Javid confirms National Insurance cut from April January 30, 2020 Chancellor Sajid Javid has today confirmed the government will raise the threshold for National Insurance contributions (NICs) from April, saving the average worker more than £100. The threshold at which people start paying NICs will be raised by more than 10 per cent to £9,500, according to new legislation laid in parliament today. It was [...]
Mike Pompeo: US will put UK at ‘front of the line’ in trade talks January 30, 2020 The US secretary of state Mike Pompeo has pledged to put the UK “at the front of the line” in future trade talks, during a talk in London this morning. Speaking at a Policy Exchange event, Pompeo said he wanted to be in the UK on the date that the UK leaves the EU as [...]
Sajid Javid to back HS2 scheme despite rising costs January 30, 2020 Sajid Javid is poised to throw his weight behind the controversial HS2 project at a key meeting of ministers today, ahead of a decision expected in early February. The chancellor, who has long backed the idea of making the most of low interest rates to support big infrastructure projects, is expected to tell Prime Minister [...]
Leadsom tells business ‘we need you by our side’ as Britain leaves EU January 29, 2020 Andrea Leadsom tonight told leaders of some of the biggest firms in the UK that government “absolutely need business by our side”, as Downing Street gears up for life after Brexit. Cracks in the relationship have been emerging between industry and Boris Johnson’s team in Number 10, which has drawn heavily from the successful Vote [...]
Exclusive: Tories to challenge Liberal Democrats on overspend in St Albans January 29, 2020 Local Conservative party associations are preparing to challenge the Liberal Democrats on the party’s local spending during December’s General Election, with the hope of overturning at least one result. A case is being readied to challenge St Albans, where pro-Leave Conservative Ann Main lost to Daisy Cooper, according to sources close to the matter. A [...]
British nationals face two week ‘isolation’ from first Wuhan airlift January 29, 2020 The first flight carrying British nationals out of the coronavirus-affected city of Wuhan will depart tomorrow morning UK time, Downing Street confirmed today. Around 200 individuals will be airlifted out of the country with the UK government using a charter civilian aircraft and crew, following BA’s decision to suspend all flights in and out of [...]
Labour’s executive shifts blame for election loss away from Corbyn January 29, 2020 Labour’s executive team has sought to blame Brexit and “four years of unrelenting attacks” on Jeremy Corbyn for the party’s worst performance in 80 years, a leaked document reveals. A report written by election co-ordinators Andrew Gwynne and Ian Lavery and circulated at a meeting of the National Executive Committee, said it would be “unrealistic” [...]
London to see biggest hit from new immigration system January 28, 2020 London is expected to see the biggest impact from proposed changes to the UK’s immigration system, the influential MAC report has warned. Published this morning, the Migration Advisory Committee has set out a twin-pronged approach for the government to build its post-Brexit framework, deploying a combination of an Australian-style points-based system with a salary threshold [...]
Business calls for clarity and collaboration after MAC report January 28, 2020 Businesses have called on the government for clarity and collaboration in building the UK’s new immigration system, after an influential report was published this morning. The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) this morning recommended a two-pronged approach combining the Australian-style points system so beloved of Brexiters alongside a salary threshold. However the MAC argued that the [...]
Huawei gets government’s go ahead for limited involvement in UK 5G January 28, 2020 Chinese tech firm Huawei has been given the go-ahead for limited involvement in the UK’s 5G infrastructure, the government has confirmed. The full details of the decision, which was agreed at a meeting of the National Security Council this morning, are expected to be laid out by culture secretary Baroness Nicky Morgan in the House [...]
