Budget 2024: No10 claim Hunt trying to ‘blame referee’ as OBR row heats up October 29, 2024 Jeremy Hunt is trying to “blame the referee” amid a row over an OBR review into the previous government’s departmental spending plans, No10 has claimed. The former Chancellor has criticised the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) for choosing to publish its findings as to whether it was given adequate financial information from Conservative ministers ahead [...]
Jonathan Reynolds ‘open to reviving China trade talks’ October 29, 2024 Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds has said he is “open to having a conversation” about reviving trade talks with China. The cabinet minister told Politico he was “certainly” prepared to discuss reopening the UK-China Joint Economic and Trade Commission (JETCO), which was set up to improve bilateral trade and investment between the two nations. It was [...]
Autumn Budget 2024: Minimum wage set for above inflation hike October 29, 2024 Firms could be set to face higher payroll costs as the minimum wage is reportedly set to increase by more than six per cent at Wednesday’s Budget. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to announce an above inflation raise that is higher than was predicted last month, according to the Times newspaper. It will result in [...]
Keir Starmer: ‘I will defend our tough decisions all day long’ October 28, 2024 Speaking in Birmingham ahead of the Budget, the Prime Minister said politicians needed to be honest with the public about the difficult decisions facing the government.
Labour’s pro-business boasts ring hollow October 28, 2024 Rachel Reeves once vowed that if Labour won they “would be the most pro-business government this country has ever seen”. With just two days to go until the Budget, that pre-election pledge appears to be in the gutter. Reassuring the business community was an essential part of Labour’s pitch for power, but almost everything they’ve [...]
Hundreds attend protest alongside Justice for Chris Kaba campaign October 26, 2024 Hundreds of people have gathered for a march in central London to protest over deaths in custody alongside the Justice for Chris Kaba campaign. Activists gathered on the corner of Trafalgar Square and marched with the United Families and Friends Campaign to Downing Street. The campaign group supports the families of “loved ones lost at [...]
Georgia goes to the polls in make-or-break vote for country’s future October 26, 2024 Georgians headed to the polls on Saturday in a ballot many citizens see as a make-or-break vote on the opportunity to join the European Union. The pre-election campaign in the South Caucasus nation of 3.7m people has been dominated by foreign policy and marked by a bitter fight for votes and allegations of a smear [...]
Hundreds gather for Tommy Robinson’s protest which he will miss in custody October 26, 2024 Hundreds of Tommy Robinson supporters are gathering in central London for a planned protest which the political activist will miss after he was remanded into custody by police. Chants of “Oh Tommy, Tommy” and “We want Starmer out” were heard outside Victoria station ahead of the Unite The Kingdom rally on Saturday. The demonstration is [...]
Chancellor to cut back Right to Buy discounts in Budget October 26, 2024 The Chancellor will cut back Right to Buy discounts as part of next week’s Budget to boost council housing supply. Rachel Reeves will announce plans to consult on a new five-year social housing rent settlement and to reduce Right to Buy, which allows tenants renting local authority-owned homes to buy them at a discounted rate, [...]
Starmer denies misleading the public over tax rises in Labour manifesto October 26, 2024 Sir Keir Starmer has denied misleading the public at the general election over tax plans after he suggested people who make money from shares and property could face greater levies. The Prime Minister rejected claims he was waging a “war on middle Britain” amid pre-Budget speculation he could increase the burden for those who have [...]