UK announces planning reforms to speed up nuclear projects

The Rolls-Royce SMR is one of four designs under consideration for the UK's SMR programme (Image: Rolls-Royce SMR)The UK government has announced plans to reform planning requirements and regulatory rules as part of measures to streamline the process of constructing new nuclear power plants in England and Wales, including small modular reactors."More nuclear power plants will be approved across England and Wales as the prime minister slashes red tape to get Britain building - as part of his Plan for Change," the government said. "Reforms to planning rules will clear a path for smaller, and easier to build nuclear reactors – known as small modular reactors (SMRs) – to be built for the first time ever in the UK."The reforms include allowing new plants to be built anywhere across England and Wales, not just in the eight existing nuclear sites specified in current planning rules. However, the government said there will "continue to be robust criteria for nuclear reactor locations, including restrictions near densely-populated areas and military activity, alongside community engagement and...

Read More........ → February 13, 2025

EV sales hit record in UK but still behind target

LONDON - The UK car industry sold a record number of all-electric vehicles in 2024 but still fell short of the government's mandated targets, an industry trade body said.Battery electric vehicles made up 19.6 percent of new cars sold last year, said the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, which was below the government's 22-percent target for carmakers.The SMMT reported a "record annual volume" of 382,000 battery electric vehicles sold in the UK last year.The automobile trade body had already warned in October that carmakers were at risk of missing government targets, with manufacturers facing government penalties of £15,000 ($18,625) per polluting vehicle sold above the limits.However, the government has since assured that it expects all manufacturers to avoid the penalties in 2024 by taking advantage of flexibility mechanisms that will take into account, among other things, emissions reductions across the whole fleet.The group's chief executive, Mike Hawes, said that while the market share of electric vehicles grew, this came at a "huge cost" to the industry.He referred to...

Read More........ → January 15, 2025

UK officially joins Asia-Pacific trade bloc CPTPP

London, (IANS): The U.K. officially joined the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) on Sunday, becoming the first European nation to join the Asia-Pacific trade bloc. The 12-country landmark trade agreement is expected to boost the British economy by 2 billion pounds (about 2.52 billion U.S. dollars) annually in the long term, according to the Department for Business and Trade, Xinhua news agency. The department noted on its website that the UK's accession to CPTPP is a cornerstone of the government's Plan for Change, which aims to deliver economic growth and increase household incomes. The plan is projected to raise household wages by 1 billion pounds (1.26 billion dollars) annually while benefiting all regions of the country. "Agreements like this boost trade and create opportunities for UK companies abroad, supporting jobs, raising wages, and driving investment across the country," said British Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds. Ian Stuart, CEO of HSBC UK, underscored the significance of the trade bloc, stating: "Since the announcement...

Read More........ → December 16, 2024

Hamilton to race final three grands prix of Mercedes career

Lewis Hamilton will race the final three grands prix of his Mercedes career after the seven-time world champion raised doubts about his immediate future in Brazil earlier this month.The British driver, who is moving to Ferrari next season, is understood to have been in Mercedes' factory preparing on the simulator as usual ahead of Saturday's Las Vegas Grand Prix.The team confirmed the 39-year-old will also address the media, in line with his regular pre-race commitments, on Wednesday.Hamilton endured one of the worst performances of his glittering career at the Brazilian Grand Prix, crossing the line in 10th."That was a disaster of a weekend, guys," he said on the radio. "The worst the car has ever been. Thank you for contributing to try and great job to all the guys at the pit-stop."If this is the last time I get to perform it was a shame it wasn't great but (I am) grateful for you."The cryptic message led some to believe that Hamilton was ready to call a premature end to his Mercedes career with three rounds to come.But in a Mercedes press release ahead of this weekend's race in the...

Read More........ → December 09, 2024

VMO2 launches UK’s first 5G standalone small cells in Birmingham

The installments will boost connectivity for the city’s residentsVirgin Media O2 (VMO2) has introduced the UK’s first 5G standalone (SA) small cells in Birmingham, boosting mobile connectivity in some of the city’s busiest areas, it claimed in a press release this week. These new 5G small cells, installed on street furniture around Broad Street and Fleet Street, are designed to improve mobile capacity where demand is highest.Initial performance data suggests that the new 5G SA cells provide a smoother mobile experience, helping customers with activities like browsing and streaming.Unlike large cell towers, the small units can be fitted onto existing structures to bring focused coverage improvements in urban spaces. This latest installation adds to Virgin Media O2’s ongoing rollout of small cells across the country.The 5G standalone network, launched by Virgin Media O2 earlier this year, now covers over 300 towns and cities. Unlike older 4G and 5G networks, standalone 5G offers faster speeds and lower delay times, giving O2 customers better,faster and more reliable connections at no...

Read More........ → November 11, 2024

BT pledges £4m to help support UK apprentice schemes

A key focus of the fund will be on enhancing the digital skills of young peopleUK incumbent BT has launched a £4 million Apprenticeship Fund to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), charities, and public sector organisations across England.The funds will be delivered over the next four years, helping these organisations to recruit and train apprentices.Since 2017, companies in the UK with an annual wage bill over £3 million have been required to pay an ‘apprenticeship levy’, with 0.5% of the company’s annual wage bill being paid to the government to support various apprenticeship programmes. Larger businesses such as BT can transfer up to 50% of their levy to other companies directly, which is what BT is doing here.BT has partnered with Babington, a leading apprenticeship training provider, to manage the fund and guide applicants through the process.Eligible organisations can apply for funding and, if successful, will be matched with appropriate training providers within 20 days. The fund could support up to 550 apprentices and is expected to generate a £21 million economic...

Read More........ → October 11, 2024

Connected Britain 2024: Startup of the Year shortlist

On Day 1 of Connected Britain (September 11), ten startups from the Startup Village will pitch their ideas to a panel of judges, including investors and industry experts. The winner will be awarded the Connected Britain 2024 Startup of the Year Award at the prestigious Connected Britain Awards ceremony later that evening.After a competitive first round of judging, here are the ten startups shortlisted from the 90 attending the show this year!ConnectedSpecialising in advanced building management solutions, the company focuses on integrating technology to enhance the efficiency and functionality of commercial spaces. Their offerings include smart building technologies for managing lighting, heating, cooling, and security, all designed to be energy-efficient and user-friendly.ZIM ConnectionsThis eSIM marketplace provides a variety of affordable data plans for over 190 countries. The platform allows users to compare, select, and purchase eSIM plans in three steps, simplifying international travel by eliminating roaming fees and ensuring global connectivity.yWe MediaBased in Oxford, yWe...

Read More........ → August 29, 2024

New UK PM Starmer appoints cabinet, names country's first female Chancellor

Britain's Labour Party Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks to the media and supporters supporters in London, Friday, July 5, 2024. Labour leader Stammer won the general election on July 4, and was appointed Prime Minster by King Charles III at Buckingham Palace, after the party won a landslide victory.(IANS)London, (IANS) New UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has appointed his cabinet, making Angela Rayner the Deputy Prime Minister and Rachel Reeves the country's first female Chancellor of the Exchequer.Starmer's cabinet included a record 11 women in the team of 25.Meanwhile, Yvette Cooper was appointed Home Secretary, David Lammy was named Foreign Secretary and John Healey was appointed Defence Secretary.Other appointments include Shabana Mahmood as Justice Secretary, Wes Streeting as Health Secretary, Bridget Phillipson as Education Secretary, and Ed Miliband as Energy Secretary.In his first speech as Prime Minister at Downing Street on Friday, Starmer pledged to get the country's "struggling" healthcare system back on track, secure British borders, and attend to the need for schools...

Read More........ → July 18, 2024

Keir Starmer: what we know about Britain’s new prime minister and how he will lead

Mark Bennister, University of Lincoln and Ben Worthy, Birkbeck, University of LondonAll prime ministers bring their own personality and approach to the job. Each has a different style of leadership, which can shape how things work and what gets done. Herbert Asquith famously summed it up when he said being prime minister is all about “what the holder chooses and is able to make of it”. When searching for clues as to how Keir Starmer will choose to be Britain’s prime minister, there isn’t too much to go on. When asked directly on a recent podcast, he declared “an inclusive, determined prime minister who will look out for everyone in the country”. This only takes us so far, as it’s rather hard to imagine anyone saying the opposite (except, perhaps, Nigel Farage). But sifting through what we know, we can at least make a start at piecing together the puzzle. In terms of his personality and approach, Starmer has been described as “methodical, professional, good on detail but lacking in flair”. He is very likely to be what the late MP and historian David Marquand called a “pragmatic operator”....

Read More........ → July 10, 2024

British Parliament dissolved for General Election on July 4

The British Parliament was dissolved at midnight last night, marking the start of the five-week campaign period leading up to the general election on July 4. As the clock struck one minute past midnight, all 650 seats of Members of Parliament (MPs) became vacant, officially commencing the electoral process. The election is expected to bring the Labour Party back to power after 14 years of Conservative rule. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s election announcement, made amidst a heavy downpour, has been seen by many as a shaky start to the campaign. British Parliament dissolved for General Election on July...

Read More........ → June 04, 2024

BT announces plans to cut costs by further £3bn

This week, BT released its financial results for the full year to 31 March 2024Reported revenue currently stands at £20.8 billion, up 1% from this time last year, as a result of price increases for broadband customers, fibre-enabled product sales in Openreach, and increased revenue in the consumer division.But despite an increase in revenue, the company’s profits took a significant hit, with pre-tax profits falling 31% to £1.18 billion. Adjusted EBITDA stood at £8.1 billion, up 2%.Capital expenditure (capex) was £4.9 billion, down by 3%, due to lower network spending despite Openreach’s accelerated fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) rollout.Openreach’s FTTP deployment rate reached one million premises in the past quarter, working out at an impressive 78,000 homes per week. The company has passed around 14.8 million FTTP broadband connections have been made on Openreach’s network, with a take up rate of around 34%.In terms of cost savings, BT says it has hit its target to save £3 billion by 2025 a year early, with much of this total presumably being delivered by the company’s ongoing job cutting...

Read More........ → May 23, 2024

UK government conditionally approves £15bn Vodafone–Three merger

The merger is under ongoing investigation from the Competition and Markets Authority: The UK government has this week released a “Publication of notice of Final Order” that provisionally approves the Vodafone–Three merger, subject to certain conditions. Following a “detailed national security assessment”, the cabinet office has approved the merger, providing that: – A National Security Committee is set up within the merged company to oversee any sensitive information that the company deals with that is related to the national security of the UK. It will be necessary for the company to provide regular updates to the government; – Within this group, a specific technical group is established that will deal with a specific list of topics (such as cyber, physical, and personnel security); – The MergeCo’s network migration planning is subject to review by a government approved external auditor; – The MergeCo will have specified arrangements for its governance. The government said in this statement that the above measures will mitigate national security risks in relation to UK networks...

Read More........ → May 16, 2024

Senior conservative says UK PM Sunak ultimately to blame for Tory 'chaos'

London, May 9 (IANS/DPA) UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak bears ultimate responsibility for a Tory party mired in chaos, a senior Conservative has said as a poll indicated a 30-point lead for Labour. Tees Valley Mayor Lord Ben Houchen said the Conservatives are "fighting each other like rats in a sack" and the blame for the party’s difficulties "ultimately lies with Rishi." Lord Houchen held on in Tees Valley in a rare bright spot in an otherwise dismal set of local election results for the Conservatives a week ago. He told BBC Radio Tees: "Things don't look great for the Conservative Party at the moment. There is still a way through but that way through is getting narrower by the day." He said there is general disaffection with politics among voters rather than a desire to back Labour, so there is still the chance for the Conservatives to turn things around. "If the Government actually got on and delivered some real things and showed themselves to be competent, and did the things that people wanted them to, then there is a way through to be able to get some of that respect back, some...

Read More........ → May 10, 2024

Taskforce Urges Investment in Women-Led Ventures to Fuel UK’s Tech Evolution

A glaring gender gap in the UK’s high-growth entrepreneurship ecosystem is hindering progress and stifling the full potential of women in driving innovation and economic growth, a new report has revealed.The report, from a taskforce spearheaded by Anne Boden, founder of Starling Bank, advocates for significant reevaluation of investment strategies with only six per cent of high-growth enterprises being wholly or majority led by women.The Women-Led High-Growth Enterprise Taskforce, chaired by Boden since it was established in May 2022, has worked with entrepreneurs, campaigning organisations, and the investment community to gather data and identify the main barriers for women in starting and scaling high growth enterprises.FundingCentral to its report’s findings is the stark revelation of persistent barriers obstructing women entrepreneurs from accessing essential funding. Despite strides made in recent years, the report highlights that only a fraction of equity investment in the UK is directed towards fully female-founded businesses.Women continue to receive less than two per cent of...

Read More........ → April 23, 2024

New study reveals the world’s most searched-for jobs

In 2019, Brother UK, the office electronics supplier, analysed a year’s worth of Google search data. The study revealed the most popular jobs worldwide, and they discussed whether culture and economy impacted careers globally.In 2023, Brother UK conducted a new study investigating how the global job market has changed in the last three years. Brother UK wanted to determine whether a pandemic, economic uncertainties, remote/hybrid working, and AI technologies have transformed how the world searches for jobs.The most searched-for jobs in the UKTeaching assistant jobs are still the most searched-for in the UK. However, there are signs that interest may be waning. In 2019, over 288,000 people searched Google for teaching assistant roles. But since 2020, the average yearly searches have shrunk by 5% to 275,000.UK search data shows that the most significant search increase in the education sector was from qualified teaching positions. While teachers still wish to continue teaching, they may consider switching schools for better career prospects.A recent poll from the National Education Union...

Read More........ → April 10, 2024

British Council pledges to build high-tech skills centers in Gilgit-Baltistan, KPK

British Council pledges to build high-tech skills centers in Gilgit-BaltistanApril 04, 2024 (MLN): The British Council on Wednesday expressed dedication to establish high-tech skills centers of excellence in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), underscoring the importance of equipping youth with cutting-edge skills for the digital age.The Council and the Prime Minister's Youth Programme (PMYP) have reaffirmed their commitment to empower youth and foster digitalization in Pakistan through enhanced collaboration and innovative initiatives.Representatives from British Council highlighted the longstanding partnership between the organization and PMYP, which commenced in 2013 with a focus on the internship program.Chairman, speaking on behalf of PMYP, outlined ambitious plans to professionalize GYM clubs, with a vision to train members for careers in climate change-related fields.Emphasizing the need to upskill youth in climate action, PMYP announced the formation of a revamped National Youth Council, with a secretariat and a diverse membership reflecting gender equality and...

Read More........ → April 04, 2024

Stokes rules himself out of England's T20 World Cup title defence

LONDON - Test captain Ben Stokes has ruled himself out of England's T20 World Cup title defence in the United States and the West Indies, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced Tuesday.The 32-year-old said he was missing the showpiece tournament in order to make sure he could be a fully-fledged all-rounder in Test cricket."Opting out of the IPL (Indian Premier League) and the (T20) World Cup will hopefully be a sacrifice that allows me to be the all-rounder I want to be for the foreseeable future," Stokes said in an ECB statement.It is understood Stokes has not suffered any setbacks after briefly returning to bowling last month during a Test tour of India where England lost a five-match series 4-1.There is no lingering discomfort in his left knee following surgery in November.But although he has long been one of England's leading multi-format cricketers, Stokes has decided to prioritise his role as Test captain, in the hope of being able to play a full role with both bat and ball during six Tests -- three against the West Indies and three against Sri Lanka -- in the upcoming...

Read More........ → April 03, 2024

Liverpool is Building the World’s Largest Tidal Power Project to Power a Million Homes

The Rance Tidal Power Station, which Mersey Tidal Power are studying to inform the construction of a similar plant for Liverpool.The River Mersey and the Bay of Liverpool are the largest assets this famous English city possesses, and attempting to beat the British government to a net-zero economy, Liverpool City Region have entered phase 3 planning stage to build the largest tidal power plant on Earth. Schemes to harness the predictable power of the tides in Liverpool Bay date back to 1924, and with one of the largest tidal ranges of any coastal city in the UK, government utility Mersey Tidal Power believe that they can power 1 million homes and protect the city from floodwaters, all without disturbing the local estuarine ecosystem. Mersey Tidal Power have released precious little information on the plans thus far, but Eletrek reports that a large dam would be a barrier between the Irish Sea and a tidal basin. Underneath the dam would be large turbines and sluice gates which would open as the tide comes in, pulling water onto the turbines to generate energy. The gateswould close as...

Read More........ → March 18, 2024

England’s meltdown: India dims UK’s “Bazball” aura

Cricket – Fourth Test – India v England – JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi, India – February 26, 2024 India’s Ravindra Jadeja in action as England’s Ben Foakes look on REUTERS/Amit DaveRANCHI-India have remained test cricket’s most tourist-unfriendly destination for over a decade and even England’s gung-ho ‘Bazball’ approach could not change that reality on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024.India’s five-wicket victory on a spiteful track in Ranchi was not really a cakewalk, thanks to England’s never-say-die spin attack.But it fetched Rohit Sharma’s team an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series, and consolidated their second place, behind New Zealand, in the World Test Championship standings.Cricket – Fourth Test – India v England – JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi, India – February 26, 2024 India’s Shubman Gill in action REUTERS/Amit DaveThis was India’s 17th consecutive test series win at home, where they have not lost a test series since an Alastair Cook-led England bested them in 2012.For England, who won the opening test in Hyderabad and have been competitive as...

Read More........ → February 27, 2024

David Cameron returns: how can a prime minister make someone who isn’t an MP foreign secretary? And what happens now?

Thomas Caygill, Nottingham Trent University In a surprise move, Rishi Sunak, the UK’s prime minister, has appointed former prime minister David Cameron as foreign secretary. Cameron, who resigned immediately after losing the 2016 Brexit referendum, has been almost entirely absent from the political scene ever since. It’s rare these days for a prime minister to appoint someone who is not a sitting member of the House of Commons as a cabinet level minister in their government but Sunak certainly can do it. The prime minister has what we call the power of patronage. What we mean by this is that there are a number of public roles for which the prime minister gets to decide who gets the job. Those powers of patronage include appointing members of the cabinet as well as other junior ministers to serve in government. It is only a constitutional convention, rather than a rule, that government ministers be a member of either house of parliament. However, it is a convention that has been strongly abided by. This convention revolves around the constitutional principle of responsible...

Read More........ → November 14, 2023