PMQs: One side ‘out of touch’, the other ‘champagne socialists’
During prime minister’s questions, deputy PM Dominic Raab and deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner held no punches in a feisty battle at the dispatch box. Rayner lauded Labour’s victory and the Conservative losses in last week’s by election, saying “it’s no wonder that the prime minister has fled the country”. The deputy leader of the […]
SNP failure is leading to Scotland raising less money but Scots paying more tax
Last week the Scottish Government published their long-awaited spending review, setting out their long-term spending plans for the first time in over a decade. The picture it has painted is nothing short of catastrophic. It is both a damning indictment of government failure in the past and a stark warning of what lies ahead. Years […]
Johnson under pressure over growing calls for energy windfall tax
Keir Starmer took Boris Johnson to task over resisting growing calls for a windfall tax in the first Prime Minister’s Questions of the new parliamentary session. Labour’s leader repeatedly asked Johnson why the government was doing the “hokey cokey” on a one-off tax on energy companies to ease the pressures of the cost-of-living crisis for […]
Political Agenda – Adrian Ramsay
The 2022 local elections are just under a week away, and political parties across the UK are making their case to voters against the backdrop of the cost of living crisis and the fallout from Partygate. Adrian Ramsay, who co-leads the Greens with Carla Denyer, is hoping his Party can provide fresh answers to the […]
Fracking back on the table as UK energy security fears grow
Fracking could return to the UK, after Downing Street admitted the ongoing situation in Ukraine meant the government would “look at all options” to improve British energy security.
The energy crisis is inflating food prices—now is not the time for clumsy anti-obesity policies
In January, the number of people in Britain suffering from food insecurity was up 20% from the second half of last year. According to a survey by the Food Foundation charity, 4.7 million adults had experienced food insecurity – equivalent to 8.8% of the population. 1 million adults reported that they or someone in their […]
Government resists growing calls for energy windfall tax
Downing Street says the government’s position on a windfall tax for energy companies remains unchanged, despite a huge surge in profits for energy giants BP and Shell in recent days. In this morning’s Downing Street lobby briefing, the prime minister’s spokesperson said he “wasn’t aware in a change of position” on a windfall tax, despite […]
Minister ‘very proud’ of cost of living response
A minister has stressed that he is “very, very proud” of the government’s measures to tackle cost of living issues. Foreign minister James Cleverly said the cabinet “absolutely recognise” the issues associated with the fifty per cent energy price cap jump set to be rolled out from April. This morning Ofgem is scheduled to confirm […]
National Insurance rise is a ‘very progressive’ tax, argues Treasury minister
The Chief Secretary to the Treasury has described the upcoming National Insurance hike as “very progressive” during this morning’s broadcast round. Simon Clarke told Sky News that the “enormous” NHS backlog following the pandemic meant that the rise in National Insurance contributions is a “responsible” decision. He later told the BBC: “It’s really important to […]
1 in 4 seeking debt help are single families, says Citizens Advice
Analysis released today by Citizens Advice shows the struggle that many people, particularly single-parent families, have with debt as the cost of living crisis begins to bite. Citizens Advice’s figures show that around 280,000 people in England and Wales sought one-to-one help with debt in 2021, with many more using its website. Of those, almost […]
