EU-UK deal represents a major breakthrough, says leader of farmers' union
Michelle O'Neill said there had been an 'improved relationship' between London and Brussels
A new landmark deal between the EU and UK represents 'a major step forward for Northern Ireland's agri-food industry', the Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) has said.
The sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement relates to aspects of food, fishing, defence and passports and will see fewer checks on some goods moving from Great Britain to NI as part of the Prime Minister's Brexit reset.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
35 minutes ago
- Metro
Does money seem to be the hardest word? Here's how to handle talking about it
When it comes to personal conversations, money is still one of the hardest topics to discuss with friends, partners and family. A new study from savings app Plum puts financial questions such as 'What is your salary?' and 'How much do you have in savings?' at the top of a list of most awkward questions to ask, while money topics such as debt and credit ratings take up four of the top 10 spots in 'conversation topics to avoid' – along with President Trump and Brexit. But while most of us steer clear of chatting about our finances, research from the Money and Pensions Service shows that those who can broach the subject end up better off. Money talkers make less risky decisions and feel less stressed, the study shows. 'Building money conversations into our everyday lives helps us to build financial confidence and resilience,' says Becky O'Connor, director of public affairs at PensionBee. So how can we have these money conversations profitably and securely? We asked the money experts for their top tips for various scenarios. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video We've all been there. A lovely meal out with friends can leave a nasty taste in the mouth when it comes to sharing the bill. Sometimes the most difficult conversations about money can be the smallest ones, says financial adviser Rebecca Penny, who runs Planit Financial. That includes conversations over splitting the bill over dinner if you have only had the starter and everyone else has splashed out on steak and lobster. Many of us stay silent as the bill arrives. The solution: tackle it one-on-one, says Rebecca, who believes a 'quiet word in the ear of the person organising the meal in advance can work wonders. If you really feel you can't have the conversation, she also suggests a non-talking strategy – just slipping to the bathroom close to the end of the meal and settling your part of the bill directly with the restaurant staff on the way back. Financial situations can make or break a relationship, whether at an early stage or later on, before you move in together. But sitting down to discuss salary, existing debts and your attitude towards spending and saving can seem excruciating, not to mention a bit of a passion killer. Money coach Lesley Thomas, who runs the Money Confidence Academy, says that it is natural to feel awkward about having this conversation. 'It can feel invasive or trigger shame or comparison,' she says. She adds that it's not a conversation to have on the first date, but also cautions those in new relationships not to wait too long. 'Timing matters,' she says. 'Wait until trust is being built, but don't wait too long, especially if the relationship is getting serious.' The solution: Get the tone right and use curiosity as a tool, says Lesley. 'Don't treat it like a test, treat it like shared data. You're not just asking, you're aligning values. Use curiosity, not interrogation.' Lesley also advises sharing your own situation first. 'I've got a student loan and a credit card I'm paying off slowly. How about you?' might be a fair opening gambit, she believes. If one of you is in financial difficulty, or times are tight, it can be hard to broach the subject even if you've been together for years. It's easy for it to lead to recriminations or regret and can make the problem worse, not better, if not well-tackled. 'You have every right to be upset but try not to let it derail your efforts to find a solution together,' says Sarah Coles, personal finance expert at DIY investment group Hargreaves Lansdown. 'There's nothing to be gained from a shouting match.' The solution: Find the right time. 'You can't rush some of these sensitive conversations, so find a time that works for you both,' says Sarah. She also suggests that running through the conversation in your head first can help with preparation. 'Consider how to introduce the subject thoughtfully and think about how they might feel and respond. Don't let this be an excuse for putting it off, but it can help to have plotted a way through the more difficult aspects of the conversation.' Above all, though, tell the whole truth, so that you don't have to have the conversation again with more resentment on both sides later. 'This is not the time to fudge the truth or hold things back,' she says. 'If it all emerges over time, they'll feel you weren't being honest, and it makes it much harder to help if they only have half the truth. It's not going to be pleasant but rip that plaster off.' Being on the same page with a potential flatmate is important early on, otherwise you'll be in for an awkward time with unpaid bills, empty fridges and a potentially trashed credit score. But if you're dealing with an acquaintance or someone you barely know, sorting out the ground rules can feel like a minefield. The solution: Polly Arrowsmith, accountant and cost of living specialist, suggests having this conversation when you sign the lease agreement, rather than waiting until it all goes wrong. 'While it may seem overkill, it is helpful to write down your agreements and sign and date them. 'Do this when everyone feels good about the flat share, and refer back to it if a disagreement happens,' she says. If someone is not paying their share, she suggests addressing it calmly. 'Talk with heart, and not anger. Listen to them,' she says. Conversations about money with ageing parents can also be a flashpoint, as there's not only care costs and inheritance to consider, but also who will manage their money if they cannot. Conversations at these ages might cover things like setting up a lasting power of attorney (LPA), both for finances and healthcare, to cover incapacity, as well as tricky discussions around wills, legacies and tax. Alex Gaita, financial planning director at Schroders Personal Wealth, says getting financial affairs in order in this way is 'something many of us put off'. 'It can be quite a difficult topic,' he says. More Trending The Solution: Shift to the positive. Focusing on the money negatives as families get older makes conversations hard to have. Alex says that when he shifts the conversation to differences that older people can make with their money in the future years, the talk lightens and families can get excited. 'When I speak to clients about how their money could help the next generation – from their children, even to their great-grandchildren's future – the conversation shifts. 'They start to think not just about what they've built, but about the legacy they want to leave.' View More » MORE: OCD left me convinced condoms didn't work — sex was terrifying MORE: 'Everyone asks what fragrance I'm wearing – it's this little-known niche perfume' MORE: Readers defend the government's U-turn on winter fuel payments Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
Trump 'gold card' is open for business. Waitlist is open
Trump has said that he is not seeking approval from Congress as he is not providing gold card buyers with citizenship - only a path to citizenship. The path to citizenship requirements for card buyers are unclear and White House officials have said more details will be provided soon. The most common path to U.S. citizenship through naturalization is being a lawful permanent resident for at least five years. It requires the applicant to be least 18 years old when they apply, be able to read, write, and speak basic English (depending on age) and be of "good moral character." Trump has described the card, which he has also dubbed the Trump card, as "somewhat like a green card, but at a higher level of sophistication." "FOR FIVE MILLION $DOLLARS, THE TRUMP CARD IS COMING!," President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social on June 11. "Thousands have been calling and asking how they can sign up to ride a beautiful road in gaining access to the Greatest Country and Market anywhere in the World." The website shows an image of the gold-colored card, emblazoned with a likeness of Trump's face, and asks a few questions including name, region, email address and if an applicant is applying for themselves or as a business. The new website asks interested people to fill out a form that specifies eight regions: Europe, Asia (including Middle East), North America, Oceania, Central America, South America, Caribbean and Africa. Other countries also offer immigration programs that offers permanent residency or citizenship to foreign investors in exchange for investment. Portugal, for example, offers residency and a path to EU citizenship after five years. When he first floated the idea in February, Trump said the card would replace the "EB-5" immigrant investor green card visa program, The EB-5 visa allows immigrant investors the option to invest between $800,000 and $1.05 million to obtain a green card. The investment money is used to help create or preserve U.S. jobs. "Wealthy people will be coming into our country by buying this card," Trump said in February. "They'll be wealthy, and they'll be successful, and they'll be spending a lot of money, and paying a lot of taxes and employing a lot of people." "It's a road to citizenship for people and essentially people of wealth or people of great talent where people of wealth pay for those people of talent to get in," he said. Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a White House correspondent for USA TODAY. You can follow her on X @SwapnaVenugopal
Scotsman
2 hours ago
- Scotsman
Reflections on populism, as Tory political black hole puts democracy at risk
PA Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Putting Nigel Farage back in his box may require more than just exposing the shortcomings of populist leaders now causing electoral upsets and mayhem throughout Western democracies. The Hamilton by-election produced a Labour victory. The SNP identified the wrong opponent and lost. The Tories just collapsed. The Reform Party though, confirmed the danger that they pose to our country courtesy of an electoral system built for another age and a political black hole created by 14 years of a soulless and reckless Tory Government. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Hidden from public view until polling day in Scotland, populism, a seemingly innocuous term and very much of English origin, via UKIP and the Brexit party, has now emerged as a frightening reminder of a political idea which is now tearing America apart and overwhelming any idea of democracy and justice. The Scottish by-election and the recent elections in England should be a wake up call for the traditional or progressive parties in the UK who are in need themselves of 'reform' based on a deeper understanding of a changing electorate. The political black hole left by the last Tory Government, reflects their running of Britain into the ground, souring the mood of electors and paving the way for populism to take hold. What is crucial, is not just the austerity, national decline, diminishing expectations, economic stagnation and the savaging of the public realm , but the erosion of trust and respect for politics resulting in a bitter, angry, insecure electorate exhibiting all the signs of low mood, a negative psyche, and a political Zeitgeist requiring a new spirit for a new age refurbishing our beliefs, attitudes, feelings and values, a new driving force reflecting new concerns and aspirations of a different future. This is vital if we are to deal with the much more frightening and damaging legacy. Rachel Reeves successfully used the term, financial black hole to fix in the minds of electors the extent of the financial carnage facing the new Government. Progressives now need to use and understand the term, 'political black hole' if we are to confront the crisis in our politics, and the stress being imposed upon our democracy. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Sounds alarmist but there is evidence everywhere of complacency and the familiar refrain of 'it couldn't happen here' despite populism and authoritarianism finding expression today in the form of American troops on the streets of Los Angeles. We need a vision of the future that inspires and offers solutions to our more intractable problems and restores trust in our politics and politicians. Any sense of alienation can find a home in Populist parties. For progressive parties, a period of reflection would make more sense than being tempted to drift to the right and compete with the divisive ideas of the Reform Party. The 'scunner' factor is creating doubts about the relevance of our traditional politics to the daily lives of electors. Entertaining the idea of a cult leader should be deeply offensive to supporters of democracy. Deep seams of discontent could be easily mined, by Farage who is the consummate opportunist, a predator circling for political prey. There are however other issues which may more reliably explain our vulnerable democracy and the ramshackle nature of our electoral system. Evidence abounds of an ancient electoral system not fit for modern day purposes and an electorate weary and dissatisfied with political outcomes. Too often we cast electors in a series of political dramas but they feel sidelined in what should be about them and at times feeling more like the victims of politics not the beneficiaries. Policies often lack stories or messaging or relevance of where people fit in? The discourse at Westminster is often perceived as too complex, technocratic, managerial, London centric, and lost in complex issues such as AI, Growth, Gender and GDP where a lack of inclusive or illustrative narratives are alienating people. Westminster is making few concessions to the idea of four nation politics. And we still live in an over centralised Union. The missteps by the Government in its early stages undoubtedly undermined the Labour Party creed and brand. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad There are however deep seated long term issues that must be addressed, in particular the voting system. The 'First past the Post,' method of electing MPs is antiquated and undemocratic and could be a dangerous entry vehicle for populists. In July 2024, the Labour government was elected with a landslide of 412 MPs out of the total number of 650 MPs in the House of Commons. But this was achieved with only 9.7 million votes out of a total of 48 million people in the UK registered and eligible to vote. Labour gained 20 per cent of the total eligible vote and 30 percent of those who did vote: this means that nearly 40 million people didn't vote Labour or didn't bother to vote! Reform won 5 seats, with over 4 million votes the Conservative party with nearly 7 million votes won 121 seats. Our electoral process can deliver a huge majority of seats in the House of Commons on the back of a minority of voters in the country. None of this makes sense and remains a key issue in our weakening democracy. Westminster represents constituencies but doesn't reflect the people. It provides a reminder of what a party like Reform could achieve, with a deeply divided country, the collapse of Tory party and a fragile and less trusting electorate. This is why progressive parties must build consensus politics. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Turnout also matters. The 2024 Westminster election turnout of 59.4 was the second lowest since 1918. A record high of 83.9% was achieved in 1950. The Scottish Parliament by-election in Hamilton had a turnout of 44.2 percent of those eligible to vote. For some this was a decent outcome but surely after an intensely fought campaign, a figure of nearly 60 percent not bothering to vote is an indictment of a failed voting and political system and ultimately our democracy. Our electoral system favours the two main parties. What is happening in Europe requires a wake up call to recognise that populism inevitably leads to authoritarianism, and a threat to
