6:39 am, July 28, 2024
Rayner to set out overhaul of planning rules to clear path to building homes
Angela Rayner will unveil an overhaul of planning rules next week as Labour seeks to clear a path to building 1.5 million homes in five years.
The deputy prime minister and housing secretary said that ‘delivering social and affordable houses at scale’ is her ‘number one priority’. But the planning system should be ‘a launchpad’ rather than a ‘millstone’ dragging down the housing market, she wrote in The Observer.
The overhaul, to be announced before MPs leave for summer recess, will include bringing back mandatory housing targets that were scrapped by the previous government and introducing ‘golden rules’ to ensure development works for local people and protects nature, Rayner said.
Manchester Airport incident ‘complicated’, mayor says as new video emerges
The Mayor of Greater Manchester urged people ‘not to rush to judgment’ over the Manchester Airport incident after new footage appears to show a violent and frenetic lead-up.
On Saturday, Manchester Evening News published new footage believed to be of the preceding events.
Greater Manchester Police has opened a public portal for more footage and it is appealing for witnesses to three incidents.
Priti Patel becomes fifth to declare Tory leadership bid
Dame Priti Patel has said she will stand to be Tory party leader, making her the fifth Conservative MP to throw her hat in the ring.
She joins Mel Stride, Tom Tugendhat, James Cleverly and Robert Jenrick in the race to replace Rishi Sunak as Tory leader.
She wrote on Twitter: ‘I am standing to be the new Leader of the Conservative Party. We must unite to win! I can lead us in opposition and unite our party and get us match fit for the next election, with unity, experience and strength.’
AI can improve work life and boost economy, Google UK boss says
Artificial intelligence tools can help ‘improve the lives’ of UK workers and boost the economy, the managing director of Google UK and Ireland has said.
Debbie Weinstein said the company’s research has shown there is a ‘£400bn economic opportunity for the UK by 2030’ if AI tools are correctly used to help workers with daily tasks.
Some concerns have been raised about the potential for generative AI tools to disrupt the jobs market and replace some humans in work, particularly in administrative tasks, but the Google UK executive said the tech giant – which is one of the leaders in AI – wanted to upskill workers so that AI was used by many to support them in their work, not replace them.
Listen to the latest Car Dealer Podcast
James Baggott and Jon Reay are joined by journalist and Auto Trader editorial director Erin Baker to chat about the week’s headlines. You can listen via Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
UK shopping via social media surges by 32% since 2022, report suggests
Shopping in the UK via social media has seen a 32% surge since 2022, despite less than one third of businesses using the platforms to sell their products, according to a report.
Consumers aged between 16 and 26 were the most active buyers, with 68% shopping on social media sites over the past year – a 40% increase on 2022, financial technology platform Adyen found.
For this generation, TikTok Shop was by far the most popular channel, used by 71% of those who used social platforms to shop, followed by Instagram (35%) and Facebook Marketplace (25%).
Cineworld announces plans to close six branches as part of restructure
Cineworld has announced plans to shut six cinemas across the UK as part of major restructuring plans.
The business, which is part of the world’s second-largest cinema chain, has struggled since the Covid pandemic as audiences have failed to return to previous levels.
Against this backdrop, the organisation said it plans on closing sites in Glasgow Parkhead, Bedford, Hinckley, Loughborough, Yate and Swindon Circus. The move is designed to return the business to profitability, a statement said.
Weather
A warmer day is expected with plenty of sunshine, reports BBC Weather, and it’ll be dry. Light winds with highs of 26 degrees.
A dry and clear night for the south, although towards dawn some patchy mist may develop. Cloudy in the northwest.
