Two child cap 1) Scrapping two-child cap ‘part of Starmer’s moral mission’
“Sir Keir Starmer wants to scrap the two-child cap on benefits as it is his “moral mission” to reduce child poverty, Downing Street has said. Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, said that her message to charities campaigning to end the two-child limit was that Labour “wants to make this change happen”. No 10 said that the prime minister supported her remarks. Phillipson’s comments are the strongest indication yet that the government will lift the two-child cap in the budget this autumn, when the government’s child poverty taskforce is due to publish its recommendations. Economists have said that scrapping the two-child cap and reinstating winter fuel payments would cost more than £5 billion. They have warned that Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, would either need to raise taxes or change her fiscal rules.” – The Times
Comment
Two child cap 2) Jenrick: Farage is wrong about the two-child benefit cap. We must keep it
“Spiralling welfare spending is bankrupting Britain. By the end of the decade it’s forecast to reach £378 billion. We face a reckoning unless we do something radical. But the conversation in Westminster is untethered from reality. Instead of debating how to bring the welfare bill down, and move hundreds of thousands of people off welfare into the dignity of work, the question is whether we should add to that bill by scrapping the two-child benefits cap.” – Daily Telegraph
- Farage promises a lot – but do Reform’s sums add up? – Daily Telegraph
- And do Reform UK’s tax and spending plans add up? – FT
- Farage could definitely become PM – if he listens to me,’ Cummings says – Sky News
- Johnson ‘comeback plot’ dealt hammer blow as Farage opens up 15-point lead in Red Wall – GB News
- Reform leader insists ‘I’m no leftie’ after pledging welfare spree – The Sun
- Labour is the enemy of the working class – and Farage has just exposed that – Daily Express
Comment
- Farage is right, Britain must have more kids – we can’t keep relying on sky high immigration – Henry Hill, The Sun
Tories won’t re-privatise railways, leaked audio reveals
“The Conservatives will “probably not” re-privatise the railways, the shadow transport secretary has said. In a recording obtained by The Telegraph, Gareth Bacon told Tory activists that taking passenger trains back into private control was unlikely to be popular with voters by the time of the next general election. South Western Railway entered full state control last weekend after 29 years, but engineering works meant passengers needed to board a rail replacement bus for part of its first service. Labour plans to bring all passenger trains into public ownership over the next three years under its flagship Great British Rail (GBR) scheme.” – Daily Telegraph
>Yesterday:
Spending Review 1) Reeves in standoff with ministers over proposed cuts to public services
“The Treasury is in a standoff with some ministers over proposed cuts to public services including policing and social housing, as the International Monetary Fund suggested the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, could give herself more flexibility to hit her fiscal rules. Senior police figures have raised concerns about the upcoming spending review with ministers, the Guardian understands. Chief officers from some of England and Wales’ biggest forces argue they cannot take further budget cuts. Several key departments are yet to agree their budgets with the Treasury, including the Home Office, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.” – The Guardian
- IMF urges Reeves to rein in power of OBR – Daily Telegraph
- Reeves should refine fiscal rules to avoid emergency spending cuts, IMF says – The Guardian
- And IMF gives Reeves political cover to ‘refine’ UK fiscal rules – FT
- HMRC plans for tax raid on pensions – Daily Telegraph
- Labour warned it risks ‘another winter fuel payment disaster’ over key pledge – Daily Express
Comment
>Today:
Spending Review 2) Six police chiefs tell PM his crime pledges are in peril
“Sir Keir Starmer has been warned by six of Britain’s most senior police chiefs that he will be unable to deliver his flagship pledges to cut crime without serious investment in his upcoming spending review. They said pledges to halve knife crime, rates of violence against women and girls and recruiting 13,000 additional police officers into neighbourhood policing are all at risk. They warned that failure to give policing sufficient funding will signal a return to austerity that crippled police forces and shrunk officer numbers from 2010 onwards.” – The Times
- Early prison releases risk public safety, police warn – The Times
Comment
Khan: Cannabis should not be criminal
“Sir Sadiq Khan has called for cannabis possession to be decriminalised over concerns that drug laws are damaging police relations with ethnic communities. The Mayor of London, who oversees Britain’s biggest police force, backed decriminalisation after his independent London drug commission found that cannabis laws were “disproportionate to the harms it can pose, particularly in the case of possession for personal use”. The commission, led by Lord Falconer, the former Labour justice secretary, recommended that the possession of small amounts of natural cannabis should no longer be a criminal offence. Dealing or producing the drug would remain illegal.” – Daily Telegraph
Other political news and comment
- Junior doctors demand another 30pc pay rise in strike threat – Daily Telegraph
- Mandelson attacks ‘fetish’ for ditching EU rules – Daily Telegraph
- Robinson thanks Musk after release from prison – Daily Telegraph
- UK defends trade envoy’s trip to Israel even after suspending talks – FT
- Ministers explore plans to ease rules for small builders in England – FT
- The woker sex are turning Britain Left-wing – Annabel Denham, Daily Telegraph
News in Brief
