Month: December 2022

The Government will not meet its current target to curb the number of smokers in England by 2030, according to new analysis. In 2019 ministers set out an ambition for England to become “smoke-free” by 2030 – which is said to be achieved when adult smoking rates fall to 5% or less. But Cancer Research UK said that it may take almost an extra decade for the target to be […]

More than three out of five tradespeople will be caught off guard by a £100 million tax raid, a new survey suggests. Some 62% of respondents to a survey of more than 1,000 van drivers by online vehicle marketplace Auto Trader said they were unaware of the looming rise in company van tax quietly announced in Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s autumn statement. Under the plan, basic rate taxpayers currently paying £720 […]

Fire service bosses are being paid up to six times more than firefighters, many of whom are facing “in-work poverty”, according to a union. The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said Freedom of Information (FoI) requests revealed “stark inequalities” in pay for firefighters and management. Chief fire officers are paid an average of £148,000, with the highest being £206,000, over six times more than an ordinary firefighter, said the union. The […]

More than one million thefts went unsolved last year, Labour has said, as it branded the figures “disgraceful”. An analysis by Labour of crime statistics found that 1,145,254 cases of theft were dropped last year because the police failed to find a suspect. It said that on average a domestic burglary costs victims £1,400, with the party warning that families were losing millions due to unsolved crimes. The party said […]

Erik ten Hag expressed faith in the strikers he has at his disposal after watching Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial score in a comfortable victory over Nottingham Forest. Rashford continued his strong form by opening the scoring in the 19th minute, then teed up Martial for the second moments later, with Fred then sealing a 3-0 win with a late goal in the second half. Ten Hag is keen to […]

Vincent Kompany hailed Anass Zaroury’s attitude as the winger returned from an ecstatic reception in Morocco to fire Burnley clear at the top of the Sky Bet Championship table. Vincent Kompany hailed Anass Zaroury’s attitude as the winger returned from an ecstatic reception in Morocco to fire Burnley clear at the top of the Sky Bet Championship table. The winger played in the World Cup third-place play-off against Croatia on […]

Elle Edwards is not believed to have been the target of the attack at the Lighthouse in Wallasey Village in Merseyside A man and a woman have been arrested in connection with the “cold-blooded” murder of a 26-year-old who was shot in the head at a pub on Christmas Eve. Elle Edwards is not believed to have been the target of the attack at the Lighthouse in Wallasey Village in […]

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou stressed the need for rotation and understanding from his players after making some changes to his attacking line-up for Saturday’s 4-1 win over St Johnstone. Wide players Daizen Maeda and James Forrest both came in and had a major hand in a goal as Celtic restored their nine-point lead in the cinch Premiership. But there was no start for Giorgos Giakoumakis, who appeared to hint at […]

A woman injured in an explosion at a block of flats in Jersey earlier this month died in hospital on Christmas Day, becoming the 10th victim of the tragedy. The explosion, which took place just after 4am on December 10, destroyed the building in St Helier. Kathleen McGinness, aged 73, was taken to hospital after the incident at Pier Road. She had lived in an adjacent building to the one […]