South Western Railway won’t restore pre-pandemic rail service in ‘attack’ on business October 21, 2021 South Western Railway (SWR) will not restore its London rail services to pre-pandemic levels next year in a move that has been labelled as “an attack” on central London’s economic recovery. Figures, compiled by the Liberal Democrats, show SWR will cut their services across South West London from December 2022, compared to pre-pandemic levels, by [...]
Boris Johnson says ‘we need to move pretty fast’ on fixing Northern Ireland Protocol October 21, 2021 Boris Johnson has today underlined the urgency needed to fix the Northern Ireland Protocol, saying “we need to move pretty fast” to strike a deal with the EU. Johnson, on a visit to Northern Ireland, labelled the post-Brexit treaty as “not coherent with the Belfast Good Friday Agreement”. Negotiations over the implementation of the protocol [...]
Covid: Number 10 denies drawing up plans to ban household mixing this winter October 21, 2021 Downing Street has firmly denied reports that the government is drawing up “Plan C” measures to ban household mixing if Covid rates get surge this winter. Boris Johnson’s official spokesman said Brits face a “very challenging winter”, but that it was “not accurate” to say ministers or officials are working on proposals for further restrictions. [...]
UK seal post-Brexit New Zealand trade deal in stepping stone to CPTPP ascension October 20, 2021 The UK has agreed to a free trade deal with New Zealand in what is another key stepping stone to joining the 11-country Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trading bloc. Boris Johnson announced today that the deal would see UK markets opened up to New Zealand agricultural products as tariffs are slashed [...]
Sajid Javid warns Covid cases could hit 100,000 a day during winter October 20, 2021 Sajid Javid has warned Covid-19 cases could hit 100,000 per day this winter as he declares “the pandemic is not over”. The health secretary said at a press conference that the government would not be implementing more Covid-19 restrictions through its winter Plan B “at this point”, but encouraged people to meet outdoors where possible [...]
UK signs deals for two new Covid-19 antiviral treatments October 20, 2021 The UK has signed deals to secure two potential antiviral Covid-19 treatments, which could see thousands of patients treated with the drugs by winter. Health secretary Sajid Javid today announced the two drugs, if approved by the UK’s medicines regulator, will be given to those most at risk of dying from Covid-19 to help “reduce [...]
Alok Sharma hints that significant Cop26 deal can be done without China October 20, 2021 The UK’s president of the Cop26 has hinted that a significant deal could be done at the climate change summit without China as fears grow the world’s biggest emitter will not come to the negotiating table. Alok Sharma today emphasised the importance of the G20 countries in helping decreasing global emissions as he was being [...]
Kwasi Kwarteng rules out a fourth Covid lockdown over winter October 20, 2021 Kwasi Kwarteng has today ruled out another winter lockdown, after warnings from some scientists that Covid curbs should be re-implemented over winter. The business secretary said he was “concerned” about increasing daily death rates, but pointed out that “at the beginning of the year we had hundreds, if not thousands, a day”. There were 223 [...]
Vladimir Putin will not attend UN Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow October 20, 2021 Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the Cop26 climate change summit in Glasgow later this month, the Kremlin has confirmed. Putin’s decision to not attend is a major blow to Boris Johnson and will spark further fears that the ambitions of the US and UK governments at the summit will go unfulfilled. Putin’s no-show [...]
London business groups call on government to stop five per cent rail fare hikes in 2022 October 20, 2021 London business groups have called on the government to ensure rail fares do not surge next year on the back of above expected inflation, warning this would cripple the capital’s recovering economy. London First and the Centre for London said today that a 5 per cent rise in rail fares next year, which is the [...]
