Of course most of the doom and gloom mainstream media may not be interested in featuring any positive British news stories, but we certainly are.
Keep checking in with the Conservative Post to see good news every day – the resurgence of British manufacturing, how our military is flying the flag across the world, positive policy making, global trade deals, our wonderful royals and many other things to be proud of.
Here are our 20 best read and most shared positive stories from just this week (23rd – 29th October 2023):
20. Eight dynamic innovation Launchpads across UK granted share of £75 million to turbocharge regional economies
Eight dynamic innovation Launchpads in every corner of the country granted share of £75 million to turbocharge ideas and regional economies through targeted support for small and medium enterprises. Following pilots in Liverpool and Teesside, launched earlier this year, a further 8 Launchpads, facilitated by Innovate UK, will be rolled out across every nation of the UK. These initiatives will build on existing clusters of high-tech innovation in each region… click here
19. 1,000 Miles of King Charles III England Coast Path reached as Ramsgate to Whitstable opens
Over 1,000 miles of the King Charles III England Coast Path completed as Ramsgate to Whitstable stretch is officially opened. The opening of a new section of the Coast Path marks a huge milestone. The newest section will help connect people with nature and will provide a wealth of health and wellbeing opportunities. Natural England has opened this section this week. The easy-to-follow walking route along the north east Kent coast offers spectacular landscapes… click here
18. Back to work boost for disability benefit claimants as ground-breaking employment scheme expanded
A pilot scheme for disabled people and people with health conditions to explore barriers to work will be rolled out to 12 new areas as part of the next generation of welfare reforms being introduced by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The government is taking long-term decisions to reform the welfare system so it better supports disabled people and people with long-term conditions into work, growing the economy and changing lives… click here
17. British beauty industry is booming and worth £20 billion annually to UK economy
This week marks British Beauty Week which highlights Britain’s thriving and influential beauty brands. The Department for Work and Pensions is using the celebration to call on jobseekers to consider one of the range of roles and fields the sector offers as their next career move, with over 4,000 vacancies live on the Gov Job portal. The Prime Minister has previously praised the British industry for being the best of British business and with an annual worth £20 billion to the UK economy, the sector is an important part of the Government’s drive to grow the economy… click here
16. Employment boost for thousands of parents on Universal Credit
Thousands of parents on Universal Credit will be supported to increase their chances of getting a job or up their work hours from this week. Parents of 3 to 12-year-olds will agree with their Work Coach to spend more time in work or applying for jobs, up to a maximum of 30 hours a week. Commitments will be tailored to parents’ personal circumstances, including the availability of childcare. Alongside local Jobcentre support, this action could include time updating CVs or developing skills through courses and workshops. The move comes after the UK Government boosted childcare support for low-income families… click here
15. Aston Martin electrification programme awarded £9 million funding from advanced propulsion centre UK
The innovative British ultra-luxury manufacturer Aston Martin is making a £2 billion commitment to advanced technologies over the next five years. British sports car manufacturer Aston Martin’s high-performance electrification strategy has been awarded £9 million of government funding through the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC), further supplementing the research and development of Aston Martin’s innovative modular battery electric vehicle (BEV) platform… click here
14. UK Space Agency and Axiom Space sign agreement on plans for historic human spaceflight mission
Astronauts from the United Kingdom could fly to space on a future Axiom Space mission, thanks to a new agreement signed between the UK Space Agency and the Houston-based space company. The agreement between the UK Space Agency and Axiom Space sets out plans for the two organisations to work together to pursue a commercially sponsored, UK astronaut mission. The announcement comes as Science Minister George Freeman… click here
13. Earlier mental health support announced for thousands of children and young people nationwide
Thousands of children and young people will receive earlier mental health treatment in a move to help save lives and ensure fewer youngsters reach crisis point, through ‘Early Support Hubs’ across the country. The government is making nearly £5 million available to provide earlier, open-access mental health intervention at ten hubs in community locations. The drop-in centres offer mental health support and advice to local young people who won’t need a referral by a doctor or school… click here
12. Crime and Policing Minister calls for zero-tolerance approach to tackling shoplifting with new action plan
Policing Minister Chris Philp chaired a meeting with senior police leaders and 13 of the UK’s biggest retailers this week to launch the Retail Crime Action Plan. Commissioned by the minister, the plan includes a police commitment to prioritise urgently attending the scene of shoplifting instances involving violence against a shop worker, where security guards have detained an offender or where attendance is needed to secure evidence… click here
11. New £100 million fund to capitalise on AI’s game-changing potential in life sciences and healthcare
A new mission announced by the Government will accelerate the use of AI in life sciences to tackle the biggest health challenges of our generation. In a speech on Thursday, the Prime Minister announced that a £100 million in new government investment will be targeted towards areas where rapid deployment of AI has the greatest potential to create transformational breakthroughs in treatments for previously incurable diseases. The AI Life Sciences Accelerator Mission will capitalise on the UK’s unique strengths in secure health data and cutting-edge AI… click here
10. Small businesses to benefit from one of the largest shake ups to procurement regulations in UK history
New procurement rules have become law following the Royal Assent of the Procurement Act – and is part of the Government’s work to make long-term decisions that will change this country for the better. The new rules are one of the largest shake ups to procurement rules in this country’s history. The Act establishes a new public procurement regime following the UK’s exit from the EU, and helps grow the economy by creating a simpler and more transparent system that delivers better value for money, reducing costs for business and the public sector… click here
9. British Army Royal Engineers lead training effort to help Ukraine defend its critical national infrastructure
Ukrainian civilian engineers have received training in the UK to learn techniques to protect critical infrastructure from Russian drone and missile attacks. British Army Royal Engineer specialists have delivered a new programme of training to help Ukraine strengthen its ability to protect its critical national infrastructure (CNI) from Russian attacks and save civilian lives this winter. Damage and destruction of CNI by Russian missile and drone attacks represents one of the greatest threats to the lives and safety of Ukrainian civilians following Putin’s illegal invasion… click here
8. New laws to speed up planning, build homes and level up
New laws have come into force to speed up the planning system, hold developers to account, cut bureaucracy, and encourage more councils to put in place plans to enable the building of new homes. These measures have become enshrined in law after the Levelling-Up and Regeneration Bill received Royal Assent this week. The Government is on track to meet its manifesto commitment of delivering one million homes over this Parliament, and earlier this year the Housing Secretary set out his long-term plan for housing and how we build the right homes in the right places… click here
7. 50 hotels accommodating asylum seekers will be exited in the coming months as small boat crossings fall
The first 50 hotels across the UK will stop housing asylum seekers by the end of January, as a result of a more than 20% drop in small boat crossings compared to last year, the Immigration Minister has confirmed. The Home Office has already notified local authorities, MPs and the accommodation providers, informing them that the first 50 hotels temporarily accommodating asylum seekers will be exited as part of the move to return hotels to their proper use by communities… click here
6. UK car manufacturing grows 39.8% in September with 88,230 units leaving British factories
New figures released this week show UK car manufacturing grew 39.8% in September, the strongest month of growth in 2023, with 88,230 units leaving British factories. September’s output is 25,105 more than the same month last year, according to the latest figures published this week by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). It means September is a triple success for the sector, with it being the strongest month of growth in 2023… click here
5. BREXIT WIN: Unlocking trade barriers as Japan opens doors to British cooked poultry meat
British cooked poultry meat products will soon reach Japanese tables thanks to a new market access deal that will benefit UK farmers, meat processers and exporters. The industry estimates that this market could be worth over £10 million in the next 5 years. Japan is renowned internationally for its stringent food safety and import control regime, as well as for its taste for high-quality, varied cuts of meats. The opening of this market for UK cooked poultry products demonstrates Japan’s confidence in the high standards of UK poultry production methods… click here
4. MADE IN UK: Pioneering UK bus manufacturer wins significant order from Germany
Pioneering UK bus manufacturer Wrightbus has secured a new order in Europe for its single deck zero-emission hydrogen bus. German-based bus operator West Verkehr has ordered a fleet of Kite Hydroliners after a Europe-wide tender process. The buses will be rolled out across the town of Geilenkirchen. The order is a significant one for Northern Ireland-based Wrightbus as it continues to break into the global sustainable transport market… click here
3. UK and Bulgaria sign joint declaration to tackle illegal migration, crime and Russian disinformation
The UK will tackle illegal migration, serious organised crime and Russian disinformation through a new strategic partnership with Bulgaria. The Joint Declaration signed by Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and his counterpart, Mariya Gabriel, in London this week will drive cooperation on shared challenges facing European countries, including organised crime and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The signing follows an agreement announced earlier this month between Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov to tackle illegal migration and organised immigration crime… click here
2. ‘Massive vote of confidence’ in Brexit Britain as UK is leading destination for VC investment in Europe
The United Kingdom remains by far the leading destination for venture capital investment in Europe, with £12 billion ($15 billion) raised in 2023 so far. Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch said the news was a “massive vote of confidence” in Brexit Britain. Trailing the UK in second and third place in Europe respectively, France raised $8 billion and Germany $7 billion, less than half of the UK’s figure… click here
1. Boris Johnson joins GB News
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson is joining GB News as a programme maker, presenter, and commentator. Boris joins in the new year and will play a key role in the channel’s coverage of both the UK general election and the US elections next year. He will create and present a new series showcasing the power of Britain around the world, as well as hosting the occasional special in front of live audiences around the UK. Announcing his first major broadcast role, Boris said: “GB News is an insurgent channel with a loyal and growing following. I am excited to say I will be joining shortly – and offering my frank opinions on world affairs”… click here
For last week’s top 20 Great British news stories (16th – 22nd October 2023) click here.
By Claire Bullivant
Conservative Post, Founder and Editor
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