Number 10: Russian state actors made prank calls to Ben Wallace and other ministers March 21, 2022 Prank calls to defence secretary Ben Wallace and home secretary Priti Patel last week were made by Russian state actors, according to Number 10. Boris Johnson’s official spokesman said the calls come “straight from the Kremlin playbook to try and distract from their illegal activities in Ukraine and their human rights abuses there”. Wallace said [...]
Tributes paid to murdered student Sabita Thanwani at London university halls March 21, 2022 The family of the young woman murdered at City University student flats in Clerkenwell have paid tribute to their daughter.
Claims grow Russian Army is abducting and deporting Ukrainians to remote regions for slave labour March 21, 2022 Ukraine has rejected a Russian deadline to surrender in the city of Mariupol, according to various reports this morning. Details of the Russian proposal was put forward last night by General Mikhail Mizintsev, who said Ukraine had until 05am Moscow time, 2am UK time, this morning to accept its terms. Under Russia’s proposal, civilians would [...]
Sajid Javid: PM comparing Brexit to Ukraine invasion was about ‘self-determination’ March 21, 2022 The health secretary has become the latest of the Boris Johnson’s cabinet to defend the prime minister likening Ukraine’s desire for sovereignty amid its invasion to the Brexit vote. Health and social care minister Sajid Javid told Sky News this morning that if the public wanted to see what the prime minister thinks about Ukraine, [...]
Fuel duty expected to be cut as cost of living continues to spiral March 21, 2022 Fuel duty is expected to be cut by the Chancellor this week, as the cost of living crisis continues to spiral and onlookers call for political intervention. Soaring energy bills and inflation, as well as record high petrol prices, have significantly dampened consumer spending power amid the UK’s post-pandemic and Brexit recovery. Chancellor Rishi Sunak [...]
Spring budget: Defence and foreign aid set to miss out on rise as war rages in Ukraine March 21, 2022 Britain’s defence and foreign aid budgets are set to miss out on an increase in the Spring budget, despite Russia’s war in Ukraine putting pressure on the UK’s responsibilities abroad. Chancellor Rishi Sunak sidestepped suggestions the conflict could lead to a rise in cash for defence, pointing to £24bn spent last year. This comes after [...]
Hong Kong lifts Covid-19 flight ban for nine countries including UK March 21, 2022 Hong Kong has announced today that it will lift its ban on flights from nine countries, including the UK, as government officials assure that the latest Covid-19 wave has peaked. Britain, the US, Australia, Canada, France, India, Nepal, Pakistan and the Philippines will all have flights resumed in April, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam confirmed [...]
Extra 125,000 workers will pay National Insurance in ‘stealth tax’ hike March 20, 2022 An extra 125,000 people will have to pay National Insurance under Rishi Sunak’s current tax plans, new research has revealed. Research compiled by the Liberal Democrats, using figures from the House of Commons library, suggest that employees face an extra £1.1bn hit through a “stealth tax” if Sunak does not increase the current threshold by [...]
Labour: UK’s Ukrainian refugee scheme ‘unworkable’ in current form March 20, 2022 The UK’s scheme to give Ukrainian refugees British visas will be “completely unworkable” unless the government cuts red tape and provides more help to people offering their homes, shadow housing secretary Lisa Nandy has said. The Homes for Ukraine scheme was launched last week, with refugees able to come to the UK if they have [...]
Ex-Minister Sir Alan Duncan maintains role at Vitol Services amid pressure to exit Russia-linked firms March 20, 2022 Former Tory MP Sir Alan Duncan has continued his role at Vitol Services, despite its links Vitol and Kremlin-backed oil projects.