France recalls ambassadors to US, Australia over sub deal
Australia has made a “huge mistake” by cancelling a major submarine contract with France in favour of a deal with the UK and US, the French ambassador to the country has said.
French envoy Jean-Pierre Thebault said on Saturday that the original arms agreement between the French and Australian governments was supposed to be based “on trust, mutual understanding and sincerity.”
It came after France recalled its ambassadors to the US and Australia in a dramatic escalation of diplomatic tensions over the new AUKUS alliance.
Meanwhile, the UK government is holding urgent talks with senior figures in the energy industry to discuss a sudden rise in wholesale gas prices which has led to a CO2 shortage, potentially risking the food supply chain.
Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng insisted on Saturday that the UK’s gas supplies were stable, while the chief executive of the British Meat Processors Association warned that the CO2 shortage was “undoubtedly a crisis”.
France to work with India to promote multilateral order
France’s foreign affairs minister has agreed with his Indian counterpart to work on a programme to promote “a truly multilateral international order,” the French foreign ministry has said.
Jean-Yves Le Drian and Subrahmanyam Jaishankar also agreed during a call to deepen their strategic partnership, “based on a relationship of political trust between two great sovereign nations of the Indo-Pacific”.
Emily Goddard18 September 2021 16:11
ICYMI: Michael Gove’s delay to planning reforms dismays campaigners
Michael Gove’s decision to review controversial planning reforms has been greeted with dismay by campaigners for affordable housing, who warn the move will lead to more young people living in overpriced rented homes.
Within hours of arriving at his new department, Mr Gove ordered a pause on legislation which had been due to be published next week – billed as the biggest shake-up of the planning system for 70 years.
Our political editor, Andrew Woodcock, has the full story below:
Conrad Duncan18 September 2021 15:59
Women to be ‘hit hardest’ by Universal Credit cut, figures show
Planned cuts to Universal Credit (UC) will hit women hardest and lead to billions of pounds being lost from their annual incomes in total, a charity has warned.
Some 5.9 million people in the UK are currently receiving UC payments – with women making up 54 per cent of those claiming the benefit as of August 2021.
Our women’s correspondent, Maya Oppenheim, has the full story below:
Conrad Duncan18 September 2021 15:43
Closure of Covid taskforce leads to ‘brain drain’ ahead of feared winter surge
The government’s Covid taskforce, which plays a key role in decisions on lockdowns, PPE and emergency planning, is facing a…
Read More: Boris Johnson news: France says submarine deal is ‘huge mistake’