RMT accuses government of torpedoing rail negotiations December 7, 2022 The union RMT has accused the UK Government of torpedoing negotiations, pushing a resolution of the rail dispute “further away.” Union bosses claimed today the Rail Delivery Group – which is negotiating on behalf of train operators – was instructed by the government to take on the strikes. “It is now absolutely clear that the [...]
Transport secretary: Minimum service level laws not happening anytime soon December 7, 2022 The government’s legislation on guaranteeing minimum service levels during strike days will not be debated anytime soon, according to transport secretary Mark Harper. Introduced in Parliament following this summer’s rail strikes, the bill’s second reading hasn’t happened yet and can’t be expedited due to a perceived lack of cross-party consensus. The secretary also said the [...]
No regulatory ‘race to the bottom’ says Glen as City braces for rules reform December 6, 2022 A top Treasury minister said the government was not “deregulating for deregulation’s sake” today as the government tries to soothe concerns it will overzealously slash rules governing the financial sector.
UK’s new flexible working laws still give employers right to reject requests, employment lawyers say December 5, 2022 New rules aimed at boosting uptake of flexible working arrangements still give employers’ significant discretion to reject those requests, lawyers have told City A.M. New laws aimed at increasing flexibility in the workplace, by giving low paid workers the legal right to ask for a more flexible arrangement and letting all staff ask for flexible [...]
Linklaters cashes in on UK push to bolster naval fleet December 4, 2022 Magic Circle law firm Linklaters is cashing in on the Royal Navy’s push to bolster its fleet with the purchase of five new battleships from British arms manufacturer BAE. The City law firm is advising the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) as it pushes forwards with the purchase of five new battleships from BAE Systems [...]
Government and private sector pump up to £100m into HGV roadside facilities November 25, 2022 Both the UK Government and the private sector are pumping up to £100m into the improvement of HGV roadside facilities such as rest areas. Roads minister Richard Holden has announced the investment will improve facilities such as showers and restaurants as well as increase parking space. The funding will be available in the form of [...]
Borrowing was at £20bn last month, £2bn more than expected October 21, 2022 Public sector borrowing was at £20bn last month exceeding expectations by £2.2bn. The figure is the second highest September borrowing since records began in 1993, and is £8.3bn lower than September 2020 at the height of the pandemic. The PSNB, which excludes pubic sector banks, includes day-to-day expenditure of £79.3bn last month, which was £5.8bn [...]
Truss voices support for Heathrow’s third runway October 12, 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss has voiced her support for Heathrow’s third runway, saying she agreed with the comment made by transport secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan. “I absolutely agree with what the transport secretary said in her comments,” Truss said today during PMQs. Trevelyan reportedly told a fringe event during the Conservative Party conference last week she [...]
Advertising regulator says govt broke rules with series of articles in local papers October 12, 2022 The advertising regulator has ruled the government broke the law with a series of advertorials in local newspapers. The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities published pieces on March 13 on the websites of the Grimsby Telegraph, Derby Telegraph, Birmingham Mail, Leicestershire Mercury and Newcastle Chronicle, and on Cornwall Live and Wales Online. Labour [...]
Barristers ambivalent about MoJ’s pay hike offer October 1, 2022 Criminal barristers have shown ambivalence towards the government’s offer to apply the 15 per cent legal aid fee hike to the “vast majority” of current cases. Barristers speaking to City A.M. said they welcomed the government’s positive movement, but raised concerns the pay hike alone may not go far enough. Members of the Criminal Bar [...]