On 13 May 2024, UK Day will focus on:
● Sunak said that Britain will enter the most dangerous era, and the Conservative Party can only ensure national security
● The University of Birmingham threatens students not to hold pro-Pakistani demonstrations or take legal action
● Chinese e-commerce giant Shein plans to submit an IPO application to the London Stock Exchange in May
● More than 1 million Britons are 70 years old to pay off their mortgage
● The UK is the European country with the worst obesity problem, exacerbating the "sick note culture"
Sunak said that Britain will enter the most dangerous era, and the Conservative Party can only guarantee national security
Today (May 13), British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak warned in a speech in London that the UK is entering a "most dangerous era", and almost every aspect of British life will change in the next five years.
Sunak pointed out that the UK is at a "crossroads" – rapid technological development, increased global migration and authoritarian states increasingly working together mean that the next five years will change more than in the last 30 years.
To do so, he has a sense of urgency to deal with the threats facing the UK, as well as bold ideas to turn challenges into opportunities and build a "bright and safe" future for British families.
He argues that artificial intelligence (AI) and biotechnology can be used to advance society, as well as to find innovative solutions to mass migration, such as the Rwanda plan.
He also pointed out that once the Labour Party comes to power, they will undercommit to defence funding, exposing Britain to the threat of illegal immigration flows around the world. Britain will only be safer if the Conservatives remain in power.
The University of Birmingham threatened students not to hold pro-Pakistani demonstrations or take legal action
So far, a number of pro-Palestinian groups have set up 20 protest camps on UK university campuses and set up tents with Palestinian themes, and the University of Birmingham joined them last Thursday (May 9).
However, less than 24 hours after pro-Pakistani activists set up camp at the University of Birmingham's main campus in Edgbaston, the university's director of legal services, Dr Nicola Cardenas Blanco, accused the students involved in the protests of trespassing and demanded that they leave immediately.
This makes the University of Birmingham the first university in the UK to legally threaten students not to hold pro-Pakistani demonstrations or take legal action against them.
In a letter to students, Dr Nicola Cardenas Blanco wrote: "The University of Birmingham has confirmed that you are not allowed to protest at the Edgbaston campus, which is private land. Your occupation of the premises is trespassing. The University asks you to leave the premises immediately. Failure to do so will result in legal action and your trespass will be reported to law enforcement officials without notice. ”
This follows the University of Birmingham's vice-chancellor, Adam Tickell, canceled a meeting with pro-Pakistani protesters scheduled for Tuesday (May 7) and said he would not speak to them before the camp was demolished.
In an email to employees, he wrote: "You may have been aware that some pro-Pakistani protesters have set up a small group of tents. I've previously written about how to support students and staff who wish to protest, but that doesn't include setting up tents at universities without permission. I had to inform the students that I would not be meeting with them as long as the camp was still around. ”
Chinese e-commerce giant Shein plans to submit an IPO application to the London Stock Exchange in May
Reuters, citing two people familiar with the matter, said that Chinese e-commerce giant Shein is stepping up its listing in London due to regulatory hurdles that have previously been blocked by regulatory obstacles.
The company plans to submit an application to the London Stock Exchange (LSE) within May at a valuation of $66 billion, one of the people said.
Another source said Shein began engaging with its London team of financial and legal advisers earlier this year to explore a listing on the London Stock Exchange. It is worth mentioning that Shein also reached out to fund managers in London to hold an introductory meeting for the planned listing.
At the moment, Shein and the London Stock Exchange declined to comment on the matter.
More than 1 million Britons are 70 years old to pay off their mortgages
According to British media reports, the number of residential mortgages with a loan term of up to 40 years in the UK is increasing, and more than 1 million Britons need to wait until they are 70 years old, that is, retirement, to pay off their mortgages.
As of Q4 2023, the proportion of mortgage products with a repayment period to retirement accounted for 42% of the UK mortgage market. Among those aged 30 to 39, 30,943 mortgage payments are due to retirement, accounting for 39% of the mortgage market. The 40 to 49 age group had 32,305 repayments until retirement, accounting for 57% of the mortgage market.
In recent years, rising house prices and rising interest rates have led to an increasing number of Brits opting for ultra-long-term mortgage products. Opting for a 40-year home mortgage can reduce your monthly payments compared to a traditional 25-year mortgage.
The UK is the most obese European country, exacerbating the "sick note culture"
Recently, a study published at the European Obesity Conference in Venice showed that among the 28 European countries surveyed, the United Kingdom ranked among the countries with the most serious obesity problems.
It is understood that this study is the first to analyze the impact of obesity on absenteeism and productivity loss. Studies have found that the heavier an employee's weight, the more obesity-related complications (such as joint pain, diabetes, depression, and heart disease) and the more sick leave they take.
The data shows that over the past year, the absenteeism rate of overweight people in Europe has been 2.5 times higher than that of normal-weight people, and 22% higher than that of overweight people.
Currently, 2.8 million people in the UK are on sick leave, and the number of sick leave slips issued by the NHS has doubled in the last 10 years, causing an estimated £33 billion in lost productivity each year. Experts point out that if the British government wants to fundamentally solve the problem of "sick note culture", it must first solve the problem of obesity among British people.