Civil servants have to get back to the office, says former senior Johnson aide July 11, 2021 One of Boris Johnson’s former top aides has called for civil servants to get back to the office among warnings that “Whitehall is dead”. Lord Eddie Lister said that government departments in Whitehall had “corridors of empty rooms” and that young civil servants would not be able to learn on the job like this. Boris Johnson [...]
Taxpayer to cough up £35m for West Ham stadium revamp July 11, 2021 British taxpayers will be handed a £35m bill for a planned revamp of West Ham United football club’s stadium in east London. The government will fork out £14.5m of public money for fresh seating at the state-owned London Stadium as West Ham redevelops the west stand to bring fans closer to the pitch. A further [...]
Klarna snaps up London ecommerce tech startup Hero July 11, 2021 Klarna has acquired London-based ecommerce tech startup Hero in a deal worth a reported $160m (£115m). Hero, which was founded in 2015, offers virtual shopping services to retailers and counts Harvey Nichols, Levi, Nike and JD Sports among its clients. Klarna said it will introduce Hero to its 250,000 retail partners, allowing them to access [...]
Liz Truss reportedly thinks UK-US trade deal before 2023 is unlikely July 11, 2021 International trade secretary Liz Truss is reportedly resigned to not closing a UK-US trade deal before 2023 as she prepares to travel to Washington today. Truss will go to the US to meet Joe Biden’s Trade Representative Katherine Tai as a part of a five-day working trip, which will also include a stop in California. [...]
Huawei chief suffers extradition setback after HSBC documents blocked July 11, 2021 Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou has been dealt a major blow in her extradition case after a judge denied her application to use a trove of HSBC documents as evidence. Meng is facing extradition from Canada to the US on charges of bank fraud for allegedly misleading HSBC about Huawei’s dealings in Iran, potentially [...]
Nadhim Zahawi denies gap between vaccines will be cut to four weeks July 11, 2021 There are no plans to cut the gap between first and second Covid vaccines from eight weeks to four, according to vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi. Zahawi said that protection from two doses of any of the approved Covid vaccines is more optimal at eight weeks than from four weeks. The Sunday Times reported today that [...]
Tees Valley mayor lines up £1bn bid for Britain’s largest freeport July 11, 2021 Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen is said to be preparing a £1bn bid to take over Britain’s largest freeport in what could bring a major boost to the area. Canadian fund manager Brookfield has restarted the sale of PD Ports, which owns the huge Teesport gateway in North Yorkshire, after the process was halted due [...]
Richard Branson set for space flight aboard Virgin Galactic rocket July 11, 2021 Sir Richard Branson is today due to launch into space aboard a Virgin Galactic rocket plane as he kicks off the race to roll out space tourism. The British billionaire will be one of six people aboard the plane, which will climb more than 50 miles above the New Mexico desert to the edge of [...]
Morrisons bosses set for bumper payday from private equity takeover July 11, 2021 Three of Morrisons’ most senior executives are set to earn millions from the supermarket’s proposed private equity takeover as scrutiny grows over the deal. Morrisons has accepted a £6.3bn takeover offer by a consortium of funds led by private equity firm Fortress — the latest in a growing frenzy of US buyouts of British firms. [...]
Minister says people are ‘expected to wear face masks indoor’ after 19 July July 11, 2021 Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi has said people will be “expected” to wear face masks indoors after 19 July in an apparent shift in the government’s previous position. Boris Johnson said last week that face masks would be a “personal choice” after 19 July, but that the government would advise people that wearing them indoors is [...]
