New: government says enforcement of new controls on EU imports will be “pragmatic”.

This appears to mean that 100s of HGVs with incorrect documentation are being waved through at the border.

This Defra UK presentation says 33% of import declarations were being rejected,…

New: we were told Brexit would make food cheaper.

Next week, border checks on EU imports begin which will make food more expensive.

Analysis for ITV News shows the government’s BTOM could add £8.50 a month to the average household shop.

Full story 👇
itv.com/news/2024-04-2…

H2-Woe.

Thames Water confirms its shareholders are no longer willing to provide £750m of funding that had been pledged for this year.

They blame the regulator, OFWAT, for not allowing Thames to set customer bills at a level which makes the business “investable”.

In theory…

MPs summon the boss of P&O to answer questions about working conditions onboard the company’s ferries.

Meanwhile, P&O u-turns. It will now sign a charter which includes a commitment to paying crew the UK minimum wage. But it won’t say when.
Full report: itv.com/news/2024-03-2…

New: the chief executive of P&O Ferries has been summoned by MPs to answer questions about the way it treats its crew.

On 7th May, Peter Hebblethwaite will appear on a panel with executives from other firms which have been named and shamed for failing to pay the minimum wage.

Bank does what most predicted it would today in holding interest rates at 16-year high of 5.25%. My analysis for ITV News

itv.com/news/2024-03-2…

France’s Maritime Minister says it’s “dangerous” and “not moral” for P&O to ask crew to work for 17 weeks without a day off.

The law in France now limits the time crew can work to 2 consecutive weeks.

P&O Ferries hasn’t responded but has said previously its crew are well-rested

P&O Ferries continues to pay some of its crew less than half the UK minimum wage thanks to a gap in the legal protection for seafarers which the government promised to close.

Full report here:

itv.com/news/2024-03-1…

Recession may be over, but the UK economy is moving at a sloth-like pace, ITV News Business and Economics Editor @itvjoel reports itv.com/news/2024-03-1…

Killer chart from Resolution Foundation

This will be the first parliament in modern history in which living standards fall. Real Household Disposable Income is on course to decline by 0.9%.

2019 - 2024 has been period of “flatlining growth, falling living standards, and notable…”

'It's not a huge impact but it is an impact. But we need to see now how it materialises'

Governor of the Bank of England tells Joel Hills the new post-Brexit border controls which began to take effect yesterday will push up prices in the UK but it’s too soon to say by how much

IMF Chief economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas warns against tax cuts in the UK. Speaking at the IMF's world economic outlook conference in Jo'berg, Gourinchas said

'we would advise against further discretionary tax cuts as envisioned or discussed now.'

#IMF #UKEconomy

New: the International Monetary Fund warns that now is not the time to be cutting taxes in the UK.

Indeed, the IMF believes there’s a strong case for putting taxes up.

The Budget is on March 6th.

itv.com/news/2024-01-3…

ITV News Economics Editor Joel Hills breaks down how new Brexit rules will push up fresh fruit and vegetable prices

Awards News: P&O has won “Best Ferry Company 2024” at “the Oscars of the travel industry.”

Less than 2 years ago, P&O illegally sacked 786 staff. P&O still pays the agency crews who it hired to replace them (and who helped secure this award) less than the UK minimum wage… 🧵

HSBC helped raise £37bn last year for companies which plan to develop new oil and gas fields, in spite of a pledge to stop financing new fossil fuel extraction | Joel Hills reports from Davos

itv.com/news/2024-01-1…

'You had the opportunity to kill the Fujitsu project, you chose not to - why not?'

Former PM Tony Blair refuses to answer questions from Joel Hills on the Post Office Horizon scandal itv.com/news/2024-01-1…

Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year with my report for ITV News on the fireworks and celebration from around the world. 🌍 #NewYear2024 #Happy2024