Leaked recording reveals Liz Truss saying UK workers lack ‘skill and application’, need more ‘graft’ August 17, 2022 A leaked recording has revealed Tory leadership frontrunner Liz Truss saying UK workers lacked “skill and application” compared to foreign rivals. The foreign secretary made her comments before 2019 when she was number two in the treasury, and was questioned about it last night during a feisty hustings in Peth. The recording, originally published by [...]
Victims of infected blood scandal to be given £400m by October August 17, 2022 The government will pay out £400m by October to thousands of people impacted by the so-called ‘infected blood scandal’ Up to 4,000 people will receive payments of £100,000 after contracting HIV and hepatitis C as a result of being given products imported from the US. Many were given infected blood as children in the form [...]
Mortgage transactions predicted to drop six per cent in 2022 due to interest rate hikes August 16, 2022 Mortgage activity is set to drop six per cent in 2022 as rising inflation and interest rates put pressure on potential homeowners. Brokers Henry Dannell published figures this week showing the housing market had crashed from the highs of 2021, with interest rates putting off new buyers. Figures precept mortgage activity to contract by six [...]
Rumours grow job hunter Boris Johnson will join the Daily Mail after leaving Number 10 next month August 16, 2022 Prime Minister Boris Johnson is reportedly busy job hunting as his time in Number 10 comes to an end. The Guardian reported this week that Johnson, who previously wrote for the Daily Telegraph on a salary of £275,000 a month, is looking for a new gig when he ends his term. In fact, he has [...]
Walmart maintains outlook for next year as profits tighten against inflationary pressures August 16, 2022 US retail giant Walmart’s profits were eaten into by inflation as it maintains its outlook for the next financial year despite revenue being up 8.4 per cent. The supermarket chain took in $152.9bn in Q2 but said this strong growth was “partially driven by inflation”, which tempered its outlook, and its profits. Its comparative sales [...]
Ofgem threatened with legal action if it doesn’t protect vulnerable customers from soaring energy bills August 16, 2022 Energy regulator Ofgem has been threatened with legal action if it fails to protect vulnerable customers from soaring energy bills. The Good Law Project has teamed up with anti-poverty groups urging it to ensure people can cope with bills, expected to reach upwards of £4,000 a year. This comes as the energy price cap is [...]
UK launches post-Brexit trade scheme for 65 developing countries extending tariff cuts August 16, 2022 The UK has launched its post-Brexit scheme to support trade with developing countries, extending tariff cuts to hundreds of products. The Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) was announced today by International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan, in a bid to go further than the EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences. The initiative covers 65 countries Africa, Asia, [...]
Brits could miss out on £28k in retirement funds as workers opt out of pension schemes to save cash August 16, 2022 Brits could miss out on almost £30,000 in retirement funds after a near 30 per cent spike in workers opting out of pension schemes. With inflation nearing double digits and the UK in recession, new figures released by pension provider Penfold showed those pausing contributions could cost new entrants into the workforce up to £28,000. [...]
Warnings for road and rail as extreme weather continues and heatwave turns to storms August 15, 2022 The UK rail and road network is bracing itself for the impact of severe weather as the heatwave comes to an end and thunderstorms are expected. With Britain having experienced its driest July since 1935, the Met Office issued a yellow weather warning on the weekend as heavy rain is expected across large parts of [...]
BA extends ticket sale suspension for short-haul flights from Heathrow to 15 August August 2, 2022 British Airways (BA) has extended its ticket sale suspension for short-haul flights from Heathrow until 15 August. “We took pre-emptive action to reduce our schedule this summer to give customers certainty about their travel plans and to build more resilience into our operation given the ongoing challenges facing the entire aviation industry,” the airline said [...]