The United Kingdom has decided to move Sri Lankan refugees seeking asylum from the British-claimed Chagos Islands to 'a safe third country,' unless they returned to Sri Lanka 'voluntarily'
Observers of Britain's governing structure can be forgiven for scratching their heads in recent weeks as they watch the country reel through a succession of prime ministers without holding an election. While the opposition Labour Party is demanding an election, the governing conservatives are pushing on with choosing another prime minister from within their own ranks, which they have the right to do because of the way Britain's parliamentary democracy works. BRITONS NEVER ACTUALLY VOTE FOR THEIR PRIME MINISTER Britain is divided into 650 local constituencies, and people tick a box for the representative they want to become their local member of parliament, or MP. In most cases, this will be a member of one of the country's major political parties. The party that wins the majority of seats gets to form a government, and that party's leader automatically becomes prime minister. While coalitions are possible, Britain's voting system favors the two largest parties and in most cases a ..
The rating firm said the change in the outlook was driven by "heightened unpredictability in policymaking" in UK amid weaker growth prospects and high inflation
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson -- ousted by ethics scandals just three months ago -- has jockeyed to make a comeback as one of several contenders seeking to replace Liz Truss, whose rapid downfall threw the country's leadership into disarray at a time of severe economic challenges. The governing Conservative Party has ordered a lightning-fast race that aims to finalise nominations on Monday and install a new prime minister, its third this year, within a week. Johnson has not publicly declared he is running, but a political ally who spoke with him told Sky News he is up for it and bookmakers have made him one of the favourites to win the contest. A return by Johnson would be an astonishing recovery for a polarising figure forced out by a welter of ethics scandals. Opponents say giving him another chance would only lead to more controversy and disappointment. The leadership uncertainty comes at a time of weak economic growth and as millions struggle with higher borrowing
Rishi Sunak is quick off the mark to bid for the leadership of the Conservative Party and the British Prime Ministership having secured more than a hundred nominations
Several British lawmakers, including scandal-tarnished former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, jockeyed for support Friday to become the country's next leader following the implosion of Liz Truss' historically short-lived government. The governing Conservative Party has ordered a lightning-fast race that aims to have a new prime minister in place within a week. The leadership uncertainty comes at a time of lethargic economic growth and as millions struggle with the rising cost of groceries, fuel and other basics and higher mortgage rates. A growing wave of strikes by train and postal workers, lawyers and more has revealed mounting discontent as a recession looms. Johnson has not even declared he is running, but bookmakers have made him one of the favorites to win the contest reflecting the scale of division and disarray in the party as it picks its third prime minister of the year. It would be an astonishing comeback for a polarising figure forced out just over three months ago amid a
The dollar gained across the board, also pushing the Swiss franc to its lowest level since May 2019
A clear frontrunner to take over from Liz Truss as Conservative Party leader and British Prime Minister remains uncertain on Friday due to deep divisions among the Tories, but the bookies' odds have rocketed in favour of British Indian former chancellor Rishi Sunak. As the runner up of the leadership election which concluded last month, the former finance minister who had forecast much of the economic crisis unleashed by Truss' mini-budget is seen as a safe pair of hands to take charge at 10 Downing Street. The 42-year-old is holding a solid 55 per cent lead with the Oddschecker betting odds aggregator, followed by a 29 per cent chance of former prime minister Boris Johnson making a comeback. Third placed in what is emerging as a three-way contest is Leader of the Commons Penny Mordaunt, who had polled third in the first round of parliamentary votes to shortlist candidates for the last leadership race. I back Rishi Sunak to be our next PM. He has the plan and credibility to: restore
Britain's governing Conservative Party is electing a new leader for the second time this year. The winner will replace Liz Truss, who stepped down Thursday after 45 days in office, as party leader and will automatically become prime minister. Unlike the two-month contest held over the summer to replace Boris Johnson, party officials have designed a condensed election process that aims to have a new prime minister in place within a week. Here is how the contest will unfold: Friday, Oct 21 Nominations open for the contest, in which any of the 357 Conservative lawmakers can run. To get on the ballot, candidates need signatures from 100 of their fellow Tory legislators much higher than the threshold of 20 names set for the last leadership contest. This time, the field is limited to a maximum of three. During the summer, eight lawmakers made the first round of voting. Monday, Oct 24 Nominations close at 2 pm (1300 GMT). If there are three contenders, Conservative lawmakers will vote
Boris Johnson and former finance minister Rishi Sunak were leading the potential contenders to replace British Prime Minister Liz Truss
British Prime Minister Liz Truss took office last month with hopes and promises of reinvigorating the British economy and putting it on the path to long-term success. It didn't go to plan. Instead, Truss' tenure was scarred by turmoil as her economic policies threatened the country's financial stability, driving the pound to record lows, sparking chaos on bond markets and increasing mortgage costs for millions of people. Though Truss took office amid a cost-of-living crisis, the war in Ukraine and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, her decision to announce 105 billion pounds ($116 billion) of tax cuts and spending increases without providing details on how she would pay for it unnerved investors, who warned of soaring public debt. That undermined confidence in the government's ability to pay its bills and raised questions about the economic credentials of a new prime minister who took office after a deeply divisive contest for leadership of the governing Conservative .
Truss, who came to power on September 6, is the shortest-serving UK prime minister, who succeeded Boris Johnson. She delivered a statement outside 10 Downing Street
In yet another blow to UK Prime Minister Liz Truss after Home Secretary Suella Braverman on Wednesday tendered her resignation, it is alleged that Chief Whip Wendy Morton resigned
Prayers for peace recited by priests from the Hare Krishna Temple and the lighting of candles marked this year's Diwali celebrations in the Houses of Parliament complex in London. The celebration was held in the State Rooms of the Speaker's House, described as the grandest residence within the Palace of Westminster, on Monday evening. It marked the largest Diwali event of its kind in the Parliament complex, which brought together cross-party parliamentarians, diplomats, community leaders and International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) representatives. I would like to wish all communities celebrating Diwali peace and joy, both here and across the world, said Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle. Opposition Labour Party Leader Sir Keir Starmer joined Bhaktivedanta Manor ISKCON Temple President Visakha Dasi, veteran Indian-origin Labour MP Virendra Sharma and Liberal Democrat House of Lords peer Navnit Dholakia to light the candles following prayers concluding with Om ...
Despite the ongoing political upheaval, UK Prime Minister Liz Truss has insisted of leading the ruling Conservative Party into the next general election
Asia stocks nudged higher as the dramatic U-turn in British fiscal policy brightened investor sentiment, while the US dollar took a breather at its lowest levels in more than a week
The UK government has announced a reversal of the bulk of its September tax-cutting measures in yet another emergency action to ensure economic stability
Jeremy Hunt, the new UK Chancellor appointed by Prime Minister Liz Truss after she sacked her friend Kwasi Kwarteng in an attempt to calm the ongoing economic and political crisis, admitted on Saturday that mistakes were made by his predecessor and signalled a reversal of his tax-cutting approach. Hunt, a former Conservative Party leadership contender who is dubbed as the most powerful man in the UK government as Truss battles to win back her credibility, also indicated that spending cuts would have to be brought in across all state departments to deal with the tough economic climate. He acknowledged that the mini-budget tabled by Kwarteng at the end of last month had two mistakes cutting the 45-pence rate of tax for highest earners, an announcement since reversed, and announcing the tax-cutting package without independent costings by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). "The way we went about it clearly wasn't right and that's why I'm sitting here now," he told the ...
Under-pressure UK Prime Minister Liz Truss appointed Jeremy Hunt as her new Chancellor of the Exchequer, replacing Kwasi Kwarteng after just 38 days in office
Homegrown steel major Tata Steel is actively engaged with the UK government for financial support for its business there, a company spokesperson said on Friday, amid reports of the Tatas looking to divest their steel business in the UK. "Tata Steel is seeking support from the UK government in two forms. In policy terms by encouraging the transition to green steel and ensuring a cost competitive landscape, and partnership in financing of the project given the size of investment and the financially constrained position of our UK business," the spokesperson told PTI. The company at present is in active and detailed discussions with the UK government with relation to the future of the business. Currently, it is not in discussions with any potential buyers for the UK business, the spokesperson added. Tata Steel owns the UK's largest steelworks at Port Talbot in South Wales and employs around 8,000 people across all its operations in the country. The company is seeking 1.5 billion pounds