Britain

British government to block Scottish gender reform law

The British government will block a bill passed by the Scottish parliament that makes it easier for people to change their legal gender, its Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said on Monday, the first time it has invoked the power to veto a Scottish law. The move sparked a fresh argument… Cyprus Mail …


UK’s M&S reports strong Christmas sales in food and clothing

British retailer Marks & Spencer (MKS.L) reported strong Christmas sales, with demand for turkeys helping to deliver its highest ever share of the food market and partywear boosting its clothing sales. Chief Executive Stuart Machin said M&S outperformed the market in food in both volume and value in the four-week… Cyprus Mail …


British rail workers start new year with week-long strike

British rail workers kicked off the new year with a week-long strike on Tuesday, disrupting the return to work for millions of commuters in the latest bout of industrial action to hit the country. Britain is in the grip of its worst run of worker unrest since Margaret Thatcher was… Cyprus Mail …


‘Christoforos Savva: Unbound’ exhibition opens in London

Deputy Minister of Culture Yiannis Toumazis on Tuesday underlined the impact of Cypriot artist Christoforos Savva on young artists on the island during the opening of a new retrospective exhibition held at the Hellenic Centre in London named “Christoforos Savva: Unbound”. Curated by Marina Christodoulidou, the exhibition centres on the… Cyprus Mail …


‘Londongrad’ losing its allure for corrupt elites, police say

London is losing its allure as a destination for corrupt Russian elites and other kleptocrats with the aid of new powers and a crackdown on “enablers” who help them channel their illicit money into Britain, British police said on Thursday. The British capital has long been the Western city of… Cyprus Mail …


UK PM Boris Johnson wins confidence vote with 59% share

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson won a confidence vote on Monday but by a relatively modest margin, seeing off a challenge to his leadership brought by lawmakers within his Conservative Party. Johnson won the vote 211 to 148, according to Graham Brady, chairman of the party committee that oversaw the ballot…. Cyprus Mail …


Don’t panic buy, Britain tells consumers

Consumers should not panic buy products as Britain is not heading back into a 1970s-style “winter of discontent” of strikes and power shortages, a junior minister said on Thursday. Soaring wholesale European natural gas prices have sent shockwaves through energy, chemicals and steel producers, and strained supply chains which were already creaking… Cyprus Mail …


UK lawmakers condemn PM Johnson and US President Biden over Afghanistan

British lawmakers vented their anger on Wednesday at Prime Minister Boris Johnson and US President Joe Biden over the collapse of Afghanistan into Taliban hands, calling it a failure of intelligence, leadership and moral duty. Speaking at an emergency session of parliament, recalled from its summer break to discuss Afghanistan, Johnson said… Cyprus Mail …


‘Get out of my pub!’ Landlord challenges Labour’s Starmer (V)

Shouting “Get out of my pub”, a landlord in southern England threw out opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer on Monday and berated him for what he said was his failure to challenge the government’s COVID-19 lockdown. Starmer, who was on a campaign trip in the city of Bath before local… Cyprus Mail …


UK’s Sunak says public finances won’t be fixed overnight

British finance minister Rishi Sunak said he would not try to fix the public finances overnight, days before he announces a budget plan that is expected to pile more borrowing on top of nearly 300 billion pounds ($418 billion) of COVID spending and tax cuts. “Look, this is not something… Cyprus Mail …