Strikes: Labour MPs including Tarry, Lavery and Osborne defy Starmer’s order not to joint picket line – but no action taken yet February 1, 2023 A number of Labour MPs have joined picket lines to support striking workers, despite party leader Keir Starmer previously saying no MP should be on a picket line “if they want to be in government”. The official Conservative Party press office account shared tweets from 13 Labour MPs such as Richard Burgon, Ian Lavery and [...]
Johnson piles pressure on Sunak: No.10 insists ex-PM ‘acting in own capacity’ with plea to give Ukraine UK fighter jets February 1, 2023 Boris Johnson has piled pressure on Western leaders to supply fighter jets to Ukraine, setting up a clash with Rishi Sunak. The UK said it is not practical to provide sophisticated planes used by the RAF, such as Typhoons and F-35s, and US President Joe Biden has ruled out sending F-16 fighters. Downing Street stressed [...]
FTSE 100 close: Bleak IMF UK recession warning knocks pound and London index January 31, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 dipped and the pound stumbled today, both driven lower by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warning the UK is on course to be the only major economy to contract this year. The capital’s premier index fell 0.17 per cent to 7,771.69 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more [...]
UK only G7 economy to shrink this year as IMF deals blow to Jeremy Hunt recession declinism criticism January 31, 2023 Britain will emerge as the “sick man” of the world’s richest countries this year, snatching the unwanted title of being the only G7 economy to contract in 2023, according to forecasts by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The world’s economic watchdog has slashed its expectations for UK GDP again, now pencilling in a 0.6 per [...]
Boris Johnson ‘lied’ over Putin missile attack claims, says Kremlin January 30, 2023 The Kremlin has suggested Boris Johnson told “a lie” when the former prime minister said that Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to threaten him with a missile strike. The former Downing Street incumbent made the claim in a new three-part series for BBC Two looking at how the West grappled with Mr Putin in the [...]
Boris: Putin threatened me with a missile strike – that would ‘only take a minute’ January 30, 2023 Boris Johnson has claimed that Vladimir Putin told him “I don’t want to hurt you, but with a missile, it would only take a minute”, in a call ahead of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The former prime minister said the “extraordinary” conversation took place in February after he had visited Kyiv in a last-ditch [...]
Putin and cronies must face justice for brutality in Ukraine, says EU January 28, 2023 The European Union wants swift accountability for “horrific” crimes in Ukraine, EU justice ministers said on Friday, even as they differed over the methods in a debate about how to bring prosecutions, seek evidence or fund war damage repairs. The bloc’s 27 justice ministers met in Stockholm ahead of the Feb. 24 anniversary of Russia’s [...]
‘I haven’t paid an HMRC fine’ Hunt confirms, as calls mount for Zahawi to go over tax fiasco January 27, 2023 Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said he has never paid a tax fine, as ministers’ financial affairs come under scrutiny amid growing calls from Conservatives for Nadhim Zahawi to stand down. Hunt raised suspicions by twice refusing to say whether he has paid a penalty as he took questions after an economic speech, claiming the public are [...]
Hunt: ‘No conceivable circumstances’ where HS2 does NOT reach Euston – as £1bn spend on its station is breached January 27, 2023 HS2 Ltd’s work at Euston started six years ago with more than £1 billion already spent, as chancellor Jeremy Hunt said it’s not “conceivable” it won’t reach London. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said he did not see “any conceivable circumstances” in which HS2 would not run to its planned central London terminus at Euston, amid reports [...]
The best cut is inflation: Hunt hits back at recession ‘declinism’ but appears to rule out tax cuts in March budget January 27, 2023 Jeremy Hunt today hit back at gloomy assessments about the UK’s economic prospects but told voters not to expect tax cuts at the March budget. In a speech at Bloomberg, the chancellor said “declinism about Britain is just wrong” adding that the economy has actually grown faster than fellow G7 nations France, Italy and Japan. [...]