News about Gary Smith

Windfall tax is driving UK oil and gas producers to Norway, says MAGGIE PAGANO

www.dailymail.co.uk, April 24, 2024
Serica Energy is one of Britain's top ten oil and gas producers, delivering around 41,000 barrels of oil a year. Its portfolio of new projects include the Buchan redevelopment - about 120 miles northeast of Aberdeen -which is the third biggest underdeveloped field in UK waters behind Rosebank and Cambo.

After two-goal Champions Cup heroics, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez unleashed a "completely different level of intelligence," stunned Nashville coach Gary Smith says

www.dailymail.co.uk, March 8, 2024
And after a 2-2 draw in the CONCACAF Champions Cup's Round of 16, Nashville SC coach Gary Smith couldn't help but praise Inter Miami's Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez for their CONCACAF Champions Cup success. Thanks to a brace from Canadian winger Jacob Shaffelburg, Smith's Nashville side went up 2-0 at the half. Messi came back in the 52nd minute, and Suarez equalizer to put the score up a point forward of a potentially tense second leg in Miami.

So farewell, The Nine. Not many viewers will miss you (but I'll be one of them, honestly)

www.dailymail.co.uk, February 22, 2024
So let me fill you in on item two. The Nine is being binned. In the BBC, the presenters and news gatherers who brought this story to almost no one out are being redeployed.

When viewers abandon The Nine, BBC Scotland pulls plug

www.dailymail.co.uk, February 20, 2024
Following a long-running fight over low viewing figures, BBC Scotland's flagship news and current affairs program on the corporation's digital TV channel has been cut off. Since its inception in 2019, the Nine was branded a ratings disappointment, but it survived rounds of layoffs as broadcasting bosses rallied behind the hour-long show, which was originally hosted by Martin Geissler and Rebecca Curran. Subject to Ofcom's approval, it will now be replaced by a half-hour news show on 7 p.m. as part of a series of changes, including a regular extension to Reporting Scotland's running time.

The victims of timeshare misselling have been waiting for banks to cough up compensation

www.dailymail.co.uk, January 30, 2024
Thomas and Agnes Woods (pictured) are desperate to put an end to the timeshare nightmare that has cost them £48,000 over the last 24 years. The couple obtained a loan to buy a fractional timeshare in order to travel with their three children in destinations including Spain, the Lake District, and America in 2000.

Small business owners are cash rich but neglecting pensions: Here's what to do

www.dailymail.co.uk, January 27, 2024
According to a survey published by Workwell and IPSE, 51% of self-employed people invest money into their pension each month, while three out of four save regularly into cash accounts. Though automatic enrollment isn't as straightforward as automatic enrolment, there are good reasons to invest in a pension, and it's not too late to start.

Labour's 'reckless' opposition to new North Sea gas and oilfields 'is risking 200,000 jobs' and would 'decimate communities'

www.dailymail.co.uk, December 31, 2023
Claire Coutinho, the Labour leader, accusing Sir Keir Starmer of jeopardizing 200,000 British workers due to his opposition to the construction of new North Sea gas and oil fields. Labour has sluggishly opposed the proposals, arguing that "manding annual oil and gas licensing rounds would not save electricity prices for households and businesses" would not reduce energy prices for households and businesses. Coutinho's opposition was "reckless" and would put jobs at risk and leave the UK'importing filthier fuels and forfeiting billions of pounds of tax that can be invested in the green transition.

MAGGIE PAGANO: Unions back the North Sea

www.dailymail.co.uk, September 28, 2023
MAGGIE PAGANO: It's a strange old world when the head of one of the country's biggest trade unions supports a Tory government's unpopular decision to expand more oil and gas fields in direct contradiction to Labour's socialist agenda. And yet, it's just the case with Gary Smith, the GMB's third-largest trade union, in the United Kingdom. Smith had thumbed down for Equinor and Ithaca Energy's expansion of the huge Rosebank oil field within hours of the North Sea Transition Authority's approval. And it was an elitist welcome, with Smith saying that Rosebank is exactly what the country needs to ensure domestic supplies, which will help ensure that we have enough electricity to last a decade. Moreover, he said that initiating this project would be more effective than 'doubling down' on our reliance on imported gas, particularly in an increasingly volatile world.' And it's a lot better idea than having a ban. Sensible words from a sensible man.

DAN HODGES: Betting, vaping, and now driving... There is a merciless war on working Britons (and they've had enough)

www.dailymail.co.uk, September 17, 2023
It doesn't matter whether it's politicians from the Left or Right. Invariably working people are pinned underneath it, wherever the dead regulatory hand falls. These punitive attacks are inevitably portrayed as a benign paternalism. We're told, 'Smoking, problem gambling, and air pollution are all affecting poorer communities and we can't just sit back'.

Union boss Gary Smith dismisses Labour's green energy policy as 'impossible' and says the Left has been 'hoodwinked' into backing renewables

www.dailymail.co.uk, September 13, 2023
Labour's green energy scheme has been dismissed as "impossible," according to a union boss, who claims that the Left has been "hoodwinked" to favor renewables. Sir Keir Starmer's pledge to have a net-zero electricity system by 2030, according to Gary Smith, one of Labour's top contributors. It was 'impossible,' he told The Spectator, "It cannot be done." Cables can't be delivered [undersea] by the National Grid. There are four cable manufacturers around the world, and they're all booked out until 2030.'

As he says Labour should listen to ordinary people, Keir Starmer gets it wrong on Ulez and green policies

www.dailymail.co.uk, September 13, 2023
The intervention by the CEO of one of Labour's largest contributors came after criticism of Sir Keir Starmer's leadership at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) conference in Liverpool.

Sadiq Khan, the GMB union leader, sluggishly resigns over 'unfair' Ulez expansion in London, warns it is hammering NHS staff and other vulnerable employees

www.dailymail.co.uk, September 12, 2023
Last month, GMB general secretary Gary Smith said that the increase of the £12.50 daily fee was troubling employees who were already suffering as a result of the cost-of-life crisis. Despite a series of protests, Mr Khan pressed forward with the roll-out of the scheme to all London boroughs last month. Mr Smith told Sky News' Politics Hub that he acknowledged the need to combat air pollution and climate change, but financial concerns had to be factored in.

Poundland buys 71 Wilko shops after B&M snapped up 52 others - as 'gutted' shoppers hunt for items on bare shelves before shops close for last time

www.dailymail.co.uk, September 12, 2023
The news came as 'gutted' Wilko shoppers were left wandering around near-empty stores today, as 24 stores from London to Liverpool were expected to close for good this evening. A further 124 people are scheduled to retire by the end of next week. Customers who came to the shops today expressed sadness over the closures, while others compared Wilko's fate to that of Woolworths following the financial crisis.

Union calls for the right to use cash to be enshrined in law to protect people amid mass bank closures

www.dailymail.co.uk, September 12, 2023
According to a slew of High Street bank closures, the GMB, one of Britain's biggest trade unions, had'real and troubling' consequences. Many shops and restaurants now accept cash payments by card or electronic means, making it the first company to request for cash payments to be covered. According to the GMB, low-paid employees, senior citizens, and small businesses are all at risk of financial crime if they lack training in digital payment technology. Gary Smith (pictured), GMB General Secretary, said: "If you're not required to use a computer in your day job, then learning how to do it as an older person can be a challenge. It's also difficult to figure out the scammers.'

If a family inherits a pension, they will face the possibility of a £13k tax bill

www.dailymail.co.uk, August 12, 2023
For the first time, HM Revenue & Customs released plans to start taxing hundreds of thousands of thousands of people with inherited pension pots. The reforms will remove the ability to inherit a pension pot tax-free, and they could go into place as early as next April. When inheriting a pension, anyone who makes more than $100,000 a year - the new personal allowance - may face a tax bill. Modern defined contribution pensions, in which individuals and their employers contribute to a nest egg, are currently free of inheritance tax. So long as the deceased died before the age of 75, the person who inherits is also allowed to remove money from it without paying income tax. If the deceased was over 75, the beneficiary pays no tax on any withdrawals.

After surviving a horrific bike accident with 10 broken ribs, BBC Scotland political editor Glenn Campbell reports doctors have discovered a brain tumor

www.dailymail.co.uk, August 9, 2023
Since being diagnosed with a brain tumor, BBC Scotland political editor Glenn Campbell will have surgery. Since a bike accident in June left Campbell with ten broken ribs, he has been off air. He did not believe the tumor caused his accident, but it is likely that the fall may have helped reveal the tumor earlier than might have been the case.' He maintained that he is 'optimistic as it is likely to be' ahead of surgery on Thursday, adding that the operation is the "only way to find out what type and grade the tumor is and decide on further treatment.' After the crash, he told BBC colleagues that his bones had'mended really well' and he's feeling 'great.'

Experts warn of a planned'stealth tax attack' on inherited pension pots being mounted by the government

www.dailymail.co.uk, July 21, 2023
Introduction of a stricter framework could jeopardize many people's retirement plans with the intention of passing on pension funds to the next generation. The government's report, as well as proposals to legislate on abolishing the lifetime allowance, is also uncertain about the government's true intentions, pension experts, according to pension experts.

If inflation remains stagnant, state pensions could reach £14k by 2030

www.dailymail.co.uk, July 18, 2023
According to a recent report, inflation could reach more than 20% a year by 2030 if inflation stays more volatile than previously expected over the next two years. The 'triple lock' means that the state pension will rise every year by the highest rate of inflation, average wage rise, or 2.5 percent - and that both Tories and Labour have promised to keep this pledge. According to finance company AJ Bell, a rundown of how this could play out sends the state pension down to £13,230 a year by the end of the decade, even if inflation stays at historic Bank of England estimates.

Matthew White, a Stephen Lawrence murder suspect, has been relocated to a quiet Cambridgeshire town

www.dailymail.co.uk, June 27, 2023
Stephen Lawrence's sixth suspect (lower inset) began a new life in Cambridgeshire (right) to try and escape the 'hassle' he was exposed to after his capture. Matthew White (left) is reported to have moved from London with his mother and stepfather to a small bungalow in Wisbech's quiet town in 2004. On arriving in the area, White's mother Carol Smith reportedly told neighbors that her son was arrested by detectives searching 18-year-old Stephen's killers.

Markets bet on looming recession as businesses feel the squeeze

www.dailymail.co.uk, June 22, 2023
Following the news that hikes are likely to pique the interest of millions of borrowers, traders are likely to be pushed. The increase, according to Gary Smith, partner of wealth manager Evelyn Partners, could lead to more mayhem in the mortgage market, which is already under intense strain.

What should savers with lifetime allowance 'fixed protection' do?

www.dailymail.co.uk, June 20, 2023
Savers who are eager to return to pensions after the £1.1 million lifetime allowance was scrapped are being advised to take precautions - or even hold off for now if they have 'fixed insurance.' According to pension experts, the lifetime allowance is still pending, some of the new laws remain unclear, and the pension sums at stake can be significant.

Keir Starmer doubles down on £28billion 'Biden on steroids' Net Zero oil ban plan amid union fury

www.dailymail.co.uk, June 6, 2023
After Labour's general secretary blasted the Opposition's decision to prohibit new oil and gas extraction licences in the North Sea, Labour leader Ed Miliband spoke at the GMB union's conference. After the US president's subsidy program, the party is considering a £28 billion investment in new nuclear and offshore wind projects if it were to take power, according to one Labour aide, who referred to it as 'Bidenomics on steroids.' However, GMB general secretary Gary Smith said that the party's North Sea licence policy would give the party a 'cliff edge' that would threaten jobs. Labour must be'very clear' that they will not be able to pay the price for the shift to renewable energy, according to Unite's Sharon Graham.

According to a Treasury report, Starmer's £28 billion net zero policy will raise mortgage rates

www.dailymail.co.uk, June 5, 2023
Last night, Labour's green energy proposals will raise mortgage rates and leave Britain more reliant on foreign oil and gas. According to a Treasury report, the idea of investing £28 billion a year in combating climate change could raise interest rates by 0.75 percent, piling misery on millions of homeowners. According to the report, a rise at that rate would see the average interest payments on a £200,000 home loan rise by £83 a month, nearly £1,000 per year. Labour's pledge could be scaled back, according to a Labour spokesman, who said that the final plan would be'subject to our fiscal laws being followed, which would include debt reductions.' The Treasury's report warns that unfunded spending would lead to the government and Bank of England 'pulling in opposite directions' over inflation.

DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Starmer's dangerous dash to net zero

www.dailymail.co.uk, June 5, 2023
DAILY MAIL COMMENT: If any proof of the unbridled chaos a Labour government would have in this world, look no further than Sir Keir Starmer's near obsession with net zero. Industry experts have estimated that his controversial proposals to prohibit new North Sea oil and gas development will cost 45,000 workers, not to mention millions in lost tax revenue. Far from making our electricity cheaper and greener, Britain would be compelled to invest billions in importing it, thus raising our carbon footprint and our reliance on often volatile regimes. In comparison, his pledge to spend £28 billion a year on green initiatives will likely lead to higher inflationary pressures, triggering more painful interest rate rises.