Sunak says investors have nothing to fear over tougher tech M&A regulation September 15, 2021 Chancellor Rishi Sunak said proposals from the UK’s competition watchdog for tougher scrutiny of M&A deals in the startup industry are reasonable and not intended to discourage early investors in UK tech companies. “I don’t think people need to be that anxious about it,” he told reporters at a tech event in London. “No one [...]
Reshuffle: Grading fiasco brought down gaffe-prone ‘Private Pike’ Gavin Williamson September 15, 2021 Gavin Williamson came under repeated pressure to resign over his handling of disruption to schools during the pandemic and the fiasco around grading of GCSE and A-level students amid cancelled exams. After more than two years in the job, his time as Education Secretary has finally come to an end as he declared he was [...]
Reshuffle: Robert Jenrick leaves cabinet after one controversy too many September 15, 2021 Robert Jenrick sought to present himself as a clean-cut professional in the Cabinet, but the axe fell on the housing secretary after a string of high-profile and damaging accusations. His sacking from Boris Johnson’s top team followed the unlawful approval of a Tory donor’s housing development and his eyebrow-raising journeys during lockdown. As Secretary of [...]
Reshuffle: Dominic Raab pays the price for ‘beach is closed’ holiday in Crete September 15, 2021 Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has been removed as Foreign Secretary, moving to the Justice Department whilst also being formally appointed as Deputy Prime Minister. His demotion from foreign secretary follows widespread criticism of his handling of the Afghanistan crisis. He was on holiday in Crete as the Taliban swept across the country and was seen [...]
Reshuffle Live: Truss becomes Foreign Secretary after Raab is moved and Williamson sacked September 15, 2021 Boris Johnson’s reshuffle is continuing this afternoon with Liz Truss being appointed Foreign Secretary after incumbent Dominic Raab was moved. Raab has been moved to the justice department, whilst also being formally appointed as Deputy Prime Minister. Other reshuffle casualties include embattled Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland and Party chairman Amanda Milling [...]
Sajid Javid defends the march back to the office despite SAGE warnings September 15, 2021 Health secretary Sajid Javid has defended the march back to the office after government scientific advisors warned it could trigger a spike in infections. Ditching work from home advice could push daily hospital admissions to rise to 7,000 by next month, experts advising the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) warned yesterday. However, the [...]
Sunak: Private equity raid on UK businesses ‘good news’ for economy September 14, 2021 Foreign investment firms’ recent surge of interest in British listed companies is a “sign of confidence” in the UK economy, chancellor Rishi Sunak said on Tuesday, while also touting British fintech and life sciences companies as “globally best in class.” On the same day that Clayton, Dubilier & Rice cemented its pole position in a [...]
Mixed Covid-19 messages ‘cannot define this winter’ for business, says London First chief September 14, 2021 The boss of London First has urged the government not to allow mixed messages to define the upcoming winter for businesses, following the health secretary’s Covid-19 plan earlier today. Health secretary Sajid Javid said that the government intends to dodge winter restrictions by allowing booster jabs for those over 50 and vaccinations for 12 to [...]
Vaccine minister: ‘We have a right to cancel’ the 140m Valneva jabs order September 14, 2021 Vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi has said that the government had “a right” to quash its Covid-19 vaccine deal with French pharmaceutical firm Valneva. Health secretary Sajid Javid agreed, saying in the government’s Covid-19 autumn and winter plan this afternoon: “There are commercial reasons that we have cancelled the contract. “The vaccine in question would not [...]
Covid-19: Government aims to avoid winter restrictions with booster jabs and teenage vaccinations September 14, 2021 Health Secretary Sajid Javid has said Government intends to avoid a return to Covid-19 restrictions through booster jabs and vaccinations of 12 to 15-year-olds, as he set out an autumn and winter pandemic plan. The Health Secretary said ‘Plan A’ is a series of pharmaceutical interventions, with the objective of avoiding “unsustainable pressure” on the [...]