UK ‘through Covid by Spring’ but economic benefits are ‘months away’ December 2, 2020 The UK will be through the coronavirus pandemic by Spring, Matt Hancock said this morning, following news the Pfizer/BioNTech has been approved for distribution in the UK. Health minister Matt Hancock has said the UK will be ‘through this by Spring’, but despite the optimism, analysts have predicted there will not be an immediate boost [...]
Unions protest outside Amazon’s London HQ on Cyber Monday December 2, 2019 Union members demonstrated outside Amazon’s London headquarters this morning and accused the e-commerce giant of failing to pay the correct amount of corporation tax. The GMB union estimated that the retailer should have paid £103m in corporation tax last year, but claims the company’s biggest UK arm paid £14m of tax on £2.3bn worth of [...]
British Airways boss: We are still ‘battling for survival’ September 16, 2020 The chief executive of British Airways has said that the airline is still “battling for its own survival” as travel disruption due to the coronavirus pandemic drags on. Speaking to the Transport Select Committee this morning, Alex Cruz said that the carrier was burning through £20m a day because of the downturn. However, he did [...]
Heathrow third runway: Businesses react as High Court blocks expansion February 27, 2020 Climate groups reacted joyously this morning after the Court of Appeal upheld their challenge to the planned third runway expansion of Heathrow Airport. However, business groups expressed their “bitter disappointment” at the decision. In a seismic decision for environmental campaigners, the court found that the government’s policy statement for the third runway was “unlawful” as [...]
IAG chief hits back after MPs blast BA as ‘national disgrace’ over job cuts June 15, 2020 The chief executive of British Airways (BA) owner IAG has hit back at MPs after a report from the transport select committee labelled the UK’s flag carrier a “national disgrace”. Tensions between lawmakers and the airline have become inflamed over BA’s plans to make 12,000 of its staff redundant during the coronavirus crisis. The report [...]
Excel centre u-turns on charging NHS for temporary hospital April 5, 2020 Owners of the Excel London have decided to not charge the NHS to use the convention centre as a temporary hospital after a barrage of criticism. Excel centre chief executive Jeremy Reeves released a statement today to say the building’s owners, Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (Adnec), would waive the fixed costs it had previously [...]
IAG haemorrhaging cash at £178m a week, says BA boss Cruz June 4, 2020 British Airways boss Alex Cruz has said that parent company IAG was burning through £178m a week due to the coronavirus crisis, raising fears it might not survive. In an internal note seen by Reuters, Cruz said that IAG’s dire financial situation meant its 12,000 job cuts were necessary. The airline came under heavy criticism [...]
Government enters funding talks with EDF over Sizewell C nuclear plant December 14, 2020 The government has today confirmed that it has entered talks with EDF over funding options for the Sizewell C nuclear power station in Suffolk. The announcement, which came as ministers unveiled the long-awaited energy white paper, could see the government take a financial stake in the project. It comes after months of uncertainty regarding the [...]
British Airways must follow rules when it comes to job cuts, ministers warn June 24, 2020 The transport secretary has warned British Airways (BA) that it must follow the rules when it comes to making sweeping job cuts, saying he is “very, very concerned” about the 12,000 roles set to be made redundant. BA has come under heavy fire in recent weeks over its decision to make the cuts, with many [...]
Government set to announce new hydrogen bus town trial June 24, 2020 The government is set to announce plans for the UK’s first hydrogen bus only town, transport secretary Grant Shapps revealed today. In February ministers unveiled a £50m fund for local authorities to apply to become the country’s first all-electric bus town as part of £170m in new funding for buses. Speaking to the transport select [...]