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Editorial 06.12.24


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. 

‘Starmer pledges’

‘Starmer watered down two of his pledges as economy struggles,’ says the Telegraph.

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.” 

‘Starmer pledges to increase housebuilding,’ highlights The Times.

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. 

‘PM plans to raise living standards quickly,’ notes the i.

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”.

‘Starmer pledges are just buzzwords and political nerdspeak,’ says the Mail.

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”.

‘PM ignores the UK’s biggest problem… immigration,’ says the Express.

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.

‘NHS warning as winter bites’

‘Four major viruses threatening the NHS this winter,’ says the Mirror.

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. 

‘England’s hospitals busier than ever this winter,’ reports The Guardian.

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. 

Sarah Wilkinson
Sarah Wilkinson@swilkinsonbc
Medical staff from Kamal Adwan Hospital are among the killed & injured after air strikes on its northern and western sides: indescribable scenes
Carol Voderman
Carol Voderman@carolvorders
Man in red sweater on #bbcqt pulling Farage apart Farage and his little gang pull the classic playbook of the 1930s...let's hate on XXXXX....let's spin lies...let's blame a tiny minority for all our woes
Alex Beresford@alexberesfordTV
The Met Office has issued a rare Red Warning for Saturday as Storm Darragh hits this weekend. This is a danger to life situation with gusts likely to be in excess of 90mph in the red area below.

Costain wins major HS2 contract

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/

Will other Chinese firms follow Shein to London?

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.

Will other Chinese firms follow Shein to London?

Employment reforms need considerable thought to not ‘swamp business’

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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