Summary
The UK Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, is visiting Saudi Arabia and Qatar to promote trade and investment between the UK and the Gulf region. She aims to establish new trade deals with countries in the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) during her visit. At home, there are debates about a new Employment Rights Bill, which gives workers more rights from the first day of their jobs.
Key Facts
- Rachel Reeves is the first UK Chancellor to visit the Gulf region in six years.
- She will meet ministers from Saudi Arabia and Qatar and attend the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Riyadh.
- The visit is expected to result in new trade and investment deals between the UK and Gulf nations.
- The UK government wants to showcase the UK as a stable and appealing place for Gulf countries to invest in.
- The Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) includes Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
- A new UK Employment Rights Bill is up for consideration, offering new worker rights from day one.
- Critics say the new worker rights might limit job creation due to increased costs for employers.
- UK business groups express concern over recent tax increases and potential future hikes.
