Euros 2020: Bank holiday, sick day or in mourning? Businesses urged to be flexible day after final July 9, 2021 There are increasing calls from business groups, unions, and the public, for employers to offer flexibility to staff for the day after the Euros 2020 final, as the Prime Minister is under pressure to announce a bank holiday if England win. “Businesses across England will recognise the momentous nature for many of the prospect of [...]
Biden to sign executive order cracking down on Big Tech July 9, 2021 US President Joe Biden will today sign an executive order aimed at clamping down on anti-competitive behaviour in Big Tech and across a host of other sectors. In a sweeping set of reforms, the president will call on more than a dozen agencies to undertake 72 initiatives aimed at promoting competition across the US economy. [...]
‘Is my camera on?’: Sajid Javid pokes fun at Matt Hancock over office CCTV July 8, 2021 Health Secretary Sajid Javid has poked fun at his predecessor as he addressed a conference from his office in the Department of Health and Social Care. “I hope my camera is on, is my camera on?” he asked as he dialled in to the conference, adding: “I mean, the one on my laptop, not the [...]
Extra bank holiday if England wins Euro 2020 final? Boris Johnson keeps us guessing July 8, 2021 The Prime Minister has come under pressure to consider a one-off day off in the event of the Three Lions winning the tournament after defeating Denmark 2-1 at Wembley last night. Boris Johnson has refused to rule out the prospect of an emergency bank holiday should England win Euro 2020 this coming Sunday. Asked during [...]
Government to bin English votes for English laws July 8, 2021 The government today announced it plans to scrap English votes for English laws, a system that gives English MPs a veto over laws that only affect England. Speaking at Cabinet Office questions on today, Michael Gove said: “The procedure has been suspended since April 2020 and, having reflected, the government believes it has not served [...]
Planning reforms: Govt U-turns over infrastructure levy after Chesham and Amersham defeat July 8, 2021 The Government has announced a significant change to its controversial proposals for the reform of the planning system. Speaking to the Local Government Association’s annual conference, Robert Jenrick – the Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary – announced that the Government would backtrack on implementing a new nationally-set infrastructure levy that was initially outlined as part [...]
The Gates Foundation agrees to a backup plan amid Bill and Melinda’s divorce July 8, 2021 The Gates Foundation has a backup plan in place in case Bill and Melinda Gates struggle to work together amidst their divorce. The deal consists of a two-year trial for the former couple, in which Ms. Gates can choose to resign upon its completion. She will also receive ”personal resources’ from her ex-husband for her [...]
Johnson to “consider” boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics over Uighur ethnic cleansing July 7, 2021 Prime minister Boris Johnson today said he would consider calls for a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, but told MPs he is “instinctively against” taking such action. At prime minister’s questions today, former Tory minister Tim Loughton highlighted concerns over the “genocide” of Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang and the wider human rights [...]
Half of the total UK population is now double-vaxxed July 6, 2021 More than 33m people have received both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, according to the latest government figures, but the number of deaths from Covid is slowly edging up too. The number of people who have now received full vaccine protection in the UK equates to 50.5 per cent of the total UK population of [...]
US lobby groups gear up to fight Biden corporate tax hikes July 6, 2021 US business lobbying groups are preparing to stop new corporate tax hikes in a spending bill linked to the bipartisan $1.2tr (£870bn) infrastructure deal. As reported by Reuters, the US Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, the National Retail Federation and other wealthy lobby groups plan to sway a handful of Democrats against [...]