UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave an ultimatum to his lawmakers to support his Brexit plan. If they won't support then he will conduct snap elections. Watch this video to know more.

UK PM gave ultimatum to his lawmakers to support his Brexit plan, Snap election if no support

British Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-pm-confirms-parliament-suspension-until-october-14-246215">Boris Johnson</a> sparked fury Wednesday among pro-Europeans and MPs opposed to a no-deal Brexit by forcing the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/queen-elizabeth-approves-british-parliament-suspension-246268">suspension of parliament </a>weeks before Britain's European Union (EU)&nbsp; departure date.

The pound slid on the surprise news, which opponents branded a "coup" and a "declaration of war" but Johnson claimed was necessary to allow him to pursue a "bold and ambitious" new domestic agenda.

It came a day after opposition parties vowed to seek legislative changes to prevent a no-deal Brexit.

Queen Elizabeth II approved the request to end what has been the longest session of parliament in nearly 400 years in the second week of September and reopen it on October 14 — just over two weeks before Brexit.

Thousands of people protested in London, Manchester, Edinburgh and other cities, while an online petition decrying the decision had garnered more than one million signatures within the space of a few hours by late Wednesday.

At the biggest rally, crowds gathered near parliament in London chanting "stop the coup" and waving EU flags.

"Parliament will have the opportunity to debate the government's overall programme, and approach to Brexit," Johnson, who leads the Conservative party, vowed in a letter to MPs.

However, his decision incensed lawmakers vehemently against Britain leaving the EU without a deal on October 31 as they will now have less time to try and thwart such a scenario.

Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, denounced the move as "a smash-and-grab against democracy" and reiterated he would call a no-confidence vote in Johnson's government, which commands a majority of just one seat.

Former chancellor Philip Hammond also pledged to keep fighting against no deal.

"It would be a constitutional outrage if parliament were prevented from holding the government to account at a time of national crisis," he said.&nbsp;

'Compliant PM'

US President Donald Trump weighed into the row by praising Johnson as "great" and claiming it would be "very hard" for Corbyn to topple him in a no-confidence vote.

The Labour leader shot back, tweeting Johnson was "a compliant Prime Minister who will hand Britain's public services and protections over to US corporations in a free trade deal".

In the seismic 2016 referendum on Britain's EU membership, 52 percent voted in favour of leaving the bloc, a result that has left parliament and the country bitterly divided.

Johnson insists Britain must leave by the October 31 deadline -- already twice-delayed -- with or without a divorce deal from Brussels.

Parliament has rejected three times the withdrawal agreement struck between Brussels and the government of Johnson's predecessor Theresa May.

Opposition lawmakers called it a "blind Brexit" while eurosceptics objected to a so-called "backstop" provision to keep the Irish border open for people and goods, which would keep Britain closely aligned with the EU.

Johnson wants the EU to drop the backstop measure entirely -- something Brussels has repeatedly ruled out.

In Paris, Britain's Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay told a business conference Wednesday the EU would be blamed for a "lack of flexibility" on the backstop issue in the event of no deal.

The government's chief Brexit adviser David Frost was in Brussels for talks, but an EU summit on October 17-18 will likely determine whether there is any scope for compromise.

If not, Britain will end its four decades of membership without a deal governing future trade relations and citizens' rights.

The pound slumped more than one per cent at one point but shares rose as London-listed multinationals stand to gain from a weaker currency.

'Tinpot dictator'

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon accused Johnson of acting like a "tinpot dictator" by pushing through an "outrageous assault on basic democratic principles".

Meanwhile, Ruth Davidson, the Conservative leader in Scotland, was set to resign Thursday in part due to opposition to Johnson's hardline Brexit strategy, according to reports.

More than 70 parliamentarians have launched a fast-track legal bid at the highest civil court in Scotland, aimed at preventing Johnson from suspending parliament.

Lawyers for Gina Miller, a businesswoman and leading anti-Brexit campaigner, said they were also challenging parliament's suspension in English courts.&nbsp;

Parliament typically goes into the recess around the annual party conference season, which kicks off on September 14 and ends on October 2.

Robert Craig, a constitutional expert at Durham University, said there was "theoretically absolutely nothing wrong" with the suspension, noting it was normal for a new leader to start afresh parliamentary session.

"But the reason that it is causing outrage is that it's reducing the number of available days for parliament to stop a no-deal." 
John Bercow, the speaker of parliament's lower House of Commons, who was not forewarned about Johnson's suspension decision, labelled it a "constitutional outrage".

"It is blindingly obvious that the purpose of prorogation now would be to stop parliament debating Brexit," he said.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson sparked fury Wednesday among pro-Europeans and MPs opposed to a no-deal Brexit by forcing the suspension of parliament weeks before Britain's European Union (EU) departure date.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson sparked fury Wednesday among pro-Europeans and MPs opposed to a no-deal Brexit by forcing the suspension of parliament weeks before Britain's European Union (EU) departure date. The pound slid on the surprise news, which opponents branded a "coup" and a "declaration of war" but Johnson claimed was necessary to allow him to pursue a "bold and ambitious" new domestic agenda. It came a day after opposition parties vowed to seek legislative changes to prevent a no-deal Brexit. Queen Elizabeth II approved the request to end what has been the longest session of parliament in nearly 400 years in the second week of September and reopen it on October 14 — just over two weeks before Brexit. Thousands of people protested in London, Manchester, Edinburgh and other cities, while an online petition decrying the decision had garnered more than one million signatures within the space of a few hours by late Wednesday. At the biggest rally, crowds gathered near parliament in London chanting "stop the coup" and waving EU flags. "Parliament will have the opportunity to debate the government's overall programme, and approach to Brexit," Johnson, who leads the Conservative party, vowed in a letter to MPs. However, his decision incensed lawmakers vehemently against Britain leaving the EU without a deal on October 31 as they will now have less time to try and thwart such a scenario. Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, denounced the move as "a smash-and-grab against democracy" and reiterated he would call a no-confidence vote in Johnson's government, which commands a majority of just one seat. Former chancellor Philip Hammond also pledged to keep fighting against no deal. "It would be a constitutional outrage if parliament were prevented from holding the government to account at a time of national crisis," he said. 'Compliant PM' US President Donald Trump weighed into the row by praising Johnson as "great" and claiming it would be "very hard" for Corbyn to topple him in a no-confidence vote. The Labour leader shot back, tweeting Johnson was "a compliant Prime Minister who will hand Britain's public services and protections over to US corporations in a free trade deal". In the seismic 2016 referendum on Britain's EU membership, 52 percent voted in favour of leaving the bloc, a result that has left parliament and the country bitterly divided. Johnson insists Britain must leave by the October 31 deadline -- already twice-delayed -- with or without a divorce deal from Brussels. Parliament has rejected three times the withdrawal agreement struck between Brussels and the government of Johnson's predecessor Theresa May. Opposition lawmakers called it a "blind Brexit" while eurosceptics objected to a so-called "backstop" provision to keep the Irish border open for people and goods, which would keep Britain closely aligned with the EU. Johnson wants the EU to drop the backstop measure entirely -- something Brussels has repeatedly ruled out. In Paris, Britain's Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay told a business conference Wednesday the EU would be blamed for a "lack of flexibility" on the backstop issue in the event of no deal. The government's chief Brexit adviser David Frost was in Brussels for talks, but an EU summit on October 17-18 will likely determine whether there is any scope for compromise. If not, Britain will end its four decades of membership without a deal governing future trade relations and citizens' rights. The pound slumped more than one per cent at one point but shares rose as London-listed multinationals stand to gain from a weaker currency. 'Tinpot dictator' Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon accused Johnson of acting like a "tinpot dictator" by pushing through an "outrageous assault on basic democratic principles". Meanwhile, Ruth Davidson, the Conservative leader in Scotland, was set to resign Thursday in part due to opposition to Johnson's hardline Brexit strategy, according to reports. More than 70 parliamentarians have launched a fast-track legal bid at the highest civil court in Scotland, aimed at preventing Johnson from suspending parliament. Lawyers for Gina Miller, a businesswoman and leading anti-Brexit campaigner, said they were also challenging parliament's suspension in English courts. Parliament typically goes into the recess around the annual party conference season, which kicks off on September 14 and ends on October 2. Robert Craig, a constitutional expert at Durham University, said there was "theoretically absolutely nothing wrong" with the suspension, noting it was normal for a new leader to start afresh parliamentary session. "But the reason that it is causing outrage is that it's reducing the number of available days for parliament to stop a no-deal." John Bercow, the speaker of parliament's lower House of Commons, who was not forewarned about Johnson's suspension decision, labelled it a "constitutional outrage". "It is blindingly obvious that the purpose of prorogation now would be to stop parliament debating Brexit," he said.

Brexit: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson sparks outrage after forcing suspension of parliament

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's suspension of parliament weeks before Britain's EU departure date faced legal challenges on Thursday following a furious outcry from pro-Europeans and MPs opposed to a no-deal Brexit.

The Conservative leader announced the surprise decision Wednesday to dismiss parliament -- known as proroguing -- for nearly five weeks next month, claiming it was necessary to allow him to pursue a "bold and ambitious" new domestic agenda.

But the move sent shockwaves through the British political system, which relies on centuries of precedents and conventions instead of a codified constitution.

Opponents labelled the suspension a "coup" and a "constitutional outrage" and it prompted immediate court bids in London and Edinburgh to halt the process.

Gina Miller, a businesswoman and leading anti-Brexit campaigner, said she had applied for an urgent judicial review challenging "the effect and the intention" of the suspension.

"We think that this request is illegal," said Miller, who in 2017 successfully won MPs the right to vote on formally starting to leave the EU in a court challenge.

"There is no example in modern history when prorogation has been used in this way," she told BBC radio.

"It is being used to hamper, in our view, parliament legislating against no deal."

Meanwhile, Scottish National Party (SNP) politician Joanna Cherry said lawyers had applied for an urgent interim hearing at Scotland's highest civil court which they hoped would take place as early as Thursday.

However, arch-Brexiteer minister Jacob Rees-Mogg defended the suspension and insisted MPs would still have time to debate Brexit ahead of Britain's October 31 EU departure date.

"The candyfloss of outrage, which is almost entirely confected, is from people who never wanted to leave the European Union," he told BBC radio. 
'National crisis'

Thousands of people protested in London, Manchester, Edinburgh and other cities, while an online petition seeking to block the decision had garnered more than 1.2 million signatures by early Thursday.

At the biggest rally, crowds gathered near parliament in London chanting "stop the coup" and waving EU flags.

Queen Elizabeth II approved the request to end what has been the longest session of parliament in nearly 400 years in the second week of September and reopen it on October 14 — just over two weeks before Brexit.

The House of Commons typically goes into recess around the annual party conference season, which kicks off on September 14 and ends on October 2, but critics slammed this more lengthy break.

Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, denounced the move as "a smash-and-grab against democracy" and reiterated that he may call a no-confidence vote in Johnson's government, which commands a majority of just one seat.

Labour's Barry Gardiner said Thursday that the party would push for an emergency debate when parliament returned on Monday to kickstart the legislative process to prevent a no-deal Brexit.

Former Conservative chancellor Philip Hammond also pledged to keep fighting against no deal.

"It would be a constitutional outrage if parliament were prevented from holding the government to account at a time of national crisis," he said.&nbsp; 
The pound remained under pressure Thursday after sliding on news of the suspension.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Ruth Davidson, Conservative leader in Scotland, was set to resign in part due to opposition to Johnson's hardline Brexit strategy, according to reports.

'Affront to democracy'

In the seismic 2016 referendum on Britain's EU membership, 52 percent voted in favour of leaving the bloc, a result that has left parliament and the country bitterly divided.

Johnson insists Britain must leave by the October 31 deadline -- already twice-delayed -- with or without a divorce deal from Brussels.

Parliament has rejected three times the withdrawal agreement struck between Brussels and the government of Johnson's predecessor Theresa May.

Opposition lawmakers opposed it as a "blind Brexit" while eurosceptics objected to a so-called "backstop" provision to keep the Irish border open for people and goods, which would keep Britain closely aligned with the EU.

Johnson, who took office barely a month ago, wants the EU to drop the backstop measure entirely -- something Brussels has repeatedly ruled out.

An EU summit on October 17-18 will likely determine whether there is any scope for compromise.

If not, Britain will end its four decades of membership without a deal governing future trade relations and citizens' rights.

The prime minister's move dominated the newspapers Thursday, with The Times saying Johnson had "pushed Britain to the brink of a constitutional crisis".

The Guardian predicted a "historic parliamentary clash" as his opponents seek to prevent a no-deal Brexit, while The Financial Times in an editorial said Johnson's suspension of parliament "is an affront to democracy".

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's suspension of parliament weeks before Britain's EU departure date faced legal challenges on Thursday following a furious outcry from pro-Europeans and MPs opposed to a no-deal Brexit.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's suspension of parliament weeks before Britain's EU departure date faced legal challenges on Thursday following a furious outcry from pro-Europeans and MPs opposed to a no-deal Brexit. The Conservative leader announced the surprise decision Wednesday to dismiss parliament -- known as proroguing -- for nearly five weeks next month, claiming it was necessary to allow him to pursue a "bold and ambitious" new domestic agenda. But the move sent shockwaves through the British political system, which relies on centuries of precedents and conventions instead of a codified constitution. Opponents labelled the suspension a "coup" and a "constitutional outrage" and it prompted immediate court bids in London and Edinburgh to halt the process. Gina Miller, a businesswoman and leading anti-Brexit campaigner, said she had applied for an urgent judicial review challenging "the effect and the intention" of the suspension. "We think that this request is illegal," said Miller, who in 2017 successfully won MPs the right to vote on formally starting to leave the EU in a court challenge. "There is no example in modern history when prorogation has been used in this way," she told BBC radio. "It is being used to hamper, in our view, parliament legislating against no deal." Meanwhile, Scottish National Party (SNP) politician Joanna Cherry said lawyers had applied for an urgent interim hearing at Scotland's highest civil court which they hoped would take place as early as Thursday. However, arch-Brexiteer minister Jacob Rees-Mogg defended the suspension and insisted MPs would still have time to debate Brexit ahead of Britain's October 31 EU departure date. "The candyfloss of outrage, which is almost entirely confected, is from people who never wanted to leave the European Union," he told BBC radio. 'National crisis' Thousands of people protested in London, Manchester, Edinburgh and other cities, while an online petition seeking to block the decision had garnered more than 1.2 million signatures by early Thursday. At the biggest rally, crowds gathered near parliament in London chanting "stop the coup" and waving EU flags. Queen Elizabeth II approved the request to end what has been the longest session of parliament in nearly 400 years in the second week of September and reopen it on October 14 — just over two weeks before Brexit. The House of Commons typically goes into recess around the annual party conference season, which kicks off on September 14 and ends on October 2, but critics slammed this more lengthy break. Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, denounced the move as "a smash-and-grab against democracy" and reiterated that he may call a no-confidence vote in Johnson's government, which commands a majority of just one seat. Labour's Barry Gardiner said Thursday that the party would push for an emergency debate when parliament returned on Monday to kickstart the legislative process to prevent a no-deal Brexit. Former Conservative chancellor Philip Hammond also pledged to keep fighting against no deal. "It would be a constitutional outrage if parliament were prevented from holding the government to account at a time of national crisis," he said. The pound remained under pressure Thursday after sliding on news of the suspension. Meanwhile, Ruth Davidson, Conservative leader in Scotland, was set to resign in part due to opposition to Johnson's hardline Brexit strategy, according to reports. 'Affront to democracy' In the seismic 2016 referendum on Britain's EU membership, 52 percent voted in favour of leaving the bloc, a result that has left parliament and the country bitterly divided. Johnson insists Britain must leave by the October 31 deadline -- already twice-delayed -- with or without a divorce deal from Brussels. Parliament has rejected three times the withdrawal agreement struck between Brussels and the government of Johnson's predecessor Theresa May. Opposition lawmakers opposed it as a "blind Brexit" while eurosceptics objected to a so-called "backstop" provision to keep the Irish border open for people and goods, which would keep Britain closely aligned with the EU. Johnson, who took office barely a month ago, wants the EU to drop the backstop measure entirely -- something Brussels has repeatedly ruled out. An EU summit on October 17-18 will likely determine whether there is any scope for compromise. If not, Britain will end its four decades of membership without a deal governing future trade relations and citizens' rights. The prime minister's move dominated the newspapers Thursday, with The Times saying Johnson had "pushed Britain to the brink of a constitutional crisis". The Guardian predicted a "historic parliamentary clash" as his opponents seek to prevent a no-deal Brexit, while The Financial Times in an editorial said Johnson's suspension of parliament "is an affront to democracy".

Court bids launched to stop Johnson suspending UK parliament

Leaders of the Group of Seven wealthy nations will discuss global trade woes at their annual summit on Sunday, likely laying bare a yawning divide between <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-us-would-tax-french-wine-in-response-to-digital-tax-245250">US President Donald Trump and his Western allies</a>.

The G7 gathering is taking place against a backdrop of growing worries about a global economic downturn and coincides with an era of international disunity across an array of issues that have strained decades-old allegiances.

Trump joined the leaders from France, Britain, Japan, Germany, Italy and Canada in the French coastal resort of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-police-fire-tear-gas-water-cannons-at-anti-g7-protesters-245391">Biarritz</a> for three days of talks that kicked off on Saturday with an ambitious agenda that includes the defence of democracy, gender equality, education and climate change.

The delegations had barely arrived before divergences were exposed, with senior US officials accusing the host, French President Emmanuel Macron, of looking "to fracture the G7" by focusing on "niche issues" rather than major global concerns.

France denied this, pointing to Sunday's initial session covering the economy, trade and security - areas that used to draw easy consensus but are now sources of great friction.

Trump arrived in France just hours after escalating his trade war with China in a tit-for-tat battle between the world's two largest economies that has spooked financial markets.

"I am very worried about the way it's going, the growth of protectionism, of tariffs that we're seeing," British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Saturday.

"Those who support the tariffs are at risk of incurring the blame for the downturn in the global economy, irrespective of whether or not that is true."

Underlining the discord, Trump also threatened his host on the eve of the summit, saying the United States would tax French wine "like they've never seen before" unless Paris dropped a digital tax on US technology companies.

Leaping into the fray, European Council President Donald Tusk, who takes part in the G7 discussions, warned the EU would respond "in kind" if Trump acted on his threat.

"This may be the last moment to restore our political community," Tusk told reporters on Saturday, giving a bleak assessment of Western relations.

Looking to broaden the scope of the debate, Macron has invited several African leaders to discuss the problems facing their continent, while leaders from India, Australia, Chile and Spain are due to attend a dinner on Sunday where the focus will be on the environment among other issues.

Brexit squabbles

Trump up-ended last year's G7 summit in Canada, walking out of the meeting early and disassociating himself from the final communique having initially endorsed the document.

France has got around that problem by doing away with the time-honoured communique, deciding it was not worth even trying to find common language.

While the transatlantic rift is the most stark, there are also deep divisions within the European camp, with Johnson making his G7 debut at a time when he is struggling to persuade EU capitals to renegotiate Britain's divorce from the bloc.

Johnson and Tusk, who are due to talk on Sunday on the sidelines of the summit, sparred ahead of the meeting over who would take the blame if Britain leaves the EU on October 31 without a Brexit agreement acceptable to both sides.

"I still hope that PM Johnson will not like to go down in history as Mr No Deal," said Tusk, who leads the political direction of the 28-nation European Union.

Johnson later retorted that it would be Tusk himself who would carry the mantle if Britain could not secure a new withdrawal agreement.

Macron added to the internal EU strains by unexpectedly threatening on Friday to block an EU trade deal with a group of South American states over Brazil's handling of fires that are ravaging the Amazon rainforest.

Germany and Britain both voiced deep concern about the blazes, but disagreed with Macron on how to respond, saying shooting down the ambitious Mercosur trade accord would not help save the Amazon.

Leaders of the Group of Seven wealthy nations will discuss global trade woes at their annual summit on Sunday, likely laying bare a yawning divide between US President Donald Trump and his Western allies.

Leaders of the Group of Seven wealthy nations will discuss global trade woes at their annual summit on Sunday, likely laying bare a yawning divide between US President Donald Trump and his Western allies. The G7 gathering is taking place against a backdrop of growing worries about a global economic downturn and coincides with an era of international disunity across an array of issues that have strained decades-old allegiances. Trump joined the leaders from France, Britain, Japan, Germany, Italy and Canada in the French coastal resort of Biarritz for three days of talks that kicked off on Saturday with an ambitious agenda that includes the defence of democracy, gender equality, education and climate change. The delegations had barely arrived before divergences were exposed, with senior US officials accusing the host, French President Emmanuel Macron, of looking "to fracture the G7" by focusing on "niche issues" rather than major global concerns. France denied this, pointing to Sunday's initial session covering the economy, trade and security - areas that used to draw easy consensus but are now sources of great friction. Trump arrived in France just hours after escalating his trade war with China in a tit-for-tat battle between the world's two largest economies that has spooked financial markets. "I am very worried about the way it's going, the growth of protectionism, of tariffs that we're seeing," British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Saturday. "Those who support the tariffs are at risk of incurring the blame for the downturn in the global economy, irrespective of whether or not that is true." Underlining the discord, Trump also threatened his host on the eve of the summit, saying the United States would tax French wine "like they've never seen before" unless Paris dropped a digital tax on US technology companies. Leaping into the fray, European Council President Donald Tusk, who takes part in the G7 discussions, warned the EU would respond "in kind" if Trump acted on his threat. "This may be the last moment to restore our political community," Tusk told reporters on Saturday, giving a bleak assessment of Western relations. Looking to broaden the scope of the debate, Macron has invited several African leaders to discuss the problems facing their continent, while leaders from India, Australia, Chile and Spain are due to attend a dinner on Sunday where the focus will be on the environment among other issues. Brexit squabbles Trump up-ended last year's G7 summit in Canada, walking out of the meeting early and disassociating himself from the final communique having initially endorsed the document. France has got around that problem by doing away with the time-honoured communique, deciding it was not worth even trying to find common language. While the transatlantic rift is the most stark, there are also deep divisions within the European camp, with Johnson making his G7 debut at a time when he is struggling to persuade EU capitals to renegotiate Britain's divorce from the bloc. Johnson and Tusk, who are due to talk on Sunday on the sidelines of the summit, sparred ahead of the meeting over who would take the blame if Britain leaves the EU on October 31 without a Brexit agreement acceptable to both sides. "I still hope that PM Johnson will not like to go down in history as Mr No Deal," said Tusk, who leads the political direction of the 28-nation European Union. Johnson later retorted that it would be Tusk himself who would carry the mantle if Britain could not secure a new withdrawal agreement. Macron added to the internal EU strains by unexpectedly threatening on Friday to block an EU trade deal with a group of South American states over Brazil's handling of fires that are ravaging the Amazon rainforest. Germany and Britain both voiced deep concern about the blazes, but disagreed with Macron on how to respond, saying shooting down the ambitious Mercosur trade accord would not help save the Amazon.

Trade and economy in focus as G7 leaders get down to work

A 19-jet aerial parade soared over the Hudson River in New York on Thursday (August 22) in advance of the New York International Air Show.

'People have a love affair with aviation' - UK and US military teams fly over the Hudson River

Net&nbsp;immigration&nbsp;to Britain sank to its&nbsp;lowest&nbsp;level&nbsp;since&nbsp;2013&nbsp;during the 12 months to the end of March, driven by a continued fall in the number of immigrants from the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-believes-urgent-steps-needed-to-de-escalate-hong-kong-crisis-foreign-policy-chief-243721">European Union</a>&nbsp;since&nbsp;2016's Brexit referendum, official figures showed on Thursday.

Some 612,000 people moved to the United Kingdom during the 12 months to March, while 385,000 people emigrated, reducing&nbsp;net&nbsp;immigration&nbsp;to 226,000, its&nbsp;lowest&nbsp;since&nbsp;the 12 months to the end of&nbsp;December&nbsp;2013, the Office for National Statistics said.

The data are based on a new experimental series that aims to reduce previous flaws that led to an undercounting of EU long-term immigrants and overestimating how many non-EU students remained in Britain after their studies.

Net immigration to Britain sank to its lowest level since 2013 during the 12 months to the end of March, driven by a continued fall in the number of immigrants from the European Union since 2016's Brexit referendum, official figures showed on Thursday.

Net immigration to Britain sank to its lowest level since 2013 during the 12 months to the end of March, driven by a continued fall in the number of immigrants from the European Union since 2016's Brexit referendum, official figures showed on Thursday. Some 612,000 people moved to the United Kingdom during the 12 months to March, while 385,000 people emigrated, reducing net immigration to 226,000, its lowest since the 12 months to the end of December 2013, the Office for National Statistics said. The data are based on a new experimental series that aims to reduce previous flaws that led to an undercounting of EU long-term immigrants and overestimating how many non-EU students remained in Britain after their studies.

Net immigration to UK falls to lowest since December 2013: National survey

This segment of WION brings to you top stories of the morning from across the globe. Watch this video to get updated with the latest information.

Watch WION Speed News, August 22nd, 2019

British Government underlined the need for dialogue between India and Pakistan and added that Kashmir was a bilateral issue between the two neighbours.

This was said during a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-speaks-to-uk-pm-johnson-on-violent-protests-by-pak-group-outside-indian-mission-in-london-244512">conversation between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and British PM </a>Boris Johnson on Tuesday afternoon.

A UK Government readout said, "The Prime Minister and Prime Minister Modi discussed the current situation in Kashmir. The Prime Minister made clear that the UK views the issue of Kashmir is one for India and Pakistan to resolve bilaterally. He underlined the importance of resolving issues through dialogue."

Both the leaders will be present at the G7 summit that will take place in France over the weekend and "ahead of the G7, the Prime Minister and Prime Minister Modi agreed on the importance of working together to tackle climate change and other threats to biodiversity", the UK government readout added.

Terror and trade was also discussed during the phone call with PM Modi highlighting how terror has plagued all parts of the world, including India and Europe

During the same conversation, PM Modi had raised the issue of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/overwhelmingly-peaceful-says-british-high-commission-on-protests-outside-indian-high-commission-in-london-243434">violent protests that took place in UK outside the Indian mission</a> by Pakistani and Khalistani groups on Independence Day.

An Indian government readout said, that Prime Minister Modi "drew attention to the challenges posed by vested interests pursuing their motivated agenda, including by violent means."

Adding, "In this context, he referred to the violence and vandalism perpetrated by a large mob against the High Commission of India in London on the last Independence Day of India."

The British Prime minister has regretted the incident and assured the safety of the Indian mission.

The readout said, Prime Minister Johnson "assured that all necessary steps would be taken to ensure safety and security of the High Commission, its personnel and visitors."

Thousands of protestors from Pakistani and Khalistani groups in London clashed violently with outside the Indian High Commission on India's Independence day even as the authorities tried to control the mob. Four people were arrested by the London authorities and one person was injured in the incident.

Though the Indian mission was informed that protest will take place and asked to take all precautionary measures, the scale at which it took place and dramatic visuals that were seen left many members of Indian diaspora shocked.

India has already taken up with the United Kingdom the violent protests which took place outside the Indian high commission on Independence day and conveyed its concerns on how the security of the mission was undermined.&nbsp;

British Government underlined the need for dialogue between India and Pakistan and added that Kashmir was a bilateral issue between the two neighbours. This was said during a conversation between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and British PM Boris Johnson on Tuesday afternoon.

British Government underlined the need for dialogue between India and Pakistan and added that Kashmir was a bilateral issue between the two neighbours. This was said during a conversation between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and British PM Boris Johnson on Tuesday afternoon. A UK Government readout said, "The Prime Minister and Prime Minister Modi discussed the current situation in Kashmir. The Prime Minister made clear that the UK views the issue of Kashmir is one for India and Pakistan to resolve bilaterally. He underlined the importance of resolving issues through dialogue." Both the leaders will be present at the G7 summit that will take place in France over the weekend and "ahead of the G7, the Prime Minister and Prime Minister Modi agreed on the importance of working together to tackle climate change and other threats to biodiversity", the UK government readout added. Terror and trade was also discussed during the phone call with PM Modi highlighting how terror has plagued all parts of the world, including India and Europe During the same conversation, PM Modi had raised the issue of violent protests that took place in UK outside the Indian mission by Pakistani and Khalistani groups on Independence Day. An Indian government readout said, that Prime Minister Modi "drew attention to the challenges posed by vested interests pursuing their motivated agenda, including by violent means." Adding, "In this context, he referred to the violence and vandalism perpetrated by a large mob against the High Commission of India in London on the last Independence Day of India." The British Prime minister has regretted the incident and assured the safety of the Indian mission. The readout said, Prime Minister Johnson "assured that all necessary steps would be taken to ensure safety and security of the High Commission, its personnel and visitors." Thousands of protestors from Pakistani and Khalistani groups in London clashed violently with outside the Indian High Commission on India's Independence day even as the authorities tried to control the mob. Four people were arrested by the London authorities and one person was injured in the incident. Though the Indian mission was informed that protest will take place and asked to take all precautionary measures, the scale at which it took place and dramatic visuals that were seen left many members of Indian diaspora shocked. India has already taken up with the United Kingdom the violent protests which took place outside the Indian high commission on Independence day and conveyed its concerns on how the security of the mission was undermined.

Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan: UK PM Boris Johnson

British supermarkets are starting to go "nude". Bowing to pressure from environmentally conscious consumers, big brand shops have begun taking steps to strip their shelves of plastic wrapping over concerns about saving the oceans from waste.

Going 'nude': UK supermarkets test plastic-free zones

Watch WION Speed News, August 21th, 2019

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning - August 20th, 2019

British officials will stop attending most EU meetings from September 1 except for those on "matters of ongoing national interest" such as security, the government said on Tuesday.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/the-uk-faces-food-fuel-and-drugs-shortages-in-no-deal-brexit-times-citing-official-documents-243834">Brexit</a> ministry said in a statement that the time spent preparing for the meetings in Brussels would be better used in readying the country for leaving the European Union on October 31.

"This decision reflects the fact that the UK's exit from the EU on 31 October is now very close and many of the discussions in EU meetings will be about the future of the union after the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-to-immediately-end-freedom-of-movement-for-people-from-european-union-after-brexit-244264">UK</a> has left," the statement said.

The ministry added that it made sense to "unshackle officials from these EU meetings to enable them to better focus their talents on our immediate national priorities".

"This decision is not intended in any way to frustrate the functioning of the EU.

The UK's vote will be delegated in a way that does not obstruct the ongoing business of the remaining 27 EU members," it added.

Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay said: "From now on we will only go to the meetings that really matter, reducing attendance by over half and saving hundreds of hours".

The ministry said decisions on whether or not to attend a particular meeting would be made on a case by case basis.

Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-parliament-cannot-stop-brexit-johnson-to-tell-macron-and-merkel-243838/amp">Boris Johnson</a>, who came to power nearly a month ago, has promised to take Britain out of the EU on October 31 with or without a divorce deal with Brussels.

EU officials have rejected Johnson's demand to scrap a key part of the draft deal which was agreed by his predecessor Theresa May and has been voted down by Britain's parliament.

British officials will stop attending most EU meetings from September 1 except for those on "matters of ongoing national interest" such as security, the government said on Tuesday.

British officials will stop attending most EU meetings from September 1 except for those on "matters of ongoing national interest" such as security, the government said on Tuesday. The Brexit ministry said in a statement that the time spent preparing for the meetings in Brussels would be better used in readying the country for leaving the European Union on October 31. "This decision reflects the fact that the UK's exit from the EU on 31 October is now very close and many of the discussions in EU meetings will be about the future of the union after the UK has left," the statement said. The ministry added that it made sense to "unshackle officials from these EU meetings to enable them to better focus their talents on our immediate national priorities". "This decision is not intended in any way to frustrate the functioning of the EU. The UK's vote will be delegated in a way that does not obstruct the ongoing business of the remaining 27 EU members," it added. Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay said: "From now on we will only go to the meetings that really matter, reducing attendance by over half and saving hundreds of hours". The ministry said decisions on whether or not to attend a particular meeting would be made on a case by case basis. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who came to power nearly a month ago, has promised to take Britain out of the EU on October 31 with or without a divorce deal with Brussels. EU officials have rejected Johnson's demand to scrap a key part of the draft deal which was agreed by his predecessor Theresa May and has been voted down by Britain's parliament.

UK says to skip most European Union meetings from September 1: government

Watch WION Speed News, August 19th, 2019

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning - August 19th, 2019

India has taken up with the United Kingdom the violent protests which took place outside the Indian High Commission on Independence Day and conveyed its concerns on how the security of the mission was undermined. Watch this video to know more.

After violent Kashmir Protests outside Indian High Commission, India takes up issue with UK

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning - August 18th, 2019

Britain will face shortages of fuel, food, and medicine if it leaves the European Union without a transition deal, jamming ports and requiring a hard border in Ireland, official government documents leaked to the Sunday Times show.

Britain will face shortages of fuel, food, and medicine if it leaves the European Union without a transition deal, jamming ports and requiring a hard border in Ireland, official government documents leaked to the Sunday Times show. The Times said the forecasts compiled by the Cabinet Office set out the most likely aftershocks of a no-deal Brexit rather than the worst-case scenarios. Prime Minister Boris Johnson's office said it did not comment on leaked documents. The newspaper said up to 85 per cent of lorries using the main channel crossings 'may not be ready' for French customs, meaning disruption at ports would potentially last up to three months before the flow of traffic improves. The government also believes a hard border between the British province of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, an EU member, will be likely as current plans to avoid widespread checks will prove unsustainable, the Times said. "Compiled this month by the Cabinet Office under the codename Operation Yellowhammer, the dossier offers a rare glimpse into the covert planning being carried out by the government to avert a catastrophic collapse in the nation's infrastructure," the Times reported. "The file, marked "official-sensitive" requiring security clearance on a "need to know" basis is remarkable because it gives the most comprehensive assessment of the UK’s readiness for a no-deal Brexit." Asked about the Yellowhammer documents, energy minister Kwasi Kwarteng told Sky News, "I think there's a lot of scaremongering around, and a lot of people are playing into 'Project Fear' ... We've got to prepare for no deal." "We will be fully prepared to leave without a deal on the 31st of October." The United Kingdom is heading towards a constitutional crisis at home and a showdown with the EU as Johnson has repeatedly vowed to leave the bloc on October 31 without a deal unless it agrees to renegotiate the Brexit divorce. After more than three years of Brexit dominating EU affairs, the bloc has repeatedly refused to reopen the Withdrawal Agreement which includes an Irish border insurance policy that Johnson's predecessor, Theresa May, agreed in November. Brexit minister Stephen Barclay said on Twitter he had signed a piece of legislation which set in stone the repeal of the 1972 European Communities act - the laws which made Britain a member of the organisation now known as the EU. Though his move was largely procedural, in line with previously approved laws, Barclay said in a statement: "This is a clear signal to the people of this country that there is no turning back (from Brexit)." Recall parliament A group of more than 100 lawmakers wrote to Johnson calling for an emergency recall of parliament to discuss the situation. "We face a national emergency, and parliament must now be recalled in August and sit permanently until October 31 so that the voices of the people can be heard, and that there can be proper scrutiny of your government," the letter said. Johnson will this week tell French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel that the Westminster parliament cannot stop Brexit and a new deal must be agreed if Britain is to avoid leaving the EU without one. The prime minister is coming under pressure from politicians across the political spectrum to prevent a disorderly departure, with opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn vowing this week to bring down Johnson's government in early September to delay Brexit. It is, however, unclear if lawmakers have the unity or power to use the British parliament to prevent a no-deal departure - likely to be the United Kingdom's most significant move since World War Two. Opponents of no-deal say it would be a disaster for what was once one of the West's most stable democracies. A disorderly divorce, they say, would hurt global growth, send shockwaves through financial markets and weaken London’s claim to be the world’s preeminent financial centre. Brexit supporters say there may be short-term disruption from a no-deal exit but that the economy will thrive if cut free from what they cast as a doomed experiment in integration that has led to Europe falling behind China and the United States.

UK faces food, fuel and drugs shortages in no-deal Brexit: Report

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will tell <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/macron-seeks-ukraine-progress-from-putin-in-rare-pre-g7-talks-243465">French President Emmanuel Macron</a> and German Chancellor Angela Merkel that the Westminster parliament cannot stop Brexit and a new deal must be agreed if Britain is to avoid leaving the EU without one.

In his first trip abroad as leader, Johnson is due to meet his European counterparts ahead of a G7 summit on August 24-26 in Biarritz, France.

He will say that Britain is leaving <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/divided-european-union-taps-bulgarias-kristalina-georgieva-as-international-monetary-fund-candidate-240499">the European Union</a> on October 31, with or without a deal, and that the British parliament cannot block that, according to a Downing Street source.

The United Kingdom is heading towards a constitutional crisis at home and a showdown with the EU as Johnson has repeatedly vowed to leave the bloc on October 31 without a deal unless it agrees to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cannot-renegotiate-brexit-withdrawal-agreement-european-commission-president-juncker-to-pm-johnson-238496">renegotiate the Brexit divorce</a>.

After more than three years of Brexit dominating EU affairs, the bloc has repeatedly refused to reopen the Withdrawal Agreement which includes an Irish border insurance policy that Johnson's predecessor, Theresa May, agreed in November.

The prime minister is coming under pressure from politicians across the political spectrum to prevent a disorderly departure, with opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn vowing to bring down Johnson's government in early September to delay Brexit.

It is, however, unclear if lawmakers have the unity or power to use the British parliament to prevent a no-deal Brexit on October 31 likely to be the United Kingdom's most significant move since World War Two.

Opponents of no-deal say it would be a disaster for what was once one of the West's most stable democracies.

A disorderly divorce, they say, would hurt global growth, send shockwaves through financial markets and weaken London’s claim to be the world’s preeminent financial centre.

Brexit supporters say there may be short-term disruption from a no-deal exit but that the economy will thrive if cut free from what they cast as a doomed experiment in integration that has led to Europe falling behind China and the United States.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will tell French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel that the Westminster parliament cannot stop Brexit and a new deal must be agreed if Britain is to avoid leaving the EU without one.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will tell French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel that the Westminster parliament cannot stop Brexit and a new deal must be agreed if Britain is to avoid leaving the EU without one. In his first trip abroad as leader, Johnson is due to meet his European counterparts ahead of a G7 summit on August 24-26 in Biarritz, France. He will say that Britain is leaving the European Union on October 31, with or without a deal, and that the British parliament cannot block that, according to a Downing Street source. The United Kingdom is heading towards a constitutional crisis at home and a showdown with the EU as Johnson has repeatedly vowed to leave the bloc on October 31 without a deal unless it agrees to renegotiate the Brexit divorce. After more than three years of Brexit dominating EU affairs, the bloc has repeatedly refused to reopen the Withdrawal Agreement which includes an Irish border insurance policy that Johnson's predecessor, Theresa May, agreed in November. The prime minister is coming under pressure from politicians across the political spectrum to prevent a disorderly departure, with opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn vowing to bring down Johnson's government in early September to delay Brexit. It is, however, unclear if lawmakers have the unity or power to use the British parliament to prevent a no-deal Brexit on October 31 likely to be the United Kingdom's most significant move since World War Two. Opponents of no-deal say it would be a disaster for what was once one of the West's most stable democracies. A disorderly divorce, they say, would hurt global growth, send shockwaves through financial markets and weaken London’s claim to be the world’s preeminent financial centre. Brexit supporters say there may be short-term disruption from a no-deal exit but that the economy will thrive if cut free from what they cast as a doomed experiment in integration that has led to Europe falling behind China and the United States.

UK parliament cannot stop Brexit, Boris Johnson to tell Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel

The presence of America and Britain in the Gulf region brings insecurity, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards navy, Alireza Tangsiri, was reported as saying by the ILNA news agency.

Tensions have spiked between Iran and the US&nbsp;and Britain in the Gulf after the Islamic Republic shot down an American drone in June and seized a British tanker last month for violating maritime regulations.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/court-documents-show-us-seeks-seizure-of-iranian-tanker-violating-sanctions-243610">Iran seized the tanker</a> two weeks after British Royal Marines detained an Iranian tanker on suspicion of violating European Union sanctions by taking oil to Syria, a close ally of Iran.

"The presence of America and England in this region means insecurity," he said.

Iran can provide security in the Gulf by forming a coalition with other countries in the region, Tangsiri said.

Tangsiri said that Iran wants peace and stability in the Gulf but appeared to issue a veiled threat by saying that if a ship that uses nuclear fuel were to be targeted in the Gulf, the countries in the south of the region will not have drinking water because of contamination, Mehr news agency reported.

The presence of America and Britain in the Gulf region brings insecurity, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards navy, Alireza Tangsiri, was reported as saying by the ILNA news agency.

The presence of America and Britain in the Gulf region brings insecurity, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards navy, Alireza Tangsiri, was reported as saying by the ILNA news agency. Tensions have spiked between Iran and the US and Britain in the Gulf after the Islamic Republic shot down an American drone in June and seized a British tanker last month for violating maritime regulations. Iran seized the tanker two weeks after British Royal Marines detained an Iranian tanker on suspicion of violating European Union sanctions by taking oil to Syria, a close ally of Iran. "The presence of America and England in this region means insecurity," he said. Iran can provide security in the Gulf by forming a coalition with other countries in the region, Tangsiri said. Tangsiri said that Iran wants peace and stability in the Gulf but appeared to issue a veiled threat by saying that if a ship that uses nuclear fuel were to be targeted in the Gulf, the countries in the south of the region will not have drinking water because of contamination, Mehr news agency reported.

Presence of US and UK in Gulf brings insecurity: Iran Revolutionary Guards navy chief

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the evening - August 17th, 2019

A technical glitch delayed the start of trading on Friday on the UK blue-chip FTSE 100 and midcap stock indexes for almost two hours in what was the longest outage at one of the world's top bourses in eight years.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/london-stock-exchange-in-talks-to-buy-refinitiv-for-27-billion-238782">The London Stock Exchange</a> suffered a "technical software issue", which postponed the opening of trading until 0840 GMT, a spokeswoman said in an email. The markets normally open at 0700 GMT.

In a statement on its website, it said it was still investigating the issue.

The fault affected hundreds of shares in some of the UK's largest companies, including Shell, Unilever and HSBC, and BHP Group, worth a total of $2.8 trillion.

Traders were frustrated by the latest outage coming during a hectic week on global financial markets, hit by worries about a US recession and the US-China trade spat.

"Investors would have been yearning for a quiet Friday after a week of turmoil for the markets driven by recession fears," said AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould.

"It looked like just such a peaceful interlude was on the cards until (the LSE's) technical issues."

A large number of market participants were also away on holiday, which may have limited the impact of the failure.

Paul Mumford, a fund manager at Cavendish Asset Management said it would be a "major embarrassment" for the LSE amid stiffening competition, rising costs and greater regulation among exchange operators.

LSE shares listed on the FTSE 100 were up 0.9 per cent in early deals, in line with the broader FTSE 100.

This is the second outage at the LSE, which handles about 5 billion pounds ($6.1 billion) worth of volume each day, in just over a year.

In June 2018, the opening auction was delayed due to a technical fault, but trading resumed after an hour.

Before that, the market was shut until lunchtime one day in February 2011.

Reuters News' parent Thomson Reuters holds a 45 per cent stake in financial data and news provider Refinitiv.&nbsp;

Thomson Reuters will own 15 per cent in LSE after the proposed deal closes.

A technical glitch delayed the start of trading on Friday on the UK blue-chip FTSE 100 and midcap stock indexes for almost two hours in what was the longest outage at one of the world's top bourses in eight years.

A technical glitch delayed the start of trading on Friday on the UK blue-chip FTSE 100 and midcap stock indexes for almost two hours in what was the longest outage at one of the world's top bourses in eight years. The London Stock Exchange suffered a "technical software issue", which postponed the opening of trading until 0840 GMT, a spokeswoman said in an email. The markets normally open at 0700 GMT. In a statement on its website, it said it was still investigating the issue. The fault affected hundreds of shares in some of the UK's largest companies, including Shell, Unilever and HSBC, and BHP Group, worth a total of $2.8 trillion. Traders were frustrated by the latest outage coming during a hectic week on global financial markets, hit by worries about a US recession and the US-China trade spat. "Investors would have been yearning for a quiet Friday after a week of turmoil for the markets driven by recession fears," said AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould. "It looked like just such a peaceful interlude was on the cards until (the LSE's) technical issues." A large number of market participants were also away on holiday, which may have limited the impact of the failure. Paul Mumford, a fund manager at Cavendish Asset Management said it would be a "major embarrassment" for the LSE amid stiffening competition, rising costs and greater regulation among exchange operators. LSE shares listed on the FTSE 100 were up 0.9 per cent in early deals, in line with the broader FTSE 100. This is the second outage at the LSE, which handles about 5 billion pounds ($6.1 billion) worth of volume each day, in just over a year. In June 2018, the opening auction was delayed due to a technical fault, but trading resumed after an hour. Before that, the market was shut until lunchtime one day in February 2011. Reuters News' parent Thomson Reuters holds a 45 per cent stake in financial data and news provider Refinitiv. Thomson Reuters will own 15 per cent in LSE after the proposed deal closes.

London Stock Exchange, FTSE 100 suffers the longest outage in years

Pakistanis erupted into unprovoked clashes with Indians in the UK. Watch this video to know more.

UK: Pakistanis erupted into unprovoked clashes with Indians

By Matthew Cole

Westminster is alive with speculation about an autumn general election, with advisers’ leave cancelled and the Treasury’s wallet open. But the last prime minister learned to her cost that those who start the campaign do not always determine its course.

Boris Johnson has not formally announced any such plan, but it is being heavily trailed. A general election could take place before, but in practice more likely after, a no-deal Brexit at the end of October. Johnson intends for the campaign to be fought on the theme of “the people versus the politicians”. He aims to present himself as the champion of popular opinion, as expressed in the 2016 referendum against a patronising and detached establishment. That appears to mean parliament, the courts and the media, all of whom, his team argues, are determined to frustrate the implementation of the 2016 EU referendum result.

This is a high-stakes strategy for which the current evidence looks good, but the historical precedents are more mixed.

Public opinion, as demonstrated in elections and polls, seems static since 2016. The nation is evenly divided between Leavers and Remainers, though now Remainers are divided between those resigned to defeat and those determined to seek a new referendum, and Leavers are split over the type of new relationship with the EU they would prefer.

Johnson hopes to unite Leavers by marginalising the Brexit Party. He also knows that Remain opinion is divided between Labour, the Liberal Democrats and other opposition parties. This could grant him a parliamentary majority, even with significantly less than half the vote (bear in mind, Tony Blair won a majority of 60 on 35% of the vote in 2005).

There are, however, serious problems here. One is Johnson himself. He is untested electorally at national level, and his initial bounce in the polls is no better than those enjoyed by Theresa May or Labour’s Gordon Brown when they took office. Both of these, of course, subsequently led their parties in disastrous election campaigns.

Johnson’s credentials as a man of the people are slim. He has been a politician for most of his adult life and spent his childhood at the school which has been the nursery of 20 prime ministers. Even before starting at that school, he was declaring his ambition to be “World King”. Boris is the consummate politician – he is an outsider only to everyday British life.

Johnson’s weaknesses in public and private life – his conduct as a member of the Bullingdon Club, various affairs, his failed multi-million pound Garden Bridge project in London, and the Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe gaffe – did not dent support amongst his admirers before his recent promotion. But as premier he may lack the consensus-building skills to resolve Brexit by reaching to a wider audience in a potentially volatile economic environment.

The dangers of division 
The history of populist, binary confrontational election campaigns in British politics also offers as much discouragement as hope to the prime minister.

In 1910, David Lloyd George’s Liberals ran a “peers versus the people” campaign in an attempt to pass a radical “people’s budget” which taxed the super-rich to pay for welfare benefits for the old, unemployed and sick. He hoped to paint the House of Lords as self-interested for blocking his budget, while they claimed they were exercising their right to veto a change in the role of the state for which Lloyd George had, in their view, no mandate.

The gamble ended in the Liberals losing their three-figure majority despite two elections in a year. A parliamentary stalemate eventually had to be resolved by the support of Irish MPs, and the Liberals never again governed alone.

Other campaigns have prompted more potent counter-claims or misread the public mood. In 1945 Churchill’s “Help him Finish the Job” slogan, referring to his war record, was successfully answered by Labour’s “Help THEM finish their job!” – a slogan used on images of servicemen looking to the future and the business of reconstruction.

And the Conservatives’ “New Labour, New Danger” campaign of 1997 was suspended because focus groups showed the public did not understand what was “new” about the threat posed by Blair. John Major also withdrew a Conservative party political broadcast depicting Blair in a Faust-like role with Peter Mandelson as Mephistopheles, saying “it would fail and it would deserve to fail”.

The deepest danger to Johnson’s proposed slogan is that “the people vs. the politicians” could easily be read as “the people vs. parliament”. The UK is not a Trump-style system of presidential rule, but an embedded parliamentary democracy, and voters – with a national memory going back to 1910 and even to the civil war – may not back him in enough numbers in such a fight. It was, after all, to protect the rights of parliament that many voted Leave.

It may be just over 390 years since Charles I’s arrogance towards parliament - dismissing it when it refused to accept his policies - proved fatal. Johnson might yet be sloganised not as the man of the people – but as “King Boris”. Perhaps the prime minister should be careful what he wishes for.

(Matthew Cole is Teaching Fellow, Department of History, University of Birmingham)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-anyone-really-going-to-buy-boris-johnsons-people-vs-the-politicians-election-campaign-121644">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

By Matthew Cole Westminster is alive with speculation about an autumn general election, with advisers’ leave cancelled and the Treasury’s wallet open. But the last prime minister learned to her cost that those who start the campaign do not always determine its course.

By Matthew Cole Westminster is alive with speculation about an autumn general election, with advisers’ leave cancelled and the Treasury’s wallet open. But the last prime minister learned to her cost that those who start the campaign do not always determine its course. Boris Johnson has not formally announced any such plan, but it is being heavily trailed. A general election could take place before, but in practice more likely after, a no-deal Brexit at the end of October. Johnson intends for the campaign to be fought on the theme of “the people versus the politicians”. He aims to present himself as the champion of popular opinion, as expressed in the 2016 referendum against a patronising and detached establishment. That appears to mean parliament, the courts and the media, all of whom, his team argues, are determined to frustrate the implementation of the 2016 EU referendum result. This is a high-stakes strategy for which the current evidence looks good, but the historical precedents are more mixed. Public opinion, as demonstrated in elections and polls, seems static since 2016. The nation is evenly divided between Leavers and Remainers, though now Remainers are divided between those resigned to defeat and those determined to seek a new referendum, and Leavers are split over the type of new relationship with the EU they would prefer. Johnson hopes to unite Leavers by marginalising the Brexit Party. He also knows that Remain opinion is divided between Labour, the Liberal Democrats and other opposition parties. This could grant him a parliamentary majority, even with significantly less than half the vote (bear in mind, Tony Blair won a majority of 60 on 35% of the vote in 2005). There are, however, serious problems here. One is Johnson himself. He is untested electorally at national level, and his initial bounce in the polls is no better than those enjoyed by Theresa May or Labour’s Gordon Brown when they took office. Both of these, of course, subsequently led their parties in disastrous election campaigns. Johnson’s credentials as a man of the people are slim. He has been a politician for most of his adult life and spent his childhood at the school which has been the nursery of 20 prime ministers. Even before starting at that school, he was declaring his ambition to be “World King”. Boris is the consummate politician – he is an outsider only to everyday British life. Johnson’s weaknesses in public and private life – his conduct as a member of the Bullingdon Club, various affairs, his failed multi-million pound Garden Bridge project in London, and the Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe gaffe – did not dent support amongst his admirers before his recent promotion. But as premier he may lack the consensus-building skills to resolve Brexit by reaching to a wider audience in a potentially volatile economic environment. The dangers of division The history of populist, binary confrontational election campaigns in British politics also offers as much discouragement as hope to the prime minister. In 1910, David Lloyd George’s Liberals ran a “peers versus the people” campaign in an attempt to pass a radical “people’s budget” which taxed the super-rich to pay for welfare benefits for the old, unemployed and sick. He hoped to paint the House of Lords as self-interested for blocking his budget, while they claimed they were exercising their right to veto a change in the role of the state for which Lloyd George had, in their view, no mandate. The gamble ended in the Liberals losing their three-figure majority despite two elections in a year. A parliamentary stalemate eventually had to be resolved by the support of Irish MPs, and the Liberals never again governed alone. Other campaigns have prompted more potent counter-claims or misread the public mood. In 1945 Churchill’s “Help him Finish the Job” slogan, referring to his war record, was successfully answered by Labour’s “Help THEM finish their job!” – a slogan used on images of servicemen looking to the future and the business of reconstruction. And the Conservatives’ “New Labour, New Danger” campaign of 1997 was suspended because focus groups showed the public did not understand what was “new” about the threat posed by Blair. John Major also withdrew a Conservative party political broadcast depicting Blair in a Faust-like role with Peter Mandelson as Mephistopheles, saying “it would fail and it would deserve to fail”. The deepest danger to Johnson’s proposed slogan is that “the people vs. the politicians” could easily be read as “the people vs. parliament”. The UK is not a Trump-style system of presidential rule, but an embedded parliamentary democracy, and voters – with a national memory going back to 1910 and even to the civil war – may not back him in enough numbers in such a fight. It was, after all, to protect the rights of parliament that many voted Leave. It may be just over 390 years since Charles I’s arrogance towards parliament - dismissing it when it refused to accept his policies - proved fatal. Johnson might yet be sloganised not as the man of the people – but as “King Boris”. Perhaps the prime minister should be careful what he wishes for. (Matthew Cole is Teaching Fellow, Department of History, University of Birmingham) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Is anyone really going to buy Boris Johnson’s ‘people vs politicians’ election campaign?

The UK had seized grace 1 on July 4 in the Mediterranean

Your Story: Iran-UK Oil Tanker Seizure Row

Britain's labour&nbsp;market&nbsp;showed unexpected strength in the second quarter, in sharp contrast with figures last week that showed the economy contracted over the same period as the country gears up for Brexit.

Total earnings growth including bonuses rose by an annual 3.7 per cent in the three months to June - the highest rate since June 2008 and up from 3.5 per cent in May, and line with forecasts in a Reuters poll of economists.

The<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brexit-is-a-massive-economic-opportunity-uk-prime-minister-johnson-238855">&nbsp;jobs&nbsp;market&nbsp;has been a silver lining</a> for the economy since the Brexit vote in June 2016, something many economists have attributed to employers preferring to hire workers they can later lay off rather than making longer-term commitments to investment.

Tuesday's figures showed Britain created 115,000&nbsp;jobs&nbsp;in the second quarter, bringing the level of employment to a record 32.811 million, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

"The&nbsp;jobs&nbsp;market&nbsp;remains a source of strength for the&nbsp;UK&nbsp;economy, though it may now be reaching its peak," said Tej Parikh, chief economist at the Institute of Directors.

Sterling showed little reaction to the data, which tends to lag broader trends in the economy and had also appeared healthy in the lead-up to the financial crisis.

Excluding bonuses, annual pay growth picked up to 3.9 per cent from 3.6 per cent, the ONS said, compared with the poll forecast for growth of 3.8 per cent.

A little of the strength in the pay data reflected the unusual timing of annual pay rises for public health workers in 2018 when a larger-than-normal increase was deferred until July.

Some details pointed to tougher times ahead after data last week showed the economy unexpectedly shrank by 0.2 per cent in the three months to June.

The unemployment rate rose to 3.9 per cent, against expectations for it to hold steady 3.8 per cent, and while employment growth far exceeded forecasts, part-time rather than full-time&nbsp;jobs accounted entirely for the increase.

Output per hour, the headline measure of productivity, fell 0.6 per cent in annual terms - the fourth quarter of decline in a row and the longest such run since mid-2013.

Poor productivity is one of Britain's biggest economic challenges and, until recently, had contributed to a decade of weak pay growth.

The number of job vacancies, an indicator of future employment, fell to 820,000 in the three months to July from 824,000 in the period to June, the lowest level in more than a year.

Some recent surveys of companies have suggested employers are turning more cautious about hiring as new Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged to take Britain out of the European Union on October 31, with or without a deal.

The Bank of England said this month it saw signs of a softening in labour&nbsp;market&nbsp;indicators.

Britain's labour market showed unexpected strength in the second quarter, in sharp contrast with figures last week that showed the economy contracted over the same period as the country gears up for Brexit.

Britain's labour market showed unexpected strength in the second quarter, in sharp contrast with figures last week that showed the economy contracted over the same period as the country gears up for Brexit. Total earnings growth including bonuses rose by an annual 3.7 per cent in the three months to June - the highest rate since June 2008 and up from 3.5 per cent in May, and line with forecasts in a Reuters poll of economists. The jobs market has been a silver lining for the economy since the Brexit vote in June 2016, something many economists have attributed to employers preferring to hire workers they can later lay off rather than making longer-term commitments to investment. Tuesday's figures showed Britain created 115,000 jobs in the second quarter, bringing the level of employment to a record 32.811 million, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. "The jobs market remains a source of strength for the UK economy, though it may now be reaching its peak," said Tej Parikh, chief economist at the Institute of Directors. Sterling showed little reaction to the data, which tends to lag broader trends in the economy and had also appeared healthy in the lead-up to the financial crisis. Excluding bonuses, annual pay growth picked up to 3.9 per cent from 3.6 per cent, the ONS said, compared with the poll forecast for growth of 3.8 per cent. A little of the strength in the pay data reflected the unusual timing of annual pay rises for public health workers in 2018 when a larger-than-normal increase was deferred until July. Some details pointed to tougher times ahead after data last week showed the economy unexpectedly shrank by 0.2 per cent in the three months to June. The unemployment rate rose to 3.9 per cent, against expectations for it to hold steady 3.8 per cent, and while employment growth far exceeded forecasts, part-time rather than full-time jobs accounted entirely for the increase. Output per hour, the headline measure of productivity, fell 0.6 per cent in annual terms - the fourth quarter of decline in a row and the longest such run since mid-2013. Poor productivity is one of Britain's biggest economic challenges and, until recently, had contributed to a decade of weak pay growth. The number of job vacancies, an indicator of future employment, fell to 820,000 in the three months to July from 824,000 in the period to June, the lowest level in more than a year. Some recent surveys of companies have suggested employers are turning more cautious about hiring as new Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged to take Britain out of the European Union on October 31, with or without a deal. The Bank of England said this month it saw signs of a softening in labour market indicators.

UK jobs market shines, but clouds on the horizon

The British government is&nbsp;concerned&nbsp;about the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../as-hong-kong-protesters-return-to-streets-for- tenth-week-riot-police-fire-tears-gas-into-rail-station-242309">latest&nbsp;violence&nbsp;</a>in&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;and wants calm from all sides, a spokesman for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday.

Hong&nbsp;Kong's airport <a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../over-100-flights-cancelled-as-hong-kong- protesters-launch-city-wide-strike-240696">cancelled all flights</a> on Monday, with authorities blaming demonstrators for the disruption of one of the world's busiest terminals, an escalation in anti-government protests in the former British colony.

Johnson's spokesman said the Britain wanted the&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;government to engage with all parties in constructive dialogue.

The British government is concerned about the latest violence in Hong Kong and wants calm from all sides, a spokesman for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday.

The British government is concerned about the latest violence in Hong Kong and wants calm from all sides, a spokesman for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday. Hong Kong's airport cancelled all flights on Monday, with authorities blaming demonstrators for the disruption of one of the world's busiest terminals, an escalation in anti-government protests in the former British colony. Johnson's spokesman said the Britain wanted the Hong Kong government to engage with all parties in constructive dialogue.

Want Hong Kong government to engage with all parties: UK

The secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, has said that the US will be “on the doorstep, pen in hand”, ready to sign a new trade deal with the UK as soon as possible after Brexit.

WION Global Round-Up: US-UK commit to free trade agreement post Brexit

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