Tag: United Kingdom

• Thursday, October 18th 2018 - 08:53 UTC

  Foreign Office Brexit spokesperson, next UK ambassador in Spain

  

  The British Government has appointed Hugh Elliott as its new Ambassador to Spain in succession of Simon Manley. According to a statement issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Mr Elliott will take up the role during the summer of 2019.

• Thursday, October 18th 2018 - 08:42 UTC

  US determined to a trade deal with the UK, “as soon as it is ready” after Brexit

  

  The United States administration has formally confirmed it intends to pursue a trade deal with the UK “as soon as it is ready” after leaving the EU. Donald Trump’s trade representative Robert Lighthizer notified Congress of plans to open negotiations with the UK, as well as with the EU and Japan.

• Thursday, October 18th 2018 - 07:04 UTC

  Brussels No deal: Brexit transition could be extended full year? Brexiteers furious

  

  Brexit-backing MPs have reacted angrily to the idea that the United Kingdom's transition out of the European Union could be extended for another year, to the end of 2021. Downing Street refused to rule out an extension after a Wednesday summit of EU leaders in Brussels failed to make progress.

• Wednesday, October 17th 2018 - 08:25 UTC

  Gibraltar Chief Minister confident UK/EU “moments away” from withdrawal agreement

  

  Gibraltar, the UK and the EU are “moments away” from agreeing the terms of a protocol to include Gibraltar in any Withdrawal Agreement and transitional arrangements reached between the UK and the EU, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said on Monday.

• Wednesday, October 17th 2018 - 08:18 UTC

  Brexit summit: “no ground for optimism”, says Tusk; “stand together and firm” PM May tells cabinet

  

  Donald Tusk has poured cold water on hopes of a Brexit breakthrough at Wednesday's EU summit, saying the Irish border was still a sticking point. The European Council president said he had “no grounds for optimism” it would be solved at the summit and called on Theresa May to come up with “concrete proposals” to break the “impasse”.

• Tuesday, October 16th 2018 - 08:45 UTC

  Critical hours for Brexit and Theresa May ahead of Wednesday EU summit

  

  Theresa May will try to rally ministers behind her this morning at the start of a critical 48 hours for Brexit. On Monday, the PM told MPs an agreement with the EU was “still achievable” despite differences over the Irish border if “cool heads” prevailed. EU officials, though, have warned no-deal is “more likely than ever before”.

• Monday, October 15th 2018 - 08:24 UTC

  Preparing Antarctica's Rothera to accommodate the RSS Sir David Attenborough

  

  An international team of builders is preparing to ship an entire kit of parts from the UK to create a new wharf in the Antarctic. The work is part of the £100m upgrade of the Rothera research station to accommodate its new vessel, the RSS Sir David Attenborough. Almost 4,000 tons of equipment and materials will be shipped 11,000km next month.

• Monday, October 15th 2018 - 08:04 UTC

  UK economic low growth anticipated for next three years, with or without a Brexit no deal

  

  United Kingdom can expect low economic growth for the next three years, while a no-deal Brexit could dent growth even further, says a forecasting body. The EY Item Club predicted GDP growth of 1.3% this year and 1.5% in 2019, down from 1.4% and 1.6% respectively in its previous outlook three months ago.

• Monday, October 15th 2018 - 08:00 UTC

  The £50 note will survive in a plastic redesign, announced the Bank of England

  

  The £50 note will not be scrapped and will instead get a plastic redesign, the Bank of England has said. Fears that the largest denomination was widely used by criminals and rarely for ordinary purchases had prompted a proposal to abolish it. But ministers said the new version, to be printed in the UK, would be more durable, secure and harder to forge.

• Saturday, October 13th 2018 - 20:49 UTC

  UK assumes Chairmanship of the Community of Democracies

  

  As of 15 September 2018, the United Kingdom has taken up the rotating 6-month chairmanship of the Executive Committee of the Community of Democracies, CoD, which is described as a global inter-governmental coalition that aims to promote democratic values.