The government could end up giving tens of millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money to an American company to help it restart carbon dioxide production at two plants, a minister has told Sky News. Speaking to Kay Burley, Environment Secretary George Eustice said that without the “temporary” agreement with CF Fertilisers there would have been
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The government has reached agreement with CF Industries to restart carbon dioxide production at its UK sites following talks between the company and Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng. The US firm said last week that it had stopped work at its fertiliser plants at Billingham on Teesside and Ince in Cheshire because of a surge in
Some of the UK’s biggest energy companies could be offered state-backed loans in return for taking on customers from smaller suppliers if they go under, as soaring global gas prices throw the industry into crisis, the business secretary has told Sky News. Speaking to Kay Burley, Kwasi Kwarteng also said that the carbon dioxide shortage
As many as one-in-four UK households receive energy from providers that could face collapse as a consequence of soaring gas prices, industry sources have warned. A 250% increase in prices has exposed providers whose wholesale supplies are not “hedged” or insured against market fluctuations, meaning they can now only fulfil supply deals with customers at
UK energy company Bulb is seeking a bailout to stay afloat amid surging wholesale gas prices with Boris Johnson insisting the issues facing the industry are global. A Bulb spokesperson said: “From time to time we explore various opportunities to fund our business plans and further our mission to lower bills and lower CO2. “Like
The owner of the sushi restaurant chain Yo! will this week take a further step towards a stock market flotation that could come as soon as next month. Sky News understands that The Snowfox Group will hold a presentation for City analysts as it prepares to announce a formal intention to float in London. City
A shortage of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas means Christmas dinners could be cancelled, the owner of the UK’s biggest poultry supplier has said. A steep rise in gas prices has caused two large fertiliser plants in Teesside and Cheshire which produce CO2 as a by-product to shut, hitting supply to the food industry. Ranjit Singh
The bonds of friendship between France and the UK, US and Australia have been “tarnished” by the AUKUS pact, and it is now “more difficult than before” for France to trust those countries, the president of the French National Assembly has told Sky News. Richard Ferrand is attending the G7 Speakers’ Conference in Chorley, Lancashire, hosted
Travel companies have seen a sharp surge in bookings as the government announced the current traffic light system of red, amber and green countries will be scrapped for England from 4 October. Thomas Cook’s chief executive said customers are “already booking in their droves” following the latest travel changes, with the holiday company experiencing its
Britain’s meat industry is warning of a shortage of carbon dioxide gas without which the food manufacturing process could grind to a halt. Representatives of the industry have been in emergency talks with the government over the crisis which is a knock-on effect of the Europe-wide surge in natural gas prices. CO2 is used to
Retail sales fell unexpectedly last month partly thanks to shoppers spending more money eating out than in supermarkets, official figures show. The 0.9% decline in sales volumes in August followed a downwardly-revised slump of 2.8% in July, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) – and was the fourth month in a row of
England’s 20 top-flight football club owners will be required to sign a nine-point plan designed to maintain the competition’s integrity in a bid to avert any future breakaway threat. Sky News has learnt that Premier League clubs were on Thursday sent a final draft of a new “Owners’ Charter” that their controlling shareholders will be
The Co-op has warned of pressure on profits as it faces “unplanned supply chain challenges”. The group, which operates 2,500 food stores as well as a wholesale business supplying other retailers, became the latest business to acknowledge the impact of the strain on UK logistics as it reported half-year results. They showed an underlying loss
Households are being urged to protect themselves from a surge in energy costs ahead of winter as a fire at a crucial power installation adds to growing worries about affordability in the months ahead. The blaze took out an electricity interconnector on the Kent coast – one of only two – which allows power to
Inflation rose to 3.2% last month from 2% in July – its largest ever recorded increase – the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. The consumer prices index (CPI) measure of inflation for August was the highest since March 2012 – though the ONS said much of the effect was likely to be temporary. That
Ministers have drafted in a Wall Street banking behemoth to advise on the future of Channel 4 amid a growing battle over the public service broadcaster’s prospective privatisation. Sky News has learnt that Oliver Dowden, the culture secretary, has approved the appointment of JP Morgan to provide corporate finance advice on Channel 4’s remit, ownership
The number of employees on UK payrolls recovered to pre-pandemic levels last month, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. A rise of 241,000 in August took the total number to 29.1 million, around the same level as in February 2020. The ONS also said the number of job vacancies in the June-August period climbed
It is “not in the hands” of ministers to guarantee there will be enough lorries on the roads to deliver presents on time this Christmas, the transport secretary has told MPs. Grant Shapps made the comment as he faced questions in the House of Commons about the HGV staff shortage. He was asked by Labour
Boris Johnson is being urged to “level up” Britain by backing pay rises for workers, scrapping his proposed cut in Universal Credit and tackling child poverty. The challenge comes from TUC leader Frances O’Grady in a call to the government to protect workers from further pandemics, climate change and the tech revolution. In her TUC
One of Britain’s oldest bicycle manufacturers is being put up for sale amid a continuing surge in consumer interest in cycling. Sky News has learnt that the owners of Ribble, which was founded in 1897, have appointed advisers to prepare the company for an auction in the coming months. Stifel, the investment bank, has been