Tag: News Story

STORY

In a keynote speech made in London today Rishi Sunak, the UK Prime Minister, has said that all school pupils in England should study some form of maths until they are 18 years old, stating that numeracy is a “key skill every bit as essential as reading”. Sunak first proposed the “maths to 18” vision in January 2023, but Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has admitted that schools do not currently have enough maths teachers to implement Sunak’s plans.

Sunak argues that ending the “anti-maths mindset” in Britain is necessary to boost economic growth and to support this goal, he has also proposed an expansion in Maths Hubs, which are collaborative networks of schools working together to improve maths teaching and learning. Despite Sunak’s commitment to improving maths education, there are concerns about the feasibility of his plans without sufficient resources and support from schools.

The Prime Minister said in his speech:

“Everyone in our country will study some form of maths all the way to 18. Now let me be absolutely clear – I am not saying the answer is A-Level maths for everyone. But we do need to work out the maths our young people should study. So we’re going to look at what 16-18 year olds around the world are learning. And we’re going to listen to employers and ask them what they say the maths skills are that they need”.

RESOURCES

Prime Minister’s Speech

PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister sets ambition of maths to 18 in speech [January 2023]

PETITION TO PARLIAMENT : Cancel plans for Maths to 18

PRESS RELEASE : Quality maths graduates flock to teaching [August 2012]

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

Department for Education

NEWS STORY

The Foreign Office has said that they are concerned about the situation in Sudan, following ongoing armed confrontations in the country resulting in dozens killed and hundreds injured. The situation is related to the ongoing political instability and unrest in Sudan, which has been a persistent issue since the ousting of former President Omar al-Bashir in 2019.

One of the main sources of the current unrest is the ongoing dispute between the transitional government and the military over the country’s political direction and who should lead the country. There have also been reports of economic struggles, including high inflation rates and food shortages, exacerbating tensions in the country. Additionally, there have been clashes between various ethnic groups in the country, leading to violence and displacement. The United Nations has expressed concern about the current situation in Sudan and has urged all parties to prioritise dialogue and peaceful resolution of conflicts. The international community has also called for the protection of civilians and respect for human rights in the country.

The Foreign Office said in a statement:

“Now is the time for the Sudanese leadership to deescalate tensions and prevent further bloodshed. The UK calls on Sudanese leadership to return to dialogue. After months of fruitful political discussion, and real progress towards the return of a civilian-led transition, military action is not the solution. Long term peace is possible, but only through open, honest and pragmatic discussion.”

RESOURCES

Foreign Office Press Release

Troika and European Union Envoys statement on Sudan

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

Foreign Office

STORY

On April 17, 2023, Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian opposition politician and journalist, was sentenced to 25 years in prison after being found guilty of treason and other offenses, including spreading false information about the Russian army and “participation in the activities of an undesirable organisation”. Kara-Murza, who holds both Russian and British passports, had been a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin for years and claimed to have been poisoned twice by Russian operatives in the past. The trial and sentencing of Kara-Murza represent the latest example of a broader crackdown on opposition voices in Russia, which has intensified since Putin sent troops to Ukraine in 2022.

James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, said in a statement:

“Vladimir Kara-Murza bravely denounced Russia’s invasion of Ukraine for what it was – a blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter. Russia’s lack of commitment to protecting fundamental human rights, including freedom of expression, is alarming. We continue to urge Russia to adhere to its international obligations including Vladimir Kara-Murza’s entitlement to proper healthcare.

I pay tribute to Mr Kara-Murza and his family, including his wife Evgenia and her unwavering commitment to raising her husband’s cause on the international stage. The UK will continue to support them and to call for Mr Kara-Murza’s immediate release.”

RESOURCES

Foreign Office Press Release

Biography of Vladimir Kara-Murza

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

Foreign Office

STORY

The Treasury has announced that Megan Greene has been appointed as an external member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee. Greene is the Global Chief Economist at Kroll and a board member of the Academic Advisory Committee at the San Francisco Fed.

Jeremy Hunt, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, said:

“Megan Greene’s wide experience across financial markets and the real economy will bring valuable new expertise to the MPC. I am delighted to appoint her to this role and look forward to seeing her contribution to policymaking in the coming years. I would also like to thank Professor Silvana Tenreyro for all her work since she joined the Bank of England, and wish her the best in the next stage of her career.”

Andrew Bailey, the Governor of the Bank of England, said:

“I am very pleased to be welcoming Megan Greene to the MPC this summer. She brings significant experience from her work across financial services and academia and we will benefit greatly from her contributions to our policy discussions. Silvana Tenreyro has made a tremendous contribution to the work of the MPC over the past six years. I would like to extend my thanks and wish her all the best for the future.”

RESOURCES

Treasury Press Release

STORY

The CBI has announced that Tony Danker, the Director General of the lobbying group, has been dismissed following an internal investigation. The organisation is facing additional reputational issues following damaging allegations made in the Guardian newspaper about misconduct, sexual harassment and rape at the CBI.

The CBI said:

“Tony Danker is dismissed with immediate effect following the independent investigation into specific complaints of workplace misconduct against him. The Board wishes to make clear he is not the subject of any of the more recent allegations in The Guardian but has determined that his own conduct fell short of that expected of the Director General.”

They added:

“We are pleased to announce that Rain Newton-Smith, former CBI Chief Economist and currently Managing Director, Strategy and Policy, Sustainability and ESG for Barclays, has agreed to rejoin the CBI as its new Director General. She brings with her a formidable track record as a leader and expertise on a wide range of business issues. We thank Chief Policy Director Matthew Fell for his vital work as interim Director General during these difficult last few weeks and look forward to him again driving forward our policy work for members.”

RESOURCES

CBI Press Release on Tony Danker

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

CBI

STORY

Nigel Lawson, Baron Lawson of Blaby, who served as the Chancellor of the Exchequer between 1983 and 1989, has died at the age of 91. Lawson was the editor of the Spectator Magazine between 1966 to 1970, then serving as the Conservative MP for Blaby between 1974 and 1992. He was the Financial Secretary to the Treasury between 1979 and 1981, then the Secretary of Energy from 1981 until 1983 before becoming Chancellor. Lawson has been a controversial figure in recent years as a climate change sceptic and also for supporting Brexit but moving to France.

Sir John Major, the Chancellor from 1989 until 1990 and Prime Minister from 1990 until 1997, said in a statement:

“Nigel Lawson was a commanding Chancellor and, together with Geoffrey Howe, one of the essential pillars of the 1980s Conservative Government. His influence was respected well after he left government, and he will be long remembered.”

Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, said:

“One of the first things I did as Chancellor was hang a picture of Nigel Lawson above my desk. He was a transformational Chancellor and an inspiration to me and many others. My thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.”

STORY

Adrian Usher has been appointed as the new Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, a role he will hold for three years commencing on 24 April 2023. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice said:

“Mr Usher has recently retired from an extensive career as a Senior Police Officer for the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), joining in 2003. He has previously served on both Counter-Terrorism and Anti-Corruption Commands and has been a Senior Investigating Officer in a variety of roles. He retired as Commander for Learning and Development in the MPS where he led the training requirements across policing operations including changing training to accommodate new legislation, law enforcement best practice and improving policing standards.”

Usher has previously been announced in January 2023 as the preferred candidate for the role and he will succeed Sue McAllister.

RESOURCES

Ministry of Justice Press Release on the Appointment [March 2023]

Usher is Preferred Candidate Press Release [January 2023]

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

Prisons and Probation Ombudsman

STORY

Jeremy Corbyn, the former leader of the Labour Party, has been formally blocked for standing for the party at the next General Election by the NEC. The NEC voted by 22 votes to 12 votes to prevent Corbyn from standing for the party following comments he made about anti-semitism. A spokesperson for the Labour Party confirmed that “Jeremy Corbyn will not be endorsed by the NEC as a candidate on behalf of the Labour party at the next general election”.

RESOURCES

NEWS STORY : Jeremy Corbyn Won’t Stand for Labour – Keir Starmer

Jeremy Corbyn – 2023 Statement on NEC Banning Him from Standing for Labour Party

STORY

Three companies belonging to William Hill have been fined a total of £19.2 million by the Gambling Commission for failing to protect their customers. Andrew Groves, the Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission said in a statement:

“When we launched this investigation the failings we uncovered were so widespread and alarming serious consideration was given to licence suspension. However, because the operator immediately recognised their failings and worked with us to swiftly implement improvements, we instead opted for the largest enforcement payment in our history”.

888, the new owners of the William Hill brand, said:

“After William Hill was acquired, the company quickly addressed the identified issues with the implementation of a rigorous action plan.”

RESOURCES

Gambling Commission Press Release

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

Gambling Commission

William Hill

STORY

The new leader of the SNP and the Scottish First Minister has been confirmed as Humza Yousaf, who won with 52.1% of the total votes after the votes of third placed candidate Ash Regan were redistributed. The three candidates to replace Nicola Sturgeon who had held the role of party leader since 2014 and had announced her resignation on 15 February 2023 were Humza Yousaf, Ash Regan and Kate Forbes. The result was announced by Lorna Finn, the National Secretary of the SNP, at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh with a 70% turnout of SNP members.

Previous leaders of the party have been:

Alex Salmond (1990-2000)

John Swinney (2000-2004)

Alex Salmond (2004-2014)

Nicola Sturgeon (2014-2023)

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

SNP