Latest news with #GlassFutures
Japan Today
29-05-2025
- Business
- Japan Today
UK's Starmer takes aim at Nigel Farage as he becomes a growing rival
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks to workers during a visit to Glass Futures in Saint Helens, Merseyside, England, Thursday May 29, 2025. (James Speakman/PA via AP) By JILL LAWLESS British Prime Minister Keir Starmer took aim at political rival Nigel Farage on Thursday, saying the hard-right politician would trash the UK economy through reckless spending. In a sign of how Britain's two-party-dominated political system is changing, the prime minister devoted a speech at a glass factory in northwest England to attacking Farage, an ally of President Donald Trump whose Reform UK party holds just five of the 650 seats in the House of Commons. Starmer's Labour Party, elected last year in a landslide, has 403 seats, and the center-right Conservatives 121. In a shift from Labour's longstanding policy of ignoring Farage as much as possible, Starmer said the Conservative Party 'is faltering' and voters might face a choice between Labour and Reform. The next national election is due by 2029. Starmer branded Farage's economic plans ' Liz Truss 2.0,' evoking the Conservative former prime minister who rocked financial markets and sent borrowing costs soaring by announcing billions in tax cuts without saying how they would be funded. She resigned after six weeks in office in 2022. 'It's Liz Truss all over again,' Starmer said. 'The same bet in the same casino. …. Using your family finances, your mortgages, the bills, as the gambling chip on his mad experiment.' Reform got about 14% of the vote in last year's national election, but it has surged to the top of many opinion polls. Reform made big gains in local elections this month, winning several mayoralties and control of 10 local councils. Farage's party is targeting working class voters who once backed Labour. Starmer's popularity has plunged as his government struggles to kick-start a sluggish economy. The government has raised the minimum wage, strengthened workers' rights and pumped money into the state-funded health system — but also hiked employer taxes and cut welfare benefits. Farage announced a slew of worker-friendly — and costly — policies this week, saying a Reform government would cut income tax for millions of people and restore a winter payment to help retirees cover heating costs that was cut by Starmer. Independent think-tank the Institute for Fiscal Studies says the tax pledge alone could cost between 50 billion pounds and 80 billion pounds ($67 billion and $108 billion) a year. 'We know for a fact what happens when politicians say they are going to spend billions and billions of pounds that's unfunded,' Starmer said. Reform often contrasts Farage's beer-loving, man-of-the-people image with the stiff, lawyerly Starmer. Starmer pushed back on Thursday, stressing his own working-class credentials. 'I know what it means to work 10 hours a day in a factory five days a week, and I know that because that is what my dad did every single working day of his life, and that's what I grew up with,' Starmer said. 'So I don't need lessons from Nigel Farage about the issues that matter most to working people in this country.' Farage, who was attending a cryptocurrency conference in Las Vegas on Thursday, posted on X that Starmr was 'resorting to dirty tricks' to attack him. Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf said the speech showed Starmer 'is panicking because his awful government is now trailing Reform' in opinion polls. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
O-I Glass advances sustainable glassmaking with biofuel trial in UK
American glass manufacturer O-I Glass has completed a biofuel trial for sustainable glassmaking processes at its plant in Harlow, UK. The trial involved the use of biofuel in combination with advanced technologies such as cullet preheating to replace natural gas in the furnace. In a news release, O-I Glass said the trial demonstrated a "significant reduction" in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This achievement is part of a broader initiative driven by Glass Futures, a UK-based research and development organisation. It also aligns with the UK government's 'Net Zero Innovation Portfolio' programme, which explores sustainable fuel alternatives for the industry. O-I Glass confirmed that large-scale usage of biofuel is technically viable at the Harlow facility, though full-scale implementation will depend on the availability and cost-effectiveness of biofuels in the future. O-I chief administrative and sustainability officer Randy Burns said: 'Our participation in this programme is a testament to our unwavering dedication to driving positive change in the industry. 'The successful completion of the trial in Harlow has proven the feasibility of alternative fuels and has the potential to open up exciting new opportunities for the industry. 'Glass is already recognised as the ideal sustainable packaging material, and our job is to integrate innovative approaches with efficient processes to further decarbonise glassmaking. By doing so, we aim to contribute to a more sustainable and economically viable future for the entire industry.' In another development, O-I Glass unveiled plans to install Linde's proprietary OPTIMELT thermochemical regenerator (TCR) technology at its glass container plant in Holzminden, Germany. This collaboration is expected to reduce fuel consumption and scope 1 carbon emissions significantly. The OPTIMELT TCR technology, which recovers waste heat from glass furnace flue gases to preheat and reform natural gas, is set to increase energy efficiency and reduce fuel consumption by approximately 30% compared to conventional furnaces. "O-I Glass advances sustainable glassmaking with biofuel trial in UK" was originally created and published by Packaging Gateway, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
