Browsing: UK government

Business

UK Economy Grows Faster Than Expected in Early 2025

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The UK economy grew by 0.7% in the first quarter of the year, outpacing expectations and marking a stronger start to 2025 than analysts had predicted. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that growth was primarily driven by a resilient services sector, alongside significant gains in industrial production.

News Briefing

Immigration crackdown – Thunderstorms to hit UK – Premier League latest – Trade war pause

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Monday’s headlines are leading with the prime minister’s announcement on his plans to crack down on legal migration to the UK – with measures that include banning overseas care home workers. It’s unclear how these measures won’t damage the economy further, but Starmer’s eyeing up a second term in office, and to beat Reform at the next general election (2029) he’ll need to have made massive moves on immigration (legal and illegal). Recent local elections in England saw Reform sweep traditional Labour and Tory hotspots, meaning you can expect to see both parties move closer to the right for the foreseeable future.

Birmingham news

Birmingham bin strike grinds on as deal rejected

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Yesterday, Unite members voted to overwhelmingly reject a deal to end the Birmingham bin strike, calling the offer inadequate. Some publications see it as a humiliation for the Labour government after pleading with members to take the offer amid fears of strikes spreading around the country as well as a potential health crisis. 

China

UK takes control of British Steel under emergency powers 

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The government took the drastic step of taking control of British Steel’s Scunthorpe plant over the weekend after enacting emergency legislation that was rushed through Parliament in a single day. 

The business secretary Jonathan Reynolds told MPs that the likely next step would be to nationalise the Scunthorpe plant. 

The government say they were forced to seek emergency powers to stop the Chinese owners, Jingype, from shutting down the two blast furnaces, which would have ended primary steel production in the UK. 

Since the shocking intervention from the British government, the UK headlines are assessing what could happen next with calls for the plant to be nationalised, rivals looking to buy the plant and fears the Chinese owners are trying to sabotage the site to force Britain to rely on cheap Chinese imports.

Climate Change

Net Zero by 2050 is a fantasy says Kemi Badenoch

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Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has said the UK’s 2050 net zero target, a legally binding commitment established by a previous Conservative government, is “impossible.” Badenoch argued that achieving net zero by 2050 would necessitate “a serious drop in our living standards or by bankrupting us,” but did not offer an alternative plan.

News Briefing

Labour’s welfare reform, Newcastle win Carabao Cup, UK to be hotter than Madrid

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Monday’s headlines are heavily dominated by politics with planned changes to the UK’s welfare system expected to be unveiled later this week. 

Many publications offer their assessment of the planned changes as Labour’s left prepares to mount a rebellion, and Conservative and Tory-supporting media praise the Labour government’s move. The exact details of the changes will be set out by Work and Pensions Secretary Liz on Tuesday.

Newcastle’s emphatic 2-1 win over Liverpool leads much of the English news as the Toons see their first silverware in 70 years and Eddie Howe becomes the first English manager to win an English cup since 2008.

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