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Boris Johnson will argue his “levelling-up” project is a “win-win” and will not mean “robbing Peter to pay Paul” as he sets out his post-pandemic vision for the UK.

In a speech in the West Midlands on Thursday, the prime minister will indicate his flagship programme will benefit the whole country, not just the Conservatives’ new parliamentary constituencies in the north and midlands.

It comes after the Tories lost the previously-safe home counties seat of Chesham and Amersham to the Liberal Democrats last month, and some in the party warned ‘levelling up’ must not come at the expense of the party’s southern heartlands.

Mr Johnson is expected to say the programme is not a “jam-spreading operation”.

Yet he will criticise previous governments for focussing investment on “areas where house prices are already sky high and where transport is already congested”.

He will say: “By turbo charging those areas – especially in London and the South East – you drive prices even higher and you force more and more people to move to the same expensive areas and the result is that their commutes are longer, their trains are more crowded, they have less time with their kids.

“They worry at the same time that the younger generation won’t be able to get a home and that their leafy suburb or village will be engulfed by new housing development but without the infrastructure to go with it.

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But the prime minister is also expected to argue: “We don’t want to decapitate the tall poppies. We don’t think you can make the poor parts of the country richer by making the rich parts poorer.”

Angela Rayner MP, Labour’s deputy leader said: “Boris Johnson has overseen the worst death toll in Europe and the greatest hit to any major economy. Two years as prime minister and all we have is this empty husk of a speech that shows he has no plan for the future of our country other than pitching people and towns against each other.

“Unlike Labour, he has no plan to buy, make and sell more in Britain. He has no jobs promise for young people. And he has no recovery plan for our children. Britain deserves better.”

The prime minister will also set out policies to regenerate high streets, including making pavement licences for pubs and cafes permanent, and extending takeaway pints for a further 12 months.

The government is due to publish a white paper with detailed policy proposals in the autumn.

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Can Streeting stop the doctors strikes?

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Can Streeting stop the doctors strikes?

👉Listen to Politics at Sam and Anne’s on your podcast app👈 

After yesterday’s royal welcome from the King, French President Emmanuel Macron will get down to business today, meeting Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for lunch, after PMQs.

But, as Sky News’ Sam Coates and Politico’s Anne McElvoy discuss on this episode, away from the pomp, Sir Keir’s in-tray doesn’t look any less challenging.

It includes a headache for Health Secretary Wes Streeting as resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, announce a new strike – and there is as a punchy warning from the OBR on making financial promises to the public.

Also today, the welfare bill returns to the House of Commons, with reports of another rebellion brewing.

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New Zealand bans crypto ATMs in crackdown on criminal cash conversions

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New Zealand bans crypto ATMs in crackdown on criminal cash conversions

New Zealand bans crypto ATMs in crackdown on criminal cash conversions

New Zealand bans crypto ATMs and sets a $5,000 cap on overseas cash transfers in a major step to combat money laundering and financial crime.

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US charges 2 men over $650M OmegaPro crypto scam

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US charges 2 men over 0M OmegaPro crypto scam

US charges 2 men over 0M OmegaPro crypto scam

US prosecutors charged two men for allegedly running the crypto fraud scheme OmegaPro, which promised 300% returns to investors.

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