Tag: Featured

    Strategies to amend future legislation including a key immigration bill to force ministers to listen to business groups and to show the EU that Parliament wants a softer exit are being drawn up, The Independent has learned. One Conservative MP said the aim was to give confidence to bullied ministers who are reluctant to speak out, despite sharing the view that the Prime Minister’s plans put Britain on the road to disaster. Another MP outlined the importance of convincing Brussels that Parliament can coordinate to present a different, more EU-friendly policy to that of the Government. It would really show how power has shifted if Parliament can coordinate itself and that’s not impossible, the MP said. We are talking to each other and will continue to talk to each other this...

    The Queen was reported to police for not wearing a seatbelt as she travelled to the State Opening of Parliament in her official call. West Yorkshire Police said they received a 999 call about the royal journey. But the force said the caller also thought it was a good idea to ring their local police force, as the Queen was travelled with Prince Charles through London from Buckingham Palace to Westminster. Confirming the call in a tweet, it also pointed out that the call was not an emergency and should not have been made to 999. "999 call received reporting that the Queen isn't wearing a seatbelt. #not999 #notevenwestyorkshire," the tweet read. Under UK law, civil and criminal proceedings cannot be taken against the Queen. Her press office said it would not comment on the tw...

    Theresa May made a fair and serious offer to European Union leaders over the contentious issue of the future rights of EU citizens, offering those who arrive lawfully before Brexit the chance to build up the same rights to work, healthcare and benefits as UK citizens. Speaking at the end of a dinner at an EU leaders’ summit in Brussels, after formal Brexit talks kicked off on Monday, May set out the UK’s opening offer on the rights of EU citizens – an issue both sides have said they would like to be resolved early in the talks. The prime minister told them the UK was willing to agree to a “cutoff point” between 29 March this year, when May formally triggered article 50, and the later date of March 2019 as preferred by the European commission. Related video: May's Brexi...

    Councils in England estimate that 600 high-rise buildings have similar flammable exterior cladding to that used on the Grenfell Tower, the government has said. Tests following the disaster had found that a number of other tower blocks have flammable exterior cladding, Theresa May had told the Commons, saying urgent steps were being taken to make them safe. Making a statement to the Commons about the fire last week in which it least 79 people died, the prime minister said the test results arrived immediately before she spoke, and that MPs for the relevant areas would be contacted swiftly. The communities secretary, Sajid Javid, would give more details later, she said. Following the Grenfell Tower fire, which appeared to spread rapidly because the cladding fitted during a re...

    DUP broke off talks with Tories for 36 hours this week as they demand £2billion for Northern Ireland. The Democratic Unionist Party broke off talks with Theresa May this week as it told her to spend £2billion in Northern Ireland if she wants the party to prop up her minority Conservative Government. The DUP demanded the cash which works out as £1,100 per person in the Province - as talks veered dangerously close to breaking down altogether. The talks became so strained in the past few days that the DUP negotiators in Belfast refused to pick up the phone to the Prime Minister’s team for 36 hours, The Daily Telegraph can disclose Westminster sources said they now hoped a confidence and supply deal could be agreed next week, days before Thursday’s key vote on the Queen’s Spee...