Sunak looks East: The PM’s China strategy has become clear December 21, 2022 It took Rishi Sunak less than a week into his Tory leadership battle with Liz Truss to dramatically swerve to the right. Amid the flurry of policies designed to win over the grassroots included a promise to be more belligerent toward China than Boris Johnson. Sunak promised to label the country as an official “threat”, [...]
Ukraine’s president Zelensky heads to US in first trip since Kremlin’s invasion December 21, 2022 Ukraine’s president Vlodymyr Zelensky is heading to the US for his first foreign trip since Russia invaded. The leader will address the US Congress and meet his counterpart, President Joe Biden. He announced the move on Twitter after days of speculation about whether he would travel. On social media he wrote: “On my way to [...]
Strikes: Sunak says public sector pay process doesn’t need reform December 20, 2022 Rishi Sunak has thrown his backing behind the government’s independent pay review process for public sector workers, despite this month’s widespread strikes. The Prime Minister told MPs on a Westminster committee today that pay offers to striking NHS staff members were “fair” as Number 10 today said Sunak would not intervene to negotiate with unions. [...]
More strikes in the new year as train drivers to walk out on 5 January December 20, 2022 Britain will need to brace for extra disruption in the new year as train drivers at 15 companies have announced they will strike on 5 January. Members of the union Aslef will down tools as part of a long-standing dispute over salaries, impacting services at the likes of Avanti West Coast, Govia Thameslink and London [...]
Explainer-in-brief: High Court gives the green light to the Rwanda asylum plan December 20, 2022 Yesterday, the High Court ruled that the controversial policy of sending asylum seekers to Rwanda was legal. But the judges also said that the Home Office had failed to properly consider the circumstances of the eight people it was trying to deport back in June, and invited the department to consider them once more. The [...]
Ofcom should regulate Netflix, says Rishi Sunak after Harry-Meghan row December 19, 2022 Rishi Sunak has proposed a change in law that would bring online streaming services like Netflix under Ofcom regulations. The Media Bill announced by the Boris Johnson government in May 2022 first suggested giving Ofcom regulation over streaming companies based overseas. Sunak has affirmed that there will be no change in this agenda. Currently, viewers [...]
Brexit: European nurses don’t want to work for NHS, report suggests December 19, 2022 Brexit-induced migratory hurdles and poor wages have made Britain an unattractive destination for Europe's nurses.
Number 10: Rishi Sunak ‘deeply regrets’ Christmas strikes December 19, 2022 Rishi Sunak “deeply regrets” the strikes disrupting the Christmas period but will not bend on public sector pay demands, Number 10 has said. Sunak’s official spokesman today said it is “still in the gift of the unions to step back and reconsider the approach” as Britain suffers from a series of December strikes. Up to [...]
Hunt confirms full fat budget and OBR forecast on 15 March 2023 December 19, 2022 The government will deliver a full fat budget on 15 March next year, chancellor Jeremy Hunt confirmed today. The announcement will be accompanied by an assessment of the impact of the government’s tax and spending plans on the public finances by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). Last month, Hunt delivered what was in effect [...]
Explainer-in-brief: Ambulance strikes add further pressure on a strained system December 19, 2022 Amidst the chaos of the strikes rocking Britain, ambulance workers will join the walkouts this week, in what is expected to be the most disruptive wave of strikes so far. They will take place this Wednesday and again on the 28th of December. Health bosses have defined these strikes as the biggest danger to patients. [...]