The idea that it is somehow grubby to care about the economy in the face of a global pandemic is nonsense July 8, 2020 Today, chancellor Rishi Sunak will make an announcement to the House of Commons about the shape of the government’s coronavirus support over the coming months. Sunak faces a tough choice as the country starts to open up while trying to keep infection rates as low as possible. There is no easy way out of the [...]
Labour calls for no tax rises to pay for coronavirus spending July 8, 2020 Labour shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds will urge the government to commit to not raising taxes tomorrow in her response to Rishi Sunak’s economic statement. Dodds is expected to respond to the chancellor’s mini budget by saying that Labour is “not calling for tax rises – we are calling for growth”. The shadow chancellor is expected [...]
Rishi Sunak reveals £2bn unemployment scheme to create hundreds of thousands of jobs July 7, 2020 The government will subsidise hundreds of thousands of new jobs for unemployed young Britons as a part of a new £2bn coronavirus support package. Chancellor Rishi Sunak will announce the launch of the Kickstart Scheme in his summer economic statement tomorrow, which will see the government subsidise jobs for 16 to 24-year-olds receiving Universal Credit [...]
Hancock praises pubs for closing after punters tested positive for Covid-19 July 7, 2020 Matt Hancock has praised three pubs for closing after the NHS track and trace system identified coronavirus outbreaks among their visitors, just days after pubs, bars and restaurants were allowed to reopen after months of lockdown. The health secretary told the Commons that the closure of the Fox and Hounds in Yorkshire, the Lighthouse in [...]
Magnistky Act: Who’s on the Foreign Office’s sanctions list? July 7, 2020 Foreign secretary Dominic Raab yesterday unveiled the first 49 foreign citizens facing sanctions for alleged human rights abuses under the UK’s new Magnitsky Act. The new sanctions include visa bans and asset freezes on individuals from Russia, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and Myanmar who are suspected of “serious” human rights abuses, including murder, torture, massacre [...]
Brazil’s President Bolsonaro tests positive for coronavirus July 7, 2020 President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil has tested positive for coronavirus, the leader said today. The Brazilian president said he began feeling unwell on Sunday, and later tested positive for Covid-19. He had cleared his public agenda earlier today as he awaited the result of a coronavirus test, with his office saying the far-right leader — [...]
Conservative party conference moves online for 2020 July 7, 2020 The October Conservative party conference has been officially cancelled, with a virtual event to go ahead instead. The party sent an email to members today to inform them that the showpiece event, planned for Birmingham, would not take place this year. The announcement comes after Labour and the Liberal Democrats already cancelled their events months [...]
Boris Johnson asked to apologise for care home deaths comments July 7, 2020 Boris Johnson has come under fire for appearing to try to blame care homes for the high numbers of coronavirus deaths they have suffered. The Prime Minister has been asked to apologise for the comments, which were labelled as “clumsy and cowardly” by the head of a social care charity. Johnson made the comments yesterday [...]
Workers forced to pay extra tax for coronavirus tests July 7, 2020 Workers will be forced to pay income tax on coronavirus tests if their employers order them, it has been revealed. Newly released documents from the Treasury show that employees will face a “taxable benefit in kind” when their employers order the tests, meaning they are treated as extra workplace benefits. As workplaces will have to [...]
DEBATE: Do we need a government rescue plan to save UK universities? July 7, 2020 In light of the new IFS report, do we need a government rescue plan to save UK universities? Jo Grady, general secretary of the University and College Union, says YES. It has been months since our own research identified a funding black hole for universities of around £2.5bn in income lost from tuition fees and [...]