Pound hits highest level against US dollar since early August and posts best monthly gain since 2020 December 1, 2022 The pound has climbed to its highest level against the US dollar since early August driven by investors betting on slower interest rate rises across the pond. Sterling bounced above $1.22 and was up over 1.2 per cent against the dollar heading into late afternoon trading today. US Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell last night [...]
Boris Johnson tells local Tories he will stand in next election December 1, 2022 Boris Johnson has told his local Conservative association in Uxbridge and Ruislip that he will run again at the next election. The former Prime Minister informed the local party ahead of next week’s deadline for Tory MPs to confirm if they are standing for their seat again. It comes as a series of rising stars [...]
Warning on UK’s frosty China stance: Beijing could retaliate with supply chain disruption December 1, 2022 There are fresh warnings today about China’s ability to intentionally disrupt international supply chains, with claims the UK could be particularly vulnerable. The Evenstar Institute, a London foreign policy think tank, said in a new report today that “Beijing has repeatedly targeted direct trade for strategic purposes in recent years” and that “the UK is [...]
Badenoch takes swipe at Johnson and Truss for setting UK trade deal deadlines November 30, 2022 Trade secretary Kemi Badenoch has taken a swipe at ex-PMs Boris Johnson and Liz Truss for setting public deadlines in trade negotiations. Badenoch told a Westminster committee today that public deadlines, like Johnson’s missed October targert for a UK-India trade deal, “can be incredibly unhelpful” and create “an incentive for more concessions” by British negotiators. [...]
Boss at Mayfair hedge fund TCI gets £575m dividend – but it won’t go in his pocket November 30, 2022 The boss at a Mayfair hedge fund management company has been given more than a half-a-billion dividend, which will be reinvested in companies it runs. Sir Chris Hohn of TCI Fund Management gave himself £575m after a rise in profits, but it is understood it won’t be going into his bank account, according to The [...]
UK summons Chinese ambassador over beating and arrest of BBC journalist November 29, 2022 The UK government has summoned China’s ambassador to London over the beating and arrest of a BBC journalist in Shanghai. Foreign secretary James Cleverly called ambassador Zheng Zeguang to the Foreign Office, with department sources calling the incident “completely unacceptable”. BBC journalist Ed Lawrence was beaten and arrested by Shanghai police yesterday, while reporting on [...]
UK to buy out China General Nuclear’s share of Sizewell C nuclear plant November 29, 2022 The UK government will pay £100m to a Chinese state-owned firm to buy out their share in the Sizewell C nuclear plant. The taxpayer buyout of China General Nuclear’s (CGN) 20 per cent share will mean the UK government and French state-owned EDF will take a 50-50 equity split for the Suffolk nuclear plant. It will [...]
Rishi Sunak calls for more ‘diplomacy and engagement’ with China November 28, 2022 Rishi Sunak has said the UK needs to “evolve its approach” toward China as he signals closer “diplomacy and engagement” with the burgeoning super power. The Prime Minister told the Lord Mayor’s banquet at Guildhall tonight that the “golden era” of UK-China relations pushed by David Cameron “is over”, but that the UK must not [...]
Onshore wind set for revival as backbench pressure weighs on Government November 28, 2022 The seven year de-facto ban on new onshore wind projects could finally be lifted, after Grant Shapps hinted at a possible U-turn.
Number 10 hits out at China for ‘shocking and unacceptable’ arrest of BBC journalist November 28, 2022 The arrest of a BBC journalist by Chinese authorities in Shanghai has been branded as “shocking and “unacceptable” by Number 10. Rishi Sunak’s official spokesman today said that “journalists must be able to do their jobs without fear or intimidation” and that the Foreign Office is making inquiries. BBC journalist Ed Lawrence was beaten and [...]