The Chancellor’s Budget freezes income tax and National Insurance thresholds for three years, expected to raise about £30bn via fiscal drag. Welfare spending increases, including scrapping the two-child limit. Critics say this breaks manifesto pledges; supporters argue it targets help where it’s most needed.
The Chancellor’s plan to raise the minimum wage, including an 8.5% rise for 18–20s from April, has drawn warnings from business groups that higher costs could cut entry-level jobs. The row builds ahead of the Budget, with questions over tax changes and the policy’s impact on growth.
The Chancellor plans to cut the annual cash ISA allowance from £20,000 to £12,000 in the Budget, arguing savings should flow into investments. Critics say it penalises careful savers and could hit mortgages. The change helps fund a £15bn welfare package and scrap the two-child cap.
The former PM says he was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year after his wife urged him to get tested. He now backs targeted screening to detect cases earlier and cut deaths, encouraging men to seek checks if they have concerns.
Donald Trump has set a Thursday deadline for Volodymyr Zelensky to accept a 28-point peace plan or risk losing US support. Reported terms include territorial concessions, a smaller military and mineral quotas for Washington. Allies warn it would undermine sovereignty and reward aggression.
An official inquiry concludes early-pandemic policies shut schools and nurseries unnecessarily, halting ordinary childhood. It says decisions prioritised adults, harming education and wellbeing, and that more proportionate alternatives were available.
A YouGov poll days before the Budget finds 0% of respondents say the economy is in a “very good” state under Labour, with only 4% calling it “fairly good”. Most judge conditions bad. The results intensify pressure on the Chancellor ahead of next week’s fiscal plans.
A physics teacher at a leading independent school was dismissed for “inappropriate” remarks during a Malaysia–Singapore trip, including a comment judged discriminatory. He later died. The case raises questions over how elite schools handle complaints, discipline and staff support.
Shabana Mahmood defended her asylum reforms, saying persistent racist abuse she faces underscores the need to fix a broken system. She rejected accusations of stoking division while outlining plans in the Commons, facing criticism from opponents and some of her own MPs.
Shabana Mahmood will outline a tougher asylum regime: refugee status made temporary with 30‑month reviews, a 20‑year route to settlement, and returns required once home countries are deemed safe. Labour critics and lawyers say rights obligations could block the measures.