Page 4 - Uk Govt

UK's shadow minister Priti Patel wants China on national security risk list

Britain's shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel on Sunday called for China to be placed high up on the list of countries that pose a national security risk to the UK. The 52-year-old Indian-origin frontline member of the Opposition Conservative Party led by Kemi Badenoch pointed with concern to the recent scandal engulfing an alleged Chinese spy gaining access to Buckingham Palace circles through Prince Andrew the younger brother of King Charles III. She attacked the Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Cabinet for prioritising trade ties with China over national security. It's clearly complicated legislation, but China should always be up there, Priti Patel told The Sunday Times' in an interview when asked if China should be placed on a proposed Foreign Influence Registration Scheme. The list is designed to compel all those working for overseas powers to declare their lobbying to avert any security risks. We're dealing with an extraordinary regime that for over a decade, qui

Trump taps 'Apprentice' producer Mark Burnett as special envoy to UK

Mark Burnett, the power producer who helped reintroduce Donald Trump to a national television audience with "The Apprentice", is being tapped by the president-elect as special envoy to the United Kingdom in his upcoming administration. "With a distinguished career in television production and business, Mark brings a unique blend of diplomatic acumen and international recognition to this important role," Trump announced on Saturday. Burnett, who was born in London, helped produce hits like "Survivor" and "The Voice", but is perhaps best known for teaming up with Trump for "The Apprentice", which first aired on NBC in 2004. Trump had been well-known in real estate and pop culture circles for decades. But the show helped again make him a household name -- though Trump severed ties with NBC in 2015, the same year he launched his first White House run. The selection of Burnett continues Trump's trend of filling out his incoming administration with people who have high-profile background

UK govt approves Bharti Global's acquisition of 24.5% stake in BT

The UK government has approved Bharti Global's acquisition of a 24.5 per cent stake in BT following a detailed national security assessment of the process since the Indian multinational and British telecom major announced the deal back in August. The Cabinet Office said its decision comes into force on Monday after an assurance that BT would set up a National Security Committee to oversee strategic work. The order noted that Bharti Televentures UK Limited acquired 24.5 per cent of the issued share capital of BT -- 9.99 per cent on August 12, 2024, and 14.51 per cent on November 18, 2024. "Following a detailed national security assessment, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has made a Final Order pursuant to section 26 of the National Security and Investment Act 2021, which comes into force on 16 December 2024," the Cabinet Office said in a statement. "The Acquisition is a trigger event under section 8(8) of the Act. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has approved the ..

Worker shortages raise doubts over Britain's plan to build for growth

Britain has long lacked candidates to fill jobs, a problem made worse by the 2016 Brexit vote and Covid-19, with vacancies higher than their level before the pandemic

Rachel Reeves to push for UK, EU reset at finance ministers' meeting

Britain's Labour government is pushing to reset ties with the EU after coming to power in July and improve trading relations in a bid to raise growth

PM Keir Starmer plans reform of UK state in bid to counter criticism

Starmer's reset moment, including six 'milestones' designed to be tools to measure the government's progress, instead triggered more disquiet and confusion about his strategy

UK dismantles massive money laundering operations tied to Russian oligarchs

British authorities have dismantled two massive money laundering operations linked to Russia that were used by oligarchs, organised crime groups, cybercriminals and drug dealers, the National Crime Agency said Wednesday. The international sting, known as Operation Destabilize, seized 20 million pounds (USD 25.4 million) in cash and cryptocurrency and arrested 84 suspects. It was revealed on the same day the US announced new sanctions against several people at the top of the money laundering networks. For the first time, we have been able to map out a link between Russian elites, crypto-rich cybercriminals and drug gangs on the streets of the UK," said Rob Jones, NCA director general of operations. We have identified and acted against the Russians pulling the strings at the very top, removing the air of legitimacy that enabled them to weave illicit funds into our economy. Networks known as Smart Group and TGR Group allowed criminals and wealthy Russians to convert cash to ...

Nagaland govt discusses state's investment potential with UK delegates

A roundtable discussion was held between the Nagaland government and a delegation from the UK on the state's growing opportunities and investment potential. The programme was held Saturday upon the arrival of the UK delegation for the Hornbill festival, a statement said. Discussions were held on partnerships in key sectors such as agritech and creative economy, it said. In his opening remarks, Investment and Development Authority of Nagaland Chairman Abu Metha emphasised the global significance of the Hornbill Festival as a venue for networking and collaboration. He noted Nagaland's transformation into a "land of opportunities" while retaining its rich identity as a land of festivals. Stressing the potential for agritech and the creative economy to drive economic growth, Metha underscored the importance of strategic collaborations with the United Kingdom to usher in a new era of sustainable development for the state. British High Commissioner Lindy Cameron and Director of ...

UK transport minister Louise Haigh quits in new blow to PM Starmer

In her resignation letter shared by Starmer's office early on Friday, Haigh said she was standing down as the issue 'will inevitably be a distraction from delivering on the work of this government'

UK PM Keir Starmer welcomes ceasefire deal between Israel, Hezbollah

Keir Starmer said that the UK and its allies will continue to be at the forefront of efforts to break the ongoing cycle of violence in pursuit of long-term, sustainable peace in the Middle East

$368 bn question: Will Trump renegotiate the AUKUS treaty or walk away?

This illustrates the enduring Australian government support for AUKUS and its centrality to our defence planning, as well as the significant concern this enthusiasm is not shared by Trump or his team

UK regulator considers probe into Apple's, Google's mobile browsers

The CMA's independent inquiry group also proposed that no further action be taken on cloud gaming given primary concerns had been addressed

No plans to talk with Putin: Starmer as he reaffirms support for Ukraine

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Sunday that he has no plan to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin as he pledged support for Ukraine as the UK's top priority at this week's G20 Summit. Speaking with reporters on the way to the meeting in Brazil, Starmer said he wouldn't speak to Putin as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz did on Friday. The call between the two leaders, which the Kremlin said was initiated by Germany, was the first publicly announced conversation between Putin and a major head of a Western power in almost two years. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticised the call and said it would only make Russia less isolated. Ukraine's allies fear that the election of President-elect Donald Trump, who has questioned US aid sent to Kyiv and spoken favourably about Putin, could alter support from Washington, its biggest backer. Starmer said allies have to double down now to support Ukraine for as long as it takes. "We are coming up to the 1,000th day of

Will treat people-smuggling gangs like terrorists: UK PM tells Interpol

Prime Minister Keir Starmer says he will double funding for Britain's border security agency and treat people-smuggling gangs like terror networks in an attempt to stop migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats. In a speech Monday to a meeting of the international police organization Interpol, Starmer will say the gangs behind irregular migration are a serious threat to global security. Arguing that the world needs to wake up to the severity of this challenge, Starmer will say that we're taking our approach to counterterrorism, which we know works, and applying it to the gangs, according to extracts released by his office. He'll call for more cooperation between law-enforcement agencies, closer coordination with other countries and unspecified enhanced powers for law-enforcement. Starmer plans to increase the U.K. Border Security Command's two-year budget from 75 million pounds ($97 million) to 150 million pounds ($194 million). The money will be used to fund high-tech .

UK's national health service pilots iPhone device to detect throat cancer

The UK's National Health Service (NHS) on Saturday claimed that thousands of patients could receive the all-clear for suspected throat cancer faster as a result of a new iPhone device and app piloted at some of its hospitals. The innovative adapter providing a 32 mm lens and accompanying app can turn an iPhone into a portable diagnostic gadget to be used by nurses to detect or rule out throat cancer. The device captures live endoscopy examinations of the throat in high definition (HD), which can then be instantly shared with specialist head and neck consultants via a secure data cloud. A consultant then reviews the video footage and can rapidly detect any traces of cancer reporting this back directly to the patient. Detecting cancer early is key to providing treatment as soon as possible to help give patients the best chance of survival. For those needing tests to investigate suspected cancer, it can be an extremely worrying time. And being able to rule out the disease sooner can m

UK PM asks for judgement on tackling 'unprecedented' challenges in budget

Starmer, whose Labour Party won a landslide election victory in July, has said generating growth is his number one priority, but he said that the situation was different to previous scenarios

UK Foreign Secretary Lammy urges China against supporting Russian army

Britain's foreign secretary raised concerns about China's support of Russia in its war against Ukraine on Friday, urging his Chinese counterpart to prevent Chinese firms from supplying to Russia's military in a meeting in Beijing. David Lammy made the comments as he made his first visit by a Cabinet minister to China since the Labour government took control in July. He met Friday with Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang and held talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi later the same day. The two-day trip is an attempt to reset ties with Beijing after relations turned frosty in recent years over spying allegations, China's support for Russia in the Ukraine war and a crackdown on civil liberties in Hong Kong, a former British colony. While Britain's government stressed that engagement with China was pragmatic and necessary," officials said Lammy raised thorny issues including Russia and human rights concerns in Hong Kong and China's far-western Xinjiang province. Lammy stated how both the U.K. an

UK foreign minister Lammy travels to China seeking 'pragmatic' ties

Lammy's visit is not expected to yield major diplomatic agreements or intended to mark a reset in relations

Geopolitical concerns dent big UK biz optimism ahead of Budget: Deloitte

A British Chambers of Commerce survey last week showed the escalating conflict in the Middle East was a "major factor" behind anxiety in boardrooms - though potential tax hikes were a bigger worry

British Foreign Secretary Lammy likely to visit China in bid to reset ties

Lammy, who has vowed to overhaul Britain's ties with China, will meet Chinese officials in Beijing and representatives of British firms in Shanghai