6:20 am, September 6, 2023
Rishi Sunak to face PMQs test over schools concrete crisis
Rishi Sunak will face Sir Keir Starmer at Prime Minister’s Questions for the first time in seven weeks as he comes under pressure to declare what he knew about the crumbling concrete crisis in schools.
The Conservative Party leader has become embroiled in the row after one of his ministers suggested Sunak approved for 50 schools to be rebuilt a year when he was chancellor, rejecting an application for 200 to be given the same treatment.
Concerns over reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) have caused more than 100 schools in England to partially or fully shut.
Labour demands to see advice Rishi Sunak given about schools concrete crisis
Labour will look to force the government to hand over written advice the prime minister was given about crumbling concrete in schools while he was chancellor.
Sir Keir Starmer’s party intends to table a humble address motion, an arcane parliamentary mechanism which can be used to demand papers from government departments, to find out what Sunak knew about the construction trouble in the education sector.
Labour, during an Opposition Day debate in the Commons on Wednesday, will demand the publication of submissions of evidence sent by the Department for Education (DfE) to both No 10 and the Treasury relating to the crisis.
School chiefs told to ‘get off their backsides’ and fill out concrete survey
The education secretary has told school chiefs who have not responded to a survey about crumbling concrete to ‘get off their backsides’ and inform the government if they are affected.
Gillian Keegan said she hoped all the ‘publicity’ around reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) in buildings will make the responsible bodies for schools fill out the government’s questionnaire by the end of this week.
The education secretary, who railed against those who had ‘sat on their arse and done nothing’ in a sweary outburst on Monday, said five per cent of schools, or the bodies responsible for them, had still not responded to a questionnaire sent out by the Department for Education (DfE) about Raac on their sites.
Wagner to be declared a terrorist organisation, Home Office says
Russian mercenary group Wagner is to be declared a terrorist organisation, the Home Office has said.
A draft proscription order will be laid against Wagner Group in parliament on Wednesday.
The group has played a prominent role in the Russian invasion of Ukraine since it was launched in February 2022. The order will mean that, once passed, it is illegal to be a member of or support Wagner Group.
British Challenger 2 tank ‘destroyed in Ukraine’ – defence source
A British tank given to Ukraine has been destroyed during fighting against invading Russian forces, the PA news agency has been told.
A defence source said it was likely the first time a Challenger 2 had been disabled by enemy action. The last time one of the heavily-armoured battle vehicles had been destroyed is thought to have been during friendly fire in Iraq in 2003.
Footage being widely shared on social media shows one of the 14 tanks that the UK gave to Kyiv in January at the side of a road with billowing thick grey smoke and fire emerging from it. It is unclear how the tank was destroyed but it is understood that the Ukrainian crew in the tank survived the attack.
Workers arrested for making shortcut through Great Wall of China
Two construction workers have been arrested for smashing a hole in the Great Wall of China to use as a shortcut, according to local authorities.
The Youyu County government said the men were in custody with further legal action pending, following a report of a breach in the Unesco world heritage site.
State media showed a dirt road cut through the wall against a rural landscape in Youyu County, hundreds of miles west of Beijing. Reports said the two men, identified only by the surnames Zheng and Wang, wanted a shorter route for work they were doing in nearby towns.
Tuesday Car Dealer headlines you might have missed
- Lookers takeover by Global Auto Holdings gets green light
- Lloyd Motor Group acquires ex-Cazoo site in Newcastle
- Electric vehicles and fleet sales supercharged 24% rise in new car sales in August
- Nissan ‘plugs geographical gap’ in its UK dealer network with new showroom opening in Rhyl
- Van production enjoys eighth consecutive month of growth in August
- Toyota unveils hydrogen-fuelled Hilux built in UK
- Car Dealer Used Car Awards help drive essential improvements, says double champion
- Skoda remains committed to switching to agency sales as boss says model ‘is the name of the game’
Meagre UK economic growth to ‘feel a lot’ like recession for Britons, BCC says
Britain will narrowly avoid a recession this year – but people and businesses will still feel the pain akin to the 2008 financial crash, according to an influential business network.
The UK economy is on course to eke out growth of 0.4 per cent over 2023, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) predicted in its latest quarterly economic forecast.
It is a marginal upgrade from the 0.3 per cent gross domestic product (GDP) level previously forecast by the group. GDP will then drop to 0.3 per cent over 2024 and nudge up slightly to 0.7 per cent over 2025, a downgrade from its previous expectations.
Wilko to cut 1,332 more jobs and shut 52 stores next week
Administrators for Wilko have announced 1,332 further job cuts at the stricken high street retailer.
The announcement comes hours after rival B&M confirmed it would buy up to 51 Wilko stores for around £13 million. It is understood that administrator PwC has held talks with HMV owner Doug Putman around a potential deal to buy a significant number of the remaining stores.
It is understood that PwC has held talks with HMV owner Doug Putman around a potential deal to buy a significant number of the remaining stores.
Audi’s Q8 gains new design and upgraded technology
Audi has given its range-topping Q8 SUV a styling upgrade while adding a variety of new standard features.
The ‘SUV coupe’ now features a redesigned front grille with vertical inlays, while new front air intakes are now integrated into the lower section of the front bumper. Clever OLED rear lights can also detect when a vehicle comes within two metres of the Q8 when it is stationary and activate all sections of the lights to make the car more noticeable.
Three new exterior colours – Sakhir Gold, Ascari Blue and Chili Red – have been added to the Q8’s palette, while the SQ8’s diesel is replaced with a 4.0-litre V8 petrol. Prices will be announced later.
Weather
Cloud and mist will clear this morning to leave a dry and sunny day – it’ll be hot in the south, reports BBC Weather. It could be the hottest day of the year with temperatures expected to climb to 32 degrees in the south-east.
A clear night is expected with a just a few patches of mist along coastal areas. Sharp showers will move into the south-west later.
