Tag: Theresa May

UK seeks two Russian spies over nerve agent attack

by Alice Ritchie and Antoine Pollez Agence France Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Prime Minister Theresa May said Wednesday that two Russian spies carried out a nerve agent attack on a former colleague in Britain, as prosecutors named the suspects and issued a warrant for their arrest. Prosecutors announced charges against Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov for trying to kill Russian former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia with Novichok in the […]

May stares down Brexit plan backlash as ministers quit

by Dario THUBURN Agence France-Presse LONDON, United Kingdom – British Prime Minister Theresa May faced down a backlash against her strategy for leaving the European Union on Monday as both her Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Brexit minister David Davis resigned in protest. Johnson warned in his letter of resignation to May that Britain was headed for the “status of colony” of the EU after it leaves in March, and said the Brexit “dream is […]

British PM wins cabinet backing for UK-EU free trade area

by Dario THUBURN Agence France-Presse LONDON, United Kingdom – British Prime Minister Theresa May won agreement Friday from her warring cabinet to pursue “a UK-EU free trade area” after Brexit, as she bids to unblock negotiations with the bloc amid warnings time is running out to get a deal. The proposal would create “a common rule book for industrial goods and agricultural products”, May said in a statement following a day of talks at Chequers, […]

Russian media accuses May of ‘poisoning’ ties

MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Russian media on Thursday accused British Prime Minister Theresa May of having “poisoned” relations with Moscow by announcing the expulsion of diplomats in response to the poisoning of a former double agent with a nerve agent. “Theresa May has poisoned relations between London and Moscow,” Nezavisimaya Gazeta headlined its front-page story. Kommersant business daily accused Britain of seeking “toxic responses.” “The crisis in relations between Moscow and London has reached a […]

Britain expels Russian diplomats over spy poisoning

by Alice Ritchie Agence France Presse British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday expelled 23 diplomats and suspended high-level contacts with Russia including for the World Cup, saying her government found Moscow “culpable” of a nerve agent attack on a former spy. May said she would be pushing for a “robust international response” when the UN Security Council meets later Wednesday in New York to discuss the attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter on […]

Russia warns of reprisals if UK acts over spy attack

by James PHEBY with Anna SMOLCHENKO in Moscow / Alice RITCHIE with Anna Smolchenko in Moscow Agence France-Presse LONDON, United Kingdom – Russia warned Britain on Tuesday to expect reprisals if it announces sanctions over the poisoning of a former double agent, as the US and other allies joined London in demanding answers on how a Soviet-designed nerve agent was used in the attack. British Prime Minister Theresa May says Russia was “highly likely” to be behind […]

NATO chief expresses ‘great concern’ over Russian spy attack

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AFP) — NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday said the alliance was deeply concerned about the attack on a Russian former double agent in Britain and was in contact with UK authorities about the matter. “The UK is a highly valued ally, and this incident is of great concern to NATO. NATO is in touch with the UK authorities on this issue,” Stoltenberg said in a statement issued by his office. Stoltenberg […]

British PM says ‘highly likely’ Russia behind spy attack

by Alice RITCHIE Agence France Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — British Prime Minister Theresa May said Monday it was highly likely that Russia was responsible for a “reckless and despicable” attack on a former double agent in Britain, an accusation rejected by Moscow as a “provocation”. In a dramatic escalation of diplomatic tensions over the attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter on March 4, May said the nerve agent that poisoned them was […]

May arrives in China eyeing post-Brexit trade links

by Ben Dooley Agence France-Presse BEIJING, China (AFP) — British Prime Minister Theresa May arrived in China on Wednesday as she seeks to bolster her country’s global trade links ahead of its contentious divorce with the European Union. May began her visit in the central industrial city of Wuhan and will be in China until Friday in what the Chinese foreign ministry has touted as a “historic visit.” Later on Wednesday, May will head to […]

British PM urges social media investors to act on abuse

DAVOS, Switzerland (AFP) — British Prime Minister Theresa May will encourage activist investors on Thursday to pressure social media firms into clamping down on fake news, hate speech and sexual harassment. “Investors can make a big difference here by ensuring trust and safety issues are being properly considered. And I urge them to do so,” she will say in a speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos. She will highlight how a group of shareholders recently demanded […]

Britain’s May dubbed ‘Madam Brexit’ by translator

WARSAW, Poland (AFP) — British Prime Minister Theresa May was left smirking at a press conference with her Polish counterpart on Thursday after a translator accidentally called her “Madam Brexit.” May was in Warsaw for talks with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, with the discussions inevitably turning to Britain’s 2019 departure from the European Union. Part of Morawiecki’s opening speech was translated as: “It’s very important for us that this cooperation, even though it will be […]

EU wants Brexit transition to end December 2020

by Danny Kemp with James Pheby in London Agence France-Presse BRUSSELS, Belgium – The European Commission said Wednesday that it wants a post-Brexit transition period, during which Britain must continue to obey EU rules, to finish at the end of 2020. Chief EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said that “all EU policies will still apply” during the transition to a new relationship between London and Brussels after Britain leaves the bloc in March 2019. British Prime Minister Theresa […]