13, June 2019
UK parliament rejects move to block no-deal Brexit 0
Members of the British parliament have rejected a key move by the opposition Labour Party meant to block a potential disorderly withdrawal from the European Union.
In a Wednesday session of the House of Commons, lawmakers voted 309 to 298 against Labour’s measure which sought to seize control of the parliamentary agenda from the government if it wants to go ahead with plans for a no-deal Brexit on October 31 this year.
Three years after Britons voted to leave the EU in a tight referendum, the government and the parliament in the country are still at odds on how to deliver on the results of the historic vote.
The Commons have rejected a Brexit deal by outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May on three occasions.
Conservative Party candidates seeking to replace May have declared their intention to implement a no-deal Brexit if the parliament fails to endorse the divorce agreement with the EU.
The Labour, however, has repeatedly vowed to block a no-deal Brexit, saying it will not allow the ruling Tories to take advantage of the political deadlock on Brexit to extend their grip on power.
Labour’s Brexit spokesman Keir Starmer said after the Wednesday vote that the party would continue with its efforts to prevent the next Tory prime minister to bring Britain out of the EU without a deal.
“Labour stands ready to use whatever mechanism it can to protect jobs, the economy and communities from the disastrous consequences of a no-deal Brexit,” said Starmer, adding, “This is just the start, not the end of our efforts to block no-deal.”
Boris Johnson, the top candidate to win the Conservative Party leadership vote in late July and replace May, repeated his promise for a no-deal Brexit as he launched his official campaign earlier on Wednesday.
Johnson said the Tories could not withstand another delay to Brexit as it would inflict a huge loss on the reputation of the ruling party.
“Delay means defeat, delay means ruin,” said Johnson, adding, “We will simply not get a result if we give the impression that we want to go on kicking the can down the road and yet more delay.”
Source: Presstv
27, June 2019
Bundes: Merkel suffers new trembling spell on eve of G20 0
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday suffered another episode of uncontrolled trembling, a week after a similar incident that sparked questions about her health.
The latest lapse came hours before Merkel was due to board a plane for the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan.
The German leader began to tremble as she stood next to President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who was giving a speech at a ceremony to formally appoint a new justice minister.
The shaking went on for two minutes, according to a DPA photographer who was present at the event.
Merkel folded her arms visibly in a bid to stop the trembling.
She only finally brought it under control once she was able to take a few steps.
She was offered a glass of water but turned it down.
Her previous bout of shaking last Tuesday had been blamed on dehydration on a hot summer’s day.
Despite the latest incident, a German government spokesman said Merkel would not be cancelling any appointments on Thursday and Friday.
“The chancellor is well,” he said, adding that she will be flying as planned to Osaka for the G20 summit.
Merkel, frequently called the European Union’s most influential leader and the most powerful woman in the world, turns 65 next month.
She has said she will leave politics at the end of her term, in 2021.
There were brief concerns about her health in 2014 when she was taken ill during a television interview. The broadcast was briefly interrupted when she experienced a drop in blood pressure.
Her spokesman Steffen Seibert explained at the time the leader did not feel well for a moment, then ate and drank something and continued the interview.
AFP