Latest news with #GeneralElection
Belfast Telegraph
11 hours ago
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
Former NI Secretary of State ‘thrilled' with new job away from politics
Mr Heaton-Harris first entered politics when he became a member of the European Parliament in 1999. A self-described 'fierce Eurosceptic', he served in Brussels before standing down in 2009. The following year he entered the House of Commons in what was his third attempt to win a seat. He served for a time as the Government's chief whip, Minister of State for Transport and Minister of State for Europe. Mr Heaton-Harris also chaired the European Research Group, a Eurosceptic group of Conservative MPs. He garnered controversy in 2017 when he wrote to UK universities, asking for the names of professors who taught courses on Brexit. When Liz Truss became Prime Minister in September 2022, the MP for Daventry was elevated to the post of Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, a role he retained under Rishi Sunak when he entered 10 Downing Street in October 2022. The post has long be seen as one of the less glamorous Cabinet positions. Mr Heaton-Harris was not without his critics during his time as Northern Ireland Secretary, with much of his tenure covering a period when the Executive was down. He was frequently accused of kicking the can down the road when it came to efforts to get Stormont back up and running, calling an election, and cutting MLA pay. He chose not to stand for re-election in last July's General Election and, since leaving office, launched Oak Communications, a consultancy firm offering 'straightforward insight in a changing world'. It is understood Mr Heaton-Harris, a licensed football referee, also unsuccessfully applied to chair the new Independent Football Regulator in November 2024. Now the former MP has added another job to his CV by joining M2 Recovery as a senior advisor. According to the company's website, the firm's team 'comprises seasoned professionals with decades of combined experience in cybersecurity, blockchain technology, and financial services'. 'Collectively, we have many decades of experience working with the highest-profile clients on the most complex cases involving insurance, crypto asset recoveries, and crypto legal expenses insurance,' the website reads. Mr Heaton-Harris said he was 'thrilled' to join the firm. 'In my years as an MP, I dealt with many constituents devastated by the impact of fraud and witnessed the evolution of digital threats facing consumers,' he said. 'M2 Recovery's pioneering approach to restoring trust in the crypto space is exactly what this moment demands and I'm excited to be contributing to the company's rapid growth and continued success.' Neil Holloway, founder of M2 Recovery, said: 'Chris's unparalleled governance experience, from challenging financial malfeasance in Europe to steering critical political negotiations, aligns perfectly with our ethos of accountability. 'This will strengthen our ability to protect victims of increasingly personalised crypto scams, ensuring M2 Recovery remains at the vanguard of this vital sector.'
Sunday World
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
Rex Ryan says he's no longer in contact with Gerry ‘The Monk' Hutch ahead of play debut
His brand new play about the veteran criminal is set to debut next month Rex Ryan has said that he is no longer in contact with Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch ahead of his new play debuting next month. Appearing on Oliver Callan's RTE Radio One show this morning, the actor and writer said: 'I'm not chatting to him now, and I think it's probably important that I have a removal from everybody now. 'I'm in rehearsals. I'm trying to make the show, so I need to just put my head down and focus on creating a piece of theatre,' he explained. Rex Ryan (Pic Frank McGrath) and Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch (Pic Mark Condren) News in 90 Seconds - May 30th Ryan said that a comment made by Hutch during his interview on Crime World inspired part of the play, which is set five minutes before Hutch was due to receive the verdict in the 2022 Regency murder trial. 'He's sitting in the cell and he essentially goes into his mind in a prayer,' he said, explaining the plot. 'He's often referenced the fact – [and] he was asked this on the Nicola Tallant podcast– did he feel that there were angels watching over him because he survived so many [attempts on his life]? 'He survived at least two explicit attempts on his life, and he said he felt that like there was guardian angels watching over him. 'That stuck with me,' Ryan continued. 'So I took the premise of that. Some sort of angel visits him as the clock ticks, four minutes, three minutes, two minutes to go to the trial, and the angel takes him to task for key moments in his life before he goes out to the judges.' Rex, who is the son of the late Gerry Ryan, lived near Hutch in Clontarf growing up. He said they first met to discuss the play before The Monk ran as an independent candidate in the 2024 General Election. 'He's a complicated man for sure,' Ryan said when asked if there was 'more depth to him in person?' Monk poster 'I suppose anyone who's gone through what he's gone through so publicly, that has to have had some effect on how willing you are to open yourself up to anybody. 'So I imagine that he is as much of a mystery to me still,' he said. 'Being in the public eye for so long, being on trial publicly, living in that world, I can only imagine that these are, in terms of your psyche, these are really taxing things and it would be hard not to be adversely affected by that. Asked if he was 'sympathetic towards him', Rex said he would be 'sympathetic towards many people who have gone through hurt.' 'What I can't do is make a judgment when I'm trying to make the play. 'But I suppose if someone's family were murdered and you were in that world, it's certainly something that I wouldn't wish for myself or my family, and that's something that would, that would terrify me. 'He still has a threat on his life.' 'He didn't seem fearful when I met him, but once again, I think he would, he would have to be aware for the rest of his life.' 'I suppose when I'm meeting, I'm trying not to think like that because if I lean too far one way or the other, I am going to get into territory that I don't want to.' During the 52 days of evidence, the court heard testimony from various witnesses, including former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall, who claimed Hutch told him that he and another man had shot Kinahan cartel foot soldier David Byrne at the Regency hotel in 2016. Dowdall was due to stand trial for murder alongside Hutch, but turned state witness and pleaded guilty to a facilitation charge. The three-judge court found his evidence unreliable and acquitted The Monk. While he walked free from the three-judge court, his co-accused, Paul Murphy (61), of Cherry Avenue, Swords, Co Dublin and Jason Bonney (50), of Dromnigh Wood, Portmarnock, Dublin 13, were found guilty of facilitating the murder. The Monk will be performed at the Glass Mask Theatre on Dawson Street from June 10th to 21st.
New European
a day ago
- Business
- New European
When Ireland and Luxembourg saved Britain from Liz Truss
To be fair he was, as all central bank governors tend to be, very diplomatic. There are imbalances in world trade, and Brexit was not a bad idea, because it was not purely an economic decision, that kind of thing. But after those necessary caveats, he delivered a perfectly balanced argument for why Trump and Farage are wrong. He gave it both barrels. Andrew Bailey, the governor of the Bank of England, was due to give a speech in Dublin last year, but he had to drop out when the General Election was called, and maybe it is just as well he did. Because he has been back to give that speech this week – he used it to attack Trump and Brexit, remorselessly. Rather like Mark Anthony he is, you understand, not criticising the assassins; they are honourable men. It is just that when it comes to the UK's membership of the EU and Trump's attack on free trade 'The good is oft interred with their bones'. Or as the governor put it in Dublin: 'From Adam Smith onwards, it has broadly been accepted that trade supports specialisation and efficiency of production and it enables knowledge transfer, and these features support productivity and economic growth.' This is central banker talk for, 'a five-year-old knows more than Trump and the Brexiteers about trade'. Bailey continued: 'It follows that if the level of trade is lowered by some action, it will have an effect to reduce productivity growth and thus overall growth. Just as tariffs, by increasing the cost, can reduce the scale of trade, the same goes for the type of non-tariff barrier that Brexit has created.' Simply put, Trump's tariffs and Farage's Brexit are two sides of the same coin, and both are making their own countries poorer. Thank you and good night, you might think. But there is more. Without mentioning her by name, Bailey also pointed out that it was only with the cooperation of Ireland and Luxembourg that the Bank of England was able to rescue the UK's bond market from the imminent collapse caused by Liz Truss's 'mini budget'. Ouch! It seems cooperation with your friends and neighbours is a good thing. Best not mention this to Liz. She thinks Andrew Bailey is part of a global plot to do her down. 'I think powerfully,' continued the governor, 'that we should do all we can to minimise negative effects on trade.' And that while last week's reset with the EU was good news for both sides 'not enough has been done to facilitate trade in manufactured goods and in my view both sides should now be looking at what can be done'. Bailey also wants more cooperation on financial and services trade too. 'The scale of investment needed requires access to global capital, supported by open financial markets. The alternative is fragmentation, which we have unfortunately seen in the global economy in recent years'. I can only assume he means Brexit. 'As such,' he continued, 'there is merit in seeking to increase the openness of our financial markets by reducing non-tariff barriers.' To which one can only add 'Let but the commons hear this testament' – or at least the Labour government, because the governor is speaking truth to power, and he is right to do so. And let us be clear: for all his central bank diplomacy, the caveats and the careful language, Andrew Bailey went to Dublin not to praise Brexit but to bury it.
AsiaOne
a day ago
- Politics
- AsiaOne
Jalan Kayu SMC, Punggol GRC form new town councils, Singapore News
Jalan Kayu SMC and Punggol GRC have established their own town councils following the 2025 General Election. The Ministry of National Development (MND) said on Friday (May 30) that it issued an order to put into effect the setting up of 19 town councils, which were formed at the request of the wards' respective MPs. As a result of changes to electoral boundaries, which involved some areas being transferred between towns, 12 town councils have been reconstituted, said MND, adding that five of them remain unchanged both in their boundaries and names. Under the Town Councils Act, elected MPs are either to form a town for their own constituency or group up to three constituencies together to form a town. Each town should be managed by its own town council. The new Jalan Kayu Town Council, comprising the SMC won by labour chief Ng Chee Meng, will be chaired by him. A town council was last formed with just one SMC after the 2011 General Election, where PAP candidate Sitoh Yih Pin took back Potong Pasir SMC from the Singapore People's Party. Sitoh ran the town council until the 2015 General Election, after which the constituency was grouped under the Jalan Besar Town Council. Punggol Town Council, which consists of the GRC won by the PAP slate helmed by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, will be chaired by Senior Minister of State for Transport and National Development Sun Xueling. Senior Minister of State for Education and Sustainability and the Environment Janil Puthucheary and Ms Yeo Wan Ling, will be vice-chairs, reported The Straits Times. Four town councils have been renamed following changes to electoral boundaries. Jurong-Clementi Town Council will be known as Jurong-Clementi-Bukit Batok Town Council, while Marine Parade Town Council has been renamed to Marine Parade-Braddell Heights Town Council. Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council will now be Pasir Ris-Changi Town Council, while West Coast Town Council is to be known as West Coast-Jurong West Town Council. The remaining eight reconstituted town councils' names remain unchanged. For areas that will be transferred to other towns, town councils must complete the handover and takeover of management within 90 days, said MND. This means the two new town councils and 12 reconstituted town councils will take over management of the transferred areas from Aug 1 this year. Town councils can also mutually agree to complete the handover and takeover before Aug 1, provided they inform residents of this date, the ministry added. "MND encourages all town councils to work together to ensure a smooth transition, so that the needs of residents can continue to be served," it said. [[nid:718138]]
Scoop
a day ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Health Of The Hauraki Gulf Declines As Delay To Marine Protection Approaches One-year Mark
Press Release – Hauraki Gulf Forum If the Bill is not passed next week, it will have been over a year since the Environment Select Committee unanimously recommended that the Bill be passed by the time Parliament reconvenes at the end of June. The Hauraki Gulf Forum is calling on the Government to progress the Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill without further delay. 'It has been more than six months since the second reading of the Bill was interrupted, with no indication that it will be progressed any time soon.' says Nicola Rata-MacDonald, Co-Chair of the Forum. 'If the Bill is not passed next week, it will have been over a year since the Environment Select Committee unanimously recommended that the Bill be passed by the time Parliament reconvenes at the end of June.' 'Once passed, the new marine protections will enable us to make the most significant progress towards restoring the Gulf since the marine park was established over 25 years ago.' Cr Warren Maher, Co-Chair of the Forum, says the constant stalling and postponement of legislative progress is impacting years of restoration efforts by communities across the Gulf. 'Constantly kicking the can down the road when we are so close to making real progress is a kick in the guts for everyone who has worked to ensure the Gulf is protected and restored.' Warren says. 'Our message to the Government is simple: pass the Bill, and let us get on with restoring the Gulf to ensure it thrives for generations to come.' Notes: More information on the Forum and the Marine Park is available at Timeline: Progress of the Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill 22 August 2023: Bill introduced to Parliament. 29 August 2023: First reading and referral to the Environment Select Committee. 1 November 2023: Submissions closed. 6 December 2023: Bill reinstated with the Environment Select Committee following the 2023 General Election, and the Business Committee agrees that all bills before select committees shall be reported to the House by 29 March 2024. 31 January 2024: the date by which the Environment Committee must report the Bill back to the House is extended from 29 March 2024 to 29 May 2024. March 2024: Environment Select Committee completes hearing of oral submissions on the Bill. 10 April 2024: the date by which the Environment Committee must report the Bill back to the House is extended from 29 May 2024 to 20 June 2024. 20 June 2024: Environment Committee reports the Bill to the House, with unanimous support for the Bill to be passed as reported. 13 October 2024: Minister of Conservation announces changes will be made to the Bill to allow commercial ring-net fishing within protected areas. 14 November 2024: Second reading (interrupted). 30 May 2025 (today): The Bill remains at its interrupted second reading stage, and the Government's intended changes are still to be published despite being announced 230 days ago.
