Ryanair mocks absent Chancellor with ‘come back to help out’ tweet December 16, 2021 The Chancellor of the Exchequer faced criticism from Ryanair this afternoon, as the budget airline urged him to return to the UK and help out ailing businesses. Hospitality and tourism firms have been calling on Sunak to bring back pandemic support measures, as they face waves of cancellations amid a surge of Omicron cases before [...]
Only eight million UK homes get full-fibre broadband despite £2bn government investment December 16, 2021 Only eight million UK homes (28 per cent) are able to get full-fibre broadband, according to new data from Ofcom.
Covid-19: No Plan-C Omicron restrictions before Christmas, says health minister December 16, 2021 Families and businesses concerned about another set of tighter Covid-19 restrictions ahead of Christmas Day have no reason to worry according to a UK health minister this morning. Health minister Gillian Keegan said the Government was “not intending to make any more restrictions” between now and Christmas Day. She said Boris Johnson “won’t hesitate” to [...]
Government should further consult finance industry on UK’s net zero path, says investment body December 16, 2021 The government should consult on a ‘transitional taxonomy’ to ensure the finance industry understands the country’s net zero pathway, the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association (UKSIF) has urged. In a government policy briefing today, the group will also caution policymakers to avoid a mandatory approach to carbon targets and instead encourage a broader range [...]
Sadiq Khan hikes council tax as the government refuses to ‘properly fund’ London’s public transport December 16, 2021 London Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced plans to raise council tax by around £20 a year as the Government refuses to “properly fund” Transport for London (TfL).
Two-pronged or two-punch? Boris’ Plan B closes in December 16, 2021 The Prime Minister doubled down on his Plan B approach yesterday evening after daily Covid-19 cases hit a record high with 78,610 new infections on Wednesday. Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty warned that more records would be broken, with the Government “throwing everything” at the new Omicron variant. While the exact ratios are not yet [...]
Shaun Bailey apologises ‘unreservedly’ for lockdown-breaking Number 10 party December 15, 2021 Former Tory London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey has quit a top committee role in the London Assembly, after being accused of breaking lockdown last Christmas to party in Number 10. Bailey, who is one of nine Conservatives on the 25-member London Assembly, will no longer sit as chair of the body’s Police and Crime Committee [...]
Covid-19 cases hit highest since March 2020 December 15, 2021 Daily Covid-19 cases have hit their highest since the pandemic began in the UK around March last year. The UK recorded around 78,610 cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, with 4,237 being cases of the new Omicron variant. The latest figures take the total confirmed cases of the Omicron variant to 9,243. Another 68,868 people have [...]
EU sets up CO2 removal scheme to help drive financial incentives for corporates December 15, 2021 European Union policymakers said today that it will create a system to certify carbon removals next year, as a step towards establishing a regulated EU market to trade them and provide a financial incentive to store CO2.
Zoom joins tech counterterrorism group after ‘zoombombing’ attacks and enhanced security risks December 15, 2021 Video-conferencing platform Zoom has joined a counterterrorism organization formed by major tech companies including Meta and Microsoft, the group said today.