Wes Streeting has appeared to confirm that Rachel Reeves will carry out a tax raid on national insurance contributions to help fill the £40 billion gap in Labour’s spending plans. Meanwhile, his refusal to rule out extending the freezing of income tax thresholds beyond 2028 also appeared to confirm speculationContinue Reading
Leaked recordings have sparked fears the British High Commission in Mauritius had its phones hacked around the time the UK opened negotiations for the handover of the Chagos Islands. Audio of apparent discussions between the British high commissioner Charlotte Pierre and other political figures were featured on the Mauritian FacebookContinue Reading
Wes Streeting is set to reveal plans for people to monitor their own health from the comfort of their homes with a 10-year plan aimed at revolutionising the NHS. The health secretary wants to roll out smartwatches to more members of the public in a bid to tackle debilitating conditionsContinue Reading
A former Tory peer who called out her own party for being Islamophobic has in a shock move given her backing to Kemi Badenoch, saying she “hopes and prays” that the candidate will bring sanity to the Conservatives. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Sayeeda Warsi, who has recentlyContinue Reading
Sir Keir Starmer has come under pressure to quickly appoint an envoy for religious freedom after frustration over the delay to replace former Tory MP Fiona Bruce. The row has broken out as a leading Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) priest has appealed to the UK for help in urging PresidentContinue Reading
Ministers have banned the use of the term “free childcare” to describe a key government policy as anger mounts over nursery fees. Tory Jeremy Hunt announced plans to give every child aged nine months and older 30 “free” hours of childcare in his Budget last year, as part of last-ditchContinue Reading
Sir Keir Starmer has come under pressure to publish the true costs of Brexit after a minister confirmed Britain has spent £24bn alone withdrawing from the EU – with a further £6.4bn still to pay. The prime minister has been urged to order an inquiry into Britain’s relationship with theContinue Reading
Keir Starmer has insisted that his government will not break Labour’s manifesto pledge over raising taxes on working people with growing concerns about plans for a stealth tax. The prime minister told journalists Labour will “keep our manifesto pledges” amid reports Rachel Reeves could extend the freeze on income taxContinue Reading
Starmer refuses to rule out national insurance rise at PMQs Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Rachel Reeves will announce Labour’s first Budget in 15 years later this month, leading one of the mostContinue Reading
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to announce the end of a temporary 5p cut in fuel duty in her Budget this month, it has been reported. Sources briefed on the chancellor’s thinking told The Financial Times that they believe the cut will take effect from next year. Additionally, the TreasuryContinue Reading
