Britain chose to leave the EU because it had an outsized opinion of itself, it now has to follow a small-country model By Michael O’Sullivan & David Skilling British Prime Minister Theresa May blinked more than once as she prepared to invoke Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon …
Read More »BREXIT: First ‘Silk Road’ train from Britain leaves for China with whiskey
Stanford-le-Hope, United Kingdom | AFP | The first-ever freight train from Britain to China started its mammoth journey on Monday along a modern-day “Silk Road” trade route as Britain eyes new opportunities after it leaves the European Union. The 32-container train, around 600 metres (656 yards) long, left the vast …
Read More »ANALYSIS: Lloyd’s ‘had to’ open Europe office following Brexit
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Lloyd’s of London’s decision to open a European subsidiary was inevitable following the trigger of Brexit, with the only difficult choice being its location, chief executive Inga Beale told AFP Thursday. Lloyd’s, which insures against catastrophes such as earthquakes, shipwrecks and revolutions, announced it …
Read More »Britain delivers letter launching Brexit process
Brussels, Belgium | AFP | Britain formally launched the process to leave the EU on Wednesday, handing a letter to EU president Donald Tusk formally notifying the bloc, an AFP journalist said. Tim Barrow, Britain’s ambassador to the European Union, personally delivered the letter signed by British Prime Minister Theresa May …
Read More »Brexit job fears stalk Britain’s financial centres
Manchester, United Kingdom | AFP | Worries are whirring in Britain’s smaller financial centres — which together employ far more people than the glamorous City of London — that the looming EU departure will lead to heavy job losses. In Manchester’s buzzing finance district of Spinningfields, a worker at an …
Read More »Scotland takes a step towards new independence vote
Edinburgh, United Kingdom | AFP | Scotland’s announcement on Monday that it will begin preparations for a new independence bid raised the spectre of one of Brexit’s most feared consequences — the break-up of the United Kingdom. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she would seek the semi-autonomous Scottish parliament’s authority …
Read More »May sacks top Conservative over Brexit rebellion
London, United Kingdom | AFP | British Prime Minister Theresa May has sacked Michael Heseltine, a senior figure in her Conservative Party, from various advisory roles for rebelling against the government in a Brexit vote in the House of Lords. Heseltine, 83, a former deputy prime minister nicknamed “Tarzan” for his …
Read More »Lords defy May for a second time on Brexit
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Prime Minister Theresa May suffered her second defeat in a week over Brexit Tuesday when the House of Lords voted to give parliament the final say on how Britain leaves the European Union. Peers voted by 366 to 268 to amend the bill empowering …
Read More »Scottish leader presses case for independence vote
Edinburgh, United Kingdom | AFP | Scotland’s nationalist leader Nicola Sturgeon on Tuesday pressed on with calls for a new independence referendum, saying it might be the only way to protect the country’s interests as Brexit approaches. “Proposing a further decision on independence wouldn’t simply be legitimate, it would almost …
Read More »COMMENT: Three surprises in 2017
The world could be caught off guard by these potentially transformative developments Economic pundits traditionally offer their (traditionally inaccurate) New Year predictions at the beginning of January. But global conditions this year are anything but traditional, so it seemed appropriate to wait until US President Donald Trump settled into …
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