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New finance minister says UK must consider pace of deficit reduction

Britain’s new finance minister, Philip Hammond, said on Thursday that he would do whatever is necessary to steady the economy and restore confidence after the Brexit vote.

Hammond, 60, was appointed by Britain’s new prime minister Theresa May to run the world’s fifth largest economy. He was previously foreign secretary.


In his first public comments as chancellor of the exchequer, Hammond praised Bank of England Governor Mark Carney and said he would take steps carefully considered decisions over the summer.

“Markets do need signals of reassurance, they need to know that we will do whatever is necessary to keep the economy on track,” Hammond told ITV.

“We’re working together across that referendum divide in the party to deliver the best possible deal for Britain. I think confidence will gradually begin to return and people will start to see the shape of the future that we’re mapping out,” he said.

The Brexit vote thrust Britain into its worst political crisis in modern times, with both major parties in turmoil and investors left guessing about how the future relationship with the EU will look.

The Bank of England is set to cut interest rates for the first time in more than seven years today.

Hammond said that the government had yet to take any decisions on taxation and declined to say he would commit to plans made by his predecessor in the wake of the referendum, including proposals to further cut corporation tax.

“I’m not going to set out what my plans will be here on TV this morning,” Hammond said. “I’m going to sit down with the key figures in the UK economy, like the governor of the Bank of England, look at the situation we face, look at the projections forward and make some carefully considered decisions over the summer,” he said.

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Air India's Boeing 787-8 aircraft, operating flight AI-171 to London Gatwick, crashed into a medical hostel complex shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12.
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Air India crash probe finds fuel to engines was cut off before impact

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FUEL control switches to both engines of the Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff were moved from the "run" to the "cutoff" position seconds before the crash, according to a preliminary investigation report released early Saturday.

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Asian-inspired garden earns five awards at Hampton Court

BRITISH Asians are being encouraged to take up gardening by a couple who have won a record five medals at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival.

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England faces widespread heat alerts and hosepipe bans amid rising temperatures

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Heat warnings in effect as UK braces for another hot weekend

Amber heat health alerts have been issued across several regions of England, with temperatures expected to climb to 33°C in some areas over the weekend. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) activated the warning at 12 pm on Friday, with it set to remain in place until 9 am on Monday.

The alerts cover the East Midlands, West Midlands, south-east, south-west, East of England, and London. Additional yellow alerts were issued for the north-east, north-west, and Yorkshire and the Humber, starting from midday Friday.

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Sudden surge in ladybird numbers across the southeast

Millions of ladybirds have been spotted swarming towns and villages along the Essex coast, with similar sightings stretching into Suffolk. Residents have reported unusually high numbers of the red and black-spotted insects, particularly near coastal areas, with the recent hot weather believed to be a major contributing factor.

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