Reuters UK Domestic

By Yadarisa Shabong (Reuters) – Water industry regulator Ofwat said on Tuesday it has started an enforcement investigation into British water firm Pennon’s South West Water, relating to its leakage performance. Political and regulatory focus on British water companies has intensified over the last year along with public anger over the condition of infrastructure and …

UK regulator investigates Pennon’s South West Water over leakages Read More »

(Reuters) – Barratt Developments chairman John Allan will step down next month, with Britain’s largest housebuilder saying it wanted to prevent the impact of allegations against him from becoming disruptive to the company. Earlier this month, the Guardian newspaper reported that Allan was facing claims of inappropriate behaviour from four women. One of the allegations …

John Allan to step down early as Barratt Developments chair Read More »

By James Davey LONDON (Reuters) – British grocery inflation eased slightly for the second month in a row in May but remained close to record highs, industry data showed on Tuesday, providing little comfort for consumers grappling with a cost-of-living crisis. Market researcher Kantar said annual grocery inflation was 17.2% in the four weeks to …

UK grocery inflation edges lower to 17.2% in May -Kantar Read More »

(Reuters) – Dominic Raab will stand down as an MP at Britain’s next general election, weeks after he resigned from the government after an independent report found he had bullied officials, the Telegraph reported on Monday. Raab would be stepping down at the next general election citing concerns over the pressure the job had placed …

UK’s Raab to stand down as MP at the next general election -The Telegraph Read More »

By Andrew MacAskill LONDON (Reuters) -British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to his ethics adviser regarding the handling of a speeding offence by his interior minister after calls for an investigation into whether she broke ministerial rules. Suella Braverman, who oversees the police and law enforcement, said on Monday she regretted the speeding offence last …

UK PM Sunak speaks to ethics adviser over minister’s speeding offence Read More »

By Sam Tobin LONDON (Reuters) – The former chief executive of the publisher of Britain’s Daily Mirror said phone-hacking carried out by journalists she employed was concealed from her, as she gave evidence on Monday in a lawsuit brought by Prince Harry against the newspaper. Sly Bailey – chief executive of Trinity Mirror, publisher of …

Ex-Mirror CEO unaware of phone-hacking, she tells Harry trial Read More »

(Reuters) – The Chinese embassy in Britain in a statement on Sunday asked London to stop slandering and smearing China to avoid further damage to China-UK relations. This comes after British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said China represents the world’s greatest challenge to security and prosperity but that other leading economies should not decouple from it …

Chinese embassy in Britain asks London to stop slandering China to avoid damage Read More »

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s business and trade minister Kemi Badenoch will visit Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates this week as part of her efforts to reach a trade deal with the six countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Trade talks between Britain and the GCC – whose members also include Bahrain, …

UK business minister to visit Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE Read More »

By Suban Abdulla LONDON (Reuters) – Asking prices for British homes rose in May by more than in any other month this year as a better economic outlook and steadier mortgage rates offset the impact of the Bank of England’s interest rates rises, property website Rightmove said. The average price of homes coming to the …

Confidence returning to UK housing market as asking prices jump: Rightmove Read More »

By David Milliken LONDON (Reuters) – Almost half of medium-sized British companies plan to delay investment plans due to last month’s rise in corporation tax, a survey published on Monday found. Low business investment is one of the reasons economists give for the weak growth in British productivity and living standards over the last decade, …

Nearly half of UK firms to defer investment due to tax rises, survey finds Read More »