At the emirates. Good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one. Downing street has described as unacceptable remarks alleged to have been made by one of the conservative partys biggest donors about the mp, diane abbott, during a Business Meeting in 2019. The guardian claims that frank hester said ms abbott made him want to hate All Black Women and that she should be shot. This morning diane abbott has called the alleged comments frightening. Mr hester has admitted making comments about her which he described as rude, but his spokesperson has said this is not a confirmation of the quotes in the guardian. Henry zeffman has the story. Some people who give millions to Political Parties have high public profile is. Frank hester didnt. Until now. This is what the guardian says mr hester told staff at the Health Care Software company he built from scratch at a meeting back in 2019. Its like trying not to be racist, but you see diane abbott on the tv and you just want to hate All Black Wom
Limiting investment by American Companies in the chinese tech sector because of Serious National Security risks. It would require us firms to disclose investments in sensitive areas such as Artificial Intelligence and ban some investment altogether. Beijing has reacted angrily saying it is gravely concerned about the order. A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in washington says the curbs seriously undermine the interests of chinese and American Companies and investors. Republicans have said they do not go far enough. This is a new front in the tech war between two global superpowers, the restrictions prevent American Private equity and Venture Capital firms from investing in high tech sectors investing in high tech sectors in china, such as quantum computing, Artificial Intelligence and advanced semiconductors. The goal is to stop us capital in know how speeding up the development of technologies that could help china develop weapons for use against america in a military conflict. I
Another 2 cut in the pound in National Insurance , the National Insurance, the centrepiece of his pre election budget. But figures suggest expected rises in council tax will wipe out any benefits felt by households. Speaking after his statement in the commons today, jeremy hunt said his budget marks a big reduction in the tax bill for ordinary families. Families. What you see is that after a four percentage point cut in National Insurance , there is National Insurance, there is a big reduction in the tax bill for ordinary families , and that for ordinary families, and that is because the economy has turned a corner. Weve stuck to the plan we have. The forecasts are much more optimistic for the economy going forward. And as conservatives, we believe that if we bring down the tax burden that will fire up the economy, create more jobs, more money for pubuc create more jobs, more money for Public Services like the nhs, one more. So what are the key elements of other parts of the Spring Bud
Turned a corner. Weve stuck to the plan we have. The forecasts are much more optimistic for the economy going forward. And as conservatives, we believe that if we bring down the tax burden that will fire up the economy, create more jobs, more money for pubuc create more jobs, more money for Public Services like the nhs, one more. So what are the key elements of other parts of the Spring Budget . Well, the non dom tax status is to be scrapped and replaced by what the chancellor calls a modern residency system. The Great British pub will also get a boost from freeze on alcohol duty child benefit threshold goes up to £60,000 a yean threshold goes up to £60,000 a year, and the £0. 05 cut to fuel dufies year, and the £0. 05 cut to fuel duties locked in for another 12 months. Also in the budget, the vat registration threshold goes up from 85 to £90,000 a year. The pensions regulator will get new powers to make sure people get defined contributions and better value from their investment
News the licences will help britain meet its net zero pledge. Were announcing these new licences in the north sea with more to come , which will ensure more to come, which will ensure our Energy Security moving forward. It means well be less reliant on hostile foreign actors for our energy baseload, for the fossil fuels that were going to be relying on. For some years come, which will mean years to come, which will mean that will be reducing our c02 that we will be reducing our c02 emissions not importing those emissions by not importing those fossil fuels. But the announcement on future and further Carbon Capture and storage projects means that well be taking that Carbon Dioxide of atmosphere dioxide out of the atmosphere and it onto the north and storing it onto the north sea, means that getting to sea, which means that getting to net zero will be more achievable i k m an k man has been a british man has been released from prison in cyprus after sentenced for the after being sentence