Scotland must be allowed to hold another referendum on its place inside the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-general-election-a-look-at-possible-outcomes-of-the-uk-vote-267764">United Kingdom</a> following the crushing victory of the nationalists in the election, leader Nicola Sturgeon said on Friday.

The exit poll predicted that the Scottish National Party would win 55 of the 59 seats in Scotland.

"There is a mandate now to offer the people of Scotland the choice over our own future," Sturgeon told Sky News.

"There is a clear desire and endorsement for the notion that Scotland should not be landed with a Boris Johnson government and ripped out of Europe against our own will.

"<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brexit-beckons-as-uks-johnson-coasts-to-commanding-win-267999">Boris Johnson</a> may have the mandate to take England out of the European Union. He emphatically does not have the mandate to take Scotland out of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/european-leaders-welcome-brexit-clarity-from-conservative-victory-267987">European Union</a>. Scotland must have a choice over our own future."

Scotland must be allowed to hold another referendum on its place inside the United Kingdom following the crushing victory of the nationalists in the election, leader Nicola Sturgeon said on Friday.

Scotland must be allowed to hold another referendum on its place inside the United Kingdom following the crushing victory of the nationalists in the election, leader Nicola Sturgeon said on Friday. The exit poll predicted that the Scottish National Party would win 55 of the 59 seats in Scotland. "There is a mandate now to offer the people of Scotland the choice over our own future," Sturgeon told Sky News. "There is a clear desire and endorsement for the notion that Scotland should not be landed with a Boris Johnson government and ripped out of Europe against our own will. "Boris Johnson may have the mandate to take England out of the European Union. He emphatically does not have the mandate to take Scotland out of the European Union. Scotland must have a choice over our own future."

Scotland must be given new independence vote: Nicola Sturgeon

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday that his government appeared to have won a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brexit-beckons-as-uks-johnson-coasts-to-commanding-win-267999">powerful new mandate</a> to get Brexit done.

"At this stage it does look as though this one-nation Conservative government has been given a powerful new mandate, to get Brexit done and not just to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/european-leaders-welcome-brexit-clarity-from-conservative-victory-267987">get Brexit done</a> but to unite this country and to take it forward," Johnson said after winning his seat of Uxbridge.

"I think this will turn out to be a historic election that gives us now, in this new government, the chance to respect the democratic will of the British people, to change this country for the better and to unleash the potential of the entire people of this country."

"That is what we will now do, and if we are lucky enough to be returned as the exit poll seems to suggest then that work will begin ... today."

Johnson increased his share of the ballot in his West London seat by 1.8 percentage points, winning 25,351 votes to give him an increased majority of 7,210.

His<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explainer-reality-check-for-johnsons-brexit-its-just-the-beginning-267984"> Conservative Party </a>made gains in the Midlands and North of England that had been Labour strongholds for generations, putting it on course for its best result since 1987.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday that his government appeared to have won a powerful new mandate to get Brexit done. "At this stage it does look as though this one-nation Conservative government has been given a powerful new mandate, to get Brexit done and not just to get Brexit done but to unite this country and to take it forward," Johnson said after winning his seat of Uxbridge.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday that his government appeared to have won a powerful new mandate to get Brexit done. "At this stage it does look as though this one-nation Conservative government has been given a powerful new mandate, to get Brexit done and not just to get Brexit done but to unite this country and to take it forward," Johnson said after winning his seat of Uxbridge. "I think this will turn out to be a historic election that gives us now, in this new government, the chance to respect the democratic will of the British people, to change this country for the better and to unleash the potential of the entire people of this country." "That is what we will now do, and if we are lucky enough to be returned as the exit poll seems to suggest then that work will begin ... today." Johnson increased his share of the ballot in his West London seat by 1.8 percentage points, winning 25,351 votes to give him an increased majority of 7,210. His Conservative Party made gains in the Midlands and North of England that had been Labour strongholds for generations, putting it on course for its best result since 1987.

We have a powerful mandate for Brexit, says British Prime Minister Johnson

UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn on Friday said that he will not be leading his party into another election after a crushing defeat in one of the most important elections in Britain's history as the country prepares to leave European Union.

UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn on Friday said that he will not be leading his party into another election after a crushing defeat in one of the most important elections in Britain's history as the country prepares to leave European Union. ''Pressure on people in public life is high and the attacks on people in public life are disgusting,'' the Labour Party leader was quoted as saying by several media. Corbyn thanked his family members and his wife for all ''she has had put up with, especially because of the attacks from the media''. It has been a “very disappointing night” for Labour Party, he said and added that his party had put forward a manifesto of hope and the party’s policies were popular. He quipped that the Brexit has polarised debate. ''I will not lead the party in any future general election campaign and a discussion will take place as to what happens next,'' he added.

Jeremy Corbyn says he will not lead Labour into another election after crushing defeat 

United Kingdom's Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday said Britain would leave the European Union on January 31 after his sweeping election win. "We will get Brexit done on time by the 31st of January, no ifs, no buts, no maybes," Johnson told cheering supporters on Friday.

United Kingdom's Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday said Britain would leave the European Union on January 31 after his sweeping election win. "We will get Brexit done on time by the 31st of January, no ifs, no buts, no maybes," Johnson told cheering supporters on Friday. Johnson paid tribute to colleagues who lost their seats and said: ''This is the biggest majority for the party since the 1980s''. He further said that he will able to get Brexit done. It was now the “irrefutable, unarguable” decision of the British people, he added. Lauding his party for ending the threat of a second referendum, Johnson said it is his duty to deliver on the promises made by the Tories at the election. Johnson concluded his speech by saying: ''Let’s get Brexit done. But first let’s get breakfast done''.

We will leave EU on January 31, no ifs, no buts, says UK Prime Minister Johnson amid resounding victory 

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday that Britain would leave the European Union by January 31 at the latest if his Conservative Party win a majority in the election in two weeks time, reported news agency Reuters.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday that Britain would leave the European Union by January 31 at the latest if his Conservative Party win a majority in the election in two weeks time, reported news agency Reuters. "If we can get a working majority then we will come on Jan. 31 at the absolute latest," the report said Johnson as saying to LBC radio. He also repeated his message that he saw no reason why Britain would need to extend the transition period after Brexit beyond the end of 2020. Asked if he would rather be prime minister or have Britain leave the EU, he replied: "I would rather get us out of the EU. I can tell you that." (With inputs from Reuters)

UK PM Johnson says UK will leave EU by Jan. 31 at the latest

Boris Johnson's Conservative Party would win a comfortable majority in Britain's parliament if the upcoming election were held this week, according to a poll by respected research firm YouGov.

Boris Johnson's Conservative Party would win a comfortable majority in Britain's parliament if the upcoming election were held this week, according to a poll by respected research firm YouGov. Britain votes on December 12, with Prime Minister Johnson hoping to secure a majority to be able to push through his Brexit deal to take the country out of the European Union. YouGov's poll, published Wednesday, said if the elections were held on Thursday the Conservatives would grab 44 seats from the main opposition Labour party to win a 68-seat majority. The data showed larger swings from Labour to the Conservatives in areas that are more pro-Brexit, especially in England's northern and central regions. "As expected, the key thing deciding the extent to which each of these seats is moving against Labour (is) how that seat voted in the European Union referendum" in 2016, said Chris Curtis, YouGov's political research manager. The poll -- the first in this campaign to predict election results seat-by-seat -- uses a model that correctly forecast 93 percent of seats in the last general election in 2017, according to YouGov. It said the Conservatives' total seat count would climb to 359, compared to 211 for Labour -- predicting that the left-wing party would lose 51 seats overall. "In terms of seats won, this would be the Conservatives' best performance since 1987," said the pollster, who analysed data including interviews with around 100,000 people about their voting intentions. Johnson, who took over a minority administration in July and been unable to speed his EU divorce deal through parliament, has pledged to take Britain out of the bloc by January 31. If the centre-right Conservatives are returned to power in the third general election in four years, he is promising to bring back his Brexit deal to parliament before Christmas. Among the smaller parties in the House of Commons, the poll said the Scottish National Party (SNP) would gain eight seats to a total of 43, while the Liberal Democrats were predicted a total of 13 seats, Welsh party Plaid Cymru four and the Green Party one. It came as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accused Johnson of plotting a "toxic" deal with Donald Trump to allow US pharmaceutical companies access to Britain's state health service. Labour is currently being investigated by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) following a number of complaints about alleged anti-Semitism in the party. mpa/roc/kaf/hg © Agence France-Presse

UK election poll predicts Boris Johnson's Conservative Party majority

The political parties of the United Kingdom are gearing up for their upcoming general election. The general election is scheduled to be held on December 12, 2019.

A total of 650 people will be chosen as members of Parliament (MPs), to decide laws and policies.

The Indian diaspora along with other South Asian communities in Britain plays the role of kingmaker in the polls.

There has been a sense of anger among the British-Indian community over the Labour party's stand on the abrogation of Article 370.&nbsp;

Watch: How will Indian diaspora impact UK elections?

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These are the people that every party is looking to win over. Britain’s minority communities, particularly the South Asians that makeup nearly 5 per cent of the population.

Traditionally ethnic minorities vote Labour, in the past two general elections 77 per cent of people in the minority community voted Labour that’s 1 in 5 of Labour’s voters while the conservatives have only 1 in 20.

But that is set to change, there has been much anger from the Hindu community over Labour passing a motion criticizing India's actions in Kashmir at its annual conference. It has led to claims the party is "Anti-Indian" and "Anti-Hindu".

British-Indians protested by turning their backs on London's mayor, a Labour MP, Sadiq Khan.

Kuldeep Shekhawat from overseas friends of Bhartiya Janta Party once considering running as an MP for Labour but now he is firmly backing the Tories.

The biggest reason for this is a guy called Bob Blackman, for every Indian event he is there whether it is the parliament, whether it is in public, whether it is the national elections of India whether we call him to a shop or a restaurant Bob Blackman stands out. He is there for the community and he is one solid reason why the Indian community says at least there is one person who is with us. Policy-wise what they have done the number of ministers in the present cabinet our home secretary is from Indian origin. The Indian community sees the conservatives are for us, they are not against us that is why they are for the conservatives now.

The conservatives certainly are looking to woo British-Indian voters with a Pro-India manifesto highlighting its desire to build stronger links with dynamic economies like India.

"I have met the Prime Minister himself and on the record, he had told me that the first thing he will do after Brexit is visiting India so that is very good for a country that looks a community from a very positive angle," said Kuldeep Shekhawat.

The big question is whether it will be enough to change British-Indian voter's minds.

The political parties of the United Kingdom are gearing up for their upcoming general election. The general election is scheduled to be held on December 12, 2019.

The political parties of the United Kingdom are gearing up for their upcoming general election. The general election is scheduled to be held on December 12, 2019. A total of 650 people will be chosen as members of Parliament (MPs), to decide laws and policies. The Indian diaspora along with other South Asian communities in Britain plays the role of kingmaker in the polls. There has been a sense of anger among the British-Indian community over the Labour party's stand on the abrogation of Article 370. Watch: How will Indian diaspora impact UK elections? These are the people that every party is looking to win over. Britain’s minority communities, particularly the South Asians that makeup nearly 5 per cent of the population. Traditionally ethnic minorities vote Labour, in the past two general elections 77 per cent of people in the minority community voted Labour that’s 1 in 5 of Labour’s voters while the conservatives have only 1 in 20. But that is set to change, there has been much anger from the Hindu community over Labour passing a motion criticizing India's actions in Kashmir at its annual conference. It has led to claims the party is "Anti-Indian" and "Anti-Hindu". British-Indians protested by turning their backs on London's mayor, a Labour MP, Sadiq Khan. Kuldeep Shekhawat from overseas friends of Bhartiya Janta Party once considering running as an MP for Labour but now he is firmly backing the Tories. The biggest reason for this is a guy called Bob Blackman, for every Indian event he is there whether it is the parliament, whether it is in public, whether it is the national elections of India whether we call him to a shop or a restaurant Bob Blackman stands out. He is there for the community and he is one solid reason why the Indian community says at least there is one person who is with us. Policy-wise what they have done the number of ministers in the present cabinet our home secretary is from Indian origin. The Indian community sees the conservatives are for us, they are not against us that is why they are for the conservatives now. The conservatives certainly are looking to woo British-Indian voters with a Pro-India manifesto highlighting its desire to build stronger links with dynamic economies like India. "I have met the Prime Minister himself and on the record, he had told me that the first thing he will do after Brexit is visiting India so that is very good for a country that looks a community from a very positive angle," said Kuldeep Shekhawat. The big question is whether it will be enough to change British-Indian voter's minds.

British election: Boris or Corbyn; who will manage to woo the British-Indian voters?

More than 2 million under-35s have applied to vote in Britain's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-set-for-third-election-in-four-years-to-try-to-break-brexit-gridlock-258692">December&nbsp;12 election</a> since the poll was called just four weeks ago, government data showed ahead of Tuesday's registration deadline.

The outcome of next month's election, which will determine how, when and even whether Britain leaves the European Union, remains uncertain. Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uks-johnson-pitches-christmas-present-brexit-push-in-manifesto-264151">Boris Johnson</a>'s Conservatives are ahead in opinion polls but two published this week have shown their lead narrowing.

Game of Thrones actress Emilia Clarke and Grime star Stormzy are among celebrities who have been urging people to register to take part in the election. Voters have until 2359 GMT on Tuesday to register and can do so online.

Britain's electoral watchdog, the Electoral Commission, said one in three 18 and 19-year-olds are not registered to vote.

"Private renters, too, anyone who has recently moved home, people without a fixed address and those in some black and Asian communities - all these groups are less likely to be registered. They are at risk of missing out," said Electoral Commission Director of Communications, Policy and Research Craig Westwood.

"If you want to make sure your voice is heard, do it now."

Government data shows that nearly 3.2 million people applied to register to vote between October&nbsp;29, when the election was called, and Monday. Of these almost 1.2 million were under 25 and just under 966,000 were aged 25-34.

The final number added to the electoral register could be lower, as some may turn out to have already been registered.

Labour leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-labour-leader-corbyn-i-would-stay-neutral-in-a-second-brexit-referendum-264124">Jeremy Corbyn</a> has been on a push to encourage people to register, particularly young voters who are typically more likely to back his left-leaning party.

"Dodgy landlords are registered to vote. Bad bosses are registered to vote. And the super-rich who've rigged the system are registered to vote. Are you?," he said on Twitter on Tuesday.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Dodgy landlords are registered to vote. 
 
Bad bosses are registered to vote. 
 
And the super-rich who've rigged the system are registered to vote. 
 
Are you?<a href="https://t.co/qXdulxPFk2">https://t.co/qXdulxPFk2</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RegisterToVote?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RegisterToVote</a>
— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) <a href="https://twitter.com/jeremycorbyn/status/1199244046482493441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Stormzy also shared the link to register online and urged people it was "very, very, very important" everyone did so.

"Don't sit there and think 'my one little vote ain't gonna do anything' - your vote is CRUCIAL. Your 'one little vote' can quite literally tip the scale for what will be the most important election of our generation," he said on Twitter.

More than 2 million under-35s have applied to vote in Britain's December 12 election since the poll was called just four weeks ago, government data showed ahead of Tuesday's registration deadline.

More than 2 million under-35s have applied to vote in Britain's December 12 election since the poll was called just four weeks ago, government data showed ahead of Tuesday's registration deadline. The outcome of next month's election, which will determine how, when and even whether Britain leaves the European Union, remains uncertain. Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservatives are ahead in opinion polls but two published this week have shown their lead narrowing. Game of Thrones actress Emilia Clarke and Grime star Stormzy are among celebrities who have been urging people to register to take part in the election. Voters have until 2359 GMT on Tuesday to register and can do so online. Britain's electoral watchdog, the Electoral Commission, said one in three 18 and 19-year-olds are not registered to vote. "Private renters, too, anyone who has recently moved home, people without a fixed address and those in some black and Asian communities - all these groups are less likely to be registered. They are at risk of missing out," said Electoral Commission Director of Communications, Policy and Research Craig Westwood. "If you want to make sure your voice is heard, do it now." Government data shows that nearly 3.2 million people applied to register to vote between October 29, when the election was called, and Monday. Of these almost 1.2 million were under 25 and just under 966,000 were aged 25-34. The final number added to the electoral register could be lower, as some may turn out to have already been registered. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has been on a push to encourage people to register, particularly young voters who are typically more likely to back his left-leaning party. "Dodgy landlords are registered to vote. Bad bosses are registered to vote. And the super-rich who've rigged the system are registered to vote. Are you?," he said on Twitter on Tuesday. Dodgy landlords are registered to vote. Bad bosses are registered to vote. And the super-rich who've rigged the system are registered to vote. Are you?https://t.co/qXdulxPFk2#RegisterToVote — Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) November 26, 2019 × Stormzy also shared the link to register online and urged people it was "very, very, very important" everyone did so. "Don't sit there and think 'my one little vote ain't gonna do anything' - your vote is CRUCIAL. Your 'one little vote' can quite literally tip the scale for what will be the most important election of our generation," he said on Twitter.

Millions apply to vote in British election ahead of Tuesday's deadline

What happens to Britain in case of no clear election result?

Britain's opposition Labour Party will hold a rally outside an Amazon depot on Saturday as it highlights its promise to target multinational firms it accuses of dodging taxes and cheating workers should it win next month's general election.

In its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ready-for-change-britains-labour-unveils-radical-manifesto-263627">manifesto launched</a> on Thursday, Labour unveiled a plan to spend almost 83 billion pounds ($106 billion) on a programme of widespread nationalisation and free public services with the revenue coming from taxes on high earners and corporations.

Also watch:&nbsp;Labour Party's 'Divide &amp; Rule' Manifesto

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Labour said its "Fair Tax Programme" would ensure the City of London financial district, big businesses and those who dodged tax paid their share.

"Huge multinational companies often act as if the rules we all live by don't apply to them. They use loopholes to claim they don't owe tax and cynically push their workers to the limit," Labour leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-pm-johnson-and-labour-leader-corbyn-battle-it-out-on-first-televised-debate-brexit-still-at-large-263259">Jeremy Corbyn</a> will say outside the Amazon depot in Yorkshire, northern England.

"The next Labour government will challenge head-on the tax and wage cheat culture of so many multinational companies, who use their power and our weak laws to rip off both the taxpayer and their workers," Corbyn will say, according to extracts of his planned comments released by his office.

Amazon said Corbyn's claims were false.

"The government wrote the tax laws and they are designed to encourage investment, and we are investing heavily in creating jobs and infrastructure across the UK - more than 18 billion pounds since 2010," an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement.

Labour is lagging Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party by about 10 points or more in the polls but it hopes that targetting "vested interests" will win over voters ahead of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-set-for-third-election-in-four-years-to-try-to-break-brexit-gridlock-258692">December&nbsp;12 election</a>.

"Jeremy Corbyn is lashing out at businesses because he is desperate to distract from the fact that he has no credible plan to get Brexit done," Conservative Party Chairman James Cleverly said.

The party has earmarked tech firms such as Amazon, Alphabet's Google, and Facebook for additional taxes, saying it would bring in measures to stop multinationals avoiding tax through profit-shifting schemes. It said this would bring in 6.3 billion pounds in 2023-4.

Other planned measures include establishing an inquiry into the finance sector, introducing a 20 per cent&nbsp;Offshore Company Property Levy, and scrapping non-domiciled status, which allows some people resident in Britain to limit the tax they pay.&nbsp;

Britain's opposition Labour Party will hold a rally outside an Amazon depot on Saturday as it highlights its promise to target multinational firms it accuses of dodging taxes and cheating workers should it win next month's general election.

Britain's opposition Labour Party will hold a rally outside an Amazon depot on Saturday as it highlights its promise to target multinational firms it accuses of dodging taxes and cheating workers should it win next month's general election. In its manifesto launched on Thursday, Labour unveiled a plan to spend almost 83 billion pounds ($106 billion) on a programme of widespread nationalisation and free public services with the revenue coming from taxes on high earners and corporations. Also watch: Labour Party's 'Divide & Rule' Manifesto × Labour said its "Fair Tax Programme" would ensure the City of London financial district, big businesses and those who dodged tax paid their share. "Huge multinational companies often act as if the rules we all live by don't apply to them. They use loopholes to claim they don't owe tax and cynically push their workers to the limit," Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will say outside the Amazon depot in Yorkshire, northern England. "The next Labour government will challenge head-on the tax and wage cheat culture of so many multinational companies, who use their power and our weak laws to rip off both the taxpayer and their workers," Corbyn will say, according to extracts of his planned comments released by his office. Amazon said Corbyn's claims were false. "The government wrote the tax laws and they are designed to encourage investment, and we are investing heavily in creating jobs and infrastructure across the UK - more than 18 billion pounds since 2010," an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement. Labour is lagging Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party by about 10 points or more in the polls but it hopes that targetting "vested interests" will win over voters ahead of the December 12 election. "Jeremy Corbyn is lashing out at businesses because he is desperate to distract from the fact that he has no credible plan to get Brexit done," Conservative Party Chairman James Cleverly said. The party has earmarked tech firms such as Amazon, Alphabet's Google, and Facebook for additional taxes, saying it would bring in measures to stop multinationals avoiding tax through profit-shifting schemes. It said this would bring in 6.3 billion pounds in 2023-4. Other planned measures include establishing an inquiry into the finance sector, introducing a 20 per cent Offshore Company Property Levy, and scrapping non-domiciled status, which allows some people resident in Britain to limit the tax they pay.

United Kingdom's Labour vows action on 'tax and wage cheat' multinationals

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/labour-partys-brexit-policy-explained-263619">Labour Party</a> leader Jeremy Corbyn will unveil his opposition party's election manifesto on Thursday, setting out how in government he plans to transform Britain with "the most radical and ambitious plan" in decades.

With three weeks before Britain votes in its second election in just over two years, Corbyn will press his message that only Labour can challenge the status quo, fighting for ordinary people against "bankers, billionaires and the establishment".

Lagging in the polls, the 70-year-old socialist will hope his message of change will drown out criticism of his Brexit stance, which even some in his party say lacks the clarity of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's vow to "get Brexit done".

Both parties have promised to end economic austerity and relax the purse strings for stretched public services before the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-set-for-third-election-in-four-years-to-try-to-break-brexit-gridlock-258692">December&nbsp;12 election</a>, which will determine how, when and even whether Britain's departure from the European Union happens.

Trying to combat criticism from Johnson's Conservative Party over Labour's spending plans, Corbyn will say how he plans to pay for his manifesto, which includes scrapping university fees, reducing the working week and nationalising utilities.

"This is a manifesto of hope. A manifesto that will bring real change. A manifesto full of popular policies that the political establishment has blocked for a generation," Corbyn will say, according to excerpts of his speech.

"Those policies are fully costed, with no tax increases for 95 per cent&nbsp;of taxpayers."

Held after three years of negotiations to leave the European Union, the December election for the first time will show how far <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/brexit-why-is-there-an-irish-backstop-188953">Brexit </a>has torn traditional political allegiances apart and will test an electorate increasingly tired of voting.

Most polls put the Conservative Party in front, but few are able or willing to predict a victor in the election.

Labour has put at the forefront of its campaign its attack on "vested interests", taking aim at Johnson, who was educated at England's elite Eton public school, has considerable personal wealth and whose party has wealthy backers.

Corbyn has also said it will move to reverse privatisations began by former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s, promising to nationalise rail, mail, water, and BT's broadband network to provide free internet for all.

Those pledges have been mocked by the Conservatives, with Johnson calling plans to nationalise broadband as a "crazed Communist scheme".

Corbyn is defiant.

"Over the next three weeks, the most powerful people in Britain and their supporters are going to tell you that everything in this manifesto is impossible," he will say.

"But they know we mean what we say. They know we will deliver our plans, which is why they want to stop us being elected."

Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn will unveil his opposition party's election manifesto on Thursday, setting out how in government he plans to transform Britain with "the most radical and ambitious plan" in decades.

Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn will unveil his opposition party's election manifesto on Thursday, setting out how in government he plans to transform Britain with "the most radical and ambitious plan" in decades. With three weeks before Britain votes in its second election in just over two years, Corbyn will press his message that only Labour can challenge the status quo, fighting for ordinary people against "bankers, billionaires and the establishment". Lagging in the polls, the 70-year-old socialist will hope his message of change will drown out criticism of his Brexit stance, which even some in his party say lacks the clarity of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's vow to "get Brexit done". Both parties have promised to end economic austerity and relax the purse strings for stretched public services before the December 12 election, which will determine how, when and even whether Britain's departure from the European Union happens. Trying to combat criticism from Johnson's Conservative Party over Labour's spending plans, Corbyn will say how he plans to pay for his manifesto, which includes scrapping university fees, reducing the working week and nationalising utilities. "This is a manifesto of hope. A manifesto that will bring real change. A manifesto full of popular policies that the political establishment has blocked for a generation," Corbyn will say, according to excerpts of his speech. "Those policies are fully costed, with no tax increases for 95 per cent of taxpayers." Held after three years of negotiations to leave the European Union, the December election for the first time will show how far Brexit has torn traditional political allegiances apart and will test an electorate increasingly tired of voting. Most polls put the Conservative Party in front, but few are able or willing to predict a victor in the election. Labour has put at the forefront of its campaign its attack on "vested interests", taking aim at Johnson, who was educated at England's elite Eton public school, has considerable personal wealth and whose party has wealthy backers. Corbyn has also said it will move to reverse privatisations began by former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s, promising to nationalise rail, mail, water, and BT's broadband network to provide free internet for all. Those pledges have been mocked by the Conservatives, with Johnson calling plans to nationalise broadband as a "crazed Communist scheme". Corbyn is defiant. "Over the next three weeks, the most powerful people in Britain and their supporters are going to tell you that everything in this manifesto is impossible," he will say. "But they know we mean what we say. They know we will deliver our plans, which is why they want to stop us being elected."

Ready for change? Britain's Labour unveils 'radical' manifesto

Britain's Boris Johnson and&nbsp;Labour&nbsp;leader&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boris-johnson-presses-election-rival-jeremy-corbyn-to-explain-brexit-stance-260104">Jeremy Corbyn</a> go head-to-head Tuesday in their&nbsp;first&nbsp;TV&nbsp;debate&nbsp;of the&nbsp;election&nbsp;campaign, facing scrutiny over their plans for Brexit and more public spending.

Johnson, who took over as the&nbsp;leader&nbsp;of the governing Conservatives in July, has held a double-digit lead over&nbsp;Labour&nbsp;in opinion polls for weeks, making the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-set-for-third-election-in-four-years-to-try-to-break-brexit-gridlock-258692">December 12&nbsp;election</a>&nbsp;his to lose.

Corbyn meanwhile is seeking to repeat the success of the last campaign in 2017, when his promise to end austerity and deliver change "for the many, not the few" fired up voters and denied the Tories an outright win.

The two men have sparred only a handful of times in parliament, making the prime-time&nbsp;debate, broadcast on ITV television at 8:00&nbsp;pm&nbsp;(2000 GMT), a rare opportunity to see how they engage up close.

Both sides will also be hoping the hour-long clash could put the boosters on what has so far been a slow-burning&nbsp;election&nbsp;campaign.

Johnson fired the starting gun with a letter to Corbyn overnight questioning his plans for Britain's looming departure from the European Union.

The Conservatives are campaigning on a pledge to "get Brexit done", promising to end years of political disagreements and several delays by leaving the EU on January 31.

Corbyn has promised to renegotiate Johnson's exit deal and hold another referendum, appealing to around half of voters who still oppose the shock result of the&nbsp;first&nbsp;2016&nbsp;vote&nbsp;for Brexit.

But the&nbsp;Labour&nbsp;leader&nbsp;has yet to say how he would campaign in that&nbsp;vote, and Johnson warned in his letter that he offered only more "dither and delay".

Corbyn meanwhile has sought to shift attention to the impact of a decade of Conservative spending cuts, promising a swathe of nationalisations and huge investment in public services.

Labour&nbsp;has attacked the wealthy elites, and sought to link them to Johnson's Tories.

The party claimed Tuesday that 48 of Britain's 151 billionaires have donated more than £50 million to the Tories since 2005,&nbsp;10 of them giving money since Johnson became&nbsp;leader.

Finance spokesman John McDonnell said that having that much money was "obscene", adding: "We know whose side Boris Johnson is on,&nbsp;the billionaires, the bankers and big business."

Johnson warns that&nbsp;Labour&nbsp;would cripple the economy,&nbsp;although he also has his own big spending plans, with more money for hospitals, schools and police, as well as infrastructure including broadband.

The two leaders will answer questions submitted by viewers in front of a live audience, a format that had been challenged by smaller parties.

The Scottish National Party and the Liberal Democrats went to court to protest their exclusion from the&nbsp;debate, but the High Court rejected their case on Monday.

Although the next prime minister is almost certainly going to be either Johnson or Corbyn, the role of smaller parties could be crucial.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boris-johnsons-election-campaign-launch-marred-by-gaffe-resignation-doctored-video-260463">The Conservatives</a> failed to win a majority of MPs in 2017, forcing them to agree an alliance with Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

Their arrangement collapsed over rows over Brexit, leaving Johnson without the support he needed to get his EU exit deal ratified by parliament.

This time, he has faced a challenge from Nigel Farage's hardline Brexit Party, although it has agreed not to field candidates in Tory-held seats.

Labour&nbsp;meanwhile is languishing so far behind the Conservatives that polling expert John Curtice, from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, has suggested it has almost zero chance of winning a majority.

But he noted Corbyn could still take power at the head of a loose coalition involving the SNP and Lib Dems, both of whom strongly oppose Brexit.

Britain's Boris Johnson and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn go head-to-head Tuesday in their first TV debate of the election campaign, facing scrutiny over their plans for Brexit and more public spending.

Britain's Boris Johnson and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn go head-to-head Tuesday in their first TV debate of the election campaign, facing scrutiny over their plans for Brexit and more public spending. Johnson, who took over as the leader of the governing Conservatives in July, has held a double-digit lead over Labour in opinion polls for weeks, making the December 12 election his to lose. Corbyn meanwhile is seeking to repeat the success of the last campaign in 2017, when his promise to end austerity and deliver change "for the many, not the few" fired up voters and denied the Tories an outright win. The two men have sparred only a handful of times in parliament, making the prime-time debate, broadcast on ITV television at 8:00 pm (2000 GMT), a rare opportunity to see how they engage up close. Both sides will also be hoping the hour-long clash could put the boosters on what has so far been a slow-burning election campaign. Johnson fired the starting gun with a letter to Corbyn overnight questioning his plans for Britain's looming departure from the European Union. The Conservatives are campaigning on a pledge to "get Brexit done", promising to end years of political disagreements and several delays by leaving the EU on January 31. Corbyn has promised to renegotiate Johnson's exit deal and hold another referendum, appealing to around half of voters who still oppose the shock result of the first 2016 vote for Brexit. But the Labour leader has yet to say how he would campaign in that vote, and Johnson warned in his letter that he offered only more "dither and delay". Corbyn meanwhile has sought to shift attention to the impact of a decade of Conservative spending cuts, promising a swathe of nationalisations and huge investment in public services. Labour has attacked the wealthy elites, and sought to link them to Johnson's Tories. The party claimed Tuesday that 48 of Britain's 151 billionaires have donated more than £50 million to the Tories since 2005, 10 of them giving money since Johnson became leader. Finance spokesman John McDonnell said that having that much money was "obscene", adding: "We know whose side Boris Johnson is on, the billionaires, the bankers and big business." Johnson warns that Labour would cripple the economy, although he also has his own big spending plans, with more money for hospitals, schools and police, as well as infrastructure including broadband. The two leaders will answer questions submitted by viewers in front of a live audience, a format that had been challenged by smaller parties. The Scottish National Party and the Liberal Democrats went to court to protest their exclusion from the debate, but the High Court rejected their case on Monday. Although the next prime minister is almost certainly going to be either Johnson or Corbyn, the role of smaller parties could be crucial. The Conservatives failed to win a majority of MPs in 2017, forcing them to agree an alliance with Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). Their arrangement collapsed over rows over Brexit, leaving Johnson without the support he needed to get his EU exit deal ratified by parliament. This time, he has faced a challenge from Nigel Farage's hardline Brexit Party, although it has agreed not to field candidates in Tory-held seats. Labour meanwhile is languishing so far behind the Conservatives that polling expert John Curtice, from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, has suggested it has almost zero chance of winning a majority. But he noted Corbyn could still take power at the head of a loose coalition involving the SNP and Lib Dems, both of whom strongly oppose Brexit.

UK PM Boris Johnson, Labour leader face off in first election debate

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday reconvened parliament for December&nbsp;5, when he will reach out to the opposition to back his minority government and its agenda, which includes tax cuts and measures to fight climate change.

Liberal Party leader Trudeau held onto power in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-canada-elections-trudeau-secures-a-narrow-victory-257594">October&nbsp;21 election</a>, but unlike his first term, the prime minister does not hold a majority of seats in the 338-member House of Commons.

"Last month Canadians elected a parliament that they expect to work together, and that's exactly what I'm going to be focussing on doing," Trudeau said in his office just before a meeting with Andrew Scheer, the Conservative Party leader.

Trudeau cited affordability, a tax-cut for the middle class, and the fight against climate change as priorities of his new government, which will be sworn in on November&nbsp;20.

During the campaign, polls suggested that Scheer had a chance to defeat Trudeau, but in the end the Conservatives won decisively only in Canada's western oil patch, where the Liberals did not pick up a single seat, but fared poorly in the more populous provinces of Ontario and Quebec.

"We found some areas of common ground, such as tax cuts for new parents," Scheer told reporters after meeting the prime minister. Scheer would not say whether he would back the so-called Throne Speech, which will outline the government's priorities and will be followed by a confidence vote.

The Throne Speech is likely to be delivered on December&nbsp;5 after the House elects a speaker, a government official said, but the confidence vote could come the following week.

Trudeau also met on Tuesday with the right-leaning premier of Saskatchewan, Scott Moe, who wants the federal carbon pricing scheme put on hold because he says it hurts the economy.

Moe was critical afterward, saying, "I did not hear that there was going to be anything different ... I heard more of the same."

Trudeau's most likely ally going forward is not a conservative but the left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP), which shares much of the Liberals' agenda.

The NDP, whose 24 seats would be enough to help secure a majority, last month challenged Trudeau to act immediately on universal coverage for prescription drugs.

Trudeau will meet with NDP leader Jagmeet Singh on Thursday, according to the government official, and he will meet with the leader of the Bloc Quebecois, another potential ally on some issues, on Wednesday.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday reconvened parliament for December 5, when he will reach out to the opposition to back his minority government and its agenda, which includes tax cuts and measures to fight climate change.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday reconvened parliament for December 5, when he will reach out to the opposition to back his minority government and its agenda, which includes tax cuts and measures to fight climate change. Liberal Party leader Trudeau held onto power in the October 21 election, but unlike his first term, the prime minister does not hold a majority of seats in the 338-member House of Commons. "Last month Canadians elected a parliament that they expect to work together, and that's exactly what I'm going to be focussing on doing," Trudeau said in his office just before a meeting with Andrew Scheer, the Conservative Party leader. Trudeau cited affordability, a tax-cut for the middle class, and the fight against climate change as priorities of his new government, which will be sworn in on November 20. During the campaign, polls suggested that Scheer had a chance to defeat Trudeau, but in the end the Conservatives won decisively only in Canada's western oil patch, where the Liberals did not pick up a single seat, but fared poorly in the more populous provinces of Ontario and Quebec. "We found some areas of common ground, such as tax cuts for new parents," Scheer told reporters after meeting the prime minister. Scheer would not say whether he would back the so-called Throne Speech, which will outline the government's priorities and will be followed by a confidence vote. The Throne Speech is likely to be delivered on December 5 after the House elects a speaker, a government official said, but the confidence vote could come the following week. Trudeau also met on Tuesday with the right-leaning premier of Saskatchewan, Scott Moe, who wants the federal carbon pricing scheme put on hold because he says it hurts the economy. Moe was critical afterward, saying, "I did not hear that there was going to be anything different ... I heard more of the same." Trudeau's most likely ally going forward is not a conservative but the left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP), which shares much of the Liberals' agenda. The NDP, whose 24 seats would be enough to help secure a majority, last month challenged Trudeau to act immediately on universal coverage for prescription drugs. Trudeau will meet with NDP leader Jagmeet Singh on Thursday, according to the government official, and he will meet with the leader of the Bloc Quebecois, another potential ally on some issues, on Wednesday.

Canadian PM Trudeau to seek formal backing for minority government

Hackers hit Britain's two main political parties with back-to-back cyberattacks on Tuesday, sources told Reuters, attempting to force political websites offline with a flood of malicious traffic just weeks ahead of a national election.

The attacks come after Britain's security agencies have warned that Russia and other countries may attempt to disrupt the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-set-for-third-election-in-four-years-to-try-to-break-brexit-gridlock-258692">December&nbsp;12 vote</a> with cyberattacks or divisive political messages on social media, a charge Moscow denies.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-labour-party-targeted-in-large-scale-cyber-attack-261584">opposition Labour Party</a> said on Tuesday morning it had "experienced a sophisticated and large-scale cyberattack on Labour digital platforms," but that the attack was repelled and no data was compromised.

Just hours later, the party's website and other online services came under a second digital bombardment, followed by a third attack on the website of the governing Conservative Party shortly before 1600 GMT, according to two people with knowledge of the matter and documents seen by Reuters.

The sources said there was currently nothing to link the attacks on either party to a foreign state.

One of sources said the attack on the Conservatives was larger and appeared to be conducted by different hackers, but did not take down any party websites.

Asked about the second attack, a Labour spokesman said: "We have ongoing security processes in place to protect our platforms, so users may be experiencing some differences. We are dealing with this quickly and efficiently."

A Conservative Party spokeswoman had no immediate comment and said she was unaware of the attack.

Britain goes to the polls on December&nbsp;12 in an election called by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to try to break the Brexit deadlock in parliament more than three years since the country voted to leave the European Union.

The country's National Cyber Security Centre, part of the GCHQ signals intelligence agency, said the first attack on Labour was a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack - a technique used by hackers to take down websites by overwhelming them with traffic.

The sources said the same technique had been used in the subsequent attacks against Labour and the Conservatives.

"DDoS attacks are a common form of attack used by a very wide range of attackers. Mitigation techniques are available and worked in this case," a NCSC spokesman said.

The nature of such attacks often makes it difficult to attribute responsibility to any particular group, he said.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the first attack on his party was successfully repelled by the party's defence systems when the digital assault began on Monday.

"But if this is a sign of things to come in this election, I feel very nervous about it all," he said. "Because a cyberattack against a political party in an election is suspicious and something one is very worried about."

Hackers hit Britain's two main political parties with back-to-back cyberattacks on Tuesday, sources told Reuters, attempting to force political websites offline with a flood of malicious traffic just weeks ahead of a national election.

Hackers hit Britain's two main political parties with back-to-back cyberattacks on Tuesday, sources told Reuters, attempting to force political websites offline with a flood of malicious traffic just weeks ahead of a national election. The attacks come after Britain's security agencies have warned that Russia and other countries may attempt to disrupt the December 12 vote with cyberattacks or divisive political messages on social media, a charge Moscow denies. The opposition Labour Party said on Tuesday morning it had "experienced a sophisticated and large-scale cyberattack on Labour digital platforms," but that the attack was repelled and no data was compromised. Just hours later, the party's website and other online services came under a second digital bombardment, followed by a third attack on the website of the governing Conservative Party shortly before 1600 GMT, according to two people with knowledge of the matter and documents seen by Reuters. The sources said there was currently nothing to link the attacks on either party to a foreign state. One of sources said the attack on the Conservatives was larger and appeared to be conducted by different hackers, but did not take down any party websites. Asked about the second attack, a Labour spokesman said: "We have ongoing security processes in place to protect our platforms, so users may be experiencing some differences. We are dealing with this quickly and efficiently." A Conservative Party spokeswoman had no immediate comment and said she was unaware of the attack. Britain goes to the polls on December 12 in an election called by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to try to break the Brexit deadlock in parliament more than three years since the country voted to leave the European Union. The country's National Cyber Security Centre, part of the GCHQ signals intelligence agency, said the first attack on Labour was a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack - a technique used by hackers to take down websites by overwhelming them with traffic. The sources said the same technique had been used in the subsequent attacks against Labour and the Conservatives. "DDoS attacks are a common form of attack used by a very wide range of attackers. Mitigation techniques are available and worked in this case," a NCSC spokesman said. The nature of such attacks often makes it difficult to attribute responsibility to any particular group, he said. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the first attack on his party was successfully repelled by the party's defence systems when the digital assault began on Monday. "But if this is a sign of things to come in this election, I feel very nervous about it all," he said. "Because a cyberattack against a political party in an election is suspicious and something one is very worried about."

Hackers hit UK political parties with cyber attacks

Britain has not yet published a parliamentary select committee report on alleged Russian meddling in British politics because of the necessary procedure, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's deputy finance minister said on Tuesday.

The report by parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) has been cleared by the security services but it has not yet been given approval for publication by Johnson's Downing Street office, meaning it is very unlikely to be released before a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-set-for-third-election-in-four-years-to-try-to-break-brexit-gridlock-258692">December&nbsp;12 election</a>.

"It is absolutely normal that reports like this go through a period of vetting which does take several weeks," deputy finance minister Rishi Sunak told ITV.

He said all donations to the Conservative party were transparent and fully in accordance with the rules.

Britain has not yet published a parliamentary select committee report on alleged Russian meddling in British politics because of the necessary procedure, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's deputy finance minister said on Tuesday.

Britain has not yet published a parliamentary select committee report on alleged Russian meddling in British politics because of the necessary procedure, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's deputy finance minister said on Tuesday. The report by parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) has been cleared by the security services but it has not yet been given approval for publication by Johnson's Downing Street office, meaning it is very unlikely to be released before a December 12 election. "It is absolutely normal that reports like this go through a period of vetting which does take several weeks," deputy finance minister Rishi Sunak told ITV. He said all donations to the Conservative party were transparent and fully in accordance with the rules.

Necessary procedure: Britain on Russia meddling report delay

German Chancellor <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/on-wall-anniversary-merkel-urges-europe-to-defend-democracy-freedom-261009">Angela Merkel's</a> conservatives and the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) on Sunday broke a deadlock over a higher basic pension for low-income workers, an impasse which had threatened the future of their governing coalition.

Senior coalition members, including Merkel and SPD Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, sealed the compromise deal during talks in the chancellery that lasted more than six hours.

The package also includes lower contributions to the public unemployment insurance scheme and the creation of an investment fund to support local high-tech start-ups.

"Germany will get a (higher) basic pension and this is a socio-political milestone," said SPD interim leader Malu Dreyer, whose party had been pushing for a better deal for lower-income workers.

The coalition between Merkel's CDU/CSU bloc and the SPD has struggled to stay afloat for much of the time since it was formed in March 2018 to end months of political limbo following an inconclusive national election.

The conservatives had agreed to an SPD proposal to introduce a higher basic pension for low-income workers who had been employed for at least 35 years. But some details were left open and talks on finalising terms had stalled for months.

The impasse led some SPD members, worried by the party's falling ratings, to threaten to quit the coalition.

If the partners had failed to reach a deal, SPD members might have decided to vote against staying in the coalition at a party congress on December&nbsp;6-8.

Dreyer estimated that up to 1.5 million people would benefit from the deal through increased pension entitlements.

"Especially women will benefit from this... so this is also a strong signal when it comes to feminist policies," she added.

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, chairwoman of Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), said the agreement would reduce the risk of old-age poverty while the decision to lower contributions to the public unemployment insurance scheme was meant to give the slowing economy a fiscal stimulus.

The planned investment fund will be worth up to 10 billion euros to support cutting-edge technologies in areas such as digitisation and climate protection, Kramp-Karrenbauer added. It will be run by the state-owned KfW bank.

Markus Soeder, leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU), the Bavarian allies of the CDU, said the coalition parties had shown with their compromise deal that they were able to deliver.

He estimated that the increased basic pension would involve additional costs of up to 1.5 billion euros ($1.65 billion).

The package is likely to be welcomed internationally after the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund have urged Germany for years to use its hefty budget surpluses to stimulate domestic demand through higher wages and pensions.

The German economy shrank by 0.1 per cent&nbsp;in the second quarter on weak exports, and data due on Thursday is expected to show another contraction in the third quarter. This would mean that Europe's largest economy had entered a technical recession.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives and the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) on Sunday broke a deadlock over a higher basic pension for low-income workers, an impasse which had threatened the future of their governing coalition.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives and the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) on Sunday broke a deadlock over a higher basic pension for low-income workers, an impasse which had threatened the future of their governing coalition. Senior coalition members, including Merkel and SPD Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, sealed the compromise deal during talks in the chancellery that lasted more than six hours. The package also includes lower contributions to the public unemployment insurance scheme and the creation of an investment fund to support local high-tech start-ups. "Germany will get a (higher) basic pension and this is a socio-political milestone," said SPD interim leader Malu Dreyer, whose party had been pushing for a better deal for lower-income workers. The coalition between Merkel's CDU/CSU bloc and the SPD has struggled to stay afloat for much of the time since it was formed in March 2018 to end months of political limbo following an inconclusive national election. The conservatives had agreed to an SPD proposal to introduce a higher basic pension for low-income workers who had been employed for at least 35 years. But some details were left open and talks on finalising terms had stalled for months. The impasse led some SPD members, worried by the party's falling ratings, to threaten to quit the coalition. If the partners had failed to reach a deal, SPD members might have decided to vote against staying in the coalition at a party congress on December 6-8. Dreyer estimated that up to 1.5 million people would benefit from the deal through increased pension entitlements. "Especially women will benefit from this... so this is also a strong signal when it comes to feminist policies," she added. Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, chairwoman of Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), said the agreement would reduce the risk of old-age poverty while the decision to lower contributions to the public unemployment insurance scheme was meant to give the slowing economy a fiscal stimulus. The planned investment fund will be worth up to 10 billion euros to support cutting-edge technologies in areas such as digitisation and climate protection, Kramp-Karrenbauer added. It will be run by the state-owned KfW bank. Markus Soeder, leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU), the Bavarian allies of the CDU, said the coalition parties had shown with their compromise deal that they were able to deliver. He estimated that the increased basic pension would involve additional costs of up to 1.5 billion euros ($1.65 billion). The package is likely to be welcomed internationally after the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund have urged Germany for years to use its hefty budget surpluses to stimulate domestic demand through higher wages and pensions. The German economy shrank by 0.1 per cent in the second quarter on weak exports, and data due on Thursday is expected to show another contraction in the third quarter. This would mean that Europe's largest economy had entered a technical recession.

Merkel's conservatives, SPD avert crisis with German pension deal

British Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/brexit-row-boris-johnson-defeated-by-uk-supreme-court-but-he-could-still-emerge-as-a-winner-251957">Boris Johnson</a> on Thursday lost yet another vote in parliament over a government request for a three-day recess to allow his Conservative party to hold its annual conference.

The government lost the vote, which could affect the timing of the conference in Manchester, by 306 votes to 289.

The vote could force the party to shorten its party conference, which is scheduled to last from Sunday to Wednesday or even cancel it altogether.

There is no obligation for MPs to be in recess during the party conferences but it is customary.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled "unlawful, void and of no effect" Johnson's decision to suspend parliament earlier this month in the run-up to Brexit.

Following the judgement, MPs reconvened on Wednesday for an ill-tempered debate in which Johnson accused his opponents of trying to reverse the result of the 2016 Brexit referendum.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday lost yet another vote in parliament over a government request for a three-day recess to allow his Conservative party to hold its annual conference.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday lost yet another vote in parliament over a government request for a three-day recess to allow his Conservative party to hold its annual conference. The government lost the vote, which could affect the timing of the conference in Manchester, by 306 votes to 289. The vote could force the party to shorten its party conference, which is scheduled to last from Sunday to Wednesday or even cancel it altogether. There is no obligation for MPs to be in recess during the party conferences but it is customary. The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled "unlawful, void and of no effect" Johnson's decision to suspend parliament earlier this month in the run-up to Brexit. Following the judgement, MPs reconvened on Wednesday for an ill-tempered debate in which Johnson accused his opponents of trying to reverse the result of the 2016 Brexit referendum.

UK PM loses new parliamentary vote, over party conference

The British Parliament on Wednesday voted to prevent <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brexit-row-uk-pm-johnson-proposes-early-election-on-october-15-247599">Prime Minister Boris Johnson</a> taking Britain out of the European Union without a deal as the British prime minister sought an election just weeks before Brexit.

After wresting control of the parliamentary agenda from Johnson six weeks into his premiership, lawmakers voted 329-300 in the second, most important, reading of a bill that would force the government to request a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/uk-business-activity-contracts-over-brexit-turmoil-raises-recession-risk-247628">three-month Brexit delay </a>rather than leave without a divorce agreement.

Johnson cast the legislative move in the House of Commons as an attempt to surrender to the EU over Brexit and demanded an October 15 snap election, a step that could free him of any constraints if he won a majority.

The second most powerful man in the Labour Party, John McDonnell, said the no-deal blocking legislation had to get assent from Queen Elizabeth, putting the law onto the statute book, before the party would agree to an election. This could, in theory, happen next Monday.

"We're ... not going to be tricked or conned by Johnson so we're looking at every way in which, having secured the legislation, he can't wriggle out of abiding by the law and implementing it," McDonnell said.

Parliament's bid to tie Johnson's hands leaves Brexit up in the air, with possible outcomes ranging from a turbulent no-deal EU exit to abandoning the whole endeavour - both outcomes that would be unacceptable to swathes of the United Kingdom's voters.

In a heated parliamentary debate, Johnson said that if Corbyn voted in favour of a draft law against the government's Brexit strategy then he should also support an election to "allow the people of this country to have their view".

The Conservative leader said he wanted an early general election on October 15 if lawmakers vote against him again on Wednesday and force him to seek a three-month Brexit extension from Brussels with a new law.

The European Commission also on Wednesday said the risk of a no-deal Brexit had increased, warning that it saw no alternative to the current withdrawal deal. 
&nbsp;

The British Parliament on Wednesday voted to prevent Prime Minister Boris Johnson taking Britain out of the European Union without a deal as the British prime minister sought an election just weeks before Brexit.

The British Parliament on Wednesday voted to prevent Prime Minister Boris Johnson taking Britain out of the European Union without a deal as the British prime minister sought an election just weeks before Brexit. After wresting control of the parliamentary agenda from Johnson six weeks into his premiership, lawmakers voted 329-300 in the second, most important, reading of a bill that would force the government to request a three-month Brexit delay rather than leave without a divorce agreement. Johnson cast the legislative move in the House of Commons as an attempt to surrender to the EU over Brexit and demanded an October 15 snap election, a step that could free him of any constraints if he won a majority. The second most powerful man in the Labour Party, John McDonnell, said the no-deal blocking legislation had to get assent from Queen Elizabeth, putting the law onto the statute book, before the party would agree to an election. This could, in theory, happen next Monday. "We're ... not going to be tricked or conned by Johnson so we're looking at every way in which, having secured the legislation, he can't wriggle out of abiding by the law and implementing it," McDonnell said. Parliament's bid to tie Johnson's hands leaves Brexit up in the air, with possible outcomes ranging from a turbulent no-deal EU exit to abandoning the whole endeavour - both outcomes that would be unacceptable to swathes of the United Kingdom's voters. In a heated parliamentary debate, Johnson said that if Corbyn voted in favour of a draft law against the government's Brexit strategy then he should also support an election to "allow the people of this country to have their view". The Conservative leader said he wanted an early general election on October 15 if lawmakers vote against him again on Wednesday and force him to seek a three-month Brexit extension from Brussels with a new law. The European Commission also on Wednesday said the risk of a no-deal Brexit had increased, warning that it saw no alternative to the current withdrawal deal.

British lawmakers vote to block no-deal Brexit in fresh blow to PM Johnson

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson threatened to expel rebel lawmakers from his Conservative Party if they thwart his Brexit plans by voting to prevent a no-deal exit from the European Union.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson threatened to expel rebel lawmakers from his Conservative Party if they thwart his Brexit plans by voting to prevent a no-deal exit from the European Union. Johnson's promise to leave the EU on October 31 with or without a divorce agreement has propelled the United Kingdom towards a constitutional crisis and a showdown with the 27 other members of the bloc, with an election one of the possibilities. Conservative Party rebels are plotting with opposition parties to take control of parliament and tie the government's hands with legislation that would block a no-deal exit from the EU which they say would be ruinous to the economy. With just over 24 hours until parliament returns on Tuesday from its summer break, Johnson's enforcers warned rebels that if they voted against the government they would be giving control of parliament to Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn. "If they fail to vote with the government on Tuesday they will be destroying the government’s negotiating position and handing control of parliament to Jeremy Corbyn," said a source in the whips office, which is responsible for party discipline. "Any Conservative MP (member of parliament) who does this will have the whip withdrawn and will not stand as Conservative candidates in an election," the source said. More than three years since the United Kingdom voted 52-48% in a referendum to leave the European Union, it is still unclear on what terms, or indeed whether, Brexit will take place. Corbyn, Labour's veteran socialist leader, will say on Monday he is ready to do everything possible to stop a no-deal Brexit, describing it as a final attempt to pull "our country back from the brink". Election? In the parliamentary chess game over Brexit, it is also unclear what Johnson's response will be if the alliance of rebel Conservative lawmakers and opposition parties succeed in defeating the government. Johnson, the face of the 2016 Vote Leave campaign, has cast rebels as EU "collaborators" who are undermining the government's negotiating hand by blunting his threat of a no-deal Brexit. "Their (the government's) strategy, to be honest, is to lose this week and then seek a general election," said David Gauke, a former justice minister who is one of the rebel Conservative lawmakers. An election is one of the options under consideration, BBC Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg said. House of Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg said any wise party would prepare for an election and that the rebel legislation would be considered a matter of confidence in the government. "It is important for the government to establish the confidence of the House of Commons and this is essentially a confidence matter: Who should control the legislative agenda, Jeremy Corbyn or Boris Johnson?" Rees-Mogg said. An election would open up three main options: a Brexit-supporting government under Johnson, a Labour government led by Corbyn or a hung parliament that could lead to a coalition or minority government of some kind. After Johnson moved to suspend parliament ahead of Brexit, opponents of a no-deal exit are seeking to overturn his decision in the courts. Hearings are due on Sept. 3, Sept. 5 and Sept. 6. Nick Boles, a former Conservative who now sits as an independent member of parliament, said the rebels would seek to force the government to ask the EU for a Brexit delay if it was unable to ratify a revised Withdrawal Agreement by a certain date in October.

British PM Johnson threatens Brexit rebels with party expulsion

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Sterling hit a two-year low on Monday as Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government said it now assumed there would be a <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/no-deal-brexit-had-become-a-serious-possibility-cbi-chief-carolyn-fairbairn-239206&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi9xcXFitrjAhVO7mEKHQlcAkYQFjABegQIDxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw07JQut3Vw9Gy2-8QTnDxFn">no-deal Brexit</a> because a "stubborn" European Union was refusing to renegotiate their divorce.

Many investors say a no-deal Brexit would send shock waves through the world economy, tip Britain's economy into a recession, roil financial markets and weaken London's position as the pre-eminent international financial centre.

The pound, which was trading at $1.50 on the day of the 2016 referendum, dropped 0.4% to $1.2325, the lowest level since March 2017.

Johnson bets that the threat of a no-deal Brexit will persuade the EU's biggest powers - Germany and France - to agree to revise the divorce deal that Theresa May agreed to last November but failed three times to push through the British parliament.

The 27 other EU members, though, say publicly and privately that the divorce settlement - including the Irish border backstop - is not up for barter. Many EU diplomats say an election is highly likely.

"There must be some change from the EU and if the EU is not willing to move at all we must be ready to give the country some finality," <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-should-respect-international-laws-britains-foreign-minister-239218">Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab</a> said, adding that London was "turbo-charging" no-deal preparations.

Raab said the United Kingdom wanted a deal but repeatedly cast the bloc as "stubborn". Asked if he was threatening the EU - whose $15.9 trillion economy is nearly six times that of the United Kingdom's - Raab said: "I am not doing any threatening."

Hedge funds increased their net short sterling positions to the highest level in nearly a year. And in a sign investors are scrambling for protection against currency swings around the time of the October 31 exit, three-month implied volatility surged to a four-month high.

Johnson has told EU leaders he will sit down for Brexit talks when they indicate they are ready to shift on the divorce deal, otherwise Britain will prepare for leaving without a deal, his spokeswoman said on Monday.

Our&nbsp;Union

Differences over Brexit have strained the bonds that tie the United Kingdom. While the country voted 52-48 to leave in 2016, Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to stay in the EU while Wales and England vote to leave.

The question of the unification of Ireland and British-ruled Northern Ireland will inevitably arise if Britain leaves the European Union without a divorce deal on October 31, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said.

Varadkar also suggested that a so-called hard Brexit could undermine Scotland's place in the United Kingdom.

Johnson makes his first visit to Scotland as prime minister on Monday, as his Conservative Party's leader there said she would refuse to support a no-deal Brexit.

"Our Union is the most successful political and economic union in history. We are a global brand and together we are safer, stronger and more prosperous," Johnson said in a statement ahead of the visit.

"So as we prepare for our bright future after Brexit, it's vital we renew the ties that bind our United Kingdom."

Johnson's promise to deliver Brexit, with or without a deal, has put him at odds with some in his party who oppose a "no-deal" exit - including its Scottish leader Ruth Davidson.

Gordon Brown, a Scot and a former prime minister, said this month that Johnson could be the United Kingdom's last prime minister as he could be on a collision course with Scottish nationalists.

Last week, Scotland's nationalist leader Nicola Sturgeon wrote to Johnson telling him his Brexit plans would hurt the Scottish economy and that she would continue preparations for a second independence referendum.

Sterling hit a two-year low on Monday as Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government said it now assumed there would be a no-deal Brexit because a "stubborn" European Union was refusing to renegotiate their divorce.

Sterling hit a two-year low on Monday as Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government said it now assumed there would be a no-deal Brexit because a "stubborn" European Union was refusing to renegotiate their divorce. Many investors say a no-deal Brexit would send shock waves through the world economy, tip Britain's economy into a recession, roil financial markets and weaken London's position as the pre-eminent international financial centre. The pound, which was trading at $1.50 on the day of the 2016 referendum, dropped 0.4% to $1.2325, the lowest level since March 2017. Johnson bets that the threat of a no-deal Brexit will persuade the EU's biggest powers - Germany and France - to agree to revise the divorce deal that Theresa May agreed to last November but failed three times to push through the British parliament. The 27 other EU members, though, say publicly and privately that the divorce settlement - including the Irish border backstop - is not up for barter. Many EU diplomats say an election is highly likely. "There must be some change from the EU and if the EU is not willing to move at all we must be ready to give the country some finality," Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said, adding that London was "turbo-charging" no-deal preparations. Raab said the United Kingdom wanted a deal but repeatedly cast the bloc as "stubborn". Asked if he was threatening the EU - whose $15.9 trillion economy is nearly six times that of the United Kingdom's - Raab said: "I am not doing any threatening." Hedge funds increased their net short sterling positions to the highest level in nearly a year. And in a sign investors are scrambling for protection against currency swings around the time of the October 31 exit, three-month implied volatility surged to a four-month high. Johnson has told EU leaders he will sit down for Brexit talks when they indicate they are ready to shift on the divorce deal, otherwise Britain will prepare for leaving without a deal, his spokeswoman said on Monday. Our Union Differences over Brexit have strained the bonds that tie the United Kingdom. While the country voted 52-48 to leave in 2016, Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to stay in the EU while Wales and England vote to leave. The question of the unification of Ireland and British-ruled Northern Ireland will inevitably arise if Britain leaves the European Union without a divorce deal on October 31, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said. Varadkar also suggested that a so-called hard Brexit could undermine Scotland's place in the United Kingdom. Johnson makes his first visit to Scotland as prime minister on Monday, as his Conservative Party's leader there said she would refuse to support a no-deal Brexit. "Our Union is the most successful political and economic union in history. We are a global brand and together we are safer, stronger and more prosperous," Johnson said in a statement ahead of the visit. "So as we prepare for our bright future after Brexit, it's vital we renew the ties that bind our United Kingdom." Johnson's promise to deliver Brexit, with or without a deal, has put him at odds with some in his party who oppose a "no-deal" exit - including its Scottish leader Ruth Davidson. Gordon Brown, a Scot and a former prime minister, said this month that Johnson could be the United Kingdom's last prime minister as he could be on a collision course with Scottish nationalists. Last week, Scotland's nationalist leader Nicola Sturgeon wrote to Johnson telling him his Brexit plans would hurt the Scottish economy and that she would continue preparations for a second independence referendum.

UK plays hardball with 'stubborn' European Union, pound tumbles to a 28-month low on Brexit woes

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Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in central London on July 24 to protest against Britain's newly appointed Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Watch this video to know more.

Protests against UK PM Boris Johnson, protesters reject new UK PM

The newly-elected Conservative Party leader Boris Johnson took office as the British prime minister on Wednesday. Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson appointed a band of Brexiteers into key cabinet positions. Watch this video to know more.

Boris Johnson reshuffles cabinet, Brexit loyalists take front seats

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Britain’s new Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-pm-johnson-overhauls-cabinet-with-brexit-hardliners-238286">Boris Johnson</a> named Priti Patel as interior minister, marking a political comeback for the former international development minister.

Priti Patel replaces Pakistani-origin Sajid Javid, who moves to the Treasury department as the first ethnic minority Chancellor of the Exchequer.

"I am deeply honoured to be appointed as Home Secretary by our new Prime Minister @borisjohnson. Looking forward to working @ukhomeoffice to prepare our Country for leaving the EU, leading on matters of national security &amp; public safety &amp; keeping our borders secure," Patel tweeted, in reference to her new job at the helm of the UK Home Office.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I am deeply honoured to be appointed as Home Secretary by our new Prime Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@borisjohnson</a>. Looking forward to working <a href="https://twitter.com/ukhomeoffice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ukhomeoffice</a> to prepare our Country for leaving the EU, leading on matters of national security &amp; public safety &amp; keeping our borders secure.
— Priti Patel MP (@patel4witham) <a href="https://twitter.com/patel4witham/status/1154140566294335488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 24, 2019</a></blockquote>
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1: Patel, 47, resigned as International Development minister in November 2017 over undisclosed meetings with Israeli officials that breached diplomatic protocol.

2: She campaigned to leave the European Union in 2016, and since leaving government has been an outspoken critic of former Prime Minister Theresa May’s approach to Brexit.

3: Earlier this week, Patel, who also served as a junior Treasury minister, released a report on the British economy arguing for lower taxes and for a new Bank of England mandate more focused on asset price inflation and financial imbalances.

4: Patel is English-born to Indian parents. In the EU referendum campaign, she launched an appeal to “Save the British Curry” which argued that a post-Brexit immigration system would be fairer to those from outside the EU and ease a shortage of chefs for Indian restaurants in Britain.

5: Former British leader David Cameron touted Patel as Britain’s first Indian-heritage prime minister during a huge rally at Wembley stadium in 2015 to mark the visit of Indian leader Narendra Modi.

Britain’s new Prime Minister Boris Johnson named Priti Patel as interior minister, marking a political comeback for the former international development minister.

Britain’s new Prime Minister Boris Johnson named Priti Patel as interior minister, marking a political comeback for the former international development minister. Priti Patel replaces Pakistani-origin Sajid Javid, who moves to the Treasury department as the first ethnic minority Chancellor of the Exchequer. "I am deeply honoured to be appointed as Home Secretary by our new Prime Minister @borisjohnson. Looking forward to working @ukhomeoffice to prepare our Country for leaving the EU, leading on matters of national security & public safety & keeping our borders secure," Patel tweeted, in reference to her new job at the helm of the UK Home Office. I am deeply honoured to be appointed as Home Secretary by our new Prime Minister @borisjohnson. Looking forward to working @ukhomeoffice to prepare our Country for leaving the EU, leading on matters of national security & public safety & keeping our borders secure. — Priti Patel MP (@patel4witham) July 24, 2019 × 1: Patel, 47, resigned as International Development minister in November 2017 over undisclosed meetings with Israeli officials that breached diplomatic protocol. 2: She campaigned to leave the European Union in 2016, and since leaving government has been an outspoken critic of former Prime Minister Theresa May’s approach to Brexit. 3: Earlier this week, Patel, who also served as a junior Treasury minister, released a report on the British economy arguing for lower taxes and for a new Bank of England mandate more focused on asset price inflation and financial imbalances. 4: Patel is English-born to Indian parents. In the EU referendum campaign, she launched an appeal to “Save the British Curry” which argued that a post-Brexit immigration system would be fairer to those from outside the EU and ease a shortage of chefs for Indian restaurants in Britain. 5: Former British leader David Cameron touted Patel as Britain’s first Indian-heritage prime minister during a huge rally at Wembley stadium in 2015 to mark the visit of Indian leader Narendra Modi.

Five facts about Priti Patel, UK's first Indian-origin home secretary