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Britain’s Conservative Party suffered striking early setbacks on Friday in local elections that are viewed as a barometer for how the party will perform in a coming general election and a key test for the embattled prime minister, Rishi Sunak. Only a minority of the results had been announced by early Friday, but already the signs were ominous, if not unexpected, for Mr. Sunak’s Conservatives, who have trailed the opposition Labour Party by double digits in national polls for 18 months. The Conservatives have lost more than 120 seats so far, including six in Hartlepool, in northeast England, where the Conservatives had made inroads after Brexit but have more recently lost ground to the resurgent Labour Party. Labour also won a special election for a parliamentary seat in Blackpool South, a seaside district, in a huge swing of votes away from the Conservatives, who had held the seat but narrowly missed finishing third, behind Reform U.K., a small right-wing party. The previous Tory member of Parliament, Scott Benton, resigned in March after becoming embroiled in a lobbying scandal.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Scott Benton Organizations: Britain’s Conservative Party, Sunak’s Conservatives, Labour Party, Conservatives, Labour, Blackpool, Reform Locations: Hartlepool, England

☆ Britain’s Conservatives suffer heavy losses in a sign that Rishi Sunak is in real trouble
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Britain’s governing Conservative Party suffered heavy losses in local elections, a sign that they could be in real trouble when the country holds a general election at some point later this year. It also means that if a general election were held tomorrow, the opposition Labour Party would almost certainly win power. What these results don’t tell us is when the general election will take place. Conservatives are divided on when they think Sunak should bite the ballot bullet. Others think Sunak should look toward the end of the year, as it allows the most time for things to improve.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer, Sunak, Rwanda –, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, Johnson, Truss Organizations: CNN, Conservative Party, Labour Party, Conservative, Labour, Reform, Conservatives Locations: Rwanda

New Labour Party MP for Blackpool South, Chris Webb (C) reacts as his win is announced at the count centre in Blackpool, north-west England on May 3, 2024, during the Blackpool South by-election. The opposition Labour Party won a Blackpool South by-election, taking the seat from the Conservatives. The Reform UK party, founded by Brexit proponent Nigel Farage, came in third. Labour leader Keir Starmer posted on the social media platform X that the "swing towards Labour in Blackpool South is historic." Angela Richardson, deputy chair of the Conservative Party, told the BBC the result "was not unexpected," especially given the circumstances that sparked the by-election.

Persons: Chris Webb, Rishi Sunak's, David Jones, Nigel Farage, Scott Benton's, Keir Starmer, Angela Richardson Organizations: New Labour Party, Blackpool South, Blackpool, LONDON, Rishi Sunak's Conservative Party, Labour Party, Conservatives, New Labour, Conservative, Reform UK, Labour, Conservative Party Locations: Blackpool, England, Britain

☆ U.K. Conservatives Hold Their Breath: How Bad Will Local Elections Be?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Mark Landler | More About Mark Landler | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When voters in England and Wales go to the polls on Thursday to elect mayors and local council members, the outcome will inevitably be seen as a barometer for Britain’s coming general election. Given the sour public mood and the Conservative Party’s dire poll ratings, the storm clouds are already forming. The big question is not whether the governing Conservatives will lose seats — that is a foregone conclusion among pollsters — but whether the losses will exceed or fall short of expectations after 18 months in which the Tories have consistently trailed the opposition Labour Party by yawning margins. “If a party has been 20 points behind the opposition for 18 months, how much worse can it get?” said Tony Travers, a professor of politics at the London School of Economics. “The losses would have to be very, very bad for it to be viewed as a negative result for the Conservatives, and they are unlikely to be good enough for Labour for it to be viewed as a success.”

Persons: pollsters, ”, Tony Travers Organizations: Wales, Conservative, Conservatives, Tories, Labour Party, London School of Economics, Labour Locations: England

☆ England’s Local Elections and Their Wider Significance, Explained
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Megan Specia | More About Megan Specia | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Voters in England and Wales will cast ballots for mayors, council members and police commissioners on Thursday. And while the elections will, of course, focus on local issues like garbage collection and public safety, this vote is expected to have broader significance. Local elections, by their nature, are about who leads communities and ensures the delivery of certain public services. The Conservatives face a fierce challenge from the opposition Labour Party, led by Keir Starmer. About one-third of England’s council seats are being contested on Thursday, and 10 mayoral seats in major English metro areas, home to about a third of Britain’s population, are also up for election.

Persons: Rishi Sunak’s, Keir Starmer Organizations: Conservative Party, Conservatives, Labour Party, Labour Locations: England, Wales

☆ He Won by a Landslide. Why Is He Fighting for His Political Life?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Stephen Castle | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

The last time Ben Houchen ran to be mayor of Tees Valley, a struggling, deindustrialized region in northeastern England, he stormed to victory with almost 73 percent of the vote. Three years on, Mr. Houchen, a Conservative politician, faces a re-election contest in which even a narrow win would do. As voters in England prepare to vote in Thursday’s local and mayoral elections, the governing Conservatives, led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, are trailing badly in the opinion polls to the opposition Labour Party ahead of a general election expected later this year. So Mr. Houchen has campaigned on his own achievements, relying on his personal brand as the poster boy for “leveling up” — the Conservatives’ flagship policy of bringing prosperity to disadvantaged regions of England.

Persons: Ben Houchen, Houchen, Rishi Sunak Organizations: Conservative, Conservatives, Labour Party, —, Conservatives ’ Locations: Tees Valley, England

☆ What to Know About the Breakup of Scotland’s Coalition Government
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Stephen Castle | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Scotland’s first minister, Humza Yousaf, on Thursday abruptly ended a coalition agreement between his Scottish National Party and the Scottish Green Party, creating a new set of challenges for an embattled leader whose party has been engulfed in a funding scandal since last year. But Mr. Yousaf’s decision to scrap the coalition appeared to take Lorna Slater, a co-leader of the Greens, by surprise on Thursday morning. of “an act of cowardice,” adding that Mr. Yousaf could “no longer be trusted.”Does this mean the end of the Scottish government? The Scottish Conservatives are pressing for a vote of no confidence in Mr. Yousaf, which the opposition Scottish Labour Party has signaled it would support, and that could take place next week. But that vote relates to confidence in Mr. Yousaf, not the government, so its implications are unclear even if he were to lose.

Persons: Scotland’s, Humza Yousaf, Lorna Slater, Yousaf, “ Organizations: Scottish National Party, Scottish Green Party, Scottish, Greens, Scottish Conservatives, Scottish Labour Party Locations: Scotland

☆ Trump meets with foreign leaders looking to boost their relationships with GOP leader ahead of election
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Alayna Treene | Steve Contorno | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

In recent weeks, Trump, seizing the role of both an erstwhile diplomat and ascending opposition party leader, has extended welcomes to a series of foreign leaders at his homes in Florida and New York. It’s not unusual for foreign leaders to meet with the leader of the party that doesn’t control the White House – especially one with a serious chance of becoming commander in chief. Biden and his top envoys have also met and spoken with opposition leaders, something that has been a longstanding practice for US officials. Last week, Trump met with Poland’s Duda at Trump Tower, where the two discussed NATO spending over dinner. Trump, both while president and during his 2024 campaign, has called on NATO countries to spend more on defense.

Persons: Donald Trump, hasn’t, Trump, Andrzej Duda, David Cameron, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Taro Aso, It’s, Sen, Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, Biden, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Antony Blinken, Keir Starmer, Joe Biden, “ They’re, he’s, “, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, ” Biden, ”, Kim Jong Un, ” Trump, Brian Hughes, Viktor Orban, Putin, Javier Milei, Orban, Viktor Orbán, Orbán, Aso, Fumio Kishida, Kishida, Lindsey Graham, Salman, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Poland’s Duda, Duda, meanwhile, Cameron, Karen Pierce, Cameron’s, Pierce didn’t, Queen Elizabeth II Organizations: CNN, Air Force, British, Saudi Crown, Middle East, Republican, UK Labour Party, US State Department, Biden, Trump, NATO, Conservative Political, Japanese, White, Liberal Democratic Party, Saudi, New York Times, South Carolina Republican, Hamas, The New York Times, Trump Tower, Republicans, Democrats, UK Locations: House, huddling, Florida, New York, Lago, Manhattan, Japan, China, North Korea, Berlin, United Kingdom, Israel, Poland, Belarus, Munich, Europe, America, Ukraine, Korean, United States, Palm, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, American, Russia, British, Washington

☆ Rwanda bill: UK passes controversial bill to send asylum seekers to East Africa after two years of challenges
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The UK parliament has finally passed a contentious bill that will allow the government to send asylum seekers to Rwanda for their claims to be considered by the East African nation. In theory, the legislation will see some landing in the UK sent to Rwanda where their asylum claim will be considered. And it makes clear that the UK Parliament is sovereign, giving the government the power to reject interim blocking measures imposed by European courts,” he added. The European court has previously barred it from sending asylum seekers to Rwanda. To date, the Rwanda policy has cost the British government £220m ($274m), and that figure could rise to £600m after the first 300 people have been sent to East Africa.

Persons: Rishi Sunak’s, Sunak, ” Refoulement, Bill, James, Rwanda Bill, –, Rishi Sunak, Toby Melville, Nigel Farage – Organizations: CNN, East, of Human, European Convention of Human Rights, Commons, Sunak, University of Oxford, Conservative Party, Reform UK, Labour Party Locations: Rwanda, United Kingdom, France, ”, East Africa

☆ Rishi Sunak: Everything seems to be going wrong for British PM
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Life must seem bleak for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak these days. Sunak has said that he will hold a general election this year, but has yet to confirm its date. It was only voted through by MPs because it has the support of the opposition Labour Party. Anderson is a working-class former miner who is from a part of the country that traditionally votes for the opposition Labour Party. However, Anderson was suspended from the Conservative Party after making comments about the Muslim mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, that Sunak clearly believed were beyond the pale.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Sunak, –, Boris Johnson, Winston Churchill, It’s, ” Rishi Sunak, Dan Kitwood, Liz Truss, Lee Anderson, Anderson, Elon Musk, Tesla, Kirsty Wigglesworth, doesn’t, Sadiq Khan, Suella Braverman, Braverman, Johnson, Rishi, ” Sunak Organizations: CNN, British, Conservative Party, Labour Party, ”, Conservatives, Allies, Labour, Sunak's, SpaceX, Reuters, Conservative, “, Adidas Samba Locations: Quebec, London, Rwanda

☆ British Foreign Secretary David Cameron meeting with Trump on Monday night
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Kaitlan Collins | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —British Foreign Secretary David Cameron will meet with Donald Trump at the former president’s Mar-a-Lago club on Monday night, two people familiar with the visit told CNN. “The Foreign Secretary is on his way to Washington DC, where he will hold discussions with US Secretary of State Blinken, other Biden administration figures and members of Congress. “Ahead of his visit to Washington, the Foreign Secretary will meet former President Trump in Florida today. The foreign secretary of one of America’s closest allies, Cameron served as prime minister from 2010 to 2016, stepping down before Trump assumed the presidency the following year. Trump and Cameron have both in recent days criticized Israel’s handling of its war in Gaza.

Persons: David Cameron, Donald Trump, Antony Blinken, Biden, Trump, ” Cameron, America, Ukraine’s, Mike Johnson, America’s, Cameron, “, Israel “, Israel, CNN’s Jack Forrest, Kate Sullivan, Rob Picheta Organizations: CNN, British, Washington DC, State, Western, Russia, Trump, Conservative Party, Labour, Sunday Times, Israel, Gaza Ministry, Health Locations: South Florida, Washington, Ukraine, Florida, languish, Gaza, Israel

☆ State-backed cyberattacks, AI deepfakes, and more: Experts reveal UK election cyber threats
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

State actors have since made routine attacks in various countries to manipulate the outcome of elections, according to cyber experts. "Right now, generative AI can be used for harm or for good and so we see both applications every day increasingly adopted," Meyers told CNBC. "This democratic process is extremely fragile," Meyers told CNBC. "You can train those voice AI models very easily ... through exposure to social [media]," Holmes told CNBC in an interview. It's just one example of many deepfakes that have cybersecurity experts worried about what's to come as the U.K. approaches elections later this year.

Persons: Andrew Brookes, Rishi Sunak, Todd McKinnon, Okta's McKinnon, We're, Adam Meyers, CrowdStrike, Meyers, Dan Holmes, Holmes, Keir Starmer, what's Organizations: Getty, Britain, CNBC, British, U.S, APT, New Zealand, Labour Party, Local, Facebook, Meta, Google Locations: Russian, Moscow, London, Wuhan, U.S, Australia, New, China, cybersecurity, Russia, Iran

☆ Is it last orders for London’s nightlife?
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-06 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

London CNN —It’s Thursday, 11.00 p.m., and on a street in London’s Soho district, there’s a loud clatter. “People haven’t got the money,” she told CNN. “That’s when their bills started coming through, the first heating bills from the winter,” he told CNN. Even before the ravages of the pandemic, the number of London’s nightlife venues was in steady decline. They don’t just go out for the sake of going out now,” she told CNN.

Persons: London CNN —, Lesley Lewis, haven’t, ”, Michael Kill, Grazyna, ” Kill, “, —, that’s, Kill’s, Jeremy Joseph, Freddie Mercury, ” Joseph, Jack Henry, Henry, Lutz Leichsenring, Fabian Sommer, Leichsenring, London’s, Sadiq Khan, Amy Lamé, Lamé, Khan, Lamé “, Charlie Fenemer, It’s, Becky Lam, Lam, ” Chris Lau Organizations: London CNN, Staff, CNN, Time Industries Association, York Minister, London, “, ”, German Commission, UNESCO, United Nations, Office, National Statistics, City Hall, Labour, Shady Locations: London’s Soho, London, Wales, Soho , London, Hoxton, London’s, Berlin, “ Berlin, Hong Kong, Soho, Hong, Beijing

☆ New Banksy mural depicting tree foliage appears in north London
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

People view a new mural attributed to the British artist Banksy on a wall in north London, Britain, March 18, 2024. A new artwork by British street artist Banksy has appeared in London, using green paint sprayed across the side of a building to mimic the foliage of a real, heavily pruned tree that stands a few metres in front of it. When viewed from certain angles, the green paint lines up with the tree's bare branches to represent its leaves. The work includes a stencil, typical of Banksy, of a person holding a spraying device, dripping in green paint. In December, artwork by Banksy showing three grey drones across a "STOP" traffic sign in south London was removed by an unidentified man in broad daylight as passersby looked on.

Persons: Banksy, Jeremy Corbyn, Corbyn Organizations: Labour Party, Police Locations: British, London, Britain, Islington

☆ Vaughan Gething to become Welsh first minister and Europe’s first Black leader
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Story Reuters | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Reuters —Vaughan Gething won the Welsh Labour Party leadership contest on Saturday, meaning he will become the first Black leader of the semi-autonomous government in Wales. Devolution, Welsh solutions to Welsh problems and opportunities is in my blood,” Gething, currently minister for economy, added. Keir Starmer, leader of Britain’s Labour Party, which opinion polls show as likely to win power in a national election due later this year, congratulated Gething in a statement. Drakeford will resign as first minister of Wales on March 19, the Labour Party said in a statement, with the Welsh parliament, the Senedd, formally set to elect the next leader on March 20. Also congratulating Gething on the win, Conservative British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on social media that he was committed to working together constructively.

Persons: Reuters — Vaughan Gething, ” Gething, Mark Drakeford, Keir Starmer, Gething, Vaughan, ” Starmer, Drakeford, Rishi Sunak Organizations: Reuters, Welsh Labour Party, “, Welsh, Britain’s Labour Party, UK Labour Party, Wales, Labour, Labour Party, Conservative British Locations: Wales, Zambian, Britain

☆ Backdrops from viral Willy Wonka-inspired experience go on sale
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The disastrous Willy Wonka-inspired experience held in Glasgow, Scotland, last month has already been immortalized in an endless stream of meme-orabilia that will forever live on a corner of the internet. “He has a workshop underneath the venue that hosted the Willy Wonka experience and… the day after everything blew up, he was just at the bins and saw all this stuff lying there,” Kasparis told CNN Wednesday. Despite having a starting price of £10 ($13), the three backdrops have already fetched 48 bids on Ebay, including a highest one of £760 ($973) as of Wednesday morning. “I’m anticipating getting into four figures,” Kasparis said, “which is what I’m hoping for.”As of Wednesday morning, the backdrops had received 48 bids. Frustrated with that gap between the advertising and reality, families attending the experience became so angry that the police were called, and the event was eventually canceled.

Persons: Willy Wonka, Michael Kasparis, “, ” Kasparis, ‘ I’ll Organizations: CNN, Ebay, Monorail, Aid, ”, Glasgow Children’s Hospital, Labour Party Locations: Glasgow, Scotland

☆ Premarket: Investors are obsessed with this AI stock you may never have heard of
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —Nvidia isn’t the only stock capturing the attention of AI enthusiasts these days. Nvidia closed above a $2 trillion market cap on March 1, joining an elite cohort including Apple and Microsoft. Supermicro’s stock gained even more momentum in January, after the company reported second-quarter results that blew past expectations and raised its full-year revenue forecast. Supermicro’s stock was one of the most popular names bought by Charles Schwab clients in February, according to the firm’s latest trading activity index. New York Community Bank gets $1 billion ‘lifeline’Beleaguered regional lender New York Community Bank is receiving a more than $1 billion equity investment, reports my colleague Elisabeth Buchwald.

Persons: Charles Schwab, ChatGPT, “, ”, Supermicro, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, Elisabeth Buchwald, Steven Mnuchin’s, NYCB, ” David Chiaverini, Joseph Otting, Alessandro DiNello, DiNello, Read, Jeremy Hunt, Hanna Ziady, Hunt, ” Hunt, Rishi Sunak’s Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, Micro, Devices, Federal Reserve, Victoria Bills, Banrion Capital Management, Bank of America, Goldman, New York Community Bank, New, Community Bank, Liberty Strategic Capital, Citadel Global, Street Journal, Wedbush Securities, CNN, Bank of England, International Monetary Fund, Hunt’s Conservative Party, Labour Party Locations: New York, San Jose, United States, Hudson Bay, NYCB

☆ UK ‘non-dom’ tax status, explained
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

“Those with the broadest shoulders should pay their fair share,” UK finance minister Jeremy Hunt told parliament Wednesday. ‘Colonial concept’The non-dom regime is an “archaic colonial concept,” which determines a person’s tax status based on their “intended” place of residence, said Arun Advani, an economics professor at the University of Warwick. The opposition Labour Party had previously said it would abolish the non-dom regime if it came to power, and spend the money raised on the National Health Service. Yui Mok/Pool/AFP/Getty ImagesMurty has since renounced those advantages, citing the “British sense of fairness” and the “distraction” her tax status posed to her husband, who was serving as the UK’s finance minister at the time. But in November 2022 Hunt defended the “non-dom” status.

Persons: Jeremy Hunt, ” Hunt, Arun Advani, Advani, Rishi Sunak, Akshata Murty, Yui Mok, Murty, Hunt, “ I’m, ” Organizations: London CNN, Britain’s Conservative, Revenue, Customs, London School of Economics, Political Science, University of Warwick, Labour Party, National Health Service, Britain's, Getty, BBC Locations: United Kingdom, Britain, India, Buckingham, London

☆ UK government to deliver crucial pre-election budget announcements with economy in recession
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Economists expect Hunt to use a small modest windfall to deliver tax cuts as he looks to woo the electorate, with the main opposition Labour Party leading by more than 20 points across all national polls. Yet the chancellor is navigating the constraints of fragile public finances and a stagnant economy that entered a shallow technical recession at the end of 2023. Inflation has fallen faster than anticipated and market expectations for interest rates are well below where they were prior to Hunt's Autumn Statement in November, but many British households are still feeling the cost of living squeeze, while public services remain extremely stretched. The Treasury pre-announced plans over the weekend to deliver up to £1.8 billion ($2.3 billion) worth of benefits by boosting public sector productivity, including releasing police time for more frontline work. Hunt is under pressure from within his own party to deliver tax cuts, a move the International Monetary Fund warned against in January, given the country's spending needs on public services.

Persons: Jeremy Hunt, Hunt Organizations: LONDON, Finance, Budget, Conservative Party, Labour Party, National Insurance, Treasury, International Monetary Fund Locations: London

☆ UK Budget: Jeremy Hunt set to cut taxes for workers as election looms
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

A cut to national insurance — a levy paid by people who work — costing around £10 billion ($12.7 billion) is likely, according to multiple UK media reports. But soaring government debt, crumbling public services and a lackluster economy leave the chancellor with very little room for further substantial giveaways. Christopher Furlong/Getty ImagesOther so-called “unprotected” areas of the national budget, such as social care and the police force, are also at risk. “That seems unlikely when public services are creaking,” they added. OBR chair Richard Hughes said in January that the government had provided no detailed breakdown of departmental spending plans beyond March next year, giving only headline figures.

Persons: Jeremy Hunt, Rishi Sunak’s, Hunt, ”, Laura Kuenssberg, Jeff, Christopher Furlong, “, Richard Hughes, ” Hughes Organizations: London CNN —, Bank of England, Treasury, “ Conservatives, ” Hunt’s Conservative Party, Labour Party, Reuters, Office, National Statistics, Local Government Association, House, National Health Service, Capital Economics, ” Locations: Ukraine, Birmingham, England

☆ 'Unity of understanding' between Reeves and Hunt on fiscal rules, former MP Umunna says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via Email'Unity of understanding' between Reeves and Hunt on fiscal rules, former MP Umunna saysChuka Umunna, head of EMEA ESG at JPMorgan and former U.K. Labour Party MP, discusses the upcoming general election and the potential implications for fiscal policy.

Persons: Reeves, Hunt, Umunna, Chuka Umunna Organizations: JPMorgan, Labour Party

☆ 'Last chance saloon': UK finance minister expected to pledge pre-election tax cuts
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

British Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt said earlier this month the U.K. would not enter a recession this year. LONDON — Economists expect U.K. Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt to use a small fiscal windfall to deliver a modest package of tax cuts at his Spring Budget on Wednesday. However, the big questions over tax cuts remain heading into Wednesday's statement. Raja suggested the finance minister will err on the side of caution in loosening fiscal policy, favoring supply side support over boosting demand. "Therefore, tax cuts to national insurance contributions (NICs) and changes to child benefits are more likely to come in the Spring Budget (in contrast to earlier expectations of income tax cuts)."

Persons: Jeremy Hunt, Hunt, Sanjay Raja, Raja Organizations: British, LONDON, Finance, Budget, Conservative, Labour Party, Treasury, Independent, Deutsche Bank, Bank of England

☆ CNBC Daily Open: U.S. manufacturing struggles to recover
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Sumathi Bala | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Workers assemble printed circuit boards at the Intervala manufacturing facility in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. This report is from today's CNBC Daily Open, our international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. The CSI 300 was lower as investors focused on China's annual meetings and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index also fell. "Those names are being driven by earnings," Niles told CNBC last week.

Persons: Hong, Dow, Energy's, Jorge Leon, Jeremy Hunt, Dan Niles, Niles Organizations: US, Bureau, CNBC, Nikkei, CSI, Nasdaq, Budget, Conservative, Labour, Nvidia, Meta, Microsoft Locations: Mount Pleasant , Pennsylvania, U.S, China, Beijing, Angola

☆ In a bizarre British by-election, a pro-Palestinian firebrand just swept to victory
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

ROCHDALE, England - Feb 29: Workers Party of Britain candidate George Galloway speaks after being declared the winner in the Rochdale by-election on February 29, 2024. Christopher Furlong | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesStaunchly pro-Palestinian left-wing firebrand George Galloway on Thursday won a chaotic by-election in Rochdale, northwestern England that was defined by the Israel-Gaza conflict. ROCHDALE, England - Feb. 29, 2023: A man walks past a George Galloway election sign as residents begin to vote in the Rochdale by-election on February 29, 2024 in Rochdale, England. ROCHDALE, England - Feb. 19, 2024: People walk past pro-Palestinian graffiti in Rochdale on February 19, 2024 in Rochdale, England. Christopher Furlong | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Persons: George Galloway, Christopher Furlong, firebrand George Galloway, Galloway, Paul Tully, Azhar Ali, Ali, Conservative Paul Ellison Organizations: ROCHDALE, Workers Party of, Rochdale, Getty, Labour, Workers Party of Britain, Labour Party, Conservative Locations: England, Palestinian, Rochdale, Israel, Gaza, Britain's, ROCHDALE

☆ George Galloway: Pro-Palestinian firebrand politician wins UK byelection in blow to main opposition Labour Party
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —Britain’s opposition Labour Party, widely expected to win a general election due to be held within months, has lost one of its safest parliamentary seats to a pro-Palestinian former party member in a chaotic by-election. Labour initially stood by Ali, only to withdraw their support but too close to the by-election to put forward another candidate. Galloway was expelled from the Labour Party in 2003 after he opposed then Prime Minister and Labour leader Tony Blair’s support for the war in Iraq. Galloway’s victory is noteworthy for the context in which it took place, but doesn’t necessarily tell us much about the general election that will take place at some point this year. It does send a warning, however, to Starmer and the Labour Party about the need to properly screen candidates, as it could be badly hurt by similar stories emerging in the run up to the general election.

Persons: London CNN —, George Galloway, Azhar Ali, Israel, Ali, Galloway, Keir Starmer, Jeremy Corbyn, Tony Blair’s Organizations: London CNN, Labour Party, Veteran, Labour, Sun, CNN, Tottenham Hotspur, North London Jewish, Champion’s League, Press TV Locations: Rochdale, Gaza, British, Galloway, Britain, Israel, Iraq, Russia, Iran, Starmer

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