6:48 am, February 27, 2023
Sunak set for Brexit treaty D-Day as he holds ‘final talks’ with EU on protocol
Rishi Sunak appears to be on the verge of agreeing a Brexit deal aimed at easing trade friction in Northern Ireland as he enters into ‘final talks’ with the European Union.
The prime minister will meet European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen in Windsor, Berkshire, on Monday to discuss a ‘range of complex challenges’ around the Northern Ireland Protocol, Downing Street said.
No 10 raised the prospect that the talks could produce a breakthrough moment after months of negotiations with Brussels about fixing the protocol.
Unions warn ministers of ‘ill-considered’ approach to NHS pay talks
The government is being warned that failing to hold pay talks with every organisation representing striking NHS workers in England is ‘unacceptable, ill-considered and has potentially perilous consequences’.
Officials representing 13 health unions have written to health secretary Steve Barclay raising concerns about the government’s handling of the pay dispute. Talks were held last week with the Royal College of Nursing but other unions said they should have been involved too.
The group of 13 unions includes four – Unison, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, GMB and Unite – that are currently involved in industrial action over pay and staffing. The unions warned that only holding talks with the RCN risks prolonging the strikes.
Lib Dem leader urges ministers to axe energy price cap rise and cut bills
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has urged ministers to scrap April’s planned rise in the energy price guarantee and cut bills, instead.
Sir Ed warned the new price hikes will be a ‘hammer blow’ to families and businesses, arguing action is needed now to save people from a ‘cost-of-living cliff edge’.
Average bills are expected to rise from £2,500 to £3,000 if the cap is amended. But the Liberal Democrats would scrap the hike and reduce the average energy bill to £1,971 – the level it was last April.
Ban on transgender women in female prisons extended
New rules banning some transgender women from female prisons in England and Wales will be extended in scope when they come into force on Monday, the Justice Secretary has announced.
Dominic Raab has confirmed that the measures he announced in October affecting trans women who have male genitalia or have committed sexual offences will take hold as of this week.
He announced on Sunday that he has also updated the policy to include transgender women convicted of violent offences as part of the ban.
Weekend Car Dealer headlines you might have missed
- 1987 Ford Sierra Cosworth sets new world record as it sells for nearly £600,000
- Online car dealer Carvana sees losses widen as used car sales slump
- Tom Hartley gives dad with terminal cancer his dying wish of tour round luxury dealership – then takes him for a spin in Ferraris
- Grange Motors wins permission to build mega luxury car dealership and 50 homes within green belt
- Opinion: Mazda is wonderfully mad for daring to be different when it comes to diesel
Five die in southwestern China mine as hope fades for 47 trapped in north
At least five workers were killed in a roof collapse at a mine in southwestern China, as hope appeared to be fading for 47 miners trapped after a mining disaster last week in northern China.
In the mine in Sichuan province, 25 miners were underground when part of the roof collapsed on Sunday morning. Five were killed, three were badly injured and the others escaped.
Meanwhile, rescue efforts were continuing at the open-pit mine in the Inner Mongolian region’s Alxa League. The death toll remains six with six others pulled from the rubble alive.
Ford is heading to the Pikes Peak hill climb… in a van
Ford has announced it is returning to the Pikes Peak hill climb in Colorado in 2023, and that it will be competing in a van.
But it won’t be a normal van, rather Ford’s wild electric Transit-based ‘SuperVan 4’. Built by Ford Performance and rally specialists STARD, its four electric motors generate an enormous 1,973bhp, and means this heavily-modified Transit can accelerate from 0-60mph in just two seconds.
Ford hasn’t confirmed that it is hoping to break the overall hill climb record with the van, but has jokingly said it is ‘looking to shave more than a few minutes from the Model T’s time’. Ford was present at the first event with a Model T.
Weather outlook
A cloudy day for most of the UK, reports BBC Weather. A few showers may drift into eastern parts this afternoon. The north-west will see the brightest weather, where it’ll also be dry.
A dry night for most with clear skies. Showers may persist in eastern areas.
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