Page 32 - Britain

New voter ID law stopped thousands from casting ballots: UK polls watchdog

Britain's electoral watchdog said on Friday that about 14,000 people were prevented from voting in last month's local elections because of a new law requiring voters to show photo identification. The Electoral Commission said 0.25 per cent of people who went to polling stations were unable to cast ballots because they didn't have the right ID, and significantly more than that likely did not show up at all. Craig Westwood, the commission's communications director, said there was concerning evidence that disabled and unemployed people were more likely than other groups to give a reason related to ID for not voting. We don't want to see a single voter lose the opportunity to have their say, he said. We are working to understand the challenges people faced, and will make recommendations that, with the engagement of government and wider electoral community, will support the participation of all voters. The government says ID is required to vote in many democracies, and the move will he

Bank of England hikes rates to 5% to tackle inflation, highest since 2008

MPC members Silvana Tenreyro and Swati Dhingra opposed the rate rise - as they have all others this year - saying that much of the impact of past tightening had yet to be felt

Britain's debt exceeds 100% of GDP for the first time in 62 years

Inflation stays higher than expected, raising pressure for higher rates

India, UK conclude another round of talks on free trade agreement: Official

Technical discussions were held across 10 policy areas in over 50 separate sessions, according to statement

UK's duty benefit scheme withdrawal may impact Indian goods' exporters

The UK's decision to withdraw duty benefit scheme GSP may impact Indian exporters from certain labour-intensive sectors such as leather and textiles as they were the major beneficiaries, according to experts and traders. The UK is replacing the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) with a new Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) from June 19. Labour intensive sectors, including certain textile items, leather goods, carpets, iron & steel goods and chemicals may get impacted due to this. Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said the US, European Union (EU), Australia, Japan and many other developed countries grant unilateral import duty concessions to developing countries under their GSP schemes. "As the UK has come out of the EU, it has designed its own GSP scheme. Each country sets a product-wise threshold limit, if a country's exports cross the limit, the GSP concessions stop. The UK withdrawing GSP concessions on labour intensive products was expected as the two ...

Britain witnesses recession and flood of job losses if rates hit 6%

The UK has so far weathered the cost of living crisis without falling into recession

UK removes countervailing tariff on steel bar, rod imports from India

The UK government has announced the removal of an up to 4 per cent countervailing tariff on stainless steel bars and rods imported from India due to a perceived low impact on local suppliers. The UK's Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) said on Thursday that its recommendation that the countervailing measure on imports of stainless steel bars and rods from India be revoked has been agreed by the government. Countervailing measures are put in place to offset imports being sold at unfair prices due to government subsidies in their country of origin. They are one of three types of trade remedies that are allowed under World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules. The TRA concluded that although subsidised imports would continue from India if the countervailing measure were no longer applied, it is unlikely that the UK industry would be injured if the measure was no longer in place. Trade association UK Steel said there is minimal supply to the UK market of stainless bars and rods by UK producers

Amazon's $1.7 bn deal to buy Roomba maker iRobot gets UK approval

British antitrust regulators cleared Amazon's purchase of robot vacuum maker iRobot on Friday, but the USD 1.7 billion deal still faces scrutiny in the United States and Europe. The Competition and Markets Authority said it decided not to escalate its initial investigation because it concluded that the deal would not result in a substantial lessening of competition within the United Kingdom. Amazon said it was pleased with the result. We look forward to similar decisions from other regulators soon, the company said in a statement. Consumer groups have voiced concerns that Amazon's purchase of Bedford, Massachusetts-based iRobot, which makes the popular Roomba robotic vacuum cleaners, would widen the e-commerce giant's dominance in the smart home market. The acquisition is still facing a review in the US by the Federal Trade Commission amid worries about Amazon's growing market power. It's also under scrutiny by the European Union's executive arm, which opened a review of the deal

Two-time Oscar winner Glenda Jackson dies at 87 after a short illness

Glenda Jackson, a two-time Academy Award-winning performer who had a second career in politics as a British lawmaker, has died at 87. Jackson's agent Lionel Larner said she died on Thursday at her home in London after a short illness. She recently completed filming The Great Escaper' in which she co-starred with Michael Caine," he said. Jackson was one of the biggest British stars of the 1960s and 70s, and won two Academy Awards, for Women in Love and A Touch of Class. She then went into politics, was elected to Parliament and spent 23 years as a Labour Party lawmaker. She returned to acting after leaving Parliament and had some of her most acclaimed roles, including the title character in Shakespeare's King Lear.

Tributes pour in for British Indian student killed in Nottingham stabbing

The family of a sporty teenager killed in a brutal stabbing on the streets of Nottingham where she was studying for a medical degree paid tribute on Wednesday to the adored daughter and sister" as they spoke of their utter devastation. Grace O'Malley Kumar, 19, was killed in a knife attack in the early hours of Tuesday as she walked back from a night out with fellow cricket-loving friend Barnaby Webber, 19. Floral tributes have been piling up for both teenagers on the spot at Ilkeston Road in Nottingham city centre where they were found dead. The third victim was Ian Coates, a school caretaker in his 60s. Grace was an adored daughter and sister; she was a truly wonderful and beautiful young lady, Kumar's family said in a statement. Grace was not just a sister to James but his best friend. He is completely heartbroken. As parents, words cannot explain our complete and utter devastation. She will be so dearly missed. We were so incredibly proud of Grace's achievements and what a trul

Vodafone, Three to merge UK telecom operations to capitalize on 5G rollout

Two of the UK's biggest mobile phone operators agreed Wednesday to merge their businesses to capitalise on the rollout of next-generation 5G wireless technology in the country. The tie-up of Vodafone UK and Three, which is owned by Hong Kong's CK Hutchison, will create Britain's biggest mobile phone player, with a market value of around 15 billion pounds (USD 18.75 billion). Vodafone will account for 51 per cent of the merged firm, with CK Hutchison owning the rest. The groups said the merger will help them compete with their rivals on 5G technology. Vodafone CEO Margherita Della Valle described the deal as a game-changer for the company's home market. It's transformative as it will create a best-in-class indeed best-in-Europe 5G network, offering customers a superior experience," she said. The companies said they are aiming to complete the deal by the end of 2024.

UK economy recovers slightly in April but strikes to keep lid on growth

The British economy bounced back in April amid strong sales at bars and pubs as well as a rebound in car purchases, according to official figures. The Office for National Statistics said on Wednesday that the economy grew by 0.2 per cent during the month. The increase was in line with expectations but failed to fully recoup the 0.3 er cent contraction in March. However, on a longer-term horizon, the British economy is barely growing, hobbled by higher interest rates as well as strike action across an array of sectors, including in health, education and transportation. Samuel Tombs, chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said he expects second-quarter growth to be unchanged from the first as the strikes rumble on. He also predicted that the extra public holiday in May for King Charles III's coronation to weigh on economic activity. Further out, he expects lower energy prices for households to boost growth in the second half of the year. A slow but steady recovery should eme

UK unemployment rate down as number in work rises above pre-pandemic level

Official figures show that Britain's unemployment rate has fallen unexpectedly as the number of people in work hit a record high and rose past its pre-pandemic level for the first time. The Office for National Statistics said Tuesday that the jobless rate fell to 3.8% in the three months to April, from 3.9% in the previous quarter. Most economists were expecting the rate to edge up to 4%. As the unemployment rate fell, the agency said, the country's employment rate rose to 76% from 75.9%, with the number of people in work at an all-time high of 33.1 million. Darren Morgan, director of economic statistics at the agency, said the biggest driver in recent jobs growth is health and social care, followed by hospitality. The agency also found that wages rose sharply, a development that may cause concern at the Bank of England, which is widely expected to raise interest rates once again next week.

We need global cooperation on AI, global AI safety summit soon: Rishi Sunak

Artificial intelligence (AI) doesn't respect traditional national borders so we urgently need global cooperation between nations and labs, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Monday

Agritech startup Fuselage qualifies for Global Entrepreneurship Programme

Agritech startup Fuselage Innovations has been selected for the UK government's Global Entrepreneurship Programme (GEP), making the Kerala-based company eligible for relocation to the European nation. Fuselage, which provides drone-based agricultural surveillance and spraying solutions, qualifies for mentorship by experienced entrepreneurs and introduction to key networks, courtesy the GEP that lends business support to non-UK firms. Specialising in manufacturing customised UAVs and drones for agricultural aerial plant survey and spraying, Fuselage, which was founded by Devan Chandrasekharan and Devika Chandrasekharan, will be guided under GEP on ways to grow internationally. Once shifted to the UK, that country's Department of Internal Trade will help Fuselage, especially around exporting, according to a statement issued by the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) here on Monday. The programme will help the 2020-founded Fuselage build capacity in key business areas, according to Devan ..

UK govt to remove Chinese surveillance equipment from sensitive sites

The UK government has laid out plans to publish a timeline for the removal of Chinese surveillance equipment from sensitive sites as part of stepped-up national security measures, weeks after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said China posed the "biggest challenge" to global security and prosperity. In amendments tabled to the government's Procurement Bill ahead of its Report Stage in Parliament next week, the UK Cabinet Office said on Wednesday that it is committing to publishing a timeline for the removal of surveillance equipment produced by companies subject to China's National Intelligence Law from sensitive central government sites. It says the move builds on action taken last year to halt the installation of new equipment on the government estate and will provide "reassurance" that departments are removing surveillance equipment from sensitive sites. These new measures will protect our sensitive sectors from companies which could threaten national security and are a firm deterrence

Prince Harry holds tabloids accountable for destroying his childhood

Prince Harry stepped into courtroom witness box Tuesday to hold Britain's tabloid press accountable for its destructive role throughout his life. But he soon found himself being held to account by a newspaper's lawyer for how he could blame his anguish on articles he couldn't remember reading. The Duke of Sussex became the first senior member of the royal family to testify in over a century as he held a Bible in his right hand and, in a soft voice, swore to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth in the High Court in London. Harry accuses the publisher of the Daily Mirror of using unlawful techniques on an industrial scale to score front-page scoops on his life. Sitting in the witness box, dressed in a dark suit and tie, Harry told Mirror Group Newspapers attorney Andrew Green that he had "experienced hostility from the press since I was born." The prince accused the tabloids of playing a destructive role in my growing-up. Harry was forced almost immediately to acknowledge

Prince Harry to testify in phone hacking case against Mirror Group

Prince Harry is due at a London court on Tuesday to testify against a tabloid publisher he accuses of phone hacking and other unlawful snooping. Harry alleges that journalists at the Daily Mirror and its sister papers used unlawful techniques on an industrial scale to get scoops. Publisher Mirror Group Newspapers is contesting the claims. Harry faces cross-examination by the company's lawyer when he enters the witness box at the High Court in London. The 38-year-old son of King Charles III will be the first British royal since the 19th century to face questioning in a court. An ancestor, the future King Edward VII, appeared as a witness in a trial over a gambling scandal in 1891. Harry has made a mission of holding the UK press to account for what he sees as its hounding of him and his family. Setting out the prince's case in court Monday, his lawyer, David Sherborne, said that from Harry's childhood, British newspapers used hacking and subterfuge to mine snippets of information t

British govt appoints new acting chair for BBC to 'provide stability'

The British government appointed a new acting chair for the BBC on Friday, five weeks after the resignation of Richard Sharp, who was found to have failed to disclose a potential conflict of interest over his role in arranging a loan more than two years ago for then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer appointed Elan Closs Stephens to serve as acting chair for 12 months starting June 27 or until a new permanent chairperson is appointed, whichever is sooner. Stephens has been on the governing body of the publicly funded national broadcaster since 2010. Frazer said Stephens has the unanimous support of the board and will provide stability for the BBC. Stephens said the board, under her leadership, will ensure the BBC is a vital partner for the U.K. creative industries, maintain trust, and drive change to make the BBC fit for a fast-changing media landscape,. Her time at the helm may well be a sensitive time for the BBC, as the U.K.'s next general election has

Boris Johnson offers unredacted WhatsApp messages to UK Covid inquiry

Boris Johnson, who was the British prime minister during the height of COVID, on Friday offered to hand over all his unredacted WhatsApp messages to the public inquiry set up to investigate the government's handling of the pandemic. The latest move further complicates matters as it bypasses the Rishi Sunak-led government's decision to seek a judicial review into inquiry chair Baroness Heather Hallett's order for all such messages to be handed over. After missing a deadline on Thursday for the handover of the documents which include Johnson's messages, the UK Cabinet Office said in a statement that government officials should not be required to provide material that is irrelevant. "While I understand the government's position, I am not willing to let my material become a test case for others when I am perfectly content for the inquiry to see it," said Johnson in a letter addressed to Baroness Hallett. The 58-year-old former prime minister said he was handing over "all unredacted ...