Page 3 - British Prime Minister

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 ...

MPs to vote on report saying Boris Johnson misled British Parliament

The report recommended that the former Prime Minister should have been suspended from the Commons for 90 days if he had remained an MP

British PM Rishi Sunak confirms plans to house illegal migrants on ships

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday claimed that his plan to "stop the boats" of illegal migrants coming to UK shores is working as he announced plans to house them on ships to reduce pressure on taxpayer-funded hotels. Addressing a press conference at the border town of Dover in Kent, Sunak said the first such ship will be ready later this month and two others to accommodate a further 1,000 migrants soon after. He pointed out that important legislation, referred to as the Illegal Migration Bill or Stop the Boats Bill, has cleared the House of Commons and will give his government the right to detain and deport migrants who enter the country illegally. "I promised we would get illegal migrants out of hotels and into alternative sites, including military facilities," said Sunak. "To reduce pressures on local communities, we'll also house people on ships. The first will arrive in Portland in the next fortnight. And we've secured another two today that will accommodate anothe

British govt appoints new acting chair for BBC to 'provide stability'

The British government appointed a new acting chair for the BBC on Friday, five weeks after the resignation of Richard Sharp, who was found to have failed to disclose a potential conflict of interest over his role in arranging a loan more than two years ago for then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer appointed Elan Closs Stephens to serve as acting chair for 12 months starting June 27 or until a new permanent chairperson is appointed, whichever is sooner. Stephens has been on the governing body of the publicly funded national broadcaster since 2010. Frazer said Stephens has the unanimous support of the board and will provide stability for the BBC. Stephens said the board, under her leadership, will ensure the BBC is a vital partner for the U.K. creative industries, maintain trust, and drive change to make the BBC fit for a fast-changing media landscape,. Her time at the helm may well be a sensitive time for the BBC, as the U.K.'s next general election has

PM Modi meets British PM Sunak, Indonesian President Widodo in Japan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met his British counterpart Rishi Sunak, Indonesian President Joko Widodo and UN chief Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the G7 summit here in this Japanese city. Modi arrived in Hiroshima on Friday to attend three sessions at the G7 summit. During his meeting with Sunak, the two leaders shared a warm hug. British Prime Minister Sunak also shared the picture with Modi on his Twitter handle, with the two leaders sharing a warm hug. "Met President @jokowi and Mrs Widodo. India attaches great priority to strong ties with Indonesia," Prime Minister Modi tweeted after his meeting with the Indonesian leader. "Wonderful conversation with @UN Secretary-General @antonioguterres in Hiroshima," Modi tweeted after the meeting. Earlier, Modi also held talks with his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh and met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The group of seven, comprising

UK PM Rishi Sunak reads from biblical book at multi-faith Coronation

Rishi Sunak on Saturday made history as the first Indian-origin British Prime Minister to perform a reading at the Coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey in London. The 42-year-old British Hindu leader read from the Epistle to the Colossians from the New Testament reflecting the theme of service to others, in keeping with the recent tradition of UK Prime Ministers giving readings at State occasions. He and his wife Akshata Murty, the daughter of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy, led the procession of flag-bearers as the UK's Union Jack flag was carried into the Abbey by a high-ranking Royal Air Force (RAF) cadet. In the Abbey where monarchs have been crowned for almost a thousand years, representatives of every faith will play a central role for the first time, said Sunak, in a statement on the eve of the historic event. The Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be a moment of extraordinary national pride. Together with frie

UK PM Rishi Sunak admits disappointing' first electoral test outcome

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Friday admitted it was a disappointing run for the governing Conservative Party, with the Opposition Labour and Liberal Democrat parties making significant gains in the local elections. Voters went to the polls on Thursday to elect local representatives in 230 of England's 317 councils in what marked Sunak's first electoral test at the ballot box since he took charge at 10 Downing Street in October 2022. Even as the results continue to be counted, Labour gained control of some of its top target councils including Medway in south-east England which has been under Tory control for 20 years. Pollsters had forecast that a loss of fewer than 1,000 seats for the governing Tories would be seen as a good result for Sunak, given that the government usually faces a drubbing in local polls close to a general election which is expected towards the second half of next year. However, that threshold seems set to be crossed and will add immense pressure on th

Armed forces veterans, get prime spots at King Charles Coronation

Around 4,000 UK Armed Forces veterans and healthcare workers will be offered a prime viewing spot opposite Buckingham Palace in London for the Coronation of King Charles III, the British government announced on Sunday. Around 3,800 seats will be created in a specially built grandstand in front of the Palace to host military veterans, workers from the state-funded National Health Service (NHS) and representatives of charitable organisations with links to Britain's royal family. Additionally, 354 uniformed cadet forces will be offered the opportunity to watch the royal procession at Admiralty Arch in London on May 6. "As a mark of the nation's profound gratitude, it is right that in celebrating the Coronation we include and champion those who have dedicated their lives to public service," said UK Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer. "The Coronation weekend marks the beginning of a new chapter in our national history and I'm delighted the procession will be lined by people and groups who ...

British PM Sunak to meet US President Biden in Northern Ireland next week

British PM is set to meet US President in Belfast, Northern Ireland next week when the US president flies in to take part in events to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday peace accord

British PM Rishi Sunak, EU strike deal over trade in Northern Ireland

A government source said Sunak had agreed the terms with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as they met in London

UK announces new tranche of sanctions against Russia over Ukraine war

United Kingdom Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on Wednesday announced a new round of sanctions against Russian military and Kremlin elites. The announcement of Cleverly came as Zelenskyy arrived in the UK to hold a meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, King Charles and address Britain's Parliament."In total the UK's sanction package hits 6 entities providing military equipment such as drones for Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as well as 8 individuals and 1 entity connected to nefarious financial networks that help maintain wealth and power amongst Kremlin elites," UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office announced in a statement.UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said that Ukraine has demonstrated that it will not break under his "tyrannical invasion." He said new sanctions accelerate the economic pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to the statement released by UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office."These new sanctions ...

New poll claims Rishi Sunak, 15 ministers may lose seat in general election

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and 15 of his Cabinet ministers are at risk of losing their seats in a general election wipeout in 2024, according to a media report citing a new polling data. Senior Tory figures including Prime Minister Sunak, Deputy prime minister Dominic Raab and health secretary Steve Barclay are all at risk of defeat at the election expected in 2024, according to the polling data shared with The Independent newspapers. Foreign secretary James Cleverly, defence secretary Ben Wallace, business secretary Grant Shapps, Commons leader Penny Mordaunt and environment secretary Therese Coffey could also lose their seats, according to the Focaldata polling for Best for Britain. Only five Cabinet ministers Jeremy Hunt, Indian-origin Suella Braverman, Michael Gove, Nadhim Zawawi and Kemi Badenoch would cling on after the 2024 election, according to the poll. A new analysis shared with The Independent on 10 crucial bellwether seats those who have voted consistently

Suella Braverman may cost UK PM losing next election, says former aide

Asserting that Suella Braverman should be sacked, an outgoing UK government aide has warned that keeping on the Home Secretary will result in Prime Minister Rishi Sunak losing the next election

UK, Italy, Japan team up to build sixth-generation fighter by 2035

Reports indicate the UK held talks with India on joining the coalition

British PM Rishi Sunak injects 113 mn pound into new healthcare taskforce

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday announced GBP 113 million funding to use the country's successful COVID Vaccine Taskforce model as a "blueprint" for the success of four "healthcare missions" of cancer, obesity, mental health and addiction. The UK government said the state-funded National Health Service (NHS) is set to benefit from cutting-edge new treatments and technologies as the vaccines model is used to tackle the other major public health challenges. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the new investment is aimed at unlocking the next generation of medicines and diagnostics to save lives, transform patient care and ensure UK patients are the first to benefit from medical breakthroughs. "The NHS faces real pressures, which is why we are investing over GBP 100 million in the technologies and medicines of the future to address some of the biggest public health challenges facing our country, said Sunak. "It is hugely welcome too that the highly ...

Infy declares interim dividend; UK PM's wife Akshata to get Rs 64.27 cr

Software giant Infosys declared an interim dividend of Rs 16.50 per equity share for shareholders for 2022-23, while Akshata Murthy, wife of UK PM Rishi Sunak, will get a dividend of Rs 64.27 crore.

Suella Braverman could wreck Rishi Sunak's Brexit immigration plans for UK

In her leadership campaign, Braverman pledged to cut taxes and restore efficiency to govt, suspend Britain's net-zero 2050 target, end jurisdiction of European Court of Human Rights

Rishi Sunak shows the growing influence of Indian talent in the West

With Rishi Sunak as prime minister of the UK, it is now impossible to deny what has been evident for some while: Indian talent is revolutionizing the Western world

UK PM Rishi Sunak, family to move back to smaller flat at 10 Downing Street

Newly-appointed British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his family will be returning to live in a smaller flat above No 10 Downing Street as they were "very happy there," his spokesperson has said. No 10 Downing Street has been the residence of British prime ministers since 1735, says the government's website. It has three functions - the official residence of the Prime Minister, their office and where the prime minister entertains guests from world leaders to royalty. Sunak, along with his wife Akshata Murty and two daughters, stayed in the flat when he was chancellor to former prime minister Boris Johnson. Many Prime Ministers of recent years - especially those with children - have lived in the larger flat above No 11, officially designated for the chancellor. Asked why Sunak has opted for No 10 instead, a Downing Street spokeswoman said on Wednesday: "They were very happy there." The residential areas inside Downing Street, are generally kept away from the public eye. Speaking