including former Republican vice-president Dick Cheney, our solution would be for this executive order to be rescinded.

Theresa May: Devolved administrations won’t get decisive Brexit role

Theresa May has made it clear that devolved administrations will not be given a decisive role in the UK’s split from the EU Theresa May has made it clear the devolved administrations will not be given a decisive role in the UK’s divorce from the European Union ahead of talks with leaders from across the UK. And she highlighted how the Supreme Court ruling on triggering Article 50 had set out “beyond doubt” that relations with Brussels would be determined by the UK government.

Salmond accuses Tories of destroying devolution settlement

ALEX Salmond claims Theresa May’s hard Brexit approach risks “undermining the entire basis of Scottish devolution” by riding roughshod over the wishes of Holyrood and the electorate. He said the Tory Government seemed intent on “systematically destroying” its own claims that Scotland is an equal partner in the UK with its plans to leave the single market.

Brexit Bulletin: Orderly or Disorderly?

Investors may need to move beyond them too, after spending much of 2016 trying to guess if the prime minister would go hard or soft . British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks to members of the Charity Commision for England and Wales at The Royal Society on January 09, 2017 in London.

Bombing Syria was never going to help the people of Aleppo

As the traumatised survivors of Aleppo flee the ruined city – once the size of Newcastle, Birmingham, Cardiff and Glasgow combined – Libya is smouldering evidence that Britain bombing Syria would not have averted the bloodshed. In the 2013 Parliamentary rebellion, Tory dissidents sided with Ed Miliband’s Labour Party to stop David Cameron declaring war on tyrant Bashar al-Assad ‘s regime – and attempts at rewriting history to portray the revolt as a grave mistake ignore hugely uncomfortable facts.

Bombing Syria was never going to help the people of Aleppo

As the traumatised survivors of Aleppo flee the ruined city – once the size of Newcastle, Birmingham, Cardiff and Glasgow combined – Libya is smouldering evidence that Britain bombing Syria would not have averted the bloodshed. In the 2013 Parliamentary rebellion, Tory dissidents sided with Ed Miliband’s Labour Party to stop David Cameron declaring war on tyrant Bashar al-Assad ‘s regime – and attempts at rewriting history to portray the revolt as a grave mistake ignore hugely uncomfortable facts.