Gove planning shake-up: ‘We need housing today, not tomorrow’ HOUSING CRISIS Michael Gove will loosen planning laws to allow vacant shops to be converted into homes as part of his latest efforts to tackle the UK’s housing crisis. On Monday the minister for housing and levelling up revealed a slew of planning reforms as well as a further commitment to building over 1m new homes across [...]
UK unveils new arts fund in bid to boost ‘gangbusters’ creative sector by £50bn 'Glitz and glam' Ministers have unveiled plans to boost the UK’s “gangbusters” creative industries by up to £50bn. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has revealed a plan to give a multimillion-pound boost across film, music, fashion and gaming, which could see the arts sectors grow by £50bn by 2030. The ‘Creative Industries Sector Vision’ [...]
Britain’s nascent EV sector hopes for a boost from Sunak and Biden talks TRADE The UK’s electric vehicle sector is hoping for some good news from the two-day meeting between Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and US President Joe Biden, who are set to announce closer economic ties between the two nations this week. Biden is expected to offer new trading arrangements to help the UK’s struggling EV division compete [...]
Tory MPs slam Labour over move to hire former Extinction Rebellion lawyer June 5, 2023 Conservative MPs have slammed the Labour Party over its decision to hire a former Extinction Rebellion lawyer as a senior political advisor.
Heathrow: ‘Doomed’ third runway plans under attack from London politicians May 23, 2023 Heathrow Airport’s plans to reduce the impact of noise are “not ambitious enough,” the London Assembly said this morning, in a letter urging the airport to provide more clarity on the current status of its third runway expansion. The letter, addressed to Heathrow boss John Holland Kaye, said that the “lack of clarity” over the [...]
Sunak’s net zero tsar: I’ll vote against my party – but we can’t let the left lead on climate policy May 15, 2023 Net zero tsar Chris Skidmore has said he “will be voting against the government” on amendments to a landmark piece of energy legislation, but warned that climate change policy can not be allowed to become “the home of the left.” Former energy minister Skidmore – who led a key review of the UK’s net zero policy, which criticised [...]
Kemi Badenoch backs the City as she travels to Bern for UK-Swiss trade deal talks May 15, 2023 Trade secretary Kemi Badenoch has pledged her government “gets the City” as she launches trade deal talks with Switzerland. Speaking exclusively to City A.M., the business and trade secretary said the free trade deal’s (FTA) “potential is limitless” as she hopes to unlock investment in tech, digital and data. The former Tory leadership contender will [...]
Local elections: Tories suffer big losses including commuter belt councils Hertsmere, Brentwood, Windsor and Maidenhead May 5, 2023 The Conservatives have been hit by major losses in the local elections – losing over a third of their council seats so far. Losses include key commuter belt councils Hertsmere, Brentwood and Windsor and Maidenhead – which includes former prime minister Theresa May’s constituency. It was prime minister Rishi Sunak’s first significant electoral test since [...]
Gambling white paper: Betting firms forced to ‘step up’ checks in biggest industry overhaul since 2005 April 27, 2023 Gambling companies will be subject to tighter regulations including a statutory levy and stricter checks on losses, the government announced today in its long-awaited gambling white paper. The secretary of state for culture, media and sport Lucy Frazer announced on Thursday that the industry would be subject to “six key areas” of reform. Operators will [...]
Regulation set to challenge the ‘dominance’ of tech giants Google, Amazon and Facebook April 25, 2023 Plans to toughen up UK regulation of some of the world’s largest tech companies will go before MPs for the first time, with the competition watchdog’s dedicated digital unit set to be given sharper teeth. New laws to regulate big tech firms, such as Google, Amazon and Meta, have been long awaited, with MPs last [...]
