Housebuilding: Starmer to reveal vision for new towns across UK February 13, 2025 Sir Keir Starmer will reveal the government’s vision for new towns to be built across the UK. The Prime Minister is expected to unveil the government’s plans for the next generation of communities, including homes, doctors’ surgeries, schools, nurseries and public transport, at a visit to a new housing development on Thursday. Over 100 proposals [...]
Reform UK call for windfall tax on renewable energy in anti-net zero push February 12, 2025 Reform UK has said they would introduce a windfall tax on renewable energy as they announced they were “serving notice” on the industry. The party has detailed a set of “policies to undo the effects of net zero”, in the wake of a series of polls and voting intention surveys that saw it beat Labour [...]
Property experts warn ‘more needs to be done’ on £350m housing funding February 12, 2025 A £350m investment into affordable and social housing by the government has been welcomed but property experts warn “more needs to be done”. Housing secretary Angela Rayner has insisted the government “can’t afford not to” hit its 1.5m housebuilding targets, as officials unveiled an extra £300m in funding for the affordable homes programme, which they [...]
PMQs: UK should impose ‘Tesla tariffs’ on US electric cars, Davey says February 12, 2025 The UK should impose “Tesla tariffs” on US electric cars produced by Elon Musk, after President Donald Trump announced higher taxes on steel imports, the Lib Dem leader has suggested. Sir Ed Davey called for the UK to retaliate – after Trump confirmed he would impose 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminium [...]
Formula 1 race in Rwanda would be ‘blood-stained’, says DRC February 12, 2025 Formula 1 risks having its brand “smeared by a blood-stained association with Rwanda” if it presses ahead with talks to stage a grand prix in Kigali, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has warned. DRC minister of foreign affairs Therese Kayikwamba Wagner wrote to F1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali this week to urge him [...]
Apprenticeships: Relaxing maths and English rules welcomed by firms February 11, 2025 Firms have welcomed the government’s plans to relax rules around maths and English requirements for apprentices as improving “flexibility and inclusivity”. Apprentices aged 19 and above will no longer be forced to complete English and maths functional skills qualifications in order to qualify, which the Department for Education (DfE) said would allow some 10,000 more [...]
Steel tariffs: No10 won’t say if Trump wrong to impose import charges February 11, 2025 Downing Street has refused to say whether Donald Trump is wrong to impose 25 per cent tariffs on the UK’s steel exports to America. Trump’s executive order scrapped exemptions for the UK and all other countries, with all steel and aluminium exported to the States to face tariffs from March 12. Speaking from the Oval [...]
Progressive liberal comes out against progressive liberalism February 11, 2025 What’s keeping Keir Starmer up at night? It’s safe to assume the list is long and that we’re unlikely ever to see it in full, given the myriad security and intelligence matters that take up so much of a PM’s time without ever breaking into public view. So, aside from state secrets, what else might [...]
Farmers warn of ‘breaking point’ at Westminster tractor rally February 10, 2025 Protesting farmers at a tractor rally in Westminster have warned “we are at breaking point” as they called on the government to scrap planned changes to inheritance tax on farms. Protesters staged another tractor protest outside Parliament and Downing Street on Monday, organised by Save British Farming, as they continued to campaign against Labour’s plans [...]
‘Bitter pill’: MPs set to be on almost £94k after above inflation pay rise February 10, 2025 Plans for MPs to earn almost £94,000 after an above inflation pay rise have been criticised as a “bitter pill to swallow”. Members of Parliament (MPs) are in line for a 2.8 per cent pay increase which would put their annual salaries at £93,904, up from £91,346. It comes after the body in charge of [...]