LONDON: The frontrunner to become Britain's next prime minister, Boris Johnson, said on Monday that the leader of the main opposition Labour party, Jeremy Corbyn, was guilty of anti-Semitism."I think by condoning anti-Semitism the way he does, I'm afraid he's effectively culpable of that vice," Johnson told a leadership debate organised by the Sun newspaper and TalkRadio.The Labour Party has battled accusations of anti-Semitism since 2016 and Corbyn - a veteran campaigner for Palestinian rights - as well as other senior party officials have been accused of failing to take decisive action to deal with it.Labour says it is "implacably opposed to anti-Semitism". … [Read more...] about Labour Party leader Corbyn guilty of anti-Semitism: Johnson
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British PM May tells Corbyn: Let’s do a deal on Brexit
LONDON: British Prime Minister Theresa May on Sunday urged opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to work with her to break the Brexit deadlock. Mrs May said she understood why hardcore Brexiteers in her centre-right Conservative Party, who want a clean break with the European Union, would wince at the prospect of striking a softer agreement with the veteran socialist. But she insisted the clobbering both main parties took in last week's English local elections had increased the necessity of finding an EU divorce deal that a majority of MPs could get behind. "To the leader of the opposition, I say this: let's listen to what the voters said in the elections and put our differences aside for a moment. Let's do a deal," she wrote in The Mail on Sunday newspaper. Mrs May negotiated a withdrawal agreement with Brussels last year but MPs repeatedly voted it down, with large numbers of her own Conservative backbenchers standing against it. "Regrettably, I have to accept there is no sign … [Read more...] about British PM May tells Corbyn: Let’s do a deal on Brexit
Assange faces jail for UK bail breach
LONDON: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will be sentenced Wednesday for breaching a British court order seven years ago, when he took refuge in Ecuador’s London embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden. The Australian whistleblower, who was arrested on April 11 after Ecuador gave him up, could face a 12-month prison sentence when he appears at Southwark Crown Court at 10.30am (5.30pm Malaysia). Assange fled to the embassy in 2012 after a British judge ordered his extradition to face Swedish allegations of sexual assault and rape, which he strongly denied. He claimed the allegations were a pretext to transfer him to the United States, where he feared prosecution over release by WikiLeaks of millions of classified documents. There is no longer an active investigation in Sweden and the extradition request has lapsed. However, the 47-year-old is facing a US extradition request, which was only revealed following his dramatic arrest, when he was dragged shouting from the embassy by … [Read more...] about Assange faces jail for UK bail breach
Julian Assange faces jail for UK bail breach
LONDON: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will be sentenced on Wednesday (May 1) for breaching a British court order seven years ago, when he took refuge in Ecuador's London embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden.The Australian whistleblower, who was arrested on April 11 after Ecuador gave him up, could face a 12-month prison sentence when he appears at Southwark Crown Court at 10:30am (0930 GMT).Assange fled to the embassy in 2012 after a British judge ordered his extradition to face Swedish allegations of sexual assault and rape, which he strongly denied.He claimed the allegations were a pretext to transfer him to the United States, where he feared prosecution over release by WikiLeaks of millions of classified documents.There is no longer an active investigation in Sweden and the extradition request has lapsed.However, the 47-year-old is facing a US extradition request, which was only revealed following his dramatic arrest, when he was dragged shouting from the embassy by … [Read more...] about Julian Assange faces jail for UK bail breach
‘Corbyn-proof’? British water, power firms take nationalisation precautions
LONDON: British water and power firms are trying to soothe nerves over nationalisation in the event of a Labour government, although some fund managers and lawyers doubt so-called Corbyn-proofing will work.Jeremy Corbyn, the opposition leader, has said the state would take control of Britain's water, electricity, gas and railway operators, as well as Royal Mail and Royal Bank of Scotland if Labour wins power.The privatisation of utilities, which began in the 1980s under Margaret Thatcher's Conservatives, has been a divisive issue. While supporters say consumers get a better deal, critics argue that there is no place for profit in public services.Now, with Labour gaining in the polls and a general election seen as more likely following a delay to Britain's European Union departure, companies and investors are taking the possibility of nationalisation seriously.Thames Water, for instance, added a clause to its bonds to ensure holders are repaid immediately should it be … [Read more...] about ‘Corbyn-proof’? British water, power firms take nationalisation precautions