A look back at the highs and lows of politics in 2024 December 20, 2024 With elections in the UK and US in 2024, a new government, and a fresh opposition leader, watchers of Westminster and elsewhere have had a busy year in politics. At Morning Wire we’ve followed every twist and turn as Labour secured an election victory in July, Donald Trump pulled off a White House comeback and [...]
Property tycoon Nick Candy defects to Reform from Conservatives December 10, 2024 Property tycoon Nick Candy has defected from the Conservatives to Reform UK in a boost for the insurgent party. The former Tory donor, who is married to pop star and ex-Neighbours actor Holly Valance, told The Sun that there has been “too many broken promises and a complete breach of trust with the wealth creators [...]
Voters ‘angry’ and impatient’, Rayner admits, amid fall in Labour support December 8, 2024 Voters are angry and impatient for change, Angela Rayner has admitted, amid a fall in support for Labour in the polls and a rise for Reform UK. The deputy Prime Minister said she understood the mood of the country after what she called several “significant challenges” faced by the government in its first months in [...]
Hedge fund managers could buy land, MPs told, as Tories fail to scrap ‘farm tax’ December 4, 2024 Hedge fund managers could buy up farmland if UK farmers sell up to avoid the inheritance levy, MPs were told, as the Tories brought a vote on the so-called ‘family farms tax’. Conservative MPs used an opposition day debate on Wednesday to bring a Commons vote on Labour’s Budget measure which would see farmers pay [...]
PMQs: Reeves ‘coming back for more’ in next Budget, Badenoch warns December 4, 2024 Chancellor Rachel Reeves will be “coming back for more” borrowing and further tax rises in her next Budget, according to Tory leader Kemi Badenoch. During a feisty PMQs the Conservative leader railed against the Prime Minister who she said “failed to repeat the Chancellor’s pledge of no more borrowing and no more taxes”. After referencing [...]
Keir Starmer accused of ‘sidelining’ pledge to secure fastest growth in G7 December 2, 2024 Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of “sidelining” his pledge for the UK to have the fastest growth in the G7 ahead of a set of new targets aimed at making Brits feel richer. The Prime Minister has been criticised for appearing to ditch the “key election pledge” in what a Tory opponent told The [...]
Labour urged to scrap ‘vindictive’ farm tax as Tories set to force vote December 1, 2024 Labour MPs are being urged to back scrapping the “vindictive” changes to inheritance tax (IHT) on farms, as the Conservative Party prepares to bring a vote on the issue. Tory MPs are set to use their opposition day debate on Wednesday, December 4, to insist Parliament hold a vote on Labour’s controversial move for farmers [...]
Starmer refuses to rule out further tax rises or more borrowing November 27, 2024 Sir Keir Starmer has refused to rule out further tax rises or additional borrowing when challenged to repeat his Chancellor’s pledge not to “come back with more”. During Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Conservative opposition leader Kemi Badenoch asked Starmer about Rachel Reeves’ words. She said: “At the Confederation [...]
Conservatives ‘lost the confidence’ of business, Badenoch admits November 25, 2024 The Conservatives “lost the confidence of business” at the July general election and firms “knew we were going to lose”, Kemi Badenoch has admitted. Speaking at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI)’s annual conference on Monday, the Tory leader told attendees Labour’s Budget had got the diagnosis wrong, leading to an “unprecedented raid on businesses”. [...]
Peers want to force Chagos Islands referendum to stop handover deal November 16, 2024 A group of Lords wants to force a referendum over the handover of the Chagos Islands, in a move that could delay the treaty from taking effect until after Donald Trump takes office. Lord Bellingham is leading a group of peers who plan to introduce an amendment to the treaty when it reaches the House [...]