6:49 am, January 16, 2023
Wave of industrial action to continue in coming days with nurses on strike
The wave of industrial action which has swept across the country for months will continue this week and could escalate unless there is a breakthrough to bitter disputes over pay, jobs and conditions.
Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) across England will walk out on Wednesday and Thursday and the union has warned that if progress is not made in negotiations by the end of January the next set of strikes will include all eligible members in England for the first time.
The government continues to insist that pay claims are unaffordable and is sticking to its belief that wage rises should be decided by pay review bodies.
UK-EU talks on Northern Ireland Protocol continue as expectation of a deal grows
The foreign secretary will resume talks with his European Commission counterpart as speculation mounts that London and Brussels could be nearing a breakthrough on the Northern Ireland Protocol.
James Cleverly will speak to Maros Sefcovic, the commission’s vice-president, on Monday over a proposal to iron out issues with post-Brexit trade arrangements affecting Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
Political expectation about the prospect of an accord has grown, with suggestions that cross-Channel relations have improved since Rishi Sunak became prime minister. The announcement last week that a deal had been reached on sharing real-time data on goods travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland was seen as a step towards an overall resolution.
Man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after church drive-by shooting
A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a drive-by shooting at a church left a seven-year-old girl in a life-threatening condition.
Officers were called to St Aloysius Church on Phoenix Road in Euston, central London, on Saturday where a memorial service was taking place for a young woman and her mother.
Scotland Yard said shotgun pellets were fired from a black Toyota C-HR at around 1.30pm before it was driven off. Four women and two children were injured in the attack, with the youngest left in a life-threatening condition.
Man arrested over uranium found at Heathrow
A man has been arrested under terrorism laws after traces of uranium were found in a cargo package at Heathrow Airport, police said.
Border Force officers found the radioactive material with a shipment of scrap metal on December 29 which, according to the Sun newspaper, had originated in Pakistan and was bound for Iranians in the UK.
Police in Cheshire detained the man, in his 60s, on Saturday under Section nine of the Terrorism Act. He has been bailed until April.
Police may be able to intervene before protests become too disruptive
Police could be allowed to intervene before protests become highly disruptive, under new measures set to be considered in Parliament, the government has confirmed.
An amendment to the Public Order Bill, due to be introduced on Monday, will aim to give police greater clarity about when they can intervene to stop demonstrators blocking roads or slow marching.
The Bill is aimed at curbing the guerrilla tactics used by groups like Insulate Britain and Extinction Rebellion. The proposals, backed by prime minister Rishi Sunak, come after police chiefs claimed there is some uncertainty over what can be currently classed as ‘serious disruption’ under existing law.
Labour would ‘explore full potential’ of UK outside EU’s single market
The government has not explored the ‘full potential’ of what the UK can do outside the EU’s single market, Labour has suggested.
Shadow Northern Ireland secretary Peter Kyle claimed his party would aspire to make more of a success of Brexit.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer meanwhile insisted that leaving the EU did not necessarily mean the UK was destined to be poorer. Asked whether Brexit had made the UK poorer on Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Kyle said: ‘Actually, the Brexit deal that Boris Johnson negotiated has made us poorer and we need to address that. Keir Starmer has been really clear about this; we need to build on this deal.’
Average price tag on a home jumped by about £3,300 in January – Rightmove
The average price tag on a home jumped by £3,301 in January, following some dips at the end of 2022, according to a property website.
Across Britain the average asking price is now £362,438, which is 0.9 per cent higher than in December, Rightmove said.
January’s increase in the typical price tag on a newly-marketed property follows two months of falls, with average asking prices now £8,720 lower than a peak reached in October. Rightmove said that a rise in asking prices would normally be expected in January.
Mercedes marks end of 2022 Formula 1 season with special-edition SL
Mercedes is marking the end of the 2022 Formula 1 season in style with a limited-run version of its new SL Roadster – the Motorsport Collectors Edition.
Though Mercedes came third in the 2022 season’s constructor standings, behind Red Bull Racing and Ferrari, the firm is celebrating nonetheless. Based on its ‘SL63 4 Matic+’ model, the limited edition vehicle gains a number of touches reflecting the look of the 2022 Mercedes Formula 1 car.
This includes its unique two-tone gradient paintwork that changes from metallic silver to metallic black, as well as the Mercedes’ three-pointed star pattern applied on the car. The green colour of Petronas – Mercedes’ partner in F1 – is also used subtly on the SL, including on the lip around the alloy wheels, and accents on the front, side sills and rear diffuser. Just 100 will be made.
Weather outlook
A day of winter sunshine is in store for most of the country today, reports BBC Weather. There could be a few wintry showers in the north and west, while patchy rain will ease in the south-east in the morning.
A mostly clear night with a widespread frost, although the north and west will hang onto wintry showers.
Car Dealer Live – the future of the car dealer – exclusive conference features talks from leading car dealers, Google and Auto Trader among much more. Find out the full event details and book tickets.
