News

Tom Bradby presents through-the-night coverage of the battle for Number 10 Downing Street, revealing who will lead the country for the next five years. The program features a team of political insiders, including George Osborne, Ed Balls, and Nicola Sturgeon, offering insights and analysis. Robert Peston, Anushka Asthana, and Paul Brand join as well, providing […]

ITV News Special: Election 2024 Live: The Results...

Exclusive: The News Agents has parted ways with the company that helped make the show one of the most popular podcasts in the UK.

Deadline understands that Dino Sofos’ production outfit Persephonica is no longer involved in making The News Agents following a behind-the-scenes split on the show owned by UK audio giant Global.

Dubbed the “Prince of podcasts,” Sofos helped lure Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel, and Lewis Goodall away from their BBC presenting roles to the world of daily podcasting in 2022.

He was central to The News Agents‘ launch and heavily involved in establishing the podcast, but sources said he has not been involved in the show’s day-to-day running for some time.

The changes became formal this month, with Persephonica no longer the official production partner of The News Agents. The company’s credit has not appeared on episodes this week.

People familiar with the matter said there...

Social-first media company, The News Movement today announced that it will be launching its first podcast.

Offering a space for curiosity, exploration and understanding, Tnm’s new podcast Noted, will tackle the issues that are cutting through for a Gen Z audience. From contraception to the cost of living, to disability to drugs, to films and festivals, the series will take a deep dive on the stories that matter. Host, presenter and journalist Mary Mandefield, will take the audience by the hand and invite them on the journey, guiding them through the mind-blowing conversations with experts and real life experiences that will enlighten their world.

Tnm will be partnering with Persephonica, one of the UK's leading podcast production companies, the audio masters behind Ed Balls and George Osborne’s Political Currency, on the podcast series. Persephonica also produces Dua Lipa’s podcast At Your Service for the BBC which has...

Exclusive: Persephonica, the producer behind hit daily news podcast The News Agents, has signed with WME in a bid to win more work across the pond.

The indie founded by Brexitcast creator Dino Sofos is also forging a podcast about slavery reparations, in which a former BBC World News anchor whose ancestors were slaveowners heads on a journey with a Labour politician whose ancestors were most likely enslaved by the journalist’s.

Alongside this new untitled podcast, Persephonica is developing a “big slate of shows,” according to Sofos, and has signed with WME’s Alex Bewley, who also reps Gary Lineker’s The Rest is Politics indie Goalhanger.

“Pushing into America is a big thing for us,” Sofos told Deadline. “It’s really important in this industry to have someone like Alex with their finger on the pulse in terms of commissioning and gaps in the market, and linking us...

In a year of chaos and confusion, another surprise – the 2022 I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! cast are actually famous. Not only can I both recognise and name Boy George, Mike Tindall, Chris Moyles and – in the name of Covid! – Matt Hancock, but I actually know a bit about their backstories, and probably too much in the case of Hancock. Obviously, the former health secretary and privy councillor seized this opportunity like it was a fanciable spad, and I’m not that surprised.

I met him once, many years ago. He was a bag-carrier for the then chancellor, George Osborne, and he struck me as being superficially friendly and likeable, but somehow ultimately untrustworthy. So it has indeed proved, for his country, his party and his family. Maybe, soon, for his new friends in Australia, too. Harsh, but, you know the law of the jungle.

I’m...

Former UK health secretary Matt Hancock will reportedly take part in the new series of ITV’s I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, following the likes of Boy George, Seann Walsh and Mike Tindall into the jungle

“Matt is a sensational signing for the show as producers love a star with a story to tell – and they always hope they’ll spill the beans round the campfire,” an insider told The Sun.

“He’s the latest in a long line of figures from the political sphere, including MP Nadine Dorries, Stanley Johnson and MP Lembit Opik.”

The Conservative MP for West Suffolk was first elected in 2010 and served as head of the department of health under Theresa May and then Boris Johnson, finding himself at the centre of the storm when the Covid-19 pandemic first arrived on these shores in early 2020.

He was criticised over elements of...

Former UK health secretary Matt Hancock will reportedly take part in the new series of ITV’s I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, following the likes of Boy George, Seann Walsh and Mike Tindall into the jungle

“Matt is a sensational signing for the show as producers love a star with a story to tell – and they always hope they’ll spill the beans round the campfire,” an insider told The Sun.

“He’s the latest in a long line of figures from the political sphere, including MP Nadine Dorries, Stanley Johnson and MP Lembit Opik.”

The Conservative MP for West Suffolk was first elected in 2010 and served as head of the department of health under Theresa May and then Boris Johnson, finding himself at the centre of the storm when the Covid-19 pandemic first arrived on these shores in early 2020.

He was criticised over elements of...

In a year of chaos and confusion, another surprise – the 2022 I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! cast are actually famous. Not only can I both recognise and name Boy George, Mike Tindall, Chris Moyles and – in the name of Covid! – Matt Hancock, but I actually know a bit about their backstories, and probably too much in the case of Hancock. Obviously, the former health secretary and privy councillor seized this opportunity like it was a fanciable spad, and I’m not that surprised.

I met him once, many years ago. He was a bag-carrier for the then chancellor, George Osborne, and he struck me as being superficially friendly and likeable, but somehow ultimately untrustworthy. So it has indeed proved, for his country, his party and his family. Maybe, soon, for his new friends in Australia, too. Harsh, but, you know the law of the jungle.

I’m...

In a year of chaos and confusion, another surprise – the 2022 I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! cast are actually famous. Not only can I both recognise and name Boy George, Mike Tindall, Chris Moyles and – in the name of Covid! – Matt Hancock, but I actually know a bit about their backstories, and probably too much in the case of Hancock. Obviously, the former health secretary and privy councillor seized this opportunity like it was a fanciable spad, and I’m not that surprised.

I met him once, many years ago. He was a bag-carrier for the then chancellor, George Osborne, and he struck me as being superficially friendly and likeable, but somehow ultimately untrustworthy. So it has indeed proved, for his country, his party and his family. Maybe, soon, for his new friends in Australia, too. Harsh, but, you know the law of the jungle.

I’m...

Former UK health secretary Matt Hancock will reportedly take part in the new series of ITV’s I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, following the likes of Boy George, Seann Walsh and Mike Tindall into the jungle

“Matt is a sensational signing for the show as producers love a star with a story to tell – and they always hope they’ll spill the beans round the campfire,” an insider told The Sun.

“He’s the latest in a long line of figures from the political sphere, including MP Nadine Dorries, Stanley Johnson and MP Lembit Opik.”

The Conservative MP for West Suffolk was first elected in 2010 and served as head of the department of health under Theresa May and then Boris Johnson, finding himself at the centre of the storm when the Covid-19 pandemic first arrived on these shores in early 2020.

He was criticised over elements of...

Star Wars: a force for good in the British film industry

Films like Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, Justice League and Paddington 2 have brought Hollywood investment streaming into the British film industry over the past year, it was revealed today. According to figures released yesterday by the British Film Institute, inward investment for 2016 was up 18%, totalling £1.35bn.

A total of 48 major Hollywood films were shot wholly or partially in the UK last year, along with numerous smaller ones. Projects partly developed in the country, such as Bridget Jones's Baby and Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, have enjoyed international success, helping to attract more business.

One big factor is believed to have been the UK's film tax incentive scheme, intoduced in 2015 by the then Chancellor George Osborne, himself a big film fan with family connections to the industry. The dramatic fall in the pound in the...

Renton’s original rant has been repurposed so many times that even George Osborne has parodied it. Can the new film’s update ever be more than a middle-aged delusion?

Twenty-one years ago, Ewan McGregor, albeit briefly, tapped into prevailing anxieties over the spiritual bankruptcy of western consumerist society. “Choose life,” began his monologue as smackhead Mark Renton in Danny Boyle’s film adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s novel Trainspotting. “Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking big television. Choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players, and electrical tin can openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol and dental insurance. Choose fixed-interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home …”

Can Ewan do it again? Can he speak to 2017’s zeitgeist as he did in 1996? In the sequel, T2 Trainspotting, Renton, sexy druggie nihilist turned 46-year-old failed accountant with heart problems, updates the iconic speech from the original...

In a monumental decision last week, Britain voted to leave the European Union - and almost immediately came down with a case of buyer's remorse. Dubbed the Brexit, the referendum vote - 52 to 48 percent to exit - has sent the stock markets and the British pound's value crashing. The harsh pill of reality has left many wondering if they can turn back time - but is it a little too late? Is there a scenario where Britain can reverse course and remain in the EU? A parliamentary petition calling for a second referendum vote now has well over the necessary...

In a monumental decision last week, Britain voted to leave the European Union - and almost immediately came down with a case of buyer's remorse. Dubbed the Brexit, the referendum vote - 52 to 48 percent to exit - has sent the stock markets and the British pound's value crashing. The harsh pill of reality has left many wondering if they can turn back time - but is it a little too late? Is there a scenario where Britain can reverse course and remain in the EU? A parliamentary petition calling for a second referendum vote now has well over the necessary...

Swallows and Amazons | Diy recessions | Infectious diseases | David Cameron’s Micra purchase | Bob Dylan’s birthday

When I read the Arthur Ransome books in the late 1950s Titty, while not a familiar name, had no other connotations, and certainly not for someone of my age (Titty’s family ‘furious’ over name change for Swallows and Amazons film, 25 May). Now, I suspect that any 10-year-old would hear it and snigger, which militates against the innocence that the Altounyan family are aiming to preserve. Given that the second letter of the name has to be a vowel, Tatty seems about the only plausible alternative, even if it does suggest a degree of dishevelment.

Henry Malt

Bythorn, Cambridgeshire

• There is a Diy recession that George Osborne has forgotten (Letters, 25 May; Report, 23 May). In 1988 Nigel Lawson cancelled mortgage interest relief at source for unmarried couples, but delayed its introduction for a year. This resulted...

Hm Treasury and Chancellor George Osborne must take some of the responsibility for this misfiring and very jarring thriller. The original intention was to make it in an American city but the producers relocated the action to London to take advantage of the generous tax breaks available in the UK. The result is an American movie dressed up in British clothes that simply don't fit.

Chicago lawmakers have voted to repeal the tampon tax on tampons and pads, and now the European Union has agreed to allow each member state to decide independently if they will apply a tax. In Chicago, women were previously taxed 10.25 percent on feminine products, and this decision will eliminate the city's portion of the tax, decreasing the total tax by 1.25 percent, according to the Associated Press. The tampons and sanitary napkins are now considered medical necessities. The state of Illinois is also considering removing their tax on feminine hygiene and incontinence products. Currently, women in only five states are exempt...

Chicago lawmakers have voted to repeal the tampon tax on female hygiene products, and now the European Union has agreed to allow each member state decide independently if they will apply a tax. In Chicago, women were previously taxed 10.25 percent on feminine products, and this decision will eliminate the city's portion of the tax 1.25 percent, according to the Associated Press. The tampons and sanitary napkins are now considered medical necessities. The state of Illinois is also considering removing their tax on feminine hygiene and incontinence products. Currently, women in only five states are exempt from paying a tax on the products - Maryland,...

Exclusive: Creative industries agency taps into reserve to ensure effective delivery of services.

Since its contentious launch in 2011 UK creative industries financier Creative England has proven a boon to many UK companies and creatives.

The not-for-profit public and privately-backed organisation, whose primary aim is to invest in the regional film, games and digital industries, has invested tens of millions of pounds into more than 400 companies.

Among a host of film investments are Andrew Haigh’s acclaimed 45 Years and Kit Harrington thriller Spooks: The Greater Good, while it also runs perennial micro-budget film scheme iFeatures. It has also backed hit TV shows including Dancing On The Edge and Line Of Duty.

The company’s financial clout has grown from a budget of under £5m at launch to £12.5m for 2015/16 and it has attracted notable executives from the media, games and film industries to its board, including Karen Blackett OBE, Ian Livingstone Cbe and Studiocanal UK CEO Danny Perkins.

BFI...

Actor the same as George Osborne, another ‘spoilt public schoolboy from the south kicking the north’, says former deputy Pm

Sacha Baron Cohen is another “spoilt public schoolboy from the south kicking the north” and “just the same” as the chancellor, George Osborne, John Prescott has said following the release of the comedian’s new film, Grimsby.

The former deputy prime minister said the film – a spy comedy set in the north-east Lincolnshire fishing town – was the latest example of “southern-based elites” sneering at communities in northern England.

Continue reading...

The relief generated a total of $1.5bn of investment in the UK this year, according to Hm Treasury.

Government support for the UK film industry through its film tax relief programme reached $372m (£251m) in 2015.

According to Hm Treasury, the initiative generated more than $1.5bn (£1bn) worth of investment in the UK this year.

It also revealed that the total amount of investment secured since the scheme was originally introduced in 2007 has now reached $10.2bn (£6.7bn).

Earlier this year it was reported that film tax relief would be increased to 25%, regardless of budget level, with the government hoping to encourage more productions such as Gravity and Avengers: Age Of Ultron to shoot in the UK.

However, the Treasury also noted that a third of all government support through the relief went to UK independent productions.

The relief is available to films which qualify as British productions through a cultural test or via an official UK co-production treaty...

The relief generated a total of $1.5bn of investment in the UK this year.

Government support for the UK film industry through its Film Tax Relief programme reached $372m (£251m) in 2015.

According to Hm Treasury, the initiative generated over $1.5bn (£1bn) worth of investment in the UK this year.

It also says the total amount of investment secured since the scheme was originally introduced in 2007 has now reached $10.2bn (£6.7bn).

Earlier this year it was reported that film tax relief would be increased to 25%, regardless of budget level, with the government hoping to encourage more productions such as Gravity and Avengers: Age Of Ultron to shoot in the UK.

However, the Treasury also notes that a third of all government support through the relief went to independent UK productions.

The relief is available to films which qualify as British productions through a Cultural Test or via an official UK co-production treaty.

Chancellor [link=nm...

The chancellor’s surprise inclusion in the Star Wars credits is all about the UK government’s tax-relief scheme, which will see The Force Awakens classified as a British film

Related: Success of Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a true Hollywood box office triumph

The prominent credit that George Osborne and Ed Vaizey received in the final roll of Star Wars: The Force Awakens has turned into something of an embarrassment for the government – not only because of the government’s persistent attempts to associate itself with the record-breaking Hollywood blockbuster – which led to Osborne getting booed at the premiere for the film in London’s Leicester Square – but also because of large-scale reimbursements the film is expected to receive from Hmrc under the government’s film tax-relief scheme.

Continue reading...

“Deep cuts” would be a “false economy” says British Chancellor, but department admin costs to be cut by 20%.

UK Chancellor George Osborne’s Autumn Statement was not as hard on the the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (Dcms) as many feared.

While the department’s overall budget is to be cut by 5%, the department’s “administration costs” will still be slashed by 20%.

“Deep cuts” to the department would be a “false economy”, Osborne told the House of Commons.

“One of the best investments we can make as a nation is in our extraordinary arts, museums, heritage, media and sport,” he said.

Under Osborne’s plans the Arts Council and the UK’s national museums and galleries will get a cash increase between now and 2020, while “elite sport” will also benefit in the lead up to the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Earlier this year Hm Treasury told non-protected departments, such as Dcms, to prepare...

Film likely to face cuts amid anticipated Dcms budget reduction.

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport (Dcms) is expected to shoulder its share of cuts today in Chancellor George Osborne’s Autumn Statement and spending review.

The BFI, the UK’s lead body for film, is likely to be among cultural bodies to face budget reductions, with grant-in-aid spending likely to take a hit.

Grant-in-aid spending, which is designed to pay for non-film production activities, includes the National Film Archive, education and the BFI Southbank.

Non-protected government departments, including the Dcms and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Bis), have been told to expect between 25-40% cuts to their coffers as the chancellor seeks to find close to £20bn ($30.1bn) in savings to help chip away at the deficit.

The Chancellor will deliver his Autumn Statement at 12.30pm GMT today. However, specific organisations within departments may not know the amount of cuts they face until...

Ex-Channel 4 chairman Luke Johnson has called on the BBC to stop showing popular programming like EastEnders and The Voice UK.

Johnson waded into the ongoing licence fee debate while speaking to the House of Lords communication committee, saying that giving up some popular shows to competitors wouldn't "diminish the BBC at all".

"I do struggle with the idea that the BBC commissions and broadcasts programmes that would clearly be shown by unsubsidised rivals," Johnson argued (via The Guardian).

"If you keep the licence fee, which I'm not sure in the medium or long term is a good idea, it should reduce its output at least to programmes that others aren't making and commissioning.

"They broadcast The Voice in a prime slot because they want to gain as broad a support as possible for its future. The idea that no one else would show that is a joke, it's ludicrous,...

Chancellor George Osborne wants more projects like Gravity and Avengers: Age Of Ultron to shoot in the UK.

A new higher rate of film tax relief (Ftr) for the UK has been given State Aid approval by the EU - giving a green light to the plans first outlined in March.

It means that the rate of Ftr will be increased to 25% regardless of budget level for all qualifying core expenditure, for all eligible film productions.

Therefore, a British film costing £40m will receive an additional £1m towards productions costs from the change.

Previously, Ftr applied at a rate of 25% for the first £20m ($31m) of qualifying expenditure and 20% to amounts thereafter.

The plans were first announced by the government in the March 2015 Budget and have been running through the various governmental processes to secure approval.

Backdated to April

Chancellor George Osborne announced the approval to the scheme, which will be backdated to apply from April 2015, whilst...

Chancellor George Osborne wants more projects like Gravity and Avengers: Age Of Ultron to shoot in the UK.

A new higher rate of film tax relief (Ftr) for the UK has been given State Aid approval by the EU - giving a green light to the plans first outlined in March.

It means that the rate of Ftr will be increased to 25% regardless of budget level for all qualifying core expenditure, for all eligible film productions.

Therefore, a British film costing £40m will receive an additional £1m towards productions costs from the change.

Previously, Ftr applied at a rate of 25% for the first £20m ($31m) of qualifying expenditure and 20% to amounts thereafter.

The plans were first announced by the government in the March 2015 Budget and have been running through the various governmental processes to secure approval.

Backdated to April

Chancellor George Osborne announced the approval to the scheme, which will be backdated to apply from April 2015, whilst...

With the UK's studios already packed to the rafters, it's a good thing that more soundstages are being built as the already lucrative film tax break is being increased. Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne today announced that a previously mooted higher rate of relief has been given the go-ahead. Under the new plans, the £1.4B film industry will receive a tax credit of 25% on all qualifying expenditure (under a cultural test) bringing it in line with the TV tax…...

With the UK's studios already packed to the rafters, it's a good thing that more soundstages are being built as the already lucrative film tax break is being increased. Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne today announced that a previously mooted higher rate of relief has been given the go-ahead. Under the new plans, the £1.4B film industry will receive a tax credit of 25% on all qualifying expenditure (under a cultural test) bringing it in line with the TV tax…...

The government believes that there are "legitimate questions" to be asked about the BBC's role in the development of technology.

The Green Paper published by the Conservatives on Thursday (July 16) expresses concern that the BBC could be making it difficult for "commercial competitors to monetise emerging technologies".

The review reads: "There are legitimate questions, however, about whether the BBC should continue to try to lead the way in development of new technology ahead of the market.

"The cost of BBC development last year was £83 million. The BBC's role in the development and deployment of new technologies - particularly online distribution - has the potential to impact negatively on the ability of commercial competitors to monetise emerging technologies, and could crowd out new start-ups.

"There may be savings to the licence fee payer from provision of some of these developments by the market."

A BBC spokesperson said in response: "One of...

Graham Norton has come up with a clever way of dealing with government criticism of the BBC and calls for the licence fee to be axed.

When asked about the ongoing debate about the future of the corporation, the presenter proposed switching the service off for a couple of months to see how the public react.

"Just put £24 into everyone's bank account, and switch the BBC off for two months, and people would s**t themselves," he told the Daily Telegraph.

When asked if he had suggested this idea to director general Lord Tony Hall, he said: "Of course I have! In a letter. I'm not sure if I should tell you this, but the BBC did do a thing... they wanted to know what the public appetite was for the licence fee, so they did a deprivations test.

"They got a mixture of people - those who were happy paying the licence fee,...

The BBC has called for the government to let the public have their say on its future.

The broadcaster has issued a statement following the Conservatives' recent criticism of its output, which has seen George Osborne accuse it of having "imperial" ambitions.

The government will issue a Green Paper today (July 16) detailing the issues ministers want to explore during negotiations over the BBC's future.

The corporation's statement reads: "The BBC is a creative and economic powerhouse for Britain. The starting point for any debate should be - how can a strong BBC benefit Britain even more at home and abroad?

"The BBC has embraced change in the past and will continue to do so in the future, and we will set out our own proposals in September.

"We believe that this Green Paper would appear to herald a much diminished, less popular BBC. That would be bad for Britain and...

The BBC News channel could be following BBC Three with a move online, it has been claimed.

The around-the-clock news channel is thought to cost the corporation £66.2m a year, and bosses are now looking into its future, The Guardian reports.

The potential move online had apparently already been considered before Chancellor George Osborne announced plans yesterday (July 6) for the BBC to begin covering the cost of free TV licences for over-75s starting in 2018/19.

In a recent speech, BBC director of news James Harding said: "The BBC News channel is the most-watched 24-hour news channel in the UK, reaching 8.6 million adults each week. But like TV news more widely, the channel's reach has fallen over the last three years, as has Sky's.

"What do these figures say to us? They tell us that just as the BBC redefined the news for Britain - first on radio, then on television...

The BBC Trust has said that it "cannot endorse" Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne's overhaul of the licence fee.

Osborne announced plans today for the BBC to begin covering the cost of free TV licences for over-75s starting in 2018/19, which will likely lead to large-scale service cuts.

Rona Fairhead, chairman of the BBC Trust, has since come out in opposition to the way Osborne's plan has been presented to the public.

"We accept this decision is a legitimate one for the government to take, although we cannot endorse the process by which it has been reached," Fairhead wrote in a letter posted on the BBC Trust's Twitter account.

"Clearly, beyond the current charter period it is for the government to determine both its policy on the over-75s concession and how that is funded. We could not, ultimately, obstruct any decision that you made."

Fairhead affirmed the...

The BBC will take on the cost of free TV licences for over-75s as part of the Chancellor's latest budget.

George Osborne has already given a flavour of cuts the BBC can expect, but it is now clear that the BBC will have to shoulder the £650 million annual cost of free licences.

The BBC will begin to cover some of the cost from 2018/19, and will be fully responsible for free licences by 2020/21, according to The Guardian.

To put it into perspective, the extra money the corporation will have to find every year is equivalent to around a fifth of its current £3.7 billion income, and it is likely that the BBC will have to make cuts to popular services to cover the cost.

Shadow Culture Secretary Chris Bryant has criticised the Conservatives' plan, saying that it is "no way to run a whelk stall, let alone the best broadcaster in...

Chancellor George Osborne has given a flavour of some of the cuts the BBC could be forced to make after Wednesday's (July 8) Budget.

Speaking on The Andrew Marr Show, the Chancellor criticised the broadcaster for having "imperial" ambitions.

He singled out the BBC's website as an area where some savings could be made.

"If you've got a website that's got features and cooking recipes - effectively the BBC website becomes the national newspaper as well as the national broadcaster. There are those sorts of issues we need to look at very carefully," he said, hinting that it will likely fall under the BBC's charter renewal.

"You wouldn't want the BBC to completely crowd out national newspapers. If you look at the BBC website it is a good product but it is becoming a bit more imperial in its ambitions."

He added: "The BBC is also a publicly funded institution, and...

May the 4th be with you - Star Wars Episode VIII is shooting in the UK.

Chancellor George Osborne announced today (May 4) that filming for the Rian Johnson-directed sci-fi will take place at Pinewood Studios, following in the footsteps of upcoming instalment The Force Awakens.

Lucasfilm is to invest £100m in the film, which is expected to create around 3,000 jobs

Osbourne tweeted: "Pleased to announce ‪#StarWarsVIII will be filmed here in UK ‪@PinewoodStudios - great news for ‪@starwars fans & our UK creative industries.

"Episode VIII to be ‪#MadeinBritain, bringing 100m investment and 3,000 jobs here. ‪#MayThe4thBeWithYou"

Pleased to announce #StarWarsVIII will be filmed here in UK @PinewoodStudios – great news for @starwars fans & our UK creative industries

— George Osborne (@George_Osborne) May 4, 2015

Episode VIII to be #MadeinBritain, bringing 100m investment and 3,000 jobs here. #MayThe4thBeWithYou

— George Osborne (@George_Osborne) May 4, 2015

The Chancellor added in a statement: "This investment by Lucasfilm...

The British government formally announced Monday that episode eight of the Star Wars franchise will be shot at Pinewood Studios just outside of London. "Pleased to announce #StarWarsVIII will be filmed here in UK @PinewoodStudios – great news for @starwars fans & our UK creative industries," tweeted George Osborne, the U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer, the British equivalent of the secretary of the Treasury. Osborne also trumped up the $152 million (₤100 million) inward investment and 3,000 jobs the production will bring. The news comes on Star Wars Day (May the Fourth), but also coincidentally a

read more...

The Bourne director offers up a rather flat and unshaky look at the Labour leader’s life in his four-minute campaign film

Ed Miliband is not exactly Bourne, the dynamic, tightly coiled action hero of the movies that made Paul Greengrass’s name. He is rather closer to Tom Hanks in Captain Phillips, that other Paul Greengrass hit: the decent, shy, slightly wimpish fellow, feeling terribly alone as he commands a container ship and realises he is about to be attacked by murderous pirates. Intentionally or not, the emphasis in Paul Greengrass’s new four-minute campaign film is on Ed Miliband’s loneliness, the solitude of power and responsibility: Ed at the helm of the Labour container ship, and suddenly seeing a speedboat roaring up alongside, with David Cameron, George Osborne, Paul Dacre, Rupert Murdoch and the Barclay Brothers, all waving Ak-47s.

This is a “portrait” of Ed Miliband,...

George Osborne has insisted that a Conservative government "[doesn't] plan to replace" the licence fee.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer told Radio Times that while there are no plans to abolish the fee, it is necessary to "look at all the options" of how the BBC might be funded.

Osborne also voiced his opinion that having the BBC Trust regulate the broadcaster "has never really worked".

"I've never understood why the BBC is so frightened of regulation by Ofcom... it's not as if ITV is poorly regulated," he said. "Ofcom has proved itself to be a robust regulator."

Rona Fairhead, head of the BBC Trust, previously called for it to be shut down, arguing that that the Trust should be replaced by an external regulator.

Meanwhile, Labour party leader Ed Miliband has indicated that he would push for the renewal of the licence fee in 2016 if he wins the general election next month.

Philip Bates is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

The Twelfth Doctor #7 is coming out very soon, and we’ve got an exciting preview for you! Part two of Fractures continues, written by Robbie Morrison, with art by Brian Williamson. And in our preview, you’ll see a reference to The Caretaker, a beautifully-rendered Tardis (which is not a caravan, thank you very much), George Osborne continuing his evil...

The post Sneak Peek at Titan Comics’ Twelfth Doctor #7 appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

The UK government has announced it is to increase the rate of film tax relief to 25% for all qualifying expenditure, as part of its annual budget statement.

Chancellor George Osborne announced today (March 18) that the rate of film tax relief (Ftr) will be increased to 25% regardless of budget level for all qualifying core expenditure, for all eligible film productions.

Previously, Ftr applied at a rate of 25% for the first £20m ($29.3m) of qualifying expenditure and 20% to amounts thereafter.

The measure is hoped to encourage the production of “culturally British films” in the UK. It is also hoped that moving to one rate for all expenditure will contribute toward simplifying the tax system.

Subject to state aid approval by the European Commission, the changes will take effect from April 1, 2015 or the date of approval by the EC – whichever is the later date.

What is eligible?

For a film to be eligible for relief, it must be...

The UK government has announced it is to increase the rate of film tax relief to 25% for all qualifying expenditure, as part of its annual budget statement.

Chancellor George Osborne announced today (March 18) that the rate of film tax relief (Ftr) will be increased to 25% for all qualifying core expenditure, for all eligible film productions.

Previously, Ftr applied at a rate of 25% for the first £20m ($29.3m) of qualifying expenditure and 20% to amounts thereafter.

The measure is hoped to encourage the production of “culturally British films” in the UK. It is also hoped that moving to one rate for all expenditure will contribute toward simplifying the tax system.

Subject to state aid approval by the European Commission, the changes will take effect from April 1, 2015 or the date of approval by the EC – whichever is the later date.

There is also an additional revision. Previously, Ftr could be claimed up to 80% of the total film budget – except for films...

Osborne: "Britain is a cultural center of the world, and with these tax changes, I am determined we will stay that way."

Further support for the film industry was announced today as Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne presented his Spring Budget to the House of Commons.

The 25% tax credit allowance previously applicable to the first £20m of any one film's budget is to be extended so that it applies to all expenditure. It was previously only available at 20% on the remaining portion of larger budgets.

"Our creative industries are already a great contributor to the British economy," said the Chancellor. "We back them again today. We make our TV and film tax credits more generous... the distinction between limited budget films and all others will be removed."

The changes will require approval by the European Commission, which aims to ensure fair competition between creative industries in different European states.

UK Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne today unveiled improved incentives for the film, TV and videogame business as he delivered his final budget before the country’s general election May 7. The government has increased the rate of film tax relief to 25% for all qualifying expenditure, and extended the high-end television tax relief by reducing the minimum UK spending requirement from 25% to 10%. Osborne is also set to update the cultural test- a largely…...

UK Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne today unveiled improved incentives for the film, TV and videogame business as he delivered his final budget before the country’s general election May 7. The government has increased the rate of film tax relief to 25% for all qualifying expenditure, and extended the high-end television tax relief by reducing the minimum UK spending requirement from 25% to 10%. Osborne is also set to update the cultural test- a largely…...

Autumn Statement also introduces tax break for live-action kids programming.

The government is considering lowering the minimum UK spend required in order for high-end TV drama to qualify for a tax break.

Chancellor of the exchequer George Osborne unveiled the plans in his autumn statement, which also included the introduction of a tax break for live-action kids programming.

The government plans to work with the industry to explore whether to reduce the minimum amount spent in the UK from 25% to 10% for a high-end TV show to qualify for a tax break.

Cutting the level would bring TV into line with the film tax relief available.

Separately, it is considering ways to update the cultural test to ensure that projects receiving the tax credit are legitimate.

John McVay, chief executive of Pact, said that the move would position the UK as a better co-production partner. “It would make the UK more flexible and make us more competitive,” he added...

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