Rishi Sunak calls for more ‘diplomacy and engagement’ with China November 28, 2022 Rishi Sunak has said the UK needs to “evolve its approach” toward China as he signals closer “diplomacy and engagement” with the burgeoning super power. The Prime Minister told the Lord Mayor’s banquet at Guildhall tonight that the “golden era” of UK-China relations pushed by David Cameron “is over”, but that the UK must not [...]
Number 10 hits out at China for ‘shocking and unacceptable’ arrest of BBC journalist November 28, 2022 The arrest of a BBC journalist by Chinese authorities in Shanghai has been branded as “shocking and “unacceptable” by Number 10. Rishi Sunak’s official spokesman today said that “journalists must be able to do their jobs without fear or intimidation” and that the Foreign Office is making inquiries. BBC journalist Ed Lawrence was beaten and [...]
Police prepare for new wave of Just Stop Oil disruption in run up to Christmas November 28, 2022 The Met Police are preparing for a month of disruption from Just Stop Oil in the run up to Christmas. The force said the environmental campaign group will launching a new wave of protests from 28 November until 14 December. This comes after more than 750 activists were arrested in October and November, with over [...]
I’m A Celeb: Matt Hancock finishes third as Lioness Jill Scott crowned Queen of Jungle November 28, 2022 Matt Hancock finished third in the ITV reality show I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, as Lioness Jill Scott was crowned Queen of the Jungle. The MP, who lost the Conservative whip upon entering the Australian rainforest, was kept in the competition until the end, but proved not to be the winner. The [...]
Post-Brexit Japan deal branded ‘a failure’ November 27, 2022 The first major free trade agreement signed by Britain after Brexit has been branded a failure. Liz Truss signed a deal with Japan in October 2020 that was claimed could boost trade by billions and help the economy recover, reported in The Guardian. However figures from the Department for International Trade showed that trade to [...]
EU to introduce bloc-wide vaping levy November 27, 2022 The EU is set to introduce a new vaping levy as it revamps the tobacco industry’s tax structures and adapts to the vape boom. According to a draft European Commission document and first reported by the Financial Times, stronger vaping products would have an excise duty of at least 40 per cent applied, while lower-strength [...]
Keir Starmer’s brand of blue collar progressivism is coming into focus November 24, 2022 It’s been a good 12 months for Labour. Sir Keir Starmer’s party began 2022 with a small polling lead over the Tories and will finish it looking like a government-in-waiting, thanks largely to the risible collapse of two Prime Ministers and economically crippling stagflation. Pressure will now come onto the opposition leader to give away more [...]
Hunt rejects OBR forecasts of Brexit hit to UK economy November 24, 2022 Forecasts of the economic hit caused by Brexit from the UK’s budgetary watchdog are wrong, according to chancellor Jeremy Hunt. Hunt today said he doesn’t “accept” predictions by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) that the UK’s economy will be 4 per cent smaller in the medium-term due to Brexit. Hunt told Sky News that [...]
UK bans Chinese surveillance equipment in ‘sensitive’ Whitehall buildings November 24, 2022 Government departments must stop installing surveillance cameras made by Chinese companies in “sensitive” sites, it was announced today. Cabinet Office minister Oliver Dowden told MPs that a review by the Government Security Group found “additional controls are required” due to “the threat to the UK and the increasing capability and connectivity” of surveillance systems. The [...]
Brexit: Business groups and unions call for delay of EU legislation bonfire November 24, 2022 Leading British business groups and unions have called on Rishi Sunak to delay post-Brexit plans to shred all retained EU laws by 2023. In a letter signed by more than a dozen institutions – including the Institute of Directors and Trades Union Congress (TUC) – the groups said the plans would “cause significant confusion and [...]