All you need to know about this week’s by-election battles July 17, 2023 With Parliament set to break up for summer recess this Thursday, MPs of all stripes are preparing to head back to their constituencies for the summer. But before the long August holidays, there could be some political upsets in store. Voters in three constituencies of Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Selby and Ainsty and Somerton and [...]
Sexism in the City: MPs to investigate barriers for women and ‘alpha male’ culture in finance July 14, 2023 MPs are set to investigate barriers faced by women in finance, in a new probe into sexism in Canada. The treasury committee is calling for evidence for its inquiry into progress on ending gender pay gaps and how firms, government and regulators can tackle misogyny and harassment. Harriett Baldwin, treasury committee chairwoman, [...]
PMQs sketch: A trip down memory lane July 12, 2023 If you’re ever in need of a history lesson, there are worse places to head than the storied and ancient House of Commons for a PMQs. But when it comes to political debate, we tend to hope our leaders will have their fingers on the pulse of the nation. Not so during this week’s Prime [...]
Mortgage rates: Banks warn of more ‘financial difficulty’ – but arrears increase will be small July 11, 2023 Leading bankers have said that an increasing number of customers will face financial difficulties as mortgage rates rise, but remained confident that both consumers and lenders could withstand the pressure. Bradley Fordham, mortgage director at Santander, said that with rates at six per cent, the average increase in monthly payments for customers coming off a [...]
Meet the AI ‘pioneers’ behind Britain’s biggest infrastructure projects July 4, 2023 Businesses can benefit from artificial intelligence (AI) regulation creating “trusted brands”, the man using the technology to power the restoration of parliament – among other major infrastructure projects – has said. Rishi Sunak’s calls to regulate AI can benefit the industry, nPlan founder Dev Amratia has said, by allowing startups to position themselves as “safe, [...]
Sunak REFUSES to put percentage on chances of halving inflation this year July 4, 2023 Rishi Sunak has refused to put a percentage figure on his chances of halving inflation this year. The prime minister appeared at parliament’s Liaison Committee this afternoon where he was quizzed by MPs on subjects from Ukraine and national security to the cost of living. It came almost exactly six months after he made his [...]
Dorries and Rees-Mogg ‘waged campaign to undermine’ privileges committee probe into Johnson June 29, 2023 Boris Johnson allies Nadine Dorries and Jacob Rees-Mogg were among MPs who attempted to undermine the privileges committee’s investigation into the ex-prime minister. Eight current and former MPs – Dorries, Rees-Mogg, Lord Zac Goldsmith, Mark Jenkinson, Michael Fabricant, Brendan Clarke-Smith, Andrea Jenkyns, and Priti Patel – were involved in a “campaign waged outside Parliament… to [...]
MPs back plans for national Holocaust memorial centre next to Parliament June 29, 2023 MPs have backed plans for a national Holocaust memorial centre next to Parliament despite several Conservatives raising concerns over its proposed location. The Holocaust Memorial Bill, to enable the development to go ahead in Westminster, was given an unopposed second reading in the Commons. Costs have increased by almost 35 per cent due to delays [...]
Sony, Universal and Warner forced to explain ‘disappointing’ gender pay gaps June 28, 2023 Representatives from Sony, Universal and Warner today were forced to explain the gender pay gaps in their companies as they were questioned by MPs in parliament. Reports on salaries at the organisations in 2022 revealed Warner had an average gender pay gap of just under 38 per cent – a slight rise on the previous [...]
Hunt to discuss support with mortgage lenders as repayments crisis looms June 20, 2023 Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is set to meet with mortgage lenders to discuss support for homeowners as a repayments crisis looms. Various calls have been made for the government to step in to help struggling borrowers – but Hunt said ministers would not provide financial support which would fuel inflation. Average costs for a two-year fixed-rate [...]