Reuters UK Domestic

(Reuters) – Brighton & Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom was celebrating a bumper payout after his horse Energumene romped to a 10-length win to retain the Queen Mother Champion Chase crown on day two of the Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday. The 6-5 favourite, ridden by Paul Townend, beat Captain Guinness to take the 225,080 pounds …

Horse racing-Energumene retains Champion Chase at Cheltenham for Brighton owner Bloom Read More »

LONDON (Reuters) – Lord’s will host the annual Eton v Harrow school match and Oxford v Cambridge university fixture for at least five more years as a compromise after Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) members opposed plans to play them elsewhere. The match between Eton and Harrow, two of the country’s oldest elite private schools, has …

Cricket-Lord’s to continue hosting historic fixtures in compromise deal Read More »

By William Schomberg and Andy Bruce LONDON (Reuters) – Finance minister Jeremy Hunt tried to show that Britain’s economy was turning a corner in his budget statement on Wednesday, but his chances of bolstering his Conservative Party’s fortunes before the next election look limited. Britain will now skirt a recession, official forecasters said, allowing Hunt …

Analysis-UK voters unlikely to share Hunt’s budget optimism Read More »

LONDON (Reuters) – As British finance minister Jeremy Hunt presented the government’s budget in an hour-long speech to Parliament on Wednesday, one tiny announcement made a big splash among opposition lawmakers: new funding for public swimming pools. Hunt’s 63 million pounds of funding for pools came days after a media report about Prime Minister Rishi …

Sunak’s swimming pool makes a splash in UK budget Read More »

LONDON (Reuters) -British government measures to support energy security will be announced later in March, a budget document said on Wednesday without mention of any fresh incentives for oil and gas or renewable energy producers. Oil and gas producers had called for floor prices to be applied to a windfall tax imposed last year and …

Britain to announce energy security measures by month-end Read More »

By Susanna Twidale LONDON (Reuters) -Britain is considering keeping some coal plants available for back-up power to ensure sufficient electricity supplies for next winter, National Grid said on Wednesday but plant operators said they are unlikely to be able to meet the request. Britain has a target to close its coal-fired power plants by October …

Britain considers coal power back-up for next winter – National Grid Read More »

By Alistair Smout and Andrew MacAskill LONDON (Reuters) -British finance minister Jeremy Hunt on Wednesday launched a multi-billion pound package aimed at getting people back into work by expanding access to childcare, reforming pensions and overhauling the welfare system. A depleted pool of workers, the result of a combination of factors including a rise in …

UK launches multi-billion pound package to coax people back to work Read More »

By Huw Jones LONDON (Reuters) -The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank has shown the need to build a larger and more diverse financial system by bolstering the stock market and unlocking cash in pension schemes, Britain’s finance minister Jeremy Hunt said on Wednesday. Following the collapse of its parent company in the United States, Silicon …

Britain to bolster the City after Silicon Valley Bank collapse Read More »

LONDON (Reuters) – Net migration to Britain is likely to stabilise at about 245,000 people a year, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) said on Wednesday, rising above previous projections and targets, and key to the country’s future economic growth. Concerns about the level of immigration was a major driver behind the 2016 referendum vote …

UK net migration set to be about 245,000 a year, OBR says Read More »

LONDON (Reuters) -Britain’s finance minister Jeremy Hunt offered some help to pubs on Wednesday by increasing “draught relief”, making the rate of duty on draught beer and cider up to 11 pence lower than the charge on cans or bottles bought in a supermarket from August. The measure will coincide with a rise in alcohol …

Britain helps pubs by raising ‘draught relief’ on beer Read More »