Ministers could reopen trade talks with China October 16, 2023 Plans to reconvene a joint trade committee with China are being considered by the government, according to a report. Officials are said to be examining options to strengthen trade ties with the Asian superpower, including relaunching the joint economic and trade committee (JETCO), two people familiar with the discussions told Politico. The UK-China forum has [...]
Ex-Boris Johnson adviser switches sides to boost Labour business plans October 16, 2023 Former Tory adviser Iain Anderson has been recruited to work with Labour on securing closer relations with business.
Poll bounce for Labour following Starmer ‘glitter bomb’ at party conference October 15, 2023 Labour have seen a bounce in their poll ratings following leader Sir Keir Starmer being sprinkled with glitter during a stage invasion at their party conference. The party’s lead has risen by two points to a 16-point lead over the Conservatives, a rise on their 14-point lead last week, according to a survey by Opinium. [...]
Israel-Gaza latest: Water partially back on as UK politicians stress concern for civilians October 15, 2023 Israel has restored water to parts of southern Gaza, a US official has said, following a days-long siege of the territory, as tanks reportedly mount on the border ahead of a ground invasion. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN Sunday that Israeli officials had confirmed water pipes in southern Gaza have been [...]
Vape firms warned Labour will ‘come down like tonne of bricks’ October 11, 2023 A Labour government will “come down like a tonne of bricks” on vaping firms marketing products to children under 18, Wes Streeting has said. The shadow health secretary accused the vape industry of seeking to “addict a generation” and suggested appealing flavours like “rainbow burst” were designed to attract kids. Delivering his speech at Labour [...]
Starmer insists Labour is ‘ready for May’ election – but refuses to predict outcome October 9, 2023 Labour is “ready” to fight a May general election, Sir Keir Starmer has said, as he warned he fears the Conservatives will “go low” in a bid to hold onto power. The Labour leader said his party was “ready for May” but warned against predicting the outcome of the fight to enter government. It comes [...]
UK working to establish status of British citizens in Israel, PM says October 9, 2023 The Government is working to establish the status of UK citizens in Israel, Rishi Sunak said, as deadly attacks by Hamas saw one British man serving in the country’s army killed. The Prime Minister declared “terrorism will not prevail” and pledged “steadfast support” for his counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu as the death toll from the incursion [...]
Sunak to clamp down on farmland solar panels in fresh planning proposals October 8, 2023 Sunak will revive efforts to clamp down on solar panel installations across UK farmland, in the latest watering down of green pledges.
HS2’s northern leg scrapped: What’s being planned instead – and has London been snubbed? October 5, 2023 It seemed unthinkable not long ago, but Rishi Sunak scrapped the Manchester leg of HS2 – and said it will be replaced by hundreds of new projects. The scrapping means everything past the London to Birmingham leg, which is already under construction, will be torched, with the PM citing ballooning costs for pulling the plug. [...]
Sunak faces backlash from Johnson and Cameron over HS2 axing – as he’s reported to the police in Scotland October 5, 2023 Rishi Sunak has faced criticism from his predecessors in Number 10 for losing a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” by cancelling the northern leg of HS2. The Prime Minister defied senior Tories and business leaders to scrap HS2 from Birmingham to Manchester saying “the facts have changed” and the cost of the high-speed rail scheme had “more than [...]