Business groups urge UK to scrap hike in migrant worker visa fees August 7, 2023 Business groups have called on the government to scrap its planned increase in visa fees for migrant workers, arguing the change will make it harder to deal with ongoing labour shortages. In a letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, John Dickie, chief executive of lobby group BusinessLDN, urged the government to rethink the move. “At [...]
Treasury Minister says businesses have woke ‘checklist’ – and tells them to stay out of politics August 7, 2023 A SENIOR Treasury minister has said he is “uncomfortable” with businesses “appropriating the views of their customers to make a political point” in a broadside against corporate woke culture. John Glen told the think-tank Bright Blue’s Centre Write magazine that “the mainstream majority of this country want businesses to provide value for money and quality [...]
Ignore the protests, the Conservatives are the true Just Stop Oil party August 7, 2023 Ignore the protests, no one has done more to ‘Just Stop Oil’ than the Conservatives, who have actually been in power for the past 13 years.
More support with energy bills unlikely this winter, admits Grant Shapps August 7, 2023 Grant Shapps has warned households are unlikely to receive fresh support from the government this winter for their energy bills.
A battery a minute: New car registrations surge as EVs eat into market share August 4, 2023 One new battery electric vehicle was registered every 60 seconds in July, as the UK’s new car market recorded a full year of growth. Registrations of new cars were up more than a quarter (28.3%) in July compared with the same month last year, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders [...]
Explainer: Does it matter if Rishi Sunak goes to the UN? August 4, 2023 It won’t lose him any votes, but it is a symbol of the future of Sunak’s politics.
Reeves: Latest interest rate hike is a ‘hammer blow’ which did not need to happen August 4, 2023 Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves has labelled the latest rise in interest rates as a “hammer blow for working people” which did not need to happen. The Bank of England raised the base rate for the 14th time in a row on Thursday, taking it to 5.25% in a bid to bring inflation under control. The [...]
Further North Sea exploration won’t lower bills, but it will limit green jobs August 4, 2023 More oil and gas in the North Sea is prioritising an industry which will mean, in the long term, bills are higher and we’re further away from self-reliance, writes Nigel Pocklington
Bank of England lifts interest rates to fresh 15 year high in smaller than feared 14th straight hike August 3, 2023 The Bank of England today hiked the UK’s official interest rate for the 14th time in a row but by a lower degree than some had feared. Members of the nine-strong monetary policy committee (MPC) voted 6-3 in favour of a 25 basis point rise, smaller than the 50 basis point lift some in the [...]
FTSE 100 close: Markets in the red as Bank of England hikes interest rates to 5.25 per cent August 3, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 stayed in the red through most of Thursday on a day which saw the Bank of England confirm a 14th consecutive interest rate hike of 25 basis points. The capital’s premier index was down 1.27 per cent by midday and closed at -0.51 per cent. The domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which [...]