Best London areas to live: From schools to roads and care, this is where council tax takes you the furthest December 21, 2022 As the cost of living crisis rages, energy bills are rising and inflation is biting harder than ever, the council tax rebate scheme was introduced to lift some burden off Brits’ shoulders. However, with it still a significant cost, where in London and across the UK are residents getting the most in return for their council tax? [...]
Strikes: Sunak says public sector pay process doesn’t need reform December 20, 2022 Rishi Sunak has thrown his backing behind the government’s independent pay review process for public sector workers, despite this month’s widespread strikes. The Prime Minister told MPs on a Westminster committee today that pay offers to striking NHS staff members were “fair” as Number 10 today said Sunak would not intervene to negotiate with unions. [...]
Sadiq Khan to run for third term as London mayor in 2024 election December 20, 2022 Sadiq Khan will seek a third term as London mayor, after being selected as Labour’s candidate for the 2024 election. Khan, who would be the first London mayor to win three elections if victorious in 2024, said it would be a “very tough election” and that “there’s still so much more to do.” There have [...]
Second strike: Nurses walk out again as five key London hospitals decimated December 20, 2022 Nurses in Britain will go on their second day of industrial action in the space of a week with five London hospitals to be the centre of the strikes. The hospitals to be affected include Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital, Guys and St. Thomas’ and Imperial College Healthcare, Royal Marsden and NHS North Central London. [...]
Jeremy Hunt extends alcohol duty freeze until August December 19, 2022 Planned hikes in alcohol duty have been put off until August, afterJeremy Hunt decided to extend the current freeze a further six months. The chancellor was due to increase duty on beer, wine, cider and spirits by the annual increase in RPI on 1 February. This would have meant an average increase of 7p for [...]
Economic immigration must be presented as supplementing the UK workforce December 19, 2022 Channel crossings and record levels of working migrants coming to post-pandemic Britain have seenimmigration very much back in the news. It’s an issue we need to talk about, because immigration is only going to become more important for the UK in the future. On the demand side, Britain’s ageing population and skills shortages will mean an ongoing [...]
Covid: Government to sue Baroness Mone-linked firm over £122m PPE contract December 19, 2022 The government is suing a firm linked to Baroness Michelle Mone, after it was handed contracts worth more than £200m to supply personal protective equipment (PPE) during Covid-19. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) today announced it was suing PPE Medpro for £122m plus costs, after the firm allegedly breached a contract “regarding [...]
Ofcom should regulate Netflix, says Rishi Sunak after Harry-Meghan row December 19, 2022 Rishi Sunak has proposed a change in law that would bring online streaming services like Netflix under Ofcom regulations. The Media Bill announced by the Boris Johnson government in May 2022 first suggested giving Ofcom regulation over streaming companies based overseas. Sunak has affirmed that there will be no change in this agenda. Currently, viewers [...]
Number 10: Rishi Sunak ‘deeply regrets’ Christmas strikes December 19, 2022 Rishi Sunak “deeply regrets” the strikes disrupting the Christmas period but will not bend on public sector pay demands, Number 10 has said. Sunak’s official spokesman today said it is “still in the gift of the unions to step back and reconsider the approach” as Britain suffers from a series of December strikes. Up to [...]
Government’s Rwanda deportation plans for asylum seekers are legal, High Court rules December 19, 2022 Government plans to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda are lawful, the High Court has ruled. Several challenges were brought against the proposals announced by then-home secretary Priti Patel in April, which she described as a “world-first agreement” with the east African nation in a bid to deter migrants from crossing the Channel. The first deportation [...]