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.
Turkey claims Ukraine and Russia have inched closer to peace deal March 20, 2022 Ukraine and Russia have moved closer toward a peace deal and have agreed on four points in principle, according to Turkey’s foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. Cavusoglu told local Turkish media today that there had been a “convergence” between the Russian and Ukrainian governments during peace talks over the past week. He said there had been [...]
P&O Ferries’ move to sack 800 staff was ‘awful’, says Sunak March 20, 2022 P&O Ferries’ move to sack 800 staff this week was “apalling” and “wrong”, Rishi Sunak has said today. The chancellor said he would now be investigating whether the actions of P&O were legal. The shipping and logistics firm, which is owned by Dubai-based DP World, told 800 workers over Zoom that they had been made [...]
Foreign Office launches crack unit to counter Kremlin misinformation on social media March 20, 2022 The UK government is taking out adverts on Russian social media to counter the Kremlin’s narratives about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. A newly launched information warfare unit, set up by the Foreign Office at the end of February, is using local agencies to put out adverts on Russian social media platforms including VK, after the [...]
IFS warns new GDP and tax receipt forecasts will be revised downward March 20, 2022 The UK’s budgetary watchdog is expected to next week downgrade its forecasts for future GDP growth and government tax revenues, according to the head of the influential Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) think tank. IFS director Paul Johnson said today that Rishi Sunak’s spending plans from the October budget will now be “worth an awful [...]
The Nuclear Option: Ministers weigh up state company as Sunak doubts UK energy strategy March 20, 2022 Government ministers are mulling over plans to launch a state-owned nuclear company while Suank questions power plant ramp-up.