Ministers to crack down on ‘incredibly dangerous’ motorway protests October 3, 2021 Ministers have pledged tougher action on demonstrators who block motorways. Home secretary Priti Patel is expected to outline plans for longer sentences and fresh powers for police to seize demonstrators’ equipment, at the Conservative party conference this week. It comes as the climate group Insulate Britain has blocked the M1, M4 and M25 in protests [...]
Commons Speaker demands Met Police meeting to discuss Wayne Couzens’ parliament work October 3, 2021 The Speaker of the House of Commons has requested an urgent meeting with the Met Police after it was revealed Wayne Couzens was deployed to parliament on several occasions. The Met police officer – who was handed a life sentence for the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard – was on duty five times [...]
Hospitality sector urges Chancellor to freeze VAT at current rate to aid recovery October 1, 2021 Hospitality bosses have called on the Treasury to introduce a permanent lower rate of VAT to aid pubs and restaurants’ Covid recovery. The tax on pubs and restaurants rose from 5 per cent to 12.5 per cent today, following the temporary reduction introduced during the coronavirus pandemic. The Treasury’s goal is to return the tax [...]
Natasha’s Law: Parents of teenager say allergen legislation is bittersweet moment October 1, 2021 Businesses will be subject to a new labelling law from today, in a move that will impact 2m people in the UK with food allergies. The law is known as Natasha’s Law, following the death of teenage girl Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who died after eating a sandwich on a flight. The sandwich was not required to [...]
Sainsbury’s recruiting for 22,000 Christmas jobs October 1, 2021 Sainsbury’s is creating 22,000 Christmas jobs, with higher numbers of staff required than usual. This represents 10,000 more roles compared to on average over the past five years, the retailer confirmed. It is looking for store staff, delivery drivers and logistics workers as supermarket bosses have warned of a rocky Christmas amid a labour shortage. [...]
Rising construction costs will led to further house price growth September 30, 2021 House prices are expected to further soar thanks to increasing construction costs. Annual house price growth eased to 10 per cent in September, from 11 per cent in August, according to Nationwide Building Society. London was the weakest performing area of the UK in the third quarter of 2021 while the average UK house price [...]
VAT for hospitality to rise to 12.5 per cent tomorrow September 30, 2021 Hospitality bosses have called for a freeze on increases to VAT, as the tax on pubs and restaurants will rise to 12.5 per cent tomorrow. The 12.5% rate will replace the reduced 5% rate that has applied to hospitality businesses since July 2020. It marks a step in the Treasury’s goal to return the tax [...]
Sarah Everard: Wayne Couzens sentenced to whole life in prison September 30, 2021 Met Police officer Wayne Couzens has been sentenced to a whole life order after admitting to the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard. Couzens was a serving police officer with the Metropolitan Police when he kidnapped the 33-year-old marketing executive. At the sentencing at the Old Bailey on Thursday afternoon, Lord Justice Fulford said [...]
M&S pledges to be fully net zero on carbon emissions by 2040 September 30, 2021 Supermarket Marks & Spencer has committed to becoming fully net zero in carbon emissions by 2040, a decade ahead of a national government target. The retailer set out plans for rapid decarbonisation of its operations that will cut its carbon footprint by a third by 2025, from a 5.7m tonne 2017 baseline. M&S has reset [...]
All aboard: Searches for homes near London stations soar September 30, 2021 The rush back to the office has inspired a jump in searches for homes close to London stations that give them a quick commute into the City. House hunters were keen to have speedy access to Central London, as the momentum behind the office return ramped up, according to data from RightMove, shared with CityAM. [...]