UK government is failing to match words with action in stamping out dirty money, MPs say June 30, 2022 The UK government is failing to match its rhetoric with real efforts to crack down on dirty money, MPs have warned. The government is continuing to let the UK become a “safe deposit box” for morally bankrupt billionaires, despite its rhetoric around “clamping down” on Russian money, the Foreign Affairs Committee said. The committee said [...]
Ex-education secretary Gavin Williamson takes up second job as chair of private education firm June 30, 2022 Former UK education secretary Gavin Williamson has taken a second job as an advisor to a private education company that previously donated £165,000 to the Tory party. The MP, who stepped down from his position as education secretary last year, will chair the advisory board of education company RTC Education Ltd after taking up a [...]
UK doubles support for Ukraine with £1bn military aid June 30, 2022 THE UK has pledged to give an extra £1bn in military aid to support the Ukrainian war effort, Boris Johnson said at the NATO Leader’s Summit yesterday. The extra money will almost double the total sums Britain has given in military aid to Ukraine so far, in bringing the total amount to £2.3bn. The UK’s extra [...]
Government strengthens judges powers to grant access to online court hearings June 29, 2022 The government has given courts new powers to let journalists and members of the public watch court hearings online. The Police, Crime, Sentencing, and Courts Act, which came into force yesterday, will give judges in courts and tribunals the power to let reporters and others tune into hearings remotely. The new powers come as a [...]
Criminal barristers push ahead with strike action over legal aid fees June 27, 2022 Criminal barristers are today set to walk out of courts across England and Wales, after last week voting to strike amid a long-running dispute with the government over legal aid fees. Barristers, who are expected to picket outside of London’s Old Bailey court today, are calling on the government to increase legal aid fees by [...]
Solicitors’ watchdog advances crackdown on ‘lawfare’ with more than 20 SLAPP investigations June 26, 2022 The solicitors’ watchdog has launched more than 20 investigations into UK law firms over their involvement in SLAPP lawsuits, as part of its efforts to crack down on the use of Britain’s libel laws to silence the press and other legitimate criticism. The Solicitor’s Regulation Authority (SRA) now has more than 20 open cases over [...]
Rampant inflation swells UK debt interest bill and pushes up government borrowing June 23, 2022 Inflation is swelling the UK’s interest bill and forcing the government to borrow more money to pay investors, official figures released today revealed. The amount of money the government paid to holders of UK debt jumped just over 70 per cent over the last year, reaching £7.6bn in May, up from £4.5bn last year, according [...]
Lawyers say ‘Bill of Rights’ will make government less accountable June 22, 2022 Lawyers have hit out at the government’s plans to scrap the Human Rights Act, over claims it is an attack on the rule of law that risks undermining Britain’s international reputation. Law Society president I. Stephanie Boyce said the plans risk ruining Britain’s reputation “with trade partners, business, and in the international arena,” as [...]
Insurers calls on government to expand pensions ‘auto-enrolment’ scheme June 21, 2022 The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has called on the government to to expand its pensions “auto-enrolment” scheme, following a review of the policy’s successes since it came into force a decade ago. The ABI said the government should set out plans to expand its auto-enrolment policy, which requires employers to automatically enroll all staff [...]
Legal challenge over retail price index changes could cost taxpayer $40bn, analysts warn June 21, 2022 The government could be forced to fork out as much as £40bn in compensation if a legal challenge launched today over the Treasury’s move to recalculate retail prices succeeds, analysts have warned.