What a great start to 2024 with lots of great British news already hitting the headlines.
You might not hear about it on a lot of the 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.
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Here are our 20 best read and most shared positive stories from just this week (1st – 7th January 2024):
20. New tax credits for British film, TV and video game makers
British film, TV and video game producers will benefit from new, more generous tax credits that start this week. To maximise the potential of the UK’s cutting-edge production industry and help incubate unique British talent, the government’s Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit and the Video Games Expenditure Credit replace the previous tax reliefs for film, TV and video games. All companies will receive more tax relief than they did under the previous system, greater flexibility over production decisions and greater clarity about the amount of credit companies can expect to receive… click here
19. Another record-breaking year for NHS cancer checks
More people than ever before are getting tested for cancer with almost 3 million checks over the last 12 months, new analysis shows this week. New figures show almost 3 million people (2,980,258) were seen for urgent cancer checks over the last year (Nov 2022 to Oct 2023) – the highest year on record. Up by 147,960 on the same period last year, and up over a quarter (622,562) on the same period before the pandemic (2,357,696). The new analysis also shows there has been a 133% increase in the number of people getting checked for cancer, over the last decade… click here
18. Households in England no longer have to pay to get rid of DIY waste at council recycling centres
Households no longer have to pay to get rid of small-scale DIY waste at council recycling centres, boosting recycling and making it easier for people to dispose of their waste in a responsible manner. The Government has abolished the fees which around one-third of local authorities previously charged to dispose of DIY waste at household waste recycling centres (HWRCs). From this week, all councils in England will now treat DIY waste the same as other household waste when it meets certain conditions, such as not exceeding 2x 50L rubble bags… click here
17. £38 million funding for world-class UK Battery Industrialisation Centre
The UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) has secured funding to upgrade the facility to support innovation projects for high-tech developers and users of battery technologies. The new flexible scale-up line will bridge the gap between UKBIC’s existing volume industrialisation line and kilogramme scale demonstrator lines available elsewhere. The new capability, which is expected to be operational during 2025, will provide battery developers with an increasingly cost-effective route to market… click here
16. First UK maritime shipment of lifesaving aid for Gaza arrives in Egypt
The first UK maritime shipment of aid for Gaza has arrived in Egypt, carrying almost 90 tonnes of thermal blankets and other essential items. The lifesaving shipment was delivered from Cyprus by Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Lyme Bay, carrying thermal blankets, shelter packs and medical supplies provided by the UK and the Republic of Cyprus. From Port Said, the aid will be received by the Egyptian Red Crescent and will make its way to Al Arish and then through Rafah and into Gaza for distribution by UNRWA… click here
15. Oxford Vaccine Group receives £7.8 million in research funding to fight pandemic and epidemic threats
Oxford Vaccine Group (OVG), which led the rapid clinical development of the Oxford vaccine in COVID-19 in the pandemic, has been awarded a total of £7,788,783 by UK Aid for research into the prevention of five dangerous diseases with epidemic or pandemic potential. The awards will fund research into vaccines against: Chikungunya and mayaro virus, Marburg virus, Plague (Yersinia pestis), Q Fever (Coxiella burneti) and Sudan Ebolavirus… click here
14. Sainsbury’s kicks off 2024 with £200 million investment
Sainsbury’s has announced it will be investing £200 million to offer a leading rate of colleague pay, increasing to £12 per hour and recognising the hard work of staff across Sainsbury’s and Argos. Effective from March, this is Sainsbury’s single biggest ever investment into colleague pay and 120,000 hourly paid staff will benefit. Sainsbury’s has increased pay by 50% since 2018 and by 9% in the last year, in line with the Real Living Wage. Sainsbury’s has an excellent track record in being a leading employer, with consistent improvement in colleague retention and lower absence… click here
13. POWERING UP Britain as UK becomes first country in Europe to produce advanced nuclear fuel
The UK will become the first country in Europe to launch a high-tech HALEU nuclear fuel programme, strengthening supply for new nuclear projects and driving Putin further out of global energy markets. The landmark £300 million investment is part of plans to help deliver up to 24GW of clean, reliable nuclear power by 2050 – a quarter of the UK’s electricity needs. The launch of the HALEU programme will enable the UK to supply the world with specialist nuclear fuel and further isolate Putin’s Russia… click here
12. Digital pathology to improve cancer screening and save lives
Screening for breast, bowel and cervical cancer will be made quicker and more effective under plans to roll out the use of digital images to detect cancer. The Department of Health and Social Care is taking forward the recommendation of the UK National Screening Committee to increase the use of digital pathology to examine body tissue samples as part of screening programmes. The government has also opened 141 community diagnostic centres delivering more than five million additional scans, including for cancer, and earlier this year invested a further £10 million for 28 new breast screening units… click here
11. Win for UK businesses as UK Export Finance backs Saudi Arabian Six Flags deal
UK Export Finance has provided $700m financing facility for the Six Flags Qiddiya City theme park in Saudi Arabia based on the project procuring goods and services from UK suppliers. This is UKEF’s largest Murabaha financing to-date and first in the region, a move which helps UK exporters gain wider access to the opportunities being created by PIF’s investment in large-scale infrastructure development. UKEF Chief Executive said: UKEF IS DETERMINED TO ENSURE THAT BRITISH BUSINESSES CAN BENEFIT FROM THE ENORMOUS EXPORTING OPPORTUNITIES IT OFFERS”… click here
10. Highly effective malaria vaccine developed by University of Oxford awarded ‘stamp of approval’
Oxford University’s R21/Matrix-M™ malaria vaccine is one step closer to mass rollout, after officially receiving WHO prequalification status, making it eligible for procurement by United Nations agencies. A malaria vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and the Serum Institute of India, leveraging Novavax’s adjuvant technology, has been awarded prequalification status by the World Health Organization (WHO). This milestone represents a key step in making the vaccine accessible to those who need it the most… click here
9. New NHS energy deal to cut bills by up to £100 million a year
The NHS is to roll out a new centralised approach to buying energy which could help slash its energy bill nationally by up to £100 million a year, as part of a major drive to find further efficiencies and improve care. From January, the NHS is now using its buying power to purchase energy nationally, driving down costs to reinvest into frontline patient care. There are currently 200 different energy contracts in place in trusts across England, each with varying value that have been purchased in different ways… click here
8. Millions more people receive GP appointments compared to before the pandemic
Four million more GP appointments a month are being delivered for patients compared to the same month before the pandemic, as part of the NHS primary care access recovery plan. New NHS data published this week shows more than 31.4 million appointments (excluding vaccinations) were delivered by GP practices in November 2023, making it the busiest November on record for GP teams… click here
7. BAE Systems wins $92 million contract to continue US Navy Air Traffic Control and Landing Systems support
British multinational arms, security, and aerospace company BAE Systems has won a follow-on contract to continue supporting Air Traffic Control & Landing Systems Operations Onboard US Navy Ship and Shore Based Sites (AOOSS). The five-year indefinite-delivery / indefinite-quantity contract, valued at $92 million, was awarded by the US Navy Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD)… click here
6. Business and Trade Secretary visits Turkey to boost trade ties
Business and Trade Secretary kicks off 2024 with trip to Turkey to boost trade. Trade between the UK and Turkey reached £26.2 billion in the 12 months to June 2023, making Turkey the 17th largest trading partner for the UK. Ahead of the launch of talks on an upgraded trade deal with Turkey, Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch is visiting Istanbul to strengthen trade ties and kick off a year of boosting services trade. The UK and Turkey have a thriving trading relationship, with trade up more than 17% in current prices to £26.2 billion in the year to June 2023… click here
5. Biggest upgrade to UK farming schemes introduced by the Government since leaving the EU
The biggest upgrade to the UK’s farming schemes since leaving the European Union has been set out by the Environment Secretary Steve Barclay this week. The Environment Secretary is announcing major updates for farmers, with an increase in funding and reduction in red tape this summer. The updates include funding uplifts, streamlined application processes, enhanced environmental incentives and support for the roll out of new technology. These will provide further support for British farmers, strengthening supply chains and helping deliver the Government’s commitment to continue to produce at least 60% of the food we eat in the UK… click here
4. International students no longer able to bring family members to the UK
From 1 January 2024, tough government action means most international students can now no longer bring family members to the UK. Restrictions to student visa routes came into effect as the government continues to slash migration and curb abuse of the immigration system. International students starting courses this month will no longer be able to bring family members on all but postgraduate research courses and courses with government-funded scholarships. The changes, first announced last May, have also seen people banned from using the student visa as a backdoor route to work in the UK and will see an estimated 140,000 fewer people come to the UK… click here
3. British shipbuilders Harland & Wolff open 2024 apprenticeship scheme
British shipbuilding and fabrication company and marine engineering business, Harland & Wolff, has announced applications for its 2024 apprenticeship programme are now open. The company is setting its sights on a record intake of apprentices over the next 12 months to support its ambitious growth and diversification plans across the maritime sectors in which it operates, which include commercial, defence and renewables. Harland & Wolff’s apprenticeship programme was first launched in 2021 and is designed to equipped early careers young people leaving school and college with the skills required to forge a rewarding and long-term career in the shipbuilding and marine fabrication… click here
2. Boris Johnson’s game-changing Turing Scheme boosts global placements beyond Europe
New research shows Boris Johnson’s flagship scheme for overseas study has strengthened partnerships all over the world – not just those in Europe. Disadvantaged young people make up the a large proportion of international study placements, new research published this week shows. The government’s flagship Turing Scheme, which enables students to work and study abroad has proved a success, providing tens of thousands of young people across the UK with transformational opportunities… click here
1. £1,000 yearly tax cut for households
27 million people across the UK will benefit from a yearly tax cut worth hundreds of pounds from today, meaning a household with two average earners will save nearly £1,000 per year. The main rate of National Insurance has been cut by 2p from 12% to 10% today (Saturday 6 January 2024). This reduces National Insurance by more than 15%, saving £450 this year for the average salaried worker on £35,400. Millions of people working different jobs across hundreds of industries will now be better off… click here
For last week’s top 20 Great British news stories (24th – 31st December 2023) click here.
By Claire Bullivant
Conservative Post, Founder and Editor
If you enjoy our news service please consider donating to our journalism fund so we can grow our editorial team, protect conservative journalism and keep spreading the best of British news.
