Hunt faces potential Tory backlash as he draws up plans to raise £50bn November 6, 2022 There are growing government fears about a potential Tory backlash against Jeremy Hunt’s fiscal statement as he looks to find ways to raise £50bn. Hunt will raise taxes and cut future real-terms spending in his 17 November autumn statement, with the chancellor looking at proposals to freeze Income Tax thresholds as a part of a [...]
Sunak to raise imprisoned British citizen to Egypt’s leaders at Cop27 November 6, 2022 Rishi Sunak has vowed to “raise” the case of imprisoned British citizen Alaa Abd El-Fattah with Egypt’s leaders during next week’s Cop27 climate summit. The Prime Minister wrote to the family of the jailed writer, who is on a hunger and water strike, to tell them he was “totally committed to resolving [his] case” and [...]
Whitehall launches investigation into ‘profiteering’ by energy firms November 6, 2022 Whitehall officials have launched a probe into alleged profiteering by energy firms, with claims they are not passing on the benefits of recent government interventions. The government last month launched a six-month energy price cap for businesses to help them survive the continued increases in global energy prices. The Sunday Times reports that the Department [...]
RMT suspends week of planned rail strikes in potential breakthrough November 4, 2022 The UK’s largest rail union has suspended a week of planned rail strikes, set to begin tomorrow, in what could be a breakthrough in negotiations. The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) today said it would not go ahead with strikes on 5, 7 and 9 November, but that the “current dispute [...]
Hunt mulls change in non-dom tax breaks for autumn fiscal statement November 4, 2022 Treasury officials are looking at potential changes to the UK’s rules on non-domiciled tax status as a part of Jeremy Hunt’s autumn fiscal statement later this month. The chancellor has reportedly tasked officials on the Treasury’s high net worth individuals policy team to look at ways to cut down on tax breaks for non-doms as [...]
Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle: Matt Hancock must ‘answer to constituents’ over I’m a Celeb November 4, 2022 Matt Hancock will have to “answer to his constituents” over his decision to travel to Australia to appear in I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here, according to Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle. Hoyle said that he personally would “absolutely not” choose to “go running around a jungle eating kangaroos’ testicles”. The former health secretary, [...]
UK will not move Israel embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem November 3, 2022 The UK will not move the British embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, after a review launched by ex-Prime Minister Liz Truss. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak today said “it was looked at and I can confirm there are no plans to move” the embassy. Number 10 was unsure whether the [...]
Tory MP Andrew Bridgen faces Commons suspension for lobbying breach November 3, 2022 Tory MP Andrew Bridgen should be suspended from the House of Commons for breaking parliament’s lobbying rules, Westminster’s standards watchdog has said. The watchdog found Bridgen broke parliamentary standards rules by not properly recording his lobbying work for Mere Plantations – a forestry company. Bridgen, MP for North West Leicestershire, received a £5,000 donation from [...]
UK looks at workers’ rights concessions in Qatar and Saudi trade talks November 2, 2022 The UK may demand a commitment to improvements in workers’ rights from Saudi Arabia and Qatar as a part of trade negotiations, according to the UK’s Middle East trade boss. Simon Penney yesterday told CityAM that “the ambition is there in Gulf countries” to improve workers’ rights amid claims that thousands of people have died [...]
Ben Wallace denies he threatened to quit over defence spending pledges November 2, 2022 Ben Wallace has denied claims he would resign if not given a vastly larger defence budget as he appeared to row back on Liz Truss’ previous target. The defence secretary told a Westminster committee that Truss’ promise to spend 3 per cent of UK GDP on defence by 2030 was only “an aspiration”. The Ministry [...]
