Britain’s last coal-fired power station set to close in landmark moment September 26, 2024 The UK’s last remaining coal-fired power station is to shut at the end of September, drawing to a close Britain’s 142-year reliance on the fossil fuel to produce electricity. Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station has been generating electricity since 1968 via its four coal-fired boilers, eight vast cooling towers and 199-metre tall chimney, which occupies a prominent [...]
Fuel allowance furore has made life terribly tricky for the Treasury September 26, 2024 Decision making in the Treasury is an unenviable task, and the winter fuel payments row just made it harder, writes James Nation.
The UK economy is suffering from long Covid and a short memory September 23, 2024 We may have ditched the testing swabs and face masks, but the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is still being felt. Quite understandably, we’d rather consign that era to history, but the scale of the costs incurred makes that impossible. The official inquiry is attempting to get to grips with questions of preparedness, decision making [...]
Let’s be honest… the government is gaslighting us on working from home September 19, 2024 Given the public sector’s appalling productivity record , the government should get its own house in order before giving out working from home advice to private businesses, says Matthew Lesh There is an irony in government ministers telling private enterprises how to be more productive. This week, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds claimed that creating a [...]
Tory leadership race: Robert Jenrick tops ‘PopCon’ poll as favourite to lead party September 18, 2024 Robert Jenrick has topped a Popular Conservatives poll as the favourite to lead the party in the Tory leadership race. The former immigration minister got 38.3 per cent backing from those surveyed, beating rival and former business and trade Kemi Badenoch on 34.9 per cent. It is the fourth so-called ‘PopCon’ poll Jenrick has won, [...]
Sir Martin Sorrell: Labour’s working week reforms won’t help firms September 17, 2024 British businessman Sir Martin Sorrell has said that altering the working week will not boost productivity in the UK, pushing back on Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s pledges to transform Britain’s work culture.
Visit Lake Como in autumn for gorgeous scenery without the crowds September 16, 2024 One of the most extravagant hotels in Europe, Adam Hay Nicholls stays at the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni on the fringes of Lake Como in best possible season: autumn One of three ‘grande dame’ hotels on northern Italy’s perennially glamorous Lake Como, the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni lives up to its Belle Époque billing in [...]
Steel group warns Labour’s industrial strategy must ‘go much further’ amid UK exit threat September 13, 2024 ArcellorMittal has threatened to quit the UK over a protracted dispute surrounding the redevelopment of a commercial port in south-East England.
Visitors to the UK will need to pay £10 to change at Heathrow from next year: Here’s what you need to know September 12, 2024 From next year, all visa-exempt passengers travelling to the UK, or through airports such as London Heathrow, will have to pay a £10 charge and wait up to three days for a permit, as the government significantly expands the scope of a new scheme. It was announced on Tuesday that the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) [...]
The winter fuel cut is Starmer’s first peek into the Too Difficult Box. Now give him courage! September 11, 2024 Means-testing winter fuel payments show Starmer is willing to peek into the Too Difficult Box, but he must resist to urge to slam it shut again, writes James Price