6:50 am, July 25, 2024
Tory leadership race begins after Sunak’s election disaster
The battle for the future of the Conservative Party has officially begun as nominations opened in the contest to replace Rishi Sunak.
James Cleverly, who was the first Tory leadership hopeful to declare his candidacy and is confident he has the 10 MP backers he requires to enter the race, said the party needs to expand its base of support and shake off the impression that it is more focused on infighting than serving the public.
There will potentially be a crowded field in the contest, which could trigger months of Conservative infighting as the party considers how to respond to its worst ever election result before the winner is announced on November 2.
PM ‘shocked’ after soldier stabbed near Army barracks in Kent
A horrified witness heard a ‘huge scream’ as a soldier was stabbed near an Army barracks in Kent.
Locals rushed to help the serviceman, who is in his 40s, after he was attacked by a masked knifeman who fled the scene on a moped.
He suffered ‘serious injuries’ in the attack in Sally Port Gardens in Gillingham at 5.55pm on Tuesday. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was ‘shocked and appalled’ by the stabbing.
Slight decline in UK car crime levels – but figures still ‘simply too high’
The level of car crime in the UK remains ‘simply too high’ despite latest figures showing declines in the number of thefts from vehicles and the number of cars stolen.
From April 2023 to March 2024, a total of 129,159 vehicles were stolen, according to the Office for National Statistics. In comparison, statistics for the previous 12 months revealed that 130,119 cars went missing, a figure 0.7% higher.
In addition, there were a recorded 193,023 thefts from vehicles during 2023-24, compared to 218,431 during the previous 12 months – a 12% drop.
UK businesses ‘optimistic about future’ as activity grows post-election
A rebound in business confidence following the General Election has helped drive stronger activity across the UK’s private sector this month, according to a new survey.
The S&P Global flash UK composite purchasing managers’ index (PMI) reported a reading of 52.7 in July, up from 52.3 in June. It came in slightly above the expectations of economists who had pencilled in a reading of 52.5 for the latest survey.
The flash figures are based on preliminary data of business activity in the manufacturing and services industries. Any score below 50 indicates that activity is contracting, while any score above means it is growing.
Convertible model choice falls to lowest level in nearly two decades
British car buyers looking for the open-top experience now have the fewest models to choose from in nearly 20 years.
A report by automotive marketplace CarGurus has revealed a 41 per cent drop in choice of convertibles since 2005.
Drivers now have a total of 22 variants, compared with 37 less than two decades ago.
Wednesday’s Car Dealer headlines you might have missed
- Sytner completes the rebrand of nine CarShop used car supermarkets
- Inchcape buyer Group 1 Automotive announces £600m profits for second quarter of 2024
- Trade Centre UK closes Birmingham South used car supermarket in bid to ‘grow sales’
- Motorpoint enjoys ‘positive’ start to year as group publishes pre-AGM trading update
- Aston Martin’s pre-tax loss deepens to almost £217m as wholesale volumes drop
- Starting cost for Skoda Enyaq comes down by £2,000, thanks to new models
Santander sees profits slump 31%, but hopes for second half ‘tailwinds’ boost
Santander UK has seen half-year profits slump by almost a third after being knocked by shrinking mortgage lending and higher savings rates, but is hoping for a boost from “tailwinds” over the final six months.
The Spanish-owned high street lender reported a 31% drop in pre-tax profits to £804 million in the first half of 2024.
Mortgage loans slumped by £4.4 billion over the half year, while its net interest income – the difference between the interest it generates from loans and pays out to savers – fell 11%.
Isuzu unveils beefed-up D-Max off-roader the Mudmaster
Isuzu has unveiled a more hardcore off-road version of its D-Max pick-up truck with the Mudmaster.
It’s based on the standard model’s top trim level, the V-Cross, meaning you get leather upholstery, a nine-inch touchscreen, climate control, Bluetooth, Apple Carplay and Android Auto as standard – but it also adds a host of extras.
These include a snorkel, winch, steel underbody protection, an off-road suspension kit, 20-inch alloy wheels plus Toyo all-terrain tyres.
Health minister Eluned Morgan set to become next Welsh Labour leader
Eluned Morgan is set to become the new leader of Welsh Labour and the likely first minister of Wales, after no other candidates entered the race.
She will replace Vaughan Gething, who announced his resignation last week after a torrid four months in office, featuring rows over donations and sacked ministers.
Baroness Morgan, 57, the current Welsh health minister, was the only contender to be the Welsh Labour Party’s new leader as nominations closed at midday on Wednesday.
FTSE slips as weak tech and luxury stocks offset housebuilder gains
The FTSE 100 dipped on Wednesday as a sell-off in tech stocks knocked Wall Street and luxury firms also finished lower.
Burberry was among London’s fallers after the luxury sector was weighed down by lower-than-expected sales at French powerhouse LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy).
London’s top index finished 13.68 points, or 0.17%, lower to end the day at 8,153.69. Elsewhere in Europe, the Cac 40 in France ended 1.12% lower and the Dax index was down 0.92% at the close.
Swimmers warned about ‘cold’ water as air temperatures could hit 27C next week
Britons have been warned to be wary of “cold” open water with 27C temperatures set to hit parts of the country next week.
Most areas will see a mixed bag of sunshine and showers over the next few days before temperatures start to climb from Sunday, with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) reminding people to head to beaches overseen by lifeguards if they wish to swim.
It comes after two boys died this week in open water, including eight-year-old Joshua Hillstead, who was pulled from the River Arrow, in Alcester, Warwickshire, and a 16-year-old who was found in Lodge Farm Reservoir, Netherton, in Dudley.
