Tag: United Kingdom

• Wednesday, December 26th 2018 - 09:03 UTC

  Busy Christmas: UK rescues illegal immigrants in the English Channel

  

  Forty migrants, including two children, have been rescued from boats in five separate incidents on Christmas Day in the English Channel. Lifeboats and a coastguard helicopter intercepted a boat carrying 12 people and a child off the coast of Deal, Kent, at about 04:30 GMT. And a girl was one of eight who arrived in Folkestone at about 02:40 GMT.

• Monday, December 24th 2018 - 09:23 UTC

  “Peace on earth and goodwill to all, needed as much as ever”, Queen's Christmas message

  

  The Queen will say in her Christmas Day broadcast that the Christian message of “peace on earth and goodwill to all” is “needed as much as ever”. She will say the message is “never out of date” and can be “heeded by everyone”.

• Monday, December 24th 2018 - 08:41 UTC

  Xmas messages: Mrs. May praises the Armed Forces; Corbyn pays tribute to the Good Samaritans

  

  Theresa May has used her Christmas message to praise the work of the Armed Forces, particularly in Syria and after the nerve agent attack in Salisbury. The PM said UK forces had “continued to demonstrate why you are the finest in the world”.

• Monday, December 24th 2018 - 08:37 UTC

  Putin calls on Mrs. May not to succumb to calls for a second Brexit referendum

  

  Vladimir Putin has urged Theresa May not to succumb to calls for a second referendum on Brexit. Speaking at his annual question and answer session with journalists, the Russian president questioned whether re-running a vote could be construed as democratic.

• Saturday, December 22nd 2018 - 05:46 UTC

  Gatwick Airport admits insufficient technology to prevent future drone disruptions

  

  The boss of London's Gatwick Airport has refused to rule out the possibility of future drone disruption once the military leave. Gatwick chief operating officer Chris Woodroofe said there is currently no commercially available equipment he could put in place to neutralize the threat.

• Saturday, December 22nd 2018 - 05:37 UTC

  Bank of England leaves interest rates on hold, but cautions about intensified Brexit uncertainties

  

  The Bank of England has kept interest rates on hold at 0.75% as it cautioned “intensified” Brexit uncertainties were slamming the brakes on UK growth. Policymakers on the Bank’s nine-strong Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted unanimously to keep rates unchanged in its last decision of 2018.

• Friday, December 21st 2018 - 12:03 UTC

  Santander fined £32.8m in UK for failing to process accounts of dead customers

  

  The Santander group has been fined more than £30m for “serious failings” in processing the accounts of dead customers, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said. The FCA found that Santander failed to transfer funds worth more than £183m to beneficiaries.

• Friday, December 21st 2018 - 08:55 UTC

  Falklands' sovereignty “not up for debate”, says PM May who praised changing relationship with Argentina

  

  While the relationship between the UK and Argentina is changing, the UK commitment to the people and sovereignty of the Falklands is unchanging, assured Prime Minister Theresa May in her Christmas speech to the Falklands.

• Thursday, December 20th 2018 - 09:21 UTC

  Another Brexit referendum “plausible” if deadlock in Parliament persists

  

  Another Brexit referendum will become a “plausible” way forward if there is deadlock in Parliament, Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd has said. She told ITV's Peston show while she did not personally support another vote, the case for one would grow if MPs could not agree another solution.

• Thursday, December 20th 2018 - 09:14 UTC

  European Union starts implementing preparations for a no-deal Brexit

  

  The European Commission says it has started to implement its preparations for a no-deal Brexit - in case the UK leaves the EU without a plan. It has announced temporary measures to try to reduce the impact but says it cannot counter all the problems it expects.