furlough-scheme

We're all social democrats now as Rishi Sunak joins the global rush to dump Thatcherite verities | Will Hutton

ishi Sunak has discovered the power of social democracy.

moreboris-johnson

www.theguardian.com

Only 1% of 1.1bn lost in Covid business scheme recovered, report finds

Just 1% of the estimated 1.1bn lost from the government's Covid business support programme in England as a result of fraud and error has been recovered so far, the public spending watchdog has said in a report urging ministers to learn lessons from the scheme.The overwhelming majority of fraud and error occurred during the initial incarnation of the grant scheme launched in March 2020, which did not require prepayment checks, the National Audit Office (NAO) said in its report on the rushed-through efforts.

www.independent.co.uk

Number of people in poverty in UK back to pre-pandemic levels

The number of people living in poverty in the UK has almost returned to pre-pandemic levels, with a children's charity accusing the Government of knowing what help is needed but choosing not to give it.A total of 14.4 million people were estimated to be in relative low income below 60% of average household income in the year to March 2022.

www.independent.co.uk

France news

France's furlough system blamed for causing laziness epidemic'

A French study has blamed Emmanuel Macron's furlough system for causing a laziness epidemic.The French Institute of Public Opinion (Ifop) claimed that 37 per cent of people in France are less motivated to work than before the pandemic.Sixty per cent of people said work was important to them in 1990, but more than 32 years and a global pandemic later, the figure has reduced to only 21 per cent.

www.theguardian.com

Truss? Brexit? Covid? Who is really to blame for the Tories' fiscal hole'?

Covid-19 ripped a 400bn hole in the government's finances.The money was used largely to support the economy and it succeeded in allowing industries and workers to bounce back once restrictions were lifted.Most western countries did something similar, pushing the world's public and private debt mountain to $226tn.

BBC News

London

Cancelled flights: Travel firms have oversold flights and holidays - Shapps

Mr Shapps said it had been "very distressing" to see people facing more disruption at airports with "holidays cancelled and plans left in disarray".

www.standard.co.uk

London

Train drivers strike will cripple UK services with third day in a row of disruption in London

R ail services will be crippled for a third day on Thursday as train drivers strike amid a warning of escalating industrial action unless a pay dispute is resolved.Members of Aslef in 15 train operators will walk out, leaving London and large parts of the country with no trains all day.Rail links to the UK's two busiest airports will be cut, with Gatwick Express and Heathrow Express shutting down.

www.theguardian.com

New TUC leader calls for meeting with Rishi Sunak over strikes

The new leader of the TUC has called for an urgent meeting with the prime minister in an attempt to end the strikes causing widespread disruption to rail travel, the NHS and other public services.Paul Nowak, who took up the role of general secretary of the TUC on 29 December, said frontline workers needed a fair deal and called on the government to change tack by opening pay negotiations with unions.

the Guardian

Companies declared insolvent in England and Wales jump by 43%

The number of English and Welsh companies declared insolvent jumped by 43% in August, according to government data, which adds to concerns for the health of the UK economy.

the Guardian

Not too Tory, a little bit Blair and a whole lot of brown: how Sunak's formula failed | Nesrine Malik

Lowlights include multiple moments in which Sunak attempted to be a man of the people: failing to pay for fuel, failing to name a real McDonald's breakfast item, joking about his "tan", and a campaign video (with a Ray Winstone-meets-Danny Dyer voiceoverhailing Sunak as the underdog of some kind of action film) so removed from the grave moment the country finds itself in that it verges on sociopathic.

...

And that is exactly what Sunak has really been all along - not a competent technocrat doing his best in a chaotic Johnson government, but a man both propelled by, and then in the final hour utterly exposed by, his willingness to say whatever the deal team needs to say to fend off the competition.

BBC News

Rishi Sunak hits back at Tory leadership tax critics

By Chris Mason Political editor, BBC News

In eight weeks' time, if not before, we will have a new prime minister.

The Independent

Almost 650,000 UK retail jobs lost since 2017

Almost 650,000 jobs have been lost in the UK's retail sector over the past five years, according to new figures.

www.independent.co.uk

Covid furlough scheme lost billions of pounds to error and fraud'

Billions of pounds awarded as part of Covid employment support schemes were lost in fraud and error, a public spending watchdog has warned.

www.independent.co.uk

Covid furlough scheme lost billions of pounds to error and fraud, says watchdog

Billions of pounds awarded as part of Covid-19 employment support schemes were lost in fraud and error, a public spending watchdog has warned.

The Independent

Liz Truss government axes top civil servant at Treasury

Liz Truss's government has axed the top civil servant at the Treasury as part of sweeping changes in economy policy.

The Independent

Manufacturers call for added support amid bleak economic climate - survey

British manufacturers have called on the Treasury to offer more support amid a poor economic outlook to help "weather the immediate storm".

The Independent

Travel chaos 'could get worse' this summer, union warns

The travel chaos at UK airports this half term "could get worse" over the summer, unions have warned.

BBC Sport

London

Charlton make 6.8m pre-tax loss for 2020-21

The parent company of League One side Charlton made a pre-tax loss of £6.8m for the 10 months to June 2021.

the Guardian

Will Sunak or Truss make booming oil and gas firms pay to help consumers? | Larry Elliott

P has done well out of the war in Ukraine.Soaring oil and gas prices that followed Russia's invasion in February meant quarterly profits have tripled to just under £7bn.

the Guardian

Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid: the ministers who called out PM's 'tone' and 'values'

Rishi Sunak

The Independent