The Nation Newspaper

Tag: David Cameron

  • Brexit: Buhari commends Cameron’s statemanship, courage

    Brexit: Buhari commends Cameron’s statemanship, courage

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said that he regretted the resignation of British Prime Minister David Cameron, which will come into effect in October.

    President Buhari said Nigeria has enjoyed remarkable goodwill, support and understanding under the capable leadership of the outgoing Prime Minister over the years.

    Buhari, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said Cameron’s resignation in response to the outcome of a referendum that supported Britain to leave the European Union “was a demonstration of courage by a democratic leader who respects the will of the people, even if he didn’t agree with their decision.”

    President Buhari noted that by ‘‘putting the will of the people before his political future, the Prime Minister proved himself to be a selfless leader with respect for democracy and voters’ sovereignty.’’

    He expressed hope that Nigeria looks forward to greater cooperation and consolidation of shared interests with Britain, despite the outcome of the referendum.

  • EU referendum: Cameron to resign

    EU referendum: Cameron to resign

    The Prime Minister of UK, David Cameron is to resign after the UK public voted to leave the European Union in the referendum.

    Mr. Cameron said he had already communicated his decision to the queen.

    Cameron promised to try to “steady the ship” over the next months but said a new leader should be installed by early October.

    “I do not think it would be right for me to try to be the captain that steers our country to its next destination,” the British leader said outside his official Downing Street residence in London.

  • Photo: Buhari meets Cameron

    Photo: Buhari meets Cameron

    President Muhammadu Buhari with British Prime Minister David Cameron after the opening of the Anti-Corruption Summit in London .
    President Muhammadu Buhari with British Prime Minister David Cameron after the opening of the Anti-Corruption Summit in London .
  • Keep your apologies, return stolen funds -Buhari tells UK

    Keep your apologies, return stolen funds -Buhari tells UK

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday he is not demanding “any apology from anybody” after United Kingdom Prime Minister, David Cameron, labelled his country “fantastically corrupt.”

    Speaking at an anti-corruption event in London, Buhari said he was more interested in the return of stolen assets held in British banks.

    Mr. Cameron made the unguarded comments in a conversation with the Queen, the BBC reports.

    He is hosting an international anti-corruption summit on Thursday.

    Nigeria was ranked 136th in Transparency International’s 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index.

    Asked at the event if Nigeria was “fantastically corrupt”, Buhari said: “Yes.”

    In his speech, the Nigerian leader described corruption as a “hydra-headed monster” which threatened the security of countries and “does not differentiate between developed and developing countries.”

    He said corruption in Nigeria was endemic and his government was committed to fighting it.

    The UK government will host world and business leaders at the summit on Thursday in London, aiming to “galvanise a global response to tackle corruption.”

    Speaking ahead of the summit, Mr. Cameron said: “For too long there has been a taboo about tackling this issue head-on.

    “The summit will change that. Together we will push the fight against corruption to the top of the international agenda where it belongs.”

  • Corruption: Presidency tackles Cameron

    Corruption: Presidency tackles Cameron

    The Presidency last night faulted Britain’s Prime Minister, David Cameron over his description of Nigeria and Afghanistan as ‘fantastically corrupt’ nations.

    He made the remark at an event marking the Queen’s 90th birthday at the Buckingham Palace.

    Cameron said: “We’ve got some leaders of some fantastically corrupt countries coming to Britain… Nigeria and Afghanistan, possibly the two most corrupt countries in the world,”

    The UK will host world and business leaders at an anti-corruption summit in London on Thursday in London, towards galvanizing a global response to tackle corruption.

    President Muhammadu Buhari and other world leaders are already in London for the summit.

    But after Cameron’s comments at the Palace, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby came to the rescue of President Buhari by saying: “But this particular president is not corrupt… he’s trying very hard,”

    Also faulting Cameron’s comment, Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu said: “It is certainly not reflective of the good work that the President is doing. The eyes of the world are on what is happening here.

    “The Prime Minister must be looking at an old snapshot of Nigeria. Things are changing with corruption and everything else. That, we believe is the reason they chose him as a keynote speaker at the the pre-summit conference.

    “Thank you to the Archbishop. We very much cherish the good relationship between our two countries and nothing should stand in the way of improving those relations.” He added

  • Nigeria, Afghanistan are ‘fantastically’ corrupt nations – Cameron

    Nigeria, Afghanistan are ‘fantastically’ corrupt nations – Cameron

    … Buhari not corrupt – Archbishop of Canterbury

    British Prime Minister, David Cameron, was caught on camera telling Queen Elizabeth on Tuesday that leaders of some “fantastically corrupt” countries, including Nigeria and Afghanistan, were due to attend his anti-corruption summit.

    Cameron will host an international anti-corruption summit on Thursday aimed at stepping up global action to combat corruption in all walks of life.

    In a pooled video feed made available to the ITN broadcaster, Cameron was shown talking with the queen about the summit.

    “We had a very successful cabinet meeting this morning, talking about our anti-corruption summit,” Cameron said when the queen approached. “We have got the Nigerians – actually we have got some leaders of some fantastically corrupt countries coming to Britain.”

    “Nigeria and Afghanistan – possibly two of the most corrupt countries in the world.”

    The queen did not respond to Cameron’s comment, but the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby said: “But this particular president is actually not corrupt.”

    Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari and Afghan President, Ashraf Ghani, both of whom are due to attend the summit, acknowledged corruption in their countries and have pledged to clean it up, Reuters reported.

    Afghanistan is at number 166, second-from-bottom, in campaign group Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perceptions Index, an annual ranking of countries.

    Only North Korea and Somalia, jointly ranked at number 167, are perceived to be more corrupt. Nigeria is at number 136 in the index.

    It was not clear whether Cameron realised he was being filmed and recorded at the event at Buckingham Palace, Reuters added.

    A bystander then joked to laughter: “They are coming at their own expense one assumes?”

    “Everything has to be open,” Cameron said. “There are no sort of closed-door sessions. Everything has to be in front of the press. It’s going to be. It could be quite interesting.”

  • Obama urges Britain to remain in EU

    United States President, Barack Obama, has said Britain would go to the “back of the queue” for trade deals with America if it votes to leave the European Union.

    He said Britain was at its best when “helping to lead” a strong EU and membership made it a “bigger player” on the world stage.

    The U.S President spoke at the start of a three- day visit to the United Kingdom, the BBC reports.

    EU exit campaigners reacted angrily to Obama’s words, with Tory Member of Parliament, Dominic Raab, dubbing him a “lame duck” president.

    Mr Raab told BBC News: “The reality is the U.S has failed and Barack Obama’s biggest trade failure has been in not being able to secure a trade deal with the EU.

    “I think those left to pick up the pieces after Obama moves on will be a little bit frustrated about his comments because they don’t reflect U.S trade policy and I’m sure they won’t reflect future U.S trade policy.

    “What you had here was a lame-duck American president doing an old British friend a political favour.”

    Speaking at a joint press conference with Mr. Obama, Prime Minister David Cameron said being a member of the EU strengthened Britain’s “special relationship.”

    On the UK’s upcoming referendum on its EU membership, he said: “This is our choice – nobody else’s – the sovereign choice of the British people – but as we make that choice, it surely makes sense to listen to what our friends think.”

    Mr Obama said: “The UK is at its best when it’s helping to lead a strong European Union. It leverages UK power to be part of the EU. I don’t think the EU moderates British influence in the world, it magnifies it.

    “America wants Britain’s influence to grow, including within Europe.”

  • EU deal gives UK special status – Cameron

    British Prime Minister, David Cameron, said  a deal struck with European Union leaders will give the United Kingdom “special status” and he will campaign with his “heart and soul” to stay in the union.

    The agreement, reached late on Friday after two days of talks in Brussels, gives the UK power to limit some EU migrants’ benefits.

    It also includes a treaty change so the UK is not bound to “ever closer union” with other EU member states, he said.

    EU exit campaigners said the “hollow” deal offered only “very minor changes.”

    The BBC reports that Mr. Cameron is set to announce the date of a referendum on whether Britain should remain in the EU after a cabinet meeting which is happening at 10:00 GMT – the referendum is widely expected to be on Thursday, 23 June.

    Once the date is announced, ministers will be allowed to campaign for whichever side they want – one of Mr. Cameron’s closest political allies Michael Gove has already been named as supporting the Leave camp.

    Others, such as Iain Duncan Smith are expected to follow – but a question mark remains over which way London Mayor Boris Johnson will jump.

  • Update: Conservatives win UK election

    Update: Conservatives win UK election

    David Cameron has returned to Downing Street with the Tories having defied polls and won the general election, the BBC reports.

    The Conservatives made gains in England and Wales and are forecast by the BBC to secure 331 seats in the Commons, giving them a slender majority.

    Labour leader Ed Miliband said he would stand down on Friday, saying his party must “rebuild” with a new leader.

    Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has also said he will quit, with his party set to be reduced from 57 to eight Members of Parliament.

    UKIP leader Nigel Farage is also quitting after he failed to win Thanet South, losing by nearly 2,800 votes to the Conservatives.

     

     

  • UK party leaders grilled on TV

    UK party leaders grilled on TV

    David Cameron and Ed Miliband have faced tough questions from a Question Time audience over their economic plans in the final TV event of the campaign.

    The Prime Minister said he had rejected £8billion in child benefit cuts the Lib Dems claimed the Tories had proposed in government.

    Ed Miliband said Labour did not overspend when in power and that he would not lead a government if it involved a deal with the SNP.

    Nick Clegg was grilled over tuition fees, trust and coalition deals, the BBC reports.

    While insisting they could both win outright, the Conservative and Labour leaders gave the clearest indications to date of the terms of possible post-election deals, with Mr. Cameron saying his pledge of an European Union referendum in 2017 would be a “red line” in any negotiations.

    Three other leaders also faced audience questions:

    In Glasgow, SNP Leader Nicola Sturgeon predicted Mr. Miliband would not be able to get his policies through without working with other parties

    UKIP leader Nigel Farage said on a programme broadcast in England and Wales that an EU referendum defeat would not kill his party

    Plaid Cymru’s Leanne Wood refused to rule out a deal with Labour in a BBC TV special from Cardiff.

    The prime minister was first in the firing line at Leeds Town Hall.

    Mr. Cameron said he did not want to cut child benefit or child tax credits if he won the election, but that it was possible to save more from the welfare budget.

    Asked if this amounted to an “absolute guarantee,” he said child tax credit “would not fall” and child benefit was “one of the most important benefits there is” and did not need to change.

    Brandishing the note left in 2010 by outgoing Labour Treasury Secretary, Liam Byrne, stating there was “no money left”, Mr. Cameron said: “It takes a long time to fix the mess that I was left.”

    “We are half way through a building job,” the PM added.