Kemi Badenoch urged to ‘walk away’ from Gulf trade deal over human rights concerns May 22, 2023 Kemi Badenoch has been urged to “walk away” from “worrying” trade negotiations with Gulf states due to concerns about human and labour rights abuses. The UK has “absolutely no reason” to discuss trade with states where “human, women’s and LGBT rights and workers’ rights abuses are so widespread”, union boss Paul Nowak said. Amnesty International [...]
Three former education secretaries back calls for urgent changes to apprenticeship levy – here’s why May 21, 2023 Calls to link the apprenticeship levy to Britain’s immigration policy have been backed by three former education secretaries. Lord David Blunkett, Sir Gavin Williamson and Nadhim Zahawi have lent support to a report calling for urgent changes to the government’s levy on firms to pay for apprenticeships – including linking the scheme to visa rules [...]
Sunak’s semiconductor plans will leave UK ‘very vulnerable’, warn tech bosses May 19, 2023 Tech bosses have hit out at the government’s landmark £1bn semiconductor strategy, blasting it as “a drop in the ocean” which leaves the UK “very vulnerable”. Founders warned the government’s proposals for investment over the next decade to boost the UK’s domestic silicon chip and compound semiconductor production were “disappointing”, with the announced £1bn funding [...]
Why so secretive? Sunak blasted for ‘surreptitious’ industrial strategy May 18, 2023 A set of cross-party former business secretaries have launched a stinging attack on Rishi Sunak over his apparent lack of a cohesive industrial strategy. Ex-ministers Greg Clark, Peter Mandelson and Vince Cable told the Financial Times the Prime Minister was being so “surreptitious” that his strategy for industry was a “guilty secret”. Clark, Conservative business [...]
Sunak insists he will bring down taxes when inflation cools May 18, 2023 Rishi Sunak has insisted he will bring down taxes when inflation cools and claimed the economy is defying expectations. It comes after economists warned one in five people will be paying the higher rate of tax under his policies. The Prime Minister said the nation’s finances are receiving boosts from the departure from the EU, [...]
Starmer vows to break high-tax, low-growth ‘doom loop’ May 18, 2023 Sir Keir Starmer has vowed the Labour Party will ensure “investment thrives” in order to boost growth in the UK economy if he is elected Prime Minister. The opposition leader hinted he would step up government investment and launch policies to boost private investment. Asked by City A.M. about investment and tax and spending policies, [...]
Sunak in China row over Confucius Institute U-turn May 18, 2023 Downing Street has refused to elaborate on Rishi Sunak’s decision not to ban controversial Confucius Institutes from operating in the UK. The Prime Minister previously pledged during his leadership bid to bar the 30 Beijing-linked organisations from running on UK soil. Confucius institutes are Chinese cultural and language outposts. But he has now walked back [...]
Critics pour cold water on sewage companies’ apology for spills May 18, 2023 Critics have poured cold water on sewage companies apologising for spills as they prepare to invest £10bn in modernisation. The bid to clean up Britain’s waters comes in the wake of campaigning from environmental activists and locals over the scale of sewage spillages from big water companies. Water UK, the industry membership body, yesterday announced [...]
Cost of living overwhelmingly top concern for UK public, poll finds May 17, 2023 The cost of living crisis continues to be the top concern for Britain’s voters, a new poll has found. Pollsters at More in Common (MiC) found 75 per cent of those surveyed cited the cost of living crisis as their number one priority that the government should address. Only 44 per cent said supporting the [...]
Ofwat £11m enforcement boost branded ‘drop in the ocean’ by sewage campaigners May 16, 2023 An £11m funding boost for water regulator Ofwat to help it take action against polluting water companies has been branded a “drop in the ocean” by a campaign group, who argued more was needed to address the scale of the problem. Ofwat said the funds, which would be provided by a future hike to the [...]