Govt will no longer review workers’ rights post-Brexit, minister says January 28, 2021 A planned review into UK workers’ rights has been halted, with business minister Kwasi Kwarteng saying the government is not looking to dilute employment protections post-Brexit. Last week, Kwarteng rejected rumours that he was planning to end the 48-hour working week, wanted to amend rules around rest breaks, and would exclude overtime pay when calculating [...]
Rishi Sunak tells MPs he wants to raise taxes then cut them before next election January 28, 2021 Rishi Sunak has told a group of Conservative MPs that raising taxes this year will give him scope to cut them in the lead up to the 2024 election. The chancellor told the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers yesterday that he will have to make difficult choices this year to trim the UK’s bulging Budget [...]
Covid cases begin decline as ‘lockdown has worked’ January 28, 2021 Covid cases have begun to decline across the UK, according to the latest government-backed study, after England’s chief scientific adviser said there were early signs “lockdowns have worked”. The latest figures from Imperial College London’s React study showed around 1.57 per cent of people in the UK had the virus between 6 and 22 January — slightly [...]
Exclusive: UK’s next free trade deal set to be with Australia January 28, 2021 The UK’s next free trade deal is set to be with Australia, with the agreement to give Brits greater freedom to live Down Under and provide a major boost for the UK’s telecoms sector. The deal could be completed as soon as March, with UK residents to benefit from cheaper Australian food and wine, while [...]
Lockdown extended until at least 8 March January 27, 2021 England’s third national lockdown will be extended until at least 8 March, the Prime Minister has announced, as ministers ramp up plans to get the nation vaccinated before easing restrictions. Speaking in the Commons, Boris Johnson said schools in England will also stay closed until the spring, rather than mid-February as originally planned. “If we [...]
Scientists warn of 50,000 more Covid deaths as they slam ‘poor decisions’ January 27, 2021 “A legacy of poor decisions” led the the UK to have one of the highest coronavirus death tolls in the world, scientists have said, as they warned of 50,000 further deaths. Britain yesterday passed the “grim milestone” of 100,000 Covid-related fatalities, marking the fifth-highest death toll in the world. It makes the UK the fifth [...]
Sadiq Khan accuses government of imposing ‘new era of austerity at worst possible time’ January 27, 2021 The Mayor of London has today warned that major cuts are inevitable unless the government adequately funds the capital. Khan has vowed to build a better city in the aftermath of the pandemic but argues that he is being forced to do so “with one arm tied behind my back”. Speaking at a Budget Plenary [...]
UK to start talks with Switzerland on post-Brexit financial services deal January 27, 2021 Chancellor Rishi Sunak will today start formal talks with his Swiss counterpart in a bid to broker a new post-Brexit financial services agreement for the UK. The Treasury said the talks would see the two sides try to deliver “a comprehensive mutual recognition agreement that would reduce costs and barriers for UK firms accessing the Swiss [...]
Exclusive: Sadiq Khan to bang the drum for City of London at World Economic Forum January 27, 2021 Exclusive: Sadiq Khan to bang drum for EU-City deal at World Economic Forum
UK airline bosses warn PM against making all arrivals subject to hotel quarantine January 26, 2021 The bosses of British Airways, Easyjet, Virgin Atlantic, Jet2 and others have written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to warn him off a blanket policy forcing all UK arrivals into hotel quarantine.