Brexit: UK and EU to hold emergency talks amid flaring tensions September 10, 2020 The UK and the EU are set for a heated emergency meeting today over Boris Johnson’s decision to breach the Brexit withdrawal agreement by adding a number of “clarifications”. An “extraordinary” meeting of the UK-EU Joint Committee is scheduled for this afternoon, along with a one-on-one meeting between Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove and the [...]
FTSE 100 lags but pound jumps as markets weigh Brexit latest December 14, 2020 The FTSE 100 lagged behind its European peers as the pound rose the most in nearly two months after the UK and EU agreed to extend post-Brexit trade talks. Elsewhere, stocks climbed strongly amid signs of progress in US stimulus talks, and as the country prepared to roll out the first coronavirus vaccines. London’s main [...]
EU trade boss Phil Hogan resigns over ‘golfgate’ August 26, 2020 EU trade commissioner Phil Hogan has today resigned after breaching coronavirus restrictions by attending a golf dinner. “It was becoming increasingly clear that the controversy concerning my recent visit to Ireland was becoming a distraction from my work as an EU Commissioner and would undermine my work in the key months ahead”, Hogan said in [...]
EU leaders reach €750bn coronavirus recovery deal after marathon summit July 21, 2020 EU leaders have reached an “historic” deal on a huge coronavirus stimulus plan after a heated summit that lasted almost five days. Summit chairman Charles Michel tweeted “Deal” shortly after the 27 leaders reached an agreement in the early hours. “This agreement sends a concrete signal that Europe is a force for action,” he said [...]
EU hosts virtual summit on vaccine supply as scepticism blights Astrazeneca uptake February 25, 2021 EU leaders will host a virtual summit this afternoon over its immunisation programme, as supply issues and false suspicions over the Astrazeneca jab continue to hamper vaccine uptake. Countries across the continent are facing growing anger over the sluggish progress of the EU’s vaccine rollout, as the bloc continues to lag behind Britain. European leaders [...]
Moderna set to provide EU with 80m doses of coronavirus vaccine August 24, 2020 US drugs firm Moderna today announced that it had concluded initial talks with the European Union to supply 80m doses of its potential coronavirus vaccine. Under the potential purchase agreement, the EU will have the option to acquire an additional 80m doses of the treatment, for a total of up to 160m doses. A phase [...]
Michael Gove insists there will be ‘no border in Irish Sea’ in Brexit divorce deal December 9, 2020 Michael Gove has defended an agreement secured yesterday on the Northern Ireland Protocol, insisting that any Brexit trade deal will not result in a border in the Irish sea. The Cabinet Office minister yesterday struck an “agreement in principle” with his EU counterpart Maros Sefcovic on post-Brexit arrangements for the Irish border. The UK agreed [...]
Rishi Sunak admits current UK borrowing is “not sustainable” November 26, 2020 Rishi Sunak has conceded that the current projections for UK borrowing are “obviously not sustainable”, after the chancellor yesterday unveiled huge economic interventions as part of his winter Spending Review. Sunak yesterday lifted total government spending on the Covid response to £280bn, as he vouched his commitment to “jobs, businesses and public services”. The chancellor [...]
Britain ditches controversial Internal Market Bill clause in Brexit divorce deal December 8, 2020 The government will ditch parts of the Withdrawal Agreement that would have seen the UK break international law, after reaching an “agreement in principle” on Brexit divorce issues. Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said he was “delighted” to have reached a compromise with European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovicon on post-Brexit arrangements for the Irish border. [...]
Before the Bell: Deal or no deal, as the choreography steps up December 8, 2020 Equity markets got the week off to a negative start yesterday, weighed down by a combination of concerns over rising coronavirus cases in the US, and the prospect that the UK and EU appear to be heading down a road to no deal, at the end of this month. From the initial optimism of Sunday [...]