THE GUARDIAN: Concern grows within Europe that his replacement will undermine recent truce in negotiations
The resignation of David Frost as Boris Johnson’s Brexit minister has set off alarm bells in Brussels, with officials unclear as to the approach that will be taken by the prime minister in the new year.
In recent weeks, the UK government softened its approach to the post-Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland, with the two sides brokering a Christmas truce in the talks on a relatively positive note.
There is concern that Johnson, under huge pressure from the right of his Conservative party over Covid restrictions, will feel the need to replace Lord Frost with someone who will want to unravel the new approach.
On Sunday, reports suggested that figures such as Iain Duncan Smith, the former work and pensions secretary, or even David Davis, who resigned as Theresa May’s Brexit secretary in 2018, could be in the running. Both men have called for the ditching of the Northern Ireland protocol in the past.
One EU diplomat said: “Hopefully the new negotiator will be more pragmatic, making good relations with the EU and its member states relations a priority over the pursuit of a pure, antagonistic Brexit - we’re not holding our breath.” » | Daniel Boffey in Brussels and Lisa O'Carroll in Brussels | Sunday, December 19, 2021
Sunday, December 19, 2021
Turkey: Soaring Inflation Puts Erdogan under Pressure | DW News
There's a Sickness at the Heart of British Democracy & It's Called Corruption
Saturday, December 18, 2021
Brexit Minister Lord Frost Walks Out on Boris
THE MAIL ON SUNDAY – EXCLUSIVE: Cabinet Minister Lord Frost has sensationally resigned from Boris Johnson's Government / His dramatic move was triggered by his growing 'disillusionment' with the direction of Tory policy / Lord Frost is understood to have handed his resignation to the Prime Minister a week ago / His departure was prompted by Plan B measures, tax rises and 'net zero' politics
Cabinet Minister Lord Frost has sensationally resigned from Boris Johnson's Government, The Mail on Sunday can exclusively reveal.
His dramatic move – triggered by his growing 'disillusionment' with the direction of Tory policy – has sparked yet another crisis within a beleaguered Downing Street.
Lord Frost, who negotiated Britain's departure from the EU as Brexit Minister, is understood to have handed his resignation to the Prime Minister a week ago, but was persuaded by Mr Johnson to stay in his post until January.
A senior Government source said Lord Frost's departure had been prompted by the introduction of 'Plan B' Covid measures, including vaccine passports. But that was just the final straw after months of growing discontent over tax rises and the staggering cost of 'net zero' environmental policies.
The revelation is the latest blow for the embattled Mr Johnson, following a Commons rebellion of 100 Tory MPs over the 'Plan B' measures and the loss of a 23,000 majority in the North Shropshire by-election amid the 'partygate' row over celebrations inside No 10.
Conservative MPs are increasingly talking about a challenge to the Prime Minister's leadership within the next six months, with Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss leading the field of contenders. » | Glen Owen. Political Editor for The Mail on Sunday | Saturday, December 18, 2021
Brexit minister’s shock resignation leaves Boris Johnson reeling: Lord Frost’s frustrated exit is yet another blow for PM struggling for control of his government »
Tories give Boris Johnson months to improve … or go: Senior party figures think cost of living increases next spring, if combined with poor local election results in May, will doom the PM »
Affaibli, Boris Johnson perd son ministre du Brexit : Après la révélation de l'information par le journal Mail on Sunday, Downing Street l'a confirmée en publiant la lettre de démission de David Frost. »
Brexit-Minister Frost tritt zurück: Tag für Tag neue Hiobsbotschaften für Boris Johnson: David Frost gibt sein Amt auf. In seinem Rücktrittschreiben, das das Büro des Premiers veröffentlichte, macht er seine „Bedenken über die derzeitige Richtung der Reise“ deutlich. »
David Frost hat genug: Der britische Brexit-Minister tritt zurück: Die Luft für Boris Johnson wird immer dünner: Sein ihm bisher nahe stehender Brexit-Minister David Frost verlässt die Regierung. Ein Grund: Die Corona-Politik der Regierung. Das Problem für Johnson: Viele Konservative denken ähnlich wie Frost. »
Jung, schön und verliebt.
Brexit and Johnson's Chaotic Leadership - How Much Worse Can It Get? Some Questions and Answers.
Fünf Jahre Haft für Sturm aufs Kapitol
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: In Amerika ist die bislang höchste Strafe gegen einen Unterstützer des ehemaligen Präsidenten Donald Trump wegen der Erstürmung des Kapitols verhängt worden. Wegen des Angriffs auf Polizeibeamte muss er fünf Jahre ins Gefängnis.
In den Vereinigten Staaten ist die bislang höchste Strafe gegen einen Unterstützer des ehemaligen Präsidenten Donald Trump wegen der Erstürmung des Kapitols im Januar verhängt worden: Eine Bundesrichterin verurteilte den Trump-Anhänger Robert Scott Palmer wegen des Angriffs auf Polizeibeamte zu fünf Jahren Gefängnis. Auf Videos war zu sehen, wie Palmer vor dem Kapitol Bretter, einen Feuerlöscher und andere Gegenstände auf Polizeibeamte warf. » | Quelle: AFP | Samstag, 18. Dezember 2021
Macron schließt die Grenze zu Großbritannien
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Von diesen Samstag an ist die Einreise aus sowie die Ausreise nach Großbritannien nur noch aus zwingenden übergeordneten Gründen möglich. Viele versuchen, noch auf die letzten Züge, Fähren und Flüge zu kommen.
Das französische Einreiseverbot für Urlauber aus Großbritannien hat am Freitag in der französischen Tourismusbranche für Unmut gesorgt. Premierminister Jean Castex hat die Beschränkungen mit dem notwendigen Kampf gegen die in Großbritannien grassierende Omikron-Variante begründet. Präsident Emmanuel Macron berief am Freitagvormittag einen sogenannten Verteidigungsrat im Elysée-Palast ein, bei dem das weitere Vorgehen besprochen wurde.
Von diesem Samstag an ist die Einreise aus sowie die Ausreise nach Großbritannien nur noch aus zwingenden übergeordneten Gründen möglich. Touristische oder berufliche Gründe gehören nicht dazu, wie der Regierungschef erläuterte. Sowohl Geimpfte als auch Ungeimpfte müssen sich vor einer Reise von Großbritannien nach Frankreich registrieren, einen PCR- oder Schnelltest machen und sich nach der Ankunft in Frankreich an einem Ort ihrer Wahl in Quarantäne begeben. Diese können sie nach einem negativen Test nach 48 Stunden verlassen. » | Von Michaela Wiegel. Politische Korrespondentin mit Sitz in Paris | Freitag, 17. Dezember 2021
Cadeaux de Noël : en images, le guide ultime pour pallier la panne d'idées
MADAME FIGARO : Pour les petits ou les gros budgets, les gourmands ou encore les adeptes du "Made in France", voici un condensé de nos sélections de cadeaux de Noël. Suivez le guide.
Noël approche et vous n'avez pas encore trouvé de cadeaux pour tout votre petit monde ? Pas de panique. Si les idées vous manquent, vous êtes au bon endroit. Quel que soit le profil de la personne à qui vous souhaitez faire plaisir, dans le respect de votre budget, vous trouverez ici l'idée qui la comblera à coup sûr. » | La Rédaction | vendredi 17 décembre 2021
Covid-19 : les restrictions se multiplient de nouveau dans le monde
LE FIGARO : LE POINT SUR LA SITUATION - Nouvelles mesures, nouveaux bilans et faits marquants : Le Figaro fait le point sur les dernières évolutions de la pandémie de Covid-19.
Alors qu'une étude a démontré que le risque d'être réinfecté est 5,4 fois plus élevé avec Omicron qu'avec Delta, à une semaine de Noël, les restrictions se multiplient de nouveau à travers le monde. Dès janvier, la France remplacera le passe sanitaire par un passe vaccinal, l'Irlande réinstaure un couvre-feu, le Danemark ferme sa vie culturelle... Le Figaro fait le point ce samedi 18 décembre sur les dernières informations liées à la pandémie de Covid-19.
Le risque de réinfection avec le variant Omicron est 5,4 fois plus élevé qu'avec le variant Delta, avance une étude de l'Imperial College de Londres rapportée par Reuters vendredi 17 décembre, assurant également qu'aucune preuve qu'Omicron ait une gravité inférieure à celle de Delta n'a été trouvée. Regarder la vidéo » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | samedi 18 décembre 2021
Alors qu'une étude a démontré que le risque d'être réinfecté est 5,4 fois plus élevé avec Omicron qu'avec Delta, à une semaine de Noël, les restrictions se multiplient de nouveau à travers le monde. Dès janvier, la France remplacera le passe sanitaire par un passe vaccinal, l'Irlande réinstaure un couvre-feu, le Danemark ferme sa vie culturelle... Le Figaro fait le point ce samedi 18 décembre sur les dernières informations liées à la pandémie de Covid-19.
Le risque de réinfection avec le variant Omicron est 5,4 fois plus élevé qu'avec le variant Delta, avance une étude de l'Imperial College de Londres rapportée par Reuters vendredi 17 décembre, assurant également qu'aucune preuve qu'Omicron ait une gravité inférieure à celle de Delta n'a été trouvée. Regarder la vidéo » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | samedi 18 décembre 2021
A Very British Scandal | Trailer – BBC | Christmas Viewing
Duchess of Argyll sex scandal retold in new BBC drama series »
‘I like sex and am extremely good at it’ – the real crime of the ‘fellatio duchess’ in A Very British Scandal »
The Brexit ’n’ Boris Formula Was a Winner for the Tories. Now It’s Falling Apart
THE GUARDIAN - OPINION: Johnson was a magnet for new voters. But many are appalled by his lies, and traditional Conservatives don’t trust him either
Liberal Democrats Helen Morgan and Tim Farron at a rally in Oswestry, Shropshire, after her victory in the North Shropshire byelection, 17 December 2021. Photograph: Jacob King/PA
At last. For the first time since he became prime minister, Boris Johnson is paying a direct price for his actions. For two long years, he seemed to defy the laws of political gravity, somehow floating high in the sky when his conduct, whether his lies or his failures, should have seen him crash to the ground.
His mishandling of the first phase of the pandemic was so disastrous, he presided over both the highest death toll in Europe and the deepest economic slump in the G7. It was a record of both calamitous misjudgment and corruption, as contracts worth hundreds of millions were funnelled to those with friends in high Tory places. He appointed useless ministers, several of whom became mired in scandal. And yet Johnson remained aloft, riding the warm air currents of consistent leads in the opinion polls.
His admirers said he was a politician like no other, immune to the pressures that would bring down lesser mortals. That immunity fed a sense of impunity. But in the early hours of Friday morning, among the fields and farms of North Shropshire, Johnson fell to earth.
The Tories took a beating in this byelection, losing a seat they had held for the best part of two centuries. Only once before had they seen a bigger collapse of their vote to the Liberal Democrats (or its predecessor parties), and that was three decades ago. Talk to those involved, on all sides, and they agree that voters were driven chiefly by fury with the prime minister – over the revelations of Downing Street partying when the rest of the country was locked down against a killer disease, and what one minister calls the general “shitshow” of this government. » | Jonathan Freedland | Friday, December 17, 2021
At last. For the first time since he became prime minister, Boris Johnson is paying a direct price for his actions. For two long years, he seemed to defy the laws of political gravity, somehow floating high in the sky when his conduct, whether his lies or his failures, should have seen him crash to the ground.
His mishandling of the first phase of the pandemic was so disastrous, he presided over both the highest death toll in Europe and the deepest economic slump in the G7. It was a record of both calamitous misjudgment and corruption, as contracts worth hundreds of millions were funnelled to those with friends in high Tory places. He appointed useless ministers, several of whom became mired in scandal. And yet Johnson remained aloft, riding the warm air currents of consistent leads in the opinion polls.
His admirers said he was a politician like no other, immune to the pressures that would bring down lesser mortals. That immunity fed a sense of impunity. But in the early hours of Friday morning, among the fields and farms of North Shropshire, Johnson fell to earth.
The Tories took a beating in this byelection, losing a seat they had held for the best part of two centuries. Only once before had they seen a bigger collapse of their vote to the Liberal Democrats (or its predecessor parties), and that was three decades ago. Talk to those involved, on all sides, and they agree that voters were driven chiefly by fury with the prime minister – over the revelations of Downing Street partying when the rest of the country was locked down against a killer disease, and what one minister calls the general “shitshow” of this government. » | Jonathan Freedland | Friday, December 17, 2021
Tories Know Johnson Lost Them North Shropshire. They May Now Dispense with Him
THE GUARDIAN: Frustrated MPs across the party have little reason to support the prime minister unless he can quickly repair his rift with voters
After the local elections in May, cabinet ministers and supporters of Boris Johnson were keen to talk up a new decade of “Johnsonism”. The idea was that the Tories taking Hartlepool from Labour in the byelection was proof that the 2019 Tory electoral triumph was no blip. Instead, it was part of a wider political alignment that could see the prime minister outlast Margaret Thatcher.
After the result of the North Shropshire byelection, that hypothesis is looking rather optimistic. Overnight the Liberal Democrats have managed to overturn a majority of more than 20,000 in a seat that has been Tory since it was re-established in 1983. What’s more, the Lib Dems did so with votes to spare – earning a majority of 5,925.
Given the Lib Dems only came third in the seat in 2019 – with Labour second – it is more than a shock result. The polling expert John Curtice has described it as 8.5 on the Richter scale. In other words, a political earthquake. » | Katy Balls | Friday, December 17, 2021
No party could be worth the hangover Boris Johnson is now suffering: Humiliation upon humiliation is being piled on to the prime minister right now. Could a leadership contest be next? »
After the local elections in May, cabinet ministers and supporters of Boris Johnson were keen to talk up a new decade of “Johnsonism”. The idea was that the Tories taking Hartlepool from Labour in the byelection was proof that the 2019 Tory electoral triumph was no blip. Instead, it was part of a wider political alignment that could see the prime minister outlast Margaret Thatcher.
After the result of the North Shropshire byelection, that hypothesis is looking rather optimistic. Overnight the Liberal Democrats have managed to overturn a majority of more than 20,000 in a seat that has been Tory since it was re-established in 1983. What’s more, the Lib Dems did so with votes to spare – earning a majority of 5,925.
Given the Lib Dems only came third in the seat in 2019 – with Labour second – it is more than a shock result. The polling expert John Curtice has described it as 8.5 on the Richter scale. In other words, a political earthquake. » | Katy Balls | Friday, December 17, 2021
No party could be worth the hangover Boris Johnson is now suffering: Humiliation upon humiliation is being piled on to the prime minister right now. Could a leadership contest be next? »
Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey - When You Believe | Official HD Video
Friday, December 17, 2021
Boris Johnson ‘Gone in a Year’ unless He Cleans Up Act, Senior Tories Warn
THE GUARDIAN: Party figures demand shake-up of No 10 operation after byelection defeat to Liberal Democrats
Boris Johnson is “on notice” and could be gone within a year unless he cleans up his act and shakes up his No 10 operation, senior Tories are warning, after the Liberal Democrats scored an extraordinary victory in the North Shropshire byelection.
The Conservative party chair, Oliver Dowden, conceded on Friday that voters had wanted to give the government a “kicking” because they were “fed up” with “sleaze allegations”.
But Johnson himself did not appear repentant about the accusations of parties in No 10 during lockdown, or the scandal over his attempt to water down the MPs’ standards system that led to the North Shropshire byelection. » | Heather Stewart, Rowena Mason and Aubrey Allegretti | Friday, December 17, 2021
Boris Johnson is “on notice” and could be gone within a year unless he cleans up his act and shakes up his No 10 operation, senior Tories are warning, after the Liberal Democrats scored an extraordinary victory in the North Shropshire byelection.
The Conservative party chair, Oliver Dowden, conceded on Friday that voters had wanted to give the government a “kicking” because they were “fed up” with “sleaze allegations”.
But Johnson himself did not appear repentant about the accusations of parties in No 10 during lockdown, or the scandal over his attempt to water down the MPs’ standards system that led to the North Shropshire byelection. » | Heather Stewart, Rowena Mason and Aubrey Allegretti | Friday, December 17, 2021
Au Royaume-Uni, Boris Johnson fragilisé par une claque électorale
LE FIGARO : ANALYSE - La perte d’un siège dans le Nord-Shropshire tombe mal, alors que le premier ministre britannique enchaîne les faux pas.
Le siège était imperdable et ils l’ont perdu. Depuis la nuit des temps démocratiques, deux siècles tout au moins, la circonscription du Nord-Shropshire était détenue par les conservateurs. Ils viennent d’y essuyer une cuisante défaite. Les électeurs leur ont fait payer les scandales touchant le parti et Boris Johnson. Alors que tout le pays était tourné vers cette élection partielle, véritable test pour le premier ministre, cette claque électorale le fragilise encore un peu plus.
Dans cette circonscription rurale du centre de l’Angleterre, ce sont donc les libéraux-démocrates qui leur ont soufflé la place. La candidate du petit parti pro-européen, Helen Morgan, l’a emporté avec 47% des suffrages. Pour elle, les électeurs ont «clairement signifié à Boris Johnson que la fête est finie». Aux dernières législatives de 2019, les conservateurs avaient obtenu 62,7% des suffrages…
Face à ce cruel verdict, le premier ministre a adopté vendredi une posture modeste. «Je comprends parfaitement les frustrations des gens, a-t-il déclaré, j’entends ce que disent les électeurs du North Shropshire et, en toute humilité, je dois accepter ce verdict. Bien sûr, je prends mes responsabilités personnelles.» Pour le Daily Telegraph, le quotidien conservateur qui fut longtemps celui de «BoJo», cette défaite «choc» est une «humiliation». Le Daily Mail estime que Johnson vit un «cauchemar avant Noël» et que la défaite révèle le «niveau élevé de fureur publique contre le premier ministre». Dans le Times, le politologue vedette John Curtice parle d’un «tremblement de terre politique de 8,5 sur une échelle de 10». » | Par Arnaud De La Grange | vendredi 17 décembre 2021
Réservé aux abonnés
Diana Ross : Endless Love
Cole Rasmussen | Reconciling My Faith by Accepting My Sexuality
Le cadeau qu'Elizabeth II offre à chacun des 550 membres de son personnel
MADAME FIGARO : Parmi les nombreuses traditions auxquelles s'attache la famille royale britannique, l'une revêt une importance particulière pour la reine. Chaque année, Elizabeth II offre à tous les membres de son personnel, un présent choisi.
Pendant que Tom Cruise offrait 300 pâtisseries aux membres de l’équipe du film Mission: Impossible 7 pour Noël, la reine Elizabeth II, quant à elle, s'apprêtait à donner ses traditionnels cadeaux à son personnel. Et la souveraine a aussi misé sur quelque chose de comestible. » | Alice Mascher | vendredi 17 décembre 2021
Boris Johnsons Party ist vorbei
NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Bei einer Unterhausnachwahl verlieren die britischen Konservativen eine vermeintlich unbezwingbare Tory-Hochburg. Im Zuge der Affäre rund um Lockdown-Partys droht der einstige Erfolgsgarant Boris Johnson für die Tories zur nachhaltigen Hypothek zu werden.
Vom charismatischen Siegertyp zur Hypothek? Der britische Premierminister Boris Johnson befindet sich in einem Popularitätstief, wie die Wahlschlappe seiner Partei vom Donnerstag bestätigt. | Kirsty O'Connor / AP
KOMMENTAR
Der Wahlkreis North Shropshire in den englischen Midlands westlich von Birmingham gehört zu den Hochburgen der Konservativen Partei. Unter der ländlich geprägten Bevölkerung gibt es bis heute viele Landwirte, das Wahlvolk stimmte beim Brexit-Referendum von 2016 deutlich für den EU-Austritt, und der Anteil von Hausbesitzern ist hoch. Es kommt daher einem veritablen Überraschungscoup gleich, dass die Liberaldemokraten die Unterhausnachwahl in North Shropshire vom Donnerstag gewannen – und den Sitz damit erstmals seit 200 Jahren konservativen Händen entrissen.
Der liberaldemokratische Sieg fiel nicht einmal knapp aus. Die frischgebackene Abgeordnete Helen Morgan kam auf knapp 18 000 Stimmen – fast 6000 Stimmen mehr als der konservative Kandidat. Das bedeutet, dass der Wähleranteil der Tories im Vergleich zu 2019 um nicht weniger als 34 Prozentpunkte einbrach. Die Bezeichnung politisches Erdbeben stellt deshalb für einmal keine Übertreibung dar. Nur in sieben Urnengängen seit dem Zweiten Weltkrieg ist in Grossbritannien ein noch massiverer Umschwung in der Wählergunst registriert worden. » | Niklaus Nuspliger, London | Freitag, 17. Dezember 2021
Der Wahlkreis North Shropshire in den englischen Midlands westlich von Birmingham gehört zu den Hochburgen der Konservativen Partei. Unter der ländlich geprägten Bevölkerung gibt es bis heute viele Landwirte, das Wahlvolk stimmte beim Brexit-Referendum von 2016 deutlich für den EU-Austritt, und der Anteil von Hausbesitzern ist hoch. Es kommt daher einem veritablen Überraschungscoup gleich, dass die Liberaldemokraten die Unterhausnachwahl in North Shropshire vom Donnerstag gewannen – und den Sitz damit erstmals seit 200 Jahren konservativen Händen entrissen.
Der liberaldemokratische Sieg fiel nicht einmal knapp aus. Die frischgebackene Abgeordnete Helen Morgan kam auf knapp 18 000 Stimmen – fast 6000 Stimmen mehr als der konservative Kandidat. Das bedeutet, dass der Wähleranteil der Tories im Vergleich zu 2019 um nicht weniger als 34 Prozentpunkte einbrach. Die Bezeichnung politisches Erdbeben stellt deshalb für einmal keine Übertreibung dar. Nur in sieben Urnengängen seit dem Zweiten Weltkrieg ist in Grossbritannien ein noch massiverer Umschwung in der Wählergunst registriert worden. » | Niklaus Nuspliger, London | Freitag, 17. Dezember 2021
Offices Shut and Holiday Parties Dim as a Familiar Feeling Sinks In
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Employers mandate boosters, postpone return dates and brace for an Omicron surge.
Many financial firms, like Morgan Stanley, had employees returning to the office this summer. | Jeenah Moon for The New York Times
It was three words that workers don’t hear every day from their bosses: “I was wrong.”
Morgan Stanley’s chief executive, James Gorman, asked this week about employees returning to the office, said his projection about the pandemic subsiding was off. “I thought we would have been out of it past Labor Day,” Mr. Gorman said on CNBC. “And we’re not.”
Office workers this week watched as events unfolded that were once familiar and jarring in their persistence: Covid case counts ballooned, and employer plans deflated. The United States is reporting an average of more than 120,000 new Covid cases each day, up 40 percent from two weeks ago, according to a New York Times database. New York City is experiencing a spike in cases larger than any since last winter. Employers that had been growing bolder in their plans — reopening offices, mandating or strongly suggesting that workers report back, promising holiday blowouts — are now scaling back their ambitions for in-person business and socializing. » | Emma Goldberg and Lananh Nguyen | Friday, December 17, 2021
It was three words that workers don’t hear every day from their bosses: “I was wrong.”
Morgan Stanley’s chief executive, James Gorman, asked this week about employees returning to the office, said his projection about the pandemic subsiding was off. “I thought we would have been out of it past Labor Day,” Mr. Gorman said on CNBC. “And we’re not.”
Office workers this week watched as events unfolded that were once familiar and jarring in their persistence: Covid case counts ballooned, and employer plans deflated. The United States is reporting an average of more than 120,000 new Covid cases each day, up 40 percent from two weeks ago, according to a New York Times database. New York City is experiencing a spike in cases larger than any since last winter. Employers that had been growing bolder in their plans — reopening offices, mandating or strongly suggesting that workers report back, promising holiday blowouts — are now scaling back their ambitions for in-person business and socializing. » | Emma Goldberg and Lananh Nguyen | Friday, December 17, 2021
People Are Angry – and Now We’ve Shown That Johnson’s Tories Can Be Beaten Anywhere
THE GUARDIAN - OPINION: The brilliant Lib Dem victory in North Shropshire is part of a trend; the default setting of ‘vote Tory’ has been broken
‘In Helen Morgan, voters in Shropshire saw a community activist who shared their anger at an underfunded health service and at soaring ambulance waiting times.’ Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
As the nights draw in and the days grow shorter, the people of North Shropshire have lit a flame of hope to brighten our nation.
The Liberal Democrats have defeated Boris Johnson in Shropshire, just as we did in Buckinghamshire in June. Two heartland Tory constituencies, more than 150 miles apart, written off as foregone conclusions at every past election. Until now.
My party has shown that the Conservatives can be beaten anywhere – because across the villages, towns and cities of our country, people are fed up and angry.
Throughout the North Shropshire campaign, I spoke to lifelong Conservative voters who had decided enough was enough. Many told me loud and clear – they will never vote Tory again.
In North Shropshire and earlier this year in Chesham and Amersham we have seen a fundamental realignment of British politics, a generational shift, in which the default setting of “vote Tory” has been reset. » | Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats and MP for Kingston and Surbiton | Friday, December 17, 2021
Boris Johnson accepts responsibility for North Shropshire byelection mauling: PM says he hears what voters are saying, but blames media for focusing on politics and politicians »
North Shropshire, Peppagate and partygate put Boris Johnson in peril: Analysis: a series of self-inflicted reversals is steadily undermining the prime minister’s hold on power »
As the nights draw in and the days grow shorter, the people of North Shropshire have lit a flame of hope to brighten our nation.
The Liberal Democrats have defeated Boris Johnson in Shropshire, just as we did in Buckinghamshire in June. Two heartland Tory constituencies, more than 150 miles apart, written off as foregone conclusions at every past election. Until now.
My party has shown that the Conservatives can be beaten anywhere – because across the villages, towns and cities of our country, people are fed up and angry.
Throughout the North Shropshire campaign, I spoke to lifelong Conservative voters who had decided enough was enough. Many told me loud and clear – they will never vote Tory again.
In North Shropshire and earlier this year in Chesham and Amersham we have seen a fundamental realignment of British politics, a generational shift, in which the default setting of “vote Tory” has been reset. » | Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats and MP for Kingston and Surbiton | Friday, December 17, 2021
Boris Johnson accepts responsibility for North Shropshire byelection mauling: PM says he hears what voters are saying, but blames media for focusing on politics and politicians »
North Shropshire, Peppagate and partygate put Boris Johnson in peril: Analysis: a series of self-inflicted reversals is steadily undermining the prime minister’s hold on power »
NastassjaCanCook: Zabaglione / Zabaione, Italian Egg Custard with Marsala | Special Celebration Dessert.
Dec 17, 2021 • The Italians love their desserts, but when there is a special gathering or celebration, then the special effort is made. So, for that Christmas Dinner, we are making Zabaglione!
INGREDIENTS:
5 egg yolks
100g/3½oz caster (superfine) sugar
100ml (or less)
½ cup Marsala or sweet sherry
Amaretto cookies to serve.
(Please keep in mind that Marsala has a very strong flavor, so if you not familiar with it, use less in this recipe)
This dessert has some variations:
Variation #1: Any other type of liqueur can be used instead of Marsala. Use 1tbsp of Amaretto or Frangelico.
Variation #2: Serve with berries like raspberries or strawberries and add whipped cream on top.
METHOD:
Separate the eggs. (We only need ythe olks.) Add sugar and start whipping the egg yolks until the mixture is pale yellow, doubles in size and all the sugar has dissolved (about 5 minutes).
Gradually add the Marsala and mix. Bring water to a simmer in a pot that will fit your mixing bowl. (The bowl should not touch the water.) Place mixing bowl on the bain-marie (double boiler) and continue mixing. Cook the egg custard until it thickens (about 10 minutes).
Spoon out into clear glasses and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or you can enjoy it warm).
Decorate and serve with Amaretto cookies! What a beautiful dessert! Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS:
5 egg yolks
100g/3½oz caster (superfine) sugar
100ml (or less)
½ cup Marsala or sweet sherry
Amaretto cookies to serve.
(Please keep in mind that Marsala has a very strong flavor, so if you not familiar with it, use less in this recipe)
This dessert has some variations:
Variation #1: Any other type of liqueur can be used instead of Marsala. Use 1tbsp of Amaretto or Frangelico.
Variation #2: Serve with berries like raspberries or strawberries and add whipped cream on top.
METHOD:
Separate the eggs. (We only need ythe olks.) Add sugar and start whipping the egg yolks until the mixture is pale yellow, doubles in size and all the sugar has dissolved (about 5 minutes).
Gradually add the Marsala and mix. Bring water to a simmer in a pot that will fit your mixing bowl. (The bowl should not touch the water.) Place mixing bowl on the bain-marie (double boiler) and continue mixing. Cook the egg custard until it thickens (about 10 minutes).
Spoon out into clear glasses and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or you can enjoy it warm).
Decorate and serve with Amaretto cookies! What a beautiful dessert! Enjoy!
German Government Considering Classifying UK 'Virus Variant Area', Meaning Travellers Would Be Required to Quarantine
THE GUARDIAN: The German government is looking into whether the UK should be classified as a “virus variant area”, reports Reuters, following the rapid rise of Omicron in the country.
Classification as a virus variant area would mean that travellers arriving in Germany from the UK would be required to quarantine for two weeks, even if they are vaccinated.
A spokesperson for the health ministry said the government is expected to make a decision later today. » |Miranda Bryant (now); Jedidajah Otte and Samantha Lock (earlier) | Friday, Dece,ber 17, 2021
Classification as a virus variant area would mean that travellers arriving in Germany from the UK would be required to quarantine for two weeks, even if they are vaccinated.
A spokesperson for the health ministry said the government is expected to make a decision later today. » |Miranda Bryant (now); Jedidajah Otte and Samantha Lock (earlier) | Friday, Dece,ber 17, 2021
Boris Johnson - Dishonesty, Incompetence and Self-obsession Are Finally Bringing Him Down
North Shropshire Byelection: Liberal Democrats Win Former Safe Tory Seat in Blow to Johnson
THE GUARDIAN: Helen Morgan wins seat the Conservatives have held for almost 200 years in a byelection called after environment secretary Owen Paterson resigned
The Liberal Democrats have won a stunning victory in the North Shropshire byelection, taking what had previously been a safe Conservative seat by a margin of nearly 6,000 votes, and capping a disastrous few weeks for Boris Johnson.
Helen Morgan, the Lib Dem candidate, won 17,957 votes, ahead of the Conservatives’ Neil Shastri-Hurst, on 12,032, a majority of 5,925. Labour’s Ben Wood was third, with 3,686 votes. Turnout was 46.3%.
The calamitous collapse in Conservative support – a 34% swing in a seat where they had a near-23,000 majority in 2019 – will prompt significant jitters among many Tory MPs, and is likely to raise questions about Johnson’s future.
It was a swing even greater than the 25% seen last June when the Lib Dems won the Chesham and Amersham byelection.
North Shropshire was seen as a notably greater challenge for the party, given it is a largely rural and strongly pro-Brexit constituency, one which has been Tory for all but two of the past 189 years, from 1904 to 1906. Morgan fought the seat in 2019 and came third, with 10% support. With video » | Peter Walker Political correspondent | Friday, December 17, 2021
At last, some good news! A drubbing for BoJo, the corrupt clown! Get these Brexit-loving, anti-EU Tories out of office! Kick them into the long grass! They belong to a bygone age and they are destroying this once proud nation. They are unpatriotic, over-privileged chancers! – © Mark
Tories lose North Shropshire seat they held for nearly 200 years: The Conservatives have lost the North Shropshire seat they held for nearly 200 years to the Liberal Democrats in a by-election blow to Boris Johnson. »
Royaume-Uni: le parti de Boris Johnson largement battu lors d'une législative partielle : La candidate du parti libéral démocrate Helen Morgan s'est imposée avec près de 6.000 voix d'avance dans ce fief conservateur. Un camouflet pour le premier ministre britannique. »
Schlappe für Boris Johnson und die Tories: Wie sehr der britische Premier nach einigen Affären um seine Partei und Regierung im Stimmungstief steckt, zeigt die Neubesetzung eines Parlamentssitzes. Eine Liberaldemokratin erobert den sonst stramm konservativen Wahlkreis. »
Britain’s Conservatives Lose ‘Safe’ Seat, Dealing Blow to Boris Johnson »
Debakel für Boris Johnson: Die Tories verlieren einen Wahlkreis nach über 200 Jahren an die Liberaldemokraten »
North Shropshire byelection earthquake delivers unhappy Christmas for Boris Johnson: Analysis: PM’s aides will be alarmed by the outcome and his MPs will be wondering: if the Tories can lose such a safe seat, what does it mean for them? »
Au Royaume-Uni, le parti de Boris Johnson sévèrement battu dans une législative partielle : Le LibDem, parti europhile, l’emporte dans le North Shropshire, une circonscription rurale normalement acquise aux conservateurs. »
'One more strike and Boris is OUT': Christmas nightmare for 'failed' PM as he faces Tory meltdown after by-election 'earthquake' saw 23,000 majority in true-blue, Brexit-backing North Shropshire routed by Lib Dems: Tories turn on Boris Johnson after 'earthquake' by-election defeat in previously rock-solid North Shropshire / MPs say result a 'referendum' on PM and warning he will face a leadership challenge unless things improve / Owen Paterson held seat with a huge 23,000 majority in 2019 and it was strongly Leave in 2016 referendum / But in a stunning turnaround Lib Dem Helen Morgan was elected to heap more pressure on the Prime Minister »
The Liberal Democrats have won a stunning victory in the North Shropshire byelection, taking what had previously been a safe Conservative seat by a margin of nearly 6,000 votes, and capping a disastrous few weeks for Boris Johnson.
Helen Morgan, the Lib Dem candidate, won 17,957 votes, ahead of the Conservatives’ Neil Shastri-Hurst, on 12,032, a majority of 5,925. Labour’s Ben Wood was third, with 3,686 votes. Turnout was 46.3%.
The calamitous collapse in Conservative support – a 34% swing in a seat where they had a near-23,000 majority in 2019 – will prompt significant jitters among many Tory MPs, and is likely to raise questions about Johnson’s future.
It was a swing even greater than the 25% seen last June when the Lib Dems won the Chesham and Amersham byelection.
North Shropshire was seen as a notably greater challenge for the party, given it is a largely rural and strongly pro-Brexit constituency, one which has been Tory for all but two of the past 189 years, from 1904 to 1906. Morgan fought the seat in 2019 and came third, with 10% support. With video » | Peter Walker Political correspondent | Friday, December 17, 2021
At last, some good news! A drubbing for BoJo, the corrupt clown! Get these Brexit-loving, anti-EU Tories out of office! Kick them into the long grass! They belong to a bygone age and they are destroying this once proud nation. They are unpatriotic, over-privileged chancers! – © Mark
Tories lose North Shropshire seat they held for nearly 200 years: The Conservatives have lost the North Shropshire seat they held for nearly 200 years to the Liberal Democrats in a by-election blow to Boris Johnson. »
Royaume-Uni: le parti de Boris Johnson largement battu lors d'une législative partielle : La candidate du parti libéral démocrate Helen Morgan s'est imposée avec près de 6.000 voix d'avance dans ce fief conservateur. Un camouflet pour le premier ministre britannique. »
Schlappe für Boris Johnson und die Tories: Wie sehr der britische Premier nach einigen Affären um seine Partei und Regierung im Stimmungstief steckt, zeigt die Neubesetzung eines Parlamentssitzes. Eine Liberaldemokratin erobert den sonst stramm konservativen Wahlkreis. »
Britain’s Conservatives Lose ‘Safe’ Seat, Dealing Blow to Boris Johnson »
Debakel für Boris Johnson: Die Tories verlieren einen Wahlkreis nach über 200 Jahren an die Liberaldemokraten »
North Shropshire byelection earthquake delivers unhappy Christmas for Boris Johnson: Analysis: PM’s aides will be alarmed by the outcome and his MPs will be wondering: if the Tories can lose such a safe seat, what does it mean for them? »
Au Royaume-Uni, le parti de Boris Johnson sévèrement battu dans une législative partielle : Le LibDem, parti europhile, l’emporte dans le North Shropshire, une circonscription rurale normalement acquise aux conservateurs. »
'One more strike and Boris is OUT': Christmas nightmare for 'failed' PM as he faces Tory meltdown after by-election 'earthquake' saw 23,000 majority in true-blue, Brexit-backing North Shropshire routed by Lib Dems: Tories turn on Boris Johnson after 'earthquake' by-election defeat in previously rock-solid North Shropshire / MPs say result a 'referendum' on PM and warning he will face a leadership challenge unless things improve / Owen Paterson held seat with a huge 23,000 majority in 2019 and it was strongly Leave in 2016 referendum / But in a stunning turnaround Lib Dem Helen Morgan was elected to heap more pressure on the Prime Minister »
Thursday, December 16, 2021
A Beautiful Kiss before the Pandemic.
Assaut contre le Capitole: l’étau se resserre sur Donald Trump
LE FIGARO : RÉCIT - La commission d’enquête veut entendre Mark Meadows, son ultime chef de cabinet.
Mark Meadows pensait avoir évité le pire en partageant près de 9000 documents personnels avec le Congrès. Le dernier chef de cabinet de Donald Trump espérait ainsi éviter une convocation en bonne et due forme devant la commission d’enquête sur l’attaque du Capitole, le 6 janvier 2021, par des centaines de supporteurs du président sortant et de militants d’extrême droite (9 morts, dont 4 suicides ultérieurs).
Lors d’un vote réunissant mardi soir 220 démocrates et 2 républicains, la Chambre des représentants l’a accusé d’entrave au Congrès et a saisi le ministère de la Justice de son cas. Si l’Attorney general, Merrick Garland, suivait cette recommandation, des poursuites pénales seraient engagées contre Meadows, à l’instar d’un autre témoin clé récalcitrant, Steve Bannon, condamné le 12 novembre, incarcéré le 15 puis libéré sous caution en attendant son procès. » | Par Maurin Picard | jeudi 16 décembre 2021
Réservé aux abonnés
À LIRE AUSSI :
Comment Donald Trump a assisté imperturbable à l’assaut du Capitole : GRAND RÉCIT - Alors que ses partisans donnaient l’assaut au siège du Parlement américain, le président sortant était fasciné face aux images de télévision. »
Wie Corona Gesellschaft und Politik verändert | Im Gespräch | Sternstunde Philosophie | SRF Kultur
Camille Saint-Saëns - Der Unergründliche | Doku HD | ARTE
Jeremy and Randy | Excommunicated for Falling in Love
Van Drivers in UK Will Need New Operating Licences to Enter EU from May
THE GUARDIAN: Latest Brexit red tape will come into force alongside a series of further checks at Dover and other ports
Van drivers will be required to get new international operating licences if they want to travel back and forth to the EU from May next year, the government has announced.
The additional red tape will come into force next year alongside a series of further checks at Dover and other ports that were delayed three times in 2021 because of lack of preparation for Brexit in Great Britain.
According to updates on the gov.uk website, anyone driving a van, a light commercial vehicle or any car towing a trailer will be required to have a “goods vehicle operator licence” to enter the EU, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein or Switzerland from May.
The licence will cost van drivers up to £1,100, a significant burden for solo operators, industry leaders said.
Drivers will have to fork out £257 in an application fee and a further £401 for the licence. Another £401 “continuation fee” will be payable every five years to retain the licence, according to gov.uk. » | Lisa O'Carroll Brexit correspondent | Thursday, December 16, 2021
Those Brexit “sunny uplands” aren’t so sunny after all, Brexiteers, are they? But don’t worry! At least you’ve got your blue passports back. – © Mark
Van drivers will be required to get new international operating licences if they want to travel back and forth to the EU from May next year, the government has announced.
The additional red tape will come into force next year alongside a series of further checks at Dover and other ports that were delayed three times in 2021 because of lack of preparation for Brexit in Great Britain.
According to updates on the gov.uk website, anyone driving a van, a light commercial vehicle or any car towing a trailer will be required to have a “goods vehicle operator licence” to enter the EU, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein or Switzerland from May.
The licence will cost van drivers up to £1,100, a significant burden for solo operators, industry leaders said.
Drivers will have to fork out £257 in an application fee and a further £401 for the licence. Another £401 “continuation fee” will be payable every five years to retain the licence, according to gov.uk. » | Lisa O'Carroll Brexit correspondent | Thursday, December 16, 2021
Those Brexit “sunny uplands” aren’t so sunny after all, Brexiteers, are they? But don’t worry! At least you’ve got your blue passports back. – © Mark
Queen Cancels Pre-Christmas Family Lunch as Covid Cases Soar
THE GUARDIAN: Decision understood to be precaution to prevent putting people’s Christmas plans at risk
This Christmas is the Queen’s first since the death of Prince Philip. Photograph: Joe Giddens/PA
The Queen has cancelled her traditional pre-Christmas family party for the second year running, as the Omicron variant sends Covid cases soaring.
The 95-year-old monarch was reported on Wednesday to be determined to press on with the lunch at Windsor Castle, at which she was expected to host 50 or so members of her extended family, including Prince Charles and Camilla.
But on Thursday, she agreed that it would be irresponsible to go ahead, with a source suggesting the party could put too many people’s Christmas arrangements at risk.
This Christmas is the Queen’s first since the death of the Duke of Edinburgh, her husband of 73 years. Last year’s gathering was also scrapped because of the Covid crisis. » | Amelia Hill | Thursday, December 16, 2021
Queen Elizabeth cancels traditional pre-Christmas lunch as cases surge in England. »
The Queen has cancelled her traditional pre-Christmas family party for the second year running, as the Omicron variant sends Covid cases soaring.
The 95-year-old monarch was reported on Wednesday to be determined to press on with the lunch at Windsor Castle, at which she was expected to host 50 or so members of her extended family, including Prince Charles and Camilla.
But on Thursday, she agreed that it would be irresponsible to go ahead, with a source suggesting the party could put too many people’s Christmas arrangements at risk.
This Christmas is the Queen’s first since the death of the Duke of Edinburgh, her husband of 73 years. Last year’s gathering was also scrapped because of the Covid crisis. » | Amelia Hill | Thursday, December 16, 2021
Queen Elizabeth cancels traditional pre-Christmas lunch as cases surge in England. »
Covid-19 : la France va restreindre l'accès aux voyageurs en provenance du Royaume-Uni
LE FIGARO : LE POINT SUR LA SITUATION - Nouvelles mesures, nouveaux bilans et faits marquants : Le Figaro fait le point sur les dernières évolutions de la pandémie de Covid-19.
Restrictions pour les voyageurs en provenance du Royaume-Uni, le Maroc ferme ses frontières, un nouveau retard pour le candidat vaccin Sanofi et 93 milliards de dollars pour soutenir les pays les plus pauvres... Le Figaro fait le point ce jeudi 16 décembre sur les dernières informations liées à la pandémie de Covid-19.
Nouveau tour de vis. La France va durcir les conditions d'accès pour les voyageurs en provenance du Royaume-Uni afin de limiter la propagation du variant Omicron, a annoncé jeudi le porte-parole du gouvernement Gabriel Attal. Concrètement, les voyageurs devront s'enregistrer et la validité des tests pour se rendre en France depuis le Royaume-Uni va être réduite de 48 heures à 24 heures. Les motifs de voyage seront en outre «limités aux résidents (français) et à leurs familles», a-t-il précisé sur BFMTV et RMC. Les déplacements de «tourisme ou professionnels pour des personnes qui ne sont pas résidentes en France seront limités». » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | jeudi 16 décembre 2021
France to tighten Covid restrictions on travel from Omicron-hit UK: Government says travel will be limited to ‘essential purposes’ for vaccinated and unvaccinated »
Restrictions pour les voyageurs en provenance du Royaume-Uni, le Maroc ferme ses frontières, un nouveau retard pour le candidat vaccin Sanofi et 93 milliards de dollars pour soutenir les pays les plus pauvres... Le Figaro fait le point ce jeudi 16 décembre sur les dernières informations liées à la pandémie de Covid-19.
Nouveau tour de vis. La France va durcir les conditions d'accès pour les voyageurs en provenance du Royaume-Uni afin de limiter la propagation du variant Omicron, a annoncé jeudi le porte-parole du gouvernement Gabriel Attal. Concrètement, les voyageurs devront s'enregistrer et la validité des tests pour se rendre en France depuis le Royaume-Uni va être réduite de 48 heures à 24 heures. Les motifs de voyage seront en outre «limités aux résidents (français) et à leurs familles», a-t-il précisé sur BFMTV et RMC. Les déplacements de «tourisme ou professionnels pour des personnes qui ne sont pas résidentes en France seront limités». » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | jeudi 16 décembre 2021
France to tighten Covid restrictions on travel from Omicron-hit UK: Government says travel will be limited to ‘essential purposes’ for vaccinated and unvaccinated »
Wednesday, December 15, 2021
Seong-Jin Cho - Chopin: Ballade No.1 In G Minor, Op.23 | Yellow Lounge
Fed Eyes 3 Rate Increases in 2022; Slows Stimulus as Prices Rise
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Federal Reserve officials suggested as many as three interest rate increases in 2022 as the economy heals and inflation persists.
“I think the risk of higher inflation has increased,” Jerome H. Powell, the Federal Reserve chair, said while testifying before Congress last month. | Sarahbeth Maney/The New York Times
Federal Reserve policymakers on Wednesday said they will cut back on their stimulus more quickly at a moment of rapid inflation and strong economic growth, capping a challenging year with a pronounced policy pivot that could usher in higher interest rates in 2022.
A policy statement and a fresh set of economic projections released by the central bank detailed a more rapid end to the monthly bond-buying that the Fed has been using throughout the pandemic to keep money chugging through markets and to bolster growth.
Officials are slashing their purchases by twice as much as they had announced last month, a pace that would put them on track to end the program altogether in March. That decision came “in light of inflation developments and the further improvement in the labor market,” according to the policy statement.
Fed Chair Jerome H. Powell, speaking at a news conference following the Fed’s meeting, said a “strengthening labor market and elevated inflation pressures” prompted the central bank to speed up the reductions in asset purchases. » | Jeanna Smialek | Wednesday, December 15, 2021
Federal Reserve policymakers on Wednesday said they will cut back on their stimulus more quickly at a moment of rapid inflation and strong economic growth, capping a challenging year with a pronounced policy pivot that could usher in higher interest rates in 2022.
A policy statement and a fresh set of economic projections released by the central bank detailed a more rapid end to the monthly bond-buying that the Fed has been using throughout the pandemic to keep money chugging through markets and to bolster growth.
Officials are slashing their purchases by twice as much as they had announced last month, a pace that would put them on track to end the program altogether in March. That decision came “in light of inflation developments and the further improvement in the labor market,” according to the policy statement.
Fed Chair Jerome H. Powell, speaking at a news conference following the Fed’s meeting, said a “strengthening labor market and elevated inflation pressures” prompted the central bank to speed up the reductions in asset purchases. » | Jeanna Smialek | Wednesday, December 15, 2021
Mark Meadows Held in Contempt of Congress as Jan. 6 Probe Expands. How Long Can Trump Hold Out?
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