A fine but chilly start, with scattered showers affecting parts of north and west Scotland during the morning. Cloud building from the west with rain,
Keir Starmer dominates Friday’s front pages after the prime minister pledges change for Britain. The papers suggest the PM is attempting to ‘reboot’ his premiership after a rocky start to life in No 10.
NHS warnings ahead of the winter bite with cases of flu and COVID already on the rise. NHS chiefs are calling on the public to take up their flu and Covid jabs to avoid the already busy hospitals becoming overwhelmed.
NYPD have released images of the man they are looking for in connection with the shooting death of a healthcare CEO in Manhattan. The newly released images make several of the paper leads.
There’s a dash of showbiz stories on the front and the back pages have a mix of football and F1 gossip.
The Daily Telegraph reports Starmer has “watered down” two of his pledges amid “signs the economy is struggling in the wake of his tax rising budget.” The first pledge to have changed concerns the PM’s vow to get 100% of energy needs from low-carbon sources by 2030. His revised pledge is 95%.
And his vow to secure the highest economic growth in the G7 is now simply an “aim.”
The Times reports Starmer’s pledges to increase housebuilding and reform Britain’s “ruinous” planning system. The prime minister writes in the paper that he will prevent homes and infrastructure being “held to ransom” and attacked “blockers and bureaucrats” who have “choked off” economic growth. The prime minister has told ministers to draft plans to streamline environmental rules that can add millions in costs to development projects, the paper adds.
The i newspaper says the prime minister told the public to judge his government on whether living standards rise quickly. The paper says the PM is “gambling the next election on making voters feel better off”. A No 10 source tells the paper “we want people to judge us on delivery” and called for Labour to be given a chance to lead a “decade of national renewal”.
The Daily Mail calls Starmer’s pledges a “bingo hall parade of buzzwords and political nerdspeak.” The paper’s political writer notes the “seven pillars”, “six milestones” and “five missions” and “three foundations” in the speech, but notes the absence of “one firm target to cut migration”.
The Express also highlights the lack of plans for tackling immigration. It says campaigners have accused the PM of “ignoring” the “biggest problem” facing the UK.
Daily Mirror says “We’re four it now” using its headline to highlight the massive rise in flu cases so far. The paper says there are four major viruses threatening the NHS this winter and hospitals are bracing for a “flood of patients.” Experts have called on the public to get their seasonal vaccines, especially with Covid and RSV on the rise.
The Guardian quotes health officials who say the NHS is facing a “quad-demic” of emergencies this winter, with England’s hospitals “busier than ever”. The number of people with flu in hospital has quadrupled compared to last year, while Covid, norovirus and respiratory syncytial virus are also rising, the paper adds.
A powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the northern California coast, according to the US Geological Survey. The epicentre was near Ferndale, a small town in Humboldt County, about 260
Syrian rebels have announced the capture of Hama, their second major victory in recent weeks after government forces withdrew from the city. The Islamist group HTS played a key role
New York police have released images of an unmasked individual wanted for questioning in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Thompson, 50, was shot in the back and leg
South Korea’s political crisis escalates as major parties hold emergency discussions ahead of a possible impeachment vote against President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Emmanuel Macron will name a new French prime minister “in the coming days” after a no-confidence vote in parliament ousted Michel Barnier.
UnitedHealth shooting stokes mourning and glee on social media
Natural-Catastrophes Insured Losses to Top $135 billion in 2024, Swiss Re Institute Says
It has been announced that engineering firm Costain has been awarded a contract by HS2 worth upwards of £400m.
The deal will see the group supply tunnel and lineside mechanical and electrical systems over a seven-year period, beginning in the first quarter of 2025.
It comes after a stellar year for the company, which has seen its shares rise over 60 per cent since January.
Costain reported a near-doubling of profit in its half-year results in August. It also announced a £10m share buyback programme.
https://www.cityam.com/costain-wins-major-hs2-contract/
Shein’s reported decision to list in London rather than New York is likely to be an anomaly rather than a trend, says Megan Penick
Fashion giant Shein’s prospective IPO – slated for early next year – has caused something of a stir in the City. Indeed, the decision to list on the London Stock Exchange appears on the surface a major vote of confidence for London, as it looks to compete with the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq. In an uncertain economic landscape, it provides reassurance that Britain is still an attractive proposition for the world’s biggest businesses.
In particular, it has prompted speculation that this could be the beginning of a trend that would see more global firms – particularly those based in China – shun US listings in favour of London. The incoming US government’s plan to introduce tariffs on goods from China adds to the argument that Chinese firms that had been eyeing a listing in the US – particularly those that have significant sales in the US – may think again.
However, the feeling in New York is somewhat different. The general sense is that this is a one-off, driven by factors outside the election.
A legal group urged Parliament that the Employment Bill needs “considerable thought” to avoid ” swamping business” with costs or obligations that “confuse even senior and experienced lawyers.”
In written evidence provided to the Committee overseeing the Employment Rights Bill, the Employment Lawyers Association (ELA), a group of 7,000 lawyers, urged the government to reconsider some of the changes contained within the bill.
The ELA stated that the zero-hour contract changes “will grant workers rights that are so difficult to navigate that this may well impact their ability to be enforced” while placing difficult “recurring burdens on employers”.
Labour’s employment overhaul was laid out in October with 28 individual measures in the Bill, including ending exploitative zero-hour contracts and banning fire and rehire tactics.
Employment reforms need considerable thought to not ‘swamp business’
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