Reeves axes winter fuel payment and calls Hunt liar over £22bn ‘black hole’ - live
Rachel Reeves is claiming that Jeremy Hunt is not telling the truth about a £22 billion gap in spending.
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Rachel Reeves has cautioned that tougher decisions will need to be made after cutting off winter fuel payments for numerous seniors as a way to address a £22 billion deficit in the government's budget.
The chancellor revealed a strategy to address the expected budget deficit, which includes reducing funding for infrastructure projects and stopping winter fuel payments for individuals who do not qualify for means-tested benefits.
She blamed the former Conservative government of hiding the true facts about the UK economy as she presented the findings of the Treasury spending investigation she ordered during a speech in Parliament on Monday.
Later, Ms. Reeves reiterated her accusations that Jeremy Hunt deceived the public and Members of Parliament during the election by providing false information about the condition of public finances.
A new department called the Office of Value for Money, promised in the Labour manifesto, will begin working right away to find and suggest ways for the government to cut costs in the current fiscal year, she announced.
The office is set to reveal significant reductions in public spending to fill the gap in the public budget. This may result in the elimination of projects such as the road tunnel near Stonehenge and Boris Johnson's New Hospital program.
Yvette Cooper Honors Southport Stabbing Victims
Salma Ouaguira published a new blog entry at 11:00 on July 30, 2024.
Postmasters With Overturned Convictions Can Now Access New Scheme
People who were affected by the Post Office Horizon scandal and had their convictions overturned can now submit applications for a new compensation program.
Jonathan Reynolds, the Business Secretary, expressed his hope that the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme would provide some solace to postmasters who have been waiting for too long to receive the money that they deserve.
Post office managers whose guilty verdicts have been reversed will start getting official letters confirming their innocence this week, as announced by the Department of Commerce and Industry (DCI).
People who qualify for the new program have two options: they can either agree to receive a set payment of £600,000 or, if they think they have suffered more losses than that, they can opt for a detailed evaluation of their claim.
This means that a group of committed caseworkers at the DBT will thoroughly review their application.
Mr. Reynolds expressed his sympathy for postmasters who have faced great difficulties. He hopes that the new compensation program will provide some comfort to postmasters who have been waiting a long time to recover their rightfully earned money.
If any post office manager believes they qualify for this program, they can step up and sign up. We understand that each situation is unique, and this administration wholeheartedly backs the freedom of every post office manager to decide what is most beneficial for them.
Today, I will be discussing an interesting topic that has been on my mind. Let's dive into this thought-provoking subject and explore its implications. Stay tuned for some insightful perspectives and engaging discussions.
Martin Lewis Criticizes Decision To Stop Winter Payment For All
The Chancellor's choice to stop giving winter fuel payments to all pensioners, except those receiving benefits, has been criticized as being too limited considering the upcoming harsh winter.
People who are older than the state pension age can receive payments of up to £300.
Starting this winter, only pensioners who are currently receiving pension credit will be eligible to receive payments.
The government announced that there will be changes to the winter fuel payments, resulting in a decrease in the number of pensioners receiving the benefits from 11.4 million to 1.5 million. This means that around 10 million individuals will no longer be eligible to receive this support.
Martin Lewis, the person who created MoneySavingExpert, quickly cautioned that the people receiving the payments were not enough considering the approaching winter. He also mentioned that the energy price cap is expected to increase by 10% in October and remain high during the winter. This will result in energy bills being nearly twice as high as they were before the crisis, making them unaffordable for many people.
He also mentioned: “In addition, the Government now has a big responsibility to make sure that the 800,000 people who qualify for pension credit but are not receiving it, are notified, educated, and supported in applying for it.
The organization is creating a campaign to raise awareness, but they must make sure it reaches every single area – and, if they can, reach out to people directly and engage with them.
Pension credit is an essential benefit that opens the door to many other benefits. With the new connection to the winter fuel payment, it is even more important to make sure that fewer people are left out.
Salma Ouaguira wrote a blog entry on July 30, 2024 at 10:50.
What Chancellor Said In Rachel Reeves' Spending Plan
Rachel Reeves has revealed that there will be significant reductions in spending, following her directive for the Treasury to conduct a thorough examination of the nation's budget.
The chancellor mentioned that her goal was to "reveal the extent of the situation that has been discovered" once Labour took over, highlighting a £22 billion deficit left by the previous administration.
Here are the main points from Ms. Reeves' speech in the House of Commons.
Title: My Experience Volunteering Abroad Last summer, I had the incredible opportunity to volunteer abroad in a small village in Africa. It was an eye-opening experience that I will never forget. From teaching children English to building wells for clean water, every moment was meaningful and rewarding. I learned so much about the culture and people of the village, and I was able to make a real difference in their lives. Volunteering abroad has truly changed me for the better, and I can't wait to do it again.
Criticism Of Electoral Commission Cyber-attacks
The electoral monitoring agency received criticism for not keeping online information safe, leading to a breach where information of 40 million voters was accessed by hackers.
The ICO discovered that the Electoral Commission did not consistently update their servers with the latest security patches.
Stephen Bonner, who is the deputy commissioner at the ICO, stated that if the Electoral Commission had simply taken some essential measures to safeguard their systems, like keeping security patches up to date and properly managing passwords, it is very probable that this breach of data would not have occurred.
Not updating the security software quickly made the systems open to being attacked by hackers.
The government has accused Chinese hackers of causing a data breach that took place in August 2021, but it wasn't discovered until October 2022.
Today, I want to share some thoughts with you about a topic that is important to me. Let's delve into this together and explore different perspectives. Join me in this conversation.
Home Secretary To Address Southport Stabbings In Commons
Yvette Cooper is going to speak to the members of Parliament later today regarding the knife attacks that occurred in Southport yesterday.
Authorities are trying to determine the reason for the attack while six kids are still in very serious condition.
The head of the government's department responsible for domestic affairs is in the vicinity to have discussions with the top police officer, local officials in charge of policing and crime, as well as the mayor. This will be followed by a gathering with the emergency personnel who were present at the incident location.
Ms Cooper will then go to Hart Street to place flowers and participate in a community event with MP Patrick Hurley.
Following her meeting with Home Office personnel at the Southport campus, she will travel back to London to provide a statement to members of parliament.
Salma Ouaguira posted on July 30, 2024 at 10:31.
Rachel Reeves Accuses Jeremy Hunt Of Lying About Public Finances
Rachel Reeves has called out Jeremy Hunt for being dishonest about the state of the public finances. She exposed a large deficit of £22 billion in the public finances.
The chancellor accused her predecessor of lying, in her most severe criticism yet of Mr. Hunt and the Conservative Party led by Rishi Sunak.
Members of Parliament in the UK are not allowed to call each other liars in the chamber because it is considered inappropriate. Even outside of Parliament, it is rare for high-ranking politicians to directly accuse each other of lying.
"It's even more concerning than that, as I made it clear during the entire election campaign that all my proposals were financially backed," she expressed to Sky News during an interview on Tuesday.
Salma Ouaguira's blog post was published on July 30, 2024, at 10:30 AM.
Rees-Mogg Accuses Labour Of Selling A 'fiscal Fairytale'
Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg has claimed that the Labour party is promoting an unrealistic financial plan by stating that the Conservative party has created a £22 billion deficit in the government's budget.
The ex-Conservative Member of Parliament claimed that the statistics were made up and criticized the government for being untruthful.
He said to GB News: "When Labour's chief secretary to the Treasury Liam Byrne wrote [in 2010] that there was no money left, he was speaking the truth.
However, Rachel Reeves, also known as the Artful Dodger of 11 Downing Street, is trying to deceive us with what is being called the 'biggest lie in British politics' in order to steal from us.
The ex-business secretary, who did not win in the recent election, said that coming up with a £22 billion deficit and placing the blame on the Tories, all while allocating £8 billion for environmentally friendly energy that won't lower your bills and £11 billion for foreign climate aid, is just not honest.
Sir Jacob warned not to be deceived by the false stories about money from Labour. They have only been in charge for a short time and their tricks have quickly turned into lies.
Title: My Thoughts on the Current Political Situation I wanted to share my opinions on what's happening in the political world right now. I think it's important for us to stay informed and engaged with what's going on, so we can make educated decisions. There are a lot of changes happening in the government that can affect our lives. It's important for us to pay attention to these changes and voice our opinions on them. Overall, I believe it's crucial for us to stay educated and involved in politics, so we can have a say in the decisions that affect our lives. Let's all stay informed and engaged in the political world!
Jenrick Urges End To 'mass Migration' In Tory Party
Robert Jenrick, a candidate for leader of the Conservative Party, stated that his party has not been able or willing to take the necessary steps to reduce the number of people entering the UK.
The ex-immigration minister claimed that many individuals who were considered unnecessary had entered the country legally, while those deemed hazardous were unable to be expelled.
Mr Jenrick, who supports withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to address problems with small boat crossings, stated that "our citizens and Parliament should have ultimate authority."
In a video announcing his bid for leadership, he stated: "During my time as immigration minister, I witnessed individuals entering our country who posed threats to our safety. I observed challenges in deporting them and noticed a large number of people entering legally who were not necessary for our country."
"But our political system was not able or not willing to provide the necessary solutions. The new government will not be able to address the issues. They have too many unrealistic ideas."
Our political group is the best chance for our nation's success. However, we have a difficult road ahead and important decisions to make. We cannot win back the trust of the people by just using cliches.
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Ministers In Downing Street Before Meeting Starmer
Salma Ouaguira wrote a blog post on July 30, 2024 at 10:04.
