News

Sunak’s view on Brexit, tax, immigration before becoming UK PM

Published

2 years ago

October 24, 2022

Rishi Sunak on Monday emerged head of the Conservative Party and set to become a new prime minister of the United Kingdom.
For the incoming PM, here is a summary of what he has previously said about three key issues facing the country: Brexit, economy/tax and immigration.

Brexit

Sunak campaigned for leaving the European Union in the lead up to the 2016 referendum, gathering a reputation as a staunch supporter of the project in the build up to that vote.

During the summer leadership election, he said he wanted to “fix” the Northern Ireland protocol, reform all EU laws still in place by next general election and scrap inherited EU financial regulations.

Economy and tax

The former chancellor was the driving force behind the rise in corporation tax from 19% to 25%, and the (now scrapped) rise in National Insurance – but has said he aims to bring down taxes overall in the future when it’s practical.

In his first bid to become PM, Sunak suggested scrapping the 5% VAT on domestic energy bills for next year and cutting the lower rate of income tax – currently 20% – by 1% from April 2024.

Sunak has also spoken extensively about the need to bring down government debt, and was very critical over the summer of Liz Truss’s plans to pay for tax cuts via extra government borrowing.

Immigration

Sunak has pledged to stick with the government’s Rwanda policy – which aims to send some cross-Channel migrants to the east African country, but is currently undergoing legal challenges.

The Home Office says the policy will work by deterring those using “illegal, dangerous or unnecessary methods” – such as on small boats or hidden in lorries – from claiming asylum in the UK instead of other safe countries like France.

Sunak has also said the overall number of asylum claims should be capped, and the rules of who is eligible to apply for asylum must be legally tightened.

-BBC News

News

Atiku alleges conflict of interest in Lagos-Calabar coastal highway contract

Published

6 mins ago

May 6, 2024

Trends Admin

Atiku alleges conflict of interest in Lagos-Calabar coastal highway contract

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has accused President Bola Tinubu of giving priority attention to his personal business and those of his family members over national interest in the award of over $13bn Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway to Hitech Construction Company Ltd.

Indeed, he alleged many issues were deliberately bypassed by the Tinubu regime to give the project to Hitech, the parent company of CDK Integrated Industries, where Seyi Tinubu, the President’s son, is a director.

Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 election, gave the comments on the project in a statement issued by Paul Ibe, his media aide, on Sunday.

Already, the Federal Government has commenced the construction of the 700km Lagos-Calabar coastal road, which is expected to run through the shoreline of beach resorts in Lagos while traversing eight other states.

The project has generated controversy about funding the businesses that would be affected by the construction and the timing of its implementation.

In his latest criticism of the project, Atiku said Seyi, the son of President Bola Tinubu, is a director on the board of CDK Integrated Industries, a subsidiary of the Chagoury Group, which is also the parent company of Hitech Construction Company Ltd.

The former vice-president cited a recent report by the Paris-based Africa Intelligence News Agency that Seyi is a formalised business partner with the owners of Hitech Construction Company Ltd.

Seyi is listed as a director on the website of CDK Integrated Industries.

CDK Integrated Industries manufactures ceramic tiles and sanitary towels and is one of several subsidiary companies under the Chagoury Group, including Hitech Construction Company Ltd.

He claimed the coastal highway project was “rushed and without a competitive bidding”.

He said, “Thanks to quality reporting by Africa Intelligence, our suspicions have been confirmed that Chagoury and Tinubu are indeed business partners and it has been formalized with Seyi on the board of one of Chagoury’s firms,” the statement reads.

“The awarding of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway was rushed; the environmental impact assessment report was not even completed; the right of way for the 700km stretch of the highway project was not secured; it was converted from a PPP to a government-funded project within the twinkle of an eye.

“The N500m that was approved by the National Assembly for the project was ignored, while over N1tn was released by Tinubu’s administration without approval from the National Assembly.

“To add insult to injury, this project that is being done in excess of $13bn was awarded without a competitive bidding.”

News

Presidency silent over Tinubu’s whereabouts after official trips abroad

Published

2 hours ago

May 6, 2024

Trends Admin

Presidency silent over Tinubu’s whereabouts after official trips abroad

There are concerns over the whereabouts of President Bola Tinubu as he has not returned to Nigeria a week after his official assignments in Netherlands and Saudi Arabia.

Tinubu travelled out on April 23 and had last attended a two-day meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) that ended on Monday April 29, 2024.

But since the programme ended, the Presidency has not released any statement on what is still keeping the President abroad.

A report by Daily Trust said there were speculations that the President must have proceeded to Paris, France, where he had travelled to several times for medical treatment.

It also reported a Presidency source as saying Tinubu had travelled to London shortly after completing the Riyadh assignment in Saudi Arabia.

“A highly placed official at the Presidency told one of our reporters yesterday that the President ‘is at the moment in London on a private visit’.”

The President on April 23 left Abuja for the Kingdom of the Netherlands on an official visit.

Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, had, in a statement, said the visit was on the invitation of Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

Ngelale said while in the Netherlands, Tinubu would engage in high-level discussions with the Prime Minister and hold separate meetings with His Royal Majesty, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Kingdom.

He stated, “While in the Netherlands, the President will participate in the Nigerian-Dutch Business and Investment Forum, that will bring together heads of conglomerates and organisations in both countries to explore opportunities for collaboration and partnerships, especially in agriculture and water management towards innovative solutions for sustainable farming practices.”

Ngelale also said Tinubu would, as part of the official visits, also proceed to attend a special WEF meeting scheduled for April 28-29 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

As of today May 6, both President Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima are out of the country.

Shettima on Sunday evening left Abuja for Dallas in Texas, the United States, for the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit.

Presidency silent over Tinubu’s whereabouts after official trips abroad

News

Shettima away to Texas for US-Africa Business Summit

Published

3 hours ago

May 6, 2024

Trends Admin

Shettima away to Texas for US-Africa Business Summit

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has travelled out to Texas, United States, for the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit.

The 16th US-Africa Business Summit is scheduled for May 6-9, 2024, in Dallas, Texas, a landmark event with the theme ‘US-Africa Business: Partnering for Sustainable Success’.

A statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, the Vice President would join other political and business leaders from Africa, the US, and beyond for high-level dialogues, networking sessions and plenaries.

Other African leaders expected at the summit are Presidents Joseph Boakai of Liberia, Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi, Joao Lourenço of Angola, Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana, José Maria Neves of Cabo Verde, and Deputy Prime Minister Nthomeng Majara of Lesotho.

Shettima is expected to speak at various sessions, including the Roundtable on African Infrastructure Investment and a plenary session on Navigating Africa’s Energy Future.

He is also scheduled to speak on a high-level panel on agribusiness, focusing on transiting “from food insecurity to thriving agribusinesses”.

He will chair a session promoting the ‘Invest in Nigeria’ initiative and attend other meetings and engagements on the sidelines of the summit.

Shettima, who is expected to return to Nigeria at the end of his engagements, travelled at a time President Bola Tinubu is also out of the country since April 23.