Claire Coutinho replaces Grant Shapps as energy secretary August 31, 2023 Claire Coutinho has been appointed energy secretary in a promotion to a top cabinet role, amid a mini-reshuffle of the Prime Minister’s core team. It follows Grant Shapps moving over to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) after defence secretary Ben Wallace resigned from cabinet ahead of stepping down as an MP at the next general [...]
Grant Shapps replaces Ben Wallace as defence secretary taking fifth post in a year August 31, 2023 Grant Shapps has been made defence secretary, in a mini-reshuffle sparked by predecessor Ben Wallace stepping down from cabinet. It comes after Wallace announced in July he would be leaving the role and stepping down as an MP as the next election – after a political career spanning almost a quarter century. Shapps, who has [...]
Don’t be TWaTs: Councils urged to dodge four-day week plans at risk of being ‘part time town halls’ August 31, 2023 Councils have been urged to swerve introducing four-day work week schemes in a bid to dodge “part-time town halls”. Campaigners at the Taxpayers Alliance (TPA) have written to every council leader in the UK asking them to pledge not to bring in a four-day work week. Many City firms have been accused of a Tuesday, [...]
Rishi Sunak won’t offer further support to motorists hit by ULEZ charges August 31, 2023 Rishi Sunak has ruled out offering further support to motorists hit by the expanded ULEZ charges across London. The Prime Minister told GB News the policy was the “sole responsibility” of Labour and criticised the scheme as not “the right priority”. His comments come the day after the ultra low emission zone (ULEZ) charging scheme [...]
MPs criticise government’s unclear China strategy amid James Cleverly visit August 29, 2023 MPs have criticised the government for having an unclear strategy around its relationship with China, amid a high-profile visit by the foreign secretary James Cleverly. A parliamentary committee cited “confusion” and “failure to explain policy” on China, following a government announcement of the ‘Indo-Pacific Tilt’ as part of the integrated defence review. The report by [...]
Brexit border checks on food delayed for fifth time August 29, 2023 The implementation of post-Brexit border checks on food products coming from the EU has been delayed for a fifth time.
Pimlico Plumbers founder says he will pay nurses’ ULEZ charges and calls for policy to be binned August 29, 2023 Plumbing tycoon Charlie Mullins says he will pay nurses’ ULEZ charges and called for the scheme to be “abolished immediately”.
James Cleverly to make landmark China visit in bid to ‘protect UK national security’ August 29, 2023 Foreign secretary James Cleverly will make a landmark visit to China on Wednesday in a bid to reaffirm the UK’s protection of national security. Cleverly, who is currently in the Philippines, will fly to Beijing on August 30 for high-level talks with top officials including vice president Han Zheng and foreign affairs minister Wang Yi. [...]
Sunak’s China strategy set for first real test as Cleverly prepares for Beijing trip August 28, 2023 Cleverly is widely expected to fly to Beijing this week, marking the first visit to China by a UK foreign secretary in five years.
Online Safety Bill: UK tech superpower dreams could be crushed by over-regulation August 24, 2023 New rules in the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA) are set to come into force tomorrow, while the UK’s Online Safety Bill (OSB) remains mired in parliamentary proceedings, reigniting the regulation debate among tech companies and industry experts. The OSB, which aims to enhance online safety and security for users within the UK, is [...]