UK borrows 20.7 billion pounds in June, ONS says
A Reuters poll of economists showed a median forecast of 16.5 billion pounds for public sector net borrowing last month.
($1 = 0.7423 pounds)
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Sky News
40 minutes ago
- Sky News
Trump issues warning to leaders as he arrives in Scotland
Why you can trust Sky News Donald Trump has landed in Scotland for a four-day trip including high-level meetings - praising Sir Keir Starmer as "a good man" but calling illegal migration a "horrible invasion" that is "killing Europe". Crowds gathered at Prestwick Airport in Ayrshire amid a major security operation for the US president's visit. Mr Trump told reporters: "I like your prime minister. He's slightly more liberal than I am... but he's a good man... he got a trade deal done. It's a good deal for the UK." The pair are expected to discuss potential changes to the UK-US trade deal which came into force last month. Trump left Air Force One to head to Turnberry, one of his Scottish golf courses. Part of the trip will include the opening of another course in Aberdeenshire, billed as "the greatest 36 holes in golf". "There's no place like Turnberry. It's the best, probably the best course in the world. And I would say Aberdeen is right up there," the US president said. " Sean Connery helped get me the [planning] permits. If it weren't for Sean Connery, we wouldn't have those great courses," he added. During the trip, President Trump will also hold discussions with Scotland's First Minister John Swinney and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who is keen to secure a trade deal with the US. Mr Trump told reporters there was "a good 50-50 chance" of an agreement with the EU but added there were "maybe 20 different" sticking points. EU diplomats say a deal could result in a broad 15% tariff on EU goods and half of the 30% Trump is threatening to impose by 1 August. The US president touched on illegal immigration and gave European leaders a stark warning. "You better get your act together or you're not going to have Europe anymore. You got to get your act together," he said. "But you're allowing it to happen to your countries and you got to stop this horrible invasion that's happening to Europe. Immigration is killing Europe." 1:30 He was also scathing about the installation of wind turbines across the continent. "Stop the windmills. You're ruining your countries," he said. "It's so sad. You fly over and you see these windmills all over the place, ruining your beautiful fields and valleys and killing your birds." Domestically, Mr Trump faces the biggest political crisis of his second term in office over his administration's handling of files linked to disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died in prison in 2019. He faced another round of questions after stepping off Air Force One. "You're making a big thing over something that's not a big thing. I'm focused on making deals, not on conspiracy theories that you are," he said. Mr Trump added that "now's not the time" to discuss a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's imprisoned accomplice. 17:35 👉 Follow Trump100 on your podcast app 👈 While the president's visit did attract some enthusiastic flag-waving supporters at Prestwick Airport, he is also likely to trigger a number of protests, prompting Police Scotland to call in support from other forces in the UK. The Stop Trump Scotland group has planned demonstrations on Saturday in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dumfries. About 70% of Scots have an unfavourable opinion of Mr Trump, while 18% have a positive opinion, an Ipsos poll in March found. Mr Trump is staying at his Turnberry property on Scotland's west coast this weekend, before travelling to Aberdeenshire on Monday, where he will open a second 18-hole course. He is due to return to the UK in September for a state visit hosted by the King - the first world leader in modern times to undertake two UK state visits.
Times
44 minutes ago
- Times
Green light for thousands more e-scooters on England's streets
Tens of thousands of extra e-scooters are set to arrive on English streets after ministers gave the green light to expand city and town rental schemes. Under updated guidance from the Department for Transport (DfT), new local authorities can apply to have e-scooters run by companies such as Lime, Voi or Dott in their area. It is the first time since the pandemic that new areas have been able to apply for e-scooters. Many are expected to do so and industry figures are in discussions with at least 12 councils, including big cities such as Manchester, Brighton, Leeds and Sheffield. At present there are 18 areas across England that operate e-scooter rental schemes on a trial basis, including London, Newcastle and Birmingham, but the scheme has been frozen for new applicants until now. It has proven controversial in some areas. Critics say rental e-scooters and e-bikes litter pavements and are dangerous for users and pedestrians. In July Dame Joan Collins, the actress, said there had been an 'invasion' of e-bikes and e-scooters in London, which was destroying the capital. The rental schemes have certain universal rules, such as a cap on speeds and scooter safety standards, but it is up to individual local authorities to decide regulations on parking or specific areas where users can ride. The changes by the DfT extend the e-scooter rental trial period to at least 2028 while the government gathers evidence on how best to regulate them. Any new area applying to be part of the trial must bring in a 'new feature', such as offering helmets to users or variable speed limits. A senior boss at Voi, the UK's largest rental company, said in June that a transport 'revolution' was coming to the UK, although it may 'hurt a little'. The company aims to have a fleet of 50,000 extra e-bikes and e-scooters on the streets within five years. Christina Moe Gjerde, vice-president for northern Europe at Voi, said the extension could allow the company to double the size of its UK business. 'E-scooters have already proven to be safe, sustainable and affordable, and legislation is needed so they can be here long into the future,' she said. 'We have seen some of the highest utilised schemes in Europe in the UK but growth is falling behind what we are seeing in other markets and part of this is the regulation not allowing for schemes to further grow.' Lime hailed the extension of the e-scooter trial as 'great news'. At present only e-scooters rented through official trials are legal on UK roads but retailers have been selling private devices for years and their popularity has exploded since the pandemic. Police have been accused of largely turning a blind eye to their use. However, in recent years some police forces have stepped up efforts to tackle the problem of e-scooters being used illegally. Since the City of London launched its cycle response unit in 2023, the team have seized and destroyed almost 600 e-bikes and e-scooters, up until June. • What are the police doing about dangerous e-scooter riders? Ministers are said to be acutely aware of the need to find a permanent solution to rules around e-scooters and to bring to an end the patchwork of trials. Transport ministers would like to put forward a bill in the next King's speech to update the law to reflect new modes of transport. It could include changing the way private rental companies are regulated and also make private e-scooters legal for the first time. Under planned laws that would enable private devices to be legalised, riders could be forced to display licence plates and take out insurance. It is believed that such measures would help police clamp down on antisocial behaviour linked to the scooters. The DfT said: 'Safety is at the heart of all e-scooter trials and riding a privately owned e-scooter on public land remains illegal. We are extending trials to deepen our understanding of e-scooter safety as we move towards legislating around their use, to better crack down on nuisance and antisocial use.'
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
China's Premier Li proposes global AI cooperation organisation
SHANGHAI, July 26 (Reuters) - Chinese Premier Li Qiang proposed on Saturday establishing a world artificial intelligence cooperation organisation, calling on countries to coordinate development and security of the fast-evolving technology. Speaking at the opening of the annual World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, Li called AI a new engine for growth but said governance is fragmented and emphasised the need to step up coordination between countries to form a globally recognised framework for AI. The three-day event brings together industry leaders and policymakers at a time of escalating technological competition between China and the U.S., with AI emerging as a key battleground between the world's two largest economies. Washington has imposed export restrictions on advanced technology to China, including AI chips and chipmaking equipment, citing concerns the technology could enhance China's military capabilities. Despite these restrictions, China has continued making AI breakthroughs that have drawn close scrutiny from U.S. officials. Li said AI technologies were rapidly evolving but that there were constraints, such as the lack of high-end computing chips and restrictions on talent exchange. He called for breaking through bottlenecks for open and coordinated innovation.
