6:52 am, May 21, 2022
Boris Johnson: I cannot ‘magic away’ cost-of-living crisis
Boris Johnson said he cannot ‘magic away’ all the soaring food and energy expenses as he comes under increasing pressure to alleviate the cost-of-living crisis.
Instead the Prime Minister vowed on Friday to use the ‘firepower’ of Government to ‘put our arms around people’ as it did during the coronavirus pandemic.
One measure he is facing calls to implement is a windfall tax on the soaring profits of oil and gas giants to fund a fresh support package or reduce consumer bills.
Hundreds of grocery items more than 20 per cent pricier over last two years – Which?
Consumers have seen the price of hundreds of popular grocery items rise by more than 20 per cent over the last two years alongside a drop in supermarket discounts and budget ranges, a study has found.
Which? found that the price of 265 groceries soared by more than a fifth at the same time as the availability of supermarket discounts and budget ranges – upon which consumers are increasingly relying – fell.
The watchdog analysed the prices of more than 21,000 groceries over two years, comparing their average prices at eight major supermarkets between the start of December 2021 and the end of February 2022 with the same period two years previously.
Crisis talks to prevent empty supermarket shelves amid fears of railway strike
Contingency plans are being drawn up to try and keep passenger and freight trains running in the event of industrial action after unions warned of ‘potentially the biggest rail strike in modern history’.
The Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) union is balloting 40,000 members on the move, which network sources have reportedly said would create ‘serious challenges’ in keeping goods moving and supermarket shelves stocked.
The vote, which is due to close on Tuesday, includes staff on Network Rail and 15 train operating companies, with the RMT saying the action is being taken over pay, compulsory redundancies and safety concerns.
Rishi Sunak and wife hit rich list with £730m fortune amid cost-of-living crisis
Rishi Sunak and wife Akshata Murty have entered The Sunday Times Rich List for the first time with their joint £730m fortune, as the Chancellor holds out on fresh support to alleviate the cost-of-living crisis for millions of Britons.
Their listing among the nation’s wealthy elite also comes after their finances came under intense scrutiny when it emerged Ms Murty holds non-domiciled status allowing her to reduce her UK tax bill.
Mr Sunak had been seen as a frontrunner in any leadership contest to replace Boris Johnson but his standing was severely dented by the scrutiny of his family’s exorbitant wealth.
Friday’s Car Dealer headlines you might have missed
- Meet the inspirational dealership boss who defied the odds – and his teachers – after spotting gap in used car market
- Sign in for early access: Car Dealer issue 171 features the new Range Rover Sport, the used cars whose prices have risen the most – and lots more
- Laurence Vaughan is appointed executive chairman of Big Motoring World
- Dealership group Fish Brothers’ pre-tax profit rises by nearly 50 per cent to almost £3.8m despite sales dip
- Tesla Superchargers being free to all could cause surge in EV ownership
- CarStore opens state-of-the-art new Experience Centre in Chesterfield
- Elon Musk reaffirms commitment to Tesla amid concerns that Twitter deal is becoming a distraction
- SsangYong releases teaser images of new SUV as brand confirms model will be called the Torres
- Mercedes to axe cheaper models to focus on higher margins as A and B Classes put at risk
- Consumer confidence falls to lowest level since 1974
PM pressed to ‘urgently explain’ meeting with Sue Gray over partygate report
Labour has called on the Prime Minister to ‘urgently explain’ why he met Sue Gray to discuss her pivotal partygate report.
It is understood the pair held at least one meeting to give an update on the document’s progress while it was being drafted but a Whitehall source said that its contents were not discussed at any point.
Such meetings would not have been viewed as unusual, the source said, with the aim to take stock of what stage the report was at.
‘UK’s youngest terrorist’, 14, avoids being locked up after admitting charges
A 14-year-old, thought to be one of the UK’s youngest convicted terrorists, has avoided a custodial sentence despite a judge branding some of his comments ‘abhorrent’.
The boy shared extreme right-wing views online, expressed racist views, talked about carrying out a school shooting and wrote several suicide notes.
He was aged just 13 when he downloaded the Anarchist’s Cookbook, about how to make plastic explosives and a document about Middle Eastern bomb designs.
1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Coupe sells for record £114.5m
A 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Coupe has set a new record for the purchase of a car, with all proceeds going to charity.
The winning bid of €135 million (£114.5m) smashed the previous record, which is believed to stand at $78m (£62.5m) for a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, set in 2018.
The Mercedes-Benz was bought by car dealer and expert Simon Kidston on behalf of an unnamed client at a secret, invite-only event hosted by the German car maker.
Showers expected on cloudy day
After a bright start for many, cloud will tend to thicken through the morning. The north-west will see scattered showers through the day, but it will remain brighter for much of England and Wales, the BBC reports.
Tonight, northern and north-western areas will be largely cloudy with some outbreaks of rain. Elsewhere, it will be mostly clear and dry, but cloud will build into south-western areas later.
Tomorrow, Scotland and Northern Ireland will be cloudy with scattered showers, particularly in the afternoon. England and Wales will see thickening cloud through the day but remaining dry for most.
