Once again there’s been plenty of positive British news this week. You might not hear about it on the BBC or most other news outlets, but remember positive things are happening across our great nation.
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 news stories from just this week (4th – 10th September 2023):
20. Government announces £5.5 million to establish a UK Medicines Manufacturing Skills Centre of Excellence
The government is helping to sustain and grow the 280,000-strong UK life sciences workforce by this week by announcing £5.5 million to establish a Medicines Manufacturing Skills Centre of Excellence. This latest demonstration of the government’s commitment to UK life sciences will help ensure the sector has the right talent to drive innovation and deliver its high-skilled that will help the UK respond to future health emergencies. This £5.5 million grant funding forms part of the £650 million ‘Life Sci for Growth’ war-chest to fire up the sector… click here
19. GREAT BRITAIN at top of world rowing medal table with seven medal haul
God Save the King rang out five times at the Sava River as Great Britain ended the day yesterday (Saturday) with five gold, one silver and a bronze at the World Rowing Championships in Belgrade. GB Rowing currently sits top of the medal table with seven medals in total and have three further A finals to contest today. The Women’s quadruple sculls (W4x) of Lauren Henry, Hannah Scott, Lola Anderson and Georgie Brayshaw… click here
18. UK donation of hydrographic equipment keeps Ukrainian waters safe
The UK Hydrographic Office has donated survey equipment and cartographic software to Ukraine to support safer navigation in the area and keep waters safe. The UK Hydrographic Office, an agency of the Ministry of Defence, has donated £1.6 million worth of equipment to the State Hydrographic Service of Ukraine, helping to keep the seas around Ukraine safe and support commercial shipping amid ongoing Russian attacks. The equipment – which includes two full Single Beam Echo Sounder systems and two Multibeam Echo Sounder systems – will be used to carry out hydrographic surveys… click here
17. Government clampdown on fake reviews and hidden fees to help customers cut the costs of living
A clampdown on fake reviews and hidden fees has been announced by the Government which will help customers cut the costs of living. Consumers are at the heart of new consultations launched as the Government commits to improving transparency, fairness and clarity for customers as they shop – including a crackdown on hidden fees in products ranging from train tickets to food deliveries. Commissioned as part of the Government’s ongoing work to support people with the cost of living, government research published this week will inform the consultation to ensure we root out where ‘drip pricing’ harms consumers most… click here
16. MADE IN BRITAIN: Iconic Bentley Blower reborn as the ultimate urban vehicle
Bentley Motors and The Little Car Company have unveiled a road-legal, 85 per cent scale recreation of the most famous Bentley in the world. ‘Blower Jnr’, a recreation of the 1929 4½-litre Supercharged Team Car No. 2 in Bentley’s Heritage Collection, is the first road-legal car from The Little Car Company and the most sophisticated city car ever built. Crafted by hand to the same standards as any Bentley, and adorned with beautiful details all inspired by the original Team car, Blower Jnr is built around a 48V electric powertrain with a 15 kW (20 bhp) motor… click here
15. First cohort of apprentices in training for telecoms jobs of the future following investment from government
The first cohort of Cumbrian apprentices are now in training for telecoms jobs of the future, following millions of pounds of investment from the UK government, with all set to be offered permanent employment on completion. In a huge boost for jobs and skills across Cumbria, broadband provider Fibrus, alongside network build partner Viberoptix, have committed to creating at least 90 apprenticeships covering a range of roles from underground and overhead cabling to surveying – as part of a £108 million government investment to provide lightning-speed broadband connectivity… click here
14. £90 million contract equips British troops with advanced new rifle
British troops will soon be more lethal on the battlefield, as a new £90 million contract delivers modern, high precision rifles. The Alternative Individual Weapon (AIW) system – known as the L403A1 and procured by Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) under Project HUNTER – is made up of a new assault rifle fitted with a muzzle signature reduction system and an improved optical sighting system. The AIW is a modern rifle using the latest in design technology and manufacturing methods, to produce an exceptionally reliable and accurate weapon. The magnified optic means the user is able to engage threats from greater distances… click here
13. New welfare reforms to help disabled people and those with health conditions into work
Disabled people and those with health conditions, who are currently being held back from improving their lives through work, will be better supported to realise their potential under Government plans unveiled this week. A consultation, launched this week will consider changes to the Work Capability Assessment, with proposals to ensure it is delivering the right outcomes for supporting those most in need. The consultation will look at updating the Work Capability Assessment’s categories so they better reflect the modern world of work… click here
12. £381 million boost for EV charging as Chancellor opens West Midlands hub
A new electric vehicle charging hub – big enough to charge 180 cars simultaneously – has been opened by the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in Birmingham this week. It marks a significant boost for Britain’s electric car charging network, becoming the largest electric vehicle charging site in the UK. The Gigahub™, located at the city’s NEC Campus, is the largest-ever private investment in a UK electric vehicle project to date. The project has been developed by a three-way collaboration between the NEC, EV Network and bp pulse, and is now operated by bp pulse… click here
11. Government delivers extra £50 million home adaptation funding
Money provided to local authorities so they can make quicker home adaptations for older people or those with disabilities, ensuring they can stay independent. Fifty million pounds has been allocated to local authorities from today to help older people and those with disabilities live safely and independently in their own homes. Delivered jointly by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, eligible disabled people of all ages will be able to apply to their local authority for a grant to adapt their home to better meet their needs… click here
10. UK announces support to alleviate global impact of Putin’s weaponisation of Ukrainian grain
UK will host international food security summit later this year and increase support for vulnerable people worst hit by rising food prices. Global leaders must make it clear Putin’s withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative has increased Russia’s global isolation and protect those whose lives have been devastated by Putin’s illegal war, the Prime Minister said at the G20 Summit in India this week. Families both in Ukraine and across the world continue to suffer as a direct result of Putin’s brutal invasion 18 months ago… click here
9. UK joins Horizon Europe under a new bespoke deal
UK scientists will have access to the world’s largest research collaboration programme, Horizon Europe, as the Prime Minister secures a bespoke deal with improved financial terms for the UK’s participation. From this week, UK researchers can apply for grants and bid to take part in projects under the Horizon programme, with certainty that the UK will be participating as a fully associated member for the remaining life of the programme to 2027. Once adopted, the UK will also be able to join the governance of EU programmes – which the UK has been excluded from over the last three years – ensuring we can shape collaboration taking place next year… click here
8. TEAM GOLD for GREAT BRITAIN at European Dressage Championships
Following two personal best performances by Britain’s leading ladies on day two of team competition in Germany, Charlotte Dujardin, Charlotte Fry, Carl Hester and Gareth Hughes have claimed Britain’s first dressage team gold medal since London 2012. With the scene set after a gripping opening round to the 2023 FEI European Championships, 32 of Europe’s top combinations stepped forward to represent 16 nations in the team medal showdown in Riesenbeck… click here
7. Over £50 million awarded to cutting edge manufacturing projects across the UK
Cutting edge projects in battery, self-driving and automotive R&D will receive millions in funding, driving innovation in energy storage and self-driving technologies. Over £50 million of government funding has been awarded to 30 cutting-edge manufacturing projects including rapid-charging motorcycles and self-driving cars, cementing the UK as the best location in the world to manufacture. The funding will boost the UK’s innovation of clean, green technologies, helping to create jobs and grow the economy… click here
6. Industry and national security heavyweights to power UK’s Frontier AI Taskforce
Leading names from national security to computer science will advise the UK government on the risks and opportunities from AI as the Frontier AITaskforce gathers momentum and appoints a team of experts to accelerate efforts. Formerly the Foundation Model Taskforce, the group’s focus will be on ‘Frontier AI’, and in particular, systems which could pose significant risks to public safety and global security. Frontier AI models hold enormous potential to power economic growth, drive scientific progress and wider public benefits… click here
5. Online animal cruelty activity to be removed from social media platforms across UK
Social media firms will be forced to remove online content facilitating animal torture in a further push to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online. Under new proposals, social media platforms will be required to proactively tackle the illegal content and have it swiftly removed, or face fines of up to £18 million or 10% of their global annual revenue. The amendment, which will be tabled in Parliament today, will require platforms to put in place systems and processes to tackle content that encourages or facilitates animal torture… click here
4. Royal Navy flagship sails to lead international carrier strike group deployment
Britain’s flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth sails this week from Portsmouth as she heads north to lead a Carrier Strike Group deployment alongside ships from partner nations. The aircraft carrier, crewed by up to 900 sailors, with her F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters and Merlin helicopters will lead a mixed group of warships from various nations as they head to the Norwegian Sea and waters of northern Europe. The UK Carrier Strike Group deployment comes just days after HMS Prince of Wales departed Portsmouth for the United States… click here
3. UK agrees new strategic partnership with Singapore
The UK has signed a new strategic partnership with Singapore to grow Britain’s economy and enhance shared security. The UK’s economy will be bolstered and our security strengthened under a new bilateral partnership with Singapore agreed by the Prime Minister this week. Rishi Sunak will meet Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in the margins of the G20 Summit in India to sign a new UK-Singapore Strategic Partnership. This agreement will set the direction of UK-Singapore relations for the next decade, upgrading the UK’s trade and investment relationship with one of Southeast Asia’s leading economies… click here
2. UK science facility that kickstarted Covid drug development granted £500 million upgrade fund
A groundbreaking science facility which kickstarted the UK’s world leading Covid drug development and has advanced treatments of global health challenges from HIV to malaria and cancer will be upgraded and expanded through a more than £500 million investment, Science and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan has announced this week. Diamond Light Source in Harwell, Oxfordshire is the UK’s national synchrotron – essentially a giant microscope, which produces light 10 billion times brighter than the sun that is directed into laboratories called beamlines… click here
1. UK business confidence surges to 18-month high
New figures show business confidence rose by 10 points to 41% in August to reach the highest level since February 2022 (44%), just prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The 10-point increase is the largest month on month rise since March 2023. Business sentiment was largely driven by a more upbeat view of the wider economy, after the latest rise in base rates of 25 basis points was lower than the 50 basis points increase some firms had been expecting. This led to an overall 15-point rise in economic optimism to 36%… click here
For last week’s top 20 Great British news stories (28th August – 3rd September 2023) click here.
By Claire Bullivant
Conservative Post, Founder and Editor
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Main Photo with permission from Diamond. Copyright: Sealand Aerial Photography Limited
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Get your tickets to the Conservative Democratic Organisation Gala Dinner to launch the Conservative Party Conference week off in style!
The black-tie gala event takes place on the evening of Sunday, 1st October and just outside the Conference zone (so you WON’T need a Conservative Party Conference ticket).
The evening will include a superb 3-course meal with wine, speeches from some very special guests, a celebrity-hosted auction and dancing to live music.
You will be joined by our dedicated Conservative patriots, including our supporting MPs, Peers, celebrities and top Conservative commentators who, like you, believe in our values and beliefs, want to reform our party and put our country first.
Please book early, as tickets are very limited.
Due to some VERY important guests joining us, details of the exact venue will be confirmed to you in the week before the event for security reasons. However, we can assure you it’s a spectacular 5-star venue near to the Conservative Party Conference.
We’re looking forward to welcoming you!
President Lord Cruddas, Patron Dame Priti Patel and the CDO Team
TICKETS: ConservativeDems.co.uk/Gala
Enquiries and Press: Please call Claire Bullivant on 07411188564.
