Jet2 cancels flights to Spanish islands after ‘contradictory’ advice July 28, 2020 Budget carrier Jet2 has now cancelled its flights to the Balearic and Canary Islands after the Foreign Office updated its advice to warn against any non-essential travel to the destinations. Until 10 August, the carrier will not operate flights to Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Menorca, Majorca and Ibiza. Yesterday the package holiday group took [...]
Rishi Sunak’s deputy says targeted relief an option after furlough scheme ends July 28, 2020 Treasury minister Steve Barclay has ruled out extending the government’s furlough scheme past October, but left the door open for targeted relief to some sectors. The scheme is due to end on 31 October, with government payments decreased in September and October. Barclay said today that there would be no extension to the scheme, echoing [...]
Facebook and Instagram remove Wiley’s accounts after grime star’s antisemitic rant July 28, 2020 Facebook said it has decided to fully delete the accounts of British grime musician Wiley from both Facebook and Instagram, after he was placed on a temporary ban from the platforms. The self-styled godfather of grime, whose real name is Richard Cowie, is being investigated by police after posting a series of antisemitic tweets over [...]
Treasury unveils plan to speed up delivery of government projects July 28, 2020 Treasury minister Steve Barclay has unveiled the government’s plan to make his department “the new radicals” and transform Whitehall’s decision making processes. Barclay told centre-right think tank Onward today that the Treasury would become more like a Silicon Valley company by ensuring public sector projects operate at greater speed and by using better data to [...]
Airlines push for regional approach after ‘foolish’ Spain quarantine July 28, 2020 The UK’s aviation industry has called on the government to implement focused quarantines on specific regions of overseas countries in a bid to prevent further damage to the sector. Over the weekend, ministers decided to make it mandatory for all travellers returning from Spain to self-isolate for 14 days after a spike in infections in [...]
Amazon Fresh: What does the expansion mean for UK supermarkets? July 28, 2020 Amazon’s announcement that it will offer free grocery deliveries for Prime customers represents a step up in competition between the internet giant and the UK supermarkets. The US company, which bought upmarket grocery chain Whole Foods in 2018, will offer free Amazon Fresh delivery in London and the South East from today. Plans are in [...]
Markets live: FTSE 100 up but US stocks down amid stimulus hopes July 28, 2020 The FTSE 100 rose but US stocks fell as coronavirus cases climbed around the world and Republicans and Democrats prepared to debate a new stimulus package amid new vaccine trials The UK’s main stock index was 0.3 per cent higher in afternoon trading at 6,120 points after briefly slipping into the red. The FTSE 250 [...]
Local Tories urge Grant Shapps to save ‘vital’ Bakerloo Line extension July 28, 2020 Conservative councillors have urged transport secretary Grant Shapps to guarantee the future of long-awaited Bakerloo Line extension to Lewisham after it was thrown into doubt. Transport for London (TfL) warned last week that the Bakerloo Line extension may “be unable to progress” unless a new funding model is agreed. It is one of four major [...]
Oldham hit with new lockdown measures after spike in coronavirus cases July 28, 2020 Some lockdown measures have been reintroduced in Oldham after a “dramatic” spike in cases of coronavirus over the weekend. Residents should not allow social visitors into their homes and must keep a safe distance of 2m from others. Those who are shielding have been told to continue doing so for another two weeks, until 14 [...]
Travis Perkins sales slump 20 per cent in first half July 28, 2020 Travis Perkins reported a 20 per cent hit to sales during the first half of the year due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, but said business started to recover as lockdown was eased. Group revenue in the first six months of the year was £2.78bn, down 20 per cent compared to the first [...]
