Rishi Sunak offers ‘fulsome apology’ to Adidas Samba fans

Published

7 months ago

April 10, 2024

admin

It was the picture that launched warnings of the “death” of a popular trainer: the prime minister in a box-fresh pair of Adidas Sambas, paired with suit trousers and a white shirt.

He was accused of “ruining” an “eternally cool sneaker” by GQ, while other magazines rushed to offer lists of alternative trainers after Rishi Sunak “killed” the Samba’s credibility.

Now he has offered a “fulsome apology to the Samba community”.

In a video posted on social media last week, Mr Sunak – who claimed he is a “longtime devotee” of the brand – was shown wearing the white trainers during an interview in Downing Street.

Sambas, according to Adidas, are a “legendary shoe with a rich history”.

In recent years, they have been adopted by trendy millennials and Gen Z women, who wear them in their various “get ready with me” videos and pair them with summer dresses and leather jackets.

But, as footwear historian Elizabeth Semmelhack wrote in The Telegraph, it could prove to be “the death knell” for the retro trainer.

The prime minister acknowledged the uproar for the first time on Wednesday.

“I issue a fulsome apology to the Samba community,” he told LBC Radio.

“But, in my defence, I would say I have been wearing Adidas trainers including Sambas – and others, in fact – for many, many years.

“The first pair my brother got for me many, many years ago – my first pair of fun Adidas trainers as a Christmas present. I haven’t looked back since. So I’ve been a longtime devotee.”

He added: “That pair [in the video] I did buy, but I’ve had Adidas trainers for a very long time.”

But Mr Sunak, who has also faced questions about the short length of his trousers, said he is “intrigued and amused by the amount of focus on what I’m wearing”.

This isn’t the first time the prime minister has made headlines because of his shoes.

In 2023, he was mocked for wearing Timberland boots during a speech about the government’s drive to “stop the boats”, with people pointing out they were disproportionately large.

It wasn’t long before people started making memes online, some showing Mr Sunak in one giant boot, others saying he should instead “stop the boots”.

The year before that, he was criticised for wearing a £490 pair of suede Prada shoes to a building site.

And in 2021, people were quick to point out his £95 sliders as he prepared to deliver the budget.

BIT Mining to pay $10M fine for bribing Japanese politicians in former life

Published

4 hours ago

November 19, 2024

admin

BIT Mining to pay M fine for bribing Japanese politicians in former life

BIT Mining, previously known as online sports casino 500.com, made around $2.5 million worth of bribes to Japanese officials between 2017 and 2019.

Coinbase CEO to meet with Trump to discuss personnel appointments — WSJ

Published

7 hours ago

November 18, 2024

admin

Coinbase CEO to meet with Trump to discuss personnel appointments — WSJ

Before US Election Day, Brian Armstrong said Coinbase was “prepared to work” with either a Kamala Harris or Donald Trump administration.

Row over how many farms will be affected by inheritance tax policy – as PM doubles down ahead of farmers protest

Published

8 hours ago

November 18, 2024

admin

Row over how many farms will be affected by inheritance tax policy - as PM doubles down ahead of farmers protest

Sir Keir Starmer has insisted the “vast majority of farmers” will not be affected by changes to Inheritance Tax (IHT) ahead of a protest outside parliament on Tuesday.

It follows Chancellor Rachel Reeves announcing a 20% inheritance tax that will apply to farms worth more than £1m from April 2026, where they were previously exempt.

But the prime minister looked to quell fears as he resisted calls to change course.

Speaking from the G20 summit in Brazil, he said: “If you take a typical case of a couple wanting to pass a family farm down to one of their children, which would be a very typical example, with all of the thresholds in place, that’s £3m before any inheritance tax is paid.”

Politics latest: No 10 insists chancellor has been ‘straight’ about her CV

The comments come as thousands of farmers, including celebrity farmer Jeremy Clarkson, are due to descend on Whitehall on Tuesday to protest the change.

And 1,800 more will take part in a “mass lobby” where members of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) will meet their MPs in parliament to urge them to ask Ms Reeves to reconsider the policy.

Speaking to broadcasters, Sir Keir insisted the government is supportive of farmers, pointing to a £5bn investment announced for them in the budget.

He said: “I’m confident that the vast majority of farms and farmers will not be affected at all by that aspect of the budget.

“They will be affected by the £5bn that we’re putting into farming. And I’m very happy to work with farmers on that.”

Sir Keir’s spokesman made a similar argument earlier on Monday, saying the government expects 73% of farms to not be affected by the change.

Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs Secretary Steve Reed said only about 500 out of the UK’s 209,000 farms would be affected, according to Treasury calculations.

However, that number has been questioned by several farming groups and the Conservatives.

Government figures ‘misleading’

The NFU said the real number is about two-thirds, with its president Tom Bradshaw calling the government’s figures “misleading” and accusing it of not understanding the sector.

The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) said the policy could affect 70,000 farms.

Conservative shadow farming minister Robbie Moore accused the government last week of “regurgitating” figures that represent “past claimants of agricultural property relief, not combined with business property relief” because he said the Treasury does not have that data.

Agricultural property relief (APR) currently provides farmers 100% relief from paying inheritance tax on agricultural land or pasture used for rearing livestock or fish, and can include woodland and buildings, such as farmhouses, if they are necessary for that land to function.

Farmers can also claim business property relief (BPR), providing 50% or 100% relief on assets used by a trading business, which for farmers could include land, buildings, plant or machinery used by the business, farm shops and holiday cottages.

APR and BPR can often apply to the same asset, especially farmed land, but APR should be the priority, however BPR can be claimed in addition if APR does not cover the full value (e.g. if the land has development value above its agricultural value).

Mr Moore said the Department for the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Treasury have disagreed on how many farms will be impacted “by as much as 40%” due to the lack of data on farmers using BPR.

Lib Dem MP Tim Farron said last week1,400 farmers in Cumbria, where he is an MP, will be affected and will not be able to afford to pay the tax as many are on less than the minimum wage despite being asset rich.