Ukraine’s Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool: Is Moscow competing, can Russia vote and are they broadcasting it? May 12, 2023 The 67th Eurovision Song Contest is taking place in Liverpool this year after the UK was chosen to host on behalf of war-torn Ukraine. It is the first time the competition has been held in the UK for 25 years – and Russia will not be competing. Why is Russia absent from the contest? Russia, [...]
Homebuilders and contractors condemn Gove’s U-turn on scrapping leasehold May 11, 2023 Homebuilders and contractors have come out against Michael Gove’s decision to U-turn on scrapping leasehold. Despite previously promising to abolish what he defined as a “feudal” system of property ownership, the plans have now been dropped by the levelling up secretary. Through leasehold, people buy the right to live in their flat, but not the [...]
Change in state pension age not to be decided until after next general election May 11, 2023 A decision on changing the state pension age won’t come until after the next general election, a top cabinet minister has admitted. Work and pension secretary Mel Stride said the starting age is not likely to go up to 68 until the 2040s and that there is “no reason why you need to take the [...]
UK donates long-range cruise missiles to help defence of Ukraine May 11, 2023 Ukrainians will have the “best chance to defend themselves” after the UK’s donation of Storm Shadow cruise missiles, the defence secretary has said. Ben Wallace confirmed that he and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had agreed to authorise the donation after continued Russian attacks on Ukraine. He told the House of Commons: “Today I can confirm [...]
Non-compete clauses slashed as ministers begin post-Brexit regulatory changes May 10, 2023 Non-compete clauses will be slashed to three months in a bid to boost competition between employers, ministers announced today, as a key EU ‘sunset’ clause is ditched. It comes as part of a move by the government to scrap its own plans for thousands of EU laws to automatically expire at the end of the [...]
First Big Oil, now the Government feels God’s wrath: Justin Welby slams ‘unacceptable’ small boats bill May 10, 2023 Justin Welby launched a stinging attack on the government’s Illegal Migration Bill, branding it “isolationist, morally unacceptable and politically impractical”. The Archbishop of Canterbury made the withering intervention as the flagship legislation on plans to tackle the small boats crisis faced its first test in the House of Lords. It came just a day after [...]
City of London Police bars former chief superintendent due to ‘gross misconduct’ May 10, 2023 City of London Police has barred a former top officer from serving again after allegations of “gross misconduct” were proven. The Square Mile’s force found former chief superintendent David Clark had breached the force’s standards of professional behaviour. Clark, who resigned in 2019, was found to have forwarded emails from his official email to a [...]
Wagner Group: UK to put Russia mercenaries on proscribed terror list alongside ISIS May 10, 2023 The UK is set to designate Russia’s mercenary Wagner Group as a proscribed terrorist organisation, it is understood. The Times quoted a government source as saying the move was “imminent” and likely to be enacted within weeks after two months spent building a legal case. Proscription would make it a criminal offence to join Wagner, [...]
Major legislation on renters’ rights due this week delayed again May 10, 2023 A package of reforms on renters’ rights that was due to be published this week has been delayed again, according to reports. Levelling up secretary Michael Gove previously promised that the Renters Reform Bill, which has been in the works for four years, would finally be tabled in parliament this week, but reports from both [...]
Cleverly talks down hopes of US trade deal on Washington trip May 10, 2023 Foreign secretary James Cleverly has talked down hopes of a UK-US trade deal during a visit to Washington DC. Speaking in the US on Tuesday, Cleverly said the government was not “prioritising” a free trade agreement (FTA) but aiming for “real economic coordination” with the superpower. His comments came at a press conference with US [...]