- Wednesday, April 24, 2024
In a bid to bolster the recruitment and retention of teachers in crucial subjects, the Department for Education of the United Kingdom (UK) has announced a new incentive scheme offering up to £6,000 to educators for vital subjects. From September, teachers specialising in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), construction, and…
“Success is when the boats have been stopped”. He has been short of political victories in the past six months, but prime minister Rishi Sunak was not content to hail the Safety of Rwanda bill finally getting through parliament without continuing to raise expectations about how much he will achieve…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak promised to start sending asylum seekers to Rwanda within 10 to 12 weeks as the upper house of parliament finally passed required legislation, delayed for weeks by attempts to alter the plan. Sunak said the government had booked commercial charter planes and trained staff to take…
The head of the government's advisory body on climate change, Chris Stark, has expressed concerns that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's actions are setting Britain back in its efforts to tackle climate change. Stark, who is set to step down as chief executive of the independent Climate Change Committee, highlighted that…
THE former chairman of the Post Office has defended himself against claims of using derogatory language during a board meeting, reported the BBC. An investigation into Henry Staunton and the Post Office's current CEO, Nick Read, revealed that Staunton made inquiries about a potential board member's race and background. During…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak wants to eliminate the “sick-note culture” which he claims has become a lifestyle choice for some and was taking a heavy toll on the country's welfare bill. Sunak wants to strip GPs of their power to sign people off work and said that if the Tories…
THE government has said that it continues to work towards striking an “ambitious” trade deal with India as a negotiating team from Delhi resumed talks with their British counterparts in London this week. The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) reiterated its stance of only signing a free trade agreement…
The United Kingdom's (UK) annual inflation rate decreased to a two-and-a-half year low of 3.2 per cent last month, a smaller decline than analysts had forecast, according to data released on Wednesday by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This outcome may complicate the economic outlook and influence the timing…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak was met with vehement opposition to his proposal aimed at effectively prohibiting smoking for individuals aged 15 and under, as a fresh bill was introduced for a vote in the House of Commons on Tuesday. Sunak introduced the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to effectively ban the…
In an address to the parliament, prime minister Rishi Sunak strongly criticised Iran for launching an attack that sent 300 missiles and drones towards Israel, describing Iran as a nation "intent on creating disorder" in the Middle East. On Monday, he commended the Royal Air Force pilots who, in collaboration…
The parliament is expected to approve a contentious law this week that would allow the deportation of asylum seekers to Rwanda, a significant policy spearheaded by prime minister Rishi Sunak. The law's passage appears imminent, yet it faces potential legal challenges that could delay or obstruct its implementation. Prime minister…
Britain's economy expanded by 0.1 per cent in February, fuelling modest recovery hopes after sinking into recession in the second half of last year, official data showed on Friday. The gross domestic product uptick followed an upwardly-revised 0.3 per cent rise in January, after an initial reading of 0.2 per…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak has awarded an Asian-origin London resident for promoting cricket and making a positive change within the south Asian community. Himanshu Jain, who co-founded a charity cricket community for south Asian men, got the daily Points of Light award on April 10. The Prime Minister makes daily…
Eleven men and one woman, all said to be Indian nationals, have been arrested by immigration authorities in a series of raids in West Midlands on suspicion of violating visa conditions and working illegally. According to a statement from the Home Office on Wednesday, Immigration Enforcement officers descended on the…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak paid tribute to British Muslims as Eid was celebrated on Tuesday (9) at the end of the holy month of Ramadan. In his festive message, the prime minister also said Britain was making efforts to end the conflict in Gaza. Protests have been held for weeks…
The Rishi Sunak government on Thursday increased the income required to sponsor someone coming to the country on a family visa as part of the government's plan to cut immigration. From Thursday, the minimum income requirement needed to bring a family member to the UK will go up to £29,000…
Healthcare for children and young people grappling with gender identity issues should be "holistic" and providers should exercise "extreme caution" around prescribing hormone treatments to older teens, an eagerly-awaited independent UK review said on Wednesday. The four-year probe of gender identity services for the cohort, led by retired paediatrician Hilary…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak and Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame reiterated Tuesday (9) that they expect Britain to soon start sending undocumented migrants to the African country, despite fresh questions over the controversial scheme. Sunak hosted Kagame at his official residence in London just as a British newspaper reported that properties…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak said the "terrible" war between Israel and Hamas "must end", six months on from the start of the conflict. "We continue to stand by Israel's right to defeat the threat from Hamas terrorists and defend their security. But the whole of the UK is shocked by…
Train drivers in the United Kingdom (UK) have gone on strike, affecting rail services across the country, including routes to key tourist destinations and airports. The strike, organised by the Aslef (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen) union, is due to cost-of-living pressures and high inflation. Union chief Mick…
Driving around with hockey sticks in the boot of the car and stockpiling petrol bombs to defend themselves are among some of the gripping accounts that make up a new UK documentary chronicling racist attacks faced by British Indians in the 1970s and 80s. Defiance: Fighting the Far Right, a…
Rishi Sunak, known for his love of cricket, has announced a £35 million investment plan to boost grassroots cricket facilities and enhance access to the sport in schools. The British Prime Minister shared his excitement about harnessing the "magic of cricket" to engage more young people in physical activity by…
Senior doctors in England have voted to accept an improved offer from the government on pay and conditions, easing some pressure on National Health Service (NHS) after months of disruptive strike action. The British Medical Association (BMA) trade union said on Friday about 83 per cent of senior doctors, also…
Reform UK has removed two more parliamentary candidates from their roster amidst allegations of racist remarks on social media. Campaign group Hope Not Hate uncovered tweets by Jonathan Kay and Mick Greenhough, where derogatory comments were made about Muslims and black individuals. Reform UK is a right-wing populist political party…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak's Tory party is set for a heavy defeat at a national election expected this year, according to a seat projection which showed the opposition Labour winning more than 400 seats. The YouGov model, which predicts results in individual parliamentary seats based on estimated vote share, projected…
Three former Supreme Court justices have joined more than 600 members of the British legal profession in calling for the government to halt arms sales to Israel, saying it could make Britain complicit in genocide in Gaza. Echoing the growing number of opposition politicians who have called for a halt…
THE government’s decision to impose visa restrictions on international students to cut immigration figures is “anti-universities” and “economic illiteracy”, according to a peer and university chancellor. From January, the Home Office stopped postgraduate students from bringing their families with them when studying in the UK. When he announced the restriction,…
THE son of a British man held in an Indian jail for more than five years awaiting trial on Tuesday (2) criticised the government over its response to the case. Arms dealer Christian Michel, 62, has been detained in India since December 2018 after being extradited from the United Arab…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak on Tuesday (2) spoke with Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu to demand a probe into a strike that killed charity workers in Gaza, including British citizens, a Downing Street spokesperson said. The UK also summoned Israel's ambassador in London to hear its "unequivocal condemnation" of the killing…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak has revealed his desire to call a general election when people "feel that things are improving," reiterating his intention to hold the polls in the latter half of the year, reported The Times. During a regional radio appearance on Tuesday (2), Sunak chuckled when faced with…
Rishi Sunak government's expansion of the free childcare scheme aims to close the gap in support between the end of maternity leave and a child's third birthday. This is expected to benefit thousands of couples from having to choose between family and career. The prime minister said the new scheme…
King Charles attended the annual Easter church service in Windsor on Sunday, his first appearance at a public royal event since his cancer diagnosis was announced in February. Charles, 75, waved as he and Queen Camilla arrived by car at St George's Chapel, the resting place of his late mother…
Rishi Sunak's Conservative party is set to win less than 100 seats in the general election and draw a blank in Scotland and Wales, according to a survey published in The Sunday Times. Around 15,000 people were surveyed by Survation, on behalf of Best for Britain. It indicated that the…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak has admitted it is a hard balance for him to strike as the father of two young children and holding the top job of leading the country through various crises. In a friendly podcast interview for The Times with former Tory leader William Hague, the 43-year-old…
PRIME Minister Rishi Sunak is being criticised by Opposition parties for a surprise honours list which confers a knighthood on an Egyptian-born businessman who is a major donor to the Conservative Party. The list, announced late on Thursday just before the long Easter weekend, honours Mohamed Mansour, a senior treasurer…
Former sub-postmasters have called for a police investigation following a BBC report that the Post Office knew about the flaws in Horizon IT system, but continued to argue against sub-postmasters in the court. A draft report accessed by the BBC shows that in 2017 the Post Office was shown evidence…
More than 4,600 asylum seekers have arrived in Britain on small boats so far in 2024, a record total for the first three months of the year. This is bound to put pressure on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his 'stop the boats' plan. Provisional data from the Home Office,…
No issue has caused Rishi Sunak more trouble as prime minister than immigration. He identifies himself as a prime minister with a plan, determined to deliver. That has been a challenging battle on the economy and public services, but has been most difficult of all on immigration. The government has increased…
An Asian-origin trader in Hillingdon was recently fined more than £3,400 for selling illegal and smuggled tobacco products. The trader, Kultar Rajwansi, from Hayes has pleaded guilty to 26 offences at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on March 5. Hillingdon Council’s trading standards team carried out an inspection following reports from some…
CATHERINE, the Princess of Wales, and her husband, Prince William, have been "enormously touched" by the messages of support received following her shock announcement that she is being treated for cancer, a Kensington Palace spokesperson said on Saturday. Catherine said on Friday she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy after tests done…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak waded into a row over a new England football shirt designed by Nike that changes the colours of the St George's Cross, saying "we shouldn't mess" with national flags. The US sportswear giant altered the appearance of the Cross -- the flag of England -- using…
AFTER weeks of wild speculation, the country was on Saturday (23) digesting the shock news that the Princess of Wales has cancer, with many praising her courage and others criticising those who spread conspiracies. The Princess revealed the news on Friday (22) in a highly personal video, which came just…
PRINCESS OF WALES said on Friday (22) she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy after tests taken after she had major abdominal surgery in January revealed that cancer had been present. The Princess, 42-year-old wife of heir to the throne Prince William, called the cancer discovery a "huge shock". The news comes…
British police said on Friday they were investigating possibly racist comments allegedly made by the biggest donor to the ruling Conservative party at a meeting in 2019. The Guardian newspaper reported on March 11 that businessman Frank Hester - who gave £10 million to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's party in…
ONE of Britain’s first ethnic minority members of parliament has told Eastern Eye of his regret at not being able to “move the dial forward” in the fight against racism, while urging the current generation to do more. Keith Vaz was the first Asian MP for nearly sixty years when…
THE passage of prime minister Rishi Sunak's contentious bill to deport refugees to Rwanda may be delayed until at least next month after the upper house of parliament defeated the government and reinstated demands for greater protections. The government wants to relocate thousands of asylum seekers who arrive in Britain…
The passage of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's contentious bill to deport refugees to Rwanda may be delayed after the House of Lords defeated the government and reinstated a demand for greater protections. The government wants to relocate thousands of asylum seekers who arrive in Britain on boats to live in…
BRITISH Asian donors made significant contributions to political parties in what is shaping up to be the highest-spending general election contest expected to be held later this year. Political parties accepted £93 million in donations last year, nearly double the £52m from the previous year, according to the Electoral Commission…
SPORTS SECRETARY Lucy Frazer has said all sporting bodies in the country should look carefully at their rules on transgender athletes competing in women's sports to ensure fairness. Global governing bodies for cricket, cycling, athletics, swimming and chess have tightened their participation rules for transgender players in elite women's competitions…
THERE was a sense of occasion at the Garrick Theatre in London last Sunday (17) when Charithra Chandran made her West End debut in a solo show, Instructions for a Teenage Armageddon. You had the feeling many young Asians had been drawn by the show’s lead, billed as “Bridgerton’s Charithra…
Britain's annual inflation rate fell more than expected in February, official data showed Wednesday, fuelling speculation that the Bank of England may cut interest rates in coming months. Inflation reached 3.4 per cent last month - the lowest level since September 2021 - after hitting 4.0 per cent in January,…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak on Monday (18) launched measures to help small businesses navigate the weak economy, as he seeks to boost his standing before this year’s general election. Sunak unveiled a £60 million investment aimed at cutting red tape and generating 20,000 apprenticeships. “This government is sticking to the…
THE government's decision to reduce the use of hotels to house asylum seekers by moving them to sites such as military bases will end up costing taxpayers more money, parliament's spending watchdog said on Wednesday (20). Thousands of asylum seekers arrive on England's southern coast in small, inflatable boats every…
THE latest round of trade talks between Britain and India has concluded without a deal, with a British official saying an agreement could not be finalised ahead of the upcoming Indian elections. The two countries have held stop-start talks over a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) for two years and both…
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's contentious bill to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda moved closer to becoming law after his government rejected all the proposed changes from the upper house of parliament. Under the safety of Rwanda (asylum and immigration) bill, asylum seekers who arrive in England by boats would…
THE father-in-law of prime minister Rishi Sunak and the co-founder of Indian IT giant Infosys, NR Narayana Murthy, has gifted 1.5 million shares of the company, valued at £23 million, to his grandson, reports said. According to stock exchange data released on Monday (18), Murthy's gift to Ekagrah Rohan Murty…
THE government’s controversial Safety of Rwanda Bill returns to the House of Commons this week, where MPs will debate amendments proposed by the Lords. Facing the conundrum of what to do with the Bill – which overrules the UK Supreme Court to deem Rwanda a safe place to which asylum seekers…
VAUGHAN GETHING won the Welsh Labour party leadership contest on Saturday (16), marking a historic moment as he is set to become the first black leader of the country's semi-autonomous government. Gething, 50, will succeed Mark Drakeford, 69, who announced in December that he was stepping down. The new leader…
THE fourteenth round of trade talks between Britain and India concluded on Friday (15) without a deal, while India heads to a general election. The Election Commission of India is expected to announce the general election schedule on Saturday. Formal talks will not take place during India’s pre-election period. The…
A London woman who started an initiative to design light installations to celebrate Ramadan has received prime minister Rishi Sunak’s daily Points of Light award this week. Aisha Desai received the award on Tuesday (12) for her Ramadan Lights UK initiative, which was inspired by her childhood joy of seeing…
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Thursday ruled out calling an election on May 2, hinting the country was on course for a late 2024 ballot. Mounting speculation at the Westminster had suggested Sunak could call the general election on the same day as local polls in early May. However,…
The UK government on Thursday unveiled a new definition of extremism, as church leaders warned it risked disproportionately affecting Muslim communities. The new definition comes after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak warned earlier this month of a "shocking increase in extremist disruption and criminality" that risked the country tipping into "mob…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak resisted growing calls Wednesday (13) for his Tory party to return millions of pounds to a major donor accused of making racist comments about a high-profile black lawmaker. Businessman Frank Hester, 57, is alleged to have said that Diane Abbott -- Britain's longest-serving black MP --…
IT was a great privilege for Westcombe Group to have the opportunity to support and attend GG2’s Diversity and Leadership Awards on 5th March. It was so inspiring to hear from so many inspiring speakers and see so many leaders win recognition of their success. Amazing Awards The evening celebrated…
Britain's economy returned to growth in January after entering a shallow recession in the second half of 2023, offering some relief to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ahead of an election expected this year, official data showed. Gross domestic product grew by 0.2 per cent month-on-month - boosted by a rebound…
LEADING public and private sector organisations need to do more attract ethnic minorities to their boardrooms, Kalpesh Solanki, managing director at Asian Media Group (AMG), told attendees at the GG2 Leadership & Diversity Awards. In December 2023, only 44 per cent of the UK’s top 50 largest private companies had…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak paid tribute to hundreds of Post Office branch managers, including several British Asians, as a new law to quash their wrongful convictions was introduced on Wednesday (13). Sunak had pledged action in the historic Post Office scandal involving a faulty accounting software named Horizon, which wrongly…
Akshata Murty, the wife of British prime minister Rishi Sunak, has lauded her mother Sudha Murthy as a prominent female role model in business. During an International Women's Day celebration at Downing Street, Akshata emphasised the significance of mentors for women and girls in the business world. As part of…
Embattled UK leader Rishi Sunak suffered a fresh blow Monday when a former ally defected to a right-wing populist party that is worrying the ruling Conservatives ahead of this year's general election. Lee Anderson announced that he was joining Reform UK, weeks after he was suspended from Sunak's Conservative party…
Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) chair Baroness Kishwer Falkner has said integration appears to be failing in Britain following a decade of increased migration, The Telegraph reports. The 68-year-old Baroness of Margravine expressed concern over the “complacency” among politicians regarding increased immigration. The former Liberal Democrat said in the…
The British government on Monday pledged £117 million towards protecting Muslim communities amid a rise in Islamophobia as it promises more action to tackle extremism. The new funding, announced just over a week after extra cash was promised to enhance security for Jewish groups amid soaring anti-Semitism, will be used…
The mother-in-law of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was on Friday appointed to serve in India's parliament, capping a career working for the philanthropic arm of her billionaire husband's tech firm. Sudha Murty, 73, is the former chair of the Infosys Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the global tech behemoth…
FORMER prime minister Theresa May announced on Friday she will stand down as an MP at the next election, adding to a growing list from the UK's ruling Conservatives to abandon leader Rishi Sunak. May, 67, is the most high-profile of scores of Tory lawmakers to say they will not…
TRADE secretary Kemi Badenoch on Thursday (7) said she did not see a forthcoming election in India as a deadline for securing a trade agreement between the countries, saying it would be "challenging" to secure a deal by then but possible. Britain and India have held stop-start talks over a…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak paid tribute to the “incredible contribution of south Asian people to our economy and our society” as he congratulated winners at the annual GG2 Leadership and Diversity awards. Sunak also witnessed the unveiling of the GG2 Power List which profiles the country’s 101 most influential and…
British finance minister Jeremy Hunt's new tax cuts have given his struggling Conservatives slim hope of narrowing the wide gap with the opposition Labour Party before an election expected later this year, but the scale of the challenge remains huge. Hunt announced a two percentage-point cut in the rate of…
CHANCELLOR Jeremy Hunt offered voters tax cuts in a bid to woo them back to prime minister Rishi Sunak's Tories ahead of an expected 2024 election, slashing the emergency reserves in the public finances to the bone. Hunt said he was reducing the rate of social security contributions (NICs) paid…
Lord Jitesh Gadhia, chairman of the British Asian Trust, was recognised for over three decades of public and community service with the GG2 Hammer Award at the annual GG2 Leadership and Diversity Awards, held at the Park Plaza hotel on Tuesday (5). After coming to Britain as a refugee from…
BRITAIN has more than three million Muslims from many cultural backgrounds. It has become customary for politicians to say, “the vast majority of Muslims are hardworking, decent and law-abiding, but there a small extremist fringe”. My guess is most Muslims in Britain are pleased George Galloway won the Rochdale by-election.…
FORMER home secretary Dame Priti Patel has called for an “acceleration” in reforms to support those affected by violence against women in memory of the late Sarah Everard and other women. Findings of an inquiry into the rape and murder of Everard by a British police officer three years ago…
BRITAIN almost doubled the number of visas given to foreign health and care workers last year, government data showed, adding to pressure on prime minister Rishi Sunak over immigration ahead of an election expected later this year. Data released last Thursday (29) by the Home Office showed that Britain granted…
PRIME minister Rishi Sunak has retained the top spot on the 2024 GG2 Power List for the third year in a row, along with his wife Akshata Murty. The power couple were recognised for their growing influence in the UK, with Sunak in the top job and Murty playing an…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak has got the thumbs up on his cooking skills from his wife Akshata Murty, who admitted that he does not get much time to spend in the kitchen with a busy day job running the country. The British Indian first couple were speaking to Grazia women’s…
THE new Rochdale MP has said that the upcoming election would be about Muslims and the taking away of civil liberties in this country. After sworn into the Commons as the new lawmaker for Rochdale on Monday (4), George Galloway highlighted prime minister Rishi Sunak's focus on "Muslims and Gaza"…
Hate preachers with extremist Islamist views from countries such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Indonesia will be blocked from entering Britain under new plans being drafted by the government, according to a UK media report on Sunday. ‘The Daily Telegraph' reports that the British government is concerned about a “shocking increase”…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak suffered his first defeats over his legislation to send asylum seekers to Rwanda after the upper house of parliament demanded greater protections to be introduced before deportation flights can take off. Under the Rwanda plan, which has yet to be carried out, asylum seekers who arrive…
With the general elections around the corner, there is now speculation that energy secretary Claire Coutinho could get yet another plum posting. Quoting Whitehall sources, Politico has said the Asian-origin politician, whose career trajectory witnessed a rapid rise under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, could be his chancellor in waiting. During…
Britain's Conservative government unveils a pre-election budget Wednesday that could feature voter-friendly measures as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's party badly trails main opposition Labour in polls. Huge giveaways are not expected, however, as stubbornly-high inflation hikes repayments on state borrowing, undermining the ability to stimulate the recession-hit UK economy. Finance…
CHANCELLOR Jeremy Hunt sought to dampen speculation about big pre-election tax cuts in this week's budget, saying there had been a worsening in the economic outlook, but he hinted at some help for voters. The forecasts that underpin the budget "have gone against us," Hunt told the Sunday Telegraph in…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak on Friday said Britain's multi-ethnic democracy was being deliberately undermined by Islamist and far-right extremists, calling for a tougher approach to policing protests in light of an increase in hate speech and criminality. British lawmakers this week have been given funding for new security provisions after…
THE British government's controversial plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda might end up costing more than £600 million to deport 300 refugees, parliament's spending watchdog said on Friday (1). Under the policy first announced in 2022, asylum seekers who arrive on England's southern coast in small, inflatable boats would…
A public inquiry into a British police officer whose rape and murder of a woman horrified the nation concluded on Thursday (29) that without a sweeping overhaul of failed vetting procedures, there was nothing to stop another similar case arising. Wayne Couzens, 51, whose job was to guard diplomatic premises…
Veteran left-wing political maverick George Galloway won a vote to become the new lawmaker for the English town of Rochdale on Friday, vowing to be a thorn in the side for the opposition Labour Party before a national election it is tipped to win. After running a pro-Palestinian campaign, Galloway…
There has been a 60 per cent increase in Indian nationals using illegal small boats to cross the English Channel to enter the UK in 2023, reports Times of India. They pay around £100 to smugglers in Calais to undertake this risky journey and make asylum claims once they land…
The Metropolitan Police is "assessing" a report of hate speech made against MP Lee Anderson after he accused London mayor Sadiq Khan of being controlled by Islamists, according to media reports. The police said an unknown complainant approached them a day after Anderson made the controversial remark on a TV…
BRITAIN is descending into "mob rule" and police will do more to protect the country's democracy, prime minister Rishi Sunak said, after the government announced extra funding to keep lawmakers safe. Many British lawmakers have said the abuse directed at them has become more intense since the Oct. 7 Hamas…
FORMER home secretary Suella Braverman has denounced the ongoing controversy surrounding Islamophobia within the Tory party as "hysteria," urging prime minister Rishi Sunak to address Islamist extremism promptly, reported The Telegraph. Braverman believes stripping Lee Anderson, the former Tory party deputy chairman, of his party privileges was an overreaction to…
Akshata Murty, wife of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and daughter of prominent industrialist couple, Narayan and Sudha Murthy was spotted in the Indian city of Bengaluru with her family. She was seen casually roaming around in an area, Raghvendra Mutt with her parents and her daughters Anoushka and Krishna. She…
THE mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has told Eastern Eye he believes communities will come together to stand up against “politics of extremism, division and blame”. His comments came amid an escalating row after Lee Anderson, the former deputy chairman of the Conservative party, last Saturday (24) claimed “Islamists had…
CHANCELLOR Jeremy Hunt should not announce further pre-election tax cuts in his budget next week unless he can explain the painful spending cuts needed to pay for them, a leading economic thinktank said on Tuesday (27). Hunt and prime minister, Rishi Sunak, have said they want to lower Britain’s tax…
Keeping prejudice out of politics is becoming increasingly fraught in polarised times. Taking to the streets to protest must be part of free speech – within decent democratic boundaries. That deal is broken if prejudiced placards, chants and slogans go unchecked – but undermined too when politicians declare every protestor…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak has declared he is “living proof” that Britain is not a racist country as he sought to douse the Islamophobia row, The Times reports. He warned that all politicians had an obligation to be “careful” and not “unnecessarily inflame” tensions after the former deputy Tory chairman,…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak has issued a warning about the increasing toxicity in political culture, in light of reports that members of Parliament are encountering security threats due to their voting intentions in the House of Commons concerning the Israel-Gaza conflict. He issued a statement on Saturday (24) to condemn…
British prime minister Rishi Sunak denied on Monday that his governing party has Islamophobic tendencies, saying comments by Conservative lawmaker Lee Anderson were unacceptable and that was why he had been suspended. Anderson said on Friday the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, was under the control of Islamists in widely…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak said that Western nations should take a more assertive stance on confiscating Russian assets, which were frozen following the country's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Sunak, in an article in an early edition of the Sunday Times to mark two years since the start of…
The Tories on Saturday (24) suspended their former deputy chairman Lee Anderson from the parliamentary party after he refused to apologise for claiming that London's Labour mayor, Sadiq Khan, was controlled by Islamists. Pressure had been growing on prime minister Rishi Sunak's Tories to act following lawmaker Anderson's contentious remarks…
KING CHARLES was shown on Friday (23) reading and chuckling at some of the thousands of cards sent to him by well wishers since it was announced he was receiving treatment for cancer. Buckingham Palace disclosed earlier this month that Charles, 75, had been diagnosed with a unspecified form of…
FORMER home secretary Suella Braverman has claimed the UK is losing its identity as a great nation where different faiths and races co-existed peacefully because Islamists and extremists are taking charge in all walks of life. British Indian Braverman, with a Goan-origin father and Tamil-origin mother, writes in The Telegraph…
BRITAIN will gain access to the EU's intelligence on criminal gangs involved in human trafficking as part of a deal with the bloc's border protection agency, Frontex, in another sign of closer cooperation between the two sides after Brexit. The deal between Britain and the European Union will allow both…
KING CHARLES said during a meeting with prime minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday (21) he had been reduced to tears by messages of good will following his cancer diagnosis. King met Sunak in person for their weekly audience for the first time since announcing his diagnosis. The palace announced earlier…
VICTIMS of racism are being attacked for speaking out and highlighting the problem, former chief crown prosecutor, Nazir Afzal, has told Eastern Eye. His comments come as the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has asked Afzal to head a panel to investigate its internal culture. The 61-year-old is no stranger…
Akshata Murty, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s wife, wore a suit designed by Lady Cameron at an event on the final day of London Fashion Week in a nod to one of her predecessors in Downing Street. The event was a lunch at Downing Street, which saw the presence of 20…
ENGLAND’S health service will move about 40,000 pending child consultations for ADHD, autism and other conditions from its main waiting list, a person with direct knowledge of the change said, trimming the politically sensitive list ahead of an expected election. Prime minister Rishi Sunak has vowed to reduce wait times…
BRITISH retail sales jumped by the most in almost three years in January as consumers recovered their appetite for spending, suggesting the economy could emerge quickly from its recession in the second half of last year. Sales volumes increased by 3.4 per cent from December and January’s jump was the…
In a decisive move to enhance the learning atmosphere in classrooms, prime minister Rishi Sunak announced a nationwide ban on mobile phones in schools across England. Through a video message shared on the X platform, Sunak underscored the disruptive influence of mobile phones on education, advocating for a more focused…
The independent media watchdog in Britain launched an investigation on Monday (19) to assess whether there was a breach of impartiality rules in a recent television appearance by prime minister Rishi Sunak, after receiving about 500 complaints from viewers. The Office of Communications (OFCOM) said its probe covers the ‘People's…
Britain's new legislation regarding its controversial plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing was criticised by the UN human rights chief, Volker Turk, on Monday (19), for undermining fundamental principles of rights. Turk said the moves to facilitate removals to Rwanda ran contrary to the basic principles of…
A man who piloted an "unseaworthy" boat across the English Channel was found guilty Monday of the manslaughter of four migrants who drowned during the crossing. Ibrahima Bah, from Senegal, took the helm of the poor quality inflatable carrying 43 people, which should have held no more than 20 passengers,…
AN unnamed British policeman underwent a misconduct hearing after it emerged that he had shared details of injuries via WhatsApp following a stabbing attack on a British Indian teenager and her friend in Nottingham last year. According to a report in The Sun newspaper on Monday (19), a misconduct hearing…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak on Saturday (17) made a direct appeal to voters to stick with his plan to turn things around as he made a plea for the Tory family to come together to beat Labour party in a general election later this year. Writing in The Daily Telegraph,…
In the face of two significant defeats that cast a shadow over his leadership before the upcoming general election, prime minister Rishi Sunak pointed to "low voter turnout" on Friday (16) as the reason for the Labour Party's success in overturning substantial Tory majorities to win the by-elections in England.…
LABOUR dealt a crushing blow to prime minister Rishi Sunak's Tories on Friday (16), winning contests for two new lawmakers in votes that suggested the opposition party was on track to win a national election later this year. The double defeat underlined the flagging fortunes of the governing party and…
The economy entered a recession in the latter half of 2023, presenting a challenging environment in the lead-up to the anticipated election this year for prime minister Rishi Sunak, who has committed to boosting growth. Gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by 0.3% in the three months to December, having shrunk…
IN the dynamic landscape of international relations, the influence of non-state actors, including transnational religious organisations, plays a crucial role in shaping a nation’s global standing. India, with its rich tapestry of religious diversity, has witnessed the emergence and growth of various such organisations that contribute significantly to the country’s…
DENTISTS in England will receive cash to accept new patients amid a critical shortage of state-funded dental care. Announced last Wednesday (7), the plan is backed by £200 million in government funding. It comes as the number of dentists providing care in the NHS stands at its lowest level in…
LABOUR'S lead over Tories has fallen 7 percentage points to its lowest since June 2023, a Savanta poll showed on Wednesday (14), after the opposition party scrapped a green spending target and struggled with anti-Semitism allegations. Polls over the past year have consistently shown Labour on course for victory in…
THOUSANDS of international students are campaigning to clear their names over an English-language test scandal after fresh evidence was presented to the Home Office. The issue dates to 2014 when a BBC Panorama investigation revealed cheating on a compulsory language test that was required for a visa at two London…
HOW ambitious would a Labour government be in office? The party’s scaling back of its flagship green economy investment plan dominated the past week in Westminster. But this was also a week in which it sought to illuminate its plans on racial equality. Keir Starmer did two things to respond to…
Britain's unemployment rate dipped in the final quarter of last year, but wage growth eased as the country's inflation stays elevated, official data showed Tuesday. The unemployment rate fell to 3.8 per cent from 3.9 per cent in the three months to the end of November, the Office for National…
Azhar Ali, previously Labour's choice for the upcoming Rochdale by-election, has seen his candidacy revoked following his controversial remarks concerning Israel and Jewish individuals. Initially, Labour defended Ali after he suggested Israel had intentionally not prevented a Hamas attack on October 7 to justify an invasion of Gaza. However, Labour…
The trade deal talks between India and the UK have run into a deadlock with both sides hardening their stands amid elections scheduled in both the countries. The UK has alleged that India was pushing for a watered-down trade deal as time runs out to conclude an agreement before negotiations…
Rishi Sunak has embraced the challenge of narrowing the gap between the Tories and Labour in the current polls. Speaking to the Times, the prime minister emphasised his commitment to tax reductions, pledging to cut taxes when it becomes fiscally prudent. “At the beginning of this year there is a…
King Charles III expressed his "heartfelt thanks" to well-wishers on Saturday (10), in his first statement following his shock announcement that he had been diagnosed with cancer. Buckingham Palace said Monday that Charles had begun treatment, but did not specify what type of cancer he has. "I would like to…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak paid £508,000 in tax in the last financial year after income from his investments dwarfed his official salary, a report by his accountants showed on Friday (9). Sunak is the wealthiest prime minister in British history through a combination of his past career in financial services…
Queen Camilla, wife of King Charles III, disclosed on Thursday (8) that her husband, who has been diagnosed with cancer, is "doing extremely well" given the circumstances. King Charles has been "very touched by all the letters and the messages the public have been sending from everywhere", she said during…
FOREIGN SECRETARY David Cameron has pledged to help Jagtar Singh Johal, a Scottish man imprisoned in India for over six years, and has vowed to push for an investigation into allegations of torture, reported The Times. Johal, 36, was detained in Punjab in 2017 after travelling to India for his…
THE British Asian community, which has long been supported by King Charles from the days he was a young Prince of Wales, is now rallying round the 75-year old monarch following his cancer diagnosis on Monday (5). Since the King is also head of the Commonwealth, just as Queen Elizabeth…
Allegations have surfaced that prime minister Rishi Sunak is the primary obstacle in resolving the ongoing doctors' strikes in England, a situation that is exacerbating the NHS waiting lists crisis, an exclusive report in The Guardian said. Despite repeated warnings from health officials and NHS England, Sunak's apprehension about setting…
BREXIT complicated the already convoluted communal politics of Northern Ireland, but the role of the British prime minister Rishi Sunak in bringing about power sharing in Stormont has been praised by Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). “Credit to Rishi Sunak, he delivered where others haven’t,”…
KING CHARLES’S cancer diagnosis has shocked the whole country, but will be felt especially keenly by the British Asian community, for whom he has cared as long as anyone can remember. He said as much when his private secretary, Sir Clive Alderton, attended the Hinduja Diwali party in October 2022…
Despite her shortcomings as the prime minister, Liz Truss continues to maintain her presence on the political stage. On Tuesday (6) she launched a new movement dedicated to steering the ruling Tories in a more rightward direction. Truss spent just 49 days in office before she was ousted by her…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak said on Tuesday (6) that he was “shocked and sad” upon discovering that King Charles was diagnosed with cancer, though he found solace in the fact that the condition was detected early. Buckingham Palace revealed on Monday evening that the King had commenced outpatient treatment for…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak acknowledged that his government had fallen short in reducing the significant backlog of patients awaiting hospital treatment within the health service, conceding a failure to fulfill one of his key promises ahead of an upcoming election. Sunak set out five major policy pledges at the start…
KING CHARLES has been diagnosed with a form of cancer and will postpone public engagements to undergo treatment, Buckingham Palace said on Monday (5), but added he remained "wholly positive" about the scare less than 18 months into his reign. Charles, 75, who became king in September 2022 following the…
The Labour Party has asserted that Infosys received preferential "VIP access" following allegations in a media report that claimed the software services company was assured assistance for its expansion in Britain, a favour purportedly tied to prime minister Rishi Sunak's family relation with Narayana Murthy, a co-founder of Infosys. A…
King Charles III has appointed his first female equerry, who will serve as the monarch's representative and assistant during most of his overseas visits and tours. Captain Kat Anderson, 33, is an officer with the Royal Artillery who has previously worked for prime minister Rishi Sunak. She will be the…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak has shared insights into the challenges of growing up facing racism and the efforts his family made to ensure he assimilated into British society, including enrolling him in additional drama classes to eliminate any accent, The Guardian reported. "You are conscious of being different," Sunak told…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak is under pressure to cut immigration as new figures indicate Britain must construct 156,000 homes annually to accommodate influx, reported The Times. The figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) predict that net migration will add an additional 6.1 million people to the UK population…
Should the main opposition Labour Party secure victory in the next UK general election, as current opinion polls suggest, a familiar scene is expected outside the prime minister's official residence the following day: removal vans. The overnight transition, unique in major Western democracies, contrasts with the roughly two months' preparation…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak launched a new business council on Wednesday (31), establishing routine meetings with several of the country's top bosses, such as the chief executives of BT BT.L, Rolls-Royce RR.L, and Unilever ULVR.L. The newly-appointed council will be used to gain business perspectives on the global economic climate…
LABOUR will cap corporation tax at 25 per cent if it wins the next election and will look to cut that rate if needed, the party's finance policy chief Rachel Reeves told business leaders on Thursday (1). Businesses have long complained about a lack of visibility on everything from tax…
Amidst concerns of dwindling support from the UK's largest ethnic minority, Keir Starmer’s Labour Party is implementing new strategies to reengage with British Indians. Recent initiatives include recruiting two community outreach volunteers, revitalising the Labour Friends of India group, and arranging a visit to India for senior shadow ministers David…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak secured a victory in the upper house of parliament's first vote on his legislation aimed at reviving a plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda despite the bill facing several hours of criticism from lawmakers, who labelled it as unethical and unworkable. Under the Rwanda plan,…
THE UK and Indian governments are striving to establish a modern relationship, Alex Chalk, the lord chancellor and justice secretary, said last Friday (26). He was speaking at the Guildhall in the City of London where the Indian High Commissioner, Vikram Doraiswami, hosted a reception to mark the 75th anniversary…
THE far-right section of the Conservative party is plotting to get rid of Rishi Sunak. But, then, no one should be surprised. Fascism has always appealed to a section of the Conservative Party and indeed to many in English aristocracy. Here is a summary of a seriously regarded book, Hitler’s…
BUSINESS secretary Kemi Badenoch said last Sunday (28) that she had sacked the chairman of the Post Office amid tensions over the scandal of hundreds of subpostmasters wrongly convicted of theft due to faulty accounting software. An ITV television drama in early January that told the story of the subpostmasters’…
FAMILIES of the victims of last June’s Nottingham attacks said prime minister has not ruled out a public inquiry into the incident after they met Rishi Sunak at Downing Street on Monday (29) evening. Barnaby Webber's father, whose son was fatally stabbed alongside Grace O'Malley Kumar, 19, and school caretaker…
Immigration is expected to add 6.1 million people to the UK population by mid-2036, official projections that will add to pressure on prime minister Rishi Sunak to reduce it in the run-up to an election. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said on Tuesday (30) the UK's population is projected…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak is known for his dedication to physical fitness, engaging in intense cycling workouts on his Peloton bike and having a weakness for mint chocolate and Mexican Coca-Cola. However, the Sunday Times (28) revealed that Sunak's self-discipline includes a weekly 36-hour fast, in accordance with his Hindu…
The government is set to implement new legislation to prohibit single-use e-cigarettes or vapes as a measure to address the increasing trend of vaping among young people, prime minister Rishi Sunak announced on Monday (29). "As any parent or teacher knows, one of the most worrying trends at the moment…
Business minister Kemi Badenoch announced on Sunday (28) that she has sacked the chairman of the Post Office. The decision comes amidst growing tensions related to the scandal involving the wrongful conviction of hundreds of subpostmasters for theft, attributed to faulty accounting software. A television drama in early January that…
Indian-origin filmmaker Gurinder Chadha on Tuesday said she is working on a festive film in the same vein as Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, but her Scrooge will be “an Indian Tory who hates refugees”. Appearing in front of the Culture, Media, and Sport Committee at Westminster, Chadha said it…
CHANCELLOR Jeremy Hunt said he would use his budget statement in March - possibly his last before a national election expected this year - to boost economic growth and he said tax cuts were part of his plans. “My priority in the upcoming spring budget will be to build on…
Simon Clarke, a senior Tory MP on Tuesday (23), voiced his concerns regarding the party's leadership. He openly called for a change in the prime ministerial role, expressing his belief that under Rishi Sunak's leadership, the party is heading towards a significant defeat in the upcoming election later this year,…
THE Labour party said it would aim to save £10 billion by cutting waste and reforming the health service if in power, saying these measures could free up cash to spend on frontline care. The NHS emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic in crisis, crippled by long waiting lists, ambulance delays…
HAVING survived the biggest Commons backbench rebellion of his premiership to date, Rishi Sunak made a pre-emptive strike on the upper house over his Rwanda Bill: “Will the opposition in the appointed House of Lords try and frustrate the will of the people as expressed by the elected House?”, he…
The rising number of UK employees needing time away from work due to mental health concerns has sparked alarm, with a charity warning that the nation could be heading towards widespread burnout, The Guardian reported. Mental Health UK's chief, Brian Dow, has highlighted the role of global issues like climate…
CHANCELLOR Jeremy Hunt said he would use his budget statement in March - possibly his last before a national election expected this year - to boost economic growth and he said tax cuts were part of his plans. "My priority in the upcoming Spring Budget will be to build on…
Rishi Sunak urged members of the UK's unelected upper chamber of parliament on Thursday (18) to approve his controversial proposal to send migrants to Rwanda, asserting that it reflected "the will of the people." The prime minister survived a key test of his leadership on Wednesday night, fending off right-wing…
GOOGLE will invest $1 billion on building a data centre just outside of London, the US technology giant said on Thursday (18), in its latest investment in Britain as it meets growing demand for internet services in the region. The data centre, located on a 33-acre (13-hectare) site bought by…
In a crucial test of his leadership, prime minister Rishi Sunak successfully navigated a key parliamentary vote on Wednesday (17), overcoming opposition from right-wing rebels for his controversial plan to send migrants to Rwanda. Sunak, in power since October 2022, has staked his political future on the scheme, as Britain…
Facing a crucial vote on the Rwanda bill, Rishi Sunak encounters resistance as two Tory deputy chairmen and a ministerial aide, namely Lee Anderson, Brendan Clarke-Smith, and Jane Stevenson, resigned to rebel against the legislation, seeking amendments for increased stringency. In a setback for the prime minister's authority, 60 Tory…
JUST before Prince William and Kate Middleton got married in Westminster Abbey, on April 29, 2011, I went to see Hasmukh and Chandrika Shingadia in the Berkshire village of Upper Bucklebury, where they ran the local Peach’s grocery store cum sub-post office. They had been invited to the royal wedding…
ASIAN sub postmasters have described the devastating impact of the Post Office Horizon scandal as they revealed the consequences of the injustice on their families as well as their health and finances. In interviews with Eastern Eye, some post masters recalled the fallout of discriminatory and racist behaviour by Post…
IT is a truth universally acknowledged that a political leader with an election to fight must be in want of campaign advice. As Rishi Sunak embarks on the most challenging re-election campaign of any British prime minister in living memory, there is no shortage of pitches about the best spells…
From Tuesday (16) onward, an estimated 3.5 million Britons residing overseas will gain eligibility to vote in UK general elections. This marks one of the most substantial expansions of the country's electoral franchise in a century. The expansion in the electorate follows a change in the law, approved by parliament…
The spotlight returns to Britain's plan to send migrants to Rwanda as lawmakers debate the controversial scheme on Tuesday (16), testing the authority of leader Rishi Sunak with a general election around the corner. The prime minister -- in power since October 2022 -- has staked his political future on…
A House of Lords inquiry has conveyed that Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda treaty is unlikely to alleviate concerns raised by the Supreme Court regarding the country's suitability for sending asylum seekers. As the legal and human rights communities prepare for a showdown on the legislation, the Law Society, along with academics…
BRITAIN is on course to elect its most diverse parliament ever following the general election later this year, a thinktank has said, while a leading Conservative parliamentarian has urged MPs to better engage with ethnic minority voters. Based on current candidate selections, a record number of ethnic minority MPs are…
INDIAN Defence Minister Rajnath Singh concluded his visit to the UK on Thursday (11) after a “warm meeting” with prime minister Rishi Sunak and interacting with members of the Indian diaspora at a community reception. Singh called on Sunak at 10 Downing Street on Wednesday (10) evening for discussions on…
All the glitz and glamour from the 25th anniversary of the Asian Business Awards will be aired on Zee TV on Sunday, January 28th, at 7 pm. A total of nine awards were handed out at the glittering ceremony, held at the Park Plaza Hotel in central London and attended…
Rishi Sunak faces a brewing rebellion within the Conservative party as over 30 MPs from the party's right-wing bloc rally to change the bill next week regarding the deportation of asylum seekers to Rwanda. The proposed amendments aim to restrict the avenues for appealing deportation orders, showcasing deep divisions within…
BRITAIN will seek to use new legislation to overturn the wrongful convictions of hundreds of Post Office managers, prime minister Rishi Sunak said on Wednesday (10) in the wake of renewed national outrage over the scandal. Between 1999 and 2015, hundreds of self-employed sub-postmasters at branches of the state-owned Post…
INFOSYS co-founder NR Narayana Murthy was not in favour of his wife Sudha joining the company because he did not want the then start-up to be perceived as nepotistic, a new book has claimed. Murthy, whose daughter Akshata is married to prime minister Rishi Sunak, set up the company along…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak's legislation to block further court challenges to the government's plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda will return to parliament next week. Sunak faced the most serious threat to his leadership when he saw off a revolt by dozens of his lawmakers during the first parliamentary…
THE four-part ITV drama, Mr Bates vs the Post Office, has changed the debate about the scandal resulting from the implementation of the faulty Horizon software by Japan’s Fujitsu company. Following the national outcry triggered by the show, prime minister Rishi Sunak told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg last…
THE former boss of Britain's Post Office said on Tuesday (9) she will return a royal honour received from Queen Elizabeth II as public anger mounts over a miscarriage of justice scandal. Former-CEO Paula Vennells said she had "listened" to the growing clamour to hand back the CBE (Commander of…
INDIA’s defence minister Rajnath Singh arrived in London on Monday (8) for a three-day visit focusing on the India-UK defence partnership as well as security and industrial cooperation. Singh has been accompanied by a Ministry of Defence delegation comprising officials from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Service Headquarters,…
PUBLIC anger is mounting over what has been described as Britain's biggest ever miscarriage of justice that saw hundreds of subpostmasters wrongly convicted of theft because of a computer software glitch. Lives were ruined by the false accusations that led to some Post Office branch managers being jailed, going bankrupt,…
INDIAN defence minister Rajnath Singh will discuss bilateral issues with his UK counterpart Grant Shapps during his official visit, the ministry of defence said in a statement. Singh arrived in UK on Monday (8) night. Notably, this marks the first visit of a sitting Indian defence minister to the UK…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak on Sunday (7) called upon voters and members of his party to "stick to the plan" for achieving "long-term change" ahead of an election he indicated would likely occur in the latter part of this year. After firing the starting gun on election campaigning last week…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak has outlined his commitment to reducing taxes by tightening welfare spending and implementing government reforms before and after the upcoming general election. In an interview with The Telegraph, Sunak indicated a significant focus on tax reductions. The Tory leader presented the party's position as a key…
BRITAIN intends to become the first European country to produce an advanced uranium fuel that is currently commercially available only from Russia, the government announced Sunday (7). The UK government said it would invest £300 million building a high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) programme that would help "displace" Moscow from global…
Former energy minister, Chris Skidmore announced on Friday (5) that he is resigning as an MP, citing disagreements with the ruling Conservatives over the contentious oil and gas legislation. In an embarrassing setback for embattled prime minister Rishi Sunak, MP Chris Skidmore also said he will quit the Conservative parliamentary…
BILLIONS of voters across south Asia, the UK and the US will go to polls in the next 12 months in what will be a test of democracy, analysits have told Eastern Eye. In the UK, prime minister Rishi Sunak has to call a general election by January 28, 2025,…
LABOUR has raised concerns over the closure of Catamaran Ventures UK, a start-up investment firm owned by Rishi Sunak's wife, reported the BBC. The company was wound up by Akshata Murty in December, prompting questions about its impact on government-backed businesses and other companies it holds stakes in. The establishment…
RISHI SUNAK fired the starting gun on Britain's next election on Thursday (4), saying his "working assumption" was it would take place in the second half of the year, all but ruling out an earlier vote opposition parties had called for. The prime minister and Labour leader Keir Starmer both…
Ahead of the upcoming general election this year, the ruling Conservatives find themselves once again challenged by a fringe right-wing political party, originally founded by the eurosceptic populist Nigel Farage. Reform UK -- formerly called the Brexit Party and whose current leader admires former US president Donald Trump -- rails…
AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD British Indian schoolgirl made history after being named the “super talented” best female player at a European chess event. Bodhana Sivanandan, from Harrow in London, won the European Blitz chess championship in Zagreb, Croatia, last month. During the event, she went head-tohead with some of the best players…
BRITAIN’S economy unexpectedly shrank in the third quarter and flatlined in the previous three months, official data showed last month, raising fears of a recession before an election due this year. The downbeat news delivers a blow to Tory prime minister Rishi Sunak, who trails Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak announced on Tuesday (2), that he had achieved his goal of clearing the nation's "legacy" asylum backlog by the end of 2023 and also defied the prevailing trend across Europe by reducing arrivals of illegal migrants via small boats by 36 per cent. The UK Home…
Junior doctors in England on Wednesday (3) commenced the longest consecutive strike witnessed in the seven-decade history of the NHS. Junior doctors -- those below consultant level -- started a six-day walkout, in a major escalation of their long-running pay dispute with the UK government. The industrial action comes at…
DEMOCRACY is the theme of 2024. Around half of the world’s population has the chance to go to the polls. This weekend’s vote in Bangladesh, boycotted by the opposition to Shekih Hasina, is an inauspicious start. Pakistan in February holds its first elections since 2018. More than 600 million will…
Tories have expressed strong disapproval and concern over allegations that Rishi Sunak offered Dominic Cummings a secret deal to assist him in winning the election. One Tory MP said that Boris Johnson's former chief aide should have no role in the political sphere, following these claims. Within WhatsApp groups, other…
Health chiefs warned this weekend that Rishi Sunak's goal for the NHS, aiming to eradicate wait times surpassing 65 weeks by March, might fall short due to impending NHS strike action. The health system braces for an unprecedented six-day national strike by junior doctors in England starting Wednesday (3) at…
Nearly 30,000 migrants crossed the Channel to Britain from mainland Europe in small boats in 2023, an annual drop of more than a third, government figures released Monday showed. However, the unauthorised arrivals of 29,437 people on the southeast English coast remains the second largest yearly tally since officials began…
According to a UK media report, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak aims to secure a free trade agreement (FTA) with India by Easter, which falls at the end of March 2024. The India-UK FTA talks began in January last year, aimed at significantly enhancing the £36-billion bilateral trading partnership. A new…
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who was under pressure from the Opposition regarding the customary resignation Honours List from his short-lived predecessor Liz Truss, has authorised the controversial peerages. Truss made 11 nominations of some of her close friends and allies, including Conservative Party donor Jon Moynihan and former Brexit Vote…
During the Christmas holidays, Rishi Sunak shared a quirky skit inspired by the 1990s Hollywood film 'Home Alone' on social media. The post included the message “Merry Christmas from Downing Street,” aiming to showcase the prime minister's humorous side during the festive period. The 43-year-old can be seen hard at…
CHANCELLOR of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, will present the spring budget on March 6, in what is likely to be the government's last major chance to prepare the ground for an election that must be held by January 2025. Prime minister Rishi Sunak's Conservatives are heavily trailing the main opposition…
BRITAIN'S economy unexpectedly shrank in the third quarter, official data showed Friday (22), raising fears of a potential recession before an election due next year. Gross domestic product contracted 0.1 per cent between July and September, down from a prior estimate of zero growth, the Office for National Statistics said…
THE government has said it will raise its controversial minimum salary requirement for family visas in stages "to give predictability" to immigrant families. It unveiled a raft of measures earlier in December, aimed at cracking down on record levels of migration - a key battleground issue in the general election…
AN eight-year-old British Indian schoolgirl has made history after being named the “super talented” best female player at a European chess championship. Bodhana Sivanandan, from Harrow in north-west London, won the European blitz chess Championship in Zagreb, Croatia, over the weekend. During the event, she went head-to-head with some of…
JUNIOR doctors in England ramped up their industrial action on Wednesday (20), beginning the first walk-out of their biggest strike yet, which hospitals warn could threaten emergency care provision at one of the busiest times of the year. The British Medical Association (BMA), which represents around 50,000 junior doctors, said…
MPs and immigration experts have criticised ministers for “deliberately targeting” British Asian families in their quest to get immigration figures down. Home secretary, James Cleverly, announced last week (13) that from April 2024, the minimum salary threshold for UK nationals and permanent residents applying to bring family members to join…
A NEW round of discussions in the ongoing free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the UK will begin in the New Year after the 13th round was completed last week, a joint outcome statement issued by the British government said on Monday (18). The Department for Business and Trade…
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak encounters another challenging vote to fill a vacant parliamentary seat following the removal of a lawmaker on Tuesday (19). The lawmaker was ousted amid allegations of bullying an employee and engaging in sexual misconduct. A parliamentary watchdog found that Peter Bone, who had been a member…
INFLATION has slowed sharply to the lowest level in more than two years on falling petrol prices, official data showed Wednesday (20), easing a cost-of-living crisis after aggressive interest-rate hikes. The Consumer Prices Index hit 3.9 per cent in November from 4.6 per cent in the previous month, attaining the…
WHAT did we learn from 2023 about the state of the nation? It was a year that showed how identity can both unite and divide Britain today, depending not only on events at home and abroad, but on how our public conversations are led too. If Britain needs more bridging…
PRIME minister Rishi Sunak hailed his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni's approach to tackling illegal migration, in a visit to Rome where they agreed to co-fund a project to help migrants return home from Tunisia. The two leaders held formal talks at Meloni's office on Saturday (16) and the British Conservative…
BRITAIN'S economy shrank in October, official data showed on Wednesday (13), raising the risk of a recession and testing the Bank of England's resolve to stick to its tough line against cutting to interest rates from their 15-year high. Gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 0.3 per cent from September,…
GRADUATE ethnic minority voters are more likely to vote for the Conservative party, a new survey has found. Lead researcher James Kanagasooriam, from FocalData, said the voting intentions of ethnic minority graduates is in contrast to their white counterparts. They are more left-leaning and more likely to vote Labour, although…
A LEADING Conservative parliamentarian has warned fellow Tory politicians they face a decision to either “unify or die” as party infighting threatens to derail the leadership of prime minister, Rishi Sunak. On Tuesday (12) Sunak narrowly won in his latest plans to send migrants to Rwanda. The way in which…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak avoided defeat in parliament on Tuesday (12) on an emergency bill to revive his plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, seeing off a revolt by dozens of his lawmakers that laid bare his party's deep divisions. Sunak, who has pinned his reputation on the strategy,…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak on Monday said he was "deeply sorry" for those who lost family during the Covid pandemic as he was quizzed about his actions as finance minister during the global health emergency. Sunak is expected to face questions at the public inquiry into the UK's handling of…
RISHI SUNAK did not imagine that his premiership would end up like this. His intention was to lead an economy-first government, rebuild trust in politics and deliver on many fronts. Sunak has become the embattled leader of a single-issue government and mutinous party. Every week seems to be immigration week…
PRIME minister Rishi Sunak faces the biggest parliamentary test of his premiership on Tuesday (12) when MPs vote on his plan to send asylum seekers to live in Rwanda. The Supreme Court ruled last month that Rwanda was an unsafe place to send those arriving in small boats on England's…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak faces questions Monday over whether his "Eat Out to Help Out" scheme to help the struggling hospitality sector during the pandemic spurred the spread of Covid-19. Sunak, who was finance minister at the time, is due to give evidence to the public inquiry into the UK…
The London mayor's office strongly condemned a "grotesquely irresponsible" attack on a camera responsible for enforcing the city's ultra-low emission zone (Ulez). The incident involved damaging the camera with what seemed to be a homemade bomb, posing a risk to lives, The Guardian reported. No immediate response regarding the incident…
SIX former London police officers on Thursday (7) were given suspended prison sentences for sharing offensive and racist messages on WhatsApp, including references to Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, and other members of the royal family. In a statement after the sentencing hearing Commander James Harman, who leads the Metropolitan…
RISHI SUNAK insisted Thursday (7) that his latest immigration plan would work, as the issue threatened to tear apart his ruling Tories, putting his premiership in jeopardy. Sunak came out fighting after his government's latest attempt to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda sparked the resignation of his immigration minister, who…
FORMER home secretary Suella Braverman said on Thursday (7) the government's proposed Rwanda legislation, part of a scheme to try to send thousands of asylum seekers to the East African country, will not work. Rishi Sunak is facing a revolt from the right-wing of his Tory party over efforts to…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak set out draft emergency legislation on Wednesday (6) which he said would pave the way for asylum seekers to be deported to Rwanda, but immediately suffered a major setback when his immigration minister quit. The "Safety of Rwanda Bill", published the day after Britain signed a…
THE Bollywood actress, Alia Bhatt, is the sole Indian to be selected by the Financial Times (FT) among its “25 most influential women of 2023” chosen from across the world. The paper’s selection is a little like Eastern Eye’s Power List (the next one will be published on March 5,…
BRITAIN signed a new treaty with Rwanda on Tuesday (5) which it said would overcome a court decision blocking its plan to deport asylum seekers to the East African country, a ruling that dealt a huge blow to the government's immigration policy. The Rwanda scheme is at the centre of…
A MAJORITY of Britons support rejoining the European single market, even though it would mean restoring free movement of workers from member states, according to a survey published last Wednesday (29). The YouGov findings come as prime minister Rishi Sunak faces rising political pressure from record high levels of migration…
JUNIOR doctors in England will take further strike action later this month and in January, their trade union said on Tuesday (5), after weeks of talks with the government failed to end a long-running dispute over pay. The British Medical Association (BMA), which represents nearly 200,000 doctors in Britain, said…
FORMER prime minister Boris Johnson will make a much-anticipated appearance before an inquiry into the handling of the coronavirus pandemic on Wednesday (6) with his personal reputation and that of the Tory government at stake. The inquiry has already heard damaging testimony about Johnson's handling of the crisis, including claims…
Home Secretary James Cleverly arrived in Rwanda on Tuesday (5), to finalise a new treaty aimed at deporting asylum seekers to the African nation, following the UK's highest court ruling that declared the previous deportation scheme unlawful. The Rwanda plan is at the centre of the government's strategy to cut…
The embattled Conservative government unveiled a raft of measures Monday aimed at cracking down on record levels of migration -- a key battleground in a general election expected next year. The UK announced it would raise the minimum salary threshold for a skilled worker visa and prevent overseas health and…
A Labour government would not "turn on the spending taps" but will focus obsessively on growth because British prime minister Rishi Sunak's Tories have wrecked public finances, the party's leader Keir Starmer will say on Monday (4). With Labour some 20 points ahead in opinion polls before an election expected…
Rishi Sunak has said he started listening to his Christmas music playlist two weeks back. However, the reaction from friends and family has led him to enjoy the tunes privately. The prime minister, known for his fondness for Michael Bublé’s Christmas tracks and often listening to them during late work…
A House of Lords committee responsible for scrutinising bills presented in Parliament has expressed apprehension regarding the inclusion of India in the UK's extended list of safe states which would prevent individuals from India entering the country illegally from seeking asylum. The cross-party House of Lords Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee…
Rishi Sunak said on Friday (1) that he had conversations with President Paul Kagame concerning plans to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda as he finalises his response to the block on the policy in the London Supreme Court. Sunak's government has said it is working on a new treaty with…
ANY “drastic” measures to cut immigration to the UK have the potential to “kill the economy”, a leading businessman has told Eastern Eye. Annual net migration hit a record of 745,000 last year and has stayed at elevated levels since, data showed last Thursday (23). Prime minister Rishi Sunak came…
At the Covid inquiry, Matt Hancock asserted that tens of thousands of lives might have been spared had the UK implemented a lockdown three weeks earlier. He described Boris Johnson’s Downing Street operation as affected by a "culture of fear." Hancock detailed instances of his staff encountering mistreatment from Dominic…
Rishi Sunak has attributed the high levels of net migration to Boris Johnson. He said, that he "inherited these very large numbers" and is committed to reducing them. The prime minister pledged to take necessary measures to decrease net migration, facing pressure from the right wing of his party to…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak is set to announce a funding pledge of £1.6 billion ($2 billion) during the UN climate summit on Friday (1), as an effort to enhance his green credentials, following the alterations made to Britain's measures aimed at achieving net zero, targets. Sunak, in Dubai for COP28…
During the Covid inquiry, it was revealed that in a meeting held in July 2021, Rishi Sunak advocated fervently for the lifting of all lockdown restrictions. Boris Johnson, during the same meeting, reportedly referred to individuals as "malingering" and "workshy," as detailed in a diary entry by the then chief…
THE British Asian business community clearly has done well, as the Eastern Eye Asian Rich List 2024 shows. The entry point to get onto the list 13 years ago was £25 million. Last year it was £120m, and this year the figure has gone up to £125m. Even allowing for…
SAUDI ARABIA's sovereign wealth fund is to buy ten per cent of London's Heathrow airport from Spanish infrastructure giant Ferrovial, whose departure from the hub after almost two decades leaves Qatar as its biggest shareholder. Ferrovial late Tuesday (28) said it was offloading its 25 per cent stake for nearly…
CONSERVATIVE politicians sounded like they were already in opposition during the ferocious blue-on-blue attacks on the government over record levels of net migration announced last week. There were many calls for immediate action to slash the numbers. Yet none of those declaring that it was of existential political importance to…
Rishi Sunak voiced strong support for skilled migrant workers on Monday (27) during a key speech at the Global Investment Summit, addressing the growing pressure on his government to reduce the escalating immigration figures. The prime minister vehemently praised the country's “most competitive visa regime,” making it the best in…
THE government and medical trade unions said on Monday (27) they had reached a deal which could see an end to months of disruptive strike action by senior doctors in England. The Department of Health and Social Care said the offer would reform the pay structure for senior doctors, known…
Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch, who served as the equalities minister during the pandemic, addressed the impact of the coronavirus on various communities during her testimony at the Covid inquiry on Monday (27). She highlighted ongoing challenges the government faces in combatting misinformation, emphasising the harm caused by conspiracy theories, Sky…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak unveiled on Monday (27) that the world's top investors have pledged £29.5 billion in new projects and capital, as a “huge vote of confidence” in the UK economy. Sunak, who welcomed CEOs of some of the world's leading businesses for a Global Investment Summit at Hampton…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak unveiled a £29.5 billion ($36.76 billion) influx of private-sector investments in Britain. Following this announcement, he convened with global executives as part of his initiative to re-establish the country as the primary destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) in Europe Australian funds IFM Investors and Aware…
TENS of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters marched through central London on Saturday (25) to call for a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the latest in a series of weekend demonstrations in the capital since the seven-week war began. Saturday's rally, which involved 45,000 campaigners according to police estimates, took…
Senior Conservatives have raised concerns that Rishi Sunak's stance against human rights laws, potentially enabling the deportation of asylum seekers to Rwanda, might jeopardise the Northern Ireland peace process. These MPs echoed worries expressed by the White House, underscoring that Downing Street's reported intentions to disregard parts of the Human…
Oliver Dowden invoked the example of prime minister Rishi Sunak as the deputy prime minister paid tribute to the success and resilience of the British Asian community. Addressing the 25th annual Asian Business Awards last Wednesday (22), Dowden praised the Asian community for rebuilding post-war Britain and laying the foundation…
SUPPORT for prime minister Rishi Sunak's Conservative Party has risen by four percentage points following the announcement of tax cuts and financial support this week, the Times newspaper reported on Friday (24), citing polling by YouGov. On Wednesday (22), chancellor of the exchequer Jeremy Hunt announced tax cuts for workers…
NET migration to the UK hit a record high of 745,000 in 2022 but provisional estimates for the year ending June 2023 indicated a ‘slowing’ of the trend. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Thursday (23) said net migration - the difference between the number of people leaving Britain…
AN INSPIRATIONAL businessman whose company has donated over a billion pounds to charitable causes was crowned the Business of the Year at the 25th anniversary of the prestigious Asian Business Awards, held at the Park Plaza hotel on Wednesday (22). Nirmal Sethia is an internationally renowned entrepreneur whose business empire…
ASIAN entrepreneurs in the UK have increased their wealth by a staggering £6.8 billion in the past year, despite worldwide economic challenges, analysis by the Asian Rich List 2024 has found. Published by Eastern Eye, the list profiles the 101 richest Asian people in Britain. It was released on Wednesday…
CHANCELLOR of the exchequer Jeremy Hunt announced on Wednesday (22) a bigger-than-expected cut in social security contributions and made incentives for business investment permanent in a bid to speed up the country's sluggish economy. Hunt, who is seeking to boost the fortunes of prime ninister Rishi Sunak's struggling Conservative Party…
FORMER home secretary Suella Braverman said she was “confused” at the manner of her sacking, claiming that prime minister Rishi Sunak had agreed for her to write a newspaper column which he then pointed to as the reason for her removal from cabinet. In an opinion piece published in the…
Individuals facing mobility and mental health challenges will encounter a new policy requiring them to work from home or risk losing their benefits, a government minister said on Tuesday (21), underlining the concept of fulfilling "their duty." This initiative, to be unveiled during Wednesday's (22) autumn statement, forms part of…
THERE is a surge in Indian students accelerating visa applications to bring their dependents to the UK ahead of the government-imposed ban in January, The Telegraph reported. Education agents are capitalising on this trend, charging inflated prices to secure spots at UK universities before the impending Home Office deadline, which…
Jeremy Hunt will announce tax cuts for businesses on Wednesday (22) - and possibly some for voters too - as the chancellor of the exchequer tries to speed up Britain's sluggish economy and help his struggling party before an election expected next year. Buoyed by a fall in inflation, Hunt…
Rishi Sunak pledged on Monday (20) his readiness to "responsibly" reduce taxes after achieving his goal of halving inflation by year-end. However, he tempered expectations for the upcoming Autumn Statement budget scheduled this week, indicating that the government would not execute “everything at once.” Amid mounting pressure from sections of…
PRIME Minister Rishi Sunak was quoted as saying the government should "just let people die" during the Covid-19 pandemic rather than impose a second national lockdown, the inquiry into how Britain handled the crisis heard on Monday (20). Patrick Vallance, who was the government's chief scientific adviser during Covid, made…
Reforming plans suggest that foreign workers seeking entry to Britain will need a salary exceeding £30,000, aiming to maintain an annual net migration of around 500,000, as indicated in figures set to be announced this week. Ministers are anticipated to unveil proposals aimed at reducing net migration by raising the…
The official inquiry into the Covid-19 pandemic is anticipated to disclose compelling evidence this week, regarding the tensions and disputes among the then prime minister Boris Johnson, his ministers, and the country's top scientific advisors. Sir Patrick Vallance, the government's former chief scientific adviser, is set to provide evidence during…
The government on Thursday (16) said a fresh treaty for transferring migrants to Rwanda might be prepared for ratification within a matter of "days". This comes after a court deemed the previous agreement unlawful. The new treaty, which would then take at least three weeks to be approved by lawmakers,…
The prime minister has shown that “he has a backbone” by sacking his controversial home secretary, south Asian Conservative parliamentarians and grassroots members have told Eastern Eye. Rishi Sunak fired Suella Braverman on Monday (13), five days after she wrote a Times newspaper article in which she criticised the Met…
Amid a stir among right-wing Conservative MPs, Suella Braverman has joined the movement for emergency legislation challenging the Supreme Court's ruling on the UK government's deportation strategy regarding Rwanda. Following her recent dismissal as home secretary and her earlier criticism of Rishi Sunak, Braverman urged the prime minister to either…
Bollywood couple Akshay Kumar, his wife Twinkle Khanna, and actress Preity Zinta celebrated Diwali this year with the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at his official residence in London. Zinta took to social media to share a set of pictures from the celebration. In the pictures, the trio is seen…
INDIAN external affairs minister S Jaishankar has raised the country's long-standing concerns about pro-Khalistan extremism in the UK during his meetings with the country's leaders. He stressed that they should be on guard against the misuse of freedom of expression and speech. Jaishankar concluded his five-day visit to the UK…
To mark his 75th birthday, King Charles III hosted a special reception at Buckingham Palace to honour Indian nurses, midwives, and global medical professionals dedicated to the NHS. Indians lead the estimated 150,000 international nurses and midwives currently working in the NHS, which is also celebrating its 75th anniversary year.…
Despite a significant setback in the country’s highest court, prime minister Rishi Sunak is attempting to revive his flagship immigration policy. However, legal experts express doubts about its ability to surmount the existing legal hurdles. The UK Supreme Court on Wednesday (15) ruled the government's scheme to send asylum seekers…
Sir Keir Starmer is making efforts to subject Labour's stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict to a vote, aiming to preserve party unity. The party has introduced a Commons amendment expressing apprehensions about the civilian death toll and advocating for extended pauses in the fighting to aid delivery. However, it aligns…
BRITAIN's Sikh population, whose ancestors first migrated from the Punjab more than a century ago, have long been admired as a model of integration and for maintaining a strong identity. Lauded in their country of origin and beyond for their valour, industriousness and charity, Sikhs took those values to Britain,…
Britain’s secretary of state for Energy and Net Zero, Claire Coutinho, believes India and the UK share a common energy and climate change objectives. The 38-year-old Goan-origin Conservative MP, promoted by prime minister Rishi Sunak in a recent Cabinet reshuffle, joked about setting somewhat of a trend as the latest…
THE UK government has tabled plans to add India to an expanded list of safe states, which would speed up the process of returning Indians who travel from the country illegally and rule out their chance of seeking asylum in Britain. Draft legislation laid in the House of Commons on…
CORRUPT Asian elites are exploiting Britain’s property market and the City of London to launder the proceeds of drugs smuggling, a new report warned. The report published last Friday (10) by the Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC) underscored the UK’s failure to prosecute money laundering crimes and emphasised its involvement in…
MY INSTINCT is that the return of David Cameron as foreign secretary is good for Rishi Sunak, for the government and for the country. Let’s not forget that Rishi was elected an MP in 2015 during Cameron’s last year as prime minister. Cameron has disagreed with Rishi’s decision to cancel…
A MOLE has been kind enough to send Eastern Eye a transcript of Monday’s (13) telephone conversation between Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman. Rishi: Morning Suella, I have something to say to you… Suella: Who’s that? Rishi: Rishi…. Suella: Which Rishi? Rishi: Rishi Sunak, prime minister….. Suella: Oh, that Rishi.…
TO HER party, Suella Braverman was able to say things which the prime minister thought but could not voice. To his critics, Rishi Sunak was the man who stabbed Boris Johnson in the back and someone whose party did not elect him as its leader. Braverman gave him a shield…
SEVEN years ago, David Cameron left Downing Street after his big gamble to hold a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union backfired and brought his sixyear term as prime minister to an end. A few months later, his political career appeared to be over as he resigned his…
BRITISH inflation cooled more than expected in October as household energy prices dropped from a year ago and there was also a wider softening of price pressures, offering relief to the Bank of England and prime minister Rishi Sunak. Annual consumer price inflation plunged to a lower-than-expected 4.6 per cent…
Suella Braverman, the dismissed home secretary launched a personal attack on prime minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday (14), accusing him of betraying both her and the country. Popular on the right of the party, Braverman kept quiet on Monday (13) after being sacked but published a letter to Sunak on…
BRITAIN's government has already been working on a new treaty with Rwanda and could change the country's laws after the Supreme Court ruled that the plan to send migrants there was unlawful, prime minister Rishi Sunak said on Wednesday (15). "The government has already been working in advance on a…
THE Supreme Court ruling on the government’s Rwanda scheme to deport people seeking asylum in the UK to the African nation is crucial for prime minister Rishi Sunak, said independent migration Think tank British Future. The top court will deliver its ruling on Wednesday (15) on whether the government can…
THE number of non-white cabinet ministers has come down from five to four after prime minister Rishi Sunak reshuffled his core team on Monday (13). Suella Braverman was sacked as home secretary and former prime minister David Camaron was made foreign secretary as part of the exercise. While Sunak -…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak visited the Vedic Society Hindu Temple in his home city of Southampton on Sunday (12) to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights. He was accompanied by his wife Akshata Murty, their two daughters and his parents as he participated in the ceremony of Aarti, lighting candles…
How do you solve a problem like Suella? This was the week that Rishi Sunak changed his mind. Bringing Suella Braverman back as Home Secretary was a price he was willing to pay to secure the premiership unopposed, though it this was a coalition of convenience rather than conviction on…
FORMER prime minister David Cameron was named as the country's new foreign secretary on Monday (13), in a surprise appointment made by Rishi Sunak as he reshuffled his top team. Cameron, 57, served as British leader from 2010 to 2016, resigning after the outcome of the Brexit referendum, when Britain…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty on Sunday (12) hosted Indian external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his wife Kyoko Jaishankar for Diwali tea at Downing Street. “Delighted to call on prime minister @RishiSunak on #Diwali Day. Conveyed the best wishes of PM @narendramodi. India and UK…
MORE THAN 300,000 pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched through central London on Saturday (11), with police arresting over 120 people as they sought to stop far-right counter-protesters from ambushing the main rally. Skirmishes broke out between police and the far-right groups gathered to protest against the demonstration taking place on Armistice Day,…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak on Monday (13) sacked home secretary Suella Braverman, as he reshuffles his top team ahead of a general election expected next year. Sunak had come under growing pressure to axe Braverman, an outspoken right-winger, after critics accused her of heightening tensions during weeks of contentious pro-Palestinian…
The secretary of state for Energy and Net Zero, Claire Coutinho, Britain's latest Indian-origin Cabinet minister, highlighted the common energy and climate change objectives between the two nations in her inaugural diaspora speech. The 38-year-old Goan-origin Conservative MP, promoted by prime minister Rishi Sunak in a recent Cabinet reshuffle, joked…
Hundreds of thousands of protesters are anticipated to participate in a pro-Palestinian march in London on Saturday (11). The event, criticised by prime minister Rishi Sunak as disrespectful, raises concerns about potential violence on the day dedicated to the remembrance for war veterans. The "National March for Palestine" is the…
A POST shared on social media purporting to show the mayor of London saying pro-Palestinian marches should take priority over Armistice Day events is fake and police are investigating, a spokesman for the mayor said. The social media clip could further inflame tensions in the capital, in light of a…
CORRUPT Asian elites are exploiting Britain's property market and the City of London to launder the proceeds of drugs smuggling, a new report warned. The report published on Friday (10) by the Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC) underscored the UK's failure to prosecute money laundering crimes and emphasised its involvement in…
THE Supreme Court said on Thursday (9) it would deliver its ruling next week on whether the government can go ahead with its controversial plan to deport migrants to Rwanda. In April, London's Court of Appeal said the scheme was unlawful because the east African country was not a safe…
Rishi Sunak is facing mounting pressure to dismiss Suella Braverman over her comments about the Metropolitan Police which were made without the approval of the prime minister. Opposition parties are demanding removal of the home secretary as investigations are launched into her article on the pro-Palestine march. Braverman had suggested…
THE government has tabled plans to add India to an expanded list of safe states, which would speed up the process of returning Indians who travel from the country illegally and rule out their chance of seeking asylum in Britain. Draft legislation laid in the House of Commons on Wednesday…
UNSUCCESSFUL attempts to rescue migrants from a sinking boat in the Channel in November 2021 were hampered by poor visibility and confusion over locating the right vessel, Britain's Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said on Thursday (9). The accident, in which 27 people including a 7-year-old girl died, is the…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak and his wife, Akshata Murty, lit ceremonial lamps for Diwali at a special reception at 10 Downing Street, welcoming guests from the Indian diaspora, parliamentarians, entrepreneurs, and Hindi movie celebrities. The prime ministerial residence was decorated in a theme of vibrant marigolds and candles on Wednesday…
THE government’s new legislative agenda will build on its priority to grow the economy, safeguard energy independence and ensure the UK is securing “the benefits of Brexit”, prime minister Rishi Sunak’s office said last Saturday (4). Measures will also help build “the most competitive and supportive environment for businesses to…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak has urged pro-Palestinian groups to call off a march against the Israel-Hamas war scheduled to take place in London on Armistice Day. The organisers of the rally have so far defied pleas from the British capital's Metropolitan police force to postpone the demonstration planned for this…
BESTSELLING author Amish Tripathi has concluded his tenure as Director of the Nehru Centre and Minister for Culture and Education at the High Commission of India in London. Over the course of four years, he actively coordinated numerous India-focused cultural events in the capital. The 49-year-old diplomat oversaw the Nehru…
A member of the opposition Labour Party has stepped down from his policy role in protest against his leader's decision not to demand a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Labour leader Keir Starmer has so far resisted increasing pressure within his party to advocate for a…
METROPOLITAN Police on Monday (6) urged organisers not to go ahead with any protests planned this weekend when Armistice Day will be marked after prime minister Rishi Sunak slammed plans for a pro-Palestinian march. Authorities asked unidentified organisers to consider postponing any demonstrations in London over the weekend, including Saturday's…
The government announced plans on Monday (6) to introduce legislation enforcing "minimum service levels" in essential sectors during strikes. The legislation is set to be unveiled in parliament on Tuesday (7), sparking criticism from unions, who have expressed discontent with the proposed measures. The new legislation, which builds on a…
Charles III will deliver the inaugural King's Speech in over 70 years on Tuesday (7), formally opening the parliament session and outlining his government's legislative agenda amid the approaching elections. The 74-year-old head of state will outline Conservative prime minister Rishi Sunak's wish list of new laws that are expected…
Bestselling author Amish Tripathi has concluded his tenure as Director of the Nehru Centre and Minister for Culture and Education at the High Commission of India in London. Over the course of four years, he actively coordinated numerous India-focused cultural events in the capital. The 49-year-old diplomat oversaw the Nehru…
Four police officers sustained injuries when pro-Palestinian demonstrators launched fireworks into crowds in central London. Law enforcement made 29 arrests on suspicion of racially motivated crimes in connection with the incident. The Metropolitan Police said more than 1,300 officers were on duty on Saturday (4) as tens of thousands of…
THE government's new legislative agenda will build on its priority to grow the economy, safeguard energy independence and ensure the UK is securing "the benefits of Brexit", prime minister Rishi Sunak's office said on Saturday (4). Measures will also help build "the most competitive and supportive environment for businesses to…
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators held protests in multiple cities, including London, Berlin, Paris, Ankara, Istanbul, and Washington on Saturday (4), demanding a ceasefire in Gaza and criticising Israel following an escalation of its military actions against Hamas. In London, television footage showed large crowds holding sit-down protests blocking parts of the city…
FORMER prime minister Boris Johnson asked the government's top scientific advisors early in the pandemic if a "special hairdryer" could be used against Covid, it emerged this week. As the virus began to spread worldwide in March 2020, Johnson shared with officials a YouTube video of the dryer being used…
US vice president Kamala Harris on Wednesday (1) called for urgent action to protect the public and democracy from the dangers posed by artificial intelligence, announcing a series of initiatives to address safety concerns about the technology. In a speech at the US embassy in London, Harris spoke of the…
AHIR SHAH performed his Edinburgh Fringe-winning show Ends in front of a packed crowd at Soho Theatre in central London. Most didn’t realise that the comedian was walking among them and pumping himself up to perform, with a classic qawwali from Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan playing loudly in the…
Countries including the UK, United States and China on Wednesday agreed the "need for international action" as political and tech leaders gathered for the world's first summit on artificial intelligence (AI) safety. The UK government kicked off the two-day event at Bletchley Park, north of London, by publishing the "Bletchley…
THE UK government will welcome foreign political leaders, tech industry figures, academics and others this week for a two-day summit billed as the first of its kind on artificial intelligence (AI). The gathering, set to be attended by prime minister Rishi Sunak, US vice-president Kamala Harris, EU chief Ursula von…
WE DON’T hear very much these days about Boris Johnson making a comeback to 10, Downing Street. He has decided making money is the better option. Boris earned £4.8 million in five months after leaving office as prime minister, mostly for speaking at events and for securing a deal to…
VERY few people in the Middle East will be familiar with Sir Keir Starmer, so whether or not the Labour leader calls for a ceasefire in Israel’s military action on Hamas in the Gaza strip is pretty much irrelevant. Even prime minister Rishi Sunak is not really a player. Starmer’s…
DIWALI – the story of good triumphing over evil – shows how multiculturalism is not failing but instead enhancing community relations in today’s Britain, prominent politicians and business leaders have told Eastern Eye. The prime minister, Rishi Sunak, and the Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, added their voices to the…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak’s entrepreneur father-in-law has suggested Indian youngsters should work for 70 hours a week to help the south Asian nation compete with bigger economies.NR Narayana Murthy said India should emulate Japan and Germany which made rapid progress after World War II by “working a certain number of…
FORMER prime minister Boris Johnson's ex-senior adviser on Tuesday (31) criticised his handling of the Covid pandemic, as an inquiry heard he believed claims that the virus was "nature's way of dealing with old people". Dominic Cummings, his former-top aide, painted a troubling picture of Johnson's attitude and response to…
The Covid pandemic was the "wrong crisis" for the skill set of the scandal-ridden former prime minister, Boris Johnson, one of his most senior ex-advisers told the UK Covid inquiry on Tuesday (31). Lee Cain, Downing Street's ex-communications chief, said he became "exhausted" by Johnson's indecision and oscillation in dealing…
Suella Braverman has described the individuals participating in street demonstrations advocating for a Gaza ceasefire as participants in "hate marches." Braverman expressed her dismay at the large gatherings, involving "tens of thousands of people," where chants advocating for the elimination of Israel were heard. Speaking after a Cobra meeting chaired…
WITH the Israel-Palestine conflict escalating so dangerously, its impact on British politics seems a rather local difficulty. When prime minister Rishi Sunak flew to Israel to tell prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu “we want you to win”, he could not really claim to be speaking for his much more ambivalent country.…
Facing a formidable opponent on foreign soil, England's war-weary cricket team gears up for their World Cup challenge against India at a venue historically significant for intense battles, adding to the pressure of the already tense tournament. The past and present cricket powerhouses meet Sunday (29) in Lucknow not far…
OPPOSITION leader Keir Starmer is facing increasing pressure over his stance on the Israel-Hamas war, testing the leadership mettle of the favourite to become Britain's next prime minister. The 61-year-old is battling to dampen tensions within Labour's ranks over remarks he made about the Israeli response to Hamas's October 7…
WHAT is the most important difference between Ireland and the United Kingdom? The answer is Brexit. Ireland is taking full advantage of its continued membership of the European Union – and seeking to attract new investment from India. This is why Ireland has opened a consulate in Mumbai, India’s commercial…
AN INVESTIGATION is on into the ballooning cost of building HS2, the highspeed railway between London and the north of England, the transport secretary said on Monday (23), after a newspaper report alleged that managers had covered up multi-billion pound budget overruns. HS2 (High Speed 2), the publicly funded company…
DO not expect any more parties in Downing Street this week to mark the anniversary of Rishi Sunak becoming prime minister. It was an understated moment of British social history, as Britain’s first Asian prime minister walked into Number 10 alone, with a few words about fixing mistakes to get…
TORY government announced that it will start reducing the number of hotels housing asylum seekers following a drop in arrivals of migrants. The accommodation is politically sensitive due to the high price of the hotel contracts, which costs taxpayers about £8 million per day, according to official figures. Immigration minister…
A first anniversary in office is normally a moment for a leader to celebrate, but Rishi Sunak hits the milestone this week with a mountain to climb to retain power in a general election expected next year. Two by-election losses to the main opposition Labour on Thursday (19) underscored how…
ABOUT 100,000 people joined a pro-Palestinian demonstration in central London on Saturday (21), marching through the British capital to demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza following the Hamas attack on Israel two weeks ago. Chanting "Free Palestine", holding banners and waving Palestinian flags, the protesters moved through London before massing…
THE outlook is very bright for British Indian businessmen (and women) if a UK-India Free Trade Agreement is signed – as prime ministers Rishi Sunak and Narendra Modi hope to do by the end of 2023 or at the latest by early next year. A senior Indian government source has…
The Conservative Party lost two parliamentary seats to Labour on Friday (20), marking another ominous setback for prime minister Rishi Sunak and his party in the lead-up to the expected general election next year. The by-election results -- the latest in a string of traditionally safe Tory seats lost to…
VOTERS went to the polls in elections to fill two vacant parliamentary seats on Thursday (19) that will be a test of how prime minister Rishi Sunak's Tories are faring in his party's heartlands before a national election expected next year. The by-elections were triggered by high-profile resignations of two…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak arrived in Israel on Thursday (19) to express solidarity with the country, which has been grappling with the aftermath of a rampage by Hamas gunmen on October 7. During his visit, he is expected to hold talks with his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu. With Israel's counter-offensive…
BRITAIN's biggest food bank network warned on Wednesday (18) it was expecting its worst ever winter, with over 600,000 people likely to need support as a cost-of-living crisis now in its second year curtails spending power. The Trussell Trust, which supports a network of 1,300 food bank centres across the…
GROWTH in British workers’ regular pay – which is being watched closely by the Bank of England – slowed from a previous record high and job vacancies also declined, official figures showed on Tuesday (17), in a sign that the labour market is losing momentum. British average earnings, excluding bonuses,…
A media report on Wednesday (18), indicated that the optimism surrounding the ongoing 13th round of negotiations for an India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) is fading. Hopes of concluding the deal in time for prime minister Rishi Sunak to sign off before the India versus England World Cup cricket clash…
THE West Midlands, England's second biggest metropolitan area, is set to be boosted by the creation of 1,000 new tech sector jobs, the local economic development agency said on Wednesday (18). The West Midlands Growth Company, which covers an area containing England's second city Birmingham, said the jobs would be…
The UK automakers industry on Wednesday (18) warned that they would soon face a detrimental 10-per cent increase in customs duties on electric cars crossing the Channel. Britain left the European Union in early 2021 after clinching a last-gasp free trade agreement that removed tariffs on cars. But under the…
RESEARCHERS have called on the government to prioritise funding towards analysing the impact of racism on mental health, saying countries such as the US were “way further ahead” in this area. A study by the Centre for Mental Health and King’s College London found that both past and present experiences…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak plans to visit Israel this week, Sky News reported on Tuesday (17). However, Downing Street representatives did not confirm the report, saying that Sunak's travel plans would be announced in the usual manner. Last week, foreign minister James Cleverly visited Israel to express solidarity with the…
POWERLESS. That is how many people feel seeing tragedy unfold in Israel and in Palestine. Our sense of impotence is nothing compared to the powerlessness of those slaughtered in the Hamas massacre of civilians in Israel, or now the powerlessness of so many people in Gaza in the face of…
Rishi Sunak announced a humanitarian aid funding of £10 million on Monday (16) for civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) in response to the escalating Israel-Gaza conflict. During the announcement, he confirmed that six British nationals had lost their lives, and 10 others were still missing in the region.…
TENS of thousands of people rallied on Saturday (14) in London and other UK cities at pro-Palestinian demonstrations, amid police warnings that anyone showing support for the militant group Hamas could face arrest. Protesters marching through the heart of the British capital were shadowed by a heavy police presence of…
POLICE have arrested a 22-year-old woman in England suspected of having made a speech backing Hamas, despite laws forbidding explicit support for banned organisations, the local force said Friday (13). The woman was detained under the terrorism act Thursday (12) following an investigation into a speech given at a protest…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak on Thursday (12) boosted funding to protect local Jewish institutions amid a spike in reports of antisemitism, while two Jewish schools said they would close until Monday (16) for children's safety. The Community Security Trust (CST), a Jewish charity that provides security at Jewish institutions including…
THE Supreme Court said on Wednesday (11) it would be a couple of months before it gives its decision on whether the government could go ahead with its plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda. Lawyers for the government have been arguing over three days this week that the court…
THE UK and Ireland will co-host Euro 2028, while Italy and Turkey will be joint hosts of the 2032 tournament, UEFA announced. Both bids ran unopposed but still needed official approval from European football's governing body, which they received at a meeting in Switzerland. Turkey last week withdrew from the…
TEAM captains at the cricket World Cup usually find it an advantage to bat second, to know what they must do to win the game. The 2023 party season broke with decades of political tradition by putting Rishi Sunak in to bat first, though the Liberals, Labour and the Conservatives…
MINISTERS and the media are contributing to hate crime against British Muslims, according to politicians and community leaders. Last week (5) saw a nine per cent year-on-year increase in reported religious hate crime figures. Politicians, religious leaders and campaigning groups are urging them to stop demonising Muslims. Of the almost…
THE government has insisted that Rwanda is an appropriate place to deport failed asylum seekers, as it tried to overturn a court ruling that the policy is unlawful. Three Appeal Court judges in London blocked the controversial plan in June, assessing that the African nation could not be considered a…
THE Metropolitan Police arrested three people in Central London on Monday (9) involved in demonstrations following the attack in Israel and the escalation of conflict along the border with Gaza. Three arrests have been made for assault on an emergency worker, racially-motivated criminal damage and possession of an offensive weapon,…
BRITAIN and India are looking at a possible visit to New Delhi by prime minister Rishi Sunak soon, but it may depend on whether the two sides can resolve the remaining differences to firm up the free trade agreement (FTA), people familiar with the matter said on Monday (9). Both…
A DELHI-BASED Catholic priest uncle of UK home secretary Suella Braverman has cautioned her about some of her language around immigration and urged her not to forget that she is a child of migrants herself. According to a report in The Times on Saturday (7), Father Ayres Fernandes told the…
The recently appointed free speech chief, professor Arif Ahmed at the Office for Students (OfS), which regulates the higher education system in England, has expressed “serious” concerns about the stifling of free speech in English universities. He emphasised his commitment to defending all views and addressing the issue of academic…
BRITAIN said it had updated its travel advice for Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, advising against all but essential travel as fighting continued near Gaza after a bloody incursion by gunmen from Islamist group Hamas. The UK already advised against all travel to Gaza, but on Sunday (8) also…
GOVERNMENT lawyers will on Monday (9) tell the top court that it should overturn a ruling which declared unlawful a plan to deport migrants to Rwanda, one of prime minister Rishi Sunak's key policies. In June, London's Court of Appeal concluded that the scheme to send tens of thousands of…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak, attended a joint reception organised by the diaspora group Conservative Friends of India and the Indian High Commission on the sidelines of the Tory Conference in Manchester on Monday (2). While addressing the crowd, Sunak expressed immense pride in his background and heritage. He also reflected…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak has said he hopes to see a de-escalation of the India-Canada diplomatic row in a call with his Canadian counterpart, Justin Trudeau. According to a Downing Street statement, Sunak spoke to Trudeau on Friday (6) evening during which he was updated on the situation relating to…
OPPOSITION Labour Party gathers in northern England this weekend for its annual conference seeking to cement its huge lead in opinion polls as it boasts of record business interest in its convention. Polls put Labour about 20 points ahead of prime minister Rishi Sunak's ruling Conservatives with an election expected…
A LEADING Tory parliamentarian has accused home secretary Suella Braverman of “betraying” her own culture and background with her claim that multiculturalism in Britain has “failed”. Braverman, in a speech last week at the American Enterprise Institute, in Washington DC, described multiculturalism as a “misguided dogma” that had allowed people…
LABOUR hailed a "seismic" victory in an election for a UK parliamentary seat in Scotland, beating the Scottish National Party (SNP) in a sign of its recovery in the country before a national election expected next year. Labour is leading prime minister Rishi Sunak's Tories in the opinion polls, but…
LABOUR gathers this weekend for its annual conference, with the centre-left party currently on course to return to power in a general election expected next year. Labour, led by Keir Starmer, goes into the four-day event -- which starts on Sunday (8) in Liverpool, northwest England -- well ahead of…
TUESDAY, September 26, 2023, will go down in the history of the Hinduja family as a spectacular night to remember. On that day, the Princess Royal unveiled a plaque to mark the reincarnation of the Grade II-listed Old War Office (OWO) in Whitehall, London, as the OWO Raffles hotel and…
EVERYBODY knows it. There are simply not enough houses to go round. Population growth over the past few decades and glacial rates of building mean demand far outstrips supply. Rising interest rates have compounded this and mean affordability for many, and especially young people, is at an all-time low and…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak portrayed himself as a tough decision maker and an agent of change on Wednesday (4), seeking to break with the scandals and chaos of his Tory predecessors and show the party he can help it win an upcoming election. In a speech lasting more than an…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak has scrapped the HS2 high-speed rail line from the West Midlands to Manchester during his Conservative Party conference speech on Wednesday (4). The cancellation includes everything beyond the London-Birmingham route, with the £36 billion saved set to be reinvested in transport initiatives across the North, Midlands,…
PRIME minister Rishi Sunak made repeated references to his family and his background during his first Conservative conference as the governing party’s leader in Manchester on Wednesday (4). Introduced onto the stage by his wife Akshata Murty who praised his honesty, Sunak pointed to his cabinet colleagues to drive home…
AS Rishi Sunak prepared to deliver a major policy speech on Wednesday (4), the prime minister received a surprise introduction from his "best friend": his wife Akshata Murty. The generally media-shy Murty, 43, the daughter of an Indian software billionaire, took the stage at the annual Tory conference just before…
HOME secretary Suella Braverman warned on Tuesday (3) that Britain faces a "hurricane" of immigration, as she doubled down on her hardline rhetoric at the Conservative party's annual conference. Braverman, already a darling of the ruling party's right for her attacks on "woke" politics, used the keynote speech to launch…
A PROMINENT Conservative party commentator believes the Tories have become “complacent” in reaching out to ethnic minority politicians and voters. With Rishi Sunak as prime minister and ministers such as Suella Braverman, Kemi Badonech and James Cleverly, the Tory administration has one of the most diverse cabinets in history. However,…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak is set to fire the starting gun Wednesday (4) on Britain's next general election campaign, with a much-anticipated keynote speech closing his ruling Tories' annual conference. He faces a daunting challenge rallying his beleaguered Tories to win the election -- due some time in 2024 --…
A proposed visa fee hike announced by the government will become effective from Wednesday (4), when a visit visa for under six months will cost £15 more and student visas will be £127 more expensive for travellers from around the world, including Indians. Following the legislation tabled in Parliament last…
IS BRITAIN “a fantastic multicultural democracy” emerging as a role model of how to make diversity work? Or do a toxic combination of immigration and multiculturalism pose an existential threat to our social fabric and survival as a democratic nation? Both arguments were advanced from the senior echelons of government…
BRITAIN's ruling Tories are gathered for their annual conference, with splits surfacing and leadership hopefuls jockeying -- just as the party needs unity heading into a general election as underdogs. The Tories, in power since 2010, kicked off four days of main stage speeches, fringe events and political networking on…
From September 30, the dedication celebrations of BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham in Robbinsville, New Jersey, have commenced, spanning a nine-day celebration in the presence of His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj. Leaders, including heads of state worldwide, have expressed their support. India's prime minister Narendra Modi and prime minister Rishi Sunak have…
CONSERVATIVES opened their annual conference on Sunday (1), with the party's chairman conceding they were "the underdogs" heading into a general election expected next year amid widespread economic woes. The gathering in Manchester will be prime minister Rishi Sunak's first since he became Tory leader last October, and likely the…
FINANCE MINISTER Hunt poured cold water on growing calls for tax cuts within the Tory party on Monday (2), saying he could not commit to any "inflationary" reduction before the next election. Before his speech at the party's annual conference in the northern city of Manchester, Hunt was keen to…
TORIES started its annual conference Sunday (1), bidding to kickstart a resurgence before a general election expected next year that it is currently on track to lose. The four-day gathering in Manchester, northwest England, will be prime minister Rishi Sunak's first since he became Tory leader last October, and likely…
Chutney Mary, a distinguished Indian restaurant in London was recently honoured with the prestigious AA Hospitality Awards' Restaurant of the Year award. According to reports, this celebrated restaurant, is a favourite of prime minister Rishi Sunak, and was founded in 1990 by sisters Camellia and Namita Punjabi along with Namita's…
The Conservative government unveiled fresh plans on Friday (29) to "support drivers" and push back "anti-car measures," particularly in opposition-led areas where restrictions on motor vehicle usage are imposed under the guise of environmental protection. "The clamp down on drivers is an attack on the day-to-day lives of most people…
BRITAIN’S proposed trade deal with India will not include legally enforceable commitments on labour rights or climate standards, a key omission which UK businesses feel will hurt them, a media report said.The two countries are negotiating a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the discussions have entered the 13th round. The…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak has expressed his admiration for the country's 'fantastic multicultural democracy', directly contrasting the recent comments made by home secretary Suella Braverman, who claimed that multiculturalism had failed. Braverman faced criticism from fellow Tory MPs after she asserted during a speech to a right-wing US thinktank that…
PRIME minister Rishi Sunak’s wife Akshata Murty has decided to wind down her startup investment fund Catamaran Ventures UK. “Directors have decided to liquidate the company,” Catamaran said in a filing to the Companies House on Wednesday (27), without giving any details. The move comes after it emerged that the…
Almost a year into his role as prime minister, Rishi Sunak faces a shrinking timeframe to achieve an increasingly challenging endeavour: securing the Conservatives' continuation in power during the upcoming election. He will conclude the party's annual conference with a keynote address next Wednesday, aiming to galvanise the ruling Tories…
Popular Bollywood couple Twinkle Khanna and Akshay Kumar met UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during their London visit. Twinkle took to Instagram on Wednesday to post a video of their visit to London. She captioned the post, “As much as I dislike wearing heels and dressing up, this evening was…
LIZ TRUSS comes across as a “vengeful” character in Lord Michael Ashcroft’s new book, All To Play For: The Advance of Rishi Sunak, a sequel to his first biography, Going for Broke: The Rise of Rishi Sunak, which was published in 2020. Last summer, Truss beat Sunak in the Tory…
RISHI SUNAK was not at last year’s Conservative Party conference. Having lost the party leadership election, he kept a low profile in his Yorkshire constituency to not distract from then prime minister Liz Truss’s chance to set out her vision. A chaotic week of u-turns trying to contain the implosion…
THIS could feel like a long year for Keir Starmer. The Labour leader seems ever more likely to emerge as prime minister once the general election is eventually held, but whether he can seal the deal with the British public is unlikely to be put to the test any time…
HOME SECRETARY Suella Braverman will call on Tuesday (26) for governments to consider rewriting global refugee rules so they are "fit for the modern age" and do not deem being gay, or a woman, enough of a reason to qualify for asylum. Addressing the American Enterprise Institute think-tank in Washington,…
There is growing concern among the Conservative party regarding Rishi Sunak's recent policy surge amid ongoing political challenges. Many within the party wonder if the sudden flurry of initiatives constitutes a coherent strategy or is a sign of panic. As world leaders convened at the UN climate summit in New…
HOME secretary Suella Braverman will raise the "the unsustainable pressures" created by illegal migration when she makes a three-day visit to the US this week, her office said on Sunday (24). In a keynote speech, Braverman will present a blueprint for how countries can combat the crisis and highlight how…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak is considering introducing measures that would ban the next generation from ever being able to buy cigarettes, The Guardian reported on Friday, citing government sources. Sunak is looking at anti-smoking measures similar to laws New Zealand announced last year, which include a ban on selling tobacco…
CANADIAN prime minister Justin Trudeau’s accusation on Tuesday (19) that the Indian government was behind the killing of a Sikh leader in Canada led to an escalating war-of-words and diplomats being ejected from both countries. India described as “absurd” Trudeau’s claims that “credible allegations” linked Indian agents to the June…
FOR younger members of the British Asian audience who had come to see The Father and the Assassin, the play was something of a revelation. “I didn’t know anything about this,” admitted a young woman who works in PR. But for a Punjabi woman in her 60s, whose family was…
Suella Braverman ceased the yearly inspections of immigration detention facilities like Brook House last year, shortly after government ministers were directly alerted about the lack of protection for vulnerable individuals, including torture victims, the immigration watchdog has revealed. The disclosure was made by David Neal, the independent chief inspector of…
THE use of laughing gas by young British Asians is a growing problem with tougher punishments needed for possession, according to doctors and community experts. Nitrous oxide, sold in small metal canisters or balloons, can lead to a host of health problems. After cannabis, nitrous oxide is the most commonly…
France extended a warm welcome to King Charles III on Wednesday (20), as he begins a rescheduled three-day visit designed to underscore the enduring strength of the cross-Channel alliance, even in the face of numerous political tensions following Brexit. The originally scheduled trip was set for March and was intended…
BRITISH Sikh members of Parliament Preet Kaur Gill and Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi have reacted to “concerning” reports emanating from Canada, after prime minister Justin Trudeau alleged Indian involvement in the murder of a Sikh separatist leader in the country. The opposition Labour MPs, who represent heavily Sikh constituencies in England,…
Rishi Sunak is set to announce the delay of certain government policies aimed at achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 in an upcoming speech this week, citing the need for a more "proportionate" response to climate change. In a highly unusual late-night statement after reports that he was planning to row…
THE Home Secretary said on Wednesday (20) the country needed to take a pragmatic approach to reaching net zero because it could not "save the planet by bankrupting the British people". The comment by Suella Braverman comes ahead of a speech by prime minister Rishi Sunak this week where he…
The government said on Tuesday (19) that the "serious allegations" over the murder of a Sikh separatist leader in Canada will not impact its own ongoing trade negotiations with India. Prime minister Rishi Sunak's spokesperson at 10 Downing Street was asked about the impact the issue may have on India-UK…
The government has confirmed that an upcoming increase in visa fees will come into effect on October 4. Under the new pricing structure, visit visas for stays under six months will incur an additional cost of GBP 15, while student visas will see an increase of GBP 127 for applicants…
A BLOC of 15 Caribbean nations is set to demand $33 trillion in reparations from European countries over the historic slave trade. The figure was arrived at by an American consulting firm that took into account legal damages for the enslavement of 19 million people over four centuries, The Times…
Opposition leader Keir Starmer announced on Thursday (14) that under a Labour government, a new police unit would be established to address illegal migration. Additionally, he indicated an openness to exploring a returns agreement with the European Union as a potential solution to the crisis. How to tackle illegal migration…
THE government said on Thursday (14) it would invest £200 million of extra funding in the NHS to help boost its resilience during the busy winter months. Prime minister Rishi Sunak has made cutting NHS patient waiting lists one of his five top priorities ahead of a national election expected…
THE G20 Summit in New Delhi has positioned India as a key player in the global arena, edging closer to becoming the 'leader of the Global South,' according to analysts. The two-day summit, which concluded on Sunday (10), showcased India's leadership as it championed initiatives aimed at countering the ascendancy…
PUBLIC dissatisfaction with how the government is handling immigration is at its highest level since 2015, according to a new survey. In May this year, Office for National Statistics (ONS) data revealed that net migration to the UK reached a record high of 606,000 in 2022, driven by people from…
A minister disclosed on Wednesday (13) that the MI5 security service of Britain had issued a warning to the governing Conservative party about the potential spying activities of two prospective MPs with alleged ties to China. Information regarding the counsel, provided in both 2021 and 2022, has surfaced recently. This…
Leaders from various countries, including heads of state, who participated in the G20 Summit held in Delhi, were presented with a carefully curated assortment of handcrafted artifacts and products that reflect India's vibrant cultural heritage, officials announced on Tuesday (12). They said a number of these gifts were painstakingly created…
FIVE former Metropolitan Police officers have been found guilty of sharing “grossly offensive racist messages” including mocking prime minister Rishi Sunak and other British Asian politicians. Peter Booth, 66, Robert Lewis, 62, Anthony Elsom, 67, Alan Hall, 65, and Trevor Lewton, 65 retired from the UK’s largest force between 2001…
THE prime minister Rishi Sunak on Monday (11) told British lawmakers that he had “warm and productive” discussions with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi towards a free trade agreement (FTA) with India, as he updated parliament on his recent visit to New Delhi for the Indialed G20 summit. Addressing the…
WITH the provision of a swathe of new oil and gas exploration licences and a crisis in offshore wind energy, clouds are gathering over the UK’s net zero promises. The Conservative government of Rishi Sunak in July promised “hundreds” of new licences for oil and gas exploration and production in…
A MAN reported to be a UK parliamentary researcher who was arrested on suspicion of spying for Beijing on Monday (11) said he was “completely innocent” and not a “Chinese spy”. The man, whose identity has not been released by UK authorities but is said to be in his 20s,…
HEADING to New Delhi for the G20 summit might have felt like a great escape for Rishi Sunak, leaving behind crumbling concrete in classrooms and damning opinion polls for his first visit to India as Prime Minister. The Sunaks were greeted enthusiastically by the Indian media. A British Prime Minister…
THE UK unemployment rate edged higher to 4.3 per cent in the three months to the end of July, as wage growth remained at a record high, official data showed Tuesday (12). Unemployment had been 4.2 per cent in the quarter to the end of June, the Office for National…
India’s yearlong presidency of the G20 came to a climax last weekend as world leaders gathered in Delhi for the annual summit of the world’s leading economies. Against the perceived odds, India was able to forge consensus among a group of nations increasingly divided along geopolitical fault-lines. The official communique,…
The conclusion of the G20 summit marked important political milestones and offered a plethora of fashion moments for inspiration. Rishi Sunak’s wife, Akshata Murty’s wardrobe garnered much attention, making her elegant looks the talk of the town. She was seen at various events in India’s capital city showcasing her traditional…
Narendra Modi concluded the G20 summit on Sunday, which notably downplayed significant disagreements regarding the Ukraine conflict and climate change. Despite the contentious issues, the summit afforded him a diplomatic moment in the spotlight. The ongoing Ukraine conflict has deeply divided G20 nations since Moscow's invasion last year, leading Russian…
PRIME Minister Rishi Sunak said he had spoken with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi about the continued detention of a British Sikh human rights campaigner in the south Asian country. Jagtar Singh Johal was arrested in the northern state of Punjab when he was shopping with his wife in November…
I landed in Delhi on the 24th of August, the day after India successfully landed a spacecraft on the south pole of the moon, making it 1 of only 4 countries in the world to have landed on the moon. In his excellent speech at the B20, prime minister Narendra…
China has lashed out at media reports alleging a man who was arrested on suspicion of espionage was gathering intelligence for Beijing, labelling the claim a "political farce". UK police said over the weekend that they had arrested a man in his twenties at his home in Edinburgh for spying,…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak expressed confidence in the possibility of securing a free trade deal with India but cautioned that there is still significant work ahead. Sunak and Narendra Modi met on Saturday (9) for what Sunak described as a "very warm and productive discussion." Their conversation included a wide…
Former British soldier suspected of terrorism offenses, who had escaped from prison earlier in the week, was arrested in London on Saturday (9), police said. The absconder, 21-year-old Daniel Abed Khalife, had fled from Wandsworth prison in London on Wednesday (6) morning. He managed to slip out of the prison…
DESPITE a government crackdown on colourful vape products being marketed to children, the Tory party has received a substantial six-figure donation from a company associated with such vapes, the Times reported. In May, the Tory party recorded a £350,000 contribution from Supreme 8 Ltd, ranking as their third-largest donation in…
G20 leaders, including US president Joe Biden, UK prime minister Rishi Sunak and UN secretary general António Guterres, paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial Rajghat on Sunday (10). Prime minister Narendra Modi received the leaders at the rain-drenched Rajghat. Modi welcomed his guests to the site where the…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak, accompanied by his wife Akshata Murthy, visited BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi, on Sunday (10) as part of their official trip to the city for the G20 summit. They were warmly welcomed in a traditional Hindu manner symbolising goodwill and friendship. Sunak was then greeted…
THE Group of 20 nations adopted a consensus declaration at a summit on Saturday (9) that avoided condemnation of Russia for the war in Ukraine but called on all states to refrain from the use of force to seize territory. Prime minister Narendra Modi of host India announced that the…
PRIME minister Rishi Sunak was greeted with the salutation of "Jai Siyaram" by Indian minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey who received the visiting dignitary upon his arrival in New Delhi on Friday (8) to attend the G20 summit. Choubey informed Sunak that he is an MP from Buxar which, he noted,…
LEADERS of the world's wealthiest and most influential nations are set to convene at the two-day G20 Summit in India's capital, New Delhi, commencing on Saturday (9). This marks India's inaugural hosting of this prestigious assembly of global leaders. The capital city has been adorned with ornate flowers and fountains…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak has said the country is working towards a trade deal with India but cautioned that reaching a final agreement was "not a given", the Daily Mirror reported on Friday (8). Sunak arrived in New Delhi on Friday for the annual gathering of the Group of 20…
Rishi Sunak said on Friday (8) that his trip to New Delhi for the G20 Leaders' Summit is "obviously special". He jokingly mentioned the nickname "son-in-law of India," as the first British prime minister of Indian heritage and being married to Akshata Murty, an Indian. Speaking to reporters in a…
FIVE former Metropolitan Police officers have been found guilty of sharing “grossly offensive racist messages” including mocking prime minister Rishi Sunak and other British Asian politicians. Peter Booth, 66, Robert Lewis, 62, Anthony Elsom, 67, Alan Hall, 65, and Trevor Lewton, 65 retired from the UK’s largest force between 2001…
King Charles expressed gratitude to the public for their "love and support" on Friday (8) the first anniversary of his mother Queen Elizabeth's passing and his ascension to the throne. He echoed her sentiments, pledging to be of service to all. Elizabeth, Britain's longest-reigning sovereign, died aged 96 on September…
Britain does not intend to change its strategy for reducing net migration to facilitate the negotiation of a free trade agreement with India, the spokesperson for prime minister Rishi Sunak said on Thursday (7). There is growing optimism that a free trade deal between the countries could be concluded this…
Rishi Sunak finds himself confronted with another challenging vote to fill a vacant parliamentary seat, following an announcement by a lawmaker who had been handed an eight-week suspension for groping two men at a London club last year, revealing his intention to resign. Chris Pincher, who now sits as an…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak emphasised the significance of India's diversity and its remarkable achievements, asserting that it is the opportune moment for the nation to assume the G20 presidency. He praised prime minister Narendra Modi's leadership over the past year and highlighted that India's leadership in the G20 comes at…
IT IS not often you meet a university dropout who returned to the company he started at as a graduate civil engineer – and is now the group chief executive of one of Britain’s best-known and most successful construction and infrastructure companies. Leo Quinn, who heads Balfour Beatty, is a…
WHAT does prime minister discuss at the dinner table with his Indian parents-in-law? Is it Indian politics or the challenges of running Britain? Neither. It's cricket. "The most political we tend to get is in our discussion of cricket. I've agreed that my daughters can support India when it comes…
THE free trade agreement (FTA) talks with India are progressing and Britain will only agree to a pact that works for the whole of the UK, prime minister Rishi Sunak said. Ahead of his first visit to India as prime minister to attend the G20 World Leaders' Summit in New…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak's family will prepare a banquet in New Delhi this week in his honour as the leader will be in India to attend the G20 summit. The family will host a feast with flower bouquets and "non-stop dancing" to Punjabi music in the Indian capital on Thursday…
Rishi Sunak has dismissed the possibility of a swift trade agreement with India, effectively ruling out the likelihood of securing a deal before this week's G20 summit in Delhi or even before next year's elections, The Guardian reported. Multiple sources familiar with the negotiations have reported that the prime minister…
LABOUR MP Shabana Mahmood said she was honoured to be appointed shadow secretary of state for justice after party leader Sir Keir Starmer carried out a reshuffle on Monday (4). Days after prime minister Rishi Sunak’s mini reshuffle last week, Sir Keir named Birmingham Ladywood MP Mahmood to the shadow…
WITH Tharman Shanmugaratnam winning Singapore's presidential election, he joins a long list of Indian-origin leaders who are dominating politics at important world capitals. Shanmugaratnam, 66, received 70.4 per cent of the votes in the presidential election held on Friday (1). "Singaporeans have chosen Tharman Shanmugaratnam to be our next president…
THE government on Thursday (31) named Claire Coutinho as secretary of state for energy security and net zero, replacing Grant Shapps who was named defence secretary. Coutinho, who is the first member of parliament elected in 2019 to be promoted to the cabinet, was previously a junior minister in the…
FORMER energy minister Grant Shapps replaced Ben Wallace on Thursday (31) as Britain's defence secretary, a promotion for a man relied upon by the government as a good media communicator but lacking in direct experience of the military. An ally of prime minister Rishi Sunak, Shapps takes on the brief…
THE prime minister, Rishi Sunak, could face some transparency questions related to wife Akshata Murty’s Infosys shares, which are worth an estimated £500 million, in a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) with India, according to a media report. The Observer last Sunday (27) claimed that Labour and trade experts were…
THE government on Tuesday (29) said that it would ease EU era water pollution restrictions to boost housebuilding. The so-called “nutrient neutrality” rules in place were designed to ensure a new development does not add harmful nutrients to nearby waterways. “Over 100,000 homes held up due to defective EU laws…
THE UK government was working with airlines on Tuesday (29) to help ensure passengers stranded in airports across Europe, after an air traffic control glitch the previous day caused widespread disruption to flights that is expected to last for days. More than 1,500 flights were cancelled on bank holiday Monday…
IT was a speech that showed how much words can matter. America has been marking the sixtieth anniversary this week of Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech, delivered to the quarter of a million people who had marched on Washington in 1963 to demand civil rights. The moment…
LONDON mayor Sadiq Khan's Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) expansion to cover every borough of the city came into force on Tuesday (29). Drivers must pay a charge of £12.50 per day to drive a non-compliant vehicle anywhere in the city now. Those driving in the zone in a high…
THE trade deal between the UK and India is facing uncertainty due to disagreements over the former's request for stricter regulations on the manufacturing of affordable generic medicines, reported The Telegraph. India's negotiators have opposed the proposal to extend drug patents before allowing the production of less expensive alternatives. This…
TORY lawmaker Nadine Dorries has delivered a scathing attack on her party's leader Rishi Sunak in her formal resignation letter, accusing the prime minister of running a "zombie parliament" and lacking any political vision. Dorries, a close ally of former leader Boris Johnson, had announced in June she would quit…
THE government said on Saturday (26) that judges will be required to impose mandatory "whole life orders" on killers who commit the most horrific types of murder, meaning they will die in prison, under planned legislation. It said the change would protect the public from the most dangerous offenders by…
BRITAIN's backlog of asylum applications awaiting a decision hit a record high in the year to June and the number of those applying was the highest in two decades, according to official figures published on Thursday (24), in a blow to the government. The Home Office said 78,768 asylum applications…
RISHI SUNAK has apologised to the UK parliamentary watchdog after an investigation concluded that the prime minister’s failure to declare wife Akshata Murty’s relevant business interest arose “out of confusion” and was “inadvertent”. The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Daniel Greenberg, had opened an inquiry into allegations that when discussing the…
SENIOR NHS doctors in England will strike for three consecutive days during the ruling Conservative Party's annual conference in October, the British Medical Association (BMA) said in a statement to Reuters on Thursday. The strikes from Oct. 2-4 would be the longest period of action so far, the BMA said.…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak did not properly declare his wife's shareholding in a childcare company which stood to benefit from new government policy but the failure was inadvertent, parliament's standards watchdog said on Wednesday (23). Parliament's Commissioner for Standards began investigating Sunak in April, after opposition parties raised questions over…
BRITAIN recorded a smaller than-expected budget deficit in July, official data showed on Tuesday (22), giving chancellor Jeremy Hunt a bit of hope that he can cut taxes later this year, before an election expected in 2024. Some economists warned, however, that an economic slowdown or a recession in the…
REVERED Indian spiritual leader and preacher Pujya Morari Bapu has told Eastern Eye that Ram Rajya (utopia) can be realised by bringing into practice the essence of truth, love and compassion as envisioned in the the holy scripture, the Ramayana. Ram Rajya is a concept of an ideal state where…
ENGLAND’S performance in the just concluded football women’s World Cup final will help create a “really rich pipeline” of future talent, an influential Asian leader said, as others predicted a positive legacy despite the Lionesses’ defeat last Sunday (20). Spain beat European champions England 1-0 in the final match in…
INDIA-UK free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations are now laser-focussed on goods, services and investment, UK officials said on Wednesday (23) ahead of business and trade secretary Kemi Badenoch's visit to India. After the G20 trade and investment ministerial meeting in Jaipur, which is scheduled for Thursday (24) and Friday (25),…
RACISM has no place in the National Health Service, the health secretary has told Eastern Eye. His comments come after doctors’ leaders made clear that medics of colour were more likely to face complaints and disciplinary hearings than their white colleagues. Two years ago (August 2021) this newspaper revealed that…
NURSE Lucy Letby will spend the rest of her life behind bars for killing seven newborn babies after a judge on Monday (21) ruled Britain's most prolific serial child killer of modern times should never be released. Letby, 33, murdered the five baby boys and two baby girls at the…
Home secretary Suella Braverman is refraining from endorsing an asylum-support initiative backed by the UN, despite its being labelled a "more humane" approach. The initiative, funded by the Home Office, has gained recognition for its achievements in Bedfordshire, where it substantially curtailed expenses linked to housing refugees and migrants compared…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak maintains that he is the right candidate for the UK's highest leadership position, particularly during a period characterised by swift technological advancements and formidable economic obstacles. During an interview with 'The Times' on Wednesday (16), the 43-year-old British Indian leader highlighted the most recent official statistics,…
A former cricketer has criticised the prime minister’s decision not to intervene on Lord Botham’s comments about racism in the sport. The peer told a podcast that he thought the England and Wales Cricket Board’s inquiry into racism, misogyny and elitism was a “waste of money”. Eastern Eye reported earlier…
Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami has said, the Group of 20 (G20) stands as the foremost platform globally for fostering inclusive growth. He remarked that India's current presidency of the G20 has played a pivotal role in amplifying the perspectives of the Global South, contributing to the…
INDIA on Tuesday (15) completed 76 years as an independent country. The historian, Ramachandra Guha, provided a report card in a long article in the Sunday Times (13), headed, “Can India be the next superpower?” Guha, known to be a critic of the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, whose Bharatiya…
The annual inflation rate in Britain experienced a significant decrease in July, falling below seven per cent, official data revealed on Wednesday (16). This decline was attributed to reduced energy prices and aligned with economists' expectations. The Consumer Prices Index rose by an annual rate of 6.8 per cent, down…
RISHI SUNAK has said his upcoming visit to India for a G20 summit early next month will be “special” as Britain’s first Asian prime minister returns to the homeland of his grandparents. Sunak is scheduled to travel to New Delhi in September – his first as prime minister since taking…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak on Tuesday (15) said that he was 'frustrated' over reports of a criminal winning funding to house migrants in Milton Keynes. The BBC on Monday (14) reported that the owner of Harben House Hotel in Newport Pagnell was convicted of offences linked to the operation of houses of…
MINISTER for children, families and wellbeing, Claire Coutinho, could be made chief secretary to the Treasury next month when prime minister Rishi Sunak is expected to reshuffle his cabinet, a media report suggested. Coutinho MP would be a politically attractive appointment to succeed John Glen in the Treasury department, The…
PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak blamed the "criminal gangs" facilitating small boat Channel crossings for the "horrific" deaths last weekend of at least six migrants, his spokesman said on Monday (14). Six Afghan men died and dozens more required rescuing after a small vessel bound for the southeast English coast from…
Aiming to enhance early cancer detection, NHS authorities are set to eliminate approximately two-thirds of their cancer waiting time targets. The intention is to streamline the existing nine targets down to three, with the support of renowned cancer experts and the objective of modernising outdated standards, the BBC reported. However,…
Paris prosecutors on Sunday (13), took over the inquiry into the deaths of a minimum of six migrants, whose vessel sank during an attempt to cross the Channel connecting France and England. At the same time, the police initiated a pursuit of the traffickers believed to be accountable for the…
A top medical professional has cautioned that the unyielding approach of prime minister Rishi Sunak, concerning healthcare workers' pay is likely to trigger additional strikes in the NHS. The British Medical Association (BMA) council chair, professor Philip Banfield, stressed that until a "credible offer," was received, medical practitioners may feel…
Six people lost their lives when a migrant boat attempting to traverse the Channel from France to Britain capsized early Saturday (12) morning. Additionally, French authorities said that two more individuals are possibly missing. Rescue boats from France and the UK successfully rescued close to 60 migrants, transporting them to…
BRITAIN is taking a group of asylum seekers off a barge just days after moving them onto the vessel because Legionella bacteria was found in the water supply. The government began moving the asylum seekers onto the Bibby Stockholm, a barge anchored off Dorset on the south coast, earlier this…
SOUTH Asian-origin teachers continue to be under-represented in schools in England, government figures show. People of Indian origin make up 3.6 percent of the working age population, but only two per cent of teachers in state schools. Individuals of Pakistani heritage account for 2.8 per cent of working population compared…
BRITAIN said it had struck a deal with Turkey in a bid to slow the flow of immigrants passing through the Mediterranean country on their way to Europe. The agreement includes joint police operations against smuggler rings and the trade in boat parts. With the issue of illegal migration high…
BRITAIN began moving some migrants on to a large residential barge on its southern coast on Monday (7), as part of plans to save money and remove what the government called the "pull" of hotels for those arriving in small boats. Prime minister Rishi Sunak has made cracking down on…
‘THE United States versus Donald Trump’. The title of the 45-page indictment of the former President could be a TV mini-series title, though the third season plot of this Trump melodrama often seems stranger than fiction would dare. Trump is now set to spend a fair chunk of his Presidential…
SENIOR doctors in England plan to strike again in September unless the government agrees to more pay negotiations, their union said on Monday (7). But the health department restated that its last pay offer was "final." The NHS has been disrupted by healthcare workers walking out in demand of pay…
THE UK government on Sunday (6) announced increased fines for employers and landlords who allow migrants without papers to work for them or rent their properties, as part of measures to deter migrant arrivals. The Conservative government, languishing in the polls ahead of a general election due next year, wants…
ACTIVISTS from Greenpeace were arrested Thursday (3) after scaling prime minister Rishi Sunak's constituency home in northern England and covering it with black fabric to protest his fossil fuel policy. Sunak this week approved hundreds of new oil and gas licences in the North Sea off Britain's east coast, angering…
THE Bank of England on Thursday (3) hiked its key interest rate for a 14th time in a row, by a quarter-point to 5.25 percent as UK inflation stays high, prolonging a cost-of-living crisis. Policymakers "will continue to monitor closely indications of persistent inflationary pressures", the BoE said in a…
GREENPEACE protesters draped the private home of prime minister Rishi Sunak in black fabric on Thursday (3), stepping up their campaign against his government's policy on drilling for oil. Sunak's record on environmental issues has come under scrutiny in recent months after he said he would take a "proportionate approach"…
THE Bank of England is set to raise its key interest rate for a 14th time in a row Thursday (3) as UK inflation stays high, adding to a cost-of-living crisis. The BoE is seen hiking borrowing costs by at least a quarter-point to 5.25 per cent, which would be…
