Review into Hong Kong’s only independent broadcaster sparks media freedom concerns February 19, 2021 A Hong Kong government review launched today into the city’s only independent broadcaster has sparked concerns over media freedoms in the region. The publicly funded outlet Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) was found to have editorial management “deficiencies” and inadequate transparency of complaints following an unprecedented government-led review. Founded in 1928, the broadcaster is the [...]
London Mayor Sadiq Khan becomes latest politician to have Covid-19 jab February 19, 2021 London Mayor Sadiq Khan has become the latest politician to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. Khan, 50, received his first dose of the Pfizer jab this morning at a vaccination centre in Mitcham. Khan suffers with asthma. People aged 16-64 with underlying health conditions are being included in the second phase of the vaccine rollout. [...]
New £800m UK science research agency called Aria to open in 2022 February 19, 2021 The government will today announce a new £800m military research agency that was spearheaded by former Boris Johnson aide Dominic Cummings. The Advanced Research & Invention Agency (Aria) will be “tasked with funding high-risk research that offers the chance of high rewards” and is set to be launched next year. A statement from the Department of [...]
New City lobby: Big bank influence is holding UK financial services back post-Brexit February 18, 2021 A new pro-Brexit City of London lobby group has taken aim at competitor The CityUK, saying that the established body is “dominated by multinational banks” that do not care about the UK’s prosperity. The CityUnited project was formed earlier this week by a group of Eurosceptic City figures and politicians, with the group aiming to [...]
Labour thinks its ‘market competitive’ bonds proposal will ‘tap into Captain Tom spirit’ February 18, 2021 Sir Keir Starmer’s proposal for a new UK recovery bond would be sold at “market competitive rates” and would aim to “tap into” the spirit shown by the public when supporting Captain Tom Moore last year. Starmer unveiled two new policies today, announcing that a Labour government would give 100,000 loans to start-up businesses and [...]
UK Treasury mulls scrapping EU cap on bonuses for City bankers February 18, 2021 The UK Treasury is reportedly considering scrapping an EU cap on bankers’ bonuses in a bid to keep the City competitive post-Brexit. The UK is now free to set its own regulatory agenda on financial services, with divergence from EU rules expected. The Financial Times reports that one potential change could be removing an EU [...]
Keir Starmer proposes UK ‘recovery bond’ and loans for 100,000 new businesses February 18, 2021 Sir Keir Starmer has proposed giving start-up loans to 100,000 new UK businesses and creating a new “British recovery bond” in a bid for Labour to forge a “new partnership with business”. Starmer’s set piece speech outlined his party’s new economic policy direction under his leadership, saying that “for too long Labour has failed to [...]
Sadiq Khan’s Covid business group calls for London-specific support February 18, 2021 The government should already be drawing up a campaign to reassure people it will be safe to get back on London’s High Streets post-Covid and appoint a minister for “reopening the economy”, according to Sadiq Khan and a group of London business leaders. Khan’s London Covid Business Forum – which includes heads of lobby groups [...]
Covid: Half a million self employed still excluded from government’s SEISS scheme February 17, 2021 Half a million self-employed still excluded from government help despite having no work
Labour’s top priority is ‘financial responsibility’, says Starmer February 17, 2021 Sir Keir Starmer will tomorrow say Labour’s priority will “always be financial responsibility” in a speech expected to reveal the party’s future economic direction under his leadership. Starmer will also say there can be “no return to business as usual” post-Covid, while outlining policies that he says will provide “long-term security to the economy, support for [...]