Gary Lineker and BBC management have reached a deal to get the presenter back on air, after the weekend’s disruption to BBC Sport schedules.

Director General Tim Davie says: “Gary is a valued part of the BBC and I know how much the BBC means to Gary, and I look forward to him presenting our coverage this coming weekend.”

In his statement, BBC Director General Tim Davie apologises again for loss of BBC Sport programming over the weekend.

He says: “Everyone recognises this has been a difficult period for staff, contributors, presenters and, most importantly, our audiences. I apologise for this.”

Davie also recognises the “potential confusion caused by the grey areas of the BBC’s social media guidance” that was introduced in 2020, adding he wants to “get matters resolved and our sport content back on air”.

He goes on to emphasise how impartiality is “important to the BBC and the public as a whole, noting the corporation has a “commitment to impartiality in its Charter and a commitment to freedom of expression”.

Gary Lineker has put his response to the news of a deal, appropriately, on his Twitter account.

The tweets said: “After a surreal few days, I’m delighted … Read More

Ahead of the Spring Budget, new data reveals that small to medium sized business (SMEs) have lost confidence in the Government’s commitment to support them.

In a survey of SMEs from across the UK, four in five of respondents said they don’t think the government is providing enough support for SMEs.

Meanwhile, two thirds are not confident that the Chancellor’s Spring Budget will deliver the support their business needs. This figure shows a decline in businesses’ confidence in the Government since Autumn 2022, when 62% of small to medium sized businesses reported that they were not confident that the Autumn Budget would deliver the support they needed.

Notably female business leaders feel less supported by the government than their male counterparts. 85% of female respondents don’t think the government is providing enough support for SMEs, compared to 77% male respondents, whilst 72% of female respondents are not confident that the Chancellor’s Spring Budget will deliver the support their business needs, compared to 62% of male respondents.

Comment from Jonathan Andrew, CEO of Bibby Financial Services, who conducted the survey, said: “The UK’s small to medium sized businesses have demonstrated incredible resilience over the past few months and years. Hit with … Read More

The UK and US will “work through” concerns about Joe Biden’s multibillion-dollar package of green subsidies, Rishi Sunak revealed ahead of talks with the US president today in San Diego.

The Prime Minister welcomed the Biden administration’s commitment to tackling climate change, but confirmed the UK had already raised concerns about the measures in the Inflation Reduction Act.

Sunak told reporters: “We have raised concerns with the US about the Inflation Reduction Act and we will work through with them as they think about how best to implement it.

The $430bn (£357bn) package is an attempt to make the economy environmentally friendly with tax credits for green technology.

It is the largest spending commitment towards renewables ever signed into law.

However it has strained relations with European economies, which have been frozen out of US markets – with the EU set to announce its own plans to compete with the package, including loosening its subsidy restrictions.

Meanwhile, Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch has criticised the bill as being “protectionist”.

“Those are conversations that the Government has been having with them for a while and will continue to have.”

Tory MPs have been raising concerns over the government’s lack of response … Read More