UK Politics

Taxi drivers across England are set to face “rigorous vetting” under new licensing reforms, a minister has confirmed, as the government moves to address concerns over passenger safety and exploitation.The proposed changes, part of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, will introduce a national minimum standard for drivers, specifically targeting problems associated with out-of-area working.Local government minister Miatta Fahnbulleh stated these standards would prioritise “safeguarding passengers and improving accessibility”.The move follows Baroness Casey’s audit, which highlighted “many cases of group-based child sexual exploitation” linked to taxi services.Speaking at the Bill’s report stage, Ms Fahnbulleh told MPs: “The powers sought are necessarily broad, so that we can make sure that the new powers catch all complexities of the current legislative framework.“National minimum standards will set a high but proportionate standard for licensing that is focused on safeguarding passengers and improving accessibility of these services for everyone.“This means that people, particularly those who rely on these services the most, such as women and girls and people with disabilities, can be reassured that the drivers, such of these services, have undergone rigorous vetting where they are in the country, wherever they are in the country.“This is an important first step to tackle some of the issues that have arisen from the practice of out of area working.“In addition, we will be consulting shortly on making local transport authorities responsible for taxi and private hire vehicles, further strengthening the regulation of the sector, and we will continue to build on these reforms in the weeks and months ahead.”Transport committee chair Ruth Cadbury told MPs of the need for common standards across England that were “not basic minimum standards, but high and absolute standards”. More

Nigel Farage has insisted he “categorically” did not racially abuse fellow pupils during his time as a schoolboy at a top private school.It comes after more than a dozen former pupils who attended Dulwich College in south London with Mr Farage accused him of making antisemitic and racist remarks in reports originally published by The Guardian.The Reform UK leader appeared to leave open the possibility he may have made racist remarks without “intent” during an ITV interview on Monday night. When questioned about the claims, he said: “I would never, ever do it in a hurtful or insulting way.”Nigel Farage denies claims he made deeply offensive remarks to fellow pupils More

Business leaders have sent a warning to Rachel Reeves over an inflation-busting hike to the minimum wage which they fear will drive unemployment and hit economic growth.The chancellor has unveiled an 8.5 per cent rise in the hourly minimum wage for 18- to 20-year-olds – to £10.85 – as well as a 4.1 per cent rise for the living wage, for those aged 21 and over, to £12.71 per hour. Meanwhile, 16- and 17-year-olds, as well as those on apprenticeships, will see an increase of 6 per cent to £8 per hour. The announcement, on the eve of Ms Reeves’ Budget, will mean a pay rise for millions of workers, with the chancellor promising that those on low incomes will be “properly rewarded” for their work. But it comes just 24 hours after revelations that growth projections in the UK are set to be downgraded by the Office of Budget Responsibility until 2029 and after business leaders warned that tax rises, hikes in the minimum wage and new employment rights legislation was making it impossible for them to deliver economic growth for the country.There is still anger over the rise in employer national insurance contributions, unveiled in Ms Reeves’ Budget last year, which has hit the jobs market.Reacting to the minimum wage rise, Anna Leach, chief economist at the Institute of Directors, warned the move would increase joblessness among young people.She said: “These changes benefit only those who remain employed, but the rising cost and risk of employment are already reducing job opportunities. “The sharper increase in the youth rate is especially concerning, as it is likely to accelerate the loss of jobs among young people – at a time when nearly a million are already not in education, employment, or training.”The number of so-called NEETs (young people not in employment, education or training) has risen to almost 1 million, latest figures show. The chancellor has unveiled an 8.5 per cent rise in the hourly minimum wage for 18- to 20-year-olds More

Wes Streeting has made a major eve-of-Budget speech arguing that his party needs to do more to tackle child poverty amid speculation that he is planning to make a bid to become leader.Sources close to the health secretary denied that the speech to Barnardo’s and the King’s Fund was a leadership bid, but the issue of child poverty has become a touchstone for the Labour Party.Speaking at a conference in London, Mr Streeting discussed his own childhood, where his family faced poverty in London’s East End.Wes Streeting spoke at a conference hosted by the King’s Fund More

When Rachel Reeves walked into the Treasury as the new chancellor on 5 July 2024, she arrived with a “number one mission” of providing economic growth.Without it, she said, the UK could not pay for the improved public services that Labour wanted to deliver.But 18 bruising months later, those hopes for economic growth in a flatlining economy are in tatters, with the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) now expected to downgrade already low growth projections until 2029.As she prepares to stand up at 12.30 pm on Wednesday and deliver her second Budget, Ms Reeves has abandoned the language of economic growth. When she spoke to Labour MPs on Monday evening – in a bid to rally them ahead of her Budget – the word “growth” did not even pass her lips.Read our live Budget updates hereRachel Reeves has abandoned the language of economic growth in recent appearances More

Dozens of leading disability charities have urged Rachel Reeves not to cut Motability at Wednesday’s Budget as the chancellor reportedly considers axing up to £1bn in tax breaks for the scheme.Leasing around 300,000 vehicles a year to eligible disabled people, Motability has been the topic of intense debate in recent months as some politicians disagree about whether it is provides good value for the taxpayer.The reported proposals would see cars leased through the scheme no longer exempt from VAT and insurance premium tax, meaning more claimants would need to make an advance payment for their cars.In an open letter shared with The Independent, disability charity Transport for All and 41 other groups warn that the changes could have “dire consequences” as it would see disabled people “priced out of the scheme.” The proposals have left many with “high levels of uncertainty and anxiety”, they add.Around 815,000 people now have a Motability car More

Banking stocks gave the FTSE 100 a lift on Tuesday amid rumours that the sector will be spared a tax hit in Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ budget.The FTSE 100 index closed up 74.62 points, 0.8 per cent, at 9,609.53. The FTSE 250 ended up 205.83 points, 1.0 per cent, at 21,617.41, and the AIM All-Share closed up 4.93 points, 0.7 per cent, at 742.09.High street lenders Lloyds Banking Group rose 3.8 per cent, NatWest Group climbed 3.7 per cent and Barclays advanced 2.4 per cent.It came as the Financial Times said that Ms Reeves is unlikely to impose further tax hikes on UK banks, calming fears that they could be hit.The chancellor will deliver the budget statement to Parliament around 12.30pm on Wednesday, after Prime Minister’s Questions.The FTSE 100 index closed up 74.62 points, 0.8 per cent, on Tuesday More

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is reportedly poised to announce a three-year stamp duty holiday for new UK stock market listings in Wednesday’s Budget.The proposed scheme would exempt investors from the current 0.5 per cent stamp duty on shares in newly listed UK companies for three years following their initial public offering (IPO), providing a significant incentive for new domestic listings.The initiative seeks to buoy the London market’s competitiveness, addressing concerns that it is losing ground to overseas rivals. A raft of firms have defected abroad in recent years, including gambling giant Flutter Entertainment, the owner of Paddy Power, which has switched its main listing to New York. Other British companies have also been acquired by foreign competitors.Emma Wall, the chief investment strategist at Hargreaves Lansdown, said the stamp duty move would be a “welcome boost” for London’s IPO market and demand for UK shares.She said: “London has been losing out to New York in recent years, as businesses favour the funding and regulatory environment of the New York Stock Exchange.Rachel Reeves is looking to buoy the City’s competitiveness for IPOs More