Russia’s war in Ukraine marks ‘sea change’ in use of intelligence, GCHQ boss says December 29, 2022 The conflict in Ukraine has represented a “sea change” in the release of secret intelligence to inform public debate, the head of the GCHQ spy agency has said. Sir Jeremy Fleming said the release of details by western intelligence agencies of the Russian military build-up in the run up to the invasion had helped counter Moscow’s narrative [...]
Government ‘sabotaging’ efforts to resolve strike waves, new TUC boss claims December 29, 2022 The new general secretary of the TUC has accused the Government of “sabotaging” efforts to resolve the wave of strikes continuing to sweep across the country. Paul Nowak takes over the job amid the biggest outbreak of industrial unrest in a generation, with leaders of health, rail, civil service, teaching and postal unions increasingly angry [...]
Govt accused of ‘rank double standards’ as civil servants paid £30m in vouchers December 29, 2022 The Government has been accused of “rank double standards” after giving almost £30 million in high-street vouchers to civil servants amid a pay freeze prompted by the cost-of-living crisis. Sixteen Whitehall departments in 2021-22 paid out a combined total of £29.57 million to staff in the form of ‘reward and recognition’ vouchers, a third more [...]
ExxonMobil sues EU over plans for bloc-wide windfall tax December 28, 2022 ExxonMobil has filed a lawsuit against the EU in a bid to overturn the trading bloc’s plans to impose a windfall tax on energy companies. The US oil major is seeking to challenge the EU’s authority to impose a 33 per cent levy on energy companies’ profits during the fiscal year 2022. Two of [...]
Not ‘appropriate’ for UK to publish details of post-Brexit Israel trade deal impact December 28, 2022 The government has said it is not “appropriate” to publish full details of a post-Brexit trade deal with Israel. Details of the agreement which boosts £5bn trade between the countries won’t be made public, the department for international trade (DIT) confirmed today. The deal has a strong focus on boosting UK services exports to the [...]
Wind farm developer threatens to sue UK government over plans for ‘windfall tax’ December 28, 2022 A Cheshire wind farm developer has threatened to sue the UK government over its plans to impose a ‘windfall tax’ on renewables companies. Community Windpower – which owns 1.5 GW of UK wind generation capacity – has said it will take legal action to block the UK’s Electricity Generator Levy. The temporary tax imposes a [...]
EXCL – Sunak should lower national insurance in 2023, argues jobs chief December 28, 2022 With inflation having reached a 40-year high this year and the economy predicted to shrink in 2023, City A.M. zooms in on the volatile, hyperactive UK jobs market by checking in with Paul Farrer, the CEO and founder of London-based recruitment giant Aspire. Sitting down with this paper today, Farrer calls on the new Prime [...]
Labour calls for new sanctions on Iran over ‘repression’ of Amini protests December 28, 2022 Britain’s Labour Party has called for new sanctions to be imposed on those engaged in suppressing protests in Iran. The UK’s shadow foreign secretary, David Lammy, called for new “sanctions against individuals and organisations involved in the suppression” of the protests that have swept Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini in September. Amini, a [...]
UK has now recouped £18m from fraudulent PPE contracts December 28, 2022 The Government has so far recouped £18m from potentially fraudulent personal protective equipment (PPE) contracts, according to Department of Health figures. Health minister Will Quince, responding to a written parliamentary question from Liberal Democrat MP Daisy Cooper, confirmed that as of December 12 the Department of Health had recovered £18 million from PPE contracts deemed [...]
Govt announces £1.4bn levelling-up devolution deal for north east including new mayor December 28, 2022 The North East of England could become the latest region to have a directly elected mayor, as the Government announced a new £1.4 billion devolution deal for the region. Hailed as a “significant step” by local politicians, Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said a new devolution deal would bring fresh powers over skills, transport and [...]