Tag: Featured

    During the febrile, topsy-turvy days after Britain voted to leave the European Union, there were plenty of tough messages from European leaders. But few sounded more uncompromising than the EU trade commissioner. A week after the result, Cecilia Malmström, Europe’s lead trade negotiator, stated that the UK could not even begin discussing a trade deal until it had left the bloc. First you exit and then you negotiate the terms of the relationship, she told Newsnight, opening up the prospect of the world’s sixth-largest economy being left dangling for years. When the BBC interviewer suggested this would damage businesses in Britain and on the continent, her response was straightforward: Yes, but the vote was very clear. Such plain speaking provoked fury among leading Brexiter...

    After Britain voted to leave the EU, we look at which European countries want to hold their own EU referendum. Mr Wilders also promised to do all he can to hold a referendum on Netherlands' membership of the EU following June's historic Brexit vote. Sybrand van Haersma Buma, leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party, branded Mr Wilders' plans "utterly bizarre and unbelievable". He added: "The programme will further polarise Dutch society." Mr Wilders last month said he was "proud" of his tough stance on Islam after claiming the Netherlands "can't take any more" refugees from Syria and Iraq. The outspoken leader added: "I also don't have a problem with people from Slovakia and Lithuania. But I do have a problem with immigration from Islamic countries. "The EU le...

    Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has condemned a controversial burkini ban in parts of France, insisting that women should not be told what they can and can’t wear. The London Mayor also pledged continued support for Paris following the terrorist attacks in the city last year. "London stands firmly with Paris in the aftermath of the horrendous attacks the city suffered. We will do everything we can to support Paris and all our European counterparts in the continued fight against extremism and those who wish to divide and harm us,” he added. It comes amid mounting controversy over the “burkini ban” imposed in several of the country’s world-famous Riviera resorts. Earlier this week photographs emerged showing four male police officers armed with handguns, batons and pepper s...

    The front runner to become the next Dutch Prime Minister has vowed to ban the Quran and to close all mosques in the country. Geert Wilders has vowed to ban the Koran if he becomes Dutch PM. Geert Wilders, leader of the Dutch Freedom Party (PVV), called for the total de-Islamification in a controversial manifesto posted online.The far-right MP, who has previously compared the Koran to Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf, also vowed to put an end to immigration from Islamic countries.He would also close all Islamic schools and asylum centres, and ban Muslim women from wearing the headscarf in public, if elected prime minister next year. Mr Wilders unveiled the manifesto ahead of the Netherlands' parliamentarian elections in March. The PVV currently leads the pack in almost every opi...