Category Archives: Politics

May and Juncker speak as she struggles to break Brexit impasse

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No 10 refuses to provide details of call, with PM battling to obtain assurances on backstop

Theresa May has spoken to Jean-Claude Juncker as part of her effort to obtain further written reassurances that the Irish border backstop in her Brexit deal would never come into force.

The phone call between the prime minister and the European commission president on Friday was described by Brussels as “friendly” but Downing Street refused to provide any further details, as May struggles to break the Brexit impasse.

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Local councils heading for fracking showdown with government

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Greater Manchester tells firms they are not welcome as discontent spreads

Ministers are facing a fresh confrontation with local councils over their controversial plans to expand fracking, after one of the biggest combined authorities in the country set out plans to ban the practice.

Greater Manchester’s decision to effectively stop companies from extracting underground shale gas in the region was greeted as a critical moment in the fight against fracking, which critics say is dangerous and unproven.

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Naval ship deployed to Channel to intercept refugee vessels

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HMS Mersey’s mission follows request for military assistance from the home secretary, Sajid Javid

The Royal Navy patrol vessel HMS Mersey has been deployed to the Channel to help deal with people attempting to cross to the UK from France, ministers have confirmed.

The move came after a formal request for military assistance from the home secretary, Sajid Javid. The deployment will be financed by the Home Office.

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Police reinforcements for Northern Ireland in case of no-deal Brexit

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Almost 1,000 officers from rest of UK to start training to deal with trouble arising from hard border

Almost 1,000 police officers from England and Scotland are to begin training for deployment in Northern Ireland in case of disorder from a no-deal Brexit, the Guardian has learned.

The plans were put in place after Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) chiefs asked for reinforcements to deal with any trouble that arises from a hard border. The training for officers from English forces and Police Scotland is expected to begin this month.

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Assad will remain in power ‘for a while’, says Jeremy Hunt

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British foreign secretary says Russian support for Syrian regime means change unlikely

The British foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has admitted for the first time that Russian support for the Syrian regime means Bashar al-Assad will remain in power for some time.

The UK has been at the forefront of calls for the Syrian president to leave office as part of a transition to a new government, but over the past year British diplomats have acknowledged that Assad would have to be allowed to stand in any UN-supervised democratic elections in Syria.

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UK trains ‘are packed to near double capacity’

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Some major routes to be 208% over capacity by 2022, shows data compiled by Labour

Overcrowding on trains is at the highest level for years, according to official data compiled by Labour showing some major routes are to be 208% of capacity by 2022.

A study of government figures found the most overcrowded services were on average 187% of capacity in 2017, an increase of 25% since 2011.

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British MPs seek access to detained Saudi activists amid torture claims

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All-party group and lawyers concerned for eight women allegedly mistreated in Saudi Arabia prison

A cross-party group of British parliamentarians and international lawyers is requesting the right to visit eight female activists detained in Saudi Arabia, following allegations that they have been subjected to ill treatment, including torture.

The lawmakers and advocates, who have convened a detention review panel, intend to produce a detailed document on their findings, following claims that the activists, some of whom were instrumental in securing women the right to drive in Saudi Arabia, have been maltreated in Dhahban prison and denied access to lawyers or relatives.

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Corbyn defies calls from within Labour to back second Brexit referendum

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Party leader says Theresa May should return to Brussels to secure new deal with full customs union

Jeremy Corbyn will defy calls to change course on the party’s Brexit policy ahead of parliament’s vote on the deal, insisting that the government should secure a new deal with the EU if MPs reject Theresa May’s agreement.

Under increasing pressure from Labour members and MPs to reconsider his approach as preparations for the delayed “meaningful vote” ramp up over the next week, Corbyn said on Wednesday that the party’s policy remained “sequential” and that no decision could be made on a second referendum until parliament voted down the deal on offer.

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Most Labour members believe Corbyn should back second Brexit vote

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Nearly 90% of party members would opt to stay in the EU in a ‘people’s vote’, finds survey

Labour members are significantly more opposed to Brexit than Jeremy Corbyn is, with 72% of them thinking their leader should fully support a second referendum, according to a study of attitudes in the party.

The polling, part of an ongoing wider academic study into attitudes in various parties, found that only 18% opposed Labour campaigning for a second referendum, while 88% would then opt for remain if such a vote was held.

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Sadiq Khan angers Brexiters with pro-EU fireworks display

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Mayor uses New Year’s Eve event to send message London remains open to Europeans

If the festive season can sometimes involve trolling relatives with different political views, Sadiq Khan has arguably taken the tradition to a grand scale with a New Year’s Eve fireworks display which has prompted apoplexy among Brexiters with its pro-EU message.

The mayor hailed the event, in which the London Eye was lit up in the blue-and-yellow colours of the EU flag, as part of a wider message to Europe that the capital would stay “open-minded” and “outward looking” after Brexit.

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