Rishi Sunak’s ethics adviser ‘would expect approval to investigate ministers’ February 23, 2023 Rishi Sunak’s ethics adviser has said would expect to be given the go-ahead to investigate a minister if he believed there had been a breach of the rules. Sir Laurie Magnus told MPs that while he required the prime minister’s permission to mount an inquiry into alleged violations of the Ministerial Code, he believed it would only be [...]
Truss warns Sunak over Northern Ireland Protocol deal amid ‘resignation-watch’ denials February 23, 2023 Liz Truss has reportedly warned Rishi Sunak her support for any potential Northern Ireland Protocol agreement depends on retaining changes made under her foreign office posting. Former PM Truss, whose disastrous ‘mini-budget’ sent financial markets into a tailspin last year, has become the second ex-Tory leader to speak out ahead of a much anticipated deal. [...]
UK will have highest growth in G7 under Labour, Keir Starmer pledges February 23, 2023 The UK should become the highest growth economy in the G7, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said, as he unveiled a package of national missions. Speaking in Manchester this morning, Sir Keir revealed a set of five ambitions for the country, with a general election expected to take place in the next 18 months. [...]
UK public services struggling despite near 70-year tax high, report warns February 23, 2023 UK public services can no longer match people’s expectations despite the tax burden being on course to hit a 70-year high, a think tank report has warned. Government decisions to date have done “little to shift the dial,” the Institute for Government (IfG) and CIPFA warned today in their latest performance tracker on the state-run [...]
Rishi Sunak: PM’s personal poll ratings hit record lows February 22, 2023 Rishi Sunak’s approval rating has reached its lowest point yet amid widespread pessimism about Brexit and the direction of the UK. Just 27 per cent of people told pollster Ipsos that they had a favourable opinion of the Prime Minister in a survey, while 46 per cent said they had an unfavourable view. A month [...]
UK inflation will drop back to Bank of England two per cent target by end of this year, economists predict February 22, 2023 Inflation in the UK is on track to fall exactly back to the Bank of England’s target by the end of this year, according to forecasts by two top City of London economists. The rate of price increases will tumble to two per cent in the final three months of 2023, according to Pantheon Macroeconomics. [...]
Partygate: High Court to hear challenge against Met over probe into Johnson’s lockdown party attendance February 22, 2023 The High Court will hear the first stage of a challenge against the Metropolitan Police over the force’s investigation into former prime minister Boris Johnson’s attendance at Number 10 parties during lockdown. Johnson received a fixed penalty notice (FPN) over a birthday party in the Cabinet Room in June 2020, but faced no further action [...]
Jeremy Hunt faces calls for March budget giveaways after UK borrows £30bn less than forecast February 21, 2023 The UK government spent less than it reaped in from taxpayers last month helping to push yearly borrowing £30bn lower than projected by forecasters, officials figures out today reveal. The difference between what the government generated in revenue and spent hit a positive £5.4bn, meaning the UK’s public finances were in surplus last month, according [...]
SNP race: Humza Yousaf ‘clear favourite’ to replace Nicola Sturgeon after Kate Forbes equal marriage controversy February 21, 2023 Health minister Humza Yousaf has gained an advantage in the race to replace Nicola Sturgeon after Kate Forbes was forced to apologise for her comments on equal marriage. Yousaf, who has emerged as the continuity candidate after Sturgeon’s sudden resignation announcement last week, has vowed he will “always fight for the equal rights of others”. [...]
Putin blames Ukraine and the West for starting war ahead of one year mark February 21, 2023 Vladimir Putin has blamed Ukraine and the West for starting the war in an address to the Russian parliament ahead of the one year anniversary of the conflict. The Russian president referred to the “war” in Ukraine for the first time during his State of the Nation speech, after previously only referring to it as [...]