The European Union will not exempt Britain from its CO2 emissions fee on imported goods, including steel and cement, until the two sides link their carbon markets, the bloc's climate chief said. Briti

About 23 per cent of new cars sold this year in the UK were EVs, below the government’s target of 28 per cent. The target is set to increase to 80 per cent in 2030. The spokesperson said ministers had recently demonstrated their commitment by increasing funding for consumer grants for electric cars.

UK inflation cooled sharply to 3.2% in November, its lowest level since March, down from 3.6% in October and comfortably below the 3.5% forecast. The drop was driven by cheaper food items such as cakes, biscuits, cereals, and tobacco, along with lower prices for women’s clothing.

The UK is becoming a holdout on ambitious electric-vehicle targets after the European Union proposed watering down its plan to eliminate tailpipe emissions by the middle of the next decade.

The European Union must reform or risk becoming irrelevant as the rivalry between China and the U.S. sparks a new era without precedent, posing challenges on security, energy, technology and trade, a report led by Tony Blair and Jamie Dimon says.