6:49 am, September 20, 2022
Royal family observing week of mourning for the Queen after emotional funeral
The royal family is observing another week of mourning for the Queen after a state funeral full of emotion and ceremony under the gaze of the world.
King Charles III decreed on September 9, the day after the Queen died following her 70-year reign, that a period of mourning would be observed until seven days after the funeral.
Buckingham Palace said: ‘Royal mourning will be observed by members of the royal family, Royal Household staff and representatives of the Royal Household on official duties, together with troops committed to ceremonial duties.’
Travellers stranded as major disruption continues into Tuesday
Disruption to train services in and out of London Paddington continued overnight with many passengers stranded in Reading following the Queen’s funeral.
No trains have been able to enter or leave Paddington station, west London, since 6.30am on Monday because of damage to overhead electric wires near Hayes and Harlington station.
National Rail said the disruption was expected to continue until midday on Tuesday.
Truss strikes conciliatory tone ahead of meeting with ‘friend or foe’ Macron
Liz Truss sought to strike a conciliatory tone ahead of meeting with Emmanuel Macron, despite declining to say whether she believes the French President is a ‘friend or foe’.
The prime minister stressed the need for a ‘constructive relationship” combatting Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and unauthorised migrant crossings of the Channel in small boats.
The comments ahead of meeting Macron at a United Nations summit in New York on Tuesday appeared to mark a softening of tone following post-Brexit tensions on Northern Ireland and fishing rights.
Striking barristers to meet new justice secretary
Barristers are due to meet with the Justice Secretary for the first time since they went on strike.
On Tuesday the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) will sit down with Brandon Lewis, who was appointed to the role two weeks ago. His predecessor Dominic Raab previously refused to meet with the organisation during the action.
The meeting was due to take place last week but was delayed after the Queen’s death. While all planned demonstrations were also postponed, the all-out strike has continued during the national mourning period. Barristers in England and Wales are taking part in a continuous walk-out after their row with the government over pay intensified.
Weekend Car Dealer headlines you might have missed
- Upcoming winter fuel crisis set to drive used car prices down as dealers face up to ‘worrying times’
- Future of JCT600’s Vauxhall, Peugeot and Citroen dealership in Bradford hangs in the balance as bosses discuss permanent closure
- Who will be our first Used EV Dealer of the Year? Hurry – the deadline for entries for the 2022 Used Car Awards is looming!
- Upcoming winter fuel crisis set to drive used car prices down as dealers face up to ‘worrying times’
- Work suspended on Tesla’s Berlin gigafactory as site’s future becomes clouded in doubt
6m people set to receive £150 disability cost-of-living payment from Tuesday
Around six million people will receive a one-off £150 disability cost-of-living payment from Tuesday.
Those being paid a qualifying disability benefit will be paid automatically from September 20. The vast majority of those eligible are expected to receive their one-off payment by the start of October, the UK government has said.
Those who may be eligible for the payment include people receiving the disability living allowance, personal independence payment, attendance allowance, Scottish disability benefits (adult disability payment and child disability payment), armed forces independence payment, constant attendance allowance, or the war pension mobility supplement.
Third of high street firms miss business rates relief
The government failed to support a third of high street businesses in England promised a discount on their business rates bills, according to new data.
Property specialists at Gerald Eve found that just 272,000 out of a promised 400,000 retailers, leisure and hospitality venues were able to claim a 50 per cent discount on the commercial property tax announced at the last budget.
It comes as the industry experts warn that businesses could face a crippling £4.7bn total increase in business rates next year without action.
Weather outlook
A cloudy start for all today, reports BBC Weather, although sunny spells will develop later on in the south and then for the rest of the country. Light rain for far north-west, though.
A night of clear spells and patchy mist for most of the UK tonight. Another cool night; breezy in Northern Ireland and Scotland.
