A Labour government will establish a new powerful commissioner to recover billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money lost to waste and Covid fraud during the pandemic, Rachel Reeves will tell the party conference on Monday (October 9). “The cost to the taxpayer of Covid fraud is estimated at £7.2bn with every one of those cheques […]
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Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves has ruled out any form of wealth tax to pay for public services under a future Labour government. Rather than taxing society’s richest and targeting expensive properties, raising the top rate of income tax or increasing capital gains tax to fund health, education and other services, a Labour government will pay […]
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Boris Johnson has provoked fury and outrage across Britain and Europe for comparing the Ukraine war with Brexit. Johnson’s analogy during his speech to the Conservative party spring conference was denounced as “truly disgraceful” and “despicable” by Sweden’s former prime minister Carl Bildt, who added: “Any thought of inviting this man to an EU summit […]
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UK families will be hit with a record rise in energy costs leading to the biggest fall in living standards since records began, the Bank of England (BoE) said on what has been dubbed ‘Black Thursday’. Energy regulator Ofgem today (February 3) confirmed the price cap will rise by 54% in April while the BoE […]
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Chancellor Rishi Sunak said the UK economy is entering a “new age of optimism” as he delivered a budget that Labour said only benefitted “bankers on short haul flights sipping champagne”. Sunak said the government’s tax and spending plans – details below – are focused on the “post-Covid” era and will pave the way for […]
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Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced almost £26 billion of public spending commitments ahead of Wednesday’s (October 27) budget and spending review. Strong investment in public services, business support and help for working families will be at the heart of Sunak’s third budget with big spending planned for infrastructure projects, innovation and skills training. Digitalising the […]
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Andy McDonald has been accused of sabotage after his resignation as shadow employment secretary plunged the Labour party conference into disarray. McDonald – described as the last Corbynite in Sir Keir Starmer’s shadow cabinet – quit over the leadership’s failure to support a £15-per-hour minimum wage with a damning claim the party is “more divided […]
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Angela Rayner has come out fighting following a turbulent 24 hours in which she was scapegoated for Labour’s disastrous Super Thursday results and sacked as chair of the party by Sir Keir Starmer, who had just said he took “full responsibility” for the results. However, his rush to be seen to act decisively, with speed […]
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In his 59 years as front man of the Rolling Stones, Sir Mick Jagger can rarely, if indeed ever, have penned a more aptly named song that coincided so perfectly with political events than yesterday’s surprise release, Easy Sleazy. Jagger’s duet with the Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl is about lockdown but its title could well […]
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Health secretary Matt Hancock acted unlawfully by failing to publish details of multibillion-pound coronavirus contracts awarded by the government, a High Court judge has ruled. Mr Justice Chamberlain said Hancock had “breached his legal obligation” by failing to publish details of the contracts within 30 days, adding the public has a right to know where […]
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