UK Govt

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

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

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 ...

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 ...

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'

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

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

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

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

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 .

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

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

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

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

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

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

On conflict in Palestine, he said, 'It's high time that the powers, that is the Anglo-American alliance, stepped in and called for an immediate ceasefire because that is something needed urgently'

Inflation in the UK held steady at an annual rate of 2.2 per cent in August, with higher air fares offset by lower fuel costs and restaurant and hotel bills, official figures showed Wednesday. The latest reading from the Office of National Statistics means inflation remains just above the Bank of England's target of 2 per cent. Last month, the central bank reduced its main interest rate by a quarter-point to 5 per cent, the first cut since the onset of the pandemic. Central banks around the world dramatically increased borrowing costs from near zero during the coronavirus pandemic when prices started to shoot up, first as a result of supply chain issues built up during the pandemic and then because of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine which pushed up energy costs. Most economists think the bank will opt to keep borrowing costs unchanged after its latest policy meeting on Thursday. However, they think that the bank will most likely cut again in November, in the wake of the ...

Before this change, applicants seeking settlement in the UK after the death of a British citizen partner were required to pay the full fee, regardless of their financial situation

Tata Steel signed a GBP 500 million grant funding pact with the UK government to advance the installation of a low-carbon electric arc furnace at Port Talbot