Angela Rayner has pledged a future Labour government will introduce new laws to boost workers rights within 100 days of taking power. Labour’s deputy leader promised an end to zero-hours contracts, protections against unfair dismissal, an end of fire-and-rehire practices, more flexible working and repealing the Conservative government’s “vicious” anti-trade union laws. The New Deal […]
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Scotland is on a collision course with the UK government after the Lord Advocate gave the green light for a trial of safe drug consumption rooms. Dorothy Bain KC, Scotland’s top law officer said it would not be in the public interest to prosecute users of such facilities in possession of illegal drugs. Drug consumption […]
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Rishi Sunak has told the Chinese premier he has “serious concerns” about Beijing’s interference in Britain’s democracy after police arrested a suspected Westminster spy working for China. Sunak challenged Li Qiang, China’s premier at the end of the G20 summit in Delhi, following a report by the Sunday Times of the arrest of a parliamentary […]
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It’s 165 years since the Great Stink and this summer has no shortage of personalities and events to support Karl Marx’s observation that “history repeats itself, the first time as tragedy, the second as farce.” It always reeked but 18th century London really stank. Its rank air wafted the pungent scent of human waste and […]
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Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves has ruled out any form of wealth tax to pay for public services under a future Labour government. Rather than taxing society’s richest and targeting expensive properties, raising the top rate of income tax or increasing capital gains tax to fund health, education and other services, a Labour government will pay […]
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The British Museum said it has recovered some the 2,000 items stolen from its collection – but it will take far longer to restore its reputation. A member of staff suspected of involvement in the thefts in 2021 has been sacked and police have launched an investigation. They have interviewed a suspect but no arrests […]
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Sir Keir Starmer is calling on the prime minister to “get a grip” again – this time over the Nadine Dorries affair with the Conservative MP still drawing her salary more than two months after announcing she was quitting “with immediate effect”. Nadine Dorries has an extraordinary charge sheet which includes not speaking in the […]
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Wages have increased by a record amount firing the fears of borrowers while giving pensioners hope of another big boost to their income. Total pay – including bonuses such as the one-off payment to NHS staff – soared 8.2% In the three months to June, far higher than the 7.3% predicted by analysts and a […]
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Rishi Sunak’s government has notched up another Brexit climbdown after caving in to industry fears and U-turning on plans to replace the EU’s “CE” product quality mark with a British rival. The proposed “UKCA” copycat mark has been indefinitely postponed with a government minister conceding the decision was made to reduce “red tape” for businesses […]
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A leaked government report has put the multi-billion HS2 project into fresh doubt. The official watchdog for the high-speed railway – the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) – has warned the “successful delivery” of the project “appears to be unachievable”, according to a report by the Telegraph. Construction journal Building reported earlier this week that […]
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