6:40 am, June 18, 2024
Tories step up attacks on tax and ‘supermajority’ in face of stubborn poll gap
The Conservatives have launched yet more attacks on Labour with a series of demands that the party rule out specific tax rises while the opposition is set to continue its bid to woo businesses.
Late on Monday, the Conservatives called on Labour to rule out scrapping the requirement for local authorities to hold referendums on tax rises above a certain level.
At the same time, the party accused Labour of having a ‘secret plan’ to abolish inheritance tax relief for farmers, saying the party had not committed to keeping the exemption in its manifesto.
Labour sets out plans for hundreds of new banking hubs
Labour has set out plans for 350 banking hubs to be opened in towns and villages across Britain over the next five years, if it wins the General Election.
The party said the proposal would ‘breathe new life back into Britain’s high streets’.
Banking hubs allow staff from several banks to share the same space, helping to fill gaps left in the system from branch closures. They have a counter service operated by the Post Office, allowing customers to conduct routine banking transactions.
Business investment in the UK the lowest of any G7 countries, analysis finds
The flow of new investment into the UK has been the lowest of any of the world’s most advanced economies for three years running, new analysis shows, as leading political parties sharpen their pledges to boost the economy.
Business investment by private companies was lower in the UK than any other G7 country in 2022, according to research by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR).
The analysis, which used the latest datasets provided by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), showed that the UK was at the bottom of the pack for the third year in a row.
Trains cancelled as drivers refuse to work extra shifts on day of England match
Rail services were severely reduced across large parts of Britain on Sunday as many train drivers and other on-board staff refused to work overtime shifts on the day of England’s opening Euro 2024 football match.
Northern, Great Western Railway (GWR) and London North Eastern Railway (LNER) all cancelled services scheduled to run on Sunday at short notice.
Many train drivers and other crew members do not have Sunday working included in their contracts, with numerous operators often relying on them volunteering to work extra paid shifts to run timetabled services on that day.
Sir Ian McKellen taken to hospital after falling off stage
Sir Ian McKellen has been taken to hospital after he fell from the stage during a West End performance.
The Lord Of The Rings actor, 85, who is currently playing John Falstaff in a production of Player Kings at the Noel Coward Theatre, was in a fight scene when he lost his footing and fell from the stage.
The audience were informed that the remainder of the evening performance had been cancelled and they were evacuated from the premises.
Monday’s Car Dealer headlines you might have missed
- Former Lookers director Tony Bramall invests in car subscription firm
- From driveway sales to used car supermarket success – how V12 Sports & Classics did it
- Interest in BYD rockets as a result of Euro 2024 sponsorship, Auto Trader reports
- Motorway launches latest TV ad campaign for UEFA Euro 2024 competition
- Brokers remain positive used car dealer Motorpoint can turn its fortunes around
- Family-run Day’s Motor Group sees pre-tax profit fall despite increase in turnover
- Used car dealer who sold four clocked vehicles must pay his victims almost £8,000
Extreme heat making summer Olympics ‘impossible’, athletes warn ahead of Paris
Leading athletes and climate scientists have warned that extreme heat will make it ‘impossible’ to hold the Olympics during the summer months amid fears of dangerous conditions at this year’s Paris Games.
A group of Olympians collaborated with climate scientists and heat physiologists from the University of Portsmouth to assess the threat warming temperatures could pose for athletes.
In a report, published on Tuesday, they warned that intense heat at the Paris Olympics in July-August 2024 could lead to competitors collapsing and in worst-case scenarios dying during the Games.
Third weekend closure of M25 announced
Drivers are being warned to expect delays after a third weekend closure of part of the M25 was announced.
National Highways said it will shut the motorway between Junctions 10 and 11 in Surrey from 9pm on Friday, July 12 to 6am on Monday, July 15.
This will be the third of five weekend closures of the motorway – which encircles London – as part of a £317m project to improve Junction 10. Shutting the motorway will enable the construction of a new bridge near the junction.
Weather
A cloudy day for most with occasional light rain in the south-east, reports BBC Weather. Northern Scotland will see a few showers in the morning, and southern Scotland and central and northern England will also see a few drops of rain in the afternoon. Highs of 21 in the south-east of England.
Showers will dissipate leaving a dry night. Clear spells for most of the country although some parts of the southern England and southern Scotland will see a few clouds appear.
