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The Independent
25 minutes ago
- The Independent
Whitmer says 'massive economic uncertainty' is to blame on semiconductor project failure in Michigan
Plans to build a semiconductor manufacturing plant in Michigan have fallen through and Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Wednesday that 'massive economic uncertainty' is to blame. Bringing the company to Michigan was a key goal for Whitmer, a Democrat and potential 2028 presidential candidate who is in her final years as governor of the battleground state. Domestic manufacturing is a priority of President Donald Trump 's second administration and the president has leveraged tariffs as a way to incentivize companies to build and stay in America. While Whitmer did not mention Trump by name in her remarks, she pointed the finger at his tariffs that have shaken up the economy periodically this year. 'Their board came to this decision amid national economic turmoil, which is at risk of worsening amid threats of even higher tariffs,' Whitmer said in a statement. Whitmer did not name the company but state records show California-based technology firm Sandisk Corp. was considering the sprawling 1,300-acre site near the city of Flint and forecasted 9,400 jobs and 5,000 construction jobs as a result. Sandisk declined to comment on Wednesday. The news quickly set off dueling political statements from Republicans and Democrats in the state. The Trump administration is using tariffs and other tactics to bring manufacturing in critical areas like semiconductors back to the U.S., White House spokesperson Kush Desai said in a statement in response to Whitmer's remarks. Desai pointed to new semiconductor development in Texas and Arizona this year as wins garnered by the Trump administration in the chips and technology industry. Other Democrats were quick to attribute the loss in Michigan to Trump's economic policies Wednesday. 'Trump's abandonment of long-term investments and chaotic tariff practices are not only raising costs, they just killed 10,000 good-paying jobs,' U.S. Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet, a Democrat who represents the area, said in a statement. 'This could have been a game-changer for mid-Michigan's economy.' Michigan House of Representatives Speaker Matt Hall, a Republican, said he supports Trump's strategy of relying on tariffs and incentives in the tax and spending bill to bring manufacturing development to America, not overseas. 'We simply need state leaders who are focused on making sure Michigan is the best possible place to build and grow,' he said. Sandisk, known for making flash drives and memory cards, was looking to break ground on the project in 2025, according to documents provided by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Michigan offered Sandisk $1.925 billion in cash grants, $250 million in workforce development funding and about $3.76 billion in tax breaks, according to documents dated to August 2024. Congress passed the CHIPS and Science Act incentivizing technology development about halfway through former President Joe Biden 's term. Even as Trump and Republican lawmakers have since threatened to put an end to the act, the Department of Commerce was collaborating with Sandisk on securing federal incentives through the package. Whitmer in her statement said that the company is no longer looking to build a semiconductor facility anywhere in the U.S. In a speech in May, Whitmer said she had been advocating with the Trump administration directly to help bring a chip plant to the state.
The Independent
25 minutes ago
- The Independent
Workers may not get ‘day one' protection against unfair dismissal despite government pledge
Proposals to give new workers 'day one' protection against unfair dismissal has suffered a heavy defeat in the House of Lords on Wednesday. The defeat is a new blow for the government as the proposals were a Labour manifesto commitment. The House of Lords backed by 304 votes to 160, majority 144, a Conservative -led measure which would instead reduce the existing qualifying period for the workplace safeguard from two years to six months. It was the latest setback suffered by the Labour frontbench to its Employment Rights Bill in the upper chamber and puts peers on a collision course with the administration, given it was an explicit election pledge. The change will be considered by MPs when the draft law returns to the Commons during so-called 'ping-pong', when legislation is batted between the two Houses until agreement is reached. The proposed reforms also give workers other 'day one' rights, such as sick pay, paternity leave and the right to request flexible working. In addition, the Bill would introduce new restrictions on 'fire-and-rehire' processes when employees are let go and then re-employed on new contracts with worse pay or conditions. Business minister Baroness Jones of Whitchurch told peers: 'This Government was elected on a manifesto to provide unfair dismissal protections from day one of employment. 'Not two years, not six months, but day one. 'To deliver this commitment we will remove the qualifying period for these rights.' She added: 'These amendments would not deliver on the Government's manifesto commitment to introduce a day one right against unfair dismissal, leaving many newly hired employees without robust employment protections.' However, Tory shadow business minister Lord Sharpe of Epsom said: 'We are debating a change that will fundamentally alter the balance of risk in hiring, and at a time when unemployment has risen in every month this government has been in power.' He added: 'This clause will do nothing to promote fairness in the workplace. 'It will erode flexibility, it will choke opportunity, and it will harden the barriers that those on the margins already face.' He pointed out the Government's own impact assessment which said that introducing the day one right to claim unfair dismissal 'could damage the employment prospects of people who are trying to re-enter the labour market, especially if they are observed to be riskier to hire', including younger workers with less experience and ex-offenders. Lord Sharpe went on: 'The Government already knows and thinks this so why are they doing this? 'So I don't believe this clause is ready. I don't believe that it's safe, I don't believe that it's wise.' Independent crossbencher Lord Vaux of Harrowden said: 'With this Bill, the Government is knowingly and deliberately damaging the life chances of the most vulnerable, in particular young people trying to get their first step on the employment ladder, and for no apparent tangible benefit. 'I urge them to think again.' The Government was subsequently dealt a further blow as peers backed by 248 votes to 150, majority 98, a change to the legislation, proposed by the Liberal Democrats, which would force ministers to strengthen whistleblower protections.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Most Americans think Trump administration is covering up evidence in Epstein case, new poll finds
Most Americans think the Trump administration is covering up evidence in the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein 's federal case, according to a new poll. A poll conducted by The Economist and YouGov from July 11 to 14 found 67 percent of Americans believe the government is hiding evidence related to the late financier, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal charges related to the sexual abuse of dozens of minor girls. He had pleaded guilty in 2008 to Florida charges of soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution. After Epstein's death — which the Justice Department and FBI confirmed was a suicide in a memo released earlier this month — conspiracy theories swirled about the late financier's life, including the powerful people who are speculated to have partaken in his crimes. Conspiracy theorists also weren't convinced Epstein killed himself. The feds' memo also said there was never any Epstein client list and, 'There was also no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions.' Only 8 percent of respondents in the new poll believe the government is not covering up evidence about Epstein, while 25 percent are unsure. When asked if the government should release all documents relating to the feds' Epstein case, 79 percent of respondents said it should. Only 5 percent said the government shouldn't release the files, and 17 percent were unsure. The feds' memo sparked backlash from Trump's base, who were promised the Epstein files. In February, Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News evidence of a client list was 'sitting on my desk right now to review.' When the feds' evidence came up short, people started to ask questions. 'They've got videotape and all a sudden they don't,' Podcaster Joe Rogan said on his show Tuesday. Rogan name-dropped Bondi, saying, 'Why'd they say there was thousands of hours of tapes of people doing horrible s***? Why'd they say that? Didn't [Attorney General] Pam Bondi say that?' Bondi told reporters in May, 'There are tens of thousands of videos of Epstein with children or child porn and there are hundreds of victims,' according to the Miami Herald. The feds' memo said there was 'a large volume of images of Epstein, images and videos of victims who are either minors or appear to be minors, and over ten thousand downloaded videos and images of illegal child sex abuse material and other pornography.' But the memo fell short of incriminating anyone else who may have been associated with Epstein. Trump had socialized with Epstein decades ago when he was a New York real estate mogul. The president was accused of being on Epstein's client list by tech billionaire Elon Musk, whose relationship with the president turned sour after his short stint at the White House, leading the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk did not provide any evidence to prove Trump was on any suspected list. House Democrats tried to advance a procedural motion that would have cleared the way for lawmakers to vote to release the Epstein files, but Republicans blocked it on Tuesday. When asked about the memo at a recent Cabinet meeting, Trump said, 'Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein? This guy's been talked about for years.' 'I mean, I can't believe you're asking a question on Epstein at a time like this, where we're having some of the greatest success and also tragedy with what happened in Texas. It just seems like a desecration,' Trump said, referring to the July 4 flooding disaster along the Guadalupe River. Trump defended Bondi to reporters Tuesday, saying she handled the review of the Epstein files 'very well.' When asked if his name appeared in any documents, he said, 'No.'
