Brexit: Hospitality sector slams Government’s decision to exclude overseas restaurant and bar workers in shortage occupancy lists March 17, 2023 Hospitality figures have described the government’s decision to not include overseas restaurant and bar workers in its shortage occupation list as “disappointing” as the sector claims that ongoing labour shortages are “crippling” businesses. “Ongoing labour shortages are crippling hospitality businesses, forcing them to reduce their hours and costing the industry billions in lost trade,” Kate [...]
Ain’t Patrick’s Day: Crystal Palace sack manager Vieira March 17, 2023 Crystal Palace have sacked manager Patrick Vieira after a run of one win in 14 Premier League games. The Eagles are just three points above the relegation zone. Palace chairman Steve Parish told the club website: “It is with enormous regret that this difficult decision has been made. “Ultimately, results in recent months have placed [...]
FTSE 100 live: Oil rises to the top of London’s blue chip index as week’s trading draws to a close March 17, 2023 A rise in oil prices bolstered a FTSE 100 which had been battered by knocks in confidence over the banking sector most of the week. The FTSE 100 was last up 80.62 points at 7,490.65, a rise of 1.09 per cent, while the FTSE 250 – which includes more UK-centric listed companies was trading at [...]
Holidaymakers told to expect delays as passport office workers start FIVE WEEK strike March 17, 2023 Passport Office workers are to strike for five weeks in an escalation of a dispute over jobs, pay and conditions. More than 1,000 members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union working in Passport Offices in England, Scotland and Wales will take part in the action from April 3 to May 5. Those working [...]
CMA: £1.2bn deal with data and software firms will push UP NHS costs and reduce competition March 17, 2023 A £1.2 billion deal between two data management and software companies could push up costs for the NHS by reducing competition, a regulator has found. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) gave UnitedHealth and Emis five days to come up with a plan to mitigate some of its concerns – or risk the watchdog blocking [...]
Not going anywhere: Former PM Boris Johnson re selected as Uxbridge Tory candidate March 17, 2023 Boris Johnson has been re-selected as the Conservative candidate in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency. It comes following speculation that the former prime minister might seek out a safer seat, ahead of the next general election. “I can confirm Boris Johnson has been reselected as the Conservative candidate in Uxbridge and South Ruislip,” a [...]
Free entry helps Natural History Museum retain crown of most visited indoor attraction as London dominates list March 17, 2023 The Natural History Museum was the most visited indoor attraction in the UK for a second consecutive year, research shows. The London museum had 4,654,608 visitors last year, more than three million above the previous year’s figure of 1,571,413, a report by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (Alva) found. However, the South Kensington museum’s [...]
Explainer: Why Waitrose is no longer the jewel in the John Lewis crown and how the group’s future may lie in property, not produce March 17, 2023 Times are tough for John Lewis as chair Sharon White admitted when the high street stalwart this week announced it had made a £234m loss in 2022. The sum was worse than market expectations and marked the second year the upmarket retailer had gone into the red. In a sympathetic letter addressed to the company’s [...]
TikTok denies Chinese state collusion after UK government bans social media app use on devices March 17, 2023 Chinese-owned company TikTok has said it is “disappointed” by the government’s decision to ban the social media app on MPs’ phones. The social media video app has been at the centre of security and data protection concerns in recent weeks – with Cabinet Office minister Oliver Dowden announcing the decision in parliament yesterday. Speaking yesterday [...]
Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit crashes back to earth as firm pauses operation to secure more funding March 17, 2023 Richard Branson’s satellite launch firm Virgin Orbit has paused operations, the company said, amid reports that it is working to secure additional funding. The news comes after the company, which is based in California, failed in its first ever satellite mission from UK soil in January. In a statement, the company said: “Virgin Orbit is initiating a company-wide operational pause, [...]
