6:46 am, December 8, 2022
Union anger over Sunak’s pledge of ‘new tough laws’ to limit strikes
Rishi Sunak faces a fresh fight with unions for promising ‘tough’ new laws to limit the impact of strike action, as he was warned they will not be ‘intimidated by anti-trade union attacks’.
Sharon Graham, general secretary of the Unite union, told the prime minister on Wednesday ‘we are ready industrially and financially’ to challenge any new measures.
Sunak did not rule out banning strikes in emergency services, after Downing Street suggested his measures will include widening long-delayed legislation to ensure minimum levels of service during industrial action on transport to other public services. But these are unlikely to be introduced in time to avert imminent strikes, as Border Force staff became the latest workers to announce disruptive action over the Christmas period.
Gove stokes environmental anger by approving first new coal mine in 30 years
Levelling-up secretary Michael Gove has provoked anger from environmental campaigners by approving a controversial new coal mine in Cumbria.
He granted planning permission for what would be the first new site in the UK in 30 years after years of delay from the government. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) said the coal will be used for the production of steel and not for power generation.
Friends of the Earth described it as an ‘appalling decision’ that will damage the fight against the climate crisis while not replacing Russian coal.
Anne Sacoolas no-show ‘incredibly disappointing’, says Harry Dunn’s mother
The mother of teenage motorcyclist Harry Dunn has said it is ‘incredibly disappointing’ her son’s killer will not attend her sentencing hearing in person.
Charlotte Charles told the PA news agency she was ‘absolutely fuming’ after hearing the US government had advised Anne Sacoolas not to attend court on Thursday.
Sacoolas, 45, is due to be sentenced at the Old Bailey for causing Dunn’s death by careless driving after pleading guilty to the offence in October. The 19-year-old was killed when the US citizen was driving her Volvo on the wrong side of the road outside American military base RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire on August 27, 2019.
Unions call for ‘meaningful’ government talks amid wave of strikes
Unions are calling on the government to engage in ‘meaningful’ pay talks amid the wave of strikes sweeping the country.
Border Force staff became the latest workers to announce industrial action over the Christmas period, with nurses, paramedics and postal workers among those already going on strike in the coming weeks.
The RMT union said resolution to the ongoing rail dispute is ‘further away’ after late intervention by the government in talks aimed at resolving the row over pay, jobs and conditions.
Skoda announces pricing for new Enyaq vRS SUV
The new SUV version of Skoda’s Enyaq iV vRS will start from £52,670, says the manufacturer.
Joining a coupe derivative that’s already on sale, this SUV version brings greater practicality and interior space than its more glamorous sibling. It’s also cheaper, undercutting the coupe’s £54,370 starting price by £1,700.
The Enyaq iV is the first electric Skoda to get the sporty vRS treatment and comes with two electric motors – one on each axle that enable four-wheel drive – which put out 295bhp and 460Nm of torque. It makes it Skoda’s most powerful production car to date and allows for a 0-60mph top speed of 6.3 seconds and a 111mph top speed.
Sir James Dyson condemns government plan to extend work from home rights
Billionaire businessman Sir James Dyson has condemned government plans to extend employees’ rights to work from home as ‘economically illiterate and staggeringly self-defeating’.
The founder and chief engineer of Singapore-based multinational technology company Dyson said the move would ‘hamper employers’ ability to organise their workforce’.
Writing in The Times, the entrepreneur questioned why companies would invest in the UK when they had little control over ‘how and where’ staff can work, adding that Dyson currently has 3,500 workers in Britain.
Hiring slows as workers hesitant to switch jobs amid worsening economy
Fewer foreign workers, labour shortages, and people being more hesitant to take up new jobs amid heightened economic uncertainty has led to sharp drops in the number of workers available for recruiting firms, according to a new report.
The number of people placed into permanent jobs by recruitment agencies fell for the second consecutive month in November, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) found in its report with audit giant KPMG.
This marks a shift from the recent upward trend of employers increasing hiring, indicating that businesses are having a harder time filling permanent vacancies. However, companies hiring temporary roles lifted slightly, suggesting that employers are taking on staff on a more flexible, short-term basis rather than hiring permanent positions.
Wednesday Car Dealer headlines you might have missed
- Video: Citroen smashes into the front of car dealership showering sales staff with glass
- Expert says used car market is ‘recession proof’ as buyers turn to finance to pay for vehicles
- Ford Puma and VW Touran lose their five star safety ratings
- Toyota’s experts increase power of hydrogen engine by almost a quarter
- Hyundai to splash out £1m funding school trips for up to 25,000 children
- Car Care Plan appoints ‘forward thinking’ new sales director
- CarSupermarket’s parent firm sees losses deepen to almost £52m
People should have courage to tell motorists to stop idling – Chris Whitty
People should have the courage to tell motorists to stop idling engines outside places such as schools, as part of efforts to tackle pollution, Professor Chris Whitty has suggested.
Launching a report on air pollution, England’s chief medical officer also said people need to have more information on sources of pollutants – from the type of heating systems or wood they are burning in stoves to the impacts of idling – to help reduce the problem.
The report said there has been progress in tackling outdoor air pollution over the years, and that is set to continue.
Harry & Meghan’s controversial Netflix documentary hours away from premiere
The royal family are bracing themselves for bombshells from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Netflix documentary as it streams across the world on Thursday morning.
As the King and the Queen Consort breakfast in their own home and the Prince and Princess of Wales deal with the school run, royal fans, commentators and the British media will be binge watching the first three episodes of Harry and Meghan’s already controversial tell-all take on royal life.
A friend close to the royal family stressed the situation concerned ‘real people’ and that there was a ‘great deal of sadness’ involved.
Weather outlook
A very cold start for most of the UK today. Wintry showers for northern England and northern Scotland, said BBC Weather. Sunny spells for many parts later on although western areas will see scattered showers.
Wintry showers in far northern areas will continue tonight. Showers in the Midlands may also turn wintry. Clear skies for most areas.
