Reuters UK Domestic

LONDON (Reuters) – The British government on Thursday named Claire Coutinho as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, replacing Grant Shapps who was named defence minister. Coutinho, who has been a member of parliament since 2019, was previously a junior minister in the education department, responsible for children, families and wellbeing. (Reporting …

Britain names Claire Coutinho as minister for energy security and net zero Read More »

LONDON (Reuters) – The British government named ex-energy secretary Grant Shapps as the country’s new defence minister on Thursday, replacing Ben Wallace who said he wanted to step down after four years in the role and would quit as a lawmaker at the next national election. Wallace, who had been touted as a potential successor …

Grant Shapps replaces Ben Wallace as UK defence minister Read More »

LONDON (Reuters) – British companies are their most confident since before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to a survey that also showed they planned to keep on raising prices and staff pay, adding to worries for the Bank of England about high inflation. Contrasting with signs of an economic slowdown in other recent surveys, the …

UK business optimism at 18-month high on hopes for rate hike pause Read More »

(Reuters) – Britain’s car production rose for the sixth consecutive month in July as automakers continued to recover from global chip shortages, an industry body said on Thursday. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said a total of 76,451 units rolled out of factory lines in the country last month, a 31.6% increase …

UK’s car output continues growth streak for six months in July- SMMT Read More »

LONDON (Reuters) – England will bring forward the start of its autumn flu and COVID-19 vaccination programmes as a precautionary step after the identification of highly mutated COVID variant BA.2.86, which has been found in Britain. Scientists have said BA.2.86, an offshoot of the Omicron variant, was unlikely to cause a devastating wave of severe …

England accelerates vaccine programmes due to new COVID variant Read More »

LONDON (Reuters) – An inquiry into the murder of seven newborn babies by British nurse Lucy Letby will have legal powers to compel witnesses to give evidence, the government said on Wednesday. Letby was last week jailed for the rest of her life for the killings of five baby boys and two baby girls at …

UK inquiry into baby murders by nurse Lucy Letby given legal powers Read More »

LONDON (Reuters) -The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has increased match fees for the women’s team to bring them in line with the men’s team, the governing body said on Wednesday. The increase takes effect immediately, starting with the three-match Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka starting on Thursday. The decision follows record-breaking crowds at …

Cricket-England women to earn same match fees as men’s team Read More »

LONDON (Reuters) – British judges will be given new powers to force criminals to attend sentencing, the government said on Wednesday, following furore over several high profile cases where killers refused to appear in the dock to hear their punishment. The reforms will enable judges to order an offender to attend, or face an extra …

UK plans new powers to force criminals to attend sentencing Read More »