Tag: News Story

STORY

Interest rates are to be increased to 3.5% the Bank of England has confirmed today, a 0.5% increase.

RESOURCES

Bank of England Statement

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

Guardian News Story

STORY

Three people have been confirmed dead after a vessel carrying migrants got into difficulties in the English Channel overnight. Over 40 others on board were saved, many of whom had entered the water, and have been taken to safety. The UK coastguard and the French navy were involved with the rescue, with the Home Secretary Suella Braverman saying that she was being constantly updated on the “distressing incident”.

RESOURCES

Comments Made by the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman

Comments Made by Opposition Leader Keir Starmer

Comments Made by Transport Secretary Mark Harper

Joint Statement by UK and French Governments

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

BBC News Story

STORY

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has announced that the UK economy grew 0.5% in October 2022, following a fall of 0.6% in September 2022. The service sector grew by 0.6% in the month, whilst the repair of motor vehicles increased by 1.9% in the month. There was though a fall of 0.3% in the three months to October 2022.

RESOURCES

Comments Made by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt

Comments Made by Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

Guardian News Story

STORY

Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the House of Commons, suspended the proceedings of the House today after Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, gave a different advance text of his speech to the Speaker and Opposition parties. The Secretary of State has yet to provide an explanation for the decision, which would have made it harder for opposition spokespeople to question the Government’s decision. The Speaker’s intervention on Gove’s breach of the Ministerial Code is the third in recent weeks where statements have failed to be provided in advance with sufficient time.

RESOURCES

Lindsay Hoyle Suspension of House Statement 1

Lindsay Hoyle Suspension of House Statement 2

Michael Gove’s Statement

Lindsay Hoyle Statement on Home Office Not Providing Statements in Advance

Lindsay Hoyle Statement on Ministry of Justice Not Providing Statements in Advance

STORY

Chris Heaton-Harris, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, has authorised a cut to the pay of Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) following the failure of the parties to form a devolved Government. Heaton-Harris said that “for over 200 days MLAs have been receiving full pay while failing to fulfil the full duties they were elected to do. Reducing their pay until an Assembly is restored reflects the work they are currently carrying out”. The pay of MLAs was cut by 27.5% with support of the Westminster Parliament and will be reviewed if agreement is made to restore the devolved Government.

RESOURCES

Chris Heaton-Harris Statement

Northern Ireland Office Press Release

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

BBC News Story

STORY

Stephen Flynn, the SNP MP for Aberdeen South, has been elected as the new leader of the party at Westminster, replacing Ian Blackford who had held the role since 2017.

RESOURCES

List of SNP Leaders at Westminster

Stephen Flynn – Comments on Becoming Leader

Ian Blackford – Comments on Flynn Becoming Leader

Nicola Sturgeon – Comments on Flynn Becoming Leader

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

BBC News Story

STORY

Labour’s Samantha Dixon has won the by-election in the City of Chester constituency, caused by the resignation of the previous MP Christian Matheson. Labour increased their majority from 6,164 in 2019 to 10,974 at the by-election, with a swing of 12% which would be enough if replicated at the next General Election for the party to form a new Government.

RESOURCES

City of Chester Constituency Election Results

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

Chester Standard Newspaper

STORY

Rosie Cooper, the Labour MP for West Lancashire, has announced that she is stand down as the MP for the constituency with immediate effect. Cooper first won the seat in 2005 and will now become the Chair of the Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust. In 2019, Jack Renshaw was imprisoned for a period of at least twenty years for his involvement in a plot to murder the MP in an attack. Cooper was today appointed to the role of Steward and Bailiff of the Three Hundreds of Chiltern, a technical way of allowing an MP to leave the House of Commons, with a by-election expected to be held in the constituency in the next few weeks.

RESOURCES

Statement by Rosie Cooper

Treasury Press Release on the Three Hundreds Appointment

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

BBC News

STORY

The RMT union have confirmed that there will be a further wave of strikes after announcing that “it is impossible to find a negotiated settlement when the dead hand of government is presiding over these talks”. A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group said that the action risked the future of the rail network and that “we had made real progress over the last fortnight of talks and for the first time in months we can see the outline of a credible deal”.

RESOURCES

RMT Press Release

Rail Delivery Group Press Release

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

BBC News Story

STORY

IPSA, the independent body that regulates the pay and pensions of MPs and their staff, has been criticised by a number of MPs for confirming that Christmas parties were legitimate expenses that could be funded by the taxpayer. The body said in a statement:

“As employers, it is entirely appropriate that MPs should, if they see fit, reward their staff with a modest gathering at Christmas.”

Jess Phillips, the Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley, said on Twitter:

“Just want to say no one asked for this, no one I know will use it. I think it’s really irresponsible to issue this guidance”.

RESOURCES

IPSA Statement

Comments made by Chris Bryant MP

Comments made by Jess Phillips MP

Comments made by Steve Baker MP

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

BBC News Story