6:56 am, October 7, 2023
Man, 36, remanded over alleged plot to kidnap and murder Holly Willoughby
A shopping centre security officer has been remanded in custody over an alleged plot to kidnap and murder This Morning presenter Holly Willoughby.
Gavin Plumb is charged with soliciting a man named David Nelson to commit murder, and incitement to commit kidnap between October 2 and 5 in Harlow, Essex.
The charges indicate the defendant is accused of planning to assemble a ‘kidnap and restraint kit’ and encouraging a third party to travel to the UK to carry out the alleged offences.
UK set for biggest tax rise in at least 50 years with £40bn raid – analysis
The UK is on course to see its biggest tax rise in at least 50 years as a result of the freeze on personal thresholds and soaring inflation, according to new analysis.
The Resolution Foundation said taxpayers are set to hand over £40bn a year by 2028, up from a forecast £30bn at the time of Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s budget in March.
The government’s policy is to keep income tax and national insurance thresholds frozen until 2028.
BBC denies reports Top Gear has been axed
The BBC has denied reports it has axed Top Gear after presenter and former cricketer Andrew Flintoff was injured during filming last year.
The Sun reported on Friday that the BBC has told production staff to look for other work following the incident at the show’s test track Dunsfold Aerodrome last December.
A BBC spokesperson told the PA news agency: ‘A decision on the timing of future Top Gear shows will be made in due course with BBC Content.’
Renault drops price of Clio by reintroducing petrol engines
Renault has confirmed it will introduce a more affordable petrol version of its new Clio as it looks to ‘help customers in a difficult economic climate’.
The French firm’s Clio remains one of its most popular models – particularly with private buyers – with Renault UK planning to offer its latest model purely as a hybrid, with the cheaper petrol models being discontinued.
However, Renault has U-turned and will now offer the Clio again with a more affordable petrol engine.
FTSE finishes week 114 points lower despite two days of rises
London’s FTSE 100 index managed to pull off a second straight day of gains, but a bruising week left it down by more than 100 points as traders went home on Friday.
Led by the insurance sector amid rumours of a takeover bid for Aviva, the index ended the week at 7,494.58, up 43.04 points or 0.6 per cent. It leaves it 113.5 points short of where the index started the week.
Elsewhere, the German Dax index had gained 1.1 per cent while France’s Cac 40 was up 0.9 per cent.
Friday’s Car Dealer headlines you might have missed
- Lithia Motors’ latest bid for car dealer Pendragon most likely to go through – experts
- Car dealer SLM Group announces successful management buy in
- New Skoda Kodiaq boasts more space and plug-in hybrid version
- Car dealer Masters of Beckenham sees profit rise after offloading franchises
- GWM Ora appoints new head of sales as it eyes expansion in UK
- It’s time we talked about the difficult stuff! You start…
- Volvo appoints new UK boss amid promises to ‘put the customer at the heart of everything we do’
Angela Rayner to open Labour conference with pledge to ‘make work pay’
Angela Rayner will set out Labour’s plan to make workers better off as she opens the party’s conference in Liverpool on Sunday.
Labour MPs, delegates and lobbyists will descend on the city for five days of policy debate, rallies and networking.
Party leader Sir Keir Starmer will head to the annual gathering boosted by a comfortable lead in the polls and a resounding by-election victory over the SNP in Scotland’s Rutherglen and Hamilton West seat.
Amazon launches first satellites into space
Amazon has launched its first satellites into space as part of a mission to bring fast internet connection to all corners of the globe.
An Atlas V rocket holding two test satellites blasted off from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 2.06pm Eastern Time on Friday.
The launch is part of a mission called Project Kuiper to bring fast and affordable broadband services to communities around the world who are ‘unserved or underserved’ by traditional internet providers.
Shell expects increase in gas trading over third quarter
Energy giant Shell has revealed that trading in its gas division is set to be higher over the past three months compared to the previous quarter.
The improved performance comes after the oil company missed expectations in July, with adjusted earnings more than halving between March and June compared to the same period a year ago.
Shell also said trading in its chemicals and products division will beat second-quarter levels in the short update to shareholders.
UK set for sharp north-south contrast in weather this weekend
Northern and southern parts of the UK will see a contrast in weather this weekend, with high temperatures and torrential rainfall affecting different areas.
The Met Office has issued both amber and yellow rain warnings for large parts of Scotland and northern England from Saturday to Sunday morning.
Fine and dry weather in southern and central England, meanwhile, could see temperatures rise as high as 25C by Sunday afternoon.
