Calls to cut taxes show ‘questionable judgement’, economists warn August 23, 2023 Economists have warned that calls from Conservative MPs for Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to cut taxes after improved borrowing data emerged show “questionable judgement”. Three backbench Conservatives piled the pressure on, according to the Financial Times, with calls for “personal tax reductions” to “stimulate the economy”. The pleas came after figures from the Office for National [...]
Yevgeny Prigozhin: Who is the Putin-critic Wagner boss reportedly killed in a Russian plane crash? August 23, 2023 Prigozhin, the boss of Russian mercenary group Wagner who recently led a mini-mutiny against Vladimir Putin, has died in a plane crash
Dame Alison Rose: Ex NatWest boss handed £2.4m pay package August 23, 2023 Former NatWest boss Dame Alison Rose’s pay package – reportedly £2.4m – has been branded a “sick joke” by Nigel Farage. Dame Alison quit her high-profile role as boss of NatWest, which also owns private bank Coutts over her handling of Farage’s account closure – which sparked a ‘debanking’ scandal. NatWest Group issued an RNS [...]
ULEZ: Ministers tried (and failed) to overrule Sadiq Khan scheme’s London-wide expansion August 23, 2023 The government unsuccessfully attempted to use powers to overrule Sadiq Khan’s expansion of the ULEZ scheme, it has been revealed. Ministers were reportedly looking into an obscure legal route to obstruct the mayor’s plans to expand the ultra low emission zone (ULEZ) throughout the capital but were told it would fall down in court. But [...]
Twitter owner Elon Musk to be invited to government investment summit August 22, 2023 Twitter owner Elon Musk is among top business leaders expected to be invited to Rishi Sunak’s global investment summit this autumn. Tesla boss Musk – who recently bought and renamed Twitter as X – is among figures including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos who officials are keen to see attend the summit, according to Sky News. [...]
Former Bank governor Carney called in to head Bloomberg board August 22, 2023 Bloomberg has called in former Bank of England governor Mark Carney to chair a new board of directors in a slew of senior promotions.
Public firms could be allowed to extract £50bn from staff pension schemes in bid to boost investment August 21, 2023 Public firms could be permitted to withdraw up to £50bn from staff pension schemes if government plans for a sweeping shake up of the industry’s rules go ahead. Returns on investments in government bonds – known as gilts – have seen workplace pension schemes go from being well in the red to significantly cashed up [...]
Covid medical boss Jonathan Van-Tam takes job at vaccine maker Moderna August 18, 2023 Former Covid medical officer Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam has joined vaccine maker Moderna as an advisor, it has been revealed. The former deputy chief medical officer, who played a key role in the UK’s pandemic response has taken the post on a part-time basis at the US pharmaceutical giant, since May. He is working as [...]
Women’s World Cup final: ‘We wouldn’t think twice for the men’ so open pubs early for Lionesses, councils urged August 18, 2023 Pubs across England are hoping a minister’s letter to councils across England means venues can open early for the World Cup final on Sunday. 4.6m people tuned in on a working day to watch the Lionesses progress to their first World Cup final with the win being the most-watched game of the tournament so far. [...]
Labour to water down gig economy pledges in business vote bid: reports August 18, 2023 Labour have watered down protections for workers’ rights in a bid to woo big business, it has been reported Sir Keir Starmer has rolled back his plans to create a single category of ‘worker’ for all but those genuinely self-employed, which was intended to secure “rights and protections” for all. But at the party’s national [...]