Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says she will postpone plans for a second independence referendum until after negotiations over Britain’s exit from the European Union have concluded next year. Sturgeon made the announcement in the Scottish parliament on Tuesday, saying that she was putting on hold her plans to introduce legislation that would demand a second referendum until autumn 2018 when Brexit terms are supposedly clear.

“The Scottish government remains committed strongly to the principle of giving Scotland a choice at the end of this [Brexit] process but I want to reassure people that our proposal is not for a referendum now, or before there is sufficient clarity about the options, but rather to give them a choice at the end of the Brexit process when that clarity has emerged,” Sturgeon said.

“We will not seek to introduce the legislation for an independence referendum immediately,” she added. “The Scottish government will reset the plan I set out.” Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) noted that the “uncertainty” of the Brexit process is now her priority and her party is focused on getting “the best deal out of Brexit – the best deal for Scotland.”

“Instead, we will – in good faith – redouble our efforts and put our shoulder to the wheel in seeking to influence the Brexit talks in a way that protects Scotland’s interests,” she noted. The pro-independence Scottish Greens called on the SNP leader not to back down on her bid to have a second referendum and to “continue fighting” for another vote on the issue.

Source: Presstv

Spanish lawmakers on Thursday as expected threw out a Catalan bid to hold an independence referendum which a court had already ruled illegal. Pro-separatist regional president Carles Puigdemont presented a bill calling on Madrid to “respect” the wealthy northeastern region’s attempt to hold a vote in October.

But 250 out of 350 lawmakers, led by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s conservatives and backed by the main opposition Socialists and centrist Ciudadanos, voted down the move. Regionalist and pro-independence parties as well as the far-left Podemos group cast 92 votes in favor of a referendum.

Backed by a majority of pro-separatists in the Catalan regional assembly, Puigdemont wants to hold a referendum asking voters if they want their region, population 7.5 million, to be an independent republic.

Madrid has rejected the move as unconstitutional. Catalans appear divided on the issue, with 48.5 percent against and 44.3 percent in favor according to latest polls, although some three-quarters back holding a referendum.

(Source: AFP)

UK Queen Elizabeth II has presented Prime Minister Theresa May’s policies to the new Parliament, at a tumultuous time for Britain and as May’s future in power remain uncertain. The queen took to Westminster on Wednesday to read out a list of the government’s intentions for the lawmakers on their first day in office, following the June 8 snap general election that saw May’s Conservative Party lose its narrow majority.

The legislative program that the monarch laid out on behalf of May was a pared-down version of her party manifesto for the election and dropped some key promises to instead focus on Britain’s exit from the European Union (EU). “My government’s priority is to secure the best possible deal as the country leaves the European Union,” said Elizabeth II. “My ministers are committed to working with Parliament, the devolved administrations, business and others to build the widest possible consensus on the country’s future outside the European Union.”

Eight of the 27 bills that were included in the agenda revolved around Brexit, while the rest were focused on other issues such as the recent wave of terror attacks that hit Britain as well as the deadly apartment block fire in Grenfell Tower last week. Absent on the list, however, were May’s manifesto pledges to tax the elderly more heavily for their own care and slash free lunches for schoolchildren, the very unpopular policies that were blamed for May’s uninspiring election performance.

Faced with growing calls to step down since the vote, May has been struggling to save her reign by striking a deal for a minority government with the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). The deal plunged into new jeopardy on Wednesday after the DUP handed in an expensive £2 billion list of demands to the Tories, including £1 billion pumped into the health service in Northern Ireland and a similar figure for infrastructure projects, according to the BBC.

If true, this would make it impossible to get a deal on Thursday, the new deadline that was announced after a series of similar delays. Notwithstanding the uncertain future she faces, May has decided to press ahead with the previous schedule for the EU talks. UK Brexit Secretary David Davis held the first round of talks with EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier on Monday. Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn, who managed to win many seats for his party in the election against all odds, took the opportunity on Wednesday to attack May and pitch himself as her replacement.

The opposition leader, who refused to bow to the queen, said at the beginning of the parliamentary session that the government has “apparently run out of ideas altogether.” While noting that Labour was “a government in waiting,” Corbyn said people in many traditionally Tory areas had chosen “hope over fear” by voting for his party. The so-called Queen’s Speech was marred by “Day of Rage” protests outside Westminster, where hundreds of Londoners had gathered to call for May’s resignation.

Source: Presstv

British Prime Minister Theresa May’s negotiations on staying in power with the support of the Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) have not proceeded as expected. “Talks are ongoing with the DUP and we continue to work towards a confidence and supply arrangement,” a Conservative source told Reuters on Tuesday.
“As we have said, both parties are committed to strengthening the Union (between the UK’s member nations), combating terrorism, delivering Brexit and delivering prosperity across the whole United Kingdom.” “While our discussions continue it is important the government gets on with its business.” DUP sources also complained of the lack of “negotiating experience” on the Conservative side, a day after the separate Brexit talks also got underway. “The negotiations haven’t proceeded in a way that DUP would have expected,” a source told Sky News.

May had called for a snap election in April in hopes of getting an increased parliamentary majority that could have strengthened her position before going into two years of intense negotiations with the European Union about Britain’s departure from the bloc. However, May’s election gamble spectacularly backfired. British voters dealt her a devastating blow last Thursday, wiping out her parliamentary majority and throwing the country into political turmoil.

Now, the premier has been trying to save herself by forming a coalition government with the DUP, which won 10 seats. May and DUP leader Arlene Foster have met to discuss a plan to form the government. The DUP has been urging May’s government to give “greater focus” to the negotiations and that the DUP “can’t be taken for granted.” May’s office announced on Saturday that the DUP had agreed to support her government on the basis of a “confidence and supply” arrangement in parliament.

The so-called confidence and supply agreement means that the supporting party will back the government in motions of confidence by either voting in favor or abstaining, while retaining the right to vote otherwise in matters of conscience. “Supply”, on the other hand, refers to bills required for a minority government to receive funds to allow it to enact its policies.

Tory MPs have threatened they would object to a formal coalition, citing the DUP’s position on abortion, climate change and gay rights. A total of 326 seats is needed for a majority in the Commons, as efforts to run a minority government are usually doomed to fail because of the inability to get any legislation through the parliament, which means that an arrangement with another political party is essential.

Source: Presstv

The UK has started the marathon negotiations for its exit from the European Union (EU) by giving in to the bloc’s demands on how the talks should be held. Hours after arriving in Brussels to kick off the first day of the talks on Monday, UK Brexit Secretary David Davis agreed to settle the divorce terms before getting to the details about future relations with the EU.

This is a stark retreat from Davis’ core demands before the talks, where he had called for parallel talks on both aspects of the process. The British minister raised the issue once again yesterday only to be shut down by EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier, who said the European Council would only proceed to future ties when “sufficient progress has been made” in other areas.

The EU has demanded an early agreement on three issues: the rights of EU nationals living in the UK; the UK’s “exit” payment to the EU; and the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Davis, who had warned the EU’s timetable would risk an early collapse of the talks, said after meeting Barnier that backtracking on London’s preferences was not a sign of “weakness.” “It’s not when it starts, it’s how it finishes that matters,” he argued, noting that the timetable was “completely consistent” with what the government of Prime Minister Theresa May had aimed for.

Asked if he had made any concessions to the UK in exchange, Barnier said the talks were not about “punishment” or “revenge” and the two sides had to simply accept the “responsibility and the consequences” that came with their decisions.

“I am not in a frame of mind to make concessions, or ask for concessions,” he said. “Basically, we are implementing the decision taken by the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, and unravel 43 years of patiently-built relations,” he added, referring to the last June EU referendum in the England, where 52 percent voted in favor of Brexit.

The two sides agreed to initially hold a week of negotiations every month until a new structure is defined. They also agreed to set up working groups of “senior experts” to work on the three key issues. Davis said there was already “much common ground” on citizens’ rights. Some 3.5 million EU nationals live in the UK compared to 1.2 million Britons spread around the continent.

The UK has also dismissed an ultimatum by the EU to pay a “divorce bill” of around £60 billion before sitting at the negotiating table. May expects the process to be completed by March 2019 but the EU has warned that the two sides should reach a deal before October 2018.

Source: Presstv

French President Emmanuel Macron’s newly established party has won a majority in parliamentary elections despite a record-low turnout. Macron’s Republic on the Move (LREM) and its Modem allies won 351 seats in the 577-seat National Assembly, the lower house of the French parliament, media reported on Monday.
The Republicans and their allies would form the opposition, while the Socialist Party, in power for the past five years, won its lowest number of seats in the postwar Fifth Republic. Due to the low turnout, 90 seats remained undecided, still giving LREM a majority.
“This is an opportunity for France. One year ago, no one would have imagined such a political renewal,” Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said in a statement following the second-round vote on Sunday. Nina Halimi, a student activist, said, “This is a very good result, when Macron was not long ago predicted that he would be unable to win a majority in the Assembly.”
Macron plans to pursue his social and economic policies, including a change in labor laws, downsizing the public sector, and investing in job training and renewable energy.
Source: Presstv

Final results of the UK general election indicate that the Conservative Party of British Prime Minister Theresa May has been delivered a heavy blow by the people as she failed to secure majority seats in the parliament. Press TV interviewed Robert Evans, a former member of the European Parliament from London, and Ian Williams, an expert of the Foreign Policy in Focus from New York, on Britain’s political outlook following the shock vote.

Evans predicts that Britain would experience “complete and utter political chaos” in the next few months as the general elections ended in a hung parliament, where the Conservatives won 318 seats, short of the 326 they needed for an outright majority and well down from the 330 seats they had before.

The Conservatives would criticize the prime minister for such a “poor campaign” that ended up in losing 13 seats in the Parliament, he added.

The commentator also warned that Britain is facing turmoil because the Tories have failed to secure a stable transition period ahead of Brexit talks.

“We are in not quite a political stalemate, but we are in a situation of turmoil just when the Conservative said they wanted stability because of the Brexit debates and Brexit arguments,” he added.

He further pointed to Theresa May’s unsuccessful campaign that paved the way for Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party to clinch 261 seats in the parliament.

“This result is a big surprise for many people because we have been told repeatedly by the opinion polls that something different was going to happen,” Evans noted.

May “thought when she called the election very arrogantly that she was going to get a big vote of confidence but in fact the British people have spoken and they said they don’t like what is going on, they didn’t like the manifest that the Conservatives put forward,” he argued.

The former member of the European Parliament blamed the premier for her party’s defeat in the snap election.

“Theresa May refused to debate, she refused to talk with the ordinary people in the election” and “she has paid the price for that,” the analyst added.

Another panelist, Williams, said that Theresa May made a mistake when she called for a snap election because the prime minister had a wrong expectation about winning the election.

May could not get a majority in the parliament, because she had US President Donald “Trump’s politics” and former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s “demeanor,” which is a fatal combination, the analyst elaborated.

He also forecast “a very precarious future” for the United Kingdom and for Theresa May, who needs to form a coalition government, while “almost all of other parties in the parliament are opposed to the Tory policy of austerity and cuts in spending and welfare.”

This is a clear mandate from the British public against conservative and neo-liberal austerity policies, Williams concluded.

Culled from Presstv

Britain wakes up Friday morning more divided and uncertain about its future than anyone thought possible. A general election that was supposed to settle political and constitutional questions thrown up by Britain’s exit from the European Union failed — answering none, raising more and leaving no party with a majority in parliament.

From a position of relative strength, dominating a compliant parliament which had accepted Brexit, Theresa May is now struggling to cling on to her job, unsure whether she will even be able to form a minority government. After a night of political drama which saw Labour’s vote share surge by 10 points, halving the 2010 deficit, three things now seem certain: May is mortally wounded; Jeremy Corbyn is safe as Labour party leader for as long as he wants; and Britain is in for a prolonged period of political instability which may only be solved by a second general election.

If Brussels had come round to the prospect of an unyielding two-year Brexit negotiation under May — grating in its parochialism maybe, but at least grown up — they now face the nightmare prospect of a new partner across the table or a weakened May beholden to her backbenchers and a small retinue of Northern Irish MPs.

A hung parliament — in which no single party commands a majority — is certain. Her future as prime minister hangs by a thread. She could be gone by the end of the day. A second general election could be called within months — taking place as early as August. Brexit is also now up in the air — as even David Davis admitted.

The Brexit Secretary told Sky News at 2.30am that the election was, in part, about getting a mandate for “the sort of Brexit we want.” It was also designed to give the government more time to complete the process by ensuring that the incoming administration would have a clear five years before having to call an election.

He suggested the U.K. government may have lost a mandate to exit customs union and single market. “[Our manifesto] said we wanted to leave the customs union and the single market, but get access to them. That’s what it was about, that’s what we put in front of the British people, we’ll see by tomorrow whether they’ve accepted that or not,” he said.

Nigel Farage was quick to warn that he would re-enter the political fray if Brexit was softened. “We may well be looking down the barrel of a second referendum.” The Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland — potential king-makers if the Tories are to remain in power — will look to soften Brexit around the edges, particularly in order to ensure there is no threat to the soft border with the Republic of Ireland, so crucial for the region’s economic security.

Boris Johnson is the most obvious Tory winner from the fallout. When a steady but uninspiring leader has been found wanting, they may turn to a tried and tested winner with the charisma to take on Corbyn. Boris Johnson was already “sharpening the knives for Theresa May,” Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson said.

Source: Politico

British opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn says it is time for the UK to hold “difficult conversations” with Saudi Arabia and other Arab states of the Persian Gulf in the wake of the London terror attack.

Terror on and near the London Bridge left at least seven people dead and wounded almost 50 others on Saturday.

“Yes, we do need to have some difficult conversations starting with Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf states that have funded and fueled extremist ideology,” Corbyn said in Carlisle, north England, on Sunday.

Daesh claims responsibility

Saudi Arabia and some of its regional allies have already been implicated in support for Takfiri terrorism, currently wreaking havoc in Iraq and Syria.

On Saturday, three knife-wielding assailants drove a hired van into pedestrians on London Bridge and stabbed others nearby in an attack initially praised and subsequently claimed by the Daesh Takfiri group.

“A detachment of Daesh fighters executed yesterday’s London attack,” said a statement posted on Amaq’s media page, monitored in Cairo.

The opposition leader, who will face Prime Minister Theresa May in a June 8 snap election, also censured Islamophobia in the wake of the attack.

“We must resist Islamophobia and division and turn out on June 8 united in our determination to show our democracy is strong,” asserted the Labour leader.

Culled from Presstv

British voters are more likely to vote for the Labour Party in the June 8 general election, says a scholar in London, arguing that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is the only candidate who represents a real change. Dr. Rodney Shakespeare, a university professor and political analyst, made the remarks when asked about Labour’s recent rise in polls.

The latest YouGov survey showed on Tuesday that British Prime Minister Theresa May’s ruling Conservative Party was likely to lose 20 parliamentary seats and Labour could gain almost 30 in the upcoming vote. That means Tories could ultimately win 310 seats at the election, falling short of an absolute majority of 326 seats needed to form a government.

Such a result on June 9 would be catastrophic for May, who called for the snap election back in April, arguing the UK needed certainty, stability and strong leadership in Brexit negotiations with the European Union.

“I don’t usually bet or gamble, but I have placed two bets on the UK general election: one is that there would be no overall majority and two that Labour will win,” Shakespeare told Press TV on Wednesday. “The reason is actually the same reason that led people to vote for Brexit,” he argued. “Brexit was motivated by lots of people suffering economic hardship that has increased rich-poor division.”

The “anger over economic insecurity” was what Shakespeare said would come into play in favor of the Labour Party this time. Aside from this, the issue of terrorism was another factor that was going to help Labour, according to Shakespeare.

He argued that concerns for more terror attack like the one that took place in Manchester recently won’t go away unless a “fundamental change” takes place in the UK’s current foreign policy. “The only way that we can stop that is strike at the philosophical of that [terrorist] belief which is in fact the Wahhabism of Saudi Arabia,” he said. “There is a chance that Jeremy Corbyn at least would stand up to be counted.”

The scholar argued that Corbyn would certainly bring about change in Britain’s Bahrain policy, but it remains to be seen if he can do the same with regards to Saudi Arabia. “Very urgent is to vote in somebody, that means in practice Jeremy Corbyn and Labour Party, who is going to at least start what should be a huge change in foreign policy,” he added. “Saudi Arabia, the USA, the UK and Israel… they are all in together… we have to stand up to be counted,” Shakespeare concluded.

Culled from Presstv