Brexit a 'very big disadvantage' for UK, says Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton said Brexit would put Britain at a "very big disadvantage" and force companies to move resources to continental Europe, in an interview aired today.

Britain leaving the European Union could cause serious disruption for the country as it tries to reorder its trading relationships, she told BBC television.

"I think it would be a very big disadvantage to Britain," said Clinton, the Democratic Party candidate who lost to Donald Trump in last year's US presidential election.

"No deal meaning no preferential trade deals, which means products in Britain would not have the kind of easy access to the European market that you've had under EU membership.

"It could very well mean that there would be more pressure on businesses in Britain, if not to leave completely, at least (to) also have sites and employment elsewhere in Europe.

"The disruption for Britain could be quite serious," the former US secretary of state said.
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Maldives: Oppn says military locked down parliament on govt's orders

The Maldivian opposition said that the military locked down parliament today on the orders of the country's president in a bid to prevent lawmakers from taking part in a vote to impeach the parliamentary speaker.

The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party said that on the orders of President Yameen Abdul Gayoom, the gates of the parliament were padlocked by members of the armed forces this morning and lawmakers "were forcibly prevented from entering the parliamentary compound."

In a statement, the opposition party called Yameen's action "desperate, illegal and unconstitutional."

There was no immediate comment from the government. The government spokesmen could not be reached by telephone.

A no-confidence motion against Speaker Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed was scheduled to be taken up today.

The opposition says the motion has gained the support of 45 lawmakers in the 85-member house. However, an uncertainty arose when the election commission announced last week that the four members who supported the motion had lost their seats because they left the ruling party.
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