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 [...]
UK spent over £46m on Australia and New Zealand trade deals August 20, 2023 The UK government spent more than £46m on negotiating just two trade deals last year, it has been revealed. Ministers shelled out £46.2m during 2022-23 securing and implementing new trade deals with Australia and New Zealand, according to a recent parliamentary written question. Concerns have been raised over the expected benefit from the Australian and [...]
Rishi Sunak says we’ll feel better off next year – but is the PM right? August 18, 2023 Rishi Sunak has pledged Brits will all feel better off next year, as he said he “passionately believes” he can bring down inflation and ease the cost of living crisis. Speaking to the Times, the prime minister vowed to be disciplined on public spending and tax rates in a bid to revive the UK’s economic [...]
ULEZ camera vandalism ‘will not stop’ London expansion despite 300 incidents this month August 18, 2023 Transport for London (TfL) vowed that vandalism of ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) cameras “will not stop” the scheme’s expansion. The transport body issued the statement after the Metropolitan Police said it had recorded 288 crimes relating to the cameras as of August 1, and released an image of a suspect. The BBC said there had [...]
Energy bills expected to fall £150 a year from October, say analysts August 18, 2023 The amount that an average household is expected to pay for its energy bills will fall by around £150 per year from the start of October, according to a new forecast. Ofgem’s next price cap, which will be announced on Friday next week, will drop to around £1,925, according to the latest forecast from Cornwall [...]
More than 130 leaks in Westminster buildings – but not THOSE kind of leaks…. August 18, 2023 More than 130 sewage leaks have sprung up in government buildings over the last year, new data has revealed. The majority of the 138 leaks were at Ministry of Defence (MoD) buildings, with 102 incidents at sites including Royal Naval airbase Culdrose, Cornwall and RAF Henlow, Bedfordshire. The Liberal Democrats, who obtained the information via [...]
Covid medical boss Jonathan Van-Tam takes job at vaccine maker Moderna August 18, 2023 Former Covid medical officer Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam has joined vaccine maker Moderna as an advisor, it has been revealed. The former deputy chief medical officer, who played a key role in the UK’s pandemic response has taken the post on a part-time basis at the US pharmaceutical giant, since May. He is working as [...]
Russia claims it shot down a Ukraine drone over central Moscow August 18, 2023 Russia shot down a Ukrainian drone over central Moscow early on Friday and some fragments fell on an exposition centre, officials said. The Defence Ministry said in a statement that the drone was shot down about 4am (1am GMT) and there were no injuries or fire caused by the fragments. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said some [...]