Major incident declared over Scotland train derailment August 12, 2020 A number of people were seriously injured in a passenger train derailment this morning in Scotland, first minister Nicola Sturgeon said, as she declared a major incident. A Scotrail train derailed near Stonehaven in Scotland, just south of Aberdeen, following heavy rain overnight. Twelve people — six passengers and six staff — were on board the four-carriage train. PA [...]
Rishi Sunak says ‘hard times are here’ as UK plunges into worst recession on record August 12, 2020 Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak today warned that “hard times are here” after the UK’s GDP contracted by 20.4 per cent in the last three months, plunging it into the worst recession on record. Speaking to Sky News, Sunak warned that “many more people” would lose their jobs as a result of the recession, [...]
Government says reopening schools is a ‘national priority’ August 10, 2020 Getting children back to school in September after months away is a “national priority”, the government has said. Schools were closed in March for all pupils except the children of key workers when the government announced a UK coronavirus lockdown. Classrooms were reopened in June for a small number of children. However the government has [...]
Rishi Sunak faces pressure to extend furlough scheme August 7, 2020 Chancellor Rishi Sunak is facing mounting pressure to extend the furlough scheme in some form, amid fears of a wave of unemployment later in the year. Opposition political parties and business groups are increasingly worried that plans to wind down the furlough scheme in October are premature. The Bank of England yesterday said 2.5m people [...]
France could be next to join UK quarantine list as Sunak warns of travel ‘disruption’ August 7, 2020 Chancellor Rishi Sunak has warned there is “always a risk of disruption to travel plans” as speculation that France could be added to the quarantine list grows. The number of Covid-19 infections in France has increased by more than 1,600 for a second consecutive day, returning to levels not seen since May. It comes just [...]
BoE governor Andrew Bailey: Some parts of economy no longer ‘viable’ August 6, 2020 Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey has warned that “some parts of the economy” will not be “viable” after the coronavirus pandemic. He also backed the government’s move to end the furlough scheme in October. He said “we have to look forwards”. Bailey was speaking to broadcasters after the Bank kept interest rates on hold [...]
Lords urge government to protect UK creative industries in post-Brexit trade deal August 5, 2020 A House of Lords committee has written to the culture secretary demanding clarification on how a post-Brexit trade deal will affect the UK’s “overlooked” creative industries, as Britain edges towards the Brexit transition period deadline. In a letter to Oliver Dowden, the House of Lords EU Services sub-committee urged the government to provide a comprehensive [...]
Beirut death toll hits 100 after warehouse explosion August 5, 2020 A Beirut warehouse explosion that shook Lebanon’s capital yesterday left more than 4,000 people injured and at least 100 dead as rescue workers dig through the rubble looking for survivors. Tuesday’s blast at port warehouses storing highly explosive material was the most powerful in years in Beirut, already reeling from an economic crisis and a [...]
Public Health England becomes UK’s biggest advertiser during lockdown August 4, 2020 Advertising spend in the UK almost halved during lockdown according to the latest figures, with Public Health England becoming the nation’s biggest advertiser over the course of the pandemic. Traditional advertising spend — including on TV, newspapers, radio, cinema and billboards — fell more than £1.1bn year on year between the start of lockdown and the [...]
Hammerson pins hopes on ‘£800m’ raise to survive crisis August 3, 2020 Retail landlord Hammerson is considering tapping investors for up to £600m in a bid to shore up its finances during the coronavirus crisis. Hammerson, which owns Birmingham’s Bullring shopping centre and Brent Cross in north London, also confirmed that it is in advanced talks to sell its 50 per cent stake in Via Outlets to [...]