Britain's Conservative government announces tax cuts it hopes can lift its ailing election fortunes
British Treasury chief Jeremy Hunt is seeking to bolster spirits within his Conservative Party with a series of tax cuts that he hopes can turn the political tide ahead of a general election this year.
Britain's Conservative government warned against tax cuts by IMF economist
The International Monetary Fundโs chief economist has advised the U.K. government to avoid further tax cuts amid expectations Prime Minister Rishi Sunakโs battered administration will do just that to win over voters in an election year.
Britain's Conservative government pushes tax cuts in hopes of bolstering electoral chances
Britainโs Conservative government has sought to regain the political initiative with a series of tax cuts for businesses and individuals that it hopes will boost its chances in a national election next year that opinion polls suggest it will lose.
UK push to restore finances means higher taxes, energy bills
Millions of people across Britain are facing higher taxes and energy bills after the government announced an emergency budget focused on restoring the countryโs financial credibility and bolstering an economy battered by soaring inflation.
UK Treasury chief in position of power as PM Truss struggles
As British Prime Minister Liz Truss struggles to retain her authority, one man is seen to be in the real position of power to restore order and credibility to the Conservative government and limit the damage caused by Trussโ economic plans.
New UK Treasury chief: Mistakes were made, tax rises coming
Britainโs new Treasury chief has acknowledged mistakes made by his predecessor and suggested that he may reverse much of Conservative Prime Minister Liz Trussโ tax-cutting plans, in order to bring stability to the country after weeks of economic and political turbulence.
UK eyes traveler quarantine as virus toll passes 100,000
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson reacts while leading a virtual press conference on the Covid-19 pandemic, inside 10 Downing Street in central London Tuesday Jan. 26, 2021. The government said 100,162 people have died in the pandemic after testing positive for the virus, including 1,631 new deaths reported Tuesday. U.K. statistics agencies say that the number of deaths registered that mention COVID-19 on the death certificate is more than 108,000. British authorities are banking on a successful vaccination program to help the country suppress the outbreak and ease the lockdown. People arriving in the U.K. from abroad also must show they have tested negative for COVID-19.
UK lawmakers set to quiz Johnson amid pressure to fire aide
Dominic Cummings, top aide to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, leaves his home in north London, Wednesday, May 27, 2020. (Kirsty O'Connor/PA via AP)LONDON Senior British lawmakers are set to question Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday amid growing pressure to fire his closest adviser for allegedly flouting COVID-19 lockdown rules. Now, I think, is the time for us all to move on,'' Housing and Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick told the BBC. But Johnson appears determined to retain the aide seen as instrumental to his rise to power even if it erodes public trust in Britains response to the pandemic. One senior lawmaker on the panel, former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has already said Cummings broke the rules.
Trump says Boris Johnson 'will be great' as Prime Minister
(CNN) - US President Donald Trump has congratulated Boris Johnson on becoming the leader of the Conservative Party and the UK's next prime minister. "Congratulations to Boris Johnson on becoming the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Trump has often praised Johnson as a friend, and touted him as a potential prime minister even while Theresa May was in office. Johnson will take over from May as prime minister after she steps down on Wednesday. Johnson has stressed the need to work with Trump and has gained support from the President for his tough Brexit stance.
Arrests in Hong Kong raise fears of more violent protests
HONG KONG - A Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmaker expressed fears Thursday that the situation could worsen after police announced the arrests of more than a dozen people following protests earlier this week. "As you mentioned earlier, some people in the U.K. are making irresponsible remarks on the Hong Kong issue. British government summoned China's Ambassador Liu Xiaoming to a meeting Wednesday with British diplomatic service chief Simon McDonald over "unacceptable and inaccurate" comments relating to Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests. Liu had accused Hunt of interfering in Hong Kong's affairs and supporting "violent lawbreakers." "Young people in Hong Kong, faced with rising social inequalities, lack of housing ... and growing integration between China and Hong Kong, are becoming increasingly hopeless, and are feeling that they increasingly have little to lose," Chan said.
Hong Kong protests spark diplomatic spat between UK and China
Protestors confront during police clearance after the Legislative Council building was damaged by demonstrators during a protest on July 2, 2019, in Hong Kong, China. (CNN) - A diplomatic spat between the UK and China deepened Wednesday after London summoned the Chinese ambassador over what it said were "unacceptable and inaccurate" comments made by Beijing regarding the UK's role in ongoing Hong Kong protests. China's ambassador to the UK, Liu Xiaoming, followed up with his own criticism, blasting London for its "interference" in Hong Kong and saying the UK-China relationship "has been damaged" because of it. "I think it's totally wrong for Jeremy Hunt to talk about the freedom (of Hong Kong protesters) ... this is not a matter about freedom it's a matter about breaking laws in Hong Kong," Liu said. "We all remember what Hong Kong was 22 years ago under British rule, there was no freedom (or) democracy."
Hong Kong protesters urge world leaders to support them at G20 summit
(CNN) - Hong Kong protesters are appealing for foreign support in their fight for political freedom, calling on world leaders to act ahead of the summit of the Group of 20 major economies in Osaka, Japan, this week. Carrying signs reading "Liberate Hong Kong," activists at an evening assembly, many of them wearing black, sang protest anthems and called on G20 leaders to defend their rights. The Legislative Council -- Hong Kong's Parliament -- closed for a number of days in response to the protests. Although Hong Kong is part of China, it has different laws, a principle called one country, two systems. The protesters have also drawn support from Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, who tweeted that the people of Hong Kong are "not alone."