United Kingdom
As the coming months are set to be decisive for Tony Blair's European Union initiatives, the UK's opposition to the proposed savings directive has left it on the back foot among the EU's larger member countries, including Germany, Italy, and France. The Treasury'
United Kingdom
A state visit by Chinese President Jiang Zemin to Britain has been marred by protests from pro-Tibet groups, prompting an angry response from the Chinese government. Zhu Bangzhao, Mr Jiang's spokesman, accused the protesters of espousing "the inglorious cause of imperialism and colonialism" and stated that
United Kingdom
Tony Blair clashed with William Hague in the Commons over Europe, with the Prime Minister taunting the Tories by claiming that Margaret Thatcher was still the real leader of the party. Mr Blair ridiculed Mr Hague's plan to tour the country in a lorry to convince voters to
Mandelson, Peter
A surprise Cabinet reshuffle has taken place under the leadership of Prime Minister Tony Blair, with several high-profile departures and appointments being made. The most notable change is the return of Peter Mandelson as the new Northern Ireland Secretary, following his resignation just ten months ago over a controversy surrounding
Mandelson, Peter
Tony Blair has made a decisive move to solidify his modernizing agenda in the latest cabinet reshuffle, bringing back Peter Mandelson as secretary of state for Northern Ireland and appointing Alan Milburn as head of the department of health. The promotion of Geoff Hoon to defence underlines a shift in
Sinn Fein
In a resounding show of support, seven out of ten people in Northern Ireland declare that they want the Good Friday Agreement to go ahead, with a majorities in both Protestant and Catholic communities backing a power-sharing government. Only 30% of respondents disagreed with the reasons behind the breakdown of
Sinn Fein
Fears of a collapse in the Northern Ireland peace process were eased as Prime Minister Tony Blair unveiled a "fail-safe" plan to link power-sharing with the surrender of paramilitary weapons. The plan has been met with skepticism by some unionists, who are concerned that it may not provide
Blair, Tony
Hopes of an Ulster peace breakthrough began to rise today as Loyalist leader David Trimble edged closer to a deal with Prime Minister Tony Blair. In a significant shift, Unionist party chief Mr. Trimble refused to rule out Mr. Blair's controversial plans to allow the IRA to hang
Trimble, David
British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern have put forward a new proposal for peace in Northern Ireland, calling on the province's political leaders to support a blueprint that could see the IRA surrendering weapons by the end of the summer. The plan involves
Sinn Fein
British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his Irish counterpart, Bertie Ahern, have proposed a plan to end the stalemate over Irish Republican Army (IRA) weapons and establish a new power-sharing executive in the Northern Ireland Assembly. The plan, revealed after five days of talks, outlines a conditional agreement for the
Sinn Fein
The British prime minister and the Irish taoiseach met in Belfast on April 12 along with leaders of Northern Ireland's political parties to finalize the Good Friday Peace Accord, reached last year. Despite their efforts, the parties remain deadlocked over Irish Republican Army (IRA) participation and disarmament. British
Trimble, David
British Prime Minister Tony Blair expressed optimism on the eve of a critical cross-party talk in Northern Ireland, urging Sinn Fein and the Unionists to strike a deal ahead of the Wednesday deadline. Blair emphasized that the "prize in front of us is great," warning that failure to
