https://www.scmp.com/rss/325342/feed The latest news on Theresa May, British Conservative politician and former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, including political news and updates. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Mark Logan Mark Logan Winston Churchill wrote his four-volume masterpiece, A History of the English-Speaking Peoples, at the very moment a new era of world history was taking shape: victory over the Nazis, the birth of the United Nations, the Bretton Woods institutions. All signalled continuity of Anglo-Saxon leadership in world affairs, the baton passing fairly peacefully from Britain to America. But 80 years on from the end of the second world war, the world is reconfiguring itself once more. And what it means for... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3341102/anglosphere-fractures-starmers-china-visit-could-be-historic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3341102/anglosphere-fractures-starmers-china-visit-could-be-historic?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 12:30:10 +0000 Victor Dawes Victor Dawes I grew up in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district and Wang Fuk Court was a stone’s throw away from my school. In the recent fire, 16 students and one staff member of my alma mater were affected. Fortunately, there were no casualties among them, but homes were destroyed and their loss was profoundly felt. The alumni circle was unanimously grief-stricken and many made every effort to offer whatever modest help we could. In the wake of the fire, messages of sympathy and concern for Hong Kong arrived one... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3336838/despite-lapses-behind-tai-po-fire-hong-kongs-unity-shows-time-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3336838/despite-lapses-behind-tai-po-fire-hong-kongs-unity-shows-time-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 01:30:11 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo As sure as night follows day, you can always count on the big Western media outlets to politicise anything bad that happens in Hong Kong or on the mainland. So with the horrific Tai Po fire, you can be sure those platforms will go to town with that approach. The real cause of the fatal fire? Well, of course, it’s all about democracy and freedom, or rather the lack of their Western versions in China. The same old “democracy” explains everything, which turns every ignorant foreign commentator into... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3335262/politicisation-hong-kongs-fire-tragedy-western-media-new-low?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3335262/politicisation-hong-kongs-fire-tragedy-western-media-new-low?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Dec 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The BBC’s chairman acknowledged Monday that it was too slow in responding over a misleading edit of a speech by US President Donald Trump but rejected claims that the broadcaster’s impartiality was being undermined from within its own board. Senior BBC leaders were quizzed by Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport Committee amid a major crisis at the publicly funded corporation after its director general and head of news both quit earlier this month and Trump threatened to file a billion-dollar... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3334008/bbc-leaders-grilled-lawmakers-over-its-standards-after-trump-threatened-sue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3334008/bbc-leaders-grilled-lawmakers-over-its-standards-after-trump-threatened-sue?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Nov 2025 20:40:39 +0000 Reuters Reuters British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will visit China at the end of January, Sky News reported on Thursday, in what would be the first visit to the country by a British leader in seven years. Starmer’s Labour government has made improved relations with Beijing a priority as it seeks foreign investment to make good on its election pledge to upgrade infrastructure and grow Britain’s economy. But the relationship has been bumpy, with both countries trading accusations of spying. The prime minister’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3333601/uk-pm-keir-starmer-visit-china-january-sky-news-reports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3333601/uk-pm-keir-starmer-visit-china-january-sky-news-reports?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Nov 2025 17:41:28 +0000 British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told Chinese President Xi Jinping that having strong ties without “surprises” was good for both their nations, as the two leaders met on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Brazil on Monday. During their meeting, Starmer said he wanted relations with China to be “consistent, durable, respectful, and, as we have agreed, [to] avoid surprises where possible”, according to The Guardian. He also brought up the issues of human rights and sanctions on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3287091/chinese-president-xi-jinping-meet-british-pm-keir-starmer-g20-brazil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3287091/chinese-president-xi-jinping-meet-british-pm-keir-starmer-g20-brazil?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Nov 2024 11:04:45 +0000 British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Brazil, Downing Street has confirmed. He will be the first British prime minister to meet the Chinese leader in more than half a decade when they hold talks in Rio de Janeiro on Monday, and has pledged to have “serious, pragmatic discussions” when they speak. The Xi meeting will be one in a series of discussions the prime minister is expected to have with world leaders at the two-day summit, with... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3286970/uk-prime-minister-starmer-meet-xi-jinping-g20-summit-brazil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3286970/uk-prime-minister-starmer-meet-xi-jinping-g20-summit-brazil?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Nov 2024 23:55:32 +0000 Some would say that Britain’s beloved leader has everything you need in politics: a perfect sense of timing, plenty of assertiveness and is slow to make commitments and promises. Larry the cat lives in Downing Street, the official residence of the British prime minister, and he is busy training his sixth prime minister, since the election of Sir Keir Starmer, who replaced former prime minister Rishi Sunak this summer. Prime ministers come and go, according to Larry, “chief mouser to the Cabinet... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3272322/larry-cat-training-yet-another-prime-minister-downing-street?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3272322/larry-cat-training-yet-another-prime-minister-downing-street?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Jul 2024 08:45:07 +0000 Former UK home secretary Priti Patel and ex-business minister Kemi Badenoch have launched bids to become leader of the Britain’s Conservative Party. Patel and Badenoch join Mel Stride, Tom Tugendhat, James Cleverly and Robert Jenrick in the race to replace former prime minister Rishi Sunak as party leader. Patel wrote on Twitter: “I am standing to be the new Leader of the Conservative Party. We must unite to win! “I can lead us in opposition and unite our party and get us match fit for the next... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3272229/ex-uk-home-secretary-priti-patel-becomes-fifth-declare-tory-leadership-bid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3272229/ex-uk-home-secretary-priti-patel-becomes-fifth-declare-tory-leadership-bid?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Jul 2024 19:03:06 +0000 Former British Prime Minister Theresa May will not stand for re-election, she said on Friday, ending a 27-year career in parliament marked by a tumultuous spell leading the country as it tore itself apart over Brexit. May, 67, became the latest in a long line of Conservative Party politicians to signal their departure from parliament at an election later this year. Polls currently show the governing party is expected to lose power to the opposition Labour Party. May became prime minister in 2016... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3254725/ex-uk-pm-theresa-may-brought-down-brexit-quit-lawmaker?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3254725/ex-uk-pm-theresa-may-brought-down-brexit-quit-lawmaker?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Mar 2024 11:45:21 +0000 Brexit immigration curbs have led to a shortfall of 330,000 workers in the UK, contributing to a tighter labour market and fuelling inflation, a report showed. Low-skilled sectors including retail and hospitality have been hit hardest by the end of freedom of movement following the UK’s departure from the European Union, according to an analysis by the Centre for European Reform (CER) think tank. The figures are the latest to show the costs of Brexit to the UK economy. While Prime Minister Rishi... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3207161/uks-brexit-rules-cost-nation-330000-workers-say-economists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3207161/uks-brexit-rules-cost-nation-330000-workers-say-economists?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Jan 2023 13:33:05 +0000 Former prime minister Theresa May has earned over £2.5 million on top of her official salary from outside engagements since the last general election, the most of any UK member of Parliament, according to an investigation by Sky News reports. Overall, parliamentarians earned £17.1 million extra since late 2019 on top of their individual £84,144 (US$100,000) annual salaries. Two thirds of the larger amount went to just 20 MPs and of those, 17 were from the ruling Conservative Party, two from... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3206028/theresa-may-tops-list-uk-mps-extra-earnings-side-hustles-says-sky-news?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3206028/theresa-may-tops-list-uk-mps-extra-earnings-side-hustles-says-sky-news?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Jan 2023 12:25:05 +0000 During the Conservative leadership contest to succeed Boris Johnson as British prime minister, Liz Truss indicated that she would adopt a tougher stance on China. However, in light of Britain’s growing economic crisis, and doubts in London about whether the US’ hardline approach to China or the European Union’s more pragmatic dealings is the right one, it remains to be seen whether Truss will follow through on her rhetoric. If one were to take Truss at her word during her campaign, her tenure... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3192353/ailing-uk-economy-can-liz-truss-afford-be-hawkish-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3192353/ailing-uk-economy-can-liz-truss-afford-be-hawkish-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Sep 2022 17:30:20 +0000 Liz Truss’ journey from Liberal Democrat speechmaker to Conservative prime minister has involved a number of eye-catching moments, not least the colourful outfits she has worn. Whether standing on a podium, striding to and from 10 Downing Street, or hitting the campaign trail, the latest UK leader has made a name for herself with a number of striking ensembles. Truss beat Rishi Sunak to the Tory leadership with 81,326 votes to 60,399 among Conservative Party members on September 5, and has... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3191681/did-liz-truss-thatcher-bows-help-her-win-uk-prime-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3191681/did-liz-truss-thatcher-bows-help-her-win-uk-prime-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Sep 2022 20:15:18 +0000 Liz Truss, Britain’s foreign secretary, has been chosen to succeed Boris Johnson as the country’s fourth prime minister in six years, inheriting a generation-defining economic crisis and increased tensions with some of Britain’s biggest trading partners. Truss was voted as new leader of the ruling Conservative Party by 170,000 Tory members, beating main rival Rishi Sunak 57 to 43 per cent after a two-month hustings campaign. Truss, who has served in the governments of three prime ministers over... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3191432/liz-truss-uks-next-prime-minister-succeeding-boris-johnson?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3191432/liz-truss-uks-next-prime-minister-succeeding-boris-johnson?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Sep 2022 11:39:08 +0000 UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is widely expected to win the Conservative Party leadership ballot next week and become Britain’s new prime minister. One person who may not be cheering is her dad. Truss is reported to have a strained relationship with her father John Truss, a prominent mathematics professor, whose left-wing political views run counter to those of his 47-year-old daughter. In the 1980s, Truss’ father and mother brought her along on nuclear disarmament marches. Both parents were... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3191125/who-liz-truss-ambitious-thatcher-fan-cusp-power-uk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3191125/who-liz-truss-ambitious-thatcher-fan-cusp-power-uk?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Sep 2022 08:24:53 +0000 Almost half of the public think Boris Johnson has done a bad job as prime minister, the worst rating of any post-war British leader, a new poll has found. Asked to rate the performance of British prime ministers since 1945, some 49 per cent of people told pollster Ipsos that Johnson had done a bad job during his time in Downing Street. The figure was worse than those for both his immediate predecessors. Some 41 per cent of people thought Theresa May had done a bad job, the second highest total,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3190900/boris-johnson-tops-list-bad-british-pms-poll-uk-public?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3190900/boris-johnson-tops-list-bad-british-pms-poll-uk-public?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Aug 2022 19:16:51 +0000 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson bowed out of his final showpiece parliamentary appearance with a round of applause from his party, jeers from opponents and an enigmatic exit line: “Mission largely accomplished … hasta la vista, baby.” Johnson was forced to announce his resignation earlier this month after a mass rebellion against the latest in a string of scandals that his party decided had undermined his ability to lead the country any longer after three turbulent years in charge. Speaking... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3185990/hasta-la-vista-baby-says-uks-boris-johnson-he-exits-parliament?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3185990/hasta-la-vista-baby-says-uks-boris-johnson-he-exits-parliament?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Jul 2022 13:46:39 +0000 Larry, the treasured tabby-and-white cat who lives in Downing Street, was dragged into Britain’s political fray Friday after a leading candidate to be prime minister mused about moving in with her four felines. Penny Mordaunt, the bookmaker’s favourite to replace Boris Johnson in the famous residence, revealed in an online forum that she has a quartet of Burmese cats, which she cited when asked for her biggest weakness. “Introducing them into Number 10 might present some challenges with Larry,”... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3185501/uk-pm-race-downing-street-cat-larry-drawn-political-fight-his?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3185501/uk-pm-race-downing-street-cat-larry-drawn-political-fight-his?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Jul 2022 21:43:23 +0000 Boris Johnson said on Thursday that he was resigning as Britain’s prime minister, bowing to calls from ministerial colleagues and lawmakers in his Conservative Party. Below is a summary of some of those who could be in the frame to replace him. However, there is no clear favourite and they are not listed in order of likely prospects. Liz Truss The foreign secretary is the darling of the ruling Conservative Party’s grass roots and has regularly topped polls of party members carried out by the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3184506/uk-pm-boris-johnson-quitting-who-could-replace-him?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3184506/uk-pm-boris-johnson-quitting-who-could-replace-him?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Jul 2022 12:53:37 +0000 While the official British royal website says, “there are no obligatory codes of behaviour when meeting the queen or a member of the royal family”, it goes on to say that women who are introduced to royalty may do a “small curtsy”. This is defined as “a slight lowering of the body with bending of the knees”. What are the British royal family’s favourite watches? Let’s be fair: meeting any member of the British royal family, let alone the queen herself, must be a daunting prospect and can... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3150431/5-awkward-royal-curtsies-princesses-beatrice-and-eugenie?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3150431/5-awkward-royal-curtsies-princesses-beatrice-and-eugenie?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Sep 2021 22:00:26 +0000 British lawmakers on Monday backed a new bill that would override parts of the Brexit treaty struck with the European Union last year, despite outrage in Brussels and alarm at home over such an overt breach of international law. MPs in the House of Commons gave their initial approval to the UK Internal Market Bill by 340 votes to 263, clearing the way for four days of detailed scrutiny of the text this week and next. Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier argued the legislation was a “safety net”... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3101539/british-mps-back-boris-johnsons-brexit-bill-despite-eu-anger?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3101539/british-mps-back-boris-johnsons-brexit-bill-despite-eu-anger?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Sep 2020 23:11:51 +0000 This story is published in a content partnership with POLITICO. It was originally reported by Charlie Cooper on politico.com on July 12, 2020. Forget a post-Brexit trade deal with China – some now think a trade war is more likely. The “golden era” in UK-China relations heralded by former Chancellor George Osborne in 2015 remained a go-to sound bite during the Theresa May era. Mired in talks with Brussels on the UK’s extraction from the EU, the optics of post-Brexit Britain reaching out to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3093036/britain-toughens-stance-china-it-eyes-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3093036/britain-toughens-stance-china-it-eyes-us?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Jul 2020 23:10:14 +0000 The British government should seek every mechanism to prevent the removal of the technology base of Imagination Technologies to China, including seeking a Western buyer for the company, British lawmaker David Davis said on Tuesday. Imagination Technologies licenses its semiconductor chip designs that are the basic units powering everything from smartphones to computer game consoles. They are also used in artificial intelligence and data transfer. The company’s China-backed owners – private... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3079919/lawmaker-wants-uk-stop-china-taking-control-imagination?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3079919/lawmaker-wants-uk-stop-china-taking-control-imagination?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2020 16:27:23 +0000 The coronavirus pandemic has emboldened hardline China critics in Britain’s ruling Conservative Party, in what is an evolving challenge to what some consider an overly Beijing-friendly approach by Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government. With the help of Tory-friendly media, a group of Conservative politicians has highlighted what they say is China’s mishandling of the crisis, which led to the outbreak in Britain, where Johnson himself developed Covid-19 and spent several nights last week in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3079690/group-conservative-politicians-britain-use-coronavirus-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3079690/group-conservative-politicians-britain-use-coronavirus-push?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2020 19:38:45 +0000 More than a dozen British parliamentarians have called on the country’s foreign secretary to exclude Huawei Technologies from building Britain’s 5G network over the company’s alleged links to the troubled Chinese region of Xinjiang. The political pressure caps a tumultuous year for the Chinese technology giant as it looks to Europe for growth after being shut out of the United States amid security concerns. In recent weeks, Huawei has been facing escalating scrutiny in three major European... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3043450/huaweis-5g-ambitions-under-pressure-britain-over-xinjiang?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3043450/huaweis-5g-ambitions-under-pressure-britain-over-xinjiang?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Dec 2019 14:45:11 +0000 Britain’s political candidates embarked Sunday on a final push ahead of this week’s general election, making last-ditch appeals to shore up support and persuade their backers to go to the polls. All 650 seats in the House of Commons are up for grabs Thursday when voters will pass judgment on a divisive election that will determine Britain’s future with European Union. Although opinion polls have placed Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the lead in Thursday’s general election, analysts... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3041174/britains-political-parties-final-push-votes-ahead-thursdays?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3041174/britains-political-parties-final-push-votes-ahead-thursdays?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Dec 2019 16:45:06 +0000 Dear Carrie Lam, I am very pleased to hear that you remain committed to a public dialogue. Perhaps you can organise meetings with each of the new district councillors in the next few days; they have been very active in reaching out to all sectors of society recently, and they are unlikely to be fired for expressing a political opinion. However, I’m worried by your comparison of our situation to the 2011 Tottenham riots, and your plan to set up an independent review committee. You do understand... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3040172/why-hong-kong-not-london-2011-protesters-here-have-clear-political?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3040172/why-hong-kong-not-london-2011-protesters-here-have-clear-political?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Dec 2019 22:45:10 +0000 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is on course to win a majority of 68 in parliament at the December 12 election, according to a model from pollsters YouGov that accurately predicted the results of the 2017 election. Johnson has pledged to deliver Brexit by January 31 if he wins the election after nearly four years of political crisis that has shocked allies of what was once considered one of the pillars of Western economic and political stability. His Conservative Party could win 359 seats... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3039675/boris-johnson-course-major-victory-british-general-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3039675/boris-johnson-course-major-victory-british-general-election?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Nov 2019 23:54:51 +0000 Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged Sunday to take Britain out of the EU by January 31, then set about reinvigorating public services as he launched his Conservative Party’s general election manifesto. Having taken over a minority administration in July and been unable to speed his EU divorce deal through parliament, Johnson is seeking a majority at the December 12 snap election – called in a bid to break the Brexit logjam. Our pledge to you - we will get Brexit done, invest in our NHS and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3039146/british-prime-minister-boris-johnson-unveils-his-manifesto-brexit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3039146/british-prime-minister-boris-johnson-unveils-his-manifesto-brexit?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Nov 2019 20:07:15 +0000 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson reluctantly wrote to Brussels asking for a Brexit extension after MPs voted Saturday to force him into seeking a delay beyond October 31. But Johnson, who has pinned his premiership on getting Britain out of the European Union on time, refused to sign the letter he sent to European Council President Donald Tusk. The Conservative leader, who had to send the letter to abide by the law, also sent a second signed letter insisting he was not seeking an extension... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3033734/british-prime-minister-boris-johnson-leaves-brexit-delay-letter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3033734/british-prime-minister-boris-johnson-leaves-brexit-delay-letter?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Oct 2019 22:13:17 +0000 Seeking a Brexit deal was like climbing Mount Everest, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told members of his party last week. If that is the case, he has reached the summit. A new deal has been struck. But that is not the only mountain Johnson must climb before Britain is able to leave the European Union. Today, he faces an even tougher objective – winning support for it from parliament. A special Saturday sitting of the House of Commons will determine the fate of the last-minute agreement... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3033622/brexit-deal-struck-boris-johnson-better-nothing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3033622/brexit-deal-struck-boris-johnson-better-nothing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Oct 2019 11:20:58 +0000 Britain will be on course for more distant economic ties with the European Union, making the country poorer, if Prime Minister Boris Johnson wins parliamentary backing for the Brexit deal he clinched with Brussels on Thursday. Compared with the deal his predecessor Theresa May reached last year – which parliament rejected three times – Johnson’s deal aims for less regulatory alignment with the EU, and greater trade barriers between Britain and its largest trading partner. Johnson now faces a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3033472/boris-johnsons-brexit-deal-will-leave-britons-6-cent-poorer-if-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3033472/boris-johnsons-brexit-deal-will-leave-britons-6-cent-poorer-if-it?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Oct 2019 23:33:12 +0000 Hope springs eternal, especially in financial markets where the “fear of missing out” – known in the investment community by the acronym “Fomo” – on a rally can be a powerful driver of sentiment. Over the past several days, Fomo has been very much in evidence. Since October 10, the British pound has surged more than 5 per cent against the US dollar, to its highest level since mid-May, and has not been this volatile since the days following Britain’s vote in June 2016 to leave the European Union,... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3033323/proposed-us-china-trade-and-brexit-deals-have-spurred-investor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3033323/proposed-us-china-trade-and-brexit-deals-have-spurred-investor?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Oct 2019 13:00:13 +0000 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson appears to be on the brink of reaching a Brexit deal after making major concessions to European Union demands concerning the Irish border. A draft text of the agreement could now be published on Wednesday if No 10 Downing Street gives the final green light, according to senior EU and British sources. It is understood that the negotiating teams have agreed in principle that there will be a customs border down the Irish Sea. A similar arrangement was rejected... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3033106/boris-johnson-brink-brexit-deal-after-concessions-irish-border?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3033106/boris-johnson-brink-brexit-deal-after-concessions-irish-border?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Oct 2019 19:52:31 +0000 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he would submit “compromise” plans for a Brexit agreement to Brussels on Wednesday but again warned that Britain was prepared to leave the European Union later this month without a deal, despite fears it could herald an economic slump. In his closing speech to his Conservative party’s annual conference, Johnson said the plans would address the contentious issue of how to keep open Britain’s border with Ireland. “This is a compromise by the UK,” he told... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3031320/british-pm-boris-johnson-promises-compromise-brexit-offer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3031320/british-pm-boris-johnson-promises-compromise-brexit-offer?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Oct 2019 13:44:20 +0000 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson suffered a fresh blow on Saturday after another member of his governing Conservatives defected to an opposition party seeking to reverse Brexit. Former universities minister Sam Gyimah was announced as a new member of the Liberal Democrats at its annual conference in Bournemouth, on the southern English coast. Gyimah resigned from former premier Theresa May’s government last year over her strategy to take Britain out of the European Union. He has since been... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3027295/lawmaker-boris-johnsons-conservative-party-defects-liberal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3027295/lawmaker-boris-johnsons-conservative-party-defects-liberal?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Sep 2019 20:35:20 +0000 UK MPs looking to stop no deal are exploring ways to bring back a version of Theresa May’s Brexit deal plus a vote on a second referendum in the last two weeks of October, amid concerns Prime Minister Boris Johnson will still try to pursue a no-deal departure. Several sources told The Guardian that MPs will spend the next few weeks working on ways to bring back the deal – with added concessions to the Labour Party – to the House of Commons via a backbencher or a temporary prime minister. MPs... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3026718/second-referendum-uk-mps-want-revive-theresa-mays-brexit-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3026718/second-referendum-uk-mps-want-revive-theresa-mays-brexit-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Sep 2019 07:54:03 +0000 UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson late Tuesday said he will ask parliament to approve a snap election, after he lost a crucial vote on a bid to prevent him from withdrawing Britain from the European Union without an exit deal. Parliament’s elected main house, the Commons, voted by 328 to 301 for a cross-party motion allowing a debate on Wednesday on a bill to block a no-deal Brexit on October 31. The bill would require Johnson to ask the EU to delay Brexit until January 31, unless parliament... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3025581/british-prime-minister-boris-johnson-loses-working-majority-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3025581/british-prime-minister-boris-johnson-loses-working-majority-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Sep 2019 17:53:04 +0000 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson acknowledged Monday that reaching a new withdrawal deal with the European Union will be a challenge as there was “substantial disagreement” between the two sides, but said he remained committed to trying. Johnson also clashed with EU officials over whether Britain must pay the so-called divorce bill agreed with the EU in negotiations over the past few years – even in the event of a no-deal Brexit. French President Emmanuel Macron meanwhile toughened his tone,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3024453/british-prime-minister-boris-johnson-says-there-still-substantial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3024453/british-prime-minister-boris-johnson-says-there-still-substantial?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Aug 2019 00:11:23 +0000 The former UK prime minister Theresa May ended her final parliamentary address last month with a rebuke, not to her fellow Conservatives that had made her life so difficult she had to resign, but to the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. “As a party leader who has accepted when her time has come, perhaps the time has come for him to do the same,” May said. With a hung parliament bitterly divided over Brexit the prospect of a snap election in the autumn appears closer by the day. Critics say the leader... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3021639/jeremy-corbyn-britains-saviour-or-great-white-nope?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3021639/jeremy-corbyn-britains-saviour-or-great-white-nope?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Aug 2019 17:30:14 +0000 Britain’s newly minted Prime Minister Boris Johnson has stepped up his “no deal” rhetoric, claiming he will not meet with EU leaders unless they agree to change key aspects of a divorce deal, sending the British pound spiralling downwards. Regarding his purportedly hardline stance, Johnson’s exact words were “no ifs, no buts”. This position has prompted market concerns that the British economy could face significant disruption in the event of a no-deal Brexit. As of this writing, the pound was... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3021003/no-clear-path-brexit-expect-more-volatility-uk-markets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3021003/no-clear-path-brexit-expect-more-volatility-uk-markets?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Aug 2019 19:00:08 +0000 With reference to “Time is ripe to write the latest Hong Kong story” (July 19), the matter for Bernard Chan and his fellow Executive Council members to consider is that the fruit is already beginning to rot because our “shopkeepers” have not been paying attention. First, own up to the fact that our system of governance has become seriously dysfunctional. The prime problem is that there is no accountability and our civil servants seem to think they are masters, who can procrastinate at will. The... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3020045/what-theresa-mays-final-speech-can-teach-hong-kongs-dysfunctional?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3020045/what-theresa-mays-final-speech-can-teach-hong-kongs-dysfunctional?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Jul 2019 22:35:06 +0000 Staff working for Jacob Rees-Mogg, an ultra-Conservative lawmaker promoted to the British cabinet this week by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, have been given a style guide insisting all correspondence uses imperial measurements. Employees in his new department have also been ordered to refer to “non-titled males” as esquire – using the abbreviation “Esq.” after names – according to the two-page guide, leaked to ITV News on Friday. Rees-Mogg, dubbed “the MP for the 18th century” for his love of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3020323/uk-minister-jacob-rees-moggs-style-guide-staff-address-men?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3020323/uk-minister-jacob-rees-moggs-style-guide-staff-address-men?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Jul 2019 21:00:08 +0000 Boris Johnson on Wednesday became Britain’s new prime minister, vowing to lead the UK out of the European Union, “no ifs, ands or buts”. Standing outside the shiny black door of 10 Downing Street, Johnson said that “after three years of unfounded self-doubt, it is time to change the record”. He derided “the doubters, the doomsters, the gloomsters” who believe the ebullient but chaotic Johnson cannot succeed in breaking the Brexit impasse that defeated his predecessor, Theresa May. Johnson has... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3019973/boris-johnson-appointed-new-british-prime-minister-after-queen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3019973/boris-johnson-appointed-new-british-prime-minister-after-queen?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Jul 2019 14:56:47 +0000 Boris Johnson, the Brexiteer who has promised to lead Britain out of the European Union with or without a deal by the end of October, will replace Theresa May as prime minister after winning the leadership of the Conservative Party on Tuesday. His convincing victory catapults the United Kingdom towards a showdown with the EU and towards a constitutional crisis at home, as British lawmakers have vowed to bring down any government that tries to leave the bloc without a divorce deal. Johnson, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3019795/boris-johnson-will-become-next-uk-pm-after-beating-jeremy-hunt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3019795/boris-johnson-will-become-next-uk-pm-after-beating-jeremy-hunt?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Jul 2019 11:06:36 +0000 As the British Conservative Party leadership race enters its final few days, Boris Johnson remains the overwhelming favourite to become prime minister this week. The clash between Johnson and Jeremy Hunt has seen a no-deal Brexit assume growing likelihood, despite the fact that this disorderly outcome is still widely misunderstood. In trading last week, markets were rattled following Brexit remarks from both Johnson and Hunt. With the pound battered in foreign exchange markets, the UK currency... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3019020/why-no-deal-brexit-big-deal-britain-and-rest-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3019020/why-no-deal-brexit-big-deal-britain-and-rest-world?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Jul 2019 15:00:03 +0000 Prime Minister Theresa May criticised the increasing intolerance and absolutism of world politics, in a message many will see as aimed at her successor as Britain’s leader – and at US President Donald Trump. May, who is due to leave office in a week after a three-year premiership dominated by Brexit, condemned the “politics of division” and said “some are losing the ability to disagree without demeaning the views of others.” May announced her resignation last month after Parliament rejected her... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3019110/theresa-mays-parting-shot-boris-johnson-eyes-uk-leadership?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3019110/theresa-mays-parting-shot-boris-johnson-eyes-uk-leadership?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Jul 2019 05:08:20 +0000 The two candidates vying to become Britain’s next prime minister both condemned on Monday US President Donald Trump’s xenophobic tweets about progressive Democrat congresswomen as “totally offensive” and “totally unacceptable”. But front runner Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt refused to call the tweets racist when pressed to do so during their last debate before next week’s announcement of who will succeed Prime Minister Theresa May. May’s spokesman had earlier said that the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3018728/british-pm-hopefuls-boris-johnson-and-jeremy-hunt-slam-donald?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3018728/british-pm-hopefuls-boris-johnson-and-jeremy-hunt-slam-donald?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Jul 2019 21:40:52 +0000 By its words and actions, Britain has alienated its three most important international partners – the US, EU and China. Britain is in the process of leaving the European Union through Brexit, while UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has offended both US President Donald Trump and the Chinese government. Earlier this month, former UK foreign secretary Boris Johnson, who is competing with Hunt to be prime minister, said he backed the Hong Kong protesters against the now dead extradition bill “every... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3018602/post-brexit-uk-will-need-friends-so-why-pick-fights-china-and-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3018602/post-brexit-uk-will-need-friends-so-why-pick-fights-china-and-us?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Jul 2019 18:00:15 +0000