Wagner boss Prigozhin killed in Russia plane crash: reports August 23, 2023 Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of Russian mercenary group Wagner, has been killed in a plane crash in Russia according to widespread reports.
Dame Alison Rose: Ex NatWest boss handed £2.4m pay package August 23, 2023 Former NatWest boss Dame Alison Rose’s pay package – reportedly £2.4m – has been branded a “sick joke” by Nigel Farage. Dame Alison quit her high-profile role as boss of NatWest, which also owns private bank Coutts over her handling of Farage’s account closure – which sparked a ‘debanking’ scandal. NatWest Group issued an RNS [...]
ULEZ: Ministers tried (and failed) to overrule Sadiq Khan scheme’s London-wide expansion August 23, 2023 The government unsuccessfully attempted to use powers to overrule Sadiq Khan’s expansion of the ULEZ scheme, it has been revealed. Ministers were reportedly looking into an obscure legal route to obstruct the mayor’s plans to expand the ultra low emission zone (ULEZ) throughout the capital but were told it would fall down in court. But [...]
Twitter owner Elon Musk to be invited to government investment summit August 22, 2023 Twitter owner Elon Musk is among top business leaders expected to be invited to Rishi Sunak’s global investment summit this autumn. Tesla boss Musk – who recently bought and renamed Twitter as X – is among figures including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos who officials are keen to see attend the summit, according to Sky News. [...]
UK downplays reports of ‘imminent’ India trade deal ahead of G20 summit August 22, 2023 The UK has downplayed reports that a trade deal with India is “imminent” ahead of the G20 summit in Delhi next month. Some reports in the Indian press suggested that a deal could be agreed as early as September. Prime ministers Rishi Sunak and Narendra Modi are expected to meet at the G20 conference, with [...]
Public firms could be allowed to extract £50bn from staff pension schemes in bid to boost investment August 21, 2023 Public firms could be permitted to withdraw up to £50bn from staff pension schemes if government plans for a sweeping shake up of the industry’s rules go ahead. Returns on investments in government bonds – known as gilts – have seen workplace pension schemes go from being well in the red to significantly cashed up [...]
UK firms asked to disclose China investments as Sunak mulls trade curbs August 21, 2023 A host of British firms have been asked by the government to hand over information on their investments in China, as the UK looks to take stock of its business ties to the state amid increasing geopolitical tensions. The government confirmed today that a survey was sent to a number of UK firms last month [...]
Just eight per cent of voters credit Sunak with falling inflation, poll finds August 21, 2023 Just eight per cent of voters believe the government can be given credit for the recent fall in inflation, polling by YouGov has revealed. Inflation dropped to 6.8 per cent last month, which Prime Minister Rishi Sunak claimed showed his plan was working. Sunak made five key pledges to the public in January, including vowing [...]
Foreign Office staff told not to say ‘hostile state’ for fear of upsetting China August 21, 2023 Government officials have reportedly been told not to use the term “hostile state” by the Foreign Office in case it upsets China. The term cannot be used in documents and internal messages via email and WhatsApp between advisers, civil servants and ministers, The Times reported today. One official in another department was reportedly told by [...]
London’s finance industry a ‘jewel in Britain’s crown’ despite concerns over City’s future, Griffith says August 21, 2023 City minister Andrew Griffith said the financial services industry was still a “jewel in Britain’s crown that even the doomsters cannot deny” after jobs in the finance sector hit a record high. Figures out last week showed that the number of jobs in financial services climbed to a record high of 1.2m in the first [...]