Page 5 - Britain Pm

UK govt borrows more than expected in April, posing challenge for PM Sunak

Net borrowing excluding state-controlled banks was 20.5 billion pounds

UK PM Sunak under pressure amid dire local election results for his party

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's leadership is under severe pressure on Friday as the results of local elections and a crucial by-election poured in overnight, delivering what is being characterised as one of the worst poll outcomes for the governing Conservative Party in 40 years. Rebels from within his party are expected to renew their attacks on the British Indian leader after the Opposition Labour Party made definitive gains, including overturning the Tory majority in the Blackpool South by-election which was necessitated following a resignation amid a lobbying row. Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer declared the result as a "seismic" victory and an overall poll verdict in favour of the party as it comes on the eve of a general election, expected later this year. "Blackpool speaks for the whole country... This is the one contest where voters had the chance to send a message to Rishi Sunak's Conservatives directly, and that message is an overwhelming vote for change," said Starmer

Former British PM Theresa May to stand down at next election after 27 years

Theresa May, who was the prime minister of Britain between 2016 and 2019, on Friday announced her exit from frontline politics after 27 years as a member of Parliament in the House of Commons. The 67-year-old, whose travails with getting a Brexit deal through Parliament in the wake of the June 2016 referendum ended in a forced exit from 10 Downing Street over four years ago, said she had taken the "difficult decision" to not contest in the next general election from her Maidenhead constituency in south-east England. She has been the Conservative MP for the Berkshire seat since 1997, having been elected seven times. "Since stepping down as prime minister I have enjoyed being a backbencher again and having more time to work for my constituents and champion causes close to my heart including most recently launching a Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking, said May in a statement to her local Maidenhead Advertiser'. These causes have been taking an increasing amount

Rishi Sunak's Rwanda migration bill suffers blow in Britain's Parliament

The upper house of Britain's Parliament has urged the Conservative government not to ratify a migration treaty with Rwanda. It's a largely symbolic move, but signals more opposition to come for the stalled and contentious plan to send some asylum-seekers on a one-way trip to the African nation. The House of Lords voted by 214 to 171 on Monday evening to delay the treaty that paves the way for the deportation plan. The treaty and an accompanying bill are the pillars of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak 's bid to overcome a block on the deportations by the UK Supreme Court. Members of the Lords, who are appointed rather than elected, backed a motion saying Parliament should not ratify the pact until ministers can show Rwanda is safe. John Kerr, a former diplomat who sits in the Lords, said the Rwanda plan was incompatible with our responsibilities under international human rights law. The considerations of international law and national reputation... convince me that it wouldn't be right to

British PM Rishi Sunak keen to clinch FTA with India by April: Report

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is keen to clinch a free trade agreement (FTA) with India in time for Easter, which falls at the end of March 2024, according to a UK media report. The India-UK FTA talks began in January last year, aimed at significantly enhancing the GBP 36-billion bilateral trading partnership. A new round of negotiations, expected to be the last, is set to start early in the new year after the thirteenth round concluded on December 15. Prime Minister Mr Sunak and India's premier Narendra Modi are said to be keen to get the deal wrapped up by April, reads a report in the Daily Express' newspaper updated on Saturday. It is hoped a deal can be signed and sealed before India's general elections begin on April 1, it claims. The newspaper quoted a source close to the trade talks on the UK side to say that a lot of progress has been made, but some of the hardest aspects remain pending. We have made a lot of progress, but the last stuff to do is the hardest. We have

Sunak condemns 'horror, barbarism' one week on from Israel-Hamas conflict

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has condemned the horror and barbarism unleashed by the Palestinian militant group Hamas and pledged continued support to Israel in restoring security as he marked one week of the conflict in the Middle East. In a statement issued by 10 Downing Street and also on social media on Saturday evening, the British Indian leader also reiterated his commitment to the Jewish community in the country that all protective measures would be deployed. His warning to anyone stirring up shameful antisemitism came as thousands of pro-Palestine protesters marched the streets of London chanting anti-Israel slogans and 15 arrests were made on suspicion of public order offences and criminal damage. No words can begin to describe the horror and barbarism unleashed in Israel a week ago. Daughters, sons, mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, grandparents were taken from people in the cruellest and most horrific way possible, reads Sunak's statement. I know that the days and

Akshata Murty makes UK political stage debut for 'best friend' UK PM Sunak

Britain's Indian First Lady, Akshata Murty, made a surprise debut on the political stage on Wednesday when she stepped out to introduce best friend Rishi Sunak for his maiden speech as UK Prime Minister to the Conservative Party conference in Manchester. Murty, during her light-hearted and personal speech, claimed her husband was unaware of her gate-crashing as the warm-up act to the centrepiece of the annual conference and that her decision had also surprised their daughters, Krishna and Anoushka. The 43-year-old daughter of Infosys co-founder Narayan Murthy went on to share her pride in Sunak's many achievements and how it was his honesty and integrity that had first attracted her to him when they met as students at Stanford University in their 20s. Rishi and I are each other's best friends; we are one team and I could not imagine being anywhere else than here today to show my support to him and to the party, said Murty. Rishi and I met when we were 24 when we were both studying

FM Sitharaman exchanges pleasantries with UK PM Sunak at G20 dinner

They both discussed the issues of mutual interest and areas of collaboration to further enhance the friendship between the two nations

India 'right country' at 'right time' to hold G20 presidency: UK PM Sunak

We will also work closely with India through their Presidency of the G20 to address the biggest challenges the world is facing, said the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak

PM Sunak very much looking forward to G20 summit in September: UK envoy

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is very much looking forward to attending the G20 Summit in New Delhi in September, UK High Commissioner in India Alex Ellis has said. Interacting with PTI on Friday on the sidelines of a preview of an art exhibition here, Ellis said he thought it was "great" that India is in the chair of the G20. India assumed the G20 presidency on December 1, 2022. About 200 meetings under different tracks of the bloc will be hosted across the country, culminating in the September 9-10 Summit. "I think it's great, I think it's great that India is in the chair of the G20," Ellis told PTI when asked about India's role as G20 chair. "Because, the world is quite divided at the moment, unfortunately, because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine," he added. Praising the "vibrant" culture and diversity of India that has been attracting people from all over the world, the UK envoy, said, "India is a unique country to bring the world to it. And, India has always fascinat

Rishi Sunak's popularity sinks to lowest since UK premier took power

Some 65% of Britons now have an unfavorable view of the prime minister compared with 25% who see him in a positive light, according to a YouGov poll of 2,151 British adults published Wednesday

UK PM Rishi Sunak meets Scotland Yard chief Mark Rowley over police reforms

The UK Home Office issued new guidelines to root out what it terms as misogyny and predatory behaviour from the ranks of the country's police force

Rishi Sunak makes first visit to war-torn Ukraine, meets Prez Zelenskyy

Rishi Sunak described as deeply humbling his first visit to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Saturday since taking charge as British Prime Minister and pledged to bolster the UK's support in the country's ongoing conflict with Russia. Meeting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Sunak confirmed that Britain will provide a major new package of air defence to help protect Ukrainian civilians and critical national infrastructure from an intense barrage of Russian strikes. The GBP 50 million package of defence aid comprises 125 anti-aircraft guns and technology to counter deadly Iranian-supplied drones, including dozens of radars and anti-drone electronic warfare capability. It follows more than 1,000 new anti-air missiles announced by the UK's Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, earlier this month. It is deeply humbling to be in Kyiv today and to have the opportunity to meet those who are doing so much, and paying so high a price, to defend the principles of sovereignty and democracy, said Sunak,

Britain and Rishi Sunak

The new PM faces unenviable challenges ahead, but he is a testament to the progress Britain has made towards becoming a multi-racial society

Senior member of Rishi Sunak's govt resigns amid bullying allegations

A senior member of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's government announced his resignation Tuesday night after mounting allegations that he bullied colleagues. Gavin Williamson announced his resignation as minister of state without portfolio in letter posted on Twitter, four days after the Times of London published expletive-laden text messages he sent to another member of Parliament. After that, a senior civil servant alleged that Williamson subjected them to sustained bullying, telling the individual to slit your throat on one occasion and jump out of the window" on another. In his resignation letter, Williamson said he had apologized for the text messages and was cooperating with an investigation of that conduct. But he rejected suggestions that the second incident involved bullying. I refute the characterization of these claims, but I recognize these are becoming a distraction for the good work this government is doing for the British people,'' Williamson wrote. I have therefore deci

What challenges await Rishi Sunak as the new PM of the UK?

Rishi Sunak's new assignment as Prime Minister of UK will not be an easy task. In this segment, we tell you more about the UK's new PM, and also talk about the challenges that he faces

'New dawn' for UK, 'Death of Democracy': British media welcomes new PM

He was leading the front page of every major newspaper in the UK, which in the past had colonised most of the world

New PM Rishi Sunak pledges to lead Britain out of economic crisis

Several ministers sacked, Hunt to stay FM

Prime Minister Sunak: UK has come a long way from open racism

Rishi Sunak's wealth and the fact that he represents racial diversity, but not economic or class diversity, do not and cannot take away from the essential significance of his assumption to office

British Prime Minister-elect Rishi Sunak promises 'stability and unity'

Indian-origin Rishi Sunak, who will take over as Britain's prime minister from Liz Truss, on Monday promised stability and unity as his priority. The former chancellor, who won Tory leadership contest on Monday, is poised to walk through the door of 10 Downing Street in London after an audience with King Charles III in Buckingham Palace, which is likely to be on Tuesday. Besides being the first Hindu Prime Minister of Indian heritage, Sunak is also the youngest for around 200 years at 42 years. In his first address as Tory leader soon after the result was declared, Sunak said his priority would be to bring the country together and said he was "humbled and honoured" to get the greatest privilege of his life to give back to the country I owe so much. "The UK is a great country, but there is no doubt we face a profound economic challenge," said Sunak from the Conservative Party headquarters near Parliament in London. "We now need stability and unity and I will make it my utmost priori