Latest news with #post-Brexit
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Monty Python star Eric Idle says Nigel Farage being ‘taken seriously is appalling'
Actor and comic Eric Idle has hit out at Nigel Farage as he said the Reform UK leader being taken seriously is 'appalling' as he shared the impact of Brexit on his life Actor Eric Idle has said Reform UK leader Nigel Farage being "taken seriously is appalling" as he fears voters being swayed. The Monty Python comic, 82, shared how post-Brexit issues left him unable to get to Paris to see his Spamalot musical opening. Due to the struggles since Brexit, Eric has now applied for a talent visa in France, where he also has a home. He hopes it will allow him to avoid a similar issue in the future. 'Eight years ago, we could go and live in any country in Europe we wanted to and work, and I wasn't even allowed to vote (in the EU referendum) because I lived here (in the US)," Eric said. The iconic star turned his attention to Farage as he added: 'I mean, (Brexit) was just a terrible con, it was a real con, and (the fact) that Nigel Farago (Farage) still exists anywhere and is taken seriously is appalling to me. 'I was with somebody… she said, 'I hope I never see him in a room, because I want to punch him'.' Eric explained to PA news agency that he is now only able to spend three months a year at the home he built in Provence due to Brexit. Sharing the extent of his issues, Eric added: 'I've applied for a talent visa in France, they have a little talent visa, and I feel I'm due one, because last year Spamalot won the Moliere, which is the equivalent of their Tony from Paris. 'And they love their Monty Python here (in France), we won that, we won the Jury Prize for The Meaning Of Life at the Cannes Film Festival, so they do know Python. 'So I'm hopeful that I'll get a little bit of an extension so I don't have to get kicked out, because I was kicked out two years ago, I had to leave, and I couldn't go and see the opening in Paris because I didn't have another day. 'I wrote to Monsieur Macron, and offered him a ticket if he'd let me in, and I said, 'only one ticket, because I don't want to be accused of bribery', but I never heard back.' Eric currently lives in the US, but has been frank about his future there as well due to President Donald Trump. 'I think it's quite likely – I'm only a green card holder – that I will be given the boot," he confessed. Despite his living situation being up in the air, Eric recently shared how he's had a "reprieve" following his cancer diagnosis. He was given an early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in 2019 and was successfully treated for the illness. In a heartfelt 'Letter To My Younger Self' for the Big Issue, he wrote: "I miss a lot of people. Great people like Mike Nichols [director of The Graduate]. I will find myself thinking of a funny line and thinking, you must tell Mike that. "Or Jonathan Miller [a British public thinker and former comedian]. So many of my heroes have gone, like Robin Williams. I still kind of occasionally speak to Billy Connolly, but I really miss him. "You've got to find other people, you know, because there are still other funny people you can have dinner with or play guitar with. I got lucky, because I had to, I survived pancreatic cancer. So I feel that since 2019 I've had a reprieve. So I don't know or care what people say about me, I'm lucky every single day."
The Irish Sun
5 hours ago
- Business
- The Irish Sun
Jet2 to scrap five new flights from UK airport before even launching
JET2 has announced that it is withdrawing five routes from Bournemouth that were due to launch next year. The airline only recently started flying from the airport back in February, after basing two aircraft there. Advertisement 3 Jet2 is scrapping five routes from Bournemouth Airport... before they have even started Credit: Alamy 3 The destinations that have been scrapped are Malaga, Dubrovnik, Jersey, Reus and Verona Credit: Alamy And it had planned to introduce a third aircraft at the airport next year as well. However, they have since confirmed that five of their new routes planned for summer 2026 will no longer go ahead. A Jet2 spokesperson said: "Following this latest review , we have taken the decision to withdraw services to Malaga, Dubrovnik, Jersey , Reus and Verona for Summer 26 from Bournemouth Airport. "Where customers are affected, we will contact them, and they will receive a full refund." Advertisement Read more on travel inspo Dubrovnik, Reus and Verona were all due to be exclusive destinations to the airline from And the third aircraft due to be based at the airport from 2026 was meant for the new summer flights to The spokesperson also explained: "As a successful business , we are continually reviewing our flying programme and will adjust this where required. "This gives us the ability to add flights and holidays in response to demand, and very occasionally we may withdraw flights too." Advertisement Most read in News Travel In February, the airline marked its inaugural flight from And according to its website, Jet2 flies to over 25 destinations from Bournemouth including Majorca, Ibiza and Corfu. The spokesperson continued: "With a fantastic programme of services on sale from Bournemouth Airport, customers still have a superb choice when it comes to enjoying a holiday." Family getaway with Jet2 to the serene beach town of Algor According to Turkey from October this year. Advertisement Tickets for the route are now no longer on sale. The airline cancelled flights to Salerno, Italy, in March, from Manchester and Birmingham too, having only announced them six months prior. The flights - which were due to start this summer - were reportedly scrapped due to a "lack of bookings", according to local media. Salerno Airport also only opened last year, after closing back in 2016. Advertisement After a £400million development, the airport is meant to create easier access to the next year. New EU flight rules A RECENT change to a European travel rule means that British passengers will receive less compensation for flight delays. Previously, EU261 legislation, which the UK adopted post-Brexit, entitled passengers to compensation for delays of over three hours. Now, under new rules reviewed in Brussels, short-haul flights (under 3,500km) will only be eligible for compensation if delayed by four hours or more, an increase from the previous three-hour threshold. For longer flights (over 3,500km), the delay time for compensation has increased from four to six hours. The compensation amounts have also been reduced: for delays over four hours, it's now €300 instead of €400, and for delays over six hours on longer flights, it's €500 instead of €600. Despite opposition from some countries, the Council made this decision legally binding, bypassing the European Parliament. However, the European Parliament still has four months to propose changes to these new rules. If approved, the UK government is likely to adopt these changes into its own legislation. These are Plus, a 3 The airline is also scrapping Edinburgh to Izmir, Turkey from October Credit: Alamy Advertisement
The Journal
5 hours ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Germany and Britain to sign a new 'friendship agreement'
GERMANY AND BRITAIN are due to sign a 'friendship treaty' in London today in a move to create closer ties between the UK and the EU. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will travel to London for the first time since taking his role earlier this year as Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer seeks to realign the UK-EU post-Brexit relationship. Advertisement A new treaty will refer to the turbulent security situation that both countries face and include a mutual defence pact. The text is expected to say that the countries 'shall assist on another' in case of an 'armed attack'. While Britain and Germany already have a commitment to mutual defence as Nato members, the treaty is expected to pave the way for greater defence cooperation, including in weapons development and operations. The leaders will use the opportunity to discuss their support for Ukraine after both governments are due to send a new tranche of weapons to Kyiv following a US-backed deal with Nato this week. - © AFP 2025
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First Post
12 hours ago
- Business
- First Post
Germany's Merz makes his first visit to the UK amid warming post-Brexit ties
The visit is Merz's first to the UK as chancellor, although he has already met Starmer several times, including on a trip to Ukraine just days after he took office in early May. read more UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets with France's President Emmanuel Macron and Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz on board a train to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv where all three held meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, May 9, 2025. File Photo: Reuters German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will travel to London Thursday to sign a 'friendship treaty' with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as Britain seeks to improve post-Brexit ties with its neighbours. They will also discuss continued support for Ukraine, with both London and Berlin expected to play a role in US President Donald Trump's plan to send weapons to Kyiv with financing from other NATO countries. The visit is Merz's first to the UK as chancellor, although he has already met Starmer several times, including on a trip to Ukraine just days after he took office in early May. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Merz's trip comes a week after a state visit to Britain by French President Emmanuel Macron, the first by an EU head of state since the UK left the bloc five years ago. The wide-ranging new treaty between Germany and Britain will refer to the turbulent security situation that both countries face and include a mutual defence pact. 'There is no strategic threat to one which would not be a strategic threat to the other,' the text is expected to say, alongside a pledge that the two countries 'shall assist one another, including by military means, in case of an armed attack'. While Britain and Germany already have a commitment to mutual defence as NATO members, the treaty is expected to pave the way for greater defence cooperation, including in weapons development and operations on NATO's eastern flank. The two countries already signed a landmark defence agreement in October and in May said they would begin developing strike missiles with a range of 2,000-plus kilometres (1,250 miles). Merz and Starmer are set to announce Thursday that this system will be delivered within the next decade, and they will unveil a new agreement on boosting UK defence exports to Germany such as Boxer armoured vehicles and Typhoon jets. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Overcoming Brexit 'trauma' German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul will accompany Merz on the visit and is expected to meet his British counterpart David Lammy. A German government source said of the visit that 'we shouldn't underestimate' how much relations with the UK had improved since the 'traumatic' experience of Brexit. The treaty will include measures to improve citizens' contacts between the two countries, for example by simplifying border procedures for school trips. The two leaders are also set to commit to doing more to tackle irregular migration, a key domestic priority for both Merz and Starmer. Merz's government is expected to make a commitment to modify German law by the end of the year to criminalise the facilitation of 'illegal migration'. This will include action against storage facilities used by migrant smugglers to conceal small boats intended for Channel crossings. The text will also include sections on science and technology, with more cooperation promised in strategic sectors such as artificial intelligence. It will also establish a new UK-Germany Business Forum, with several German companies poised to announce new investment in Britain on Thursday. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On the topic of transport, the two countries will commit to improving train connections. Last month Eurostar said it planned to launch a new route from London to Frankfurt in the early 2030s, which would be the first such direct connection between the UK and Germany.
Int'l Business Times
12 hours ago
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
Merz Makes First Trip To London Amid Warming Post-Brexit Ties
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will travel to London Thursday to sign a "friendship treaty" with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as Britain seeks to improve post-Brexit ties with its neighbours. They will also discuss continued support for Ukraine, with both London and Berlin expected to play a role in US President Donald Trump's plan to send weapons to Kyiv with financing from other NATO countries. The visit is Merz's first to the UK as chancellor, although he has already met Starmer several times, including on a trip to Ukraine just days after he took office in early May. Merz's trip comes a week after a state visit to Britain by French President Emmanuel Macron, the first by an EU head of state since the UK left the bloc five years ago. The wide-ranging new treaty between Germany and Britain will refer to the turbulent security situation that both countries face and include a mutual defence pact. "There is no strategic threat to one which would not be a strategic threat to the other," the text is expected to say, alongside a pledge that the two countries "shall assist one another, including by military means, in case of an armed attack". While Britain and Germany already have a commitment to mutual defence as NATO members, the treaty is expected to pave the way for greater defence cooperation, including in weapons development and operations on NATO's eastern flank. The two countries already signed a landmark defence agreement in October and in May said they would begin developing strike missiles with a range of 2,000-plus kilometres (1,250 miles). Merz and Starmer are set to announce Thursday that this system will be delivered within the next decade, and they will unveil a new agreement on boosting UK defence exports to Germany such as Boxer armoured vehicles and Typhoon jets. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul will accompany Merz on the visit and is expected to meet his British counterpart David Lammy. A German government source said of the visit that "we shouldn't underestimate" how much relations with the UK had improved since the "traumatic" experience of Brexit. The treaty will include measures to improve citizens' contacts between the two countries, for example by simplifying border procedures for school trips. The two leaders are also set to commit to doing more to tackle irregular migration, a key domestic priority for both Merz and Starmer. Merz's government is expected to make a commitment to modify German law by the end of the year to criminalise the facilitation of "illegal migration". This will include action against storage facilities used by migrant smugglers to conceal small boats intended for Channel crossings. The text will also include sections on science and technology, with more cooperation promised in strategic sectors such as artificial intelligence. It will also establish a new UK-Germany Business Forum, with several German companies poised to announce new investment in Britain on Thursday. On the topic of transport, the two countries will commit to improving train connections. Last month Eurostar said it planned to launch a new route from London to Frankfurt in the early 2030s, which would be the first such direct connection between the UK and Germany.
