Developing

UK Politics

  • Osborne to unveil future of state-controlled banks David Milliken and Matt Scuffham - Reuters - Wed, Jun 19, 2013
    Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne arrives to speak at a news conference at the conclusion of the IMF mission in London

    By David Milliken and Matt Scuffham LONDON (Reuters) - The fate of Britain's two state-controlled banks will become clearer on Wednesday, when Chancellor George Osborne is likely to start the clock ticking for the sale of the government's stakes. But while Osborne will attempt to point to a healthier future for Britain's …

  • Russia's Putin torpedoes G8 efforts to oust Assad Andrew Osborn and Maria Golovnina - Reuters - Tue, Jun 18, 2013
    Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron has a group photograph taken with G8 leaders at the Lough Erne golf resort in Enniskillen

    By Andrew Osborn and Maria Golovnina ENNISKILLEN, Northern Ireland (Reuters) - Russia's Vladimir Putin derailed Barack Obama's efforts to win backing for the downfall of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad at a G8 summit on Tuesday, warning the West that arms supplied to the rebels could be used for attacks on European soil. …

  • ENNISKILLEN, Northern Ireland (Reuters) - The United States is right to decide to hold peace talks with the Taliban on Afghanistan, although the process will be difficult, Prime Minister David Cameron said on Tuesday. U.S. officials said earlier that the first formal meeting involving U.S. and Taliban representatives is …

  • G8: Cameron gets his Syria plan – but what did he sacrifice?

    David Cameron claimed to have secured a substantial achievement on Syria today, after he emerged from the G8 summit with a seven point plan agreed by all the leaders present.

  • So much for expectations management: UK triumphant over G8 tax transparency deal

    G8 leaders are set to agree a sweeping agreement to improve tax transparency, George Osborne has declared, as negotiations continue in Lough Erne.

  • Cameron wants Syria peace plan, with or without Russia Andrew Osborn - Reuters - Mon, Jun 17, 2013

    By Andrew Osborn ENNISKILLEN, Northern Ireland (Reuters) - Prime Minister David Cameron wants Russian President Vladimir Putin to sign up to what he hopes will become an international peace plan to end the conflict in Syria but may have to press ahead without him, British officials said on Monday. Cameron was planning to …

  • European Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud Semeta speaks to media next to Swiss Finance Minister Widmer-Schlumpf in Bern

    BERNE (Reuters) - The European Union official in charge of tax policy tried to persuade Switzerland on Monday to agree to surrender more information about clients of its big banking industry as part of a drive to combat tax evasion. Commissioner Algirdas Semeta's meeting with Swiss Finance Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf …

  • Wikileaks founder Julian Assange gestures as he appears to speak from the balcony of Ecuador's embassy in London

    LONDON (Reuters) - Talks between Britain and Ecuador ended with no breakthrough over Julian Assange, the British Foreign Office said on Monday, nearly a year after the WikiLeaks founder fled to the Ecuadorean embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden. But Foreign Secretary William Hague and his Ecuadorean counterpart, …

  • LONDON (Reuters) - Britain said on Monday it hoped the new Iranian government would make efforts to reach a negotiated settlement on its nuclear programme following the election of Hassan Rohani. British foreign secretary William Hague said efforts to reach a settlement would be met "in good faith" by Britain, adding that …

  • Big spender: Cameron leaves £50 tip for £45 meal Politics.co.uk - Mon, Jun 17, 2013
    Big spender: Cameron leaves £50 tip for £45 meal

    David Cameron reportedly left a £50 tip for a £45 meal in Pizza Express last night, in a move which might wipe away memories of his failure to tip an Italian waitress.

  • Britain blinks first in Syria showdown Politics.co.uk - Mon, Jun 17, 2013
    Britain blinks first in Syria showdown

    David Cameron's ability to supply rebel forces in Syria with arms looked increasingly strained this morning, after Boris Johnson and other influential figures spoke out against the plan.

  • Police officers patrol a waterway in Enniskillen Northern Ireland ahead of a G8 will be held

    LONDON (Reuters) - Britain intercepted phone calls and monitored computers used by officials taking part in two high-level international finance meetings in London in 2009, a British newspaper said on Sunday. The Guardian said some delegates from countries in the Group of 20 - which comprises top economies around the world …

  • Putin warns West not to arm organ-eating Syrian rebels Alexei Anishchuk - Reuters - Sun, Jun 16, 2013
    Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron greets Russia's President Vladimir Putin in Downing Street, in central London

    By Alexei Anishchuk LONDON (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin questioned on Sunday why the West would want to arm Syrian rebels who he said ate human organs, saying plans to give them weapons contradicted basic human values. Speaking after meeting Prime Minister David Cameron in London ahead of a G8 summit on …

  • Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron greets Russia's President Vladimir Putin in Downing Street, in central London

    LONDON (Reuters) - Russia and Britain can overcome their differences on the conflict in Syria despite some disagreements, Prime Minister David Cameron said on Sunday after meeting President Vladimir Putin in London. "What I take from our conversation today is that we can overcome these differences if we recognise that we …

  • LONDON (Reuters) - The Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards, tasked with finding ways to reform Britain's banks, will this week publish its final recommendations following a near year-long inquiry. Following are profiles of the 10 members of the commission. ANDREW TYRIE, 56, CHAIRMAN (CONSERVATIVE PARTY POLITICIAN) …