Plans to boost UK tourism criticised as unrealistic
Mr Calder said plans to encourage more British people to holiday in the UK were likely to fail because UK holidays were "just too expensive".It would "almost certainly" be cheaper for a family from Manchester to fly to Spain than to catch the train to Cornwall, he said.Sir Chris had said he knew things were still "really tough" for people working in the tourism sector and more needed to be done to highlight what areas like Cornwall could offer domestic tourists.The Labour MP said Covid had impacted the industry greatly but he remained confident visitor numbers could return to pre-pandemic levels."I want many more British people to say 'what's the point of Spain - we've got this'," he said.
Mr Calder said it was "absolutely crucial" to get international visitors, as it was the "closest any area could get to free money", because of the money tourists spent locally.He gave a proposal to extend the tourist season in Cornwall a cautious backing."Cornwall's problem isn't attracting people in July and August it's attracting them in November," he said."The minister was talking up the idea of being in Falmouth on a winter's day watching the storms... that might work."The issue would be persuading people, Mr Calder said."Unfortunately, a lot of people in November would slightly rather be in Spain than in lovely Cornwall," he said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
8 minutes ago
- The Independent
WPP reveals around 4,000 roles cut in past six months as profits tumble
Global advertising giant WPP has cut its workforce by around 4,000 since the start of the year as profits plunged in a 'challenging' first half. The firm said the number of staff employed by the group dropped by 3.7% to 104,000 over the first six months of 2025. Job losses were largely focused on its WPP Media business while it also moved to reduce its workforce through natural staff turnover to cut costs in the face of tougher trading. Since June last year, the group has seen 7,000 roles go, although around 1,400 roles were stripped out with the sale of communications agency FGS Global in December last year. The group reported pre-tax profits tumbling to £98 million for the six months to June 30, down from £338 million a year earlier. WPP's outgoing chief executive Mark Read, who will be replaced by former Microsoft UK boss Cindy Rose on September 1, said: 'It has been a challenging first half given pressures on client spending and a slower new business environment. 'We have, however, made significant progress on the repositioning of WPP Media, simplifying its organisational model to increase effectiveness and reduce costs.' The group halved its interim dividend payout to 7p per share, saying it would allow 'our incoming CEO to review the group's strategy and capital allocation policy while maintaining financial flexibility'. 'The priority is to drive sustainable growth supported by an appropriate level of financial flexibility while balancing returns to shareholders,' he added. Shares, which have fallen to their lowest level in 16 years amid recent trading woes, fell another 2% in morning trading on Thursday. WPP – which owns agencies such as Ogilvy and VML – warned over annual profits in July as clients cut spending amid global economic uncertainty, with trading worsening over the second quarter. It saw revenues fall 7.8% in the first half, down 2.4% on a like-for-like basis, with the decline picking up pace to 5.8% in the second quarter. WPP said it continues to expect full-year results in line with the lowered guidance given in July. Mr Read is leaving after seven years at the helm and a three-decade career at WPP. His successor has worked at Microsoft for nine years, most recently as its chief operating officer for global enterprise. She was previously the president of the technology giant for Western Europe, and the chief executive of the UK business. Recruiting Ms Rose is seen as aligning with WPP's efforts to sharpen its focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation, in a bid to keep up with rapidly evolving demands.
The Independent
8 minutes ago
- The Independent
Interest rates live: Rate cut expected by Bank of England despite inflation and Trump tariffs
The Bank of England (BoE) is expected to cut interest rates today down to 4 per cent, despite concerns over still-high inflation and Trump tariffs coming into force. The move would mark a third cut overall this year, and the fifth since the interest rates peaked at 5.25 per cent in August 2024. Members on the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) are likely to be divided on whether to cut the rate, with divisions over both holding until later in the year - to combat the rate of inflation - and giving a double cut now, which could boost business productivity and employment. Any cut would also be a potential longer-term boost to homeowners, as the mortgage market may price in future lower rates, but would give concerns to savers as the rate at which their money earns interest would decrease. Elsewhere, Halifax released its latest UK house price data showing where property fees have risen fastest, while stock markets including the FTSE 100 are reacting to Trump tariffs coming into effect. Interest rates chart: The fall and rise in the UK Here's a more graphic representation of just how high interest rates rose as inflation spiralled under the last government - and how rates are still only slowly coming back down under this one. For over a decade, borrowing money was super cheap, very nearly free. Anyone with repayments to make between 2020 and 2023 got a bit of a shock to the system if their deal was tracking the base rate, that's for sure. But we are, as the right side of the chart shows, on a steady path downwards in the past year or so. 'Gradual and careful,' the BoE calls it. Plenty say that even this is too fast though, with inflation having been rising once more of late. 7 August 2025 11:47 Supermarket wars continue with new cheapest store The UK has a new cheapest supermarket, if you've not already heard - Aldi lost the title for the first time in two years. You can read more about that here including how loyalty cards impact (or don't!), and you can vote in our poll below to tell us where you shop too! Karl Matchett7 August 2025 11:40 Households still cautious over future tax burdens - expert Aside from being a negative for savers, most households will generally see an interest rate cut as a positive. However, the savings it makes them on bills and borrowing may not feed through to spending immediately, says one expert - because of fears about what lies ahead. That's particularly prevalent given talk of more taxes in the Budget this autumn. 'Investors are primed for an interest rate cut from the Bank of England later today, given the highly sluggish nature of the economy, and the rising unemployment rate,' said Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets, Hargreaves Lansdown. 'There will be hopes that if loans become cheaper, it will help boost consumer and business confidence but there's a long way to go. In the meantime, speculation over potential tax rises in the Autumn Budget may keep households and companies cautious, given the uncertainty over where extra burdens may land. 'There will be a lot of focus on the voting split on the Monetary Policy Committee, given that the views are highly unlikely to be unanimous, and the leaning of members could help indicate the speed of future rate cuts.' Karl Matchett7 August 2025 11:30 Interest rates and mortgages: Saving money, or overpay the difference? If you're on a tracker mortgage rate (or if you're soon to negotiate down a deal from a couple of years ago) then an interest rate cut today could be to your benefit, saving a bit of outgoing money. However, if you still put that into paying off your property (if your terms allow - always check!) then it can save you way more in the long run. Jinesh Vohra, CEO of mortgage app Sprive, said: 'Around one in five (17 per cent) mortgage holders are currently on variable rate mortgages, and if the Bank of England cuts the base rate today, their mortgage rate will drop as a result. 'For example, someone with a £150,000 mortgage at 4.25% over 25 years currently pays around £812 a month. If the rate is cut by 0.25%, their monthly payment would fall to £791 — a saving of £21 a month, or £252 a year. 'While it might be tempting to enjoy that saving, those who can afford to should consider maintaining their current payment level and using the £21 saving to overpay their mortgage instead. Doing so could save them £4,280 in interest and help clear their mortgage 1 year and 1 month earlier. 'Overpaying is one of the most powerful ways to become mortgage-free faster. Even small, regular overpayments can knock years off the term and save thousands in interest — helping mortgage holders reach financial freedom sooner, without stretching their budget.' Karl Matchett7 August 2025 11:20 Companies latest: Deliveroo, WPP, InterContinental Here's a quick wrap of the latest companies announcements and financials this morning: Deliveroo saw sales increase in the first half of the year with more people ordering takeaways, but the company swung to a loss even so. It is set for a takeover by DoorDash later this year in a £2.9bn deal. Advertising firm WPP has cut 7,000 jobs and saw profits drop from £338m a year ago to £98m this year as a tough year continues. Shares were down 2.7 per cent this morning and have dropped by more than half this year. And Holiday Inn's owner, InterContinental Hotels, said a key metric in revenue per available room has slowed - but overall pre-tax profits rose 13 per cent from last year. Karl Matchett7 August 2025 11:07 Mortgage market facing a reckoning as super-cheap deals come to an end Aside from the questions of inflation and economic growth, there's one additional big reason why lots of people hope for interest rate cuts, now and in the coming months. Many thousands of homeowners are set to see their five-year fixed term mortgage deals expire in the second half of 2025 - and given interest rates were 0.1 per cent for most of 2020, it's fair to say the increased payments they face will be a big shock to the system. One mortgage broker suggests the fall-out will dampen down house prices and many need to reassess their financial positions. Ranald Mitchell, from Charwin Mortgages, said: 'For many borrowers, 2025 will prove the hangover after the house party. Millions are waking up to find their cheap-as-chips pandemic mortgage deals have vanished, replaced with monthly payments that bite. "For five-year fixers coming off sub-2% rates, some are facing £300–£500 extra a month. It's not just a shock, it's a financial slap. This won't crash the market, but it will chill it. Potential movers may pause and reflect on their new monthly financials. The days of borrowing big and breezing through affordability checks are over.' Karl Matchett7 August 2025 10:40 FTSE 100 an outlier as global stock markets rise Across most global markets, shares were on the up overnight and today despite those tariffs coming into effect - the UK's FTSE 100 is very much an outlier there, as AJ Bell's Danni Hewson explains. 'The FTSE 100 is struggling to make meaningful progress this week, running to stand still as investors weigh the latest economic, geopolitical and corporate developments,' says Ms Hewson. 'Not helping today was several heavyweight names trading without the rights to their dividend. This held the index back despite gains on Wall Street and across Asia. Investors are largely greeting widespread tariffs taking effect with a shrug. 'The exception again was India, with the Trump administration ordering a big increase in tariffs to punish the country for buying and selling Russian oil.' Karl Matchett7 August 2025 10:20 UK not facing threat of stagflation - bank expert With economic growth still a struggle to find, you may hear the term 'stagflation' being used. That shouldn't the case, says one industry expert - it's not the situation the UK faces right now. Will Hobbs, from Barclays private bank and wealth management, said current indicators do not suggest the UK is any more at risk of that than previously. 'Given the current margins for error in the UK's economic dataset, it remains possible to tell almost any story you want on the UK's economic outlook. Our optimistic [view] rests in part [with] household balance sheet and rising real incomes, both of which provide a buffer against broader uncertainty. 'Of course, there are multiple factors to consider. We, like the consensus, expect the Bank of England to cut rates, likely following a fairly even vote split. 'We would resist overuse of the term 'stagflation' to describe the UK's position. The misery indices (unemployment plus inflation), looks unremarkable today relative to the experience of the last century.' Karl Matchett7 August 2025 10:00 How interest rates impact on your money, savings and bills If you have money in a savings account, it's the other side of the see-saw to mortgages: rates going down mean you'll earn less interest. As there's still a bit of a fierce battle raging among banks and building societies for customers, it's still possible to get good deals if you are happy to lock in money for a fixed period of time or contribute regular amounts, with several offering around 4.5 per cent or even more. There are always terms and conditions to be met, so ensure it suits your circumstances, but the opportunity remains there to save and earn money at a better rate than inflation, which currently sits around 3.5 per cent. Do be aware of the amount of interest you can earn without being taxed, though. If your savings account interest rate isn't fixed, banks can always change the rate you get up or down. A tax-efficient way of saving is to use a Cash ISA, where everyone has a £20,000 personal allowance each year. Credit card repayments and bank or car loans are of course also affected by interest rates, as the amount they all charge for borrowing will be altered. For credit card users, it's always ideal to pay off the full amount each month if you are able to, to avoid interest being charged at all - depending on your circumstance and the account type, they can be one of the more costly ways to borrow. Karl Matchett7 August 2025 09:40 What do interest rate cuts mean for mortgages? Broadly speaking, as increasing interest rates over the last few years have meant mortgage repayments going up, then the reverse should also hold true: lower rates, lower repayments. However, there are several important things to note. Firstly, that it's only the interest on the repayments which should change — your capital repayments will naturally decrease the more you pay off your mortgage. Secondly, the base rate isn't the rate you are necessarily charged by your bank or lender for the mortgage — they'll base theirs off the BoE rate but it doesn't have to be the same. More than half a million people do, however, have a mortgage which tracks the BoE interest rate and those will see an immediate change. Far more have fixed term deals which expire each year and need renegotiating. Additionally, if you've got a fixed term on a mortgage plan, you won't see a change in any case until that comes to an end. Karl Matchett7 August 2025 09:20
Daily Mail
9 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Even celebrities can't avoid a holiday fashion fail! From Kim Kardashian's nasty sunburn and Kate Moss' VERY overpriced beach bag to all manner of bikini slip-ups, the wardrobe gaffes that plague glitzy vacation-goers
Celebrities like to think that their profiles give them access to some of the finer things in life, jetting off to exclusive holiday destinations to top up their tans in the sunshine. But while they may be able to swerve the struggles of flight delays, long coach transfers and hotel mix-ups, it seems they aren't immune from the the vacation fails that plague us mere mortals. Stars from A-Listers Lauren Sanchez and Kim Kardashian to reality TV favourites Sam Faiers and Spencer Matthews have battled all manner of holiday gaffes. In many cases, these fall in the wardrobe department, with bikini slip-ups, sunburn, and the never-ending battle with stilettos plaguing some of showbiz's finest. In some cases, stars are quick to poke fun at the errors on social media, showing their followers that can't escape the daily struggles that plague tourists across the world, while there are other times that big names would rather forget. So, if you've been caught in the midst of a holiday fashion fail, you make take some comfort in the fact that other stars have done the same... Kim Kardashian's nasty sunburn Given her profile as one of the most followed women on the planet, it's no surprise that any snaps Kim K shares spark a social media frenzy. And back in 2009, Kim sought help from her followers with a commonplace holiday problem, after falling asleep with her sunglasses on while sunbathing in Mexico. In the viral image she shared on X, then known as Twitter, she pleaded for advice on how to reduce the redmarks, after being left with the hilarious lines on her face. She captioned her post: 'I am so sunburned and need help! I'm in Mexico and I was sunbathing when I fell asleep with my huge Prada butterfly sunglasses on and now look at me! I'm going to have to hide from cameras for days. 'I usually never get red, I always get dark. It hurts! Do u guys have any remedies I can try to help ease the pain and get rid of the redness.' She went onto tell US Magazine: 'My whole body is burned, but my face looks the worst because of the glasses. I will never wear sunglasses when sunbathing again!' Kate Moss's unlikely beach accessory Since her rise to fashion fame, Kate Moss has made headlines with her wardrobe choices, and her lavish getaway to Ibiza has been no different. Most holiday-goers would opt for a low-budget tote for a trip to the beach, fearing damage by the sand, sun cream, or water. But not Kate, as the supermodel opted to carry her essentials in a £35,000 Hermes Birkin bag as she headed to the beach for a spot of sunbathing. The legendary bag was first created in 1984 in honour of the singer Jane Birkin, and last month the first ever one was sold at auction for £8.6million. Despite her bag's huge price tag, Kate seemed unfazed by the prospect of it being damaged on the beach, as the piece was covered in sand while she headed to her lounger to top up her tan. Lauren Sanchez's battle with her heels Following her hugely lavish wedding to Jeff Bezos in June, Lauren Sanchez has grown accustomed to the finer things in life. And the couple have been enjoying an extended honeymoon of sorts, relaxing on the Amazon billionaire's $485 million superyacht in Ibiza. But Lauren was determined not to let the terrain dictate her style choices as she appeared to struggle to keep her footing on the rocky shore. In her first outing on Sunday, Lauren didn't forgo her stiletto heels as she clung to Jeff's hand on the uneven terrain. But it seemed the fears of a broken ankle did ring true for the former journalist, as the next evening she kicked off her shoes and went barefoot on the beach and boardwalk. Vanessa Hudgens' bikini blunder Stars descending on the world's most picturesque beaches are no doubt ready to show off their figures in scantily-clad swimwear. But when Vanessa Hudges jetted to Hawaii for a getaway with her then-boyfriend Austin Butler, she struggled to hang onto the top of her string two-piece. The star had been enjoying a dip in the ocean in her colourful bikini when the top suddenly began to unravel. Luckily, she was quick to grab her top and put it back in place, in a bid to avoid any unexpected flashes. Abbey Clancy's quirky beach addition Model Abbey Clancy rarely puts a foot wrong in the fashion stakes, but even her catwalk peers would be been surprised by her choice of hat. The star has jetted to the south of France with husband Peter Crouch for a family holiday. While attempting to keep her head cool in the hot weather, Abbey wrapped her beach sarong around her head. However, she later swapped the piece for a £430 Gucci bucket hat, a far better accessory to eam with a gold bikini. Sam Faiers' SPF backlash TOWIE star Sam Faiers sparked huge backlash last week after revealing she doesn't put sun cream on her children. She revealed in a recent post none of her family use sunscreen as she wrongly claimed some brands of SPF are 'harmful' and full of 'toxic ingredients', before suggesting her followers should use 'SPF swimwear' and 'Tallow Zinc SPF' instead. Sam's comments have sparked uproar from social media users, with skin cancer prevention doctor Ross Perry telling Daily Mail he is 'absolutely horrified', calling the star 'naive and irresponsible'. She isn't the first celebrity to admit they don't use SPF on their children after Kelsey Parker, TV personality and widow of The Wanted singer Tom Parker, previously claimed that her children 'don't burn' and wrongly alleged SPF 'causes skin cancer'. Lady Victoria Hervey's slip-up Despite her aristocratic upbringing, Lady Victoria is better known for her risque fashion choices, and regularly graces the world's red carpets with her looks. While on holiday in Palm Springs in 2016, she had been soaking up the sunshine in beige, crocheted swimming costume. But as Victoria emerged from a dip in the pool, the belt on her swimsuit began to unravel, putting her at risk of a wardrobe malfunction. Luckily she didn't seem fazed by the error, and after fixed her one-piece, she quickly headed back to her sunbed to continue topping up her tan. Spencer Matthews' tan lines Former Made In Chelsea star Spencer Matthews is no stranger to showing off his ripped physique, and his 2022 holiday to Ibiza was no different. But despite slapping on the SPF, the fitness guru showed off his very obvious tan lines in a funny clip uploaded to Instagram. Spencer had his ripped torso and six-pack on display in the video as he pulled his blue trunks down to show off the difference in colour. In reaction to the bold tan lines Vogue giggled as her daughter Gigi sat on her lap, while son Theodore, three, wandered around the room. Gemma Atkinson's wardrobe gaffe Just last year, Gemma Atkinson had been enjoying some well-deserved family time with fiancé Gorka Marquez and their two children, jetting to Madrid for a family holiday. But the radio presenter was left red-faced when she suffered a hilarious wardrobe malfunction, which she shared with her followers on Instagram. Gorka filmed Gemma as she revealed that her jeans had split across the back whilst the family were exploring the Madrid markets. She said: 'So I crouched down to look after Thiago and I ripped my [expletive] trousers. Your mum has lent me a scarf. 'I caught my [expletive] on a hook. We've been in the market and I've had to walk back from the market like this. My god.'
