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Irish Times
17-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Defence pact likely to be centrepiece of EU-UK ‘reset' summit in London
It was believed in Westminster that Monday's top-level summit in London between the UK and the European Union would be held at Lancaster House, a mansion beside Green Park that is often used by Britain's Foreign Office to host grand diplomatic get-togethers. Britain's prime minister Keir Starmer wanted the meeting to bring a 'reset' in relations with the EU. What better place to cement a reset than the gilded rooms of a stately mansion? For an extra dash of diplomatic conviviality, Lancaster House also includes the UK's state wine cellar. However, it now seems the meetings between the prime minister and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen , as well as a few top officials from both sides, will mostly be held in the more workman-like surroundings of Downing Street. Why the change of venue? Although Starmer covets the economic opportunities of a far-reaching deal with the EU, he is also wary of the domestic political threat that warmer engagement with the bloc could pose for his Labour government, especially with Brexit -supporting voters in working-class heartlands. READ MORE 'The decision to hold the summit in Downing Street speaks to a desire to keep it low key, as does the reluctance to talk up the chances of an ambitious deal,' say researchers from UK in a Changing Europe, an academic think tank at King's College London. Nigel Farage, Reform UK leader, greets a member of the public after his party performed strongly in elections in England. Photograph: Leon Neal/Getty Barely two-and-a-half weeks after his party got a kicking in English local elections from Nigel Farage's anti-EU outfit, Reform UK, Starmer is mindful of any suggestion he is cuddling up to Brussels or undermining Brexit. A red carpet event at Lancaster House could fuel that perception. Going into the weekend, both sides were still wrangling over unresolved issues such as fishing rights, defence pacts and a youth mobility scheme. If those issues are not resolved by Monday, the summit could produce only a wafer-thin deal. For both sides, the risk of failure is too great to ramp up the rhetoric by trumpeting a breakthrough too soon. Sources in London and in Brussels, however, seem quietly confident that a significant deal can be achieved. If it happens, expect both sides to shout it from the rooftops. The summit, which will also be attended by European Council president António Costa and the bloc's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, is the first leader-level summit between the UK and the institution of the EU since Brexit. There will be no other national leaders present. In the weeks leading up to the summit, Starmer has cited the importance of negotiating quietly. 'When we started this process, the president of the commission and I agreed we wouldn't do megaphone diplomacy,' he said this week. 'We wouldn't go running to the nearest microphone to make our respective arguments and criticisms. Because of that we've made good progress.' The EU side has also placed an emphasis on discretion. Details about the progress of negotiations have been tightly controlled to prevent leaks to the media. Diplomats from the 27 EU member states have been instructed to leave their mobile phones outside the door during briefings from commission officials on the state of play. The number of people allowed inside the room during these sessions – aimed at sounding out national governments – have also been heavily restricted. On the British side, much of the pre-summit negotiations were handled by Starmer's 'EU sherpa' Michael Ellam, a former adviser to the last Labour prime minister, Gordon Brown . British sources say Ellam was picked for the role due to his firm yet calm, non-confrontational approach, as Starmer seeks to strike a better tone with the EU compared to his immediate predecessors. European diplomatic sources confirmed that Ellam's appointment has indeed helped relations. EU sources also said they had underestimated just how much EU institutional knowledge had been lost in Whitehall since Brexit. It has taken Labour 10 months in government to build it up again. One of the main items on the agenda is a security and defence partnership between the EU and UK, seen as essential for both sides in an era of Russia's power-flexing. The UK side is especially keen to strike an EU defence deal because it would be easy to explain its rationale to a Brexit-weary British public. Sources in Brussels say a defence deal is also sought by central and eastern European nations closest to the Russian threat. France , however, is adamant that British defence companies should be largely locked out of a €150 billion European rearmament fund, which has proved to be a sticking point. Britain's defence secretary, John Healey, has indicated Britain is prepared to contribute to the funds to allow British companies to gain access to contracts. Despite the wrangling, both sides expect a deal to be done and for a security and defence partnership to be the centrepiece of a summit agreement. Ireland and a few other states, such as Belgium and the Netherlands , want to extend access to British fishing waters for EU boats, beyond a cliff edge approaching next year. Starmer's government wants to offer a short extension, while the EU wants a longer one of perhaps five years. Some EU states wanted to link the fisheries issue to a defence pact, but eastern states reject this. That view is reflected in recent comments from Kallas, known for her hawkish stance on Russia . A former prime minister of Estonia , she has said she does not believe a dispute over fishing rights should hold up a wider EU-UK deal. A big aim from the EU side is agreement on a youth mobility scheme to allow European students and other young people the right to study and work in the UK. Starmer's government is nervous, however, of anything that gives his domestic political opponents ammunition to suggest he is getting soft on immigration. The EU also wants its students to pay cheaper domestic tuition fee rates at British universities, which Starmer is pushing against. A deal on youth mobility is seen as possible, but not certain – if it happens then it means the summit went well overall. There are also talks over a carbon emissions, the energy market and food standards, which may also be addressed in any final text. There is frustration in London with the EU coming back with last-minute requests for more British concessions. Meanwhile, it is understood the UK government has been trying to go around the commission to lobby national governments directly in recent days, which has irked some Brussels-based officials. One former EU diplomat, who was involved in negotiations during the UK's exit from the union, said Starmer had not quite 'put the cursor in the right place' on the reset he seeks. Some in the EU wanted Labour to be more ambitious. For Starmer, however, the domestic political risks of being seen as too ambitious with the EU are all too real. Delicate negotiations will continue throughout the weekend as both sides take it to the wire.
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Florence Pugh reveals her favourite pub in London and the VERY quirky reason her girlfriend Livvy loves it too amid Finn Cole romance
Florence Pugh has revealed her favourite pub in London as she spoke to TikTok channel TOPJAW while promoting Thunderbolts*. The actress, 29, was interviewed by the channel's presenter Jesse Burgess for their famous foodie recommendations series. Asked what she feels is the best restaurant in London, Florence speedily declared that it was Maison Francois in Green Park. 'I love Maison Francois,' the interviewer said as she replied: 'I had my birthday there and it's so special.' Next up was the big one, London's best pub, and The Westbourne in West London came out on top - and asked why it topped her list, Florence said: 'You can get a pint of prawns! My girlfriend Livvy she absolutely loves a pint of prawns.' Florence appeared to mean a female pal of hers as she is thought to be currently dating Peaky Blinders star Finn Cole, however neither of the pair have officially confirmed their relationship. The actress, 29, was interviewed by the channel's presenter Jesse Burgess for their famous foodie recommendations series Speaking about her love of The Westbourne's prawny pint, Florence told Jesse: 'We're always like... that's not appealing and then you have one and you're like "Oo I'm getting my hands in, I'm gonna get all prawny".' Quick off the mark with her most overrated spot in London, Florence said it was Nandos - and declared that it should never be a date night spot. 'I'm a martini girl,' she said later as she revealed her number one cocktail spot in the capital to be DUKES bar, in the iconic St James hotel of the same name, which is famed for its martinis. Topjaw captioned the clip: 'Part 1 of @florencepugh's iconic Best of #London - Episode 200!! 'Florence's new film Thunderbolts* is out in cinemas from today! Watching it makes your eyeballs fizz, and that's a good thing.' Florence replied: 'I just loved this interview so much. Very well needed at the end of a brain meltingly long day! Thanks guys! Love that we pretended to be vegetables.' The actress is rumoured to have a new boyfriend Finn, who walked the red carpet of her new film. While the duo, both 29, did not pose directly together - with Finn even striking poses solo on the red carpet - his presence at the premiere provided a telling clue about just how important they are to one another. View this post on Instagram A post shared by TOPJAW (@topjaw) Next up was the big one, London's best pub, and The Westbourne in West London came out on top - and asked why it topped her list, Florence said: 'You can get a pint of prawns! 'My girlfriend Livvy she absolutely loves a pint of prawns,' Florence added during the interview with Jesse Notably, he appeared in a group photo featuring Florence and her friends and family, making a red carpet debut of sorts with the actress. He looked in top spirits as he appeared near the edge of the group, with Florence posing several feet away from him looking gorgeous in a black gown and Ara Vartanian jewellery. The actor and the actress are thought to have been dating for several months, however neither of them have officially confirmed their relationship. The couple have been friends for years and were first reported to be secretly dating after they were seen slipping out of the after-party for the London premiere of Netflix hit The Perfect Couple together in September. They had previously been seen partying at Glastonbury Festival together, while Florence had been spotted liking his Instagram posts and shared her delight when it was revealed he had landed a role in the theatre production Red Speedo. She commented on the post: 'Oh my gosh this is unbelievably exciting!' and added that she'd be bringing her beloved grandmother, sharing: 'Granny Pat wants to come... #obvi'. Finn is best known for playing Michael Gray in the BBC series Peaky Blinders, which he starred in alongside his brother Joe. The pair who are thought to have been dating for several months posed separately on the red carpet While she wouldn't name Finn, Florence confirmed her relationship status during her October cover shoot with Vogue, and has confessed she is very much in love and is approaching their romance differently to things in the past. She confirmed: 'I am [in a relationship]. OK, so something that I resonate with is that I believe that if magic is real, then it's falling in love.' Florence candidly revealed that she and her partner were 'figuring it out' and said she is ready to start a family. She added: 'We are figuring what we actually are. And I think for the first time, I'm not allowing myself to go on a roller-coaster. 'I'm allowing myself to take time to let something evolve and let it be completely real to its core, as opposed to racing into that. 'Falling is the most amazing feeling but unfortunately if that's the only thing that you know in a relationship, then that's the thing that you chase. That's not gonna last.'
Observer
16-02-2025
- General
- Observer
Green park and walkway project in Seeb completed
Seeb: The Directorate-General of Muscat Municipality on Sunday announced the completion of the Green Park and Walkway project in Al Maabela South in the Wilayat of Seeb in the Governorate of Muscat. Engineer Musa bin Salem al Saqri, Assistant Director-General of Technical Affairs at the Directorate-General of Muscat Municipality in Seeb, said that the project aims to provide a healthy natural outlet that encourages the practice of physical and sports activities thus maintaining the health of society members. The project was implemented as a community initiative by a private firm within the framework of partnership and social responsibility between public and private sector institutions under the supervision and follow-up of Muscat Municipality in Seeb. It is one of the largest parks in the Wilayat of Seeb with a walkway extending from Al Noor Street in the east to the old car market in the west. He explained that the project includes multiple service facilities that serve different society segments including people with disabilities as well as a 3,400 metre walkway and a cycleway, a pedestrian overpasses, children's games, physical sports equipment, multi-use sports fields, skateboarding area. Other facilities include rest areas, restaurants and cafes. The project has green spaces that are designed to add an aesthetic feature and picturesque views to the place. It is noteworthy that the implementation of the project is part of the municipality's vision to provide environments that enhance health and support the strategy of modern cities. The project is also the output of experiments implemented by the municipality in several locations to benefit from some open sites with good spaces, and can be exploited in an ideal way to serve population centers and urban areas.
