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Advance UK News Diary

November 21-27: Autumn Statement fallout, Indy Ref 2 judgment, & Home Nations begin World Cup campaigns

UK & Scottish Flag
November 18, 2022
  • Slice 1

Leading the week 

The week starts with attention firmly on the fallout from Thursday’s Autumn Statement as the Treasury Select Committee meets on Monday (November 21) to pore over the detail of the government’s new economic direction. Representatives from the OBR will then join the committee for a further session on Tuesday (November 22), before the main event on Wednesday (November 23) with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt. The Government’s new fiscal plans proved sobering to say the least, as it tries to patch up the £50 billion black hole in the country’s coffers. The Chancellor admitted ‘everybody will be paying higher taxes’ as he introduced a raft of new measures including a reduction in the top rate of tax, slashing the dividend allowance on personal income allowances, and a freeze on income tax thresholds.   

The inescapable truth which Hunt hammered home as he stood at the dispatch box is that the UK is now in a recession. The Office for Budget Responsibility estimates the economy will shrink by almost 1.5% in 2023, with nearly a decade of economic advances being wiped out, and growth not expected to exceed 1.3% until 2024. The icing on the cake is the prediction for inflation, which is expected to top 9% before the end of the year. The Chancellor told the House of Commons that his plan would rebuild the economy and reduce debt – with a general election now looming ever larger on the horizon, the Conservative Party’s hopes of winning a fifth consecutive term in power now seem entirely in the hands of the financial gods.  

UK Supreme Court building

The Supreme Court hands down its hugely anticipated judgment on Wednesday (November 23) on whether Scotland can hold a second independence referendum without Westminster’s approval. During a full hearing held in October, lawyers representing the UK government asked judges to throw out the case, arguing debates over a new independence vote are beyond the court’s jurisdiction. The Scottish government countered that a court ruling is in the national interest, adding that any result would be advisory rather than legally binding. Should the court rule in favour of a second referendum, Scotland will head to the polls next October. A win for the UK government though would instead throw focus onto the next general election, which Nicola Sturgeon has already claimed would act as a de facto independence referendum for the SNP.

Away from the economic and constitutional strife, England and Wales finally get their World Cup campaigns up and running in Qatar. The action begins on Monday (November 21) when England face Iran and Wales take on the United States, and continues Friday (November 25) when both sides swap opponents. With only three group games to contend with, Gareth Southgate and Rob Page’s dreams of a place in the knock-out stages could theoretically be realised or dashed by this time next week.  


Looking abroad 

The UN Human Rights Council holds a rare special session on Iran on Thursday (November 24) to discuss the government’s violent suppression of protests prompted by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, the 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian arrested on September 13 for violating the country’s severe dress code. Her death has sparked unprecedented nationwide protests that have rocked authorities who have in turn responded with brutality, with at least 362 protesters believed to have been killed, including two young boys earlier this week. 

On Friday (November 25), European Union interior ministers are due to gather for an extraordinary meeting to discuss migration following the high-profile row between France and Italy over Italy’s refusal to allow a boat carrying rescued migrants to dock in its territory. The incident happened shortly after new far-right Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni took office and suggests the debate over burden-sharing among EU nations regarding migrants and asylum seekers is likely to heat up again. Friday’s meeting will come two days after the European Parliament’s debate on asylum and migration, scheduled for Wednesday (November 23). 


 

Also look out for

November 21

‘Senior Cabinet minister’ addresses CBI annual conference 

Levelling Up Qs and first day of Autumn Statement debate in HoC 

Twitter offices reopen following temporary closure 

Mason Greenwood in court on alleged rape charges 

France hosts international support conference for Moldova 

Joe Biden pardons Thanksgiving turkey 

November 22

Dominic Raab at select committee on work of the Lord Chancellor  

Keir Starmer addresses CBI conference  

Debate and votes on Autumn Statement in HoC 

OECD Economic Outlook published 

King Charles hosts first State Visit for South African President Cyril Ramaphosa 

Supreme Court hears News Corp case against HMRC 

BBC nations and regions head addresses VLV conference 

Astana format talks on Syria 

November 23

Rishi Sunak faces Keir Starmer at PMQs 

Suella Braverman at HASC on work of the Home Secretary 

Huw Pill delivers Beesley series lecture on inflation 

House of Lords votes on Counsellors of State bill 

Cost of living payments to tax credits claimants 

November 24

Quarterly statistics on irregular migration to the UK 

Ukrainian Finance Minister speech to LSE 

Dave Ramsden addresses Bank of England Watchers Conference 

Ofgem announces quarterly price cap changes 

November 25

Black Friday strikes by Royal Mail staff 

Unison ballot of NHS workers closes 

Black Friday 

November 26

Strike action by train drivers in the ASLEF union 

Local elections in Taiwan 

England and Wales play in Autumn Nations Series fixtures 

Statistics, reports & results

November 21

ONS statistics on equality in the UK (2010-2020) 

OECD quarterly GDP figures 

Rightmove House Price Index 

Results from: Compass Group 

November 22

UK public sector finances 

ONS release on experiences of entrants under the Ukraine Humanitarian Scheme 

Property transactions in the UK 

EBRD Transition Report 

OEUK Decommissioning Insight report 

Results from: Severn Trent, Best Buy, Nordstrom 

November 23

Deaths of homeless people in England and Wales (2021) 

Flash UK and Eurozone PMI 

ONS figures on higher education and cost of living 

Annual UKHSA report on antibiotic resistance 

Results from: Halfords, United Utilities, Britvic 

November 24

Long-term international migration statistics (2021) 

Annual figures on housing supply in England 

Student support for higher education 

Biannual gambling industry figures 

Annual ORR estimates of rail station usage 

ONS NEET statistics 

CBI Industrial Trends 

NHS Workforce Statistics 

November 25

Bank of England capital issuance 

SMMT automotive production figures 

Domestic abuse in England and Wales 

GfK consumer confidence index 

Anniversaries and Awareness Days

November 21

National Wine Week (to November 27) 

World Television Day 

Nine years ago: Ukraine protests began 

November 22

Lebanon National Day 

Eight years ago: Tamir Rice killed 

November 24

Carers’ Rights Day 

Evolution Day 

One year ago: Omicron covid variant identified  

November 25

Buy Nothing Day  

Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women  

16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (to December 10) 

November 26

Holodomor Memorial Day (Ukraine) 

National Tree Week (to December 4) 


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