Sunak in China row over Confucius Institute U-turn Beijing Downing Street has refused to elaborate on Rishi Sunak’s decision not to ban controversial Confucius Institutes from operating in the UK. The Prime Minister previously pledged during his leadership bid to bar the 30 Beijing-linked organisations from running on UK soil. Confucius institutes are Chinese cultural and language outposts. But he has now walked back [...]
Net migration set for record high as Tories brace for backlash UK POLITICS Net migration figures into the UK are reportedly set to reach a record high of up to one million with the Conservative party bracing for criticism over the issue. Official figures are expected to be released later in May, with net migration expected to be 650,000 to 997,000 – far higher than the previous record [...]
Tory heavyweights endorse former Boris Johnson adviser to run for London mayor London Mayor A former Downing Street adviser to Boris Johnson has emerged as the Conservative front runner for London mayor next year after earning the backing of three party heavyweights. Energy secretary Grant Shapps and Northern Ireland Office minister Steve Baker, along with former home secretary Priti Patel, announced on Monday they were endorsing Samuel Kasumu to [...]
New hydrogen levy is ‘harmful’ and could stoke inflation, Tory MPs warn February 12, 2023 Plans for a new tax on energy bills to fund research into hydrogen have been opposed by senior Tory MPs arguing it would be “harmful” and make inflation worse. The Energy Bill, which would be the first piece of legislation from Rishi Sunak’s new Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) would see an [...]
Government ‘will not hesitate’ to ensure retailers give drivers fair fuel prices December 23, 2022 Fuel retailers have been threatened with state intervention over prices by the business secretary, who urged companies “to take any steps necessary” to ensure affordable prices for drivers. In a letter to retailers on Thursday, Grant Shapps said the government “will not hesitate to act to ensure competition is healthy and consumers get a fair [...]
Shapps ends flagship small business digital support scheme December 15, 2022 Grant Shapps has pulled the plug on the ‘Help to Grow: Digital programme’ following lacklustre participation and rising costs, sparking a backlash from industry bodies. In a statement on Thursday, Shapps who currently serves as the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said Government “cannot justify the continued cost” of the “Digital” [...]
Shapps’ shale shutdown: Fracking group ‘frustrated and disappointed’ by U-turn on moratorium October 28, 2022 A fracking advocacy group has said it is “deeply frustrated and disappointed” by a government U-turn reintroducing the moratorium for the practice. Grant Shapps confirmed to Parliament this week the UK would “not support shale extraction” unless science can show “categorically that it can be done safely”. The U-turn on Liz Truss’ decision to lift [...]
Bus fares to be capped at £2 this winter in England September 3, 2022 Bus journeys are to be capped at £2 for a temporary period next year as a government measure to tackle the cost of living crisis. A cap will be introduced in England from January to March next year, as households face soaring energy bills this winter. The Department for Transport (DfT) said its £60m scheme [...]
UK pledges to share expertise and help Ukraine rebuild transport network August 25, 2022 The UK Government has pledged to help Ukraine rebuild its war-damaged transport network, sharing private sector expertise. The news comes a day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson made an impromptu visit to Kyiv. The agreement was signed by transport secretary Grant Shapps and its Ukrainian counterpart Oleksandr Kubrakov today, a day after the country’s Independence [...]
Crossrail bosses to advise Israel on building £33bn Tel Aviv metro August 24, 2022 Bosses of Crossrail are to advise on a new state-of-the-art £33bn metro system for the Israeli city of Tel Aviv. Transport secretary Grant Shapps is in Israel this week and has met his counterpart, agreeing the deal as part of a post-Brexit memorandum of understanding signed earlier in the summer. This comes after the completion [...]