Data reveals reasons for delays in discharging hundreds of hospital patients

DP World to attend Government investment summit despite call to boycott PO

DP World will attend the Government’s international investment summit on Monday despite reports that a row over calls to boycott its subsidiary P&O Ferries had put a £1 billion investment at risk. Dubai-based DP World was reported to have pulled out of the summit and put plans to announce a major investment in the UK under review after Transport Secretary Louise Haigh’s scathing criticism of P&O. The Department of Business and Trade confirmed on Saturday that DP World will attend the summit. DP World has been contacted for comment. Sir Keir Starmer said Ms Haigh’s call for a boycott of the ferry firm was “not the view of the Government”. Labour MP Liam Byrne, chairman of the House of Commons’ Business and Trade Committee, sought to play down the row, saying Ms Haigh was “absolutely right” to criticise P&O’s past behaviour, but that new legislation would regulate how the firm can treat its staff. Sky News had reported that DP World’s announcement of a planned major investment was under review after Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Transport Secretary Ms Haigh repeated criticism of P&O Ferries. The operator was criticised by politicians from both main parties in March 2022 when it suddenly sacked 800 British seafarers and replaced them with cheaper, mainly overseas, staff, saying it was necessary to stave off bankruptcy. On Wednesday, Ms Rayner and Ms Haigh introduced legislation to prevent similar actions, with the Transport Secretary describing P&O Ferries as “cowboy operators” and Ms Rayner saying the incident had been “an outrageous example of manipulation by an employer”. In an ITV interview Ms Haigh went further, saying: “I’ve been boycotting P&O Ferries for two-and-a-half years, and I encourage consumers to do the same.” Asked whether Ms Haigh was right to call for a boycott of the firm, which she called a “rogue operator”, Sir Keir said: “Well, that’s not the view of the Government.” Asked about the DP World situation, Sir Keir told the BBC’s Newscast: “Well, look, I think we’ll resolve that. “But… I think if you look at the last three or four weeks, you’ve seen £40-plus billion worth of investment.” Mr Byrne told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the ferry firm’s past treatment of its workers is “the kind of behaviour that we can’t have in this country”. But he added that the Government’s Employment Rights Bill would provide a “very clear framework” on how companies can treat workers, which would “bite on” firms like P&O. “I think there’s a bit of a split here between the past and the future. So look, Lou Haigh was absolutely right to say that the behaviour of P&O, owned by DP World, in the past has been completely unacceptable.” Monday’s high-profile investment summit will be used by the Government as a chance to champion firms who have already committed billions of pounds to the UK and attempt to woo others who are considering new deals. “The message, I think, that is going to go from the summit is really clear that if you want to come and do business here, you can’t behave in the way that P&O has in the past. “And I think the Prime Minister was expressing that confidence in the way in which DP World is going to run their shop,” Mr Byrne said. Published: 12/10/2024 by Radio NewsHub

Bukayo Saka ruled out of Englands match against Finland

Bukayo Saka is out of England’s Nations League game against Finland on Sunday. The winger limped off during the second half of Thursday’s humiliating defeat to Greece at Wembley and is not fit for the match in Helsinki. He will now return to Arsenal for further assessment ahead of their Premier League clash with Bournemouth next weekend. Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones is also out of the trip as he has a personal matter to deal with. Jones was a late addition to the England squad ahead of the Greece game but was an unused substitute. Harry Kane was one of 22 players who trained on Saturday, increasing hopes that the captain will be fit after missing Thursday’s game. Kane could not overcome a knock picked up playing for Bayern Munich in time to feature and his absence prompted interim boss Lee Carsley to deploy an eyebrow-raising formation which had Jude Bellingham playing a ‘false 9’ in front of Phil Foden, Saka, Cole Palmer and Anthony Gordon. It backfired as Greece won 2-1 to take control of League B Group 2, leaving England no room for any more slip-ups if they want to win the group and return to League A automatically. Published: 12/10/2024 by Radio NewsHub

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