On 1 January 2021, the freedom of movement of Swiss and European Economic Area (EEA) nationals to the UK will end, changing the landscape of movement rights, immigration and visas in the UK, as well as the nation’s relationship with the rest of the world.
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has pledged to publish draft legislation setting out the timescale and proposed question for a second Scottish independence referendum.
The British Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently indicated the UK should change its asylum laws and work with its “French friends” in order to prevent immigrants entering the country illegally via the English Channel.
With ministers unhappy with the way Public Health England (PHE) has responded to COVID-19, Secretary of State for Health, Matt Hancock, has announced that PHE is to be replaced.
HM Treasury’s refusal to publish a full list of recipients and the prospect of the UK government owning a portion of a “sextech” company has caused the government’s startup-supporting Future Funds scheme to be placed under further scrutiny.
The details of Boris Johnson’s “New Deal for Britain” have recently been announced with plans to produce around 45,000 new homes. The Planning for the Future project was announced as a part of Rishi Sunak’s £600bn budget for capital projects over the coming 5 years.
The Trump administration rescinds visa restrictions which would have required international students to take at least one in-person class in order to remain in the U.S. and be eligible for a student visa.
Page 48 of the 2019 Conservative manifesto contains this promise: “in our first year we will set up a Constitution, Democracy & Rights Commission”. When it was first written, the promise was, debatably, a precaution that Conservatives wanted to take in order to ensure that they could “get Brexit done” in the face of legal difficulties. The previous government had been overruled twice by the UK Supreme Court (UKSC) in relation to triggering Article 50 and the attempted prorogation (suspension) of parliament. Now, however, with a large Conservative majority, it is unknown what form this Commission will take. Some fear that the government will use it as a move to take revenge on the courts for these Brexit legal difficulties. Others consider it a necessary change in testing times.
After a marathon meeting, European leaders have agreed a €750bn package to help Europe recover economically from COVID-19. €390bn will be distributed in grants to member states that have been particularly hard hit and a further €360bn will be made available in low interest loans. Leaders also agreed a new seven-year budget which totals €1.074tn.
In response to mainland China’s passing of the National Security Act in Hong Kong, US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order ending the preferential treatment the city once enjoyed.