Starmer to scrap green levies on businesses to boost economy
Sir Keir Starmer 's 10-year industrial strategy aims to boost the UK economy and transform its business landscape.
A key part of the plan involves cutting electricity costs for businesses by up to 25 per cent through scrapping green levies.
From 2027, over 7,000 manufacturing firms will benefit from exemptions on various levies, while 500 energy-intensive firms will see increased discounts on network charges.
The strategy also includes measures to speed up connections to the energy grid and focuses on eight key growth sectors, with plans for five sectors to be published soon.
The initiative seeks to address high energy costs that have hampered UK industry competitiveness and comes as the economy experienced a significant contraction in April.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
24 minutes ago
- The Independent
In the wake of Trump's strikes on Iran, what are Keir Starmer's options?
The choices Keir Starmer makes in the next few days could define his premiership. Tony Blair never escaped the accusation he had been George Bush 's 'poodle' over the invasion of Iraq. And how far the current Labour PM goes in backing another US president in another foreign conflict could help or haunt him for years to come. Despite the prime minister last week repeatedly saying ' de-escalation is the priority ', the Trump administration pressed ahead with strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran overnight on Saturday. The prime is now walking a tightrope between supporting the UK's closest ally and attempting to call for calm. In the wake of the strikes, Sir Keir appeared to give the US his cautious backing – describing Iran's nuclear programme as a 'grave threat to international security'. But he has also issued stark warnings about the conflict escalating beyond the region. As the situation in the Middle East continues to escalate, the prime minister is caught between a rock and a hard place. He is currently sat firmly on the fence - with his most senior ministers refusing to say whether Trump's strikes were either legal or even 'the right thing to do'. And while the US did not ask Britain for help in its first round of strikes, at some point, the prime minister will be forced to make a decision. So what are his options? One option – albeit the most diplomatically tricky – is to withhold support entirely. Sir Keir has spent months trying to build a special relationship with President Trump. Anything less than support for their actions is likely to go down badly in the White House. However, the Attorney General Lord Hermer, a close political ally of Sir Keir, is reported to have raised legal concerns about any potential British involvement in the conflict beyond defending its allies. Lord Hermer is reportedly reluctant to sign off any offensive operations, with a source telling The Spectator: 'The AG has concerns about the UK playing any role in this except for defending our allies.' The weight the Labour leader places on his old friend's legal judgement could limit the extent of any support for the US, if Trump does decide to act militarily. The PM's own background will also play a role in the decision. The energy minister Miatta Fahnbulleh said on Thursday that he 'who is a lawyer and a human rights lawyer, he will obviously do everything that is in accord with international law.' But will he really risk infuriating President Trump at a time when the Republican's tariffs on goods entering the US have already led economists to downgrade their forecasts for the UK economy? Another option, considered the most likely, is to allow the use of the UK-US airbase at Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands. On Saturday, Trump's strikes on Iran were launched directly without the use of the Diego Garcia base. But in future military actions, the US may ask Britain's permission to use the joint airbase in the Chagos archipelago. The type of B-2 stealth bombers which are often based there are the ones that are capable of carrying specialised 'bunker buster' bombs which were used in the operation over the weekend. This is a middle ground seen as the most likely option for the UK government to back. It would not require action from the UK, but could protect the relationship with the US by seeming to offer support. He is already under pressure over the issue at home. Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel has said the UK should give permission for the US to use Diego Garcia to launch bunker-buster bombs. One step beyond the Diego Garcia option is to provide logistical support to the US, and what that would look like in practice is being wargamed in Whitehall. The benefit of this option is that it would allow the UK to appear to be more supportive of Present Trump than just simply allowing him to use a US airbase, and at the same time risking only a limited response from Iran. The UK is keen not to allow Tehran a pretext to strike British bases or interests and has sent extra assets to the region, with another six Typhoon jets sent to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, joining the eight already there. The final option, considered the least likely, is full UK military intervention. Britain is still pushing hard behind the scenes for a de-escalation in the Middle East. The UK's most favoured outcome is a diplomatic solution, in which both sides dial down the aggression. Keir Starmer is also, as a politician, a gradualist and as such is considered less likely than some of his predecessors as prime minister to commit the UK military to support this kind of intervention, even if it is in the aid of one of our key allies, the United States.
The Sun
24 minutes ago
- The Sun
First vid of Trump's B2s after mammoth 37hr ‘bullseye' Iran blitz… as Russia warns US ‘Pandora's Box has been opened'
Starmer calls for Iran to return to the negotiating table Sir Keir Starmer has warned there is a risk of the Middle East crisis spiralling beyond the region after Donald Trump ordered an attack on Iran's nuclear programme. The Prime Minister spoke to the US President on Sunday night after an air raid by B-2 stealth bombers and a salvo of submarine-launched missiles hit Iran's nuclear facilities. Downing Street said the leaders agreed Tehran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and called for Iran to return to negotiations. "The leaders discussed the situation in the Middle East and reiterated the grave risk posed by Iran's nuclear programme to international security," Downing Street said. "They discussed the actions taken by the United States last night to reduce the threat and agreed that Iran must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon. "They discussed the need for Iran to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible and to make progress on a lasting settlement. "They agreed to stay in close contact in the coming days." Earlier, Sir Keir - whose previous calls for restraint appear to have been ignored by the American leader - said there was a "risk of escalation", adding: "That's a risk to the region. It's a risk beyond the region, and that's why all our focus has been on de-escalating, getting people back around to negotiate what is a very real threat in relation to the nuclear programme." The UK was not involved in the US operation but there is the prospect of British forces being dragged into the conflict if Ayatollah Ali Khamenei orders a retaliation.
The Guardian
28 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Airlines are changing plans as conflict escalates in the Middle East. How will it affect Australian passengers?
Passengers are facing delays, scheduling changes and even cancellations as airlines recalibrate their plans to avoid a large chunk of Middle Eastern airspace. Since Israel launched missiles at Iran on 13 June, airlines have been taking alternative routes in order to stay away from parts of the region including Iran, Iraq, Syria, Israel and parts of Jordan. The conflict is escalating as many Australians prepare for trips to Europe during the northern hemisphere summer. If you're one of them, how will the airline disruptions affect you? It all depends on the airline you plan to fly with, and which route your flight is taking from Australia to Europe. Aviation expert Prof Rico Merkert says airlines that stop over in the Middle East, such as Qatar, Emirates and Etihad, are likely to be affected. 'For sure there will be quite a bit of delays and possibly the odd cancellation,' Merkert, deputy director of the University of Sydney's Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies, says. 'Getting to the Middle East is probably still OK but once you get there it might be a bit hectic … with the potential for detours and delays. 'And, obviously, flying to Iran at the moment is not possible.' For example, Emirates typically flies from its home airport in Dubai into continental Europe using Iranian airspace, Merkert says, 'so they'll need to detour'. 'It's not just Iranian airspace, it's also Iraq, Syria and part of Jordan as well,' he says. 'Essentially, everything that's between Israel and Iran, because they do keep sending missiles to each other.' Emirates was contacted for comment, but did not respond by deadline. Qantas, which operates flights to London direct from Perth or via Singapore from Australia's east coast, has indicated it is monitoring the situation and says it will alter its flight paths if necessary but has not made changes yet. As Merkert points out in one example, a passenger on the daily QF1 flight from Sydney to London via Singapore would avoid Middle Eastern airspace, as those flights go over central Asia. However, the national carrier only flies from Australia to London. If you book with Qantas and want to go elsewhere in Europe, you're likely to be flying with Emirates, its international partner. Virgin only recently launched international flights, after entering into a codesharing agreement with Qatar, similar to the one between Qantas and Emirates. Qatar is headquartered in Doha, not far from Emirates' base in Dubai. As well as a partial ownership stake for Qatar, the alliance includes a so-called wet lease deal, whereby the Gulf carrier provides planes and crew to the Australian airline to operate weekly services to Doha under the Virgin brand. Virgin on Monday indicated its wet-leased service to Doha remained unaffected but has not ruled out scheduling changes. On Monday, a Qatar Airways spokesperson said the 'evolving situation in the region' would 'require some schedule changes'. The airline did not elaborate on what those changes involved but advised passengers to check its website for the latest information. 'We are continuously monitoring and assessing the situation, and reacting in real-time to ensure we operate under the safest conditions possible at all times,' the spokesperson said. 'We have some of the best people in the business working behind the scenes to keep our network strong and secure, and to ensure we remain the airline you can trust and rely on.' Etihad, another Gulf carrier, has suspended all flights between its base in Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv until 15 July. 'This remains a highly dynamic situation, and further changes or disruption, including sudden airspace closures or operational impact, may occur at short notice,' a spokesperson said on Monday. 'Etihad continues to monitor developments closely in coordination with the relevant authorities and is taking all necessary precautions.' Merkert says he expects Turkish Airlines flights to face similar problems, as the carrier typically uses Iranian airspace. The airline, which flies from Sydney to Istanbul and then onwards into Europe – with a stopover in Malaysia – has plans to further expand into the Australian market. The carrier did not respond before deadline to a request for comment. Guardian Australia contacted more than a dozen airlines on Monday asking them what their plans were. Singapore Airlines had cancelled eight flights between Dubai and Singapore, 'following a security assessment of the geopolitical situation in the Middle East'. Thai Airways, which flies from Australia to Europe via Bangkok, said its services were not affected by the conflict. British Airways indicated its flights to Australia were operating as scheduled. While airlines have assured passengers they are making plans to avoid Iranian airspace and other danger zones, Merkert says there are options for people who would prefer not to fly over the Middle East at the moment, pointing to airlines that fly to Europe via Asia without stopping over in a Gulf country. 'My daughter is currently en route to Europe,' he says. 'But she flew with Singapore Airlines and so she flew via Singapore and from there to Frankfurt. That's a route that takes you about an hour north of Iran.' Merkert says another option could be flying to Europe via Japan. 'The problem at the moment though is the Ukrainian airspace is blocked too,' he says. 'It's probably safer, but it also takes additional time.'
