Labour steps up attack on Tories ahead of May elections April 8, 2023 Tens of thousands of offenders convicted of serious crimes have been spared jail since the Tories took office, with Labour claiming Rishi Sunak’s party is “on the side of criminals”. The figures highlighted by Labour show community punishments or suspended sentences handed to more than 16,500 adults convicted of child pornography offences and 130 cases [...]
SNP facing biggest crisis in 50 years, says president April 8, 2023 A senior figure in the SNP has said the party faces its biggest crisis in 50 years amid the police investigation into its finances. Mike Russell, the Scottish National Party (SNP) president and a former minister, also said he does not think independence can be achieved “right now”. On Wednesday, former chief executive Peter Murrell [...]
JPMorgan’s dealmaking flurry being scrutinized by US regulator – reports April 7, 2023 JPMorgan Chase is being scrutinized by U.S. regulators for the due diligence the bank conducted on a number of its past acquisitions, the Financial Times reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) in the U.S. scheduled a specific audit of JPMorgan’s deal making after the bank [...]
Easter Reads: the best in our opinion pages on politics and tech April 7, 2023 Rishi Sunak has presented himself as a competent manager, the man who could start the return of the “grown-ups” in Westminster and turn the fortunes of his party around. He’s had some quick successes – like the Windsor Framework – but now he’ll be tasked with disclosing what his long-term plan for an inspiring and [...]
Wall Street falls as recession fears rise after jobless claims climb April 6, 2023 Wall Street’s main indexes fell on Thursday as latest labour market data pointed to slowing economic growth due to rapid interest rate hikes, with risk-wary investors looking forward to monthly jobs data for a clearer picture of the economy. Initial jobless claims came in ahead of expectations to a seasonally adjusted 228,000 for the week [...]
Immigration minister Robert Jenrick slapped with six-month driving ban for speeding April 4, 2023 Immigration minister Robert Jenrick has been slapped with a six-month driving ban after travelling at almost 30mph over a temporary speed limit on the M1 last year. The government minister was also fined a total of £1,639 at a court hearing today after previously admitting to travelling at 68mph in a temporary 40mph zone, It [...]
Sterling hits 10-month high as recession fears ease while dollar is under pressure April 4, 2023 The British pound rose to a new 10-month high against the dollar on Tuesday, and the euro reached its highest in two months, as the U.S. currency continued to suffer from market bets that the end of the U.S. rate-hiking cycle is near. Sterling rose 0.84 per cent to $1.2521, its highest since June 2022, [...]
Finland officially joins NATO as security bloc’s border with Russia doubles April 4, 2023 Finland has officially joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in a move that doubles the Western alliance’s border with Russia. The historic realignment was triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year. It has sparked warnings from Moscow that it will seek to bolster defences along its border. Finland shares a 832-mile border with [...]
Teck Resources snubs takeover offer from commodity giant Glencore April 3, 2023 Canada's Teck Resources revealed on Monday that its board has rejected an unsolicited acquisition proposal from Swiss commodity firm Glencore.
UK housing model is ‘broken’, says Michael Gove April 3, 2023 The UK’s housing model is “broken”, housing secretary Michael Gove has said. The comments by the senior cabinet minister come in a foreword to a collection of essays by liberal conservative think tank Bright Blue. First reported by the Times newspaper, Mr Gove writes: “We desperately need more homes to bring ownership within reach of [...]