Difficult decision to come from Sunak and Hunt on bank surcharge October 30, 2022 The government has not ruled out reversing a tax cut on the UK’s biggest banks as it scrambles to overfill a huge hole in the public finances. Asked today by Morning Wire if chancellor Jeremy Hunt and prime minister Rishi Sunak would commit to cutting the bank surcharge, an effective windfall tax, the Treasury said [...]
Weekend read: Volatile month in UK gilt market turns the Old Lady into a hawk October 29, 2022 As October is coming to a close, it’s been a rollercoaster month for the UK’s financial market. Following the bungled mini-budget on 23 September that sent equities spiralling, the pound plummeted to an all-time low against the dollar and bond yields soaring higher. In the first few days following Kwasi Kwarteng’s announcement of the mini-budget, [...]
‘You need to try harder’: Sunak confronted by patient over nurses’ pay October 28, 2022 Rishi Sunak has been called out over nurses’ pay during a visit to a south London hospital this afternoon. In a visit to Croydon Hospital, the prime minister was confronted by 77-year-old Catherine Poole, a patient, who said it was a “pity you don’t pay them more” in reference to the surrounding nurses. Sunak replied [...]
Rolex store in Knightsbridge is latest target for Just Stop Oil vandalism campaign October 28, 2022 Rolex is the latest target of Just Stop Oil’s campaign of vandalism with paint sprayed on its Knightsbridge store this morning. The famous watchmaker was set upon by two activists this morning who daubed orange liquid on the glass shop-front. Met Police officers “were quickly on the scene and arrested them on suspicion of criminal [...]
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 [...]
Outrage grows as UK urges LGBT football fans to ‘compromise’ their sexuality during World Cup in Qatar October 28, 2022 James Cleverly, this week re-appointed as Foreign Secretary, is increasingly under fire for comments he made about how British LGBT football fans should behave while in Qatar for the World Cup. A range of celebrities and thousands of people have taken to social media to express their dismay about Cleverly’s stance. The Foreign Secretary urged [...]
Shell backlash shows no profit is safe in windfall tax-crazed Britain October 27, 2022 Another windfall tax after Shell profits? Britain is at risk of becoming uninvestable Pity the folks in Shell’s communications department, who must be tempted to wear bullet-proof armour whenever they send out a trading update. Yesterday’s numbers were impressive, as you’d expect when energy prices are inflated. They also avoided paying any of Rishi Sunak’s [...]
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine hastens peak for global carbon emissions October 27, 2022 Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will catalyse the consumption peak in fossil fuels and global emissions across the world, says the IEA.
Andrew Griffith reappointed as City minister by Sunak October 27, 2022 Andrew Griffith has today been reappointed as City minister as a part of Rishi Sunak’s latest tranche of frontbench appointments. Griffith, a close Boris Johnson ally, retains the portfolio as a part of his role as economic secretary to the Treasury – a junior ministerial role in the department. The former Sky executive had been [...]
Sacked Tory chair: Suella Braverman had ‘multiple breaches of ministerial code’ October 27, 2022 The sacked Conservative Party chair Jake Berry has claimed Suella Braverman was forced to quit over “multiple breaches”, including one relating to national security. The deposed head of the party under Liz Truss made his comments during an appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored, days after Nadhim Zahawi took over his job. This comes after Suella [...]