New law to ensure 40% of trains run during strikes, government announces

Published

1 year ago

November 6, 2023

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The government will introduce a new law to parliament on Tuesday, which they say will ensure 40% of trains still run on strike days.

The new minimum service level regulations will also make sure “certain priority routes can remain open” – though it is not yet clear which journeys will be covered.

Other rules will be introduced for border security staff and ambulance workers, in plans Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says will “stop unions de-railing Christmas for millions of people”.

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The details follow on from the government’s Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act that it passed in January, giving ministers the power to set minimum service levels across multiple sectors.

The legislation caused an uproar from unions, who have again slammed the government for its latest move, calling it “unworkable” and “undemocratic”.

The TUC’s general secretary, Paul Nowak, said: “These anti-strike laws won’t work. The crisis in our public services is of the government’s own making.

“Rather than engaging constructively with unions, they are attacking the right to strike. And they are punishing paramedics and rail staff for daring to stand up for decent pay and better services.”

Labour’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, also claimed the government was “getting their excuses in early for Christmas”, adding: “Rishi Sunak is offering another sticking plaster to distract from the Conservatives’ track record of failure.

“We all want minimum standards of service and staffing but it’s Tory ministers who are consistently failing to provide them.”

But Mr Sunak said it was the “right long-term decision… to keep people safe and continue delivering the vital public services that hard-working people rely on”.

Under the new law, employers will be able to issue notices to people “who are reasonably required to work to ensure minimum service levels are met”, the government said.

It will also make unions “take reasonable steps and ensure their members who are identified with a work notice comply” – with the statutory guidance set out by the Department for Business and Trade following a consultation.

If unions fail to do this, they can be sued, with the maximum fine for unlawful strike action now sitting at £1m.

“We are doing everything in our power to stop unions de-railing Christmas for millions of people,” said Mr Sunak.

“This legislation will ensure more people will be able to travel to see their friends and family and get the emergency care they need.

“We cannot go on relying on short term fixes – including calling on our Armed Forces or civil servants – to mitigate the disruption caused by strike action.

“That’s why we’re taking the right long-term decision to bring in minimum service levels, in line with other countries, to keep people safe and continue delivering the vital public services that hard-working people rely on.”

The rules for border security will apply to both the Border Force and selected HM Passport Office staff, and state that services “should be provided at a level that means that they are no less effective than if a strike were not taking place”, as well as ensuring all ports and airports remain open on a strike.

For ambulance workers, the legislation will only impact England, and will “ensure that cases that are life-threatening, or where there is no reasonable clinical alternative to an ambulance response, are responded to”.

The three areas have been chosen following government consultations to establish what they think are the correct minimum service levels to introduce following a raft of strikes that have dominated the past year.

But the Department of Health and Social Care is still carrying out on “expanding the scope of minimum service levels to cover other urgent and emergency hospital-based services”, which could include nurses and doctors.

Unison – which represents ambulance workers, as well as other healthcare professionals – called the legislation a “pointless move [that] won’t solve a single problem in the NHS”.

The union’s head of health, Sara Gorton, added: “Measures are already in place to protect patients during action. Sacking ambulance workers on strike won’t get the millions awaiting hospital treatment any closer to the top of the list.

“It’s just a desperate attempt to deflect attention from the government’s appalling record on the NHS.

“The public wants ministers to cut waiting times, shorten delays and attract more staff to the NHS. Not make an already dire situation significantly worse.”

The Department for Education has already committed to introducing minimum service into schools and colleges, though at the moment it will be on a voluntary basis with agreement from unions.

However, ministers will launch their own consultation if an agreement can’t be reached.

The Department for Business and Trade is also launching a consultation on removing regulations that prevent agency workers being supplied to cover striking employees, with a promise to publish its findings “in due course”.

The TUC’s Mr Nowak said unions would continue to fight back against the “spiteful legislation”, adding: “We won’t stop until it is repealed.”

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Politics

SEC punts decisions on XRP, DOGE ETFs

Published

2 hours ago

April 29, 2025

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SEC punts decisions on XRP, DOGE ETFs

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has postponed deciding on whether to greenlight two proposed cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds (ETFs) holding Dogecoin and XRP, filings show.

The US regulator has delayed its deadline for ruling on the proposed ETF listings until June, according to two filings reviewed by Cointelegraph.

The filings were responses to March requests from US exchanges NYSE Arca and Cboe BZX Exchange to list Bitwise’s Dogecoin (DOGE) ETF and Franklin Templeton’s XRP (XRP) ETF, respectively.

They came on the same day that Nasdaq, another US exchange, asked for permission to list a 21Shares Dogecoin ETF.

Dogecoin is the world’s most heavily traded memecoin, with a market capitalization of around $26 billion as of April 29, according to data from CoinGecko. XRP is the native token of the XRP Ledger blockchain network. It has a market capitalization of approximately $133 billion, CoinGecko data shows.

Deluge of filings

In 2025, the SEC has fielded requests to authorize dozens of altcoin ETFs for US listing. As of April 21, approximately 70 crypto ETFs were awaiting the SEC’s review.

Asset managers are proposing funds holding “[e]verything from XRP, Litecoin and Solana to Penguins, Doge and 2x Melania and everything in between,” Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas said in an April 21 post on the X platform.

The deluge of proposals comes as US President Donald Trump pushes the SEC to take a more accommodating stance toward cryptocurrencies.

However, analysts caution investor demand for altcoin ETFs may be tepid in comparison to funds holding core cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH).

“Having your coin get ETF-ized is like being in a band and getting your songs added to all the music streaming services,” Balchunas said.

“Doesn’t guarantee listens but it puts your music where the vast majority of the listeners are.”

Although US exchanges are embracing crypto ETFs, they are also urging the SEC to take a tough regulatory posture toward digital assets. In an April 25 comment letter, Nasdaq encouraged the SEC to hold digital assets to the same compliance standards as securities if they constitute “stocks by any other name.”

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Nasdaq files to list 21Shares Dogecoin ETF

Published

5 hours ago

April 29, 2025

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Nasdaq files to list 21Shares Dogecoin ETF

The United States exchange Nasdaq has asked regulators for permission to list a 21Shares exchange-traded fund (ETF) holding the popular memcoin Dogecoin, regulatory filings show.

The move follows 21Shares’ April 10 filing of its initial proposal to launch its Dogecoin ETF, shortly after similar applications from rivals Bitwise and Grayscale. The asset manager has also sought regulators’ permission to list ETFs holding other cryptocurrencies, including Solana (SOL), XRP (XRP), and Polkadot (DOT).

Nasdaq must gain approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) before it can list and trade the fund. The request amounts to a regulatory review process that could determine whether Dogecoin becomes accessible to a broader range of investors through an ETF structure.

Onslaught of altcoin ETFs

Fund issuers requested to list dozens of altcoin ETFs after US President Donald Trump instructed the SEC to take a friendlier stance toward cryptocurrencies after his second term began in January.

As of April 21, more than 70 crypto ETFs were awaiting the SEC’s review. The list includes alternative layer-1 (L1) native tokens, such as SOL and Sui (SUI), as well as memecoins such as Bonk (BONK) and Official Trump (TRUMP).

While exchanges such as Nasdaq seek to list more crypto ETFs, they are also pushing for firmer US regulatory oversight of digital assets. In an April 25 comment letter, Nasdaq urged the SEC to hold digital assets to the same regulatory standards as securities if they constitute “stocks by any other name.”

Dogecoin utility

Dogecoin (DOGE) is a popular memecoin with a market capitalization of nearly $26 billion as of April 29, according to CoinGecko.

It is distinct from most other memecoins because DOGE is the native token of the Dogecoin network.

The proof-of-work blockchain network is designed as a faster, cheaper alternative to Bitcoin (BTC) for peer-to-peer payments.

It processed more than 40,000 transactions in the past 24 hours, according to data from Bitinfocharts.com.

In September 2024, blockchain developers QED Protocol and Nexus tipped plans to launch a layer-2 (L2) scaling solution designed to bring smart contracts to Dogecoin.

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Politics

UK gov’t proposes crypto rules in response to scams

Published

8 hours ago

April 29, 2025

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<div>UK gov't proposes crypto rules in response to scams</div>

The United Kingdom’s Treasury and Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, have proposed new crypto rules aimed at “support[ing] innovation while cracking down on fraudsters.”

In an April 29 notice, the UK government announced draft rules for cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH), that would bring “crypto exchanges, dealers and agents” in line with regulations, as many residents were “exposed to risky firms and scams.” It cited discussions with US government officials, including a proposed US-UK cross-border sandbox from the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Hester Peirce.

“Today’s announcement sends a clear signal: Britain is open for business — but closed to fraud, abuse, and instability,” said the notice. “The government will bring forward final cryptoasset legislation at the earliest opportunity, following engagement on the draft provisions with industry.”

Treasury and Reeves said the UK was committed to making the country a “global hub for digital asset technologies,” referencing the goals of the previous government under the Conservative Party. A 2023 consultation paper from Treasury proposed “bringing a wide range of cryptoasset activities” — including trading and issuing stablecoins — in line with UK regulations.

Praise from industry

In a statement shared with Cointelegraph, Ian Silvera, the associate director for the self-regulatory trade association CryptoUK, called the government announcement a “very much welcomed and a big victory” for crypto firms. However, he added that the industry could also benefit from regulatory clarity on liquid staking and DeFi.

“Though there has been good regulatory progress from the [Financial Conduct Authority], which published its crypto roadmap late last year, the UK government first committed to becoming a global crypto hub in 2022,” said Silvera. “Progress has been slow since then, but as the Chancellor has recognised herself the mainstreaming of the industry has continued, with now 12% of all UK adults owning some sort of crypto, up from 4% in 2021.”

The FCA plans to publish final rules on crypto sometime in 2026, setting the groundwork for the UK regulatory regime to go live. The roadmap to greater regulatory clarity in the UK could follow the European Union, which started to implement its Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework in December.

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