6:56 am, October 27, 2023
MP Crispin Blunt suspended by Tories after arrest on suspicion of rape
Senior MP Crispin Blunt has been suspended by the Tories after being arrested on suspicion of rape and the possession of controlled substances.
The former minister, 63, identified himself as the man that Surrey Police detained in Horley on Wednesday morning, before his release on conditional bail.
The MP for Reigate said he will ‘co-operate fully’ with the ongoing investigation and is ‘confident’ that he will not be charged.
Rishi Sunak ‘confident’ of tax cuts as rumours of election next autumn increase
Rishi Sunak signalled he is ‘confident’ his administration will be able to cut taxes before the next election.
But the Prime Minister said it remained the ‘right economic policy’ to focus on delivering his pledge of halving inflation by the end of the year.
The British leader included the commitment as one of his five promises to the electorate during a speech in January.
Unilever says inflation set to ease as higher prices drive up sales
Consumer giant Unilever has revealed rising sales driven by higher prices, as it announced a leadership shake-up amid plans to boost the business.
The multinational maker of brands such as Dove, Persil, Hellmann’s and Ben & Jerry’s said its performance in recent years has ‘not matched our potential’.
It set out an ‘action plan’ to ignite growth, involving focusing on its 30 most profitable brands.
Stellantis agrees new £1.3bn deal to sell Leapmotor vehicles in Europe
Car manufacturing group Stellantis has announced a new deal to sell Chinese electric vehicle firm Leapmotor’s vehicles in Europe.
The €1.5bn (£1.3bn) deal will see Stellantis – which owns car companies such as Citroen, Peugeot and Jeep – take a 20 per cent stake in Leapmotor and create a new Leapmotor International arm which will be under Stellantis majority control.
The formation of this new division will see models sold outside of Leapmotor’s native China in the second half of 2024.
Thursday’s Car Dealer headlines you might have missed
- Sytner’s US parent company Penske beats expectations to record Q3 revenue of over £6bn
- Online car marketplace Carwow backs Vauxhall’s ‘Electric Streets of Britain’ programme
- GardX set to celebrate 20th anniversary by launching raft of exciting new innovations
- Renault to bring out eight new models as it looks to expand outside Europe
- Car dealer group Peoples sees profit drop as margins hit by more competition
- September proves to be triple month of success for UK car manufacturing
- Used car dealership Redgate Lodge swings into action in aid of sports charity
European markets fall amid worries over interest rates remaining high
Europe’s main financial markets all closed in the red on Thursday amid worries interest rates will remain high for the near future.
The FTSE 100 moved 0.81 per cent, or 59.77 points, lower to finish at 7,354.57.
The Dax index was 1.08 per cent lower for the day at the close and the Cac 40 closed down 0.38 per cent.
Maine police widen search for gunman after 18 killed at bowling alley and bar
US police have searched in forests, waterways and small towns for an Army reservist who they say killed 18 people and wounded 13 in a mass shooting at a bowling alley and a bar in Maine.
Schools, doctors’ surgeries and shops closed and people stayed behind locked doors in cities as far as 50 miles from the scenes of Wednesday night’s shootings in Lewiston.
President Joe Biden ordered all US flags to be flown at half-mast as condolences poured in from around the nation and nearby, including from Maine native and author Stephen King, who called it ‘madness’.
Skoda gives first look at new Superb ahead of upcoming reveal
Skoda has released a series of teaser images depicting its upcoming Superb ahead of its full reveal at the start of November.
The Superb, which will enter its fourth generation, is billed as the firm’s new ‘Internal Combustion Engine Flagship’ and takes many of the styling cues that we’ve seen revealed on the new Kodiaq, such as upgraded LED Matrix beam headlights and LED rear lights with ‘crystalline elements’.
Oliver Stefani, head of Skoda Design, said:: ‘The Superb has traditionally shaped Škoda’s design language and the fourth model generation will continue to do just that: its looks are characterised by sharply drawn lines, clearly defined and dynamic proportions and a modern sculptural and crystalline styling.’
Since its inception in 1934, our ICE flagship #SkodaSuperb has undergone a remarkable evolution. Curious about its journey? Check out the transformation in this video created using #AI. The all-new Škoda Superb debuts on 2 November 2023. Don’t miss the #SuperbPremiere! pic.twitter.com/8q8G28KTwB
— Škoda Auto News (@skodaautonews) October 24, 2023
Further flooding forecast as more heavy rain falls
Forecasters have warned people to expect more flooding in Scotland in the coming days as a weather warning of rain was extended by 24 hours.
The latest Scottish Flood Forecast said ‘significant flooding impacts’ are likely in the north east on Thursday, Friday and Saturday due to more torrential rain.
Meanwhile the Met Office has extended its latest warning of heavy rain over the area by a further 24 hours, meaning it will be in place over much of the weekend.
