6:54 am, March 17, 2023

NHS workers to consider pay offer after unions back proposals

Months of strikes by healthcare workers could be brought to an end if NHS workers in England agree to back a pay offer recommended by unions.

The offer – backed by the Royal College of Nursing, the GMB and Unison – includes a one-off lump sum for 2022-23 that rises in value up the NHS pay bands as well as a permanent five per cent rise on all pay points for 2023-24.

The breakthrough on Thursday came following days of talks between health unions and the government, raising hopes that the long-running dispute could be brought to an end.

Boris Johnson re-selected for Uxbridge seat

Boris Johnson has been re-selected as the Conservative candidate in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency.

It comes following speculation that the former prime minister might seek out a safer seat, ahead of the next general election.

While Johnson holds a 7,000 vote majority, his seat is seen as a target for Labour at the next election.

Royal Mail referred to regulator over letter delivery

A committee of MPs has referred Royal Mail to regulator Ofcom for breaching its requirement to deliver letters across the country six days a week.

In a strongly worded report, the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee said the company had ‘systematically failed to deliver’ the so-called universal service obligation. The committee also said Royal Mail chief executive Simon Thompson was ‘not wholly accurate’ in answers he gave to MPs on the use of technology to track and discipline workers.

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: ‘Royal Mail is proud to deliver the universal service, and our policies are clear that parcels and letters should be treated with equal importance. We have informed the committee that we will be reviewing the consistent application of our policies regarding the delivery of letters and parcels across the business.’

Latest hearing in Harry’s libel claim against Mail on Sunday publisher

The latest hearing in the Duke of Sussex’s libel claim against the publisher of The Mail on Sunday over an article about the duke’s challenge against the Home Office over security arrangements is due to take place at the High Court.

Harry is suing Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) over an article about his separate High Court claim regarding security arrangements for himself and his family when they are in the UK. ANL is contesting the claim.

The story was published in February 2022 under the headline: ‘Exclusive: How Prince Harry tried to keep his legal fight with the government over police bodyguards a secret… then – just minutes after the story broke – his PR machine tried to put a positive spin on the dispute’.

A preliminary hearing in the libel case is now due to take place at the Royal Courts of Justice in London on Friday.

China criticises UK after TikTok banned on government phones

A decision to ban TikTok from government phones after a security review has been criticised by China.

The ban, announced on Thursday by Cabinet Office minister Oliver Dowden, will still allow ministers and officials to use the Chinese-owned app on their personal phones. Rishi Sunak had been under pressure from senior MPs to follow the US and the European Union in barring the video-sharing app from official devices.

A Chinese embassy spokesperson accused the government of acting ‘based on its political motive rather than facts’.

Passport Office workers to strike for five weeks in escalation of pay row

Passport Office workers are to strike for five weeks in an escalation of a dispute over jobs, pay and conditions.

More than 1,000 members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union working in Passport Offices in England, Scotland and Wales will take part in the action from April 3 to May 5.

Those working in Durham, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Newport, Peterborough and Southport will walk out from April 3 to May 5 while those in Belfast will strike from April 7 to May 5.

Thursday Car Dealer headlines you might have missed

Duke of Richmond: Government’s 2030 electric vehicle target ‘difficult’ to reach

The government’s ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2030 could be ‘difficult’ to achieve, the Duke of Richmond has said.

The duke, who owns the Goodwood Estate in West Sussex where popular motoring events including the annual Festival of Speed and Revival are held, expressed his concerns over the target to transition to electric cars as he launched the venue’s 2023 motorsport calendar.

He told the PA news agency: ‘Can we deliver enough clean energy to fire up all these cars by that time? And can we begin to deliver the infrastructure needed to keep them all powered up? That looks difficult to me.’

Mercedes reveals updated GLA and GLB

Mercedes has unveiled revised versions of its GLA and seven-seat GLB SUVs, with the models adopting a subtle redesign and tweaked engines.

The GLA and GLB feature a slight redesign at the front, with revised lighting and a new grille pattern being the main differences. The smaller GLA also now features body-coloured wheelarch surrounds, rather than the unpainted plastic used previously. Various new alloy wheel designs are also available, while Spectral Blue joins the colour range on both the GLA and GLB.

Under the surface are where the majority of the changes lie, however, with all standard petrol models now featuring mild-hybrid technology including on the GLA and GLB ‘35’ models, which come from Mercedes’ sporty AMG division, and use a 2.0-litre petrol engine producing 302bhp. The ‘250e’ plug-in hybrid powertrain available on the GLA has also been revised, which now features a more powerful electric motor, taking the combined power output up to 215bhp.

Weather outlook

Rain in the south and east in the morning will clear later on, leaving a dry and bright day reports BBC Weather. Scattered cloud and heavy showers in other parts. A mild day.

Earlier cloud will thicken for most parts before turning showery tonight.