Why should broadband be free? Promises and rhetoric in the United Kingdom general election of 2019

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 413-435
Author(s):  
Ewan Sutherland
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Conservative Party ◽  
General Election ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Party Leaders ◽  
Party Manifestos ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Dominant Parties ◽  
The Uk

Purpose This paper aims to analyse the promises of the various political party in the 2019 general election in the United Kingdom (UK) concerning the provision of broadband, especially in remote and rural areas. Design/methodology/approach This is an analysis of the party manifestos, some interviews and speeches involving party leaders. It identified the various commitments, any costs for those and the reasoning given. Findings The UK lags badly on fibre to the premises, both homes and offices. Without analysing the reasons, the two dominant parties proposed to borrow large amounts of money to fund fibre deployment, the Conservative Party without explaining how it would be disbursed. The Labour Party produced a confused proposal to nationalise BT Openreach and probably other operators, without explaining how this transition would work. Nor did they explain why the service was to be free to users. Practical implications The UK political parties need to improve their understanding of broadband and digital policies, including means to simplify the governance of markets. Originality/value This is the first analysis of the broadband commitments of a UK general election and one of the very few analyses of political offers in an election.

UK government is preparing for an early election

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Northern Ireland ◽  
General Election ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Uk Government ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Eu

Significance Johnson's cabinet overhaul is the largest in decades, replacing 17 cabinet ministers from the previous government mostly with individuals who support Johnson’s hard-line stance on Brexit. Impacts Brussels could offer London a ‘Northern Ireland only’ backstop, but this will be rejected by the UK government. The government will likely pass legislation to protect EU citizens’ rights in the United Kingdom if there is a no-deal Brexit. The EU will only grant another extension if a deal is almost agreed, or if there is a UK general election or second Brexit referendum.

Some Cameron demands will meet EU resistance

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Conservative Party ◽  
Special Treatment ◽  
Member States ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reform Agenda ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Eu Membership ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Eu

Significance Cameron is gauging his counterparts' positions before presenting his reform agenda at the June 25-26 EU summit. He seeks the other EU states' support for a package of reforms that will enable him to claim that he has secured a better deal for the United Kingdom in the EU, and thus campaign for an 'in' vote in the EU membership referendum he has promised by end-2017. Cameron is seeking to build backing for some reforms that would apply across the EU, rather than only seek special treatment for the United Kingdom. However, some of the reforms he has mooted are unacceptable to many other EU states. Impacts The greatest impact of the reforms that Cameron secures could be on the scale of the split in the Conservative Party over EU membership. Some of Cameron's reforms could bring important changes across the bloc, as well as set precedents for other member states. The UK renegotiation will generate bargaining between member states that will affect their negotiation of other issues.

London will find more traction in Islamabad than Delhi

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Conservative Party ◽  
General Election ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Eu ◽  
Opposition Parties

Significance Prominent FCO Minister Tariq Ahmad earlier this month visited India. Meanwhile, contention over a Brexit settlement with the EU has raised the prospect of an imminent UK general election, when the ruling Conservative party will face a tough challenge from opposition parties such as Labour. Impacts Islamabad will press London to support its interests in Washington. Delhi will largely ignore London in formulating its foreign policy. An outbreak of hostilities between India and Pakistan would likely prompt tense protests involving diasporic groups in the United Kingdom.

EU signals flexibility over Northern Ireland protocol

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Northern Ireland ◽  
European Commission ◽  
Legal Action ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High Profile ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Notable Change ◽  
The Uk

Significance However, there has been a notable change in the EU’s tone. In July, the European Commission unexpectedly paused legal action against the United Kingdom for an alleged breach of the NIP, and when London announced on September 6 that it was suspending key elements indefinitely, the EU’s response was muted. Impacts France is so deeply aggrieved over AUKUS that any further UK breaches of the Withdrawal Agreement could prompt a bad-tempered response. The possibility of an early assembly election in Northern Ireland would complicate EU-UK attempts to resolve the NIP issue. The exclusion of high profile, pro-EU politicians in the UK cabinet reshuffle shows how important the Brexit agenda remains for London.

Accounting-education trends by authors from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom

2016 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 390-410 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard A. Bernardi ◽  
Taylor L. Delande ◽  
Kimberly A. Zamojcin
Keyword(s):  
Education Research ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Accounting Education ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Accounting Faculty ◽  
Journal Rankings ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the trends in accounting-education publications and the influence of journal rankings for authors from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK. Design/methodology/approach – The authors included the publications in ten accounting-education journals for the 20-year period from 1993 to 2012. Findings – The data provide insights into the perceptions of accounting-education journals by authors from four countries. The authors found that, while the use of Accounting Education as a publication outlet for accounting authors from Australia and the UK was relatively stable, the use of Accounting Education as a publication outlet increased (decreased) for the accounting authors from New Zealand (Canada). The authors also found that, while coauthoring by the accounting authors from Australia and the UK increased slightly, coauthoring by the accounting authors from Canada and New Zealand increased during the 20-year period. Research limitations/implications – The data suggests a tendency by the authors from these four countries to publish their accounting-education research in journals that had been ranked as a top accounting journal. Originality/value – This paper is the first paper to consider trends in international accounting-education publications. The data in this research can be used by accounting faculty wishing to assess which journals their colleagues publish in most frequently.

EU-UK deal allows Cameron to campaign against Brexit

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
David Cameron ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Eu Membership ◽  
Scottish Independence ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Eu

Subject The package of reforms on a new EU-UK relationship. Significance The agreement between the United Kingdom and its EU partners sets the stage for the UK referendum on EU membership, which Prime Minister David Cameron has set for June 23. Cameron said he had negotiated new terms that would allow the United Kingdom to remain in the EU. Impacts The deal bolsters the campaign to remain in the EU, but the referendum outcome is still highly uncertain. The deal will only come into effect if the outcome is for remaining, forestalling a second referendum for better terms. If the outcome is for leaving, a new relationship with the EU would have to be negotiated during a two-year transition period. It would also probably lead to a second Scottish independence referendum and UK break-up.

EU-UK Brexit is unlikely to be stopped

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Ongoing Debate ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Uk Government ◽  
Article 50 ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Eu

Significance This comes after the Telegraph reported last week that Soros had donated 400,000 pounds to the group. There is an ongoing debate as to whether the United Kingdom will in fact leave the EU. Central to it is the question of whether the UK government can unilaterally revoke its decision to trigger Article 50 in March 2017. Impacts Voters would be less likely to support the revocation of Article 50 if the Council imposed conditions that made membership less attractive. Revoking Article 50 and remaining in the EU would reduce damage to the UK economy. If Article 50 is revocable, Eurosceptic governments could be tempted to use the prospect of triggering it as leverage in EU negotiations.

Disarray will cloud start of EU-UK Brexit talks

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Eu Membership ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Political Turmoil ◽  
Implementing Strategies ◽  
The Eu

Significance The process has been plunged into further uncertainty by the outcome of the June 8 UK general election, which has sparked renewed debate about what kind of Brexit the United Kingdom wants and what kind of future economic relationship with the EU it should seek to negotiate. Impacts The UK government’s weakness is a cause for concern elsewhere in the EU, raising fears that it may not be able to compromise on key issues. Many businesses will begin implementing strategies for dealing with Brexit early next year, before knowing the outcome of the negotiations. Pressure for a lengthy transition period will continue to build. The political turmoil and slowing economic growth in the United Kingdom may increase support for EU membership elsewhere in the bloc.

Extending Brexit may be needed despite EU deal hopes

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
General Election ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Opinion ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Article 50 ◽  
The Eu

Subject Final stages of Brexit negotiations. Significance There has been much talk of the possibility of extending the Article 50 process to allow more time for further negotiations, and possibly a second referendum or a general election. With under 150 days to go until the United Kingdom is due to leave the EU, there is much debate about the circumstances under which a delay might be required and, if so, how it could be achieved. Impacts A new government may use an extended transition period to change or prevent Brexit. Calls of a second referendum will deeply polarise UK political opinion. The EU could decide to block an extension to the transition, heightening fears of a no-deal Brexit.

Idai will add to crises for Mozambique's FRELIMO

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
General Election ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Legal Proceedings ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Central Regions

Significance Idai-related flooding and destruction has damaged crucial regional infrastructure and put more than 350,000 lives at risk. The catastrophe comes amid attempts by the ruling FRELIMO party to stifle rising internal dissent, contain the fallout from a debt scandal and ensure gas investments proceed in the restive northern Cabo Delgado province. Impacts Rising costs for agricultural and mining investments in central and northern Mozambique will dampen broader growth and investment. The rehabilitation of key infrastructure in opposition-dominated central regions will become increasingly politicised. The fallout from Idai will affect preparations for the October general election, raising fears of a potential poll delay. The disaster response may delay the government's debt-related legal proceedings in the United Kingdom against Credit Suisse and Privinvest.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document