John Moore

Head of Public Affairs at @FSB_NI | Views my own.

[Andrew Neil @afneil]

A week before the first Burnham-Healey Budget and the UK inflation rose to 3.5% in the year to September, from 3.1% for the year to August. Third successive increase.
Two takeaways:
It’s heading towards 4%.
Interest rates will continue to rise and remain elevated for the foreseeable future.

[Steven Swinford @Steven_Swinford]

Breaking:

The government has now formally approved the Jackdaw gas field and says it will start to supply British homes and businesses by the end of the month

It says that at its peak it will increase domestic gas production by 6%

John Healey, the Chancellor, is also announcing an ‘energy wealth fund’. It will use tax revenues from the North Sea to invest in green projects, with an initial £2billion of funding

Miatta Fahnbulleh, the energy secretary, says it will not stop the UK from meeting its net zero targets

Andy Burnham: ‘I welcome the Energy Secretary’s decision, which will protect hundreds of jobs and help keep millions of homes warm this winter. At a time when people are really struggling, it's right that we look in a responsible way at maximising the existing energy reserves we have in Britain that could help

‘We’re committed to moving towards renewable energy and reaching net zero by 2050. But even on our ambitious climate path, we’ll still require oil and gas as part of our energy needs for decades to come. That’s why we’re taking a pragmatic approach to the North Sea.’

[Guido Fawkes @GuidoFawkes]

BBC CLOSURES: The BBC has confirmed the closure of BBC Three, BBC Scotland and BBC Radio 4 Extra linear broadcast services in Spring 2027.

The BBC needs to make tough decisions due to the sustained financial pressures facing the organisation and must make savings of £500 million by 2028. Today’s changes were announced to staff this morning. It means:

BBC Scotland will remain a channel on iPlayer. Content will also be available on BBC One and BBC Two in Scotland.

BBC Three commissions, supported by increased investment in content for younger audiences will be available on BBC iPlayer and on other platforms, including YouTube.

Programmes from Radio 4 Extra will be on BBC Sounds - and The Daily Service will be on BBC Sounds and local radio.

In a note to staff setting out the changes, BBC Director-General Matt Brittin said: “We need to make every pound work harder for audiences as we respond to the immediate cost pressures and reinvent the BBC for a changing world. We all know that means tough choices.”

He added on the closure of linear broadcast services: “Much of the great content they currently carry will still be found where audiences already enjoy it on iPlayer and Sounds. While this follows media speculation, I recognise the confirmation of this news will be hard for audiences and colleagues.”

Today, more changes have also been announced in BBC News. New Director of BBC News, Rachel Jupp will be laying out plans for further savings early next year as part of the longer-term vision for BBC News. Other divisions will confirm savings plans as soon as possible in the coming months.

This follows earlier savings announced in BBC Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Local, News and Speech and Sounds.

[Hamish Falconer MP @HFalconerMP]

Good to speak with @MarosSefcovic today as we advance negotiations ahead of the UK-EU Summit on 20 November.

We are working with the EU to boost growth, support industry and create new opportunities for young people. Looking forward to further discussions at the Joint Committee

[Irish News Business @irishnewsbiz]

For the first time in its 114-year history, Irwin’s Bakery in Portadown is no longer in family ownership.

Read more: https://t.co/1uQIMFia1Q

[Police Service NI @PoliceServiceNI]

Police received reports today, Monday 19th October, of an email sent to a number of schools across Northern Ireland.

As a result of this email, police are conducting urgent enquiries, and liaising with the schools in question. An update will be provided in due course.

[Simon Nixon @Simon_Nixon]

No hiding it now. A Molotov-Ribbentrop pact for our times

[John Moore @johnmooreni]

A fantastic local company. Well done Connor Martin and all at JAQ Group 👏👏👏

[Irish News Business @irishnewsbiz]

Co Antrim fragrance-making operation grew into a £60m business last year https://t.co/kLn5mPtLsz

[John Moore @johnmooreni]

😊🇬🇧🤝🇺🇦

[Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський @ZelenskyyUa]

I thank His Majesty King Charles III for the audience. It is important for me to have the opportunity to personally thank him for his unwavering support for Ukraine. We appreciate all the assistance provided by the United Kingdom.

🇺🇦 🇬🇧

@RoyalFamily

Pictures are by Aaron Chown from Press Association.

[John Moore @johnmooreni]

Good to see this happening again 👏👏👏

[Matt Wilkinson @MattSunRoyal]

King Charles has welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Buckingham Palace (it’s believed to be their eighth meeting since first audience in March 2023)

[Tony Diver @Tony_Diver]

Sir Ken McCallum, the director of MI5, has just referred to this incident in his annual speech.

Despite attempts by the Government to play down the significance of the attack when it was revealed by @Telegraph in August, McCallum singles it out and calls it “a destructive cyber attack on an energy generator”.

[Roisin McAliskey @FSBNIRegion]

🤝 FSB Connect NI
📅 22 Oct 2026| 🕙 10:30–11:30M
📍 Belfast

Join us for our next #FSBConnect event! Network, share ideas & build connections with local small businesses! Limited places so book soon!
✅ Free & open to all

👉 Register: https://t.co/NLZP5RRX1z

@FSB_NI

[Sir William Browder KCMG @Billbrowder]

This is hilarious.

[Economy NI @Economy_NI]

Economy Minister Dr @CArchibald_SF has announced a new £2.3m programme of support to help to small businesses to grow by winning new sales in export markets.

Groundwork for Growth, developed by @InvestNI expects to support 240 new or existing micro, small and medium-sized businesses over the next three years.

Read more ➡️https://t.co/Sr56MpJonM

[Sam McBride @SJAMcBride]

It's as well Aer Lingus doesn't fly to Lisburn or it would be landing Airbuses on Coalisland main Street.

[Sir William Browder KCMG @Billbrowder]

Very clear analysis on the disgraceful Trump/Putin diesel deal.

[Andrew Neil @afneil]

Trump’s diesel deal with Putin makes no sense (it’s also immoral since it will fund the ailing Kremlin war machine).
The US has no need of Russian diesel. It already refines more than enough for domestic demand — with 1.5m b/d for export.
Russia has no diesel to export. Ukrainian drones have taken out a third of Russian refining capacity, turning Russia into a net importer of diesel (from India).
The volumes involved are derisory. The initial Russian offer = 2.2m barrels. The US consumes 3.5m b/d.
The price of diesel at the US pump is between $6/6.50. That won’t change before the midterms. The deal does nothing to help Trump in these elections.
But it bolsters Putin and undermines Ukraine.

[NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 @NOELreports]

Kellogg turns against Trump. Former US special envoy for Ukraine, retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, says Ukraine should continue striking Russian oil refineries. “This is war. They are attacking correctly,” he said, backing Kyiv’s continued campaign against Russian refining infrastructure. #Ukraine

[The Kobeissi Letter @KobeissiLetter]

BREAKING: Saudi Arabia has evacuated and closed its international airport in Riyadh after a missile attack by Yemen’s Houthis killed at least 12 people and left dozens injured.

President Trump is now saying the US could join Saudi strikes on the Houthis in light of the airport attack.

[Jim Sciutto @jimsciutto]

GOP Rep from Pennsylvania quite clearly contradicting President Trump on Zelensky: