The madness of a state that spends more on welfare than it raises from income tax April 7, 2026 If it were possible to buy Happy New Tax Year cards you’d surely find them stocked in the ‘With Sympathy’ section. As of yesterday, the state has increased its demands on a host of taxpayers. Dividend tax is up two per cent for basic and higher rate taxpayers, with the latter now hit by a [...]
‘A whole civilisation will die tonight’: Trump ramps up Iran threats as deadline draws nearer April 7, 2026 Donald Trump has dialled up his threats on Iran warning a “whole civilisation will die tonight” ahead of his latest looming deadline for Iran. The chaotic sentiment has rocked markets across Europe after indexes struggled to find direction during early trading. The FTSE 100 see-sawed between gains and losses as the City market returned from [...]
14 charts reveal the massive challenges facing UK and NATO defence spending April 7, 2026 Defence spending is casting a shadow over Downing Street. Military officers are in a state of despair. The choices facing Sir Keir Starmer are stark. The political calculus for the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has become more complicated than ever as the Iran war puts public finances in danger. Their difficulties go back to February 2025 [...]
Tories urge Waitrose to re-hire worker who tackled shoplifter – and give him a bonus April 6, 2026 Shadow home secretary Chris Philp has urged the boss of Waitrose to re-hire Walker Smith, who tackled a shoplifter in south London attempting to steal luxury Easter eggs. Waitrose shop assistant Walker Smith was sacked by the supermarket after tackling a shoplifter, whom Smith recognised as a repeat offender. Philp wrote to Denyard, the managing [...]
MPs demand Kanye West ban as FTSE 100 sponsor ditches Wireless Festival April 6, 2026 Labour MPs are calling on Sir Keir Starmer to ban Kanye West from performing in north London this summer as major sponsors ditched Wireless Festival. Luke Akehurst and Rachael Maskell are among some of the MPs to have publicly urged Starmer to intervene on a visa to be issued to the ‘Gold Digger’ rapper, who [...]
From sick pay to whistleblowing: Sweeping new worker rights take effect April 6, 2026 This week marks one of the most significant shifts in employment regulations in years. From whistleblowing protections to ‘day‑one’ rights for fathers, a series of new costly rights is coming into force that businesses need to be prepared for. The government published a report earlier this year that revealed an estimated direct cost to business [...]
Ministers working with backbenchers amid immigration overhaul concerns April 5, 2026 Ministers concerned with home secretary Shabana Mahmood’s immigration changes are working with backbenchers concerned about planned immigration crackdowns. Figures within government are trying to help rebel MPs secure more exemptions from reforms being spearheaded by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, according to The Guardian newspaper. The changes are aimed at extending the amount of time migrants [...]
The UK is in a ‘toxic relationship’ with the government says Badenoch April 5, 2026 Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has claimed the UK is in a “toxic relationship” with big government, which is stagnating economic growth and holding people and businesses back. In an op-ed in The Times, Badenoch said the relationship is making people “miserable” while proving to some that “Britain is broken”. She wrote: “This isn’t a broken [...]
Missing US airman rescued as Trump warns “all hell will rain down” April 5, 2026 The US has said it has rescued a service member missing “behind enemy lines” with Trump vowing to escalate the pressure on Tehran with renewed threats. The US president wrote on social media that the rescued aviator is injured but “will be just fine”, noting the rescue involved “dozens of aircraft”. He wrote: “This brave [...]
Miliband to bow to pressure on North Sea drilling April 3, 2026 Energy secretary Ed Miliband is poised to bow to significant pressure to allow drilling in the North Sea to counter collapsing fuel supply chains and soaring energy costs. Miliband is planning to give the green light to the Jackdaw gasfield, which could supply gas to more than a million homes this winter. This would be [...]