UK News

Max Polyakov and the Momentum Behind Britain’s Next Space-Industrial Chapter

Britain’s space story often gets pictured as big rockets, dramatic countdowns, and distant launch sites. The real momentum, though, usually starts in calmer places: an engineering workshop that learns a new manufacturing trick, a university lab that turns into a supplier, a logistics firm that...

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Firefighters confirm four-hour strike action

Firefighters will strike over pensions on Wednesday (25 September), the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has announced. The strike will take place for four hours, between noon and 4pm.

Almost 80% of members voted in favour of industrial action in a ballot that ended earlier this month, although union officials say that they have left the strike to the last possible moment to allow for the...

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fire brigades union

strike action

government

72-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after North Devon stabbing

Police have arrested a 72-year-old woman at a property in North Devon on suspicion of attempted murder.

Devon and Cornwall Police were called to a property in Northam at around 2.40am on Monday (16 September 2013) after receiving reports that a man had been stabbed.

On arrival officers found a man, aged 79, with a number of stab wounds to his neck, hands and leg.

The...

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Devon and Cornwall Police

RICS launch guide to help small businesses manage their property assets

The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has today launched a guide to help small businesses take better control of their finances through managing their property assets differently.

Property costs – such as business rates and rent – are one of the most significant expenses incurred by SMEs and failure to take professional advice as to how to manage them could costs businesses...

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RICS

Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors

Federation of Small Businesses

Lib Dems announce 5p charge for plastic bags in England

The government plans to introduce a five pence charge for plastic carrier bags in England. The announcement is to be made by Nick Clegg at the Liberal Democrats' annual conference in Glasgow this weekend.

Aimed at discouraging the use and disposal of plastic bags which may have an impact on wildlife and the wider environment, the plans follow figures from Wales which has seen a 75%...

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Bank of England should limit house price inflation, says surveyors' body

Research by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) proposes cap on price growth

The Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee should consider limiting annual house price inflation to 5% in order to prevent another housing bubble, reckless bank lending and a dangerous build up in household debt, according to new RICS research launched on Friday 13 September.

RiCs...

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Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors

RICS

Bank of England

house price inflation

cap

Outbreak of salmonella linked to cooked ham bought from independent butchers

Investigations show that an outbreak of salmonella seen in England and Wales has links to the consumption of cooked ham bought from small independent butchers’ shops.

The results of tests carried out by environmental health officers on the product did not show the presence of salmonella although it did reveal other hygiene issues. As a result of this, the supplier has withdrawn certain...

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Salmonella outbreak

Ham

independent butchers

Public Health England

Royal Mail privatisation set to proceed, government announces

The government has given notice of its intention to proceed with the privatisation of what it has indicated will be the majority part of the Royal Mail.

Notice has been given to the London Stock Exchange with the plans set to begin in the coming weeks.

10% of the shares will be given to UK Royal Mail employees - 150,000 given free with a priority offer for additional shares,...

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Bowie comeback named among Mercury Prize shortlist

The 12 shortlisted titles for the Barclaycard Mercury Prize Album of the Year were announced on Wednesday (11 September).

Among the long players from the last 12 months nominated for the "music Booker", were debut albums, titles by previous nominees and established artists and one by a legend, David Bowie.

Bowie's excitedly received comeback album - his first in a decade - The...

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Mercury Prize

David Bowie

albums of the year

Unemployment rate in the South West unchanged as UK sees an overall 0.1% fall

The South West continues to see one of the UK's highest rates of employment, despite a slight fall in employment of 0.7% to 73.9% in the period from May to July. The rate of unemployment for the region remained unchanged at 6.2%.

The Office for National Statistics has released both national and regional figures for the last financial quarter.

The overall UK unemployment rate...

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South West

employment

unemployment figures

Plymouth to be consulted on new polymer bank notes

Plymouth is one of the destinations for a public consultation by the Bank of England on the introduction of 'plastic' (polymer) bank notes. The consultation event will be held at Drake Circus on 12 October.

The Bank is undertaking the consultation as part of its process of deciding whether to proceed with printing on the polymer material. This would initially only be for the new-style...

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