No-deal Brexit could force the army to airlift Covid-19 vaccine to UK December 7, 2020 A government minister has suggested that in the event of a no-deal Brexit, the Armed Forces may be required to airlift the Covid-19 vaccine from Belgium. Tory minister James Cleverly confirmed that the government is looking at the possibility of using ”non-commercial flights” to make sure the Pfizer vaccine can still be delivered to the [...]
European Commission calls for reciprocity on vaccine exports with the UK March 19, 2021 European Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen has called for reciprocity on vaccine exports amid an ongoing row with the UK and US over jab deliveries. “I ask for greater openness as Europe is among the regions in the world that exports the most, but reciprocity is needed,” she told Italian newspaper la Repubblica. She [...]
The Northern Ireland Protocol was only ever a placeholder to get Brexit over the line – now the real work begins July 26, 2021 Mention Northern Ireland to a British politician and he or she will edge towards the door. With some notable exceptions such as John Major and Peter Mandelson, our leaders have tended to regard Northern Ireland as a strange land where normal rules do not apply: sectarian divisions they don’t understand and political parties which don’t [...]
Brexit: France reiterates veto threat over fishing rights December 8, 2020 France is still threatening to vote down a Brexit deal it considers to “sacrifice” its fishermen, in what is the latest barrier in trade talks. French European Affairs Minister Clement Beaune today said France would oppose any pact that “sacrifices” its fisherman. “On fisheries there is no reason to yield to Britain’s pressure. We can [...]
Sterling rises against US dollar and euro amid hopes of a Brexit deal December 9, 2020 Sterling rose against the US dollar and the euro today, boosted by hopes that a no-deal Brexit could be avoided. GBP is up 0.74 per cent on the US dollar and 0.72 per cent on the euro this afternoon following three days of losses. David Madden, a market analyst at CMC Markets UK, said a [...]
Sir Nick Clegg says EU has ‘let millions of Europeans down’ in vaccine rollout April 13, 2021 Sir Nick Clegg has hit out at the EU for letting “millions of Europeans down” in its slow rollout of the Covid vaccines. The Facebook Vice President, and staunch remainer, said “something has gone badly wrong” in the bloc’s handling of the rollout and that “across the EU people are waiting for their vaccines impatiently”. [...]
For cod’s hake: Last minute fishing hitch delays Brexit announcement; deal could still be hours away December 24, 2020 Talks to finalise the Brexit deal have dragged into the early afternoon, with reports suggesting it could still be “several hours” before negotiations finish. Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen spoke this morning to tie up a post-Brexit trade deal. The call marks the end of weeks of negotiations, with a deal held up [...]
EU chief Von der Leyen calls for ‘democratic limits’ to Big Tech power January 20, 2021 European Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen has called for a crackdown on the “untrammelled” power of tech giants following violent riots at the Capitol earlier this month. In a speech marking the inauguration of Joe Biden, Von der Leyen welcomed the new US president, adding: “After four long years, Europe has a friend in [...]
EU sets out plans to ensure flights and fishing are not disrupted in no-deal Brexit December 10, 2020 Brussels has set out a plan to ensure UK-EU flights and fisheries arrangements are not disrupted in the case of a no-deal Brexit on 1 January next year. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen released a statement today to announce a proposal to “ensure the provision of certain air services between the UK and [...]
Johnson and Biden set to agree new Atlantic Charter that includes push to reopen UK-US travel June 9, 2021 Boris Johnson and Joe Biden will meet in Cornwall tomorrow ahead of the G7 summit and sign a new “Atlantic Charter” that is modelled on the 1941 UK-US agreement. The pair will also map out a number of other policy objectives, including a commitment to reopen UK-US travel as soon as possible through a new [...]