cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/20579496

> > Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds is set to confirm the Government will consult on easing rules related to the phasing-out of new petrol and diesel cars, the PA news agency understands. > > > >The Cabinet minister is expected to use a speech to the automotive industry on Tuesday night to announce that changes to flexibilities available to manufacturers as part of the zero-emission vehicles (Zev) mandate will be proposed. > > > > Under the mandate, at least 22% of new cars sold by each manufacturer in the UK this year must be zero-emission, which generally means pure electric. > > > >The threshold will rise annually, including to 28% in 2025. > > > >Under the current rules, the mandate will reach 80% by 2030, but the Government has committed to bring the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans forward from 2035 to 2030. > > > > Failure to abide by the mandate or make use of flexibilities – such as buying credits from rival companies or making more sales in future years – will result in a requirement to pay the Government £15,000 per polluting car sold above the limits. > > > >The consultation, which will be launched in the coming weeks, is unlikely to propose changes to the mandate’s percentages. > > > >It will include amendments to the options for how non-compliant manufacturers can avoid fines.

Archive

> Sir Keir Starmer will be invited to meet EU leaders to discuss European security as Brussels seeks closer ties with the UK, in a significant post-Brexit move. > >The British prime minister will be asked to dine with the leaders of the 27 member states at an informal retreat in Belgium on February 3 by António Costa, incoming president of the European Council, two EU officials said. > >Nick Thomas-Symonds, the UK minister in charge of negotiations for a post-Brexit “reset” of relations with the EU, met Costa this week in Brussels. > >No British premier has attended such a gathering since the country left the bloc in 2020. The invite is a milestone as Starmer attempts to “reset” Britain’s relations with the EU after years of strained ties. > >Starmer wants a security pact with Brussels, covering defence, energy and irregular migration, as a key element of his attempt to improve on the post-Brexit framework agreed by former Conservative prime minister Boris Johnson. > > […] Starmer’s invitation to discuss defence with the EU27 is a reflection of the fact that the UK has one of the most advanced military and intelligence capabilities in Europe. > >The February meeting also comes as European capitals come to terms with a potential change to the continent’s security framework, with the return of Donald Trump to the White House in January.

What do you think the solution is for the growing number of people who aren't in work?

WTF is this shit Ed? I think I'm going to revoke my membership. Voted Labour last time anyway so my heart hasn't really been in it this year... At least I was able to vote against Layla Moran becoming leader a few years back.

> Sir Keir Starmer has ruled out an early general election after a petition calling for a second vote reached two million signatures. > >The petition was launched over the weekend and says there should be another vote, just four months after Labour won a landslide, because they have "gone back on their promises they laid out in the lead up to the last election". > >By Monday mid-morning, it had reached two million signatures and was climbing fast. > > But the prime minister said he would not be calling another election. > > However, he said he was "not surprised" those who did not want to support Labour wanted a second vote. > > ... > > Petitions on the government website are considered for debate by MPs after 10,000 signatures. Petitions get a government response after the tally reaches 100,000. > > ... > > Over the weekend, MPs considered to be from the right of the Tories or from Reform UK, were urging people on social media to sign the petition. > >Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice and Conservative shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith were among those sharing the petition. > >Donald Trump aide Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, reposted a link to a post which said it had got 200,000 signatures in a few hours. He wrote: "Wow." > >Musk has previously spoken out against Sir Keir Starmer, calling him "two-tier Keir" over accusations police were treating communities according to their racial background in different ways.

All those latent Tories wishing they'd voted Labour sooner 😅.

More info on the dodginess of the sale.

Archive of article is here:

https://ghostarchive.org/archive/CgjxA

https://web.archive.org/web/20241124021745/https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/turn-away-from-trtrump-eu-trade-uk-voters-pollump-and-look-to-eu-for-trade-say-voters-3388992

Apparently, over 50% of voters think Europe is more important for trade than the US:

>Asked 'is Europe or the US more important to the UK' in 'terms of trade', 58 per cent chose Europe and just 34 per cent the States

>Liberty director Akiko Hart said while the organisation supports assisted dying in principle, the Bill is “just not robust enough,” urging MPs to oppose it if they “find it wanting.”

>She said: “It is possible to support assisted dying, as Liberty does in principle, but recognise that there are significant shortcomings in this Bill that present serious safeguarding risks which are hard to look past.