6:24 am, July 8, 2023
Hunt downplays tax cuts odds, conceding calming inflation is tougher than feared
A major package of tax cuts this autumn was growing less likely as chancellor Jeremy Hunt signalled the pledge to halve inflation was proving harder than expected.
Hunt warned he must ‘double down’ on high prices and cannot take actions that would ‘pump billions of additional demand’ into the economy.
Rishi Sunak set halving inflation to about five per cent by the end of the year as one of his five priorities for the nation but it has stubbornly remained at 8.7 per cent. In an interview with the Financial Times, Hunt said achieving that promise was ‘going to be more challenging than we thought’.
Community reels following death of eight-year-old girl at prep school tea party
A community is reeling following the death of an eight-year-old girl after a Land Rover crashed into an end-of-term tea party at a prep school while another young girl fights for life.
Selena Lau died after the vehicle crashed through the fence and into a building at The Study Prep school in Wimbledon, south-west London on Thursday morning.
Her family said she was ‘adored and loved by everyone’ while community members called her their ‘shining star’.
No 10 declines to say if PM will attend debate on report rebuking Johnson allies
Downing Street has declined to say whether Rishi Sunak will attend the Commons debate on a report that rebuked the conduct of Boris Johnson’s allies.
Opposition MPs have called for a follow-up investigation into those accused by the Privileges Committee of having waged a ‘co-ordinated’ attack on its initial probe into the former prime minister’s partygate denials to Parliament.
But No 10 has so far refused to be drawn on the findings of the cross-party panel, which named eight Johnson loyalists in a report which found they had interfered with its work.
Sadiq Khan has ‘no choice’ on Ulez expansion, Sir Keir Starmer says
Sir Keir Starmer has backed London mayor Sadiq Khan over his proposal to expand the capital’s charge on the most polluting vehicles.
The Labour leader said Khan ‘had to take action’ due to the legal requirement on him to improve London’s air quality.
Addressing a listener question on LBC, Sir Keir said: ‘I accept that the mayor has no choice but to go ahead because of the legal obligation on him.’
Christmas Eve pub shooting gunman jailed for life for murder of Elle Edwards
The gunman who killed a 26-year-old beautician when he opened fire outside a pub on Christmas Eve has been sentenced to life with a minimum term of 48 years.
Connor Chapman, 23, was found guilty following a trial at Liverpool Crown Court of the murder of Elle Edwards, who was hit twice in the back of the head when he fired 12 shots from a Skorpion submachine gun outside the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey Village, Wirral, Merseyside, shortly before midnight on December 24 last year.
Edwards’ family shouted ‘scumbag’ and ‘rat’ as he was jailed on Friday.
Ofcom begins investigation into GB News over anti-cashless society campaign
Ofcom has launched an investigation into GB News over a campaign which calls on the government to introduce laws to ‘protect the status of cash’.
The media watchdog said on Friday that it would be looking at the channel’s Don’t Kill Cash petition after a complaint.
Ofcom said under its rules all broadcasters are excluded from expressing views on ‘political and industrial controversy or current public policy’. These requirements do not apply to the broadcaster’s presenters or guests but the organisation itself and people with editorial responsibility for the service, the watchdog also said.
Friday Car Dealer headlines you might have missed
- Pendragon director Martin Casha appointed Marshall Motor Group CEO
- Onto said to be facing administration after losing financial backing from Legal & General
- RTE commentator says sorry over ‘ad hoc’ car loan from Renault
- Used car retail prices have fallen by almost two per cent over three months, says AA Cars
- Final Fiesta to roll off the production line today as curtain finally comes down after 47 years
- Andy Palmer takes over as interim CEO at struggling Pod Point
- Swansway launches new car-buying service as it looks to meet demands of modern customers
Twitter threatens legal action over Meta’s rival app Threads
Twitter has threatened to sue Meta over its fast-growing rival Threads app, alleging that it stole trade secrets.
The Instagram and Facebook owner, which launched Threads on Wednesday, appeared to deny that former Twitter employees worked on the creation of the app and used insider knowledge.
Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said more than 30m people have signed up to use his rival messaging app in the first 24 hours since its launch. However, a lawyer for Twitter, Alex Spiro, accused Meta of engaging in ‘systemic, wilful, and unlawful misappropriation of Twitter’s trade secrets and other intellectual property’.
Electric NIO ET5 to make debut at Goodwood Festival of Speed
Chinese electric car maker NIO will bring its new ET5 electric saloon to the UK for the first time at next week’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The ET5 is a rival for the popular Tesla Model 3, and is the latest model in this growing firm’s line-up. It features a twin electric motor setup producing 483bhp and 700Nm of torque, allowing for a 0-60mph time of less than four seconds.
While the ET5 is already on sale in its home Chinese market and other select European countries, it will be the first time the ET5 has been shown in the UK. It comes as NIO becomes the latest Chinese car firm that wants to launch in Britain, following the arrival of brands like BYD and Great Wall Motors (GWM).
Weather
A dry start for most but a heavy band of rain and thunderstorms will push in northwards from the south-west, reports BBC Weather. Today starts muggy but should get cooler during the day.
Variable cloud and the odd shower tonight, but heavier showers are expected by dawn in the south-east.
