Some civil servants work from home 60 per cent of the week, new data shows July 20, 2023 Civil servants working on supporting the UK’s businesses were at their desks for just 40 per cent of the second week in July, government figures have revealed. Staff at the former Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) department came into the office for two fifths of the time during the week beginning Monday 10 July, [...]
UK firms looking to India for growth despite trade deal delays July 20, 2023 A host of UK firms are looking to expand their operations in India despite delays to the UK-India trade deal. India is now considered a core international growth market for UK mid-market firms, according to a survey of a survey of just over 600 medium-sized UK firms by accountancy firm Grant Thornton. Just over 70 [...]
Farage: Government right to consider Natwest licence over Coutts brouhaha July 20, 2023 Nigel Farage has praised the Government following reports ministers are considering making new laws to stop banks closing customers’ accounts because they disagree with their political views. The former Ukip leader said MPs are “beginning to realise that this system is coming for them as well” after his bank accounts were closed by Coutts because his views [...]
What does Susan Hall’s selection mean for London? July 19, 2023 The Conservatives have selected former London Assembly group leader Susan Hall to run against Labour’s Sadiq Khan in the mayoral elections next year. For anyone who’s not been following the process, it has been somewhat of a rollercoaster. Murmurings started some months ago with reports CCHQ were on the hunt for a quasi-celeb, someone with [...]
Coutts treatment of Farage ‘ought to jeopardise’ Natwest’s bank licence, senior Tory says July 19, 2023 Top Tory MPs have piled pressure on Coutts and its owner Natwest after the private bank reportedly closed Nigel Farage’s account because his views do “not align with our values”. Former Brexit secretary David Davis said the decision amounted to “thinly veiled political discrimination” and called it a “vindictive, irresponsible and undemocratic action”. Speaking during [...]
Our media literacy push is rewarded over Online Safety Bill July 19, 2023 Lord Holmes of Richmond expresses his delight over some significant changes to the Online Safety Bill in relation to media literacy.
MI6 chief calls for Russians to spy for UK July 19, 2023 The head of MI6 has urged Russians angry at Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine to spy for the UK. Sir Richard Moore told them “our door is always open” and “we will work to bring the bloodshed to an end”. He said that while artificial intelligence (AI) is being used to help target the Kremlin’s [...]
Sunak set to delay decision on UK rejoining Horizon July 19, 2023 Rishi Sunak is expected to delay making a decision on whether the UK should rejoin the EU’s Horizon science funding programme until after the summer break, it has been reported. The prime minister will not announce whether British researchers will have access to the €95.5bn programme until the autumn,the Financial Times (FT) reported. A government [...]
Susan Hall selected as Conservative mayoral candidate July 19, 2023 Susan Hall has been selected as the Conservative London mayoral candidate. Hall, a former City Hall Tory group leader, will take on incumbent mayor Sadiq Khan, who is pursuing a record third term, in the election next year. She secured 57 per cent of the vote, beating rival candidate Moz Hossain, on 43 per cent, [...]
Met Police has ‘so much further to go’ in tackling racism and misogyny July 19, 2023 The Met Police still have “so much further to go” in rooting out racism and misogyny in the force, the mother of two murdered sisters has said. Mina Smallman said a lack of acceptance and transparency persists in the Met, and that instances of both good and bad policing should be highlighted more often. Smallman’s [...]