Shortages: Boris Johnson denies crisis exists as he calls supply chain ‘fantastic’ October 5, 2021 The Prime Minister today he is “not worried” about the staffing shortages which have played a role in petrol pumps running dry and risk a mass pig cull and shortages this Christmas. Boris Johnson played down the prospect that rising inflation rates could cancel out wage growth as he pins his long-term hopes on transitioning [...]
What If If Only, Royal Court review: a punchy analysis of grief October 5, 2021 Could things have been different? Can we change the past? Should we risk the consequences? These are the questions posed by Caryl Churchill’s latest wisp of a play, What If If Only – and which it teasingly, infuriatingly, only half answers. Perhaps that’s due to the play’s length: at just 17 minutes long, it is [...]
CBI president: UK must bring in more immigrants to deal with shortages October 4, 2021 The president of one of the UK’s largest business groups has called for the government to increase immigration in the short-term to deal with key worker shortages. Lord Karan Bilimoria, president of the Confederation of Business Industry (CBI), today told City A.M. that there should also be a government board that sets immigration targets to [...]
Conservative conference: Rishi Sunak declares the ‘future is here’ October 4, 2021 Rishi Sunak has declared the “future is here” in his party conference speech as he vowed to bring the UK’s economy into the 21st century. The chancellor said “I want tax cuts”, but that first “public finances must be put back on a sustainable footing”. It comes after the government recently increased National Insurance Contributions [...]
Morrisons’ chairman calls Christmas supply concerns ‘slightly overblown’ October 4, 2021 Morrisons’ chairman has downplayed concerns over the supermarket supply chain this Christmas. Andy Higginson said he was “not worried” about the challenges arising from a shortage of goods drivers and reports forecasting empty shelves this autumn, the BBC reported. The supermarket boss said problems in the supply chain were “well publicised” and “slightly overblown”. “Supply [...]
Aldi hiring for over 1,500 Christmas jobs October 4, 2021 Cut price supermarket Aldi is recruiting for more than 1,500 Christmas jobs this year. The retailer said it would keep all stores shut on Boxing Day to thank colleagues for their work during the pandemic – maintaining a decades-long tradition. Available roles will include those working on checkouts, replenishing stock and fulfilling orders made through [...]
Opinion-in-brief: A real Australian-style points system would fill the gaps October 4, 2021 The shortage of HGV drivers has led to chaos at petrol stations, empty supermarket shelves and McDonald’s running out of milkshakes. Now, animals are being culled because of a lack of butchers and care homes are struggling to fill vacancies. Christmas, once again, is in peril. Britain voted to leave the European Union to “take [...]
Brexit: ‘British renaissance’ has begun as ‘the long, bad EU dream’ is over, Lord Frost to say October 4, 2021 “British Renaissance has begun” as the nation struggles with staffing issues linked to the departure from the European Union, Brexit minister Lord Frost will tell delegates at the Tory party conference later today. The “long bad dream” of EU membership is over, according to Frost, as he challenges Brussels to be more “ambitious” to solve [...]
Rishi Sunak to unveil £500m extra funding for Covid jobs programmes October 3, 2021 Rishi Sunak will tomorrow commit to an extra £500m in spending to boost the government’s post-Covid jobs and skills programmes. Sunak will say in his Conservative party conference speech that he will “double down” on his promise to “do whatever it takes” to protect people’s jobs and livelihoods during the pandemic. It comes as the [...]
Tory MP: Let supermarkets suffer to bring back the village shop October 3, 2021 A Conservative MP has today said it is in the UK’s “long-term interest” for supermarkets to face crippling shortages and that he would like more local producers to be able to sell their milk in village shops. West Dorset MP Chris Loder told a fringe event at the Tory party conference in Manchester that it [...]