The Drover’s Wife review: Glosses over the difficult past of a nation May 16, 2022 With The Drover’s Wife, director and star Leah Purcell brings her third adaptation of the Henry Lawson short story, having written a play and a novel on the same subject. As with the other two pieces, this film version fleshes out the narrative, giving the title character a name (Molly Johnson), and shining a light [...]
Letters: A new retention strategy May 16, 2022 [Re: Lack of housing ambition is a recipe for disaster for the capital, May 12] The transition to working from home and the exodus of people leaving London for the countryside, caused by the pandemic, has triggered changes across the commercial and property landscapes. Our capital is having to adapt, as a lack of housing [...]
Minister criticised for saying people should ‘work more hours or move to a better paid job’ to cope with cost of living crisis May 16, 2022 The government’s safeguarding minister has come in for sharp criticism after saying people struggling with the cost of living crisis should “work more hours” or get a “better paid job.” Rachel Maclean said there were way households could “protect themselves” from rising inflation and pressures on their budgets, while appearing on Sky News this morning. [...]
Explainer-in-brief: Job-cutting government takes aim at civil service May 16, 2022 Boris Johnson is considering reducing the number of civil servants by more than 90,000, reaching an even lower level than what was planned pre-Brexit. Formal discussions will start next week, and will likely intensify tensions between ministers and civil servants. Relations have been strained recently, worsened by the row on working from home sparked by [...]
Police get free reign as Priti Patel permanently lifts all restrictions on use of stop-and-search powers May 16, 2022 Home Secretary Priti Patel confirmed she is planning to permanently lift restrictions placed on police in the use of stop-and-search powers as part of the Government’s strategy to tackle violent crime. In a letter to police forces on Monday, Patel announced the easing of conditions on the use of the tactics under Section 60 of [...]
Made.com slashes 2022 outlook amid ‘tough trading environment’ May 16, 2022 Lifestyle brand Made.com lowered its expectations for the rest of 2022, with both gross sales and revenue expected to drop 15 per cent and seven per cent respectively.
Post-pandemic expansion push for Screwfix as DIY giant goes on hiring spree for 800 people to staff 80 new UK stores May 16, 2022 As part of plans to open 80 new shops across the UK and Ireland, home improvement business Screwfix said this morning it is to create 800 retail jobs by January. The retailer’s sales were boosted during the pandemic as locked-down Britons hired tradespeople to spruce up their properties and gardens. Screwfix and B&Q owner Kingfisher [...]
Business rates row set for crunch tribunal decision this week May 16, 2022 Businesses facing hefty business rates bills are set for a court showdown over the Government’s decision to strip them of their right to appeal their property taxes in a series of major cases this week. The Valuation Tribunal, an independent judicial body, will hear a series of 26 test cases on May 18 from occupiers [...]
Nailed on: Screwfix to open 80 stores in expansion May 16, 2022 Home improvement business Screwfix is to create 800 retail jobs by January as part of plans to open 80 new shops across the UK and Ireland. The retailer’s sales were boosted during the pandemic as locked-down Britons hired tradespeople to spruce up their properties and gardens. Screwfix and B&Q owner Kingfisher enjoyed profits of more [...]
Working from home may lead to lazy lifestyle that is as risky as smoking May 16, 2022 Working from home may contribute to a lazy lifestyle that is as much of a health risk as smoking, reveals new research published today. One in five people working from home exercise less often due to not commuting to the office, according to Bupa. An uptick in remote working since the pandemic is entrenching more [...]