6:37 am, August 7, 2022
Gordon Brown demands emergency Budget before ‘financial timebomb’
Former prime minister Gordon Brown has demanded the government come up with an emergency Budget before a ‘financial timebomb’ in October ‘pushes millions over the edge’.
After a new report commissioned by Brown suggested government help has failed to address households’ needs, he said the prime minister, Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss must agree to emergency measures ‘this week’.
Writing in The Observer, he said: ‘A financial timebomb will explode for families in October as a second round of fuel price rises in six months sends shockwaves through every household and pushes millions over the edge.’
Energy bills cap could hit about £4,400 in January, analysis shows
The cap on energy bills might soar by several hundred pounds more than nightmare forecasts predicted earlier this week, new analysis has shown.
In a provisional forecast, experts at energy consultancy Auxilione predicted the price cap on energy bills could reach £3,687 in October – close to double today’s already record levels.
But the cap could hit around £4,400 in January, they warned, although Auxilione said it was having to rework its analysis this week to ‘double-check’ that the outputs were correct.
Hosepipes must be banned, environment secretary urges water companies
Hosepipes should be banned, the environment secretary has urged water companies, as Britain is forecast to bake in temperatures of up to 28C today amid an unusually dry August.
Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, George Eustice said some firms have already ‘rightly’ taken action to mitigate the effects of the prolonged dry weather as he encouraged others to follow suit. His remarks are the first public intervention by ministers.
Southern Water has already imposed a hosepipe ban for customers in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight, while South East Water customers in Kent and Sussex will also face one from Friday (Aug 12) and Welsh Water has announced a ban for Pembrokeshire and part of Carmarthenshire from August 19.
Nico Rosberg takes delivery of first Rimac Nevera hypercar
Ex-Formula 1 world champion Nico Rosberg has become the first person to take delivery of the new electric Rimac Nevera hypercar.
Described by Rimac as the ‘world’s first all-electric hypercar GT’ and costing some £1.7m, it boasts a huge 1,889bhp, allowing for an incredible 0-60mph time of just 1.85 seconds.
It’s being limited to 150 units, with 2016 Formula 1 winner Rosberg becoming the first owner of one.
Seventeen firefighters missing and 121 hurt in Cuban oil tank farm blaze
A fire set off by a lightning strike at an oil storage facility is raging uncontrolled in the Cuban city of Matanzas, where four explosions and flames injured 121 people and left 17 firefighters missing.
Firefighters and other specialists were still trying to quell the blaze at the Matanzas Supertanker Base yesterday, where the fire began during a thunderstorm on Friday night, the Ministry of Energy and Mines tweeted. Authorities said about 800 people were evacuated from the Dubrocq neighbourhood closest to the fire.
The government said it had asked for help from international experts in ‘friendly countries’ with experience in the oil sector.
Rare car registration plate sells for £139,000
A rare car registration plate has sold for £139,000 on Jersey.
The J72 plate – which had been on a Honda Civic – went under the hammer at auctioneers Simon Drieu & Co and set a new record for a two-digit Jersey plate sold on the island.
Company principal Simon Drieu told Car Dealer the previous record for a two-digit J-plate was £103,000, which was paid in October 2021 for J69. It’s still far short of the £380,000 shelled out for J4 at the auction house in September 2020, though.
Picture courtesy of and copyright © Simon Drieu & Co 2022
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‘Unusually dry’ August sees highs of 28C due as heatwave continues
As reported above, Britain will see temperatures of up to 28C today as the heatwave rolls over into next week amid an unusually dry August, forecasters have predicted.
Meteorologists have urged people to avoid midday sun and stay in the shade as the arid weather looks set to last another seven to 10 days.
Highs of 27C and 28C are expected to hit parts of south and south-east England today, with sunny spells forecast throughout the day for most of the UK. The west of Scotland and Northern Ireland may see some rain but will also experience patches of clear sky.
