Tributes flow in after death of former minister Lord Young aged 90 December 10, 2022 Social media tributes have flown in following the death of former businessman and Conservative cabinet minister Lord Young of Graffham aged 90. Lord Young – who served twice as secretary of state during the 1980s – was considered one of Margaret Thatcher’s right-hand men. He became secretary of state for employment in 1985 while two [...]
Rishi Sunak: Kremlin needs to leave Ukraine before any agreement considered December 10, 2022 The Kremlin will need to pull its forces out of Ukraine before any peace agreement can be considered, according to Rishi Sunak. Sunak and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky yesterday agreed on the importance of pre-empting Russia’s calls for a ceasefire. The PM – who met with the president for the first time since becoming prime [...]
Jersey’s flat explosion: One dead and ‘around a dozen’ missing December 10, 2022 One person has died and several are missing following an explosion and fire at a block of flats in Jersey, police have said. Robin Smith, the chief officer of the States of Jersey Police, told a press conference that “around a dozen” residents are missing following a blast in St Helier on the south of [...]
‘Carried away’: Kwasi Kwarteng admits Truss government ‘blew it’ over mini-budget December 10, 2022 Former Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng has admitted that Liz Truss’s government “blew it” when it came to the economic reforms proposed in the mini-budget. “People got carried away, myself included,” he told the Financial Times. “There was a brief moment and the people in charge, myself included, blew it.” Kwarteng was ousted from government after he [...]
Police appeal over missing man last seen climbing on Thames pier December 9, 2022 The City of London Police have appealed for information after a man went missing, after being seen climbing on a pier by the Thames. The force released concerning images of the individual by Crown Pier on Victoria Embankment in mid-November, saying he hadn’t been seen since. He is seen walking along the bridge next to [...]
Post-Brexit reforms: Hunt aims to ‘turbocharge’ economy with biggest banking shake-up in 30 years December 9, 2022 Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has unveiled plans to “turbocharge growth” with the biggest shake-up in banking reforms for three decades. His so-called Edinburgh reforms announced this morning seek to “seize the benefits of Brexit” by cutting EU red tape for the financial sector. The new measures build on the government’s Mansion House 2021 package, with a [...]
Government to spend tens of millions more to crack down hard on tax fraud December 9, 2022 The Autumn Statement revealed that the government will spend an additional £79m to fight tax fraud in the next five years, as HMRC is promised greater resources to tackle the tax gap. This marks a 27 per cent increase on the £292m investment announced at last year’s Budget. Through the extra £79m, HMRC expects to raise an [...]
Big Bang 2.0? Smart post-Brexit reforms can put power in the country’s engine December 8, 2022 It may be a transparent nod to the geographical spread of the UK’s financial services industry, but the fact the Chancellor is delivering his thesis on the country’s post-Brexit regulatory regime north of the border is worth noting. The phrase Big Bang 2.0 has been ditched – it’s now the Edinburgh Reforms – but the [...]
Hunt to unveil post-Brexit Big Bang 2.0 for UK financial services industry December 8, 2022 Jeremy Hunt will finally unveil the government’s plans to shred EU financial services laws today as he proposes a package to boost the City’s global competitiveness post-Brexit. Hunt will deliver the landmark announcement in Edinburgh this morning, with the chancellor set to drop Solvency II capital requirements on insurance firms and ease current bank ring-fencing [...]
Whitty report says toxic air pollution down 44 per cent in central London thanks to ULEZ December 8, 2022 London has emerged as a “world leader” in tackling toxic air pollution according to a new report by chief medical officer Sir Chris Whitty. His latest findings reveal the dangers of pollution in the capital, but show Nitrogen Dioxide (No2) concentrations by roads are down a fifth in inner London and 44 per cent in [...]