Category:UK

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2016

Economy

  • BBC: 80 % of economy is service sector. Out of 5 known post-brexit EU trade models, Norway and Switzerland models are largely similar to present (free movement and contribution to EU budget required); others (Canada, Turkey) do not cover services. Singapore and Hong Kong models have no tariffs and probably too open for UK (and perhaps not sufficient for financial services)
  • Brussels rejects Boris Johnson 'pipe dream' over single market access , The Guardian, June 27, 2016

More on Boris Johnson Brexit 'pipe dream'. Pound was around 1.47 to dollar before the Brexit; 1.21 on October 11, 2016, an 18 % drop. (Bigger drop than several months after the US 9/11 )

Immigration, NHS

EU

page number 4 appears twice.

After Brexit referendum

With well conducted brief video interview with organizer Keiran MacDermott on top
Few UK politicians – fearful of challenging the verdict of an already angry electorate – will articulate such an argument [for second referendum] in public. But Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, has boldly made the case for a second referendum or another general election on the negotiated terms of exit. Robin Butler, the former head of the civil service, has suggested the same.
The UK Government responded (along the predictable lines) and deferred decision on debate.

(Parliament vote made to happen by judiciary, with no changes as a result; Brexit formally initiated...)

'Theresa May seeks general election' -BBC, Apr. 18, 2017.

December 2018

August-October, 2019

At full steam to over the cliff under Boris Johnson; with Corbyn rooting for no-confidence vote, perhaps with himself as caretaker, to quite lukewarm (at best) response.

With all this, Johnson gears up and weeps on Merkel shoulder for a deal; she is quite compassionate. But hopes are dashed by proper French, "Renegotiation of the terms currently proposed by the British is not an option that exists, and that has always been made clear by [EU] President Tusk." --Resup (talk) 08:13, 22 August 2019 (UTC)

(18:49 UTC) The Bill heads to the House of Lords ---Resup (talk) 18:57, 4 September 2019 (UTC)

And not enough House votes for Boris' snap reelection.
But, there is Netanyahu visiting, who has for his ...

Boris Johnson tries but fails to blow a shofar, after asking for an authorization, September 13, 2019

Brexit: "Russia did it"

The committee took evidence from a number of independent experts and also from the secret intelligence agencies, MI5, MI6 and GCHQ.
Some of those external experts are well known figures. Bill Browder is a former investor in Russia who became an arch-critic of the Kremlin and campaigns for sanctions on Russian individuals in the form of the Magnitsky Act (named after his former lawyer who died in jail in Moscow).
Another witness is understood to be Chris Steele, the former MI6 officer behind the famous dossier on US President Donald Trump. Another is journalist Edward Lucas.
These and other observers are understood to have been highly critical of the UK's openness to Russian influence - in particular the way in which Russian money had compromised first the financial system in London and then bled over into politics.
There have been questions about some donors to political parties and the Sunday Times suggests that nine who gave to the Conservative Party could be named in the report (although this may be more likely in a classified annex rather than the public report).
There may also have been evidence about specific relationships with Russians. For instance Boris Johnson as foreign secretary went to a party at an Italian villa hosted by Evgeny Lebedev, who runs the Evening Standard and whose father is a former KGB officer.

Iraq inquiry

Blair response, on embedded video in "Tony Blair says world is better as a result of Iraq War", BBC, 7 July 2016, and full response

Events

"Litvinenko expert took his own life" - The Times, November 25 2016

Post-Skripal

See also Integrity Initiative

  • End the UK’s Role as a “Safe Haven for Corrupt Wealth” -Transparency.org, 14 March, 2018
    Transparency International has identified £4.4 billion worth of UK properties bought with suspicious wealth and more than a fifth of these properties were purchased by Russian individuals. Meanwhile, a quarter of all Tier 1 investment visas granted by the UK between 2008 and 2015, a period in which almost no checks were carried out on source of wealth, were to Russians. This amounts to a minimum of £729 million invested by Russians at a time when there was little scrutiny over where this money came from. We are calling on the Government to urgently bring in legislation that would require overseas companies who buy UK property to reveal who their real owners are and use the new Unexplained Wealth Orders to better investigate the UK assets of corrupt individuals.
  • Transparency report (PDF) Russian Corruption and the UK. Transparency International UK’s submission of written evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee
    The UK is a top destination for money laundering. The National Crime Agency (NCA) estimates that the level of illicit financial flows through the UK is well in excess of 90 billion GBP per year (4.6 % of the GDP in 2016, 2.619 trln USD; compare with 1.8 annual GDP growth). These large sums that come into the UK are often linked to Russian nationals, including associates of Putin. Whilst clearly not all wealthy Russians in the UK have grown rich by corruption, over the last decade or so, kleptrocrats from Russia have continued to launder unfathomably large sums through the UK – money that has likely been plundered from state coffers and solicited in bribes.

Curious sort of situation. Pre-Skripal, worked for all fat cats, -inflow of money lifting economy, property prices, while Russian fats getting a perceived safe-haven from Putin. After Skripal, suddenly stopped working--but not because an actual cat was killed. But that reversal is going some way towards helping Putin-who does not want rebels moneys flowing out? Related, Abramovich is out of investor visa renewal, got Israeli passport (allowing UK visits in particular), and suspended stadium rebuilding in London, to the tune of 1 bln pounds. Kind of mixed feelings. Probably, that wealth will not go into something good (as an alternative to something pointless, like billions for kicking a ball); it will just kind of evaporate, as modern moneys are unreal. --Resup (talk) 07:59, 8 June 2018 (UTC)

'Fusion Doctrine' & 'Contest' Counter Terrorist strategy

HMS James Bond hacked?

https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/9383241.html

London Bridge attack, November 2019

  • London Bridge attack: What we know so far -BBC, Nov./Dec. 2019.
    The attack began at 13:58 GMT on Friday (November 29, 2019) at Fishmongers' Hall, at the north end of London Bridge, where a conference on prisoner rehabilitation was taking place with Khan attending.
    Mr Merritt (a Cambridge graduate, one of the two people killed) was a course coordinator at the conference
    One man is seen walking away holding a large knife they had retrieved. British Transport Police said he was a plain clothes officer.
    The people holding Khan down were moved (=dragged) away by police.
    Khan was wearing a hoax explosive device, which the assistant commissioner said looked "very convincing". He was then shot (and killed, at close range, once the man holding him was dragged aside, judging by the video).

Jack Merritt

  • London Bridge attack: Victim Jack Merritt had 'lust for life'-BBC, November 30, 2019
    A law and criminology graduate, Mr Merritt was a course coordinator for the University of Cambridge's prison rehabilitation programme.
    The project, Learning Together, gives students and inmates the opportunity to study together, to help reduce re-offending - something Mr Merritt had a "deep commitment to", according to people who worked with him.
    A vigil was held in Cambridge, where Mr Merritt was from, on Saturday. His friends, family and those who worked with him have been paying tribute

Female Cambridge ex-student

James Ford

  • London Bridge bystander who helped pin down attacker is convicted murderer on day release - The Independent, November 30, 2019
  • London Bridge attack: Prisoner who confronted terrorist is not a hero, say family of the woman he murdered - The Telegraph, November 30, 2019
    James Ford, 42, was out on day release when he joined those who chased Khan out on to the street before he was pinned to the ground on Friday afternoon.
    It is thought Ford rushed to the scene and tried to save the life of a female victim of Khan. Sources said his actions during the attack had probably saved lives.
    Ford was jailed for life with a minimum of 15 years in 2004 for the ('motiveless') murder of Amanda Champion, who had a mental age of 15.
    Police had no leads in the case until a Samaritans worker broke the organisation's strict confidentiality policy and revealed that Ford, a factory worker and amateur wrestler, had called and confessed: “I've killed a girl.”
    In the month after murdering Amanda, Ford phoned the charity line 45 times, telling staff he was feeling suicidal. After he admitted his crime, the Samaritans worker – who was later forced out of his job – decided to go to police.

"Learning Together"

Military

Conventional distinctions between regular units special forces and intelligence operatives have become blurred with an increasing emphasis on merging commando and special forces units to work alongside "regular and irregular" proxy forces in 'grey zone' conflicts. Daily Express coverage: [1][2][3][4]

...this magnificent thing we call the military instrument is much more than the crucial role we play to defend the nation and the rules-based system the City uses to continue to be the economic powerhouse which drives our prosperity. It is also a tool to help drive a broader national agenda.

Sources

Subcategories

This category has the following 3 subcategories, out of 3 total.

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Media in category "UK"

The following 30 files are in this category, out of 30 total.

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