HS2: Top civil servant admits to withholding information on cost blow out March 4, 2020 Whitehall’s top transport civil servant appeared to admit to withholding information that showed HS2 would go over budget in a parliamentary committee hearing today. The Department for Transport’s (DfT) permanent secretary Bernadette Kelly answered questions from the Public Accounts Committee on the controversial project. The high speed rail line – connecting London, Birmingham, Crewe, Manchester [...]
Flybe on the brink of bankruptcy after coronavirus hits demand – report March 4, 2020 Flybe could collapse into bankruptcy tonight as coronavirus outbreak saw a slump in demand at the regional carrier, which is reportedly in last ditch rescue talks with the government. Earlier the Financial Times reported that Flybe was set to miss out on a £100m loan from the government, meaning that the embattled regional carrier’s survival [...]
Cathay Pacific fined £500,000 over data protection breach March 4, 2020 Cathay Pacific has been fined £500,000 by the data watchdog for failing to secure its customers’ personal information. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) today said the airline’s computer systems lacked appropriate security measures to protect customers’ personal details. As a result, roughly 9.4m passengers’ data was exposed between 2014 and 2018, 111,578 of whom were [...]
Italy coronavirus: Schools and colleges will close for two weeks March 4, 2020 Italy is considering closing all schools and colleges in a bid to stem the outbreak of the coronavirus as the country’s death toll jumps to 107. The Ansa news agency reported that the Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte decided to close all educational institutions for two weeks because of the rapid spread of the coronavirus. Italy’s [...]
Next Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey: Firms should expect coronavirus help March 4, 2020 The next Bank of England governor has said Threadneedle Street and the government is likely to provide loans to small and medium-sized firms to help them deal with supply chain disruptions from the coronavirus outbreak. Andrew Bailey told MPs that coronavirus was “going to be the first most pressing issue that we face”. He added [...]
Covid-19: Northern Ireland records two new cases as UK total hits 87 March 4, 2020 Two more cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Northern Ireland, which brings the total number of UK cases to 87. The Public Health Agency said that one test result is confirmed positive and two further results are “presumptive positive” It said it is “continuing to work with partners across the UK including Public Health [...]
Andrew Bailey says he is ‘proud’ of record as FCA chief March 4, 2020 The incoming Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey has defended his record as head of the City watchdog, saying he is “proud of what we’ve achieved” but “not proud of some things that happened”. Critics say Bailey did not deal adequately with a number of financial scandals that occurred on his watch as chief executive [...]
SheBelieves Cup preview: England aiming to reach the levels of rivals the United States at invitational tournament March 4, 2020 Defending the trophy they won last year is the ultimate goal when England begin their SheBelieves Cup campaign on Thursday night against the United States, but there will be another overarching ambition for Phil Neville’s side in Florida. The trophy England won this time last year was their first at the invitational competition in four [...]
Spitting Image to return after 24 years following Britbox commission March 4, 2020 Spitting Image will return to UK screens 24 years after it was taken off air, as streaming service Britbox named the hit puppet show as its first original commission. The Bafta award-winning TV show, which first appeared in 1984, has earmarked a string of contemporary targets for its satire, including the Duke and Duchess of [...]
Parliament could be shut down to halt coronavirus spread March 4, 2020 Parliament could be shut down in a bid to halt the coronavirus from being transmitted throughout the country, amid fears that MPs and their staff could be inadvertent super-spreaders. Discussions are underway between parliamentary authorities and medical advisers, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said today. “It’s not for me to speak for parliament but I’m [...]
