International

• Monday, July 17th 2017 - 04:35 UTC

  Tory MP reaffirms UK commitment to stand by Gibraltar after Brexit

  

  Spain’s “eccentric” enclaves in north Africa make its position on Gibraltar “incomprehensible”, said Tory MP Dominic Grieve reaffirming UK’s commitment to stand by Gibraltar after Brexit. Speaking during a visit to Gibraltar, MP Grieve said any future Brexit deal struck by the UK with the EU must also include the Rock.

• Monday, July 17th 2017 - 04:29 UTC

  Britain is in for a rough ride, unless cabinet ministers stop squabbling

  

  Britain is in for “a rough ride” unless cabinet ministers stop squabbling over Brexit, the former head of the civil service has warned. Writing in the Observer, Lord O’Donnell called for cabinet ministers to unite in backing a lengthy transition deal and “start being honest about the complexity of the challenge”. “There is no chance all the details will be hammered out in 20 months,” he warned.

• Monday, July 17th 2017 - 04:12 UTC

  France seeking to disrupt and degrade UK's financial sector, claims City of London

  

  France is actively seeking to exploit Brexit to disrupt and degrade Britain’s lucrative financial sector, a senior City representative has warned. Former foreign office minister Jeremy Browne, who acts as the City of London’s envoy on Brexit, said the French see the British as “adversaries” in the forthcoming withdrawal negotiations.

• Saturday, July 15th 2017 - 08:25 UTC

  Wales, Scotland warn of a “constitutional crisis” if changes are not made to Brexit bill

  

  High-level Brexit talks between the UK government and devolved administrations are stalled because of the political crisis in Northern Ireland, it has been claimed. Meetings of the joint ministerial committee (JMC), the forum intended to bring together the administrations in Westminster, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, are understood to be on hold because of the lack of a power-sharing executive in Northern Ireland.

• Saturday, July 15th 2017 - 07:57 UTC

  Big banks moving out of London to Dublin, Frankfort, Paris

  

  Barclays is in talks with Irish regulators about expanding its presence in Dublin in the run up to Brexit. It is the latest financial company to indicate how it is repositioning to cope with the UK's exit from the EU.

• Saturday, July 15th 2017 - 07:42 UTC

  Blair argues Brussels leaders willing to compromise to avoid UK leaving Europe

  

  Tony Blair believes European leaders would be willing to tighten up the free movement of people as a way to avoid Britain leaving the EU. The UK former prime minister suggested the “will of the people” may be changing as the difficulties of Brexit negotiations become apparent and called for a “proper debate” over the different options, including remaining in a reformed EU.

• Friday, July 14th 2017 - 07:54 UTC

  Weak pound helps to boost tourists visiting UK by 21.1%, in first quarter

  

  The weakness of sterling was behind a surge in the number of tourists visiting the UK in the first three months of 2017, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The number of holidaymakers coming to the UK rose by 21.1%, although the number of business visitors declined.

• Friday, July 14th 2017 - 07:34 UTC

  Trump in Paris for Bastille Day parade hints to changes on climate accord

  

  French President Emmanuel Macron said he “respected” Donald Trump's decision to pull out of the Paris climate accord but that France would remain committed. The US president visiting France then hinted that his administration could shift its opinion.

• Friday, July 14th 2017 - 07:21 UTC

  Venezuelan bishops call for an end to the “inhuman repression” and appeal to the Armed forces

  

  Venezuelan bishops called for an end to the “inhuman repression”, urged the government of Nicolas Maduro to hold elections and to dismantle and censure pro-regime civilian armed groups and also addressed the armed forces recalling they must serve the people, not a regime.

• Friday, July 14th 2017 - 06:47 UTC

  Queen admits close allies UK and Spain “did not always see eye to eye” (Gibraltar)

  

  The Queen appears to have acknowledged the thorny issue of Gibraltar in a speech at the King of Spain’s state banquet. In what is likely to be interpreted as a reference to the dispute between Britain and Spain over Gibraltar’s sovereignty, the Queen said the two countries did not always see “eye to eye”.