Page 2 - British Prime Minister

UK PM Sunak resists call to set election date amid leadership threat

A general election must be held by the end of January and Sunak has said his "working assumption" is it will be in the second half of 2024

Rishi Sunak shares 'hard balance' of being good dad and heading UK as PM

He shared his concerns about not being able to find as much time as he would like to focus on his daughters Krishna, 12, and Anoushka, 11

PM Modi talks with UK counterpart Sunak to review progress of FTA

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to his British counterpart Rishi Sunak on Tuesday as they welcomed the progress made in the ongoing discussion between the two countries for an early conclusion of a free trade agreement (FTA). During their telephonic conversation, they reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership, a statement said. In a post on X, Modi said, "Had a good conversation with PM @RishiSunak. We reaffirmed our commitment to further strengthen the bilateral Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and work for early conclusion of a mutually beneficial Free Trade Agreement." The statement said the two leaders expressed satisfaction over the progress made under the "Roadmap 2030" in diverse areas including trade, investment, defence, security, emerging technologies and others. "They assessed positively the progress made towards early conclusion of a mutually beneficial Free Trade Agreement," it said. The two leaders also excha

Totally up for the fight to win UK general election: PM Rishi Sunak

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said he is totally up for the fight of pitching his policies to the electorate to win another term for the governing Conservative Party as he prepares for a general election expected to take place in the second half of the year. In an interview with The Times this weekend, the 43-year-old British Indian leader said he had reasons to be optimistic because the economy was pointing in the right direction and that the future is going to be better. At the beginning of this year there is a sense that the country is pointing in the right direction, he told the newspaper. Because economic conditions have improved, because the plan is working, you are starting to see mortgage rates come down and we have been able to cut taxes. I do believe those pressures are starting to ease and that hopefully over the course of this year, we can continue to make even more progress, he said. In a message as much for the voters as for the rebels within his own Tory ran

Sunak will face UK lawmakers over decision to join US strikes on Yemen

Four Royal Air Force Typhoon jets took part in last week's US-led strikes on sites used by the Iran-backed rebels, who have been attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea

PM Sunak pledges action in Post Office fraud impacting many British Indians

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Sunday said that the government is reviewing the compensation process in an accounting scandal that wrongly accused hundreds of sub-postmasters of fraud, many of them of Indian heritage. During an interview with the BBC, Sunak was asked about the historic scandal involving a faulty IT system named Horizon dating back to the late 1990s and confirmed that his justice minister is looking at how the process of overturning wrongful convictions and providing compensations can be speeded up. The government, which formally owns Post Office Ltd, has paid out millions in compensation to many of the sub-postmasters impacted but there are many others still waiting for years. "Obviously it's something that happened in the '90s but actually seeing it and hearing about it again just shows what an appalling miscarriage of justice it is for everyone affected and it's important that those people now get the justice they deserve, and that's what the compensation .

With elections in sight, PM Rishi Sunak pins hopes on India-UK FTA

The ambitious India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) may have proved elusive even in 2023, but it remains the focal point for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to try and bolster his electoral pitch for voters increasingly disillusioned by his government over the rising cost of living and illegal migration. As Sunak, Britain's first Indian-origin Prime Minister, marked the start of this year by setting out his government's top priorities for the year ahead, the deal was not far behind on the agenda. The two nations will begin a new round of discussions in the New Year after the 13th round was completed this month. The round included sessions both in-person, in London and Delhi, and virtual talks. As with round 12, these negotiations focused on complex issues including goods, services, and investment. The UK and India will continue to negotiate towards a comprehensive and ambitious Free Trade Agreement, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) said. There is a strong sense that bot

Boris Johnson rejects notion he wanted to let Covid rip through population

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in sometimes angry testimony to Britain's inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic, on Thursday defended himself against suggestions that his indifference and failure to heed the advice of scientists led to thousands of unnecessary deaths. In a second day of sworn testimony, Johnson rejected claims that he was prepared to let older people die to protect the economy and that he was too slow to order a second national lockdown as infection rates began to rise in the autumn of 2020. Johnson, who left parliament after he was found to have misled lawmakers about lockdown-breaking parties during his premiership, said he learned about the horrors of COVID-19 firsthand when he was hospitalised with the disease in March 2020. In the intensive care unit, Johnson said he was surrounded not by elderly people but by middle-aged men like himself. I knew from that experience what an appalling disease this is. I had absolutely no personal doubt about that from March .

UK PM Sunak announces steps to crack down on soaring immigration rate

Sunak described the new measures as the government's 'radical action' to bring down the immigration rate, adding the steps would ensure that immigration benefits the UK

UK PM Rishi Sunak sacks Suella Braverman as Home Secretary: Reports

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak began a Cabinet reshuffle on Monday morning and began by sacking his Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, after days of speculation over her job since it emerged a controversial newspaper article attacking the Metropolitan Police was published without clearance from her boss, according to reports coming out from Downing Street. The 43-year-old Goan-origin Cabinet minister has repeatedly courted controversy in her senior UK Cabinet role, most recently by accusing the Met Police of playing favourites when tackling aggressive Israel-Gaza protests in an article in The Times. Sunak had been under pressure from sections of his Conservative Party as well as faced attacks from the Opposition for allowing her to continue in her job after she went ahead with the article in a perceived breach of the ministerial code. Our brave police officers deserve the thanks of every decent citizen for their professionalism in the face of violence and aggression from proteste

Netanyahu holds private meeting with his British counterpart Rishi Sunak

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday held a private meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at his office in Jerusalem

Hopes of sealing India-UK trade deal this month may be fading: Report

The hope that the ongoing 13th round of negotiations towards an India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) could conclude with a deal for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to sign off in time for the India versus England World Cup cricket clash in Lucknow on October 29 seem to be fading, according to a UK media report on Wednesday. The Financial Times' quoted officials briefed on the negotiations to say that a lack of movement towards opening up of the Indian market to British professional services in the field of law and accountancy is among the factors for the slowdown. So much so that cricket fan Sunak's proposed return visit to India after an inaugural visit as UK Prime Minister to New Delhi for the G20 Summit last month is looking very, very unlikely to happen. The discussions are not where we want them to be, the newspaper quoted a British official familiar with the talks as saying. The Prime Minister has said he will not sign a trade deal on arbitrary deadlines. He's going to do t

UK PM Sunak reiterates commitment to get free trade deal with India done

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has reiterated his commitment to closer India-UK ties across different sectors, including a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries. Addressing a reception by the diaspora group Conservative Friends of India (CFIN) on the sidelines of the ongoing Conservative Party conference in Manchester on Monday evening, the British Indian leader began by reflecting upon his successful first visit to India as Prime Minister for the India-led G20 Summit last month. I've just come back from my first trip to India as Prime Minister and that was very successful, said Sunak. Everybody here already knows just how strong the relationship between our two countries is. At the G20, we really saw a glimpse of what the future of that relationship can be, with closer cooperation on absolutely everything from trade to defence, innovation, security, research, and I hope a free trade deal, and we can get it done, he said. The 43-year-old politician, who is leadin

Good progress on bringing down inflation, says British PM Rishi Sunak

"Inflation is making people feel poorer, the quicker we bring inflation down the better it is, and that is why it is the right priority, and we are making good progress," Sunak told the BBC

Sunak's wife Akshata Murty decides to liquidate investment venture in UK

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's wife Akshata Murty has decided to liquidate her investment company Catamaran Ventures UK Ltd, according to official company filings with the UK's Companies House this week. The 43-year-old businesswoman had incorporated the venture in 2013 with her husband as one of the directors, before he resigned in 2015. According to the latest financial statement for the year ended December 2022 available for the company on Wednesday, Murty as the only director of the firm has now decided to wind down her firm as a going concern. "During the year, the directors have decided to liquidate the Company, notes the Companies House filing statement. "Accordingly, the financial statements have been prepared on a basis other than going concern and no adjustments were necessary in these financial statements to reduce assets to their realisable values or to provide for liabilities arising from that decision, it reads. The value of the company's investments for the pe

UK PM Rishi Sunak defends shift in climate policy as realistic approach

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Thursday defended his shift in climate action policy as a pragmatic and realistic approach towards delivering the country's Net Zero target, amid criticism over proposed delays in certain measures. A day after his speech set out a pushback of petrol and diesel car ban and other cost-intensive measures to reduce the country's carbon emissions, Sunak fought back suggestions that he was filtering down the UK's climate commitments. Amid criticism from within his own party and also from Opposition and industry, he stressed that his updated approach was designed to protect "hard-pressed British families" from "unacceptable costs". We're very confident being in government, with all the information at our disposal that we are on track to hit all our targets, Sunak told the BBC in an interview. We're absolutely not slowing down efforts to combat climate change. I'm very proud of our country's leadership. We've decarbonised faster than any other major

UK, India two nations with one ambition, rooted in shared values: PM Sunak

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday held a bilateral meeting with his UK counterpart Sunak on the sidelines of the G20 Summit being held in the national capital under India's presidency

British PM Rishi Sunak says 'won't rush' into UK-India trade deal

The remarks assume significance as the 12th round of talks concluded last month between the officials of the two countries. The talks for the agreement were launched in January 2022

It's special as son-in-law of India: Rishi Sunak on visit to Delhi for G20

Rishi Sunak said on Friday that his visit to New Delhi for the G20 Leaders' Summit is "obviously special" as he joked about being referred to as the "son-in-law of India" as the first British Prime Minister of Indian heritage and married to an Indian in Akshata Murty. Speaking to reporters in a huddle on his flight to New Delhi, the 43-year-old British Indian leader said he was excited to be back in India, "a country that is very near and dear to me". He is joined on the visit by his wife, the daughter of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy, and is scheduled for bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the summit. I'm heading to the G20 Summit with a clear focus. Stabilising the global economy. Building international relationships. Supporting the most vulnerable, tweeted Sunak as he embarked on the three-day tour. It's obviously special. I saw somewhere that I was referred to as India's son-in-law, which I hope was meant affectionately," he told reporters

India 'right country' at 'right time' to hold G20 presidency: UK PM Sunak

We will also work closely with India through their Presidency of the G20 to address the biggest challenges the world is facing, said the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak