UK Politics

Rachel Reeves has indicated further cuts to welfare are likely under this Labour government as she looks ahead to her second autumn Budget.The chancellor has indicated that more tax rises and spending cuts can be expected at the fiscal event, as analysis from the respected Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) finds that the Treasury will need to find at least £22bn to tackle weak economic growth.Asked about changes to the benefit system on Channel 4 News, the chancellor said: “We can’t leave welfare untouched,” adding: “We can’t get to the end of this parliamentary session and I’ve basically done nothing … We have to do reform in the right way and take people with us.”The government was forced to abandon £4bn in proposed cuts to disability benefits in July after Labour MPs mounted a backbench rebellion against the plans.While some changes to Universal Credit are still set to come into effect in April, these are unlikely to yield any major savings.Rachel Reeves has indicated further cuts to welfare are likely More

British troops will be given new powers to shoot down drones threatening UK and US military bases with plans to extend them to protecting airports.Defence secretary John Healey is set to unveil his vision on how to protect Britain’s most critical military bases in response to a growing threat posed by Russia today in his Mansion House speech.Although the new powers will initially apply only to military sites, the government was “not ruling out working to extend those powers” to other important sites like airports, the Telegraph said, citing a source.Currently, troops can use specialist counter-drone equipment, which can track incoming drones, hijack signals, and divert them.The new proposal will give soldiers or Ministry of Defence Police a “kinetic option” to shoot them on site, which they can only do now in extreme circumstances.Defence Secretary John Healey More

British holidaymakers face the prospect of pricier getaways if Rachel Reeves implements tax increases in next month’s Budget, warn the UK’s two largest tour operators. Tui’s UK managing director, Neil Swanson, warned that “holidays will become too costly for some people if the Chancellor does this”. Jet2 chief executive Steve Heapy, meanwhile, feared the Budget could raise taxes by £50 billion annually, “screwing Middle England”. Ms Reeves is exploring tax rises and spending cuts for her 26 November Budget, aiming to address an estimated £50 billion fiscal deficit.Her inaugural Budget last October saw the announcement of an additional £40 billion in annual taxes.Mr Swanson warned that travel companies would be forced to raise holiday prices if taxes on businesses were increased further.People will be priced out of the market if taxes are raised, warn travel bosses More

Four Reform UK councillors have been suspended after a video was leaked to the press showing the leader of the party’s flagship local authority telling council members to “suck it up”.Reform UK took control of Kent County Council (KCC) after winning 57 of the 81 seats at the local elections in May, overturning a 30-year Tory majority.Footage of an online meeting in which KCC leader Linden Kemkaran could be seen berating backbench councillors when they questioned her was leaked to the press on Saturday.A Reform UK spokesperson said: “Cllrs Paul Thomas, Oliver Bradshaw, Bill Barrett and Maxine Fothergill have had the whip suspended pending investigation, following evidence that they brought the party into disrepute.” Kent County Council leader Linden Kemkaran pictured with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage earlier this year More

Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper is being urged to maintain the UK’s contribution to the global fight against HIV, TB and malaria, with expected cuts potentially costing hundreds of thousands of lives. Anti-poverty charity, the ONE Campaign, put out the plea ahead of a summit to raise £13.5 billion for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria – the world’s largest funder of treatments for these diseases. The charity cited figures suggesting the British public overwhelmingly supports the government investing in the fight against the biggest killer infectious diseases.Polling by More in Common commissioned by the ONE Campaign found two-thirds of Brits, when told about the work of the Global Fund, said the UK should increase or maintain its support for the fund. The Global Fund pays for a quarter of all international HIV treatment and prevention programmes, more than half of malaria programmes and three-quarters of TB programmes. It is estimated to have saved 70 million lives in the past 20 years. It is mostly funded by contributions from more than 80 governments, as well as by private industry and philanthropy. Currently, the UK is its third-largest donor, having pledged £1bn in 2022. But, amid swingeing cuts to the overall spend on overseas aid, the UK is widely expected to reduce its contribution to the fund – despite co-hosting the fundraising event taking place in November on the fringes of the G20 summit. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is expected to announce the UK’s contribution to the Global Fund in the coming month (Jonathan Brady/PA) More

The Department for Education (DfE) has announced a new V-Level qualification, set to overhaul the education system for 16- to 19-year-olds. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said that vocational education has been “an afterthought for too long”. This new qualification will form a third route alongside A-levels and T-levels, with full plans detailed in a white paper on post-16 education and skills, due Monday. The DfE confirmed that V-Levels will replace 900 existing vocational qualifications for this age group, aiming to streamline the “confusing landscape” of current options.The department said the move would also offer pupils more flexibility and let them explore key sectors – which could include engineering, agriculture or digital – before deciding where to specialise.It said that the V-Levels will offer more choice as pupils will be able to sit them alongside A-Levels, unlike T-Levels – which are equivalent to three A-Levels.Teens will be able to sit the V-Levels alongside A-Levels More

British holidaymakers face the prospect of more expensive getaways should Rachel Reeves proceed with tax increases in next month’s Budget, according to the UK’s two largest tour operators. Neil Swanson, Tui’s UK managing director, warned that “holidays will become too costly for some people if the Chancellor does this”. Jet2 chief executive Steve Heapy, meanwhile, expressed fears about the Budget raising taxes by £50 billion annually and “screwing Middle England”. Ms Reeves has indicated she is exploring potential tax rises and spending cuts for her 26 November Budget, aiming to address an estimated £50 billion fiscal deficit. Her inaugural Budget last October saw the announcement of an additional £40 billion in annual taxes.Mr Swanson warned that travel companies would be forced to raise holiday prices if taxes on businesses were increased further.People will be priced out of the market if taxes are raised, warn travel bosses More

Piers Morgan, the journalist and presenter, has hinted at a potential run for prime minister, suggesting he would adopt a “tough” approach to national leadership. The 60-year-old host of the Uncensored YouTube show made comments in an interview with Saga Magazine.He said: “There has been talk about ‘PM for PM’, Piers Morgan for prime minister, why not? “Right now, there are a lot of people in this country who feel betrayed by successive governments, whether it’s over the NHS, stopping the boats or the state of the roads.”Mr Morgan said a 1 per cent tax on income that would go “straight to the NHS” would be among the items in his manifesto.“Taking a leaf out of (US President Donald) Trump’s book, I would call (French) President (Emmanuel) Macron and tell him that unless he did something about the boats, we would tax French imports by 1,000 per cent. “It’s time to get tough.”Piers Morgan says he’d ‘get tough’ on Channel crossings More