Rishi Sunak, Former UK Chancellor of the Exchequer - and now UK PM

[HitWicket]

Universal credit is £100 a week after the government clears your rent. No doubt it is not ideal but it is better than keeping people on furlough only to end up on universal credit anyways once the furlough scheme ends.

The government have got their entire strategy wrong. This happens when you have a yes man like Sunak at the helm of things whereas a solid treasurer would look to save each penny he could and get things back to normal.

The scheme should have ended in July. Companies/ industries opening 100%. Those who cannot bring back full staff force to lay off a percentage, whilst the jobs would eventually return within the next couple of months with the easing of social distancing measures.

Prolonging it to November is stupid as it is and I hope todays figures make this incompetent government backtrack like they did on schools, and open fully even if it means July!

Your rents only fully covered if you live in council provided housing and don't have any 'spare' bedrooms which the majority made redundant wouldn't be. Otherwise you get an allowance towards your rent however in most cases this isn't going to cover your full rent (before even considering bills) requiring a chunk of the universal credit payment.

There are many companies that will struggle to operate safely and legally in July let alone partially. As I've said already, it makes no logical sense for a business to continue operating at a loss if they are capable of reopening and making a profit, and start bringing staff back off furlough.

 

[MenInG]

Reacting to this morning's figures on how coronavirus is hitting the public purse, Chancellor Rishi Sunak says they show "coronavirus is having a severe impact on our public finances".

"The best way to restore our public finances to a more sustainable footing is to safely reopen our economy so people can return to work," he says.

"We’ve set out our plan to do this in a gradual and safe fashion, including reopening high streets across the country this week, as we kickstart our economic recovery.”

Source BBC

==

This is going to get worse and time for some hard decisions.

 

[MenInG]

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has today appointed Nikhil Rathi, the current chief executive of the London Stock Exchange, as the permanent boss of the Financial Conduct Authority.

Rathi will replace Christopher Woolard, who was serving as the FCA’s interim chief executive following former boss Andrew Bailey’s move to become governor of the Bank of England.

The FCA said Rathi will take up his new post in the autumn. He will be paid an annual salary of £455,000, and be required to have given up any interests in the London Stock Exchange by the time he joins.

Prior to joining the Exchange in 2014, Rathi was formerly a director at the Treasury managing the UK’s EU and international financial services interests.

FCA chair Charles Randell said: “Nikhil has been closely involved in guiding the FCA’s development… and brings both private sector management skills and experience of domestic and international regulatory policymaking.

“I would also like to thank Christopher Woolard for steering the FCA through its initial response to Covid-19 with great energy and skill. He has been an exemplary leader in this very difficult period.”

Rathi said he intends to make the FCA a “more diverse organisation” under his leadership, with focus on measures for vulnerable consumers, technological innovation and climate change.

Sunak said in a statement: “Nikhil is the outstanding candidate for the position of chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority, and I am delighted that he has agreed to take up the role.

“We have conducted a thorough, worldwide search for this crucial appointment and, through his wide-ranging experiences across financial services, I am confident that Nikhil will bring the ambitious vision and leadership this organisation demands.”

City titans welcome new FCA chief

Catherine McGuinness, policy chair of the City of London Corporation, welcomed Rathi’s appointment.

“Nikhil brings a wealth of experience to the role at a critical time from his previous positions at HM Treasury and London Stock Exchange,” she said. “He will be a great asset as the FCA looks to build on both Andrew Bailey’s legacy and the work by Christopher Woolard through the Covid-19 crisis so far.

“Together, we face the global challenges of stimulating a post-pandemic economic recovery, tackling climate change, and the rise of technology.

“Nikhil’s depth of experience of domestic and international regulatory policymaking will therefore be vitally important as we plot the path ahead, and support consumers and businesses across the UK. I look forward to working closely with him in the months and years to come.”

Andrew Jacobs, head of regulatory consulting at DWF, called Rathi a “solid choice” for the role.

“Rathi comes from a strong pedigree of high profile, systemically important leadership roles and is a solid choice to lead the next chapter of conduct regulation,” Jacobs added.

“Rathi is also a fine choice to keep diversity at the heart of the FCA and he has already pledged that this will be part of his manifesto, along with driving forward the modernisation of the FCA and keeping the UK at the forefront of financial services.”

Liz Field, chief executive of wealth management industry body Pimfa, added: “Nikhil Rathi is an extremely knowledgeable and experienced leader, as his successful stewardship of the London Stock Exchange as its chief executive for the past six years demonstrates.

“His knowledge of the wealth management and financial advice sector, as well as prior experience of working within government, leading on the UKs European Union and international financial services interests, will be particularly welcome at a time when we are renegotiating our relationship with Europe and striving to form new relationships with international partners.

“Mr Rathi becomes Chief Executive of the FCA at a time of significant change and he will have many competing priorities. We look forward to having a productive and constructive working relationship with him and wish him well in his new role.”

https://www.cityam.com/london-stock-exchange-boss-appointed-as-new-fca-chief/

 

[shaykh]

Not sure what miracles people expect tbh ...people speak about austerity like it is a choice...

Job retention schemes according to the OBR will cost the government upto 123 billion...

The total cost of covid when you add job retention, the NHS and support to businesses is estimated as going as high as 298 billion...

To put that figure in perspective total spending last year was 848 million which goes towards social protection, health, pensions, defence etc...

Currently less money is being generated ie income tax, NI and VAT cos some of us are being furloughed hence less money and some have lost their jobs so no tax from them ...and a lot more money needs to be spent ...

The government borrowed 55 billion in May alone ...

Increases taxes and you reduce spending ...

Pensions which cost a crazy 161 billion a year and is always increasing won’t be touched by any government...

So cuts have to made somewhere ...there isn’t a money tree...for money to be spend it has to be taken from something else...

 

[Firebat]

Sunak to unveil £2bn home insulation scheme

Hundreds of thousands of homeowners will receive vouchers of up to £5,000 for energy-saving home improvements, with the poorest getting up to £10,000.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is due to set out a £2bn grant scheme in England for projects such as insulation as part of a wider £3bn plan to cut emissions.

The Treasury said the grants could help to support more than 100,000 jobs.

Labour said renters appeared to be left out and called for a "broader and bigger" plan to cut carbon emissions.

It comes ahead of a summer statement from Mr Sunak on Wednesday, in which he could announce changes to stamp duty and VAT.

Business leaders and a former chancellor have called for radical action to bolster the economy, which is still reeling from the impact of coronavirus.

'Lower bills'

Under the Green Homes Grant, the government will pay at least two-thirds of the cost of home improvements that save energy, the Treasury said.

For example, a homeowner of a semi-detached or end-of-terrace house could install cavity wall and floor insulation for about £4,000 - the homeowner would pay £1,320 while the government would contribute £2,680.

The scheme will launch in September, with online applications for recommended energy efficiency measures, along with details of accredited local suppliers.

Once one of these suppliers has provided a quote and the work is approved, the voucher is issued.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Business Secretary Alok Sharma added that the poorest households could receive up to £10,000 towards costs, and that double glazing would also be covered by the scheme.

He continued: "What [the scheme] ultimately means is lower bills for households, hundreds of pounds off energy bills every year, it's supporting jobs and is very good news for the environment."

The government said about half of the fund - which is due to be spent in one financial year - will go to the poorest homeowners, who will not have to contribute anything to the cost. Better insulation could save some people £600 a year on energy bills, the Treasury said.

Mr Sunak said the investment would also help to "kick-start our economy" by creating thousands of jobs and providing business for existing skilled workers, as the UK recovers from the economic shock of coronavirus.

"As Britain recovers from the outbreak, it's vital we do everything in our power to support and protect livelihoods across the nation," he said.

Spoiler

Other measures expected in Wednesday's summer statement:

The government will pledge to provide 30,000 new traineeships to get young people in England into work, giving firms £1,000 for each new work experience place they offer

The struggling arts and heritage sector has been promised a £1.6bn bespoke package of loans and grants

According to reports, there could be a short-term VAT cut for the ailing hospitality industry to help lift demand

However, the Guardian reported that plans to give all adults £500 and children £250 in vouchers to spend on hospitality were being considered as an alternative

The chancellor is also likely to announce a stamp duty holiday, reportedly aimed at first time buyers.

Read more: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53313640

 

[Firebat]

Chancellor Rishi Sunak cuts VAT in emergency plan to save jobs

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is to cut VAT on hospitality as part of a £30bn plan to prevent mass unemployment as the economy is hit by coronavirus.

The government will also pay firms a £1,000 bonus for every staff member kept on for three months when the furlough scheme ends in October.

And Mr Sunak announced a scheme to give 50% off to people dining out in August.

The chancellor warned "hardship lies ahead", but vowed no-one will be left "without hope", in a statement to MPs.

He rejected calls to extend the furlough scheme beyond October, saying it would give people "false hope" that they will have a job to return to.

But he said he would "never accept unemployment as an inevitable outcome" of the pandemic.

Details of how the package will be paid for - through borrowing and possible tax rises - are likely to be unveiled in the chancellor's Autumn Budget.

Spoiler

'Decent work'

The "job retention bonus" could cost as much as £9.4bn if every furloughed worker is brought back.

Explaining how it will work, the chancellor said: "If you're an employer and you bring back someone who was furloughed - and continuously employ them through to January - we'll pay you a £1,000 bonus per employee.

"It's vital people aren't just returning for the sake of it - they need to be doing decent work.

"So for businesses to get the bonus, the employee must be paid at least £520 on average, in each month from November to the end of January - the equivalent of the lower earnings limit in National Insurance."

He told MPs he will cut VAT on food, accommodation and attractions from 20% to 5% from next Wednesday.

What is VAT and how is it changing?
This cut will apply to eat-in or hot takeaway food and non-alcoholic drinks from restaurants, cafes and pubs, accommodation in hotels, B&**, campsites and caravan sites, and attractions like cinemas, theme parks and zoos.

Rishi Sunak said this "£4bn catalyst" would help protect "over 2.4 million jobs".

Mr Sunak also announced an "Eat Out to Help Out" discount, which he said would help protect 1.8 million jobs, at cost of £0.5bn.

Meals eaten at any participating business, Monday to Wednesday, will be 50% off in August, up to a maximum discount of £10 per head for everyone, including children.

Businesses will need to register, and can do so through a website, which will open next Monday.

Kate Nichols, chief executive of UK Hospitality, which represents bars, restaurants and visitor attractions, tweeted: "Thank you to Rishi Sunak (for) recognising the importance of tourism and hospitality and the benefit it brings to economy - this will make a material difference for the sector as we face a long road to recovery."

Read more: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53268594

 

[MenInG]

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has been commenting on this morning's figures showing the record economic slump in the UK wrought by the coronavirus and lockdown measures.

"I've said before that hard times were ahead, and today's figures confirm that hard times are here," he said.

"Hundreds of thousands of people have already lost their jobs, and sadly in the coming months many more will.

"But while there are difficult choices to be made ahead, we will get through this, and I can assure people that nobody will be left without hope or opportunity."

Giving her reaction, Labour's shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds said a downturn was "inevitable after lockdown" but added: "[Boris] Johnson's jobs crisis wasn't.

"We've already got the worst excess death rate in Europe - now we're on course for the worst recession too," she said. "That's a tragedy for our country and it's happening on the PM's watch."

 

[MenInG]

Rishi Sunak is unveiling an emergency COVID rescue plan to protect jobs that is expected to include wage subsidies, VAT cuts and more cheap loans for struggling businesses.

In a dramatic move, the chancellor has ruled out an autumn Budget and instead will launch a "Winter Economy Plan" after MPs and unions warned of the risk of a "tsunami" of job losses.


https://news.sky.com/story/coronavi...n-to-prevent-a-tsunami-of-job-losses-12079934

 

[Robert]

My opinion of this guy has risen. He’s looking trustworthy and statesmanlike. Could be the next PM.

 

[shaz619]

My opinion of this guy has risen. He’s looking trustworthy and statesmanlike. Could be the next PM.

Hell will freeze if this country ever saw a coloured as our PM, it will never happen. I see no changes.

 

[the Great Khan]

Hell will freeze if this country ever saw a coloured as our PM, it will never happen. I see no changes.

[MENTION=7774]Robert[/MENTION] still lives in cloud cuckoo land. Never going to happen. Rishi is another tory liar in a suit. But then again the labour party is full of the same now so I wont be voting in the next election..

 

[shaz619]

[MENTION=7774]Robert[/MENTION] still lives in cloud cuckoo land. Never going to happen. Rishi is another tory liar in a suit. But then again the labour party is full of the same now so I wont be voting in the next election..

He is indeed, his voting record speaks for itself really. It's going to be a long and hard winter, these guys crippled everyone to begin with and are not really helping people or industries effectively.

 

[The Viper]

Coronavirus: Chancellor to launch 'Winter Economy Plan' to prevent a 'tsunami' of job losses

Rishi Sunak is unveiling an emergency COVID rescue plan to protect jobs that is expected to include wage subsidies, VAT cuts and more cheap loans for struggling businesses.

In a dramatic move, the chancellor has ruled out an autumn budget and instead will launch a "Winter Economy Plan" after MPs and unions warned of the risk of a "tsunami" of job losses.

The aim is to help the economy cope with the new coronavirus restrictions announced by Boris Johnson this week, including a 10pm curfew for pubs and restaurants and ordering office staff to work from home.

And as the government prepared to launch its NHS COVID-19 App, the latest figures showed 6,178 new cases of coronavirus in the UK, taking the overall number to 409,729.

The centrepiece of the multi-billion-pound package is expected to be a scheme, modelled on one in Germany, in which taxpayers subsidise the wages of workers returning to work part time after being furloughed.

Other moves are likely to be extending a VAT cut to 5% for the lockdown-ravaged hospitality and tourism industries, which was introduced earlier this year, from next January until the end of March.

And four loan schemes for hard-hit businesses are likely to be extended until the end of November, with the terms increased from six to 10 years to reduce monthly repayments.

The chancellor has taken the highly unusual step of not having his November Budget because "now is not the right time to outline long-term plans and people want to see us focused on the here and now", it was revealed.

A Treasury source told Sky News: "No-one wanted to be in this situation but we need to respond to it. The chancellor has shown he has been creative in the past and we hope that people will trust us to continue in that vein.

"Giving people reassurance and businesses the help they need to get through this is uppermost in his mind."

According to the Treasury, the chancellor is promising a "flexible and adaptable approach to economic support, because people have needed the help and they've needed it quickly and at the right time".

Allies said he would be "very honest with people" about the "difficult trade-offs" the government faces as it tries to deal with the twin challenges of rising infection rates and an economic slump.

"It is not about health versus the economy, but about the balance between keeping people in jobs and finding them new ones," a source said.

And the source added: "What remains true is that our priority is one word: jobs."

Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds told Sky News that Labour has been "saying for a very long time that it's critical we have a targeted system of wage support in place".

Speaking to Kay Burley, she added: "I've called for that 40 times and 20 times the government has said they're not willing to put that into place.

"Obviously, if the government has shifted, I'm pleased. It's come very late, however.

"We've already seen a number of redundancies because of the one-size-fits-all withdrawal of the furlough scheme."

Previewing the chancellor's statement, the prime minister told MPs: "What we will do is continue to put our arms around the people of this country going through a very tough time and come up with the appropriate creative and imaginative schemes to keep them in work and keep the economy moving."

That prompted the Labour MP Grahame Morris to demand a targeted expansion of a COVID job retention scheme and to tell Mr Johnson: "Make no mistake: a tsunami of job losses is in the pipeline within 38 days."

Later, in a TV address responding to the PM's broadcast 24 hours earlier, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer urged the government to come up with a "plan B" for the economy ahead of the furlough scheme for workers ending in October.

"It makes no sense to bring in new restrictions at the same time as phasing out support for jobs and businesses," he said, as he warned of a "wave of job losses this winter".

The shop workers' union also warned of "a tsunami of job losses" and called for an online sales tax to save the high street.

"If we are going to save the high street, there needs to be radical and bold action to level the playing field between online retail and 'bricks and mortar' shops," said general secretary Paddy Lillis.

"The time is long overdue for the government to look seriously at introducing some form of online sales tax.

"As a society we have a choice, do we want to see the high street go to the wall or do we want to save it.

"Retail is the cornerstone of our towns, cities and communities. It employs around three million people and needs urgent assistance to get the industry back on its feet."

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavi...n-to-prevent-a-tsunami-of-job-losses-12079934

 

[MenInG]

The chancellor has announced the extension of a VAT cut for the hospitality and tourism sectors - some of the worst-hit by the pandemic.

Rishi Sunak said that the temporary reduction of VAT rates from 20% to 5% would remain in place until 31 March 2021, rather than 13 January.

The measure would "help protect 2.4 million jobs through the winter", he said.

But industry figures said that they were "still not out of the woods".

Restaurants and pubs in particular were affected by lockdown measures, and thousands of jobs in the sector have already been lost.

The temporary VAT cut first came into force in July and was designed to help hotels, restaurants, cafes and pubs to shore up their finances.

Some firms, however, such as KFC, Nando's and Pret, decided to pass on the savings directly to customers by cutting prices in their outlets.

The chancellor said on Thursday that the extension to the VAT cut would help "support more than 150,000 businesses" through the winter period.

The cut applies to food and non-alcoholic drinks, accommodation and admission to tourist attractions across the UK, according to the Treasury's Winter Economy Plan.

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In a press conference on Thursday, the chancellor said that the extension would cost the Treasury £800m - on top of the previous estimate of £2.5bn.

What is VAT?
Value Added Tax, or VAT, is the tax you have to pay when you buy goods or services.

The standard rate of VAT in the UK is 20%, with about half the items households spend money on subject to this rate.

There is a reduced rate of 5% which applies to some things such as children's car seats and home energy.

When you see a price for something in a shop, any VAT will already have been added.

There are also various items for which you do not have to pay any VAT, such as most supermarket food, children's clothing, newspapers and magazines.

Read more about VAT.

'Some reason to be positive'
The chief executive of trade association UK Hospitality, Kate Nicholls, said that the cut provided some good news for the sector after it was announced that pubs and restaurants in England must now close at 22:00 BST.

"The announcement of further restrictions was a significant hammer blow that will inevitably depress trading," she said.

Curfew could be 'fatal blow' to some pubs and bars
How are pubs keeping customers safe?
'Another lockdown would be disastrous for our business'
"It was crucial that the chancellor delivered support today that specifically targeted the hospitality sector which has been hit harder than any.

"The chancellor has given us some reason to be positive again but we urge him to engage with the trade on specific measures to keep people in work.

"While some of these measures announced today will give businesses a future to shoot for and hope that they can begin to rebuild, we are still not out of the woods."

In an attempt to boost consumer demand, Mr Sunak introduced the "Eat Out to Help Out" scheme in August as restaurants and cafes gradually reopened over the summer.

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image caption
Many restaurants took part in the chancellor's "Eat Out to Help Out" scheme in August
Under the scheme, diners got a state-backed 50% discount on meals and soft drinks up to £10 each on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Earlier in September, the Treasury said that more than 100 million meals had been claimed under the scheme, which saw restaurant bookings surge.

But Will Hawkley, UK head of leisure at KPMG, labelled the scheme "a distant memory", with the government's job retention scheme winding down and the number of coronavirus cases rising in the UK.

"The leisure and tourism industry has understandably been feeling uneasy, if not left questioning its survival prospects," he said.

"While the chancellor may have demonstrated that the sector's woes haven't been overlooked, most businesses are likely to conclude that the extension of the VAT cut and the latest job support measures don't go far enough.

"Sadly not all operators will be able to survive and further job losses will be inevitable without further government support."

Many firms have been forced to make job cuts due to the impact the pandemic has had on trade overall.

On Tuesday, Whitbread, which owns Premier Inn and Beefeater, warned that 6,000 staff could lose their jobs after guest numbers had slumped.

Last month, Pizza Express warned 1,100 people could lose their jobs under its planned restructuring which will see the closure of 73 outlets..

In June, The Restaurant Group - which owns Frankie and Benny's - said it was cutting up to 3,000 jobs.

 

[The Viper]

Rishi Sunak defends emergency jobs scheme

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said it is "impossible" to predict how many jobs the government's new wage subsidy scheme will save.

The scheme, set to replace furlough, will see the government top up the pay of people unable to work full time.

It aims to stop mass job cuts after the government introduced new measures to tackle a rise in coronavirus cases.

Mr Sunak said he hoped the plan would "benefit large numbers", but he could not say what job is "viable or not".

Under the Job Support Scheme, if bosses bring back workers part time, the government will help top up their wages with employers to at least three quarters of their full time pay.

It will begin on 1 November and last for six months.

Why is the government doing this?

Mr Sunak described the scheme as a "radical new policy", designed "to help protect as many jobs as possible [and] keep people in part-time work rather than laying them off".

However, he said it would only support "viable jobs" - as opposed to jobs that exist because the government is continuing to subsidise the wages.

"It's not for me to sit here and make pronouncements upon exactly what job is viable or not but what we do need to do is evolve our support now that we're through the acute phase of the crisis," Mr Sunak said at a press conference after the scheme was unveiled.

"We obviously can't sustain the same level of things that we were doing at the beginning of this crisis."

How many jobs will this save?

The BBC understands that the Treasury is estimating that anywhere between two and five million people could be covered by the new Jobs Support Scheme.

However, the chancellor told a press conference that he would be "lying" if he tried to give precise numbers but he said that some forecasts for unemployment "don't make for good reading".

Nearly three million workers - or 12% of the UK's workforce - are currently on partial or full furlough leave, according to official figures. The current furlough scheme ends on 31 October.

The government's contribution to workers' pay will fall sharply compared with the furlough scheme. Under furlough, it initially paid 80% of a monthly wage up to £2,500 - under the new scheme this will drop to 22%.

"The primary goal of our economic policy remains unchanged - to support people's jobs - but the way we achieve that must evolve," Mr Sunak said.

"I cannot save every business, I cannot save every job."

How much will it cost?

The scheme will cost the government an estimated £300m a month. Companies who use it can also still claim the Job Retention Bonus, where the government pays £1,000 for every furloughed employee who comes back to work until at least the end of January.

Mr Sunak said a similar scheme for the self-employed would be available.

Under the scheme, the government will subsidise the pay of employees who are working fewer than their normal hours due to lower demand.

Employers will pay for the hours actually worked. And then the government and the employer will between them cover two thirds of the lost wages. But only staff who can work at least a third of their normal hours will be eligible for the scheme.

The payment will be based on an employee's normal salary, with the government contribution capped at £697.92 per month.

Who does it help?

All small and medium sized businesses will be eligible for the scheme but larger business will only qualify if their turnover has fallen during the crisis

It will run for six months starting in November and be open to employers across the UK even if they have not previously used the furlough scheme.

Employees must be in ''viable jobs" to benefit from the scheme. Those in industries currently closed - such as nightclubs - may lose out as there isn't any work.

What do businesses think?

"It is right to target help on jobs with a future, but can only be part-time while demand remains flat. This is how skills and jobs can be preserved to enable a fast recovery, "said CBI director-general Dame Carolyn Fairbairn.

However, Torsten Bell, chief executive of the Resolution Foundation think tank said that the new jobs scheme on its own "will not encourage firms to cut hours rather than jobs because the one-third employer contribution means it is much cheaper for firms to employ one person full-time than two people part-time".

He warned that the £1,000 Job Retention Bonus firms would receive for retaining workers at the end of January, combined with the new scheme could create a new "cliff-edge" for job cuts.

"We've now got a big incentive for firms to retain workers part-time until you qualify for the bonus."

Labour, meanwhile, said it would support any measures to safeguard jobs but accused the government of acting too late.

What about workers?

Tracey Sheppard is a cleaner at a leisure centre in Essex who's been on furlough since the end of March. She said she hoped the new Jobs Support Scheme will help her, but there are no guarantees.

"They're a very big company that I work for … but I don't' know whether they'd be able to afford to keep me on… I just don't know," she told the BBC's World At One.

She said she feels "frightened" because her family only recently moved to the area and this is the only job she can fit in around childcare.

"I've just heard nothing [from my employer]. The last time I heard from them was the beginning of lockdown."

What else did the chancellor announce?

A cut in VAT for hospitality and tourism companies will also be extended until March. The cut from 20% to 5% VAT - which came into force on 15 July - had been due to expire on 12 January next year.

However, the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) said this and the new jobs plan did "not go far enough" in helping the industry which has been hit by the government's new restrictions to stop coronavirus cases from rising.

What about loan repayments?

Mr Sunak also announced that businesses that have borrowed money through the government's loan scheme would be given more time to repay the money.

The chancellor said that small businesses who took out "Bounce Back" loans can use a new "Pay as You Grow" flexible repayment system. It means borrowings can be repaid over 10 years instead of the original six year term.

The longer repayment time also applied to small and medium-sized firms who borrowed under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.

Businesses will also have more time to apply for these loans, as well as the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the Future Fund. Application dates for the various schemes had been due to end in October and November .

https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/business-54285950?__twitter_impression=true

 

[the Great Khan]

He is indeed, his voting record speaks for itself really. It's going to be a long and hard winter, these guys crippled everyone to begin with and are not really helping people or industries effectively.

Unfortunately its voters like him who are easily swayed and who live in a different world to us, who will vote for a Keir Starmer or Rishi, just because they "look" good at the dispatch box. then when the five years are up its "oh well lets just get another one". While the policies these conmen enact disproportionately effect Asian and Black people.

 

[Robert]

Hell will freeze if this country ever saw a coloured as our PM, it will never happen. I see no changes.

They said that about women.

Did you ever expect a POC to be Chancellor or Home Sec? Now we have two. Hell didn’t freeze.

 

[Robert]

[MENTION=7774]Robert[/MENTION] still lives in cloud cuckoo land. Never going to happen. Rishi is another tory liar in a suit. But then again the labour party is full of the same now so I wont be voting in the next election..

Well, in that case you are helping the Tories, instead of voting in somebody with a conscience.

You’re cutting your nose off to spite your face.

 

[Robert]

Moreover [MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION] you forget how Prime Ministers are chosen. Doesn’t have to be a GE. Next year the Tories will discard Johnson, and Sunak is in pole position.

 

[shaz619]

Moreover [MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION] you forget how Prime Ministers are chosen. Doesn’t have to be a GE. Next year the Tories will discard Johnson, and Sunak is in pole position.

That's correct but even then I'd be surprised, they only like to use coloureds to spew their bigoted policies to make seem okay for the rest of the minorities in England

 

[Robert]

That's correct but even then I'd be surprised, they only like to use coloureds to spew their bigoted policies to make seem okay for the rest of the minorities in England

That is no doubt a factor but I don’t think Sajid and Sunak would have become the second most powerful person in Government unless it was felt that they could do they job. Tories are pragmatists - if someone can carry their plans forward that person gets backed e.g. Thatcher back in 1975. Conversely as soon as someone stops performing they are out - this will happen to Johnson shortly. They thought a populist would deliver power and he did, but now even the hard right have realised he has no skills except boosterism and embarrasses them more at every PMQ. His days are numbered. Sunak could well be the first British Asian PM next year.

 

[Technics 1210]

Lets say it how it really is. Liberals have no choice but to side with the Tories/Labour because there is no credible individual left in the Liberal Party. Nick Clegg did a sterling job in destroying the Liberal party, and he has my sincere and grateful thanks for that.

Of course, any MP supporting Remain will naturally appeal to Liberals too.

Before we start installing token coloured MPs, remember the liberals said the same about the previous exchequer - next Asian PM!

Boris isn't going anywhere. His recent 'law breaking' bill is ready to be passed, he's got it in the bag. He played a masterstroke, his bill ready for take off - sending a clear message to the EU that the UK will not be bullied by the Nazis. Remember Uk tried to negotiate twice in good faith, and the EU were not even interested (too busy trying to overturn the result).

Game on.

 

[the Great Khan]

Well, in that case you are helping the Tories, instead of voting in somebody with a conscience.

You’re cutting your nose off to spite your face.

Keir doesnt have a conscience. He only wants to be the PM and is no different to a tory. the current Labour party are a joke and merely tory lite.. I will not vote for them..they provide nothing different to the tories.

 

[Robert]

Keir doesnt have a conscience. He only wants to be the PM and is no different to a tory. the current Labour party are a joke and merely tory lite.. I will not vote for them..they provide nothing different to the tories.

From the Labour site:

Keir was a defence barrister specialising in human rights, trade union and environmental cases. Keir was the legal advisor to the Northern Ireland Policing Board for five years where he helped to oversee implementation of the Good Friday Agreement recommendations relating to policing.

He defended the McLibel Two for free.

He authored legal opinion against the Iraq War.

Reads like a man of conscience to me.

 

[the Great Khan]

From the Labour site:

Keir was a defence barrister specialising in human rights, trade union and environmental cases. Keir was the legal advisor to the Northern Ireland Policing Board for five years where he helped to oversee implementation of the Good Friday Agreement recommendations relating to policing.

He defended the McLibel Two for free.

He authored legal opinion against the Iraq War.

Reads like a man of conscience to me.

was also head of public prosecutions when John Charles Demenzes was killed in cold blood. ANd he has now endorsed a bill that will allow british troops and agents to torture and commit war crimes.

he is also now courting rich donors who expect a price when they give you money. He shows sympathy for fascists in India and Israel for votes. the man has zero conscience..

 

[Robert]

was also head of public prosecutions when John Charles Demenzes was killed in cold blood. ANd he has now endorsed a bill that will allow british troops and agents to torture and commit war crimes.

he is also now courting rich donors who expect a price when they give you money. He shows sympathy for fascists in India and Israel for votes. the man has zero conscience..

The Met was successfully prosecuted under HSWA s.3 for shooting Mr Demenzes so am not sure what your point is.

He didn’t endorse said bill, he abstained from it. The bill was a Tory trap to make Labour look unpatriotic and military-hating, and of course Corbyn pitched into it head first. The bill is to prevent ambulance chasers from harassing ex-soldiers decades after an alleged incident, by putting a five-year statute of limitations in place. Hardly legitimises torture, does it? But it also takes away the right of soldiers who get PTSD to sue the MoD, hence Starmer’s whipping for abstention. It is a flawed bill which should be broken into sections.

 

[the Great Khan]

The Met was successfully prosecuted under HSWA s.3 for shooting Mr Demenzes so am not sure what your point is.

He didn’t endorse said bill, he abstained from it. The bill was a Tory trap to make Labour look unpatriotic and military-hating, and of course Corbyn pitched into it head first. The bill is to prevent ambulance chasers from harassing ex-soldiers decades after an alleged incident, by putting a five-year statute of limitations in place. Hardly legitimises torture, does it? But it also takes away the right of soldiers who get PTSD to sue the MoD, hence Starmer’s whipping for abstention. It is a flawed bill which should be broken into sections.

so why abstain? they should have voted against it. There should be no statute of limitations against war crimes. End of. If you go abroad torture murder and then have a laugh at the expense of dead sivilians you should expect justice no matter how old you are.

The current Labour leadership is molly coddling white supremacists and racists to gain votes in the red wall. Watch how immigration and other "britain first" nonsense gets promoted by these fools.

and his courting the racist fascist hindu vote is another slap in the face of kashmiri labour voters who have been labour for decades..

 

[Robert]

so why abstain? they should have voted against it. There should be no statute of limitations against war crimes. End of. If you go abroad torture murder and then have a laugh at the expense of dead sivilians you should expect justice no matter how old you are.

The current Labour leadership is molly coddling white supremacists and racists to gain votes in the red wall. Watch how immigration and other "britain first" nonsense gets promoted by these fools.

and his courting the racist fascist hindu vote is another slap in the face of kashmiri labour voters who have been labour for decades..

To avoid falling into the Tory trap of course. Stop thinking of it as a way to exempt war criminals from prosecution and start thinking of it as a Tory propaganda exercise.

I see no evidence of coddling white supremacists and racists to retake the Red Wall. What makes you think Northerners are racist? Sir Keir has to retake it else the Tories will stay in power - is that what you want? The Red Wall will be retaken when the North feels represented by Labour again.

You UK confuse patriotism with nationalism. It’s perfectly possible to be Labour and patriotic. Look at Lord Attlee - fought at Gallipoli and helped set up NATO to deter the USSR while he transformed the nation with the NHS and better schools.

 

[MenInG]

Employees who work for UK firms forced to shut by law because of coronavirus restrictions are to get two-thirds of their wages paid for by the government.

The scheme, announced by Rishi Sunak, begins on 1 November for six months and a Treasury source said it could cost hundreds of millions of pounds a month.

A restrictions update, which could see pubs and restaurants shut in the worst-affected areas, is expected on Monday.

Leaders in areas now under restrictions said the scheme did not go far enough.

In a statement, the mayors of Greater Manchester, North Tyne, Sheffield and Liverpool said: "We are pleased that the government has listened and recognised that any new system of restrictions must come with a substantial package of financial support."

But they said it was only a "start" and more help was needed "to prevent genuine hardship, job losses and business failure this winter".

The scheme will only apply to businesses told to close - rather than those who choose to shut because of the broader impact of Covid restrictions.

The support will be reviewed in January. Until November businesses that are asked to close can continue to use the existing furlough scheme.

The grants will be paid up to a maximum of £2,100 per employee a month and the Treasury said they would protect jobs and enable businesses to reopen quickly once restrictions are lifted.

 

[MenInG]

Chancellor Rishi Sunak says celebrating Diwali this year will be difficult but has urged others also marking the event to stick to lockdown restrictions.

Mr Sunak, a practising Hindu, encouraged families to meet up virtually this weekend, adding: "We're going to get through this."

Outdoor celebrations around the UK have been called off due to the pandemic.

With a nationwide lockdown in place in England, many councils are providing online Diwali celebrations on Saturday.

Diwali is the five-day festival of lights, celebrated across the world by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains, who traditionally illuminate their homes with candles and lanterns.

This year it began on Thursday, with the main day of celebrations taking place on Saturday.

Mr Sunak, speaking to the BBC, said: "Faith is important to me, I'm a practising Hindu, I pray with my kids, visit the temple when I can - at the moment rather less so because I'm busy.

"For us as Hindus, Diwali is special, and it's going to be difficult this year.

"But we've got Zoom, we've got the phone, and most importantly, we've got each other. Whether you can see someone or not the bond of family, that bond of love is always going to be there. And it will be there on 3 December as well."

Lockdown restrictions in England mean families cannot meet up with people from different households or go to the temple for group worship.

The nationwide restrictions are due to end on 2 December, and Mr Sunak said families need "to stick with this for a couple more weeks".

"We're going to get through this," he said. "And it's going to be so much better on the other side. And we'll have lots of happy times afterwards. But to keep everyone safe right now, just follow the rules."

The chancellor also defended the government's ambition of lifting lockdown before Christmas, despite accusations that other faith celebrations such as Diwali had been overlooked.

"Of course this is a secular country. But Christmas is also a national time when regardless of whether you're going to midnight Mass or to church, it's a time when most people have time off work, we have holidays, state holidays, it is a time when everyone hangs out.

"I mean, I'm Hindu, but I'm also equally going to be tucking in to my Christmas meal - the kids are excited about that."

He added: "We've had restrictions all the way through this year at different times, in different parts of the country. And it's affected all sorts of people in different ways."

image captionA floating flower display in Canary Wharf, London, to mark Diwali
Some of Britain's most popular temples will be hosting virtual ceremonies to mark the festival.

Tens of thousands of people usually join Diwali celebrations in Leicester - believed to be among the biggest outside of India - but the city council is this year asking people to send in video messages as part of their online celebrations.

London's main Diwali celebration, which usually attracts around 30,000 people to Trafalgar Square, has also been replaced with an online event.

Similar outdoor celebrations in Edinburgh and Cardiff have been cancelled this year due to restrictions in Scotland and Wales, though digital events including performances will also be held in their place.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54927053

 

[Firebat]

Sunak: no return to austerity in new spending plan

LONDON (Reuters) - British finance minister Rishi Sunak said there would be no return to austerity in a spending plan he will announce on Wednesday, even as the coronavirus crisis pushes the country’s debt further above 2 trillion pounds ($2.7 trillion).

Sunak, who has rushed out massive government spending increases and tax cuts equating to about 10% of economic output, said he would announce “quite a significant” increase in funding for public services.

“You will not see austerity next week,” Sunak told Sky News on Sunday, saying his priority in the one-year spending plan was to fight the health and economic crises.

More than 3 billion pounds will be set aside in extra help for the health service.

Economists think Britain will borrow about 400 billion pounds ($531 billion) this year, approaching 20% of gross domestic product, the most since World War Two.

It would be nearly double the hit from the global financial crisis, which took a decade to work down, and some lawmakers in Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party want more fiscal restraint now.

Sunak said forecasts to be published on Wednesday would show the “enormous strain” on the economy and now was not the time to cut back on spending or raise taxes.

“Once we get through this crisis we need to think more about returning to a more normal path,” he told Times Radio. “But as of now we are able to do what we need to do and we are able to do that at an affordable cost.”

Though yields on government debt remain close to record lows, Sunak is expected to announce a freeze on public sector pay to offset some of his spending.

“When we think about public pay settlements, I think it would be entirely reasonable to think about those in the context of the wider economic climate,” he said.

Sunak also said he would announce longer-term measures to boost infrastructure spending, part of Johnson’s promise to spread economic growth to regions that lag behind London and the southeast.

Britain also faces the risk of an economic shock if it fails to strike a trade deal with the European Union in time for the Dec. 31 expiry of its post-Brexit transition.

Sunak said the government wanted to get a deal but the short-term impact of not doing so would pale by comparison with the hit from the COVID-19 pandemic.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...-austerity-in-new-spending-plan-idUSKBN282090

 

[Firebat]

COVID-19: Key points from Rishi Sunak's spending review

CORONAVIRUS SPENDING

£18bn allocated to testing, PPE and vaccines next year and £3bn for the NHS plus over £2bn to keep transport arteries open, more than £3bn to local authorities and £250m to help end rough sleeping

Altogether public services funding to tackle coronavirus next year will be £55bn

This year a total of £280bn provided "to get our country through coronavirus"

ECONOMIC FORECASTS

The OBR expects GDP to shrink by 11.3% this year, the biggest decline in more than 300 years

GDP expected to grow by 5.5% in 2021 but will not recover to pre-crisis levels until the fourth quarter of 2022

Growth is pencilled in at 6.6% in 2022, 2.3% in 2023 then 1.7% and 1.8% in subsequent years

Despite this growth, long-term "scarring" means that in 2025, economic output in 2025 will be 3% lower than had been expected when the OBR last issued comprehensive forecasts in March

Borrowing is expected to reach £394bn for the current fiscal year, or 19% of GDP - the highest recorded level of borrowing in peacetime

Underlying debt is forecast to reach 97.5% of GDP in 2025-26, a situation that is "clearly unsustainable over the medium term"

JOBS

Unemployment is expected to peak at 7.5% - 2.6 million people - in the second quarter of next year

The chancellor confirms £3bn for a three-year Restart programme to help a million people who have been unemployed for over a year to find jobs

The national living wage will rise by 2.2% to £8.91 per hour and will be extended to those aged 23 and over.

For a full-time worker on the national living wage, that's an increase of £345 next year

National minimum wage will also increase.

PUBLIC SECTOR PAY

Pay rises for over a million nurses, doctors and others working in the NHS but pay rises "paused" for the rest of the public sector next year

However the 2.1 million public sector workers earning less than £24,000 will receive a rise of at least £250 - and this means the majority of public employees will see their pay increase in 2021

Read more: https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-key-points-as-rishi-sunak-sets-out-spending-review-12141860

 

[Manunited18]

Amist the pandemic and a catastrophic bang to the economy rishi sunsk in my opnion been a hugh bonus, he's confident and on the mark majority of the times knowing the vultures are ready to pounce on every move he makes. Really do see a future prime minister who could serve with destinction.

 

[Firebat]

Huge wealth of Rishi Sunak's family not declared in ministerial register

The chancellor, Rishi Sunak, is facing questions over the transparency of his financial affairs after a Guardian investigation established that his wife and her family hold a multimillion-pound portfolio of shareholdings and directorships that are not declared in the official register of ministers’ interests.

Akshata Murty, who married Sunak in 2009, is the daughter of one of India’s most successful entrepreneurs. Her father co-founded the technology giant Infosys, and her shares in the company are worth £430m, making her one of the wealthiest women in Britain, with a fortune larger than the Queen’s.

Sunak is bound by the ministerial code, which requires him to declare any financial interests that are “relevant” to his responsibilities, and which could conflict with his duty to the public. Ministers must also declare those interests of their close family, including siblings, parents, spouse and in-laws, which might give rise to a conflict.

But Sunak’s entry mentions no family members other than his wife, and only refers to her ownership of a small, UK-based venture capital company. Research by the Guardian shows that Murty and her family hold many other interests, including:

• A combined £1.7bn shareholding in Infosys, which employs thousands of staff in the UK and has held contracts with government ministries and public bodies.

• A £900m-a-year joint venture with Amazon in India, through an investment vehicle owned by Murty’s father.

• A direct shareholding by Murty in a UK firm which runs Jamie Oliver and Wendy’s burger restaurants in India.

• Five other UK companies where Murty is a director or direct shareholder, including a Mayfair outfitter that supplies the tailcoats worn by pupils at Eton College.

Sir Alistair Graham, a former chair of the committee on standards in public life, which acts as a watchdog for UK public office holders, said it was vital that Sunak declare the financial interests of himself and his close family given “the chancellor’s capacity to determine the government’s financial and business policies”.

“He seems to have taken the most minimalist approach possible to this requirement. Perhaps Rishi Sunak should carefully read the ‘Seven principles of Public Life’ to make sure he is fulfilling the two principles of ‘Honesty and Leadership’.”

Sunak and Murty have not responded directly to requests for comment. The Treasury said all the proper procedures for declaring interests had been followed, and that decisions about what to declare were not taken by ministers themselves but by civil servants and independent advisers.

A Treasury spokesperson said the prime minister’s independent adviser on ministerial interests “confirmed he is completely satisfied with the chancellor’s propriety of arrangements and that he has followed the ministerial code to the letter in his declaration of interests”.

Ministers are held to a higher level of disclosure than MPs. The code of conduct states they must provide a “full list in writing of all interests which might be thought to give rise to a conflict”. This list “should also cover interests of the minister’s spouse or partner and close family which might be thought to give rise to a conflict”. Advisers then decide what to put on the official list of ministers’ interests.

https://www.theguardian.com/politic...s-family-not-declared-in-ministerial-register

 

[MenInG]

The furlough scheme supporting workers temporarily laid off due to the coronavirus crisis will be extended by a month until the end of April.

It will mean the government continues to pay 80% of wages for those workers "giving business and employees across the UK certainty into the new year", the Treasury said.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak had been due to review the employer contribution element of the furlough scheme in January but this has now been brought forward.

That means that, unlike earlier this year when the government started to scale back the subsidy and asked companies to put in more to cover wages, they will still have to pay only national insurance and pension contributions.

Mr Sunak also announced that government-backed loan schemes designed to support stricken firms through the coronavirus crisis - which had been due to close at the end of January - would continue until the end of March.

The chancellor said: "Our package of support for businesses and workers continues to be one of the most generous and effective in the world - helping our economy to recover and protecting livelihoods across the country.

"We know the premium businesses place on certainty, so it is right that we enable them to plan ahead regardless of the path the virus takes, which is why we're providing certainty and clarity by extending this support."

Figures published earlier on Thursday showed the government's spending on the furlough scheme had risen to £46.4bn so far.

Separate data published by the Office for National Statistics showed 15.5% of the workforce, or just over five million people, were currently on furlough leave.

The furlough extension was announced as the Chancellor also revealed that the UK's next budget would take place on 3 March, with latest economic forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility to be published alongside it.

That event will also see the government set out details of further schemes to support business after initiatives such as the Bounce-Back loan scheme and coronavirus business interruption loans have ended.

It means employers will have more than 45 days - the statutory notice period for redundancies - to make plans once they have learned how they might be helped by the latest package of measures.

The Treasury said that so far, the furlough scheme, officially known as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) scheme has protected 9.6 million jobs across the UK.

It also said that more than £68bn had been provided to businesses under the government's loan schemes.

https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-furlough-scheme-extended-until-end-of-april-12165495

 

[MenInG]

 

[shaz619]

View attachment 107005

Imran Khan has a similar background, this Zara lass isn’t the sharpest tool in the box is she. She could have made her point better by specifically highlighting the policies Mr.Sunak has voted for.

 

[King-Misbah]

Imran Khan has a similar background, this Zara lass isn’t the sharpest tool in the box is she. She could have made her point better by specifically highlighting the policies Mr.Sunak has voted for.

His policies have also been really bad! An example is the: Eat out, help out policy. The scheme spread the virus, destroyed the economy in the long term and and Mr Sunak has gone very quiet.

 

[shaz619]

His policies have also been really bad! An example is the: Eat out, help out policy. The scheme spread the virus, destroyed the economy in the long term and and Mr Sunak has gone very quiet.

That’s what am saying it was better to highlight things like that, the MP in question with the funny tweet can take the moral high ground but has been involved in numerous contorversies involving MP expenses claims

 

[PetroDollars]

His policies have also been really bad! An example is the: Eat out, help out policy. The scheme spread the virus, destroyed the economy in the long term and and Mr Sunak has gone very quiet.

there's absolutely no evidence that the scheme spread the virus more. The stats reveal something completely different.

 

[King-Misbah]

there's absolutely no evidence that the scheme spread the virus more. The stats reveal something completely different.

Which stats?

Are you from the UK? I am! I seen massive lines outside restaurants for a month with very limited social distancing. Please logically explain how this would not have spread the virus? Many thanks.

 

[PetroDollars]

Which stats?

Are you from the UK? I am! I seen massive lines outside restaurants for a month with very limited social distancing. Please logically explain how this would not have spread the virus? Many thanks.

Not sure but when it was being blamed on it, I read stats showing that hospitality sector doesn't even account for more than 5% of cases, the large increase in cases is from December and in April, while the scheme was ran in august,

 

[emranabbas]

Not sure but when it was being blamed on it, I read stats showing that hospitality sector doesn't even account for more than 5% of cases, the large increase in cases is from December and in April, while the scheme was ran in august,

Come on it was an attempt to brush it under the carpet.

Wilmslow road was packed out with no social distance or masks inside or outside of the restaurants, People were right on top of eachother

Some restaurants had people waiting in a queue over an hour standing well next to eachother


And let's not forget the 22 billion wasted on track and trace app that no one uses

Public will be paying all this money one way or another that rishi has been flaunting like no tomorrow

 

[PetroDollars]

Come on it was an attempt to brush it under the carpet.

Wilmslow road was packed out with no social distance or masks inside or outside of the restaurants, People were right on top of eachother

Some restaurants had people waiting in a queue over an hour standing well next to eachother


And let's not forget the 22 billion wasted on track and trace app that no one uses

Public will be paying all this money one way or another that rishi has been flaunting like no tomorrow

I know people packed out these places, but cases were much lower during this time and a month after it, the peak only happened before in April or December, so what evidence is there that the scheme actually caused it to spread

As for the public, they only pay the price in inflation, these are only freshly printed money pumped into the system by the BoE.

 

[emranabbas]

I know people packed out these places, but cases were much lower during this time and a month after it, the peak only happened before in April or December, so what evidence is there that the scheme actually caused it to spread

As for the public, they only pay the price in inflation, these are only freshly printed money pumped into the system by the BoE.

that's incorrect it started getting bad in September and restrictions were placed in mid September where schools etc were told to stay closed, the 10pm restrictions were introduced in October pubs restaurants etc were asked to stay closed and we were in a 3 tier lock down

In December things were out of control and were put in a national lockdown

If you don't mind me asking where your from ?

 

[SpiritOf1903]

Imran Khan has a similar background, this Zara lass isn’t the sharpest tool in the box is she. She could have made her point better by specifically highlighting the policies Mr.Sunak has voted for.

It's typical of the Pakistani/Indian divide. An overt inferiority complex; "I grew up in a back-to-back and you were brought up in suburbia..."

 

[King-Misbah]

Not sure but when it was being blamed on it, I read stats showing that hospitality sector doesn't even account for more than 5% of cases, the large increase in cases is from December and in April, while the scheme was ran in august,

How can one pinpoint cases directly to a specific sector (stats wise)? This is more true in the case of exponential growth of the virus. And we have the tories again wanting to open the economy now when the death rate has decreased. Why not wait and get everyone vaccinated? It has been an absolute shambolic and confused response to covid.

 

[MenInG]

Boris Johnson has ordered a review into Greensill Capital following the David Cameron lobbying controversy - as Rishi Sunak was asked to appear before parliament to explain his involvement.

Top lawyer Nigel Boardman will lead the investigation into the now-collapsed finance firm's activities in government and the role its founder, Lex Greensill, played.

The Whitehall review will look at how government contracts were secured by Greensill Capital as well as the actions of Mr Cameron.

Hours after Monday's announcement, Labour's shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds was granted an urgent question about the row.

The chancellor does not have to appear in parliament himself and could send a Treasury minister to answer questions Labour has about the situation.

Confirming a review had now been ordered after weeks of allegations about the links between Mr Greensill, Mr Cameron and government ministers and officials, Mr Johnson's official spokesman told reporters: "As you know, there is significant interest in this matter.

"So the prime minister has called for the review to ensure government is completely transparent about such activities and that the public can see for themselves if good value was secured for taxpayers' money.

"This independent review will also look at how contracts were secured and how business representatives engaged with government."

Last week, the chancellor released text messages he sent to former prime minister Mr Cameron last April in which he said he had "pushed" his officials to explore how to help Greensill Capital access to COVID Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF).

Mr Cameron wanted Greensill, who he was working for, to be able to issue loans using taxpayer cash through the scheme.

He could reportedly have made millions of pounds through his shareholdings in the firm before its eventual collapse last month.

The company's demise has threatened thousands of jobs in the UK steel industry, as Greensill was a major financier of Liberty Steel's owner GFG Alliance.

Greensill's proposals were ultimately rejected by the Treasury after consultation and it was not given access to the CCFF scheme.

It was allowed access to tens of millions of pounds of taxpayer money to issue loans under a separate pandemic support scheme known as the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS).

However, the chancellor said the accreditation process is "run independently" by the British Business Bank, with no involvement by the Treasury.

In a letter to Ms Dodds last week, Mr Sunak said: "HM Treasury had no role and was not involved in the CLBILS accreditation decision for Greensill Capital."

Mr Cameron was cleared of any wrongdoing by the official watchdog in March 2021 on the basis he was a Greensill Capital employee rather than a third-party lobbyist.

He insisted he broke "no codes of conduct and no government rules", but having "reflected on this at length" accepted there were "lessons to be learnt".

But Labour warned the chancellor's actions could constitute breaches of the ministerial code.

Ms Dodds said she will demand answers over the lack of transparency over Mr Sunak's conversations with Mr Cameron about Greensill and the "alternative" he "pushed the team to explore" in one of his texts to Mr Cameron.

She also wants to know about discussions Mr Sunak held with the British Business Bank about whether Greensill Capital should get access to CLBILS after it was rejected for CCFF. Mr Sunak said last week he, nor the Treasury, had any involvement.

The shadow chancellor will also ask if accreditation criteria for the CLBILS scheme was changed to allow Greensill Capital access to it and why the firm was the "only supply chain firm" accredited to the scheme "after it got so much access to the Treasury".

Labour said Mr Sunak has been absent from parliament since 9 March.

Ms Dodds said: "The chancellor can't keep ducking scrutiny of his decision to put hundreds of millions of pounds of taxpayer money in the hands of an unregulated lending firm with links to a former Conservative PM.

"That's why we have asked him to come to parliament to explain himself.

"We need to know what he "pushed" his officials to do to help Greensill access one of his COVID loan schemes. And we need to know why he then simply opened the door for them to lend through another one.

"Public money was put at risk by the Conservatives' crony connections to Greensill Capital. That's why we urgently need a full, transparent and thorough investigation into this affair."

 

[Firebat]

Labour accuses Rishi Sunak of 'running scared' over David Cameron Greensill lobbying row after he dodges grilling in the House of Commons as Government sends junior minister to answer questions

Labour today accused Chancellor Rishi Sunak of 'running scared' of scrutiny over the David Cameron Greensill lobbying row.

Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds was granted an urgent question on the issue in the House of Commons and wanted to grill Mr Sunak.

But the Chancellor did not attend and Small Business Minister Paul Scully answered for the Government instead.

Mr Sunak's failure to show up prompted Ms Dodds to claim that he was 'frit' to face MPs.

Downing Street yesterday announced the Cabinet Office had commissioned an independent inquiry into 'the development and use of supply chain finance and associated activities in Government, and the role Greensill played in those'.

The review will look at how contracts were secured and 'how business representatives engaged with Government' amid a furore over text messages sent between Mr Cameron and Mr Sunak.

In response to one message, the Chancellor said he had 'pushed' officials to consider proposals which could have helped Greensill.

Read more: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...Rishi-Sunak-running-scared-Greensill-row.html

 

[King-Misbah]

Rishi exposed again, he has really destroyed the UK economy.

 

[Manunited18]

Rishi exposed again, he has really destroyed the UK economy.

Agree, initially I give him the benefit of the doubt, but as times wore on hes looking more and more like a yes man

 

[OMB]

#Breaking Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak have been contacted by NHS Test and Trace as contacts of someone who has tested positive for Covid but will be participating in a daily contact testing pilot to allow them to continue to work from Downing Street, No 10 has said

 

[MenInG]

The government's coronavirus furlough scheme ends today after supporting millions of workers during the pandemic.

Ministers say the wages of more than 11 million jobs were subsidised for at least some of the scheme's duration, at a cost of about £70bn.

There is now uncertainty over the almost one million people still thought to be on the scheme at the end of September, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates.

Meanwhile, job vacancies in the UK have hit a record of more than a million, according to recent ONS data, with openings in the hospitality and transport sectors up more than 75% in three months.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Simon Clarke told Sky News' Kay Burley: "There is a lot of opportunity out there for people now. There's never an easy moment to end these measures.

"They've been hugely important but it is also time to recognise that we are now, thankfully, out of the teeth of this pandemic... and we're in a situation where normal opportunity is back out there for people to embrace."

However, he added: "There will be some job losses but there are also these one million vacancies in the labour market for people to move towards and a huge range of support to help them do that."

Economists say there is likely to be a rise in unemployment due to new redundancies, despite the fact some may be able to find work in recovering sectors such as travel and hospitality.

Samuel Tombs, chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said he still had "doubts" about whether the economy had recovered enough to re-employ all those coming off furlough.

The winding up of the scheme could hit some especially hard as it comes at the same time as the £20 Universal Credit uplift ends, and amid a background of rising energy bills.

The Liberal Democrats have warned of a "tidal wave" of job losses and want furlough to continue for some sectors.

In a letter to the chancellor, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Christine Jardine said furlough should be maintained for another six months for 10 industries particularly badly affected by the pandemic, such as air travel.

"The withdrawal of furlough risks having a devastating impact on countless families already facing a winter of soaring energy bills," said Ms Jardine.

"The government needs to rethink its approach or the country could face a Coronavirus Black Thursday."

The party says the extension would cost about £600m.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: "I am immensely proud of the furlough scheme, and even more proud of UK workers and businesses whose resolve has seen us through an immensely difficult time.

"With the recovery well underway, and more than one million job vacancies, now is the right time for the scheme to draw to a close.

"But that in no way means the end of our support. Our Plan for Jobs is helping people into work and making sure they have the skills needed for the jobs of the future."

Following the end of the furlough scheme, the government has launched a £500m support package for vulnerable households over winter.

The new Household Support Fund will help people with essentials over the coming months and will be distributed by councils in England.

It will be available as small grants to meet daily needs such as food, clothing, and utilities and will be available to councils from October.

The devolved administrations will receive up to £79m of the £500m.

SKY

 

[MenInG]

Rishi Sunak has promised to do "whatever it takes" to support families with the cost of living, as he pre-empts Wednesday's address in the House of Commons.

Among his promises are:

• £1.4bn to encourage foreign investment into UK businesses and attract overseas talent

• £700m to be spent mainly on the new post-Brexit borders and immigration system, as well as a new maritime patrol fleet

• £435m for victims services, crime prevention and the Crown Prosecution Service

• £560m for adult maths coaching to help increase numeracy

• a six-month extension to the COVID recovery loan scheme to June 2022

Writing in the Sun on Sunday ahead of an appearance on Sky's Trevor Phillips on Sunday, Mr Sunak said: "I know that families here at home are feeling the pinch of higher prices… we will continue to do whatever it takes, we will continue to have your backs - just like we did during the pandemic."

However, he warned of potential pain, saying there would be "challenges" ahead to get public finances "back onto a strong footing".

Luke Sibieta, a research fellow at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, said that much of the funding would only reverse cuts by previous Conservative-led governments.

"We've seen the government announce extra funding for adults to get A-level equivalent qualifications, which is funding that was already available up until about 10 years ago," he said.

"So it's just bringing back what was there already to some extent."

There are also calls from Labour for the chancellor to remove VAT from domestic energy bills from 5% to zero for six months in order to help families this winter.

The party said the cut could be funded by higher than expected VAT receipts this year.

And the Liberal Democrats want Mr Sunak to make funding to end the cladding crisis a major focus.

The Treasury said the £5bn for health-related research and development will be provided over the next three years, with investment rising to £2bn per year by 2024 - a 57% cash increase since before the pandemic.

A total of £95m of the funding will be aimed at increasing uptake of cutting-edge innovations in the NHS and addressing cancer, obesity and mental health.

A UK-wide trial of COVID-19 antiviral treatments will receive £33m, while £40m will be spent on research in social care reform, £30m on investing in research skills and training, and £20m on research in climate change and health.

Financial support will be given for genome sequencing technology that can detect over 200 conditions in newborns, compared with existing tests that can just identify nine - potentially saving 3,000 babies per year, according to the Treasury.

The £3bn "skills revolution" funding will be used for post-16 education and to help adults looking to upskill and retrain.

Some £1.6bn of the skills education funding will be used to provide extra classroom hours for up to 100,000 16 to 19-year-olds studying for T-levels - technical-based qualifications.

The Treasury will also create 24,000 traineeships and use £550m to quadruple the number of places on skills boot camps in areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and nuclear.

Existing colleges in England will receive £830m with extra funding for new equipment and facilities.

Apprenticeship funding will rise by £170m to £2.7bn in 2024-25, while free Level 3 courses - equivalent to A-levels - will be expanded in subjects like maths, chemistry, and biology.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, welcomed the investment, but said the pledge is "sketchy" and "appears to be limited in scope".

He said funding is also needed in schools, early years and for young people who do A-levels, BTECs and qualifications other than T-levels.

The £1.4bn business investment funding will hand out grants to encourage international companies to invest in the UK's critical industries, including life sciences and automotive.

This includes £354m to support investment in life sciences manufacturing, increasing resilience for future pandemics, and more than £800m for the production and supply chain of electric vehicles - including in the North East and Midlands.

Subscribe to the All Out Politics podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Spotify.

To help overseas recruitment in the UK's science and tech sectors, a "talent network" will be set up in the Bay Area of San Francisco and Boston in the US in 2022, and also Bengaluru in India - places the Treasury described as "innovation hotspots".

By 2023, the programme will be expanded to six countries, targeting universities, research institutions and innovation hubs.

The Treasury's previous pledges include a new £500m fund to support those struggling with the cost of living over the winter.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/ukne...dges-ahead-of-budget/ar-AAPSCaA?ocid=msedgntp

 

[MenInG]

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has set out changes to universal credit he says will give low income families an extra £1,000 a year.

In an upbeat Budget speech, he said the UK economy had not been hit as hard by the Covid pandemic as expected.

He promised more money for schools, business rate cuts and took 3p off the price of a pint of beer.

Labour said his universal credit measure would not make up for axing the £20-a-week top-up to the benefit.

The chancellor painted a positive picture of the health of the UK economy as it emerges from the pandemic, in his autumn statement to a packed House of Commons.

Live: Budget reaction
Budget 2021: Key points at-a-glance
Economy set to hit pre-Covid level at end of year
"Employment is up. Investment is growing. Public services are improving. The public finances are stabilising. And wages are rising," he told MPs.

"Today's Budget delivers a stronger economy for the British people: stronger growth, with the UK recovering faster than our major competitors."

He said unemployment had not hit the levels feared at the height of the pandemic - but inflation was set to rise further, from 3.1% to 4% over the next year.

Much of his Budget had been pre-announced, including an end to the public sector pay freeze and an increase to the National Living Wage from £8.91 per hour to £9.50.

But Paul Johnson, of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, said households were not likely to see their disposable incomes rise by much over the next five years.

The growth rate was looking "pretty stagnant" at 0.8% per year, according to Office for Budget Responsibility figures, he told BBC Politics Live.

New Budget measures included:

A real-terms rise in spending for every government department
A freeze on fuel duty
Funding per pupil in England's schools is to be restored to 2010 levels over the next three years
A 5% cut to the extra corporation tax banks have to pay to "maintain competitiveness"
An extra £2.2bn for courts, prisons and probation services, including £500m to reduce courts backlogs
A cut in air passenger duty for internal UK flights - and a tax rise on "ultra long haul" flights
More support for industrial research and development
The teetotal chancellor also announced plans to "radically simplify" alcohol tax, so that it was based purely on the strength of the drink.

Taxes on sparkling wine, draught beer and cider are to be cut, but will rise for stronger drinks such as red wine and "white ciders", from 2023.

He also announced that the planned increase in duty on spirits, wine, cider and beer due to take effect from midnight on Wednesday has been cancelled.

And he scrapped next year's planned increase in business rates in England and promised more frequent revaluations, and tax breaks for firms that make improvements to their properties, from 2023.

In further moves to boost the leisure industry as it emerges from the pandemic, he announced a 50% business rate discount for pubs, cinemas, restaurants, gyms and other venues.

Media caption,Rachel Reeves says some families and businesses will not recognise the UK described by the chancellor in his Budget
The chancellor waited until the end of his 70 minute speech to announce changes to universal credit, which come after a widely condemned £20-a-week cut to the benefit earlier this month.

The universal credit "taper" will be cut, so that instead of losing 63p of benefit for every £1 earned above the work allowance, the amount will be reduced to 55p.

The amount people can earn before starting to lose the benefit will also increase by £500 a year. The new rate will be introduced by 1 December, he told MPs.

"This is a tax cut next year worth over £2bn," said the chancellor.

"Nearly two million families will keep, on average, an extra £1,000 a year."

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said Labour welcomed the move but said it would not make up for the £6bn cut from universal credit earlier this month, which affected five million families.

"Even after this reduction, working people on universal credit still face a higher marginal tax rate than the prime minister. And those unable to work - through no fault of their own - still face losing over £1,000 a year," she said.

The opposition leader normally responds to the chancellor's Budget speech, but Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is self-isolating after testing positive for Covid.

Ms Reeves, who was drafted in to replace him at the last minute, said Mr Sunak had "no coherent plan" to deal with cost of living crisis facing many families, with rising energy bills, food prices and tax increases.

She told MPs Mr Sunak was a chancellor that "gives with one hand but takes so much more with the other".

The SNP's leader at Westminster, Iain Blackford, branded the chancellor's planned cut to domestic air passenger duty a "disgrace", asking what kind of message it sent to the world on the eve of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.

The Liberal Democrats said cutting bank taxes would cost the Treasury more than £3.8bn over the next four years, compared with £1.8bn extra to help school pupils catch up.

"He is offering a measly pound a day of extra catch up funding for each child, six times less than the tax cut being offered to the Conservatives' banker buddies," said leader Sir Ed Davey.

 

[MenInG]

Chancellor Rishi Sunak will cut short his trip to California after being urged to "get on a plane" back to the UK amid a growing clamour for support for businesses hit by warnings over Omicron.

Mr Sunak will be returning early from his US stay to hold more talks with business chiefs in response to the fresh COVID crisis on Friday.

He and his team held talks with a range of hospitality and business organisations on Thursday, with many in the industry hit hard by mass cancellations amid fears over the spread of the new coronavirus variant.

After Thursday's talks, the chancellor said: "This government has done whatever it takes at every stage to support lives and livelihoods throughout this pandemic - and of course we will continue to do so.

"We understand that this is a concerning time for businesses.

"Myself and my wider team met with business representatives earlier today, listened to their concerns and will continue to work with industry leaders over the coming days.

"To keep safeguarding our economic recovery and the lives and livelihoods of the British people our priority is now to make sure everyone has the opportunity to get boosted now."

Mr Sunak had initially been due to fly back to the UK on Friday, but will now get a flight home on Thursday night.

The chancellor is under pressure to respond because, though hospitality firms and shops remain open, they face a slump in trade thanks to Plan B work from home guidance and advice from health officials that people should limit their social interactions.

Earlier, business groups demanded to know what steps Mr Sunak will take with the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) saying they had heard "nothing from the Treasury" since the latest round of interventions - designed to tackle the spread of Omicron - began last week.

The CBI urged ministers to "provide support in lockstep with future restrictions".

Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, said: "Where on earth is the Chancellor of the Exchequer?" and said latest public health messaging was "taking a sledge hammer to what is usually the busiest period of the year".

The Resolution Foundation, a think-tank, has called for a targeted version of the furlough scheme - which subsidised wages for temporarily laid-off workers during lockdowns - to be introduced over coming weeks.

Labour's shadow health secretary Wes Streeting told Sky News that people were "doing the right thing" by choosing not to meet their friends in the pub or cancelling planned meals.

"That is hitting hospitality through no fault of their own and therefore the government needs to step up," Mr Streeting said.

"Instead, the chancellor and the business secretary are nowhere to be seen.

"So I think it is time for Rishi Sunak to get on a plane, get business leaders and trade union leaders around the table to thrash out a plan, a package of support, to help good hospitality businesses through what will be a very challenging period for them."

Labour's shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves and shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds have written to Mr Sunak and Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng asking them to help firms facing "closure by stealth".

Sharon Graham, general secretary of trade union Unite, called for an immediate package of support for hospitality workers.

"The uncertainty the prime minister is causing is devastating - workers don't know if they will even have a job to go to next week."

Some Tory MPs are also asking Mr Sunak to offer more help to business.

Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith, president of the BCC, said: "Businesses now face the two-punch combination of serious issues with staff absence and plummeting consumer confidence."

Restaurants have been reporting mass cancellations over a period when they were hoping for a bumper trade after a dire last couple of years.

The BCC has already called for the VAT rate on hospitality and tourism to be cut back to its emergency rate of 5% and for 100% business rates relief for retailers to return.

The CBI wants to see unspent local authority grants to help affected firms spent now and further help including business rates relief to be on the table if restrictions continue after the government's 5 January review date.

A spokesperson for Mr Sunak last night confirmed the chancellor was currently "on a long-planned trip to the US".

Trade body UK Hospitality has forecast that its members' takings will be 40% down in December.

Businesses including pub chain Wetherspoons and Currys have already flagged an Omicron hit to trading.

Earlier this week, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) called on the UK to be ready to deploy a version of the furlough scheme if business closures are once again ordered.

John Glen, economic secretary to the Treasury - responding to an urgent question from Labour - told MPs that the government was continuing to support firms through VAT and business rates help.

SKY

 

[Saj]

Almost half of all Tory members now believe that Rishi Sunak would make a better leader and could win more seats at the next election than Boris Johnson, an exclusive poll for Sky News has found

 

[Robert]

Almost half of all Tory members now believe that Rishi Sunak would make a better leader and could win more seats at the next election than Boris Johnson, an exclusive poll for Sky News has found

Only a matter of time until he is PM. Wonder what the racists will make of that?

 

[Manunited18]

Only a matter of time until he is PM. Wonder what the racists will make of that?

Will be scrutinised. His every little mistake will be pounced on.

 

[Robert]

Will be scrutinised. His every little mistake will be pounced on.

Like Duchess Meghan.

 

[Technics 1210]

Oh please. Sunak is a trojan Hindutva.

The only reason why the polls have him down as the next successor to Boris is simply because he is #11. Happened with Major, happened with Brown. All of whom lasted 1 term.

Move on. Do not pick the right colour, but the right person!

 

[Robert]

Oh please. Sunak is a trojan Hindutva.

The only reason why the polls have him down as the next successor to Boris is simply because he is #11. Happened with Major, happened with Brown. All of whom lasted 1 term.

Move on. Do not pick the right colour, but the right person!

Most people in U.K. won’t know that word.

Who else is there though? Gove is capable but too weird, Raab and Patel are already out of their depth, Truss is vacuous. All the other competent candidates got purged for being Remainers, so only Sunak is suitable.

 

[James]

Our next PM I think. Likely this year. Would be the first British prime minister from an ethnic minority. Interesting times ahead.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Oh please. Sunak is a trojan Hindutva.

The only reason why the polls have him down as the next successor to Boris is simply because he is #11. Happened with Major, happened with Brown. All of whom lasted 1 term.

Move on. Do not pick the right colour, but the right person!

Im not sure about Rishi - he hasn't done or said anything that would indicate he leans towards right wing hindu ideology.

Priti Patel on the other hand....

 

[Technics 1210]

Most people in U.K. won’t know that word.

Who else is there though? Gove is capable but too weird, Raab and Patel are already out of their depth, Truss is vacuous. All the other competent candidates got purged for being Remainers, so only Sunak is suitable.

Sunak is suitable? Based on what credentials? His skin colour?

I would go for Gove. He might be considered weird by some, but at least he stabbed Boris in the back!

 

[Robert]

Sunak is suitable? Based on what credentials? His skin colour?

I would go for Gove. He might be considered weird by some, but at least he stabbed Boris in the back!

Sunak has “bottom”. He is authoritative which Tory voters like. He is telegenic too, which is critical these days.

 

[James]

Gove is a competent minister as demonstrated across his numerous roles, particularly at DEFRA where he had a blinder and he has started well in Housing also. He would be one of Sunak’s closest competitors though he is not as marketable / photogenic as Sunak which in the shallow world of politics could count against him.

 

[Technics 1210]

Sunak has “bottom”. He is authoritative which Tory voters like. He is telegenic too, which is critical these days.

You are missing the crucial point, he isn’t white.

His telegenic presence may pay dividends with Liberals or Londoners, but outside of this it would back fire. Sunak could become PM through a leadership challenge before a GE, but if he’s the leader of Tories at the next GE, it’s a different ball game. Those racist northerners who voted for “Brexit” will not give two hoots.

As for being authoritative, Sunak is not. He’s made a number of U-Turns at the behest of Boris, and the cabinet have supported Boris. Lets see if Sunak has the sand to drop VAT on energy suppliers despite Boris objecting to the move.

 

[Robert]

You are missing the crucial point, he isn’t white.

His telegenic presence may pay dividends with Liberals or Londoners, but outside of this it would back fire. Sunak could become PM through a leadership challenge before a GE, but if he’s the leader of Tories at the next GE, it’s a different ball game. Those racist northerners who voted for “Brexit” will not give two hoots.

As for being authoritative, Sunak is not. He’s made a number of U-Turns at the behest of Boris, and the cabinet have supported Boris. Lets see if Sunak has the sand to drop VAT on energy suppliers despite Boris objecting to the move.

It all depends on who stands if the 1922 Committee gets its sixty signatures. Bodge may run again and may even continue as PM.

 

[MenInG]

Home Secretary Priti Patel has distanced herself from Chancellor Rishi Sunak as she threw her full support behind Boris Johnson over the Downing Street garden party row.

In an exclusive interview with Sky News political editor Beth Rigby, Ms Patel said that "supporting the prime minister" and his government's work is how she "spends all my time day in, day out".

Her fulsome support contrasts with Mr Sunak's own comments in the wake of Mr Johnson's admission that he attended a "bring your own booze" event at Number 10 during the UK's first national lockdown.

Unlike Ms Patel, Mr Sunak - who is regarded as a likely successor to Mr Johnson - was absent from the House of Commons for the prime minister's apology over the row on Wednesday.

It also took more than eight hours for the chancellor, who travelled to Devon for the day, to respond to Mr Johnson's statement.

And, when he did finally comment via a Twitter post, Mr Sunak only said that the prime minister was "right to apologise" and that he supported Mr Johnson's "request for patience" while an inquiry into multiple allegations of COVID rule-breaking in Number 10 continues.

Asked in the Sky News interview whether she was, as Mr Sunak appears to be, reserving judgement over the drinks party row until Sue Gray's report is published, Ms Patel replied: "No! On the contrary.

Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg arrives in Downing Street, London, ahead of the government's weekly Cabinet meeting. Picture date: Tuesday November 30, 2021.

"I have publicly supported the prime minister and actually you're speaking to the home secretary who spends all my time day in, day out supporting the prime minister, his agenda of delivering on the people's priorities and the work that we do."

The Downing Street garden party row has led to open speculation among Conservative MPs about Mr Johnson's future as prime minister.

But, asked whether she herself might contest the party's leadership if Mr Johnson was forced to go, Ms Patel branded it an "irrelevant and inappropriate question right now".

"I just don't think it's relevant to be discussing personalities right now at all," she added. "We're focused on doing the job."

Ms Patel also dismissed a suggestion that her role as home secretary, in which she oversees law enforcement throughout England and Wales, made the "partygate" row uncomfortable for her.

"The prime minister yesterday in parliament - I was there alongside him as well - made a fulsome apology and he's spoken about taking personal responsibility," she added.

"There is a Sue Gray inquiry that is taking place. We can't pre-empt that or prejudge that, we'll have to wait and see what happens, what her findings are.

"But actually, I think the most important thing right now is the prime minister has given a personal apology himself.

"As a government there is so much work that is taking place."

Reminded of her past comments that she personally would report a neighbour to the police if they were holding a party at a time of strict COVID rules, Ms Patel suggested that "guidance evolved" during the length of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Let's not forget as well though, throughout the pandemic, you know, there were various situations with guidance changing," she said.

The home secretary also rejected a suggestion that a lack of a police investigation into the 20 May event in the Downing Street garden could undermine public confidence in the police.

"No, absolutely not," she said.

"On policing, you know, we asked, I asked the police to do very difficult things during the pandemic.

"And there's a difference now of course in terms of, you know, there were law enforcement processes that took place at the time, obviously, restrictions etc, etc."

SKY

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

So push comes to shove. Would you really trust him as a leader?

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

British Indians, answer the call. Modi packed out Wembley and every other stadium around the world. With Boris tottering what is keeping our Rishi from leading Great Britain?

 

[MenInG]

Rishi Sunak has raised the national insurance threshold by £3,000 and announced a cut in fuel duty tax by 5p a litre in an attempt to ease the burden of the cost of living crisis.

Unveiling his spring statement in the Commons, the chancellor announced that he is increasing the rate at which workers start paying national insurance to £12,570 to ease the burden on the low paid.

The chancellor had been under pressure to scrap the health and social care levy - effectively an increase in national insurance payments - which involves serious increases in tax payments for most families next month.

Mr Sunak insisted that the levy will stay despite rising inflation rates, but told MPs: "A long-term funding solution for the NHS and social care is not incompatible with reducing taxes on working families."

He also said a cut in fuel duty of 5p a litre will be in place for a year as petrol costs continue to rise.

The chancellor told MPs the move was being made "for only the second time in 20 years".

But the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) downgraded its growth forecast from 6% to 3.8% and warned that inflation is set to reach its highest level for 40 years.

The economic forecaster said inflation - combined with rising taxes - will "weigh heavily on living standards in the coming 12 months".

On Tuesday, the average cost of a litre of petrol at UK forecourts was 167.3p, the latest figures from data firm Experian Catalist show - another record high after multiple days of new peaks.

For diesel, the average cost was 179.9p.

Immediately after the chancellor's announcement, supermarket giant Asda said it will cut fuel prices by 6p a litre this evening.

In a surprise move, Mr Sunak also told MPs that the basic rate of income tax will be cut from 20p to 19p in the pound by the end of this Parliament - 2024.

He said this equates to a £5bn tax cut for 30 million people.

Read more: How much a 5p cut in fuel duty saves on filling your tank

It comes as the chancellor announced that he is today publishing a new tax plan which will see "a principled approach to cutting taxes".

Mr Sunak said the new tax plan will help families with the cost of living, create conditions for higher growth and ensure the proceeds of growth to be shared fairly.

Analysis: No big giveaway from Sunak

Other announcements in the chancellor's mini budget included:

• VAT scrapped on energy efficiency measures such as solar panels, heat pumps and insulation installed for five years

• The doubling of the Household Support Fund to help vulnerable families to £1bn - with local authorities to receive the money from April.

• The Employment Allowance will increase to £5,000 from April - which he described as a "new tax cut" worth up to £1,000 for half a million small businesses

• An intention to reform R&D credits

"My tax plan delivers the biggest net cut to personal taxes in over a quarter of a century," the chancellor said as he concluded his statement.

The Treasury said the moves will see 70% of workers pay less tax from July.

But Labour accused the Mr Sunak of "making the cost of living crisis worse, not better".

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said the chancellor could have "introduced a windfall tax on oil and gas companies", "properly scrapped his national insurance hike" and "set out a proper plan to support businesses and create jobs", adding: "But he didn't."

Read more: Inflation hits 30 year high

She continued: "Inflation is at its highest level for 30 years and rising. Energy prices at record highs. People are worried sick.

"For all his words, it is clear that the chancellor does not understand the scale of the challenge. He talks about providing security for working families, but his choices are making the cost of living crisis worse, not better."

Ms Reeves also said the Conservatives "have become the party of high taxation because they are the party of low growth".

Universal Credit - a payment for people of working age who are on low income - was not mentioned in the spring statement
No mention of Universal Credit changes

Responding to Mr Sunak's statement, Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), said "the biggest omission" from the chancellor's spring statement was "anything for those subsisting on means-tested benefits".

"They will be facing cost of living increases of probably 10% but their benefits will rise by just 3.1% - and (it is a) cut compared to last year if you account for withdrawal of £20 (Universal Credit) uplift," he tweeted.

Policy director of Child Poverty Action Group, Sara Ogilvie, added that the measures Mr Sunak announced "don't come close to bridging the gap between what the lowest income families have and what they need".

"The chancellor should have increased benefits to match inflation - the most efficient way to help hard-pressed households," she said.

"But on current plans, he will impose a real terms cut of £663 on families on Universal Credit at the worst possible time. That will leave millions without enough to live on."

Meanwhile, the Night Time Industries Association said they were "extremely disappointed" with the chancellor's spring statement, having called for an extension of VAT and business rates reliefs, a cancellation of the proposed National Insurance hike and action on business energy bills.

Economic sanctions designed to hit Russia will affect the cost of living in the UK with the rise of oil, gas and food prices
Sunak: Sanctioning of Putin's regime 'not cost-free for us at home'

Before unveiling the contents of his fiscal plan, Mr Sunak warned that the nation must prepare for "the economy and public finances to worsen, potentially significantly" because of the impacts of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

He said the UK's actions against Russian President Vladimir Putin are "not cost-free for us at home".

"It is too early to know the full impact of the Ukraine war on the UK economy," he told the Commons.

"But their initial view, combined with high global inflation and continuing supply chain pressures, means the OBR now forecast growth this year of 3.8%.

"The OBR then expect the economy to grow by 1.8% in 2023, and 2.1%, 1.8% and 1.7% in the following three years."

A document released by the OBR (Office for Budget Responsibility) - the public body which provides independent economic forecasts - said the rise in inflation is expected to cause "the biggest fall in living standards in any single financial year since ONS records began in 1956-57"

The chancellor said he would unveil proposals intended to build "a stronger, more secure economy" as people across the UK face growing household bills which have been exacerbated by the war in Ukraine.

As a result of the invasion, the Bank of England now thinks inflation will top 8% in April and go even higher in the autumn.

Mr Sunak said he will continue to "weigh carefully" calls for additional public spending.

SKY

 

[silentkiller187]

Spring statement: Rishi Sunak defends announcement after criticism it fails to help the poorest

Rishi Sunak has defended his much-criticised spring statement, arguing that the UK is recovering from its biggest shock in 300 years and he is doing what he can.

The chancellor said he knows families are struggling with the rising cost of living and that is "why I announced a tax plan which delivers the biggest net cut in personal taxes in over a quarter of a century".

Mr Sunak told Sky News: "I'm cutting fuel duty at 5p a litre, raising national insurance thresholds, giving 30 million workers a tax saving of £300 and cutting income tax for the first time."

He added that people should "judge me by my actions", including the measures he took during the pandemic.

After the spring statement yesterday, the chancellor has been accused of failing to help those who are out of work and on lower incomes.

National Insurance threshold has been raised by the Chancellor Rishi Sunak in his Spring Statement.
Spring statement: How does Rishi Sunak's national insurance change affect you?

The Resolution Foundation, a living standards think tank, warned the lack of support for low-income families in the spring statement leaves 1.3 million people - including 500,000 children - on the verge of "absolute poverty".

The Institute for Fiscal Studies said "the biggest omission" from the spring statement was "anything for those subsisting on means-tested benefits", who will be facing cost of living increases of about 10% "but their benefits will rise by just 3.1%".

Its director, Paul Johnson, told a news conference: "His choice to increase national insurance rates and reduce the basic rate of income tax looks, to me at least, indefensible from an economic point of view - though one can see the political attractions."

The ultimate aim is to encourage more people off benefits and into better-paying work.

Most of the newspapers on Thursday morning, even those that are normally supportive of the government, also criticised the lack of support.

Mr Sunak defended his position, saying: "I can't solve every problem and I've always been honest about that and where I can make a difference, of course, I want to and I think the plan I announced yesterday will do exactly that and support hard-working British families."

He added that those who are the least well off "actually are my priority" and they will benefit from a "more generous" Universal Credit system, tax cuts and a 6.6% increase in the national living wage from next month.

"I do believe the policies that we're putting in place will help those people on low incomes disproportionately in fact," he said.

Mr Sunak said his priority is the poorest people
'High taxes are a reflection of the pandemic'

On the point that taxes are going to be at their highest level ever, Mr Sunak said: "That is a reflection of two things - first and foremost the fact we've experienced a pandemic, that was a pretty exceptional episode in our country's history.

"Borrowing spiralled up to levels we haven't seen since the Second World War, [it was the] biggest economic shock in over 300 years and we had to introduce interventions like furlough.

"I think most people would understand an exceptional experience like that probably does lead to an exceptional response and that's what we're now grappling with, the aftermath of COVID.

"But also, continue to invest in public services and that's what people want us to do as well."

Asked how those who are struggling to pay for food and heating, Mr Sunak referred to the 5p a litre cut on fuel he announced on Wednesday.

"When I go out and about talking to people, fuel duty is one of the things that is raised most often," he added.

 

[MenInG]

Appearing on Sky News, the chancellor was asked about the fact that Akshata Murthy has shares in IT company Infosys.

The firm, which has an office in Moscow, was founded by her father, Indian billionaire N.R. Narayana Murthy.

Mr Sunak has urged firms to cut ties with Russia in the wake of Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

"I am urging firms to think very carefully about their investments in Russia and how they may aid the Putin regime - and I am also clear that there is no case for new investment in Russia," he said earlier this month.

The Prince of Wales speaks to Rishi Sunak and Akshata Murthy© PA The Prince of Wales speaks to Rishi Sunak and Akshata Murthy
Asked about his wife's shares in Infosys and whether this flew in the face of his own advice to businesses, the chancellor replied: "I'm an elected politician and I'm here to talk to you about what I'm responsible for. My wife is not."

Pushed by presenter Jayne Secker on whether his family could be benefitting from Putin's regime, Mr Sunak said: "No, I really don't think that's the case.

"And as I said, the operations of all companies are up to them.

"We've put in place significant sanctions and all the companies that we're responsible for are following those as they rightly should, sending a very strong message to Putin's aggression."

The chancellor added he has "absolutely no idea" what Infosys' response has been to countries introducing wide ranging sanctions on Russia as he has "nothing to do with that company".

Sky News has approached Ms Murthy for comment.

A spokesperson for Infosys said: "Infosys supports and advocates for peace between Russia and Ukraine.

"Infosys has a small team of employees based out of Russia, that services some of our global clients, locally. We do not have any active business relationships with local Russian enterprises.

"A key priority for Infosys in times of adversity, is to continue extending support to the community. The company has committed $1m towards relief efforts for the victims of war from Ukraine."

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/worl...h-presence-in-russia/ar-AAVrXVc?ocid=msedgntp

 

[cricketjoshila]

Appearing on Sky News, the chancellor was asked about the fact that Akshata Murthy has shares in IT company Infosys.

The firm, which has an office in Moscow, was founded by her father, Indian billionaire N.R. Narayana Murthy.

Mr Sunak has urged firms to cut ties with Russia in the wake of Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

"I am urging firms to think very carefully about their investments in Russia and how they may aid the Putin regime - and I am also clear that there is no case for new investment in Russia," he said earlier this month.

The Prince of Wales speaks to Rishi Sunak and Akshata Murthy© PA The Prince of Wales speaks to Rishi Sunak and Akshata Murthy
Asked about his wife's shares in Infosys and whether this flew in the face of his own advice to businesses, the chancellor replied: "I'm an elected politician and I'm here to talk to you about what I'm responsible for. My wife is not."

Pushed by presenter Jayne Secker on whether his family could be benefitting from Putin's regime, Mr Sunak said: "No, I really don't think that's the case.

"And as I said, the operations of all companies are up to them.

"We've put in place significant sanctions and all the companies that we're responsible for are following those as they rightly should, sending a very strong message to Putin's aggression."

The chancellor added he has "absolutely no idea" what Infosys' response has been to countries introducing wide ranging sanctions on Russia as he has "nothing to do with that company".

Sky News has approached Ms Murthy for comment.

A spokesperson for Infosys said: "Infosys supports and advocates for peace between Russia and Ukraine.

"Infosys has a small team of employees based out of Russia, that services some of our global clients, locally. We do not have any active business relationships with local Russian enterprises.

"A key priority for Infosys in times of adversity, is to continue extending support to the community. The company has committed $1m towards relief efforts for the victims of war from Ukraine."

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/worl...h-presence-in-russia/ar-AAVrXVc?ocid=msedgntp

After Indian government refused to toe the British line on Russia, Brit media is going after sunak.

Some one tell them that Infosys is an Indian company and has to obey Indian laws and not British laws.

 

[finalfantasy7]

not looking so good for him

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[Cpt. Rishwat]

After Indian government refused to toe the British line on Russia, Brit media is going after sunak.

Some one tell them that Infosys is an Indian company and has to obey Indian laws and not British laws.

Yes but Sunak is a British PM in waiting supposedly, having shares in a Russian-friendly company is not a good look for him.

 

[cricketjoshila]

Yes but Sunak is a British PM in waiting supposedly, having shares in a Russian-friendly company is not a good look for him.

He doesn't have shares. His father in law who is an Indian has shares.

 

[RajBan]

After Indian government refused to toe the British line on Russia, Brit media is going after sunak.

Some one tell them that Infosys is an Indian company and has to obey Indian laws and not British laws.

British media is big joke. It always has been. They are most corrupt and partisan that one can get.