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Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has insisted his tax cuts are about “long-term growth” for the economy, calling it “silly” to think they were instead about the timing of the next election.

The Conservative Party has been told to be ready for a general election from 1 January, a senior government source told Sky News’s political editor Beth Rigby, with a vote being called as early as May if Wednesday’s autumn statement goes down well with voters.

In his speech to the Commons, Mr Hunt announced a raft of measures that some see as a pre-election giveaway, including reducing national insurance for employees from 12% to 10% and scrapping it entirely for the self-employed.

But economists have pointed out that the overall tax burden will remain at a record high because of the continued freeze on tax thresholds.

Politics live: ‘Clear choice’ at next election, says Hunt

The chancellor told Sky News he hadn’t chosen “the most populist tax cuts”, with most of the policies aimed at boosting business growth.

But he denied the NI cuts were there to win over voters ahead of a campaign, saying: “It’s silly to think about this in terms of the timing of the next election. We’re trying to make the right decisions for long-term growth of the economy.”

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The tax cuts came amid long-standing pressure from the Tory backbenches to reduce the burden on both the public and business, which has been sat at a 70-year high.

But a general election is also looming, with the government having to call the ballot by January 2025 at the latest, and the Conservatives are still lagging behind Labour in the polls.

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Hunt: It will ‘take time’ to lower taxes

A senior government source told Beth Rigby that the Tories’ campaign director, Issac Levido, is due to join the party’s headquarters on a full-time basis from the new year in order to make sure they are ready for the election as soon as possible.

Another senior source also told Sky News’ political editor that the plan was to “prepare for November” but be “ready for May”, in case the tax cuts help them narrow the gap, giving them a better chance of winning an historic fifth term in office.

But it also gives them an option if the measures go down badly on their own backbenchers and a confidence vote is called on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s leadership, allowing him to trigger a snap election.

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Mr Hunt defended the fact the tax burden had been so high in recent years, telling Sky News’ Kay Burley “it was right to help families” through COVID and the cost of living crisis, but that comes at a cost.

“I also think it’s right to make a start in bringing down taxes,” he added. “But the taxes that I brought down are not the crowd pleasers that were on the tip of everyone’s tongues, inheritance tax or income tax.

“They’re the taxes that are going to help businesses grow, and that is the way that we will increase our long term prosperity, raise wages, raise living standards. And that was the choice that a Conservative government made yesterday.”

He added: “What I do acknowledge is that we’re going to show discipline in public spending. It’s not going to grow in real terms as fast as some people would like.

“But that is happening because I’m choosing to cut taxes mainly for business, and to help businesses recruit more people.

“I accept that we are going to have to make difficult decisions, not do all the spending that everyone would want. But what I would say in the longer run is if you want to put more money into the NHS, you need a strong economy.”

The chancellor also attempted to draw a line in the sand between the Tories and Labour, adding: “What Conservatives say is the only way that we’ll increase prosperity for families up and down the country is by making businesses more competitive. It’s what economists call supply side measures.

“The Labour approach is to boost demand in the economy by raising borrowing by £28bn a year. I agree that has a short term impact, but the longer term result of increasing borrowing is more debt, higher debt payments, that means that taxes have to go up to pay for them, that makes our economy less competitive.

“So there is a very big difference between the Conservative approach and the Labour approach. And why, in the end, do people vote Conservative in elections? It’s because they trust us to make decisions for the long term growth of the economy. That’s what we did yesterday.”

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UK growth ‘a dead end’ under Tories

Giving her assessment of the autumn statement, Labour’s shadow chancellor, Rachel Reeves said there “wasn’t anything… that remotely compensates for the tax increases that we have had under the Conservatives these last four years” and the tax burden under the Tories was just set to increase.

Speaking to Sky News, she added: “In the end, how do you know if you’re better off? It’s your bank balance.

“And the truth is that this will be the first parliament ever where real disposable incomes are going to be lower at the end of it than they were at the beginning.

“People can see that when they look at their bank statements, when they log in to their bank accounts and see that the taxes that are being taken, the mortgage payments that are going out, the gas and electricity bills… that again are going to rise in January, all putting big pressure on the family finances and the tax increases that have already been announced [are more] than the chancellor gave back yesterday.”

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More children from Gaza to be brought to UK for urgent medical treatment

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More children from Gaza to be brought to UK for urgent medical treatment

Efforts to bring Gazan children to the UK for urgent medical treatment are set to be accelerated under new government plans.

Under the scheme, reportedly set to be announced within weeks, more injured and sick children will be treated by specialists in the NHS “where that is the best option for their care”.

It has been suggested that up to 300 children could arrive in the UK from Gaza.

A parent or guardian will accompany each child, as well as siblings if necessary, and the Home Office will carry out biometric and security checks before travel, the Sunday Times has reported.

It is understood this will happen “in parallel” with an initiative by Project Pure Hope, a group set up to bring sick and injured Gazan children to the UK privately for treatment.

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A 15-year-old boy from Gaza brought to the UK for urgent medical treatment this week has told Sky News of his joy and relief. Majd lost part of his face as well as his entire jaw and all his teeth in a tank shell explosion.

A government spokesperson said: “We are taking forward plans to evacuate more children from Gaza who require urgent medical care, including bringing them to the UK for specialist treatment where that is the best option for their care.”

More than 50,000 children are estimated to have been killed or injured in Gaza since October 2023, according to Unicef.

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So far, three children have arrived in the UK for medical treatment with the help of the charity Project Pure Hope.

Around 5,000 have been evacuated in total, with the majority going to Egypt and Gulf countries.

Sir Keir Starmer said last week that the UK was “urgently accelerating” efforts to bring children over for treatment.

The government has also pledged another £1m to help the World Health Organisation in Egypt provide medical support to evacuated Gazans.

The prime minister told the Mirror: “I know the British people are sickened by what is happening.

“The images of starvation and desperation in Gaza are utterly horrifying. We are urgently accelerating efforts to evacuate children from Gaza who need critical medical assistance – bringing more Palestinian children to the UK for specialist medical treatment.”

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Around 100 MPs have signed a letter urging the government to fast track the scheme.

Labour MP Stella Creasy, who co-ordinated the letter, said: “The commitment we all share to help these children remains absolute and urgent – with every day, more are harmed or die, making the need to overcome any barriers to increasing the support we give them imperative.

“We stand ready to support whatever it takes to make this happen and ask for your urgent response.”

Meanwhile, Project Pure Hope has been campaigning for months to create a scheme which would allow for the evacuation of 30 to 50 children.

The charity has raised the money to bring the children and their families to the UK, and cover their medical costs, privately.

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The token is dead, long live the token

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The token is dead, long live the token

The token is dead, long live the token

Crypto tokens have failed retail investors through insider concentration and poor design. Regulation and tokenized real-world assets offer hope for revival.

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Clampdown on social media ads for Channel crossings unveiled

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Clampdown on social media ads for Channel crossings unveiled

Anyone who advertises Channel crossings or fake passports on social media could face up to five years in prison under new government plans.

Research suggests about 80% of migrants arriving to the UK by small boat used internet platforms during their journey – including to contact agents linked to smuggling gangs.

While it is already illegal to assist illegal immigration, ministers hope the creation of a new offence will give police more powers and disrupt business models.

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Small boat crammed with migrants in Channel

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is also planning to introduce a fast-track scheme to tackle the asylum backlog, meaning decisions will be made within weeks.

It comes as official figures show more than 25,000 people have arrived on small boats so far in 2025 – a record for this point in the year.

Ms Cooper said it is “immoral” for smugglers to sell false promises online, adding: “These criminals have no issue with leading migrants to life-threatening situations using brazen tactics on social media.

“We are determined to do everything we can to stop them, wherever they operate.”

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The new offence prohibiting the online promotion of Channel crossings is set to be included in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill already going through Parliament.

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More migrants arrive in Dover

Officials from the National Crime Agency already work with tech giants to remove such posts – with more than 8,000 taken offline last year.

A Preston-based smuggler who was jailed for 17 years had posted videos of migrants thanking him for his help.

Meanwhile, Albanian smugglers have created promotions for £12,000 “package deals” which claim to offer accommodation and a job in the UK on arrival.

The Conservatives have described the measures as “too little, too late” – and say automatic deportations are the only way to tackle small boat crossings.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: “Labour still has no clear plan to deter illegal entry, no effective enforcement and no strategy to speed up removals. This is a panicked attempt to look tough after months of doing nothing.”

Read more UK news:
Inside prison doing family visits differently
UK’s most wanted man on run for 20 years
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Waves and kisses from asylum hotel window

It comes as protests outside hotels believed to be housing asylum seekers continue in towns and cities across the UK.

Several demonstrators were detained – with police breaking up brief clashes – outside the Thistle City Barbican Hotel in north London yesterday.

The government is legally required to provide accommodation and subsistence to destitute asylum seekers while their claims are being decided, most of whom are prohibited from working.

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