Analysis: Sunak’s cringey love-in reminds us he’s a PM who wants to ‘do business’ April 25, 2023 There was no lectern for Rishi Sunak at the Business Connect conference. Striding across the stage at the glossy King’s Place venue in Islington, the PM was happily, confidently, on home turf; his equivalent of Starmer’s efforts to channel his inner toolmaker. While it was a slick suit and tie, as opposed to shirt sleeves [...]
Joe Biden confirms 2024 White House run – meaning oldest president in history would be 86 at end of second term April 25, 2023 US president Joe Biden has confirmed he is running for reelection to the White House in 2024. The announcement came in a three-minute long video posted to Biden’s personal Twitter feed. His pitch to US voters opens with the word ‘Freedom’ and is narrated by the 46th president himself. The Democratic Party is almost certain [...]
Jeremy Hunt handed £13bn windfall raising chance of tax cuts ahead of election April 25, 2023 Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has been handed a £13bn windfall from the UK public finances holding up better than expected, raising the chances of tax cuts ahead of the next general election, official figures out today reveal. Numbers from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) this morning showed the UK borrowed around £139bn in the year [...]
Tory heavyweights endorse former Boris Johnson adviser to run for London mayor April 25, 2023 A former Downing Street adviser to Boris Johnson has emerged as the Conservative front runner for London mayor next year after earning the backing of three party heavyweights. Energy secretary Grant Shapps and Northern Ireland Office minister Steve Baker, along with former home secretary Priti Patel, announced on Monday they were endorsing Samuel Kasumu to [...]
Watchdog extends investigation into PM’s declaration of interests April 24, 2023 Parliament’s standards watchdog has expanded the investigation into Rishi Sunak’s potential breach of the rules on declaring financial interests. The Prime Minister is also being investigated over whether he broke the MPs’ code of conduct relating to disclosing details surrounding active inquiries, it emerged on Monday. Standards commissioner Daniel Greenberg opened the inquiry following concerns [...]
Keir Starmer: Diane Abbott’s racism comments were ‘antisemitic’ April 24, 2023 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has condemned Diane Abbott’s comments about racism as “antisemitic” and said they will never be accepted in the party. Abbott had the Labour whip suspended after comments suggesting Jewish, Irish and Traveller people are not subject to racism “all their lives”. Sir Keir would not say if Abbott should not [...]
Sunak pledges £100m ‘world leader’ AI boost as firms wooed at business summit April 24, 2023 Prime minister Rishi Sunak has insisted his government is undertaking “the most transformative changes to financial services regulations since the Big Bang”. Sunak insisted the Financial Services and Markets Bill was a “very significant piece of legislation”. He pledged that once the law was implemented, Solvency II reforms would “unlock tens of billions of pounds [...]
Investors snub Sizewell C nuclear power station despite ‘sustainable’ status April 23, 2023 The government is struggling to attract investors to the £20bn Sizewell C nuclear power station, according to a report.
UK borrowing tipped to have jumped to £23bn in March but Hunt and Sunak are on course to hit OBR forecasts April 23, 2023 Britain is tipped to have borrowed nearly £23bn last month to help pay for capping energy bills at £2,500, according to City analysts’ consensus forecast. Fresh numbers out from the Office for National Statistics on Tuesday are expected to show the gap between what the government generates in revenue from taxes and spends on public [...]
Diane Abbott has Labour whip suspended after ‘offensive’ remarks April 23, 2023 Diane Abbott has had the Labour Party whip suspended following remarks suggesting Irish, Jewish and Traveller people are not subject to racism “all their lives”. Abbott made the claims in response to an article on the issue of racism in Britain today and has apologised “for any anguish caused”. The chief whip has removed the [...]