Page 14 - Rishi Sunak

UK opens second ballot for Young Professionals Scheme visas for Indians

The British government on Tuesday opened its second ballot under the UK-India Young Professional Scheme for Indians aged between 18 and 30 years with graduate-level qualifications for visas to the UK. The ballot, which closes on July 27, offers eligible young Indians the opportunity to live, work or study in the UK for up to two years. The second ballot of the Young Professionals Scheme is now OPEN, the British High Commission in New Delhi tweeted. If you are an Indian national between 18-30 years of age with a graduate or postgraduate qualification, consider applying for the India Young Professionals Scheme visa. Ballot closes at 1.30 pm on July 27, it said. There are a total of 3,000 places available under the scheme for the year 2023 and UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) said that most places were given in the first ballot which took place in February. The remaining places will be chosen at random from this month's ballot. While it's free to enter the ballot, applicants are told

UK Conservatives suffer big defeats but avoid wipeout in special elections

Britain's governing Conservative Party avoided a drubbing Friday in a trio of special elections, managing to hold onto former premier Boris Johnson's seat in suburban London. Though the main opposition Labour Party and the smaller centrist Liberal Democrats overturned massive Conservative majorities to win a seat apiece, the Conservatives found some crumbs of comfort in their narrow success in Uxbridge and South Ruislip in west London. Labour won the seat of Selby and Ainsty in northern England while the Liberal Democrats took Somerton and Frome in southwest England, with voters from both parties clearly backing the party most likely to beat the Conservative candidate. Facing this level of tactical voting by voters, the defeats will leave many Conservative lawmakers rattled ahead of the likely national vote next year. The defeats don't mean a change of government, since the Conservatives still have a big majority in the House of Commons. Opinion polls have been giving Labour a ...

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's Illegal Migration Bill clears Parliament hurdle

The British government's Illegal Migration Bill, instrumental to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's pledge to stop the boats of illegal migrants entering the country's shores, has cleared its long-drawn parliamentary hurdle and will soon become law after Royal Assent from King Charles III. Under the bill, the UK's Home Secretary will have a legal duty to detain and remove anyone entering the UK illegally. In a late-night debate in the House of Lords on Monday, further amendments to the bill were dismissed and it passed after a standoff between both Houses over the issue. In the last few weeks, the bill passed between the House of Commons and House of Lords a number of times in a process often dubbed as parliamentary ping-pong in British politics until a consensus is reached. In the Commons, former prime minister Theresa May led a series of backbench rebellions over plans to restrict access to the UK asylum system for victims of modern slavery. May, who as home secretary introduced the ...

UK defence minister Ben Wallace to quit at next reshuffle, step down as MP

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said on Sunday that he will step down from the Cabinet at the next reshuffle, expected in a few months' time, after serving four years in the job. The 53-year-old Conservative Party member of Parliament since 2005 also told The Sunday Times' that he will not stand as an MP at the next general election, expected next year. Wallace has served as defence minister under three British prime ministers Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak and has played a high-profile role in the UK's response to the Russia-Ukraine war conflict. "I went into politics in the Scottish parliament in 1999. That's 24 years. I've spent well over seven years with three phones by my bed," Wallace told the newspaper. "While I am proud to have worked with so many amazing people and helped contribute to protecting this great country, the cost of putting that ahead of my family is something I am very sad about," he said. The minister is believed to have informed Prime Minister

UK visa fees, health surcharge to rise to meet higher costs, says PM Sunak

The fees and health surcharge paid towards the UK's state-funded National Health Service (NHS) by visa applicants from around the world, including Indians, are set to rise "significantly to meet the country's public sector wage increase, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Thursday. The British Indian leader, who was under pressure to accept the recommendation of an independent review of pay for teachers, police, junior doctors and other public sector workers, confirmed a hike between 5 and 7 per cent across the board. However, he stressed that this would not be met with higher government borrowing for fear of further stoking high inflation and therefore the costs would need to be found elsewhere. If we're going to prioritise paying public sector workers more, that money has to come from somewhere else because I'm not prepared to put up people's taxes and I don't think it would be responsible or right to borrow more because that would just make inflation worse, Sunak told reporters a

WATCH: UK PM Rishi Sunak sledges Australian PM amid Ashes 2023 fever

During the traditional photoshoot, Albanese humorously held out a piece of paper depicting Australia's 2-1 lead in the ongoing Ashes series.

Indo-Pacific region on agenda for talks between Biden, Sunak in UK

The Indo-Pacific region and the broader geopolitical context were among the topics on the agenda for talks when British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hosted US President Joe Biden at 10 Downing Street in London on Monday. The US leader arrived in the UK ahead of a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) summit in Lithuania, with the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the West's support for the latter central to the talks. Biden, who was received by King Charles III at Windsor Castle later, hailed the UK-US relationship as rock solid ahead of his discussions with Sunak. Looking ahead to this week's NATO Summit, the Prime Minister and President Biden agreed on the need to strengthen our alliance and maintain our support for Ukraine, a Downing Street spokesperson said in a readout of their discussions. They discussed the progress of the counter-offensive and emphasised the importance of the country's international partners committing to its long-term defence, providing the support Ukraine need

Biden kicks-off three-nation visit ahead of Nato summit in Lithuania

The US president will hold a meeting with King Charles of the UK on Monday for the first time since his coronation, according to the White House, to discuss environmental issues

Ukraine, environment to top agenda when Biden meets UK politicians, royalty

A dash of pomp and a dose of politics are on the agenda during a stopover visit to the UK where President Joe Biden will discuss the environment with King Charles III and the war in Ukraine with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Biden flies to London on Sunday on his way to a NATO summit in Lithuania. He is scheduled to hold talks with Sunak at 10 Downing St on Monday before heading to Windsor Castle to meet Charles for the first time since the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September. Though this is not a full state visit with military honours and palace banquet, the royal imprimatur and backdrop of the 1,000-year-old castle help underscore the importance of the trans-Atlantic special relationship - tested by Brexit but reinforced by unity over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Sunak and the president will hold Ukraine-focused talks before both attend this week's NATO meeting in Vilnius, which will discuss how far the military alliance should open the door to Ukraine. NATO leaders said in

UK PM Rishi Sunak taps Scholz to help delay EU's looming EV tariff

The UK has raised the issue directly with Berlin, one of the people said

Ashes 2023: Australia didn't play by spirit of the game, says UK PM Sunak

UK PM Rishi Sunak is the latest one to jump into the controversy over Jonny Bairstow's dismissal in Lord's Test and slammed the Aussies for playing against the spirit of the game

PM Rishi Sunak speaks of 'sting' of racism growing up in Britain

I haven't experienced that in cricket, but of course I've experienced racism growing up, says Sunak.

Boris ally quits UK govt, accuses Sunak of apathy toward climate issues

A British environment minister who is close to former Prime Minister Boris Johnson quit on Friday, accusing the current government of apathy toward climate issues. Zac Goldsmith said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was simply uninterested in the environment. This government's apathy in the face of the greatest challenge we have faced makes continuing in my current role untenable, he wrote in a resignation letter released on social media. He said Britain has visibly stepped off the world stage and withdrawn our leadership on climate and nature. Goldsmith, Sunak and Johnson are all members of the governing Conservative Party. Goldsmith, 48, is a long-time conservationist who was appointed to Parliament's unelected House of Lords by Johnson before Johnson resigned almost a year ago amid ethics scandals. Goldsmith's resignation comes the day after he was among eight allies of the former prime minister criticised by lawmakers for trying to undermine a committee investigating whether Johnso

UK PM Sunak honours Sikh World War II veteran with Points of Light award

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has honoured Rajindar Singh Dhatt, one of the last surviving Sikh soldiers who fought in the Second World War with a Points of Light honour at a UK-India Week reception at 10 Downing Street. Dhatt, 101, was recognised on Wednesday for his service and his work running the "Undivided Indian Ex-Servicemen's Association" to help bring together British Indian war veterans. Dhatt, based in Hounslow in southwest London since 1963, was born in pre-Partition India in 1921 and fought with the Allied forces during the British colonial period. It is an immense honour to receive this recognition from the Prime Minister, to whom I would like to extend my deepest appreciation for acknowledging the importance and impact of the 'Undivided Indian Ex-Servicemen's Association'," said Dhatt. The journey of establishing this organisation was driven by a deep sense of duty as an ex-serviceman and the vision of fostering unity, support, and camaraderie. This award serves

Want to strike truly ambitious trade deal with India: UK PM Rishi Sunak

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday evening reiterated his commitment to a truly ambitious free trade agreement (FTA) with India as he hosted a special reception to celebrate India Global Forum's UK-India Week 2023 in the garden of 10 Downing Street here. The 43-year-old British Indian leader interacted with business leaders and celebrities, including boxing champion Mary Kom, musicians Shankar Mahadevan and Zakir Hussain, and Bollywood actor Sonam Kapoor, as part of what he dubbed as the start of an Indian summer for the UK. Prime Minister (Narendra) Modiji and I agree there's huge potential here. We're making great progress together on the 2030 roadmap and we want to strike a truly ambitious trade deal that benefits both our nations, bringing tremendous opportunities to businesses and consumers, both in India and here at home, said Sunak, who was joined at the garden party by wife Akshata Murty and mother-in-law Sudha Murty. It's not just UK-India Week, but a whole ...

Rishi Sunak lands in the eye of the storm due to his pen; here's why

Rishi Sunak's office maintains that the PM has never used the pen's erasing feature and will never do so

British PM Sunak's ex-deputy Raab calls for UK to up its game on India ties

One of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's close allies and former deputy prime minister, Dominic Raab, on Saturday called on the British Indian leader to up the government's game to reap the full dividends of a closer partnership with India. Dominic Raab, who led Sunak's leadership campaign and served as his Foreign Secretary before being forced to resign amid bullying allegations, wrote in The Daily Telegraph' that more can be achieved within the bilateral relationship with the UK's first Prime Minister of Indian heritage now in charge at Downing Street. He pointed to India's particular comparative advantage in tech against the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's high-profile visit to the US this week during which mega deals were struck. With the UK's historic ties to India, and our first UK Prime Minister of Indian heritage, are we doing enough to maximise the rewards from this critical relationship, questions Raab. With Rishi Sunak as Prime Minister, Britain remains ...

UK will be 'OK': Sunak as rate hike exposes Conservative party's tensions

Sunak has repeatedly said voters should judge him on bringing inflation down - a pledge which sits awkwardly with his team's implied criticism of the Bank of England

Rishi Sunak hails IndiGo-Airbus pact as major win for UK aerospace sector

IndiGo and Airbus announced a purchase agreement earlier this week for 500 A320 family aircraft, making it one of the largest aircraft purchases by an airline in civil aviation history