6:52 am, July 12, 2022
New PM to be announced on September 5
Tory MPs will begin the process of voting for a new leader on Wednesday, with Boris Johnson’s successor to be finally announced on September 5.
Following a meeting of the 1922 Committee executive, the chairman Sir Graham Brady said nominations will open and close on Tuesday.
In order to stand, a candidate will need the support of 20 MPs – potentially making it harder for some of the less well-known contenders to make it onto the ballot paper.
Hottest day of year recorded in Wales as England falls just short
Soaring temperatures saw Wales record its hottest day of the year so far, but England fell just short of setting a new warmest mark.
The Met Office, the United Kingdom’s national weather service, said Wales’ highest temperature so far this year was recorded in Cardiff’s Bute Park on Monday, where the mercury reached 28.7C.
In a tweet, it stated: ‘Temperatures widely in excess of 30C across much of England with Wales having it’s hottest day of the year so far.’
Tax cut pledges of Tory leadership candidates are ‘not serious’, say experts
Conservative leadership candidates’ promises of large tax cuts are ‘not serious’, experts have said.
Candidate setting out their stalls for Conservative MPs and members this week have focused on promises to cut taxes across the board, including corporation tax, income tax and national insurance.
But experts from two think tanks have poured cold water on the plans, saying they would require significant spending cuts as well.
Shares tread water in London amid global sell-off
Shares in London ended treading water on Monday as some of the UK’s biggest energy companies offset a poor day for miners.
By the end of the day, the FTSE 100 had gained just 0.35 points, ending at 7,196.59.
Shares in Europe also dropped significantly. The Dax in Germany gave back 1.4 per cent of its value, while Paris’s Cac 40 dropped 0.6 per cent.
Train drivers at eight rail companies vote overwhelmingly to strike over pay
Train drivers have voted overwhelmingly to strike over pay, increasing the threat of huge disruption to rail services this summer.
Members of the drivers union Aslef at eight train companies backed campaigns of industrial action.
Aslef members at Chiltern, LNER, Northern, TransPennine Express, Arriva Rail London, Great Western, Southeastern and West Midlands Trains voted by around 9-1 in favour of strikes on turnouts of more than 80 per cent.
Monday’s Car Dealer headlines you might have missed
- Snows Motor Group director Neil McCue on managing long new car lead times, agency and online sales
- Used car prices remain sky high despite growth beginning to soften, Auto Trader finds
- EVs to make up almost a third of used car sales by 2030, new research finds
- Revealed: The 10 used models that saw the biggest price growth in June
- Most EVs found to be falling short of claimed range when tested – but BMW iX bucks trend
Ex-F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone facing fraud charge over £400m of overseas assets
Former Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone will be charged with fraud by false representation over an alleged failure to declare £400m of overseas assets to the Government.
The charge against the 91-year-old was authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service on Monday following an investigation by HMRC.
Andrew Penhale, chief crown prosecutor, said: ‘The CPS has reviewed a file of evidence from HMRC and has authorised a charge against Bernard Ecclestone of fraud by false representation in respect of his failure to declare to HMRC the existence of assets held overseas believed to be worth in excess of £400m.’
Leadership race means ‘two weeks to save net zero’, Tory MPs warn
The Conservatives have ‘two weeks to save net zero’ as candidates vie for the party leadership, the chair of the Conservative Net Zero Support Group has warned.
Tory MP Chris Skidmore has called on leadership candidates to commit to meeting the target of reaching net zero by 2050 and set out their plans for the environment as they make their pitches to MPs and members.
Speaking to PA, he said: ‘We have yet to hear from any candidate in this leadership race their clear position not only on supporting net zero but also how they intend to prioritise climate, nature and the environment.’
Drivers could save nearly £60 a year by paying for car insurance up front
Motorists could save up to £59 on car insurance by paying for it in a single lump sum rather than via monthly instalments.
New data from Comparethemarket shows that while paying for a whole year of insurance in a single payment will cost £693 on average, opting for 12 monthly payments will see this rise to £752.
It follows a similar trend in 2021, where the difference between paying monthly and annually was £59 on average.
Heathrow orders last-minute cancellations affecting around 10,000 passengers
Heathrow Airport ordered the cancellation of dozens of flights at short notice on Monday, affecting around 10,000 passengers.
Sixty-one flights were axed as the west London airport did not believe it could have handled the expected number of passengers.
Airlines have been asked not to rebook affected travellers on to alternative flights departing on Monday.
Weather outlook
Today will be a largely cloudy day with patchy rain spreading southwards, reaching the south by the evening. Behind this, sunshine will develop for northern areas. The BBC is reporting that it will be another hot day for England and Wales.
Overnight, there will be plenty of clear spells and it will be a cooler night for many. Showers will move into north-west Scotland. Southern England will remain warm and cloudy with patchy light rain.
Northern Scotland will see further showers and a brisk wind. The rest of the UK can expect plenty of warm sunshine through the day and it will feel less hot for most.
