Covid inquiry legal battle looms for ministers over Boris Johnson WhatsApp requests May 30, 2023 Ministers could be set for a legal battle with the Covid-19 inquiry over the requested release of unredacted WhatsApp messages and diaries belonging to Boris Johnson. The Cabinet Office has until 4pm on Tuesday to respond to the request from Lady Hallett’s official inquiry. There has so far been little sign that ministers are set [...]
Ukraine launches biggest ever drone raid on Moscow in Kyiv retaliation May 30, 2023 Ukraine launched one of its biggest drone attacks on Moscow on Tuesday, according to Russia, whose defence ministry said all were destroyed approaching the city. There were no reports of deaths. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said two people were injured, one of whom was hospitalised, in the early morning attack. The residents of several parts [...]
Starmer copycat? Sunak bemoans ‘ridiculous’ ads for vapes directed at children May 25, 2023 Rishi Sunak has expressed concern about his daughters potentially being targeted by vape advertising after figures showed the proportion of children trying e-cigarettes has doubled in the past decade. The Prime Minister said it was “ridiculous” that the products appear to be marketed towards young people. Campaigners have argued that vapes are designed to attract [...]
Boris Johnson probed by cops over fresh lockdown breach allegations May 24, 2023 ‘Partygate’ PM Boris Johnson is under police investigation following fresh claims he allegedly breached lockdown rules, it emerged last night. The disgraced ex-prime minister has been reported to the Met Police by the Cabinet Office after new evidence came to light that he may have breached the Covid-19 pandemic rules. Johnson allegedly hosted friends at [...]
Swelling debt interest bill fashions second highest April government borrowing on record at £25.6bn May 23, 2023 A near £10bn debt interest bill helped to push UK borrowing to the second highest monthly total for April since records began in 1993, official figures out today reveal. The government took on an additional £25.6bn of debt last month, above market expectations and up from £13.7bn in the same month last year, according to [...]
Mike Ashley seeks to join Mulberry’s board as he tires of firm’s poor sales May 23, 2023 Sportswear tycoon Mike Ashley is reportedly set to muscle his way onto the board of luxury brand Mulberry as he grows increasing tired of the company’s poor sales performance. Ashley’s Frasers Group owns a 37 per cent stake in Mulberry, but the brand is ultimately controlled by Malaysian billionaire Ong Beng Seng and his wife [...]
Sadiq Khan hosts crunch business talks with City figures May 23, 2023 Sadiq Khan has warned London’s businesses are facing “the most difficult period in living memory” as a result of Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic and the inflation crisis. The Mayor of London has called for the government to devolve some immigration powers to City Hall as a means of tackling regional labour shortages sparked by the [...]
US could default in just a couple weeks unless debt ceiling is raised, Goldman Sachs warns May 22, 2023 The US could run out of cash to pay its lenders as soon as 8 June unless policymakers agree to lift the debt ceiling, top Wall Street economists have estimated. It is expected that the emergency measures the US Treasury has been leaning on to meet its short-term debt obligations could run dry in just [...]
Keir Starmer vows to ban ads for ‘harmful’ products like sugary snacks aimed at children May 22, 2023 Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to ban advertising for “harmful” products including vaping, junk food and “sugary snacks” to children if Labour is elected into power. He outlined his plans for reforms to the NHS, Labour’s third ‘mission’ for government, in a speech this morning, setting out a bid to shift to a prevention-focused approach, [...]
Jeremy Hunt and Rishi Sunak’s profit tax rise to hit investment, survey finds May 22, 2023 Jeremy Hunt and Rishi Sunak’s corporation tax hike is poised to squeeze the UK economy by mothballing investment, new figures out today show. Nearly half of all mid-sized companies intend to shelve big spending projects due to the Chancellor and Prime Minister snatching a greater share of company profits, according to consultancy BDO. Last month, [...]