6:55 am, January 21, 2023
Sunak to pay fine for failing to wear seatbelt in social media video
The Prime Minister has accepted a fine from police for failing to wear a seatbelt while filming a social media clip in the back of a moving car.
Rishi Sunak was issued with a fixed penalty notice by Lancashire Constabulary after he was spotted not wearing his seatbelt in an Instagram video he filmed to promote levelling-up funding during a visit to Lancashire.
Downing Street said Mr Sunak ‘fully accepts this was a mistake and has apologised’.
Junior doctors in England back strike action
Junior doctors in England have said they are prepared to go out on strike in a dispute over pay.
A ballot of junior doctors, who are members of the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association, saw 97.48 per cent of them vote in favour of striking.
The HCSA said there was a 74.76 per cent turnout, and the union will agree ‘the timing and shape’ of the action in coordination with other health unions.
Elon Musk in court to defend Tesla buyout tweet in civil case
Elon Musk was summoned to court on Friday to defend a 2018 tweet claiming he had lined up the financing to take Tesla private in a deal that never came close to happening.
The tweet resulted in a $40m (£32m) settlement with securities regulators. It also led to a class-action lawsuit alleging he misled investors, pulling him into court on Friday.
The billionaire gave evidence on the third day of a civil trial in San Francisco that his lawyer unsuccessfully tried to move to Texas, where Tesla is now headquartered, on the premise that media coverage of his tumultuous takeover of Twitter had tainted the jury pool.
Tougher windfall tax would protect families from rising bills in April – Labour
Labour would toughen up the windfall tax on energy companies, with the party set to urge the Government to stop the energy price cap rising this spring.
In a speech at the Fabian Society Conference on Saturday, shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves will warn that millions are under threat from rising bills come April, when Government support becomes less generous and average households will start paying £3,000.
Setting out Labour’s plan to ease the pressure on energy bills, Ms Reeves will warn the Government against heading ‘unprepared’ towards a ‘crisis’.
Strikes by teachers to go ahead after talks fail to achieve breakthrough
A series of strikes by teachers is set to go ahead after talks failed to achieve a breakthrough in a dispute over pay.
Teaching union leaders spent six hours with officials at the Department for Education but the row remains unresolved.
Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said officials were doing their best to discuss issues including pay and workloads, but faced the ‘dead hand’ of the Treasury.
Friday’s Car Dealer headlines you might have missed
- Tesla Model Y monthly payments soar by 57 per cent in a day following its drastic price drop
- Sign in for early access: Car Dealer 179 features our Car Dealer Live conference, Laura Brailey interview, 2022’s manufacturer losers and more!
- Today’s last chance to take advantage of early bird Car Dealer Live ticket prices
- Sinclair Group revs up children’s hospice support with donations from used car sales
- Jaguar Land Rover’s success snapping up sacked tech teams as Aston Martin joins race for staff
- BMW Group celebrates its best UK dealerships at fancy awards ceremony
- Bank of England governor: UK recession won’t be as bad as first feared
Retail stocks help FTSE climb despite downbeat sector data
The UK’s retail stocks helped provide the FTSE with a slight rebound on Friday, despite a disappointing set of industry-wide economic data.
The FTSE 100 finished the day up 23.3 points, or 0.3 per cent, at 7,770.59.
Elsewhere in Europe, the Dax improved 0.76 per cent by the end of the session, and the French Cac finished 0.63 per cent higher.
Tory chairman Nadhim Zahawi ‘paid penalty in seven-figure HMRC settlement’
Tory party chairman Nadhim Zahawi faces fresh questions over his tax affairs after he was accused of paying a penalty as part of a multi-million pound settlement with HMRC.
The former Chancellor, who attends Rishi Sunak’s Cabinet, has been under pressure since it was reported that he paid a seven-figure sum to end a dispute.
Now, the Guardian has reported that he paid a 30 per cent penalty, taking the estimated total to more than £4.8m.
Dacia records highest European market share yet in 2022
Dacia saw its fortunes improve drastically in 2022, with the value-focused manufacturer recording its highest share of sales in Europe yet.
The Renault-owned brand sold 573,800 new cars in 2022, with sales growing 6.8 per cent in 2021, despite a declining market on the whole.
This gave it a 7.6 per cent share of the European new car market, its highest figure to date, and a big improvement on its 6.2 per cent share in 2021.
Bernie Ecclestone in court ahead of trial for alleged fraud
Ex-Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has appeared in court ahead of his November trial for allegedly failing to declare more than £400m in a trust in Singapore to the Government.
Ecclestone, 92, sat between lawyers in the well of Southwark Crown Court on Friday, wearing a dark suit, white shirt, striped tie and dark glasses.
The billionaire was twice asked to confirm his identity by the court’s clerk, before stating his name after his defence barrister, Clare Montgomery KC, explained: ‘He’s just asking who you are.’
Weather outlook…
Today, England and Wales will be dry and sunny once any early patches of mist and fog lift. Scotland and Northern Ireland will be cloudy and breezy with outbreaks of rain moving in from the west, the BBC reports.
Tonight, it will continue cloudy in Scotland and Northern Ireland with spells of rain. Cloud will also move across Wales, northern and western England, but the south-east will remain with clear skies.
Tomorrow will be an overcast day in the north and west with a few spots of light rain and drizzle in places. Remaining dry and bright in the south-east with sunshine, but it will be rather chilly.
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