Finland officially joins NATO as security bloc’s border with Russia doubles April 4, 2023 Finland has officially joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in a move that doubles the Western alliance’s border with Russia. The historic realignment was triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year. It has sparked warnings from Moscow that it will seek to bolster defences along its border. Finland shares a 832-mile border with [...]
May 2023 local elections: All you need to know April 4, 2023 In just over a month, voters in some parts of the UK will be heading to the ballot box for the local elections. Polling stations will open for residents to select local councillors – in what’s often seen as a key test for the government’s popularity, particularly after the turbulence of recent months. It’s also [...]
Multi-tasking and burnt-out, but working Brits are sleeping more than they did in the 1970s April 3, 2023 Women are working an average of 13 per cent longer hours compared to the 1970s, while men’s working hours dropped by an average of two per cent, a think tank report has found. Researchers at Onward found, on average, Britain is not working significantly more, as full-time male workers have seen their hours fall by [...]
Rishi Sunak’s popularity soars in Tory league table with ‘big jump’ before local elections April 3, 2023 Prime minister Rishi Sunak has seen his popularity soar among the Tory grassroots, a poll has shown. The Conservative Home website’s survey of party membership shows Sunak’s approval ratings have risen from sixth from bottom to sixth from top, in the cabinet league table. In the end of February’s poll, the PM was at just [...]
UK housing model is ‘broken’, says Michael Gove April 3, 2023 The UK’s housing model is “broken”, housing secretary Michael Gove has said. The comments by the senior cabinet minister come in a foreword to a collection of essays by liberal conservative think tank Bright Blue. First reported by the Times newspaper, Mr Gove writes: “We desperately need more homes to bring ownership within reach of [...]
Water companies could face unlimited fines for polluting – Coffey April 1, 2023 Water companies could face unlimited fines and penalties under new government plans to tackle pollution. Environment Secretary Therese Coffey is expected to announce next week plans that ministers believe will “make polluters pay”, with tougher fines levied on water companies put into a “water restoration fund”. It comes as the latest Environment Agency figures showed [...]
UK to join Indo-Pacific trade bloc CPTPP in major ‘milestone’ March 31, 2023 The UK is to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trade bloc, in a major “milestone” for post-Brexit trade, the government has confirmed. Ministers announced the deal making the UK the first European nation to join the major Indo-Pacific free trade bloc, worth a total of £11 trillion GDP, after negotiating [...]
Sunak says ‘fantastic progress’ made in talks to join Indo-Pacific trade bloc March 30, 2023 Rishi Sunak said “fantastic progress” has been made in talks on joining an Indo-Pacific free trade bloc, amid expectations that the UK could be welcomed into the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) imminently. The prime minister said it was “a great benefit of Brexit” for the UK to be able to sign [...]
Confirmed: State pension age rise to 68 paused as life expectancy increase slows, but decision branded ‘politically expedient’ March 30, 2023 Government plans to raise the state pension age to 68 could be delayed due to a slowing of the increase in life expectancy, the government has said. Work and pensions minister Mel Stride told MPs “rapid rises” in life expectancy had slowed in the last decade, and plans for the date at which state pension [...]
Tory row erupts over response to US green subsidies after Hunt refuses to go ‘toe to toe’ with Biden March 30, 2023 Conservative MPs are divided over plans for the UK’s response to the US green subsidies scheme after the Chancellor said Britain would not go “toe to toe” with president Joe Biden. Net zero secretary Grant Shapps today unveiled proposals to ‘power up’ Britain with new energy security measures, in what was expected to be a [...]
