Budget will boost living standards, revive NHS and ‘rebuild Britain’ – Starmer October 12, 2024 The Budget will focus on boosting living standards, reviving the NHS and “rebuilding Britain”, Keir Starmer said as he signalled investment in schools, housing and transport. Chancellor Rachel Reeves will deliver her first Budget on October 30 following gloomy warnings about the tough decisions and tax rises needed to deal with the economic legacy left [...]
Qinetiq inks deal with Ministry of Defence for military communications October 11, 2024 Security and defence contractors Qinetiq have won a three-year contract with the Ministry of Defence worth around £150m to deliver military communications. The initial contract, with UK’s Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) Defence Digital organisation, is worth £39m, but includes options for extensions for up to two further years. The Farnborough-based firm, which in May hiked its [...]
Tory leadership: End race early so victor can respond to Budget, says Jenrick October 10, 2024 Robert Jenrick has called for the Tory leadership race to end early so that the winner can be in place to respond to Rachel Reeves’ first Budget. The Chancellor will deliver Labour’s first fiscal statement on 30 October, and the leadership hopeful has argued for a speedier end to the race ahead of the major [...]
Workers’ rights: Business secretary defends ‘rushed job’ bill October 10, 2024 The business secretary has defended the government’s plan to overhaul workers’ rights after a lobby group branded it a “rushed job, chaotic and poorly planned”.
Labour’s arrogance is disrespectful to business October 10, 2024 When it emerged that Boris Johnson reportedly muttered “f**K business” during a meeting as Prime Minister, he was rightly castigated. For many people it marked an emphatic break in the relationship between government and the private sector. We might not be able to point to any similarly totemic moment in Keir Starmer’s first three months [...]
Labour pulls back from ‘day one’ protections as it unveils workers’ rights overhaul October 10, 2024 Labour has pulled away from its pledge to give employees protection from unfair dismissal from the first day in a job, according to reports, as it unveils its long-awaited package of employment reforms today. The Employment Rights Bill, which Labour promised to introduce within its first 100 days, is set to be laid before Parliament [...]
Can Rachel Reeves get us excited about investing? October 10, 2024 If Rachel Reeves is serious about the need for greater investment, she needs to tell a story about why it’s more important than day-to-day spending, says James Nation When was the last time you heard about Labour’s ‘missions’? What is their overriding governing thought or story? Homing in on a message and then sticking to [...]
New sanctions unit launched with ‘enhanced powers’ to fine businesses October 10, 2024 The UK government has launched a new unit to crackdown on businesses that are in breach of UK sanctions, in an effort to strengthen Britain's sanctions regime
Rayner reviews decision to block development of Marlow Film Studios October 9, 2024 Angela Rayner has launched a review of the decision to block the construction of Marlow Film Studios, opening up the possibility that the £750m project could still be approved.
Sketch: PMQs falls flat – do Sunak and Starmer not get the rules? October 9, 2024 With the Tories immersed in a leadership contest and Labour emerging from weeks of freebie headlines and internal drama, Westminster watchers will have turned to this week’s PMQs for a much needed injection of drama. Grab your popcorn, it’s box office time. Surely the acting leader of the Conservative Party could at least muster up [...]