Assange lawyer dismisses US promises over extradition
A lawyer defending WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has argued that promises offered by the U.S. government that he would not be subjected to harsh prison conditions if he is extradited to face American justice are not enough to address concerns about his fragile mental health and high risk of suicide.
Keir Starmer facing hard-Left leadership challenge from Corbyn ally Dawn Butler
Dawn Butler, a prominent Jeremy Corbyn ally, denied on Saturday she was preparing to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership, amid claims of a hard-Left plot to replace the Labour leader after the Batley and Spen by-election. Ms Butler, who was a frontbencher under Mr Corbyn, was seen in the West Yorkshire constituency with a camera crew last week, leading to speculation that she was putting together material for a leadership bid. Labour sources believe the MP is banking on the part
news.yahoo.comJewish MP was not hounded out of Labour Party, says Jeremy Corbyn
Jeremy Corbyn has claimed Jewish MP Luciana Berger was "not hounded out of the party" as he comes under renewed calls to resign as a Labour MP. The former Labour leader told the Cambridge University debating society that "Luciana was not hounded out of the party. She unfortunately decided to resign from the party". Ms Berger quit Labour in February 2019 along with six other MPs, criticising Mr Corbyn's approach to anti-Semitism within the party. A subsequent investigation by the Equality and Hum
news.yahoo.comUK's Labour roiled by feud over anti-Semitism and Corbyn
Britain's former opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn leaves his home in London, Wednesday Nov. 18, 2020. (Aaron Chown/PA via AP)LONDON – The leader of Britain’s main opposition Labour Party said Wednesday that he won’t readmit ex-Labour chief Jeremy Corbyn to the party’s parliamentary caucus, accusing Corbyn of weakening efforts to stamp out anti-Semitism. Labour leader Keir Starmer said his predecessor had “undermined and set back our work in restoring trust and confidence in the Labour Party’s ability to tackle anti-Semitism.”Corbyn will continue to sit in Parliament, but as an independent lawmaker. Corbyn was suspended from the party last month in the wake of a scathing report by Britain’s equalities watchdog. He said he was acting because “the (Labour Party) disciplinary process does not have the confidence of the Jewish community.”Starmer was elected in April to lead the party.
Ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn reinstated to UK party
LONDON – Ex-Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said Tuesday he has been reinstated to the U.K. opposition party after a three-week suspension — a decision that touched off fury from Jewish leaders angry about anti-Semitism in Labour that flourished during his tenure. Corbyn was suspended after he said the problem of anti-Semitism in the party had been “dramatically overstated” for political reasons. His comment followed a scathing report from the U.K. equalities watchdog, which found “significant failings” and a “lack of leadership” in how the left-of-center party handled allegations of anti-Semitism among its members. The Jewish Labour Movement said it appeared Corbyn’s case had been “expedited” by a “factionally aligned political committee." “Once again we find ourselves having to remind the Labour Party that Jeremy Corbyn is not the victim of Labour anti-Semitism — Jewish members are,'' the group said.
UK Labour leader says anti-Semitism brings shame on party
Former party leader Jeremy Corbyn has been suspended by the party Thursday. (Labour Party via AP)LONDON – Officials in Britain's opposition Labour Party failed to stamp out anti-Semitism and committed “unlawful acts of harassment and discrimination,” the U.K. equalities watchdog said Thursday in a scathing report. Labour leader Keir Starmer promised “a culture change in the Labour Party,” saying there would be “no more denials or excuses." “It is a day of shame for the Labour Party,” Starmer said. “And you should be nowhere near the Labour Party, either.”Corbyn's allies condemned the decision to suspend him.
Referendum on the royal family? UK lawmaker calls for public vote after Harry and Meghan's shock decision
LONDON The U.K. should hold a referendum on the future of its royal family, a lawmaker vying for the leadership of the opposition Labour party said Friday. "Why not have a referendum in this country on the future of the Royal Family?" "Let's talk about what a modern state looks like and what the role of the royal family would be in that, if it had one," Lewis added. According to a 2018 YouGov poll, seven in 10 Britons consider themselves monarchists and support the continuation of the royal family, while 21% oppose it. The royal family's reputation has taken a blow in recent months amid the exposure of Prince Andrew's friendship with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
cnbc.comBoris Johnson secures biggest Conservative Party election win since 1987
LONDON U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson will retain power with a thumping majority after his Conservative Party secured its best election result since 1987. Yields on the U.K. benchmark 10-year bonds rose 7 basis points in early trade and reached their highest level since early June at 0.895%. Anatole Kaletsky, chief economist and co-chairman of Gavekal Dragonomics, said the election result was a "big surprise" which creates "a lot of upside" for British assets. "It must be a good thing that we have a prime minister negotiating with a strong mandate behind him. A strong prime minister will be able to do a better deal than a weak prime minister."
cnbc.comThree words that got Boris Johnson the UK election victory he craved
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks to supporters at the Copper Box Arena on December 11, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. Three simple words that resonated with millions of people and propelled Boris Johnson into 10 Downing Street as a U.K. prime minister with a fresh term and a comfortable majority. Whiteley said by phone that Labour's Brexit position had offered a "terrible narrative in the context of a weary electorate." Christopher Furlong | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesCorbyn attempted to shift the U.K. election campaign away from the constitutional question of Brexit onto domestic matters such as the National Health Service and education. Labour has now not won an election since 2005, and only one of its leaders, Tony Blair, has won an election in more than 40 years.
cnbc.comBoris Johnson's big win reveals three key lessons for Trump and Democrats in 2020
But some of the key factors that made this the biggest election win for any party in the U.K. since 2001 are also at play on our political scene. 1) Your candidate matters more than the issuesBritons are still debating the exact reasons why the Labour Party posted its worst election results in decades. You don't need to look any further than the top of the Labour Party to see one big reason their opponents did so well. Meanwhile, Corbyn also personally fumbled on the Brexit issue. If the Democrats seek to win back the White House simply with an anti-Trump message, it's not likely to work.
cnbc.com'Historic victory': How the world is reacting to Boris Johnson's landslide win
British Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party Boris Johnson speaks to supporters and press as the Conservatives celebrate election victory on December 13, 2019 in London, England. Christopher Furlong/Getty ImagesAs the world wakes up to the news of a landslide victory for the ruling Conservative Party in the U.K.'s general election, CNBC takes a look at frontpage reaction from newspapers across the globe. 'Carrie on Boris Tory landslide and Corbyn's on his bike' The SunBritish tabloid The Sun pictured a "jubilant" Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his partner Carrie Symonds arriving in his west London constituency of Uxbridge this morning. It also referred to the "disaster" defeat suffered by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who announced plans to step down. 'Johnson's historic victory' The TelegraphMeanwhile, pro-Conservative paper The Telegraph, which once counted Johnson as a columnist, highlighted that the ruling party was set for its "biggest success since (Margaret) Thatcher", who won a landslide vote in 1987.
cnbc.comU.K. elections: Boris Johnson's Conservatives win majority
Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party won an overall majority in Parliament in the United Kingdom elections, passing the threshold of 326 seats needed for an overall majority. The head of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, said he would step down as its leader in the next general election. "There were some astonishing results, with a number of historic Labour heartlands falling to the Conservatives," Eardley said. Britain's opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn poses outside a polling station after voting in the general election in London, December 12, 2019. That effort got a boost when the Brexit Party led by Nigel Farage decided at the last minute not to contest 317 Conservative-held seats to avoid splitting the pro-Brexit vote.
cbsnews.comHow does Britain's voting system work? All you need to know ahead of the election
Johnson's center-right Conservative government holds a commanding lead in the latest opinion polls, with just one day to go before the election. CNBC takes a look at all you need to know about Britain's voting system. British Prime Minister and Conservative leader Boris Johnson arrives to speak at a general election campaign rally on December 9, 2019 in Quedgeley, near Gloucester, England. The U.K will go to the polls in a general election on December 12. If, as in 2017, the election produces another hung parliament, parties may try to form an alliance with one another to help them win votes in Parliament.
cnbc.comEverything you need to know about the first UK election debate
Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will go head to head in the first of several debates. Here's what you need to know ahead of Tuesday's debate. The debate won't feature Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson, a decision that the party has reacted furiously to. Her exclusion means Brits won't hear from any parties opposed to Brexit -- though the Labour Party is advocating a second referendum on a deal. Before then, there will also be a Sky News debate between Johnson, Corbyn and Swinson on November 28.
UK Labour Party has 'large scale cyber attack' on digital platforms
LONDON - The UK's main opposition party says it has experienced a "sophisticated and large-scale cyber attack" on its digital platforms. In a statement to CNN, a Labour Party spokesperson said the attack had "failed" because of the party's "robust security systems." The UK is holding a snap general election on December 12 and the Labour Party is aiming to oust Boris Johnson's Conservatives from power. According to the PA news agency, Labour sources would not be drawn on the details of the attack or who they thought might be responsible. The Labour Party uses Cloudflare, a leading San Francisco company, to protect itself from DDoS attacks.
Britain's premier election debates won't include parties opposed to Brexit
Liberal Democrats leader Jo Swinson has also been shut out of a November 19 debate that will be shown by UK broadcaster ITV. While both channels will show other debates with a broader range of candidates, the exclusion of the Liberal Democrats from the premier broadcasts means that Brits might not hear from parties opposed to Brexit. "The BBC decision to host a TV debate between two Brexiters is outrageous," the Liberal Democrats said Friday on Twitter. Corbyn's Labour Party wants to negotiate a new deal with Brussels, and then hold a referendum that would include the option for the United Kingdom to remain in the bloc. Following a dismal showing in the 2017 general election, the Liberal Democrats have rallied voters to their cause by promising to stop Brexit.
British Labour Party deputy leader Tom Watson to stand down
Watson, 52, has clashed publicly with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn several times, most notably over Brexit policy and how to handle allegations of anti-Semitism within the party. The decision is personal, not political," Watson said in a letter to Corbyn, adding he would continue as deputy leader until December 12 to help Labour contest its election campaign. Unlike other British political parties, Labour deputy leaders are elected by party members and have an independent power base. A leading centrist and pro-European voice within the Labour Party, Watson had previously lent his support to a second Brexit referendum. In a letter posted online Wednesday, Corbyn thanked Watson for his contribution to the Labour Party.
Brexit standoff could lead to elections
On Thursday afternoon, the Prime Minister said that he would give lawmakers more time to scrutinize his Brexit deal, but only if they agreed to an election on December 12. In the aftermath of the Queen's Speech vote, opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn doubled down on his long-held party line that they want "no-deal off the table." And of course, by that point, Johnson might have broken his campaign promise to get Brexit done by October 31. Johnson will no doubt prefer any election to take place after Parliament has passed his Brexit deal and formally left the EU. The latter has already called his Brexit deal worse than Theresa May's and the former cannot be relied on to get anything through Parliament -- including his deal.
Sterling soars to five-month high as Brexit deal is agreed
The British pound reached a five-month high versus the U.S. dollar on Thursday morning after leaders of both the European Union and the United Kingdom confirmed that a draft Brexit deal had been agreed on. Sterling rose as high as $1.2988 at one stage reaching a five-month high. The U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced " a great new deal that takes back control" via his Twitter account. A separate report from Reuters quoted European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker as saying a draft deal had been reached. I recommend that (EU summit) endorses his deal," Juncker said.
cnbc.comAs October deadline approaches, Brexit plans flounder
LONDON - The chances of Britain leaving the European Union with a deal on October 31 are fading fast. It would prefer Britain to remain in the European Union but has deep misgivings about Corbyn's tax and nationalization agenda. They might hold a second referendum on Brexit, and the public could return a vote against leaving the European Union. Calling off Brexit would boost private consumption, which accounts for two thirds of the UK economy. "This will stick with the UK economy for a long time," he said.
Boris Johnson's opponents split on next steps after court ruling on parliament suspension
Pro-EU supporters outside the British Parliament buildings in London on Dec. 12, 2018. Mike Newberg | CNBCOpposition lawmakers have overwhelmingly welcomed the U.K. Supreme Court's ruling that Prime Minister Boris Johnson acted unlawfully by suspending parliament for five weeks. However, they remain divided over the best approach to Brexit ahead of the Parliament's reopening late Wednesday morning. The Parliament is set to reopen Wednesday with Johnson presiding over a minority government, and buoyant opposition lawmakers arrayed against him. "The opposition has to come together," said Ian Blackford, "force a vote of no-confidence, take Boris Johnson out of office and have a general election, that is the way that we should be going."
cnbc.comBritain's Labour Party won't campaign against Brexit for now
A grassroots motion to "back remain now" was voted down at the Labour Party's annual conference in Brighton, a boost to party leader Jeremy Corbyn. LONDON - Britain's Labour Party is staying put on Brexit. The Labour Party would decide what it will back in a special conference held after a general election. "I do not believe this decision reflects the views of the overwhelming majority of Labour members who desperately want to stop Brexit. Labour IS a Remain party," London Mayor Sadiq Khan said in a tweet.
Boris Johnson's Brexit options are bad
The British Prime Minister has been cornered by his own political missteps and parliamentary defeats. Johnson could try to bypass the super-majority hurdle by putting down a new piece of legislation that would effectively override the current election law. Johnson's minority problemThe Prime Minister lost his working parliamentary majority earlier this week when a Conservative MP dramatically defected at the start of his first speech after the summer recess. Because he, just like the Prime Minister, knows all too well that an election is Johnson's only way out. "There would be a motion for Jeremy Corbyn to be the caretaker Prime Minister, and that would fail," Dunt said.
Boris Johnson fails in attempt to call snap general election
In a third stinging defeat in two days, the House of Commons roundly dismissed the UK Prime Minister's demand for an election. Corbyn said he would support an election once legislation that would prevent a no-deal Brexit -- approved in defiance of Johnson earlier in the evening -- was enacted. One of those ejected from the party, former foreign office minister Alistair Burt, savaged Johnson in the House of Commons. "We are quite aware that we [the EU] are being used as the back drop for a Johnson election campaign," one diplomat told CNN. Johnson has declared himself determined not to take the option of a no-deal Brexit off the table, arguing that the threat of a chaotic departure makes his negotiating position stronger.
Boris Johnson takes huge gamble over Brexit
And he made good on threats he would seek a general election, tabling a motion that called for a vote mid-October. But there are still quite a few hurdles -- and risks -- for Johnson to contend with before the UK gets its third general election in less than five years. Could Johnson split the Conservative party? It's the Brexit Party rebadged." And that means getting the support of the opposition Labour Party.
Backlash grows against Boris Johnson's decision to suspend Parliament
LONDON - Boris Johnson's surprise decision to suspend the British parliament in the runup to the next Brexit deadline appears to have had its desired effect. Minutes earlier, another senior Conservative, George Young, resigned from the front bench in the House of Lords in protest at Johnson's suspension of Parliament. In his resignation letter, seen by CNN, he said Johnson's decision risked "undermining" the role of Parliament at a "critical time" in the country's history. Challenges to Johnson's decision were also filed in separate courts by a cross-party group of 70 MPs and peers and the prominent anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller. While it is common for governments to suspend Parliament in the run-up to a Queen's Speech, critics have been irked by the timing of Johnson's move.