Business energy support set to be halved to reduce taxpayer bill December 30, 2022 Support for businesses to help them cope with swelling energy bills will halve in the spring to avoid taxpayers holding the bag if oil and gas prices surge again, according to The Times. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt next month will announce a 12-month extension to a scheme that caps energy costs for businesses, similar to a [...]
2023 set to be just as ‘horrendous’ as 2022 with falling pay and soaring energy bills December 30, 2022 Next year looks set to be just as “horrendous” for many families’ living standards as this year, as they are hit with falling pay and soaring energy, tax and mortgage bills, a think tank has warned. Households face a cost-of-living “groundhog year” with disposable incomes plummeting even further than in 2022, which saw the biggest [...]
Influencer Andrew Tate ‘detained in Romania on suspicion of human trafficking and rape’ December 30, 2022 Social media influencer Andrew Tate has reportedly been detained in Romania on suspicion of human trafficking and rape. The former kickboxer was held alongside his brother, Tristan, and two other suspects while his house was raided in the capital, Bucharest. “The four suspects … appear to have created an organised crime group with the purpose [...]
Tony Blair: Vladimir Putin should have got seat at international ‘top table’ December 30, 2022 Tony Blair argued that Vladimir Putin should be given a seat at the international “top table” despite deep misgivings among officials about the new Russian president, according to newly released official files. Papers released to the National Archives in Kew, west London, show Mr Blair, as prime minister, believed the former KGB man was at [...]
Supertax on private jets could raise £1.4bn a year December 30, 2022 A supertax on private jets should be introduced to fund public transport improvements, according to a pressure group. Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) wants private jet passengers to pay £780 in air passenger duty (APD) for every flight from the UK. That could raise around £1.4 billion each year, CBT said. Currently, private jet passengers [...]
Revealed: Blair wanted to regulate papers for ‘accuracy’ of reporting, former top aide says December 30, 2022 A key official in the team of former prime minister Tony Blair wanted to regulate newspapers for the “accuracy” of their reporting, according to newly-released official papers. Files released by the National Archives show Mr Blair’s principal private secretary Jeremy Heywood (a future cabinet secretary) became exasperated by what he regarded as the inaccurate reporting [...]
In memoriam: The Queen, Pele, Shane Warne, business leaders and celebs who died in 2022 December 30, 2022 The death of Her Majesty the Queen punctuated a year dominated by economic turmoil, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and political upheaval. As 2022 winds down, it’s time to reflect on those who passed on, from the world of politics, sport, entertainment and, business. Queen Elizabeth’s death aged 96 after more than 70 years on [...]
Ben Wallace: UK approach to China travel ‘under review’ amid Covid concerns December 29, 2022 The possibility of the UK introducing restrictions for travellers from China is “under review”, as the nation prepares to open up overseas travel, the UK defence secretary has said. China has announced plans to ditch its Covid-zero policy and will reopen its borders in January. The US will require all arrivals from China to provide [...]
Strikes: Ministers will not be ‘held to ransom’ by unions, says Wallace December 29, 2022 The government will not be “held to ransom” by striking public sector workers, defence secretary Ben Wallace has said. As the wave of industrial action showed no sign of abating, Mr Wallace insisted there was “no magic wand” to produce the money for above-inflation pay awards. His warning came after new TUC general secretary Paul [...]
Ukraine hit with massive Russian missile barrage as UK commits to £2.3bn more in funding December 29, 2022 Several regions of Ukraine, including its capital Kyiv, were facing a massive Russian missile attack on Thursday, the latest in a series targeting national infrastructure. Air raid sirens sounded across the country. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said Russia launched more than 120 missiles. In Kyiv, air defence systems were activated [...]