Thursday’s headlines are dominated by chancellor Rishi Sunak’s attempts to ease the financial pain for households, including a cut in fuel duty and raising the threshold for paying National Insurance.
Elsewhere, the row over the sacking of 800 workers by P&O Ferries rumbles on after prime minister Boris Johnson said the move may have been “illegal”.
Here are the main headlines the travel industry woke up to on Thursday (24 March).
Biggest fall in living standards since the 1950s
The UK is facing the worst drop in living standards since records began after the Second World War, despite chancellor Rishi Sunak raising the threshold for paying national insurance during his spring statement on Wednesday (23 March). Sunak was accused of not doing enough to help people hardest hit by the cost-of-living crisis. (Various)
Doubt over PM’s claim that P&O Ferries sackings may be illegal
A claim by prime minister Boris Johnson that the sacking of 800 workers by P&O Ferries may have broken UK employment law has been thrown into doubt. Johnson made the comment during prime minister’s questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday (24 March). But the Department for Transport later admitted there had been a change in the law quoted by the PM. (BBC News)
China Eastern Airlines crash: recovery crews find flight recorder
Chinese recovery crews have found one of the two black box flight recorders from the China Eastern Airlines’ Boeing 737-800, which crashed in southern China on Monday (21 March) with 132 people on board. No survivors have so far been found by rescue workers searching the wreckage. (The Guardian)
Virgin Atlantic flies 52 Ukrainian orphans to the UK
A Virgin Atlantic flight carrying 52 Ukrainian children and their guardians finally landed at Heathrow on Wednesday (23 March) evening. The orphans, aged between two and 19, had been stuck in Poland because of a “bureaucratic nightmare’ for several weeks before finally being given clearance to travel to the UK. (Metro)
Johnson leads tributes on second anniversary of Covid lockdown
The UK remembered the victims of the Covid-19 pandemic on Wednesday (24 March) during events to mark the second anniversary of the first lockdown. Prime minister Boris Johnson led the National Day of Reflection, which featured a series of events around the country, including a concert at St Paul’s Cathedral in London. (The Daily Mail)
