Author: UK News

The government’s net zero electric car plan features on several front pages this morning after backlash from the car industry. The papers highlight comments from car company Vauxhall which says rules designed to boost EV uptake in the UK have played a role in its decision to close its van factory in Luton.

Other domestic political topics feature on Wednesday’s front pages including Labour’s plans to help people get back to work and free school meals for primary school children.

On the international front, a ceasefire agreed between Israel and Hezbollah has started after more than a year at war.

Newport Wafer Fab: £51m invested in Newport’s semiconductor The investment has been supported by £5m of Welsh Government funding and is the latest in a long list of good news for the South Wales compound semiconductor cluster – which continues to attract international interest and recognition. Roy Shoshani, Chief Technology Officer of Vishay said: “We welcome this investment from the Welsh Government, which recognises the strategic advantage of investing in semiconductor technology. We’re excited about being part of driving the economic future of Wales. We look forward to moving ahead with our long-term investment plans for Vishay Newport.” Ms Evans…

Trump’s return raises questions over future of CIA’s Russian recruitment drive Intelligence agency has been trying to entice Russians disaffected by invasion of Ukraine but president-elect is likely to want to make an ally of KremlinFor the past three years, the CIA has run an unusually bold outreach programme. It targeted Russians within the country’s government and security services, attempting to turn them into double agents.Slickly produced recruitment videos portrayed cooperation with the US secret agency as the patriotic choice for officials disaffected with Vladimir Putin’s regime and the war in Ukraine. The videos ended with instructions on how to…

Bad phone signal hinders our ticket sales, says Fringe chief She warned without greater investment and policy changes to improve the affordability of accommodation and make it less burdensome for venues to host shows, acts would continue to be discouraged from taking part in the festival. And she said its most vital elements such as street performances, which the Society manages, would be “at risk”. Wide-ranging interview In a wide-ranging interview with The Herald McCarthy, called for “parity” with how major sporting events like the Olympics and Commonwealth Games are treated by decision-makers in the City Chambers and Holyrood. The…

Princess of Wales shares behind-the-scenes glimpse of Christmas carol concert. Buckingham Palace will be undergoing huge upheavals in the coming months as the £369m refurbishment closes some of its grandest rooms. Next month’s visit by the Emir of Qatar will be the last state visit to take place at the famous royal residence for three years, as work continues on its historic renovations. Inside historic £369m Buckingham Palace refurbishment The palace’s grandest rooms will undergo “phased closures” for refurbishment, beginning with the White Drawing Room, the Music Room, the Blue Drawing Room and the State Dining Room. The King and Queen…

Steve McQueen photography exhibition offers fresh take on history of protest in Britain Director showcases images of the suffragettes, Kinder Scout trespasses and anti-fascist protests in London. After retelling the story of the Blitz from a new angle, Steve McQueen’s next project is an alternative photographic history of protest and campaigning in Britain, spanning a century from the suffragettes to the Iraq war protests. Resistance will open at Margate’s Turner Contemporary in February 2025, which the gallery’s director said would show how “photography has really acted as a kind of catalyst for change” in the UK. Continue reading… Steve McQueen…

Egypt tourist boat latest We bring you the Egypt tourist boat latest as rescuers help survivors of boat sunk off Red Sea coast as two Britons feared missing Four bodies have been recovered from the tourist yacht which was hit by a “huge wave” and sank off the Red Sea coast of Egypt on Monday. More survivors rescued as search intensifies for remaining passengers But five more people were found alive today – two Belgian tourists, an Egyptian a Swiss national and a Finnish national – and rescue teams were still searching for seven missing people, the area’s governor said…

A 60-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militants has commenced, with both sides withdrawing from southern Lebanon. The deal, announced on Tuesday night, comes after nearly 14 months of fighting.Brokered by the US and France, the agreement is designed to provide a permanent end to the conflict, US President Joe Biden said following the announcement. But Israeli ministers insisted it would resume strikes on Lebanon if Hezbollah breached the terms of the ceasefire, while the deal does not affect Israel’s continuing war with Hamas in Gaza. In a statement, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the deal as “long…

You might have seen the picture of DUP leader Gavin Robinson standing beside graffiti on the wall of the Royal Victoria Hospital supporting Palestine. No, he wasn’t supporting Palestine, though the picture offered an ambiguous interpretation. He was objecting to the graffiti. He claimed it is “upsetting” to members of the local Jewish community “who see it as directly pointing to them”. How does he know? He didn’t say if any members of the local Jewish community had complained to him. The whole matter is so urgent it took him a mere six months to make an issue of it.…

Election Watch podcast: What can politicians really do about climate change? From the corridors of power to your inbox … sign up for your weekly political briefing on what’s got people talking in front of the cameras and behind the scenes at Leinster House. Please click here for our privacy statement. © Examiner Echo Group Limited, Linn Dubh, Assumption Road, Blackpool, Cork. Registered in Ireland: 523712. What can politicians really do about climate change?

The rise of ketamine addiction in the UK – podcast Journalist Elle Hunt and recovered addict Jack Curran talk about the rise of ketamine use in Britain and its sometimes devastating impact Ketamine use in England and Wales has doubled since 2016. The increase, as journalist Elle Hunt explains, is especially notable among young people. And it seems to have taken health services by surprise, with practitioners often unable to provide the right treatment for the particular challenges posed by addiction to ketamine. Continue reading… The rise of ketamine addiction in the UK – podcast https://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2024/nov/27/the-rise-of-ketamine-addiction-in-the-uk-podcast

‘Tax the freeloading day-trippers’ say locals who back new tourist levy The new charges will apply to anyone staying in Wales overnight whether in an Airbnb, Vrbo, holiday cottage, B&B or hotel, hostel or campsite. The charges will vary based on the type of accommodation. For those staying in hostels and camping, the fee will be 75p per person per night. For all other types of accommodation, the charge will be £1.25 per person per night and even residents of Wales travelling within the country for leisure or business will be subject to the levy. https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/news-opinion/tax-freeloading-day-trippers-say-30456223

Assisted dying adverts have sparked a poster war on the London Underground. The billboards – from the Dignity in Dying campaign group – sparked sparked outrage when they appeared at Westminster Tube station and Euston. Suicide prevention posters from the mental health charity Samaritans were soon taped over them, although these have now been removed. It comes days before MPs debate a bill that would legalise assisted dying for terminally ill adults with six months or less to live in England and Wales. Labour MP Kim Leadbeater- who introduced the bill – claims it offers ‘three layers of scrutiny –…

Colombia’s president said his country will impose visa requirements on British citizens in response to the UK Government’s decision to impose visa rules on Colombian visitors. The changes, which came into force at 3pm on Tuesday, mean visitors from Colombia will now need a visa to travel to the UK. Colombian nationals will also need a transit visa if they need to pass through the UK to travel on to another country. On Tuesday evening, Colombia’s leader Gustavo Petro said his country will adopt similar rules under “the principle of reciprocity”. Si el Reino Unido ha restablecido la necesidad de…

  THE root-and-branch examination into finding cures for Gaelic Football’s alleged ailments reaches its moment of truth at the Special Congress in Croke Park on Saturday. Headed-up by former Dublin manager Jim Gavin, the Football Review Committee conducted a forensic and thorough investigation of the laws of the game, consulted with stakeholders, played trials and invited the public to have their say before they tabled a list of measures they feel will clean up the sport and make it a more interesting spectacle. Gaelic Football has changed dramatically over the last two decades and some of the proposals – such…

UK Daily Trending stories Trending – Chancellor defends tax rises and promises there won’t be any more  Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been braided ‘defiant’ this morning after she defended her October Budget that businesses are still complaining about. Speaking at the CBI annual conference yesterday she told sceptical corporate leaders she had no alternative to the £40bn increase in taxes. Despite backlash from business leaders, who claim the budget means it will be harder for them to hire new staff and has also made Britain less attractive to invest it, the chancellor doubled down on her fiscal choices, telling the conference…

Tory Mayor invites Trump to official UK visit  Mayor Ben Houchen has sent an open letter to incoming US president Donald Trump, congratulating him on his election victory and inviting him to visit North East England.  The Tees Valley mayor’s invitation comes as the prime minister faces backlash for failing to formally invite the president-elect to visit the UK.  Those around Trump aren’t fans of Britain, but the soon-to-be president is – much more than his predecessor Joe Biden anyway. He also tells Elon Musk Tees Valley is open for business – in a bit of a beggy and desperate…

Don’t expect Budget rethink, Rachel Reeves implies Rachel Reeves has implied she won’t rethink her Budget measures in the wake of backlash from business, saying: “We’ve made our decisions.” The Chancellor appeared at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI)’s annual conference on Monday in a fireside chat with Keith Anderson, the chief executive of Scottish Power. She was asked by ITV about the “unintended consequences” of her fiscal event, and whether she would “rethink any of the measures that you’ve announced?” Reeves said: “It’s really important that the sums add up, and I’m determined to be the Chancellor that puts…

Rachel Reeves accused of making Britain uninvestable as she insists there is no alternative to tax hikes Rachel Reeves has been accused by business chiefs of making it hard to invest in Britain, prompting her to insist there was no alternative. Directly facing her critics at the CBI conference after weeks of negativity about her autumn Budget, a defensive chancellor pledged that businesses in the UK will not have to suffer another one like it before the next election. Squaring up to her detractors, she told them: “I have heard a lot of feedback about my Budget but not any alternative suggestions.” https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/rachel-reeves-business-taxes-cbi-b2653379.html

More flooding is likely this week after Storm Bert brought torrential rain over the weekend, the environment secretary has said.

More than 140 flood warnings remain in place across England, Wales and Scotland as the after-effects of Storm Bert are felt. More rain is expected to fall today.

Politics leads the way in the media today – in print and online – as the prime minister makes pledges to get more people back into work with reforms to overhaul job centres and more mental health funding. Some of Britain’s biggest cultural and sporting institutions such as the Premier League and the Royal Shakespeare Company will hire teenagers to teach them skills in a drive to get young people into work or education.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves defended her budget yesterday as businesses continued to complain. The chancellor dismissed business warnings that tax rises in the budget will make it harder to hire more people. Reeves has promised that there will be no more rises during this government’s term.

Dry for many today with sunny spells. However, scattered showers will push across Scotland and Northern Ireland, as well as some coastlines of England and Wales. Turning cloudier in the southwest later. Tonight: A band of rain will move into the southwest this evening, pushing across Wales and southern England overnight with brisk winds. Drier in the north with a patchy frost.

What’s the front page of Western Mail? The front page of the Western Mail leads with an image of the aftermath of Storm Bert. The paper says a landslide caused by heavy rainfall, described as a “coal tip wash-out,” has left significant damage. There is growing anger over inadequate weather warnings as the cleanup begins.The paper’s lead story reports visitors to Wales may soon face a tourist tax of £1.25 per night, aimed at supporting local tourism and infrastructure. The proposal includes all types of accommodation, such as hotels and campsites.A policy related to planting trees on farmland has been reversed,…

What’s on the front page of The Irish Times? The front page of The Irish News leads with a union flag controversy. The paper says delays in removing union flags in Castlederg, County Tyrone, are because of a “lack of machinery.” This comes amid tensions and threats of boycotting businesses over the emblems.A bust of Mary Ann McCracken, a prominent historic figure, has been stolen from a plinth in North Belfast. The theft has sparked disappointment and calls for its return.Elsewhere, a County Down farmer has been sentenced for allowing a cannabis factory to operate on his land, leading to significant…

What’s on the front page of The National? The main story leading The National this morning Scottish Labour is accused of “hypocrisy on stilts” for planning to push for a vote on reinstating the Winter Fuel Payment, despite previously opposing SNP efforts to protect it.Elsewhere, the front page reports on the prime minister dismissing a petition calling for a new general election.  There is optimism about the economic boost from a new obstacle course launched at the Kelpies, as per a Scottish Canals executive.A Scottish firm has called for the UK Government to provide clearer guidance regarding new EU regulations, labelling the…