6:39 am, August 30, 2024
Ministers have ‘no plans’ to force businesses to accept four-day week demands
The government has ‘no plans’ to force businesses to accept employees’ four-day working week requests.
Conservative shadow business secretary Kevin Hollinrake claimed businesses were ‘petrified’ about Labour’s Make Work Pay plans, which The Telegraph reported could include new rights for workers to demand a four-day week. But a Department for Business and Trade spokesperson denied they would ‘impose’ the working pattern on businesses.
The PA news agency understands any plan to open up ‘compressed hours’ to more workers would not result in bank holiday-style weekends each week, and that employees would usually need to work their contracted hours, even if they choose to over fewer days.
Riots ‘severely impacted’ shopper footfall in early August
Riots across the UK earlier this month ‘severely impacted’ shopper footfall as many consumers stayed away from shops and retail parks during the violent unrest, according to a report.
Latest figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC)-Sensormatic IQ revealed that UK footfall fell 0.4% in August, dropping for the 13th month in a row.
Some cities fared worse than others, with footfall tumbling by 8.1% in Birmingham while Bristol and Cardiff saw declines of 4.2% and 4.1% respectively. Footfall also fell 3.6% in Nottingham and was 1.9% down in Liverpool.
James Bond’s Aston Martin Vanquish set to fetch up to £70,000
One of the most famous and recognisable Aston Martins in the 007 film series could fetch up to £70,000 when it goes under the hammer.
The V12 Vanquish Coupe, which is being auctioned by H&H Classics, played a starring role in promoting the 2002 film Die Another Day, aided by Bond actor Pierce Brosnan.
The Aston began life as one of seven Vanquish cars in the manufacturer’s press fleet and was chosen to publicise the movie. Now it’s up for auction at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford on October 9, with an estimated sale price of £50,000 to £70,000.
The markets
The FTSE 100 made gains on Thursday, led by a strong showing from hotels group Whitbread after an upgrade from City analysts.
The blue-chip index rose 35.79 points, or 0.43%, to end the day at 8,379.64. Frankfurt’s Dax index rose 0.64% while the Cac 40 in Paris closed up 0.84%. The S&P 500 had gained 0.92% while the Dow Jones was 1.02% higher.
On currency markets, the pound was trading 0.09% lower against the dollar at 1.3178 and had risen 0.26% against the euro at 1.1893.
‘Disgraceful:’ Public fury as Tory MP uses Holocaust poem to attack smoking ban
A social media post by Conservative MP Esther McVey has been branded as ‘repugnant’ by the Board of Deputies of British Jews for likening the Labour government’s proposed smoking ban to the Holocaust.
The MP for Tatton took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share Martin Niemoller’s 1946 poem ‘First They Came’. The poem includes the lines: ‘Then they came for the Jews. And I did not speak out.’ However, the former cabinet minister for common sense ended her version with a twist: ‘Pertinent words re Starmer’s smoking ban.’
In response, the Board of Deputies of British Jews condemned the Tory MP for her choice of words, and dubbed her social media stunt as ‘repugnant’ and ‘breathtakingly thoughtless’.
Trump asks federal court to intervene in hush money case
Former president Donald Trump asked a federal court late on Thursday to intervene in his New York hush money criminal case, seeking a pathway to overturn his felony conviction and indefinitely delay his sentencing next month.
Lawyers for the current Republican nominee asked the federal court in Manhattan to seize the case from the state court where it was tried, arguing that the historic prosecution violated his constitutional rights and ran afoul of the US Supreme Court’s recent presidential immunity ruling.
Trump’s lawyers, who failed last year in a pretrial bid to get the case shifted to federal court, said moving it now will give him an ‘unbiased forum, free from local hostilities’ to address those issues. In state court, they said, Trump has been the victim of ‘bias, conflicts of interest, and appearances of impropriety’. If the case is moved to federal court, Trump’s lawyers said they will then seek to have the verdict overturned and the case dismissed on immunity grounds.
Thursday on Car Dealer
Hartwell bosses happy with ‘strong financial performance’ despite 70% slump in profits
Dealer group Hartwell reported a strong financial performance in 2023, despite a 68.8% drop in pre-tax profit to £990,000. Turnover rose by 8.7% to £250.43m, driven by vehicle sales. Directors noted challenges in stock sourcing, shrinking margins, and reduced manufacturer bonuses.
Family-owned Peter Cooper Motor Group signs up with Omoda and Jaecoo
Peter Cooper is adding Chinese brands Omoda and Jaecoo to its Volkswagen showrooms in Southampton and Chichester, creating multi-franchised outlets offering sales, servicing, and repairs. The expansion aligns with recent growth, including acquiring Viking Garages Kia last year.
Greenhous Group helps cut waste and costs by donating collection tins to food hub
Greenhous Group donated 50 collection tins to Shrewsbury Food Hub, aiding fundraising and waste reduction by helping distribute surplus food to over 60 community groups. The partnership aligns with Greenhous’s local community support and environmental strategy.
MG continues 100th birthday celebrations by showing off new £21,995 ZS hybrid SUV
MG has unveiled the new ZS Hybrid+, a compact crossover starting at £21,995, featuring petrol-hybrid power, a redesigned interior, and advanced safety features. With 193bhp, 55.4mpg, and MG Pilot safety as standard, it’s available for order now.
Alan Day Motor Group to open BYD dealership in London
Alan Day Motor Group will open a new BYD dealership in north London on September 25, expanding its portfolio to include the Chinese EV brand. This marks a significant step in the group’s commitment to innovation and sustainable automotive solutions, it says.
Vauxhall becomes first carmaker to price an electric model the same as a petrol
Vauxhall’s new Frontera SUV will be the UK’s first car available in both electric and petrol-hybrid versions at the same price, starting at £23,495. This pricing eliminates the usual cost disparity and positions the Frontera as a highly affordable electric option.
Car production decline continues as factories gear up for new models
UK car production fell 14.4% in July due to model changeovers and supply chain issues, totalling 65,478 vehicles. Electrified vehicle output maintained a stable share, while exports, accounting for 80.9% of production, declined 16.3%. Domestic production rose 14.8% year-to-date.
The weather
The north-west will see patchy rain to start with, but this will clear later on to leave a dry day with sunny spells, reports BBC Weather. A bright day for elsewhere with plenty of sunshine but cloud will pick up later. Highs of 24 degrees.
A dry night. The south will see cloud increase and maybe a few showers.
