Liz Truss refuses to commit to raising benefits in line with inflation despite growing pressure

Published

2 years ago

October 4, 2022

admin

Liz Truss has refused to commit to raising benefits in line with inflation, despite growing pressure from a cabinet minister and senior Tory MPs.

The prime minister said she was “fully committed” to raising pensions, but that “no decision” had been made on the benefit uprate promised by her predecessor Boris Johnson.

Politics Hub: Truss and cabinet minister take different lines on benefits

“It’s very difficult when you are a pensioner to adjust your income in any way,” she told Nick Ferrari on LBC.

“People are facing higher prices. Of course, what we’re doing on the energy price guarantee will help people with those prices. Now, no decision has been made yet on benefit uprating. That decision will be made in due course.”

Asked if she will rule out austerity, she said she has committed to reducing debt as a proportion of national income over the medium term.

“Well, I wouldn’t use the term you describe. What I’m talking about is fiscal responsibility,” she added.

Ministers hint at cabinet split

Ms Truss is facing a fresh battle with Conservative MPs over a potential benefits squeeze and cuts to public spending, after already being forced into making a policy U-turn on her tax cuts yesterday.

It is understood that Downing Street is considering increasing Universal Credit using a lower metric, such as the increase in average earnings, instead of inflation.

Penny Mordaunt became the first cabinet minister to openly oppose the idea of not uprating benefits with inflation, telling Times Radio: “I’ve always supported – whether it’s pensions, whether it’s our welfare system – keeping pace with inflation. It makes sense to do so. That’s what I voted for before.”

The House of Commons Leader added: “We want to make sure that people are looked after and that people can pay their bills. We are not about trying to help people with one hand and take away with another.”

Ms Mordaunt appears to have taken a different line to Brandon Lewis, the justice secretary – hinting at a cabinet split on the matter.

He refused to give his position when asked about the government’s plans to uprate benefits on Sky News, telling Kay Burley: “There is a process around this that the Department for Work and Pensions, Chloe Smith, the secretary of state, works through.”

He said announcements will be made “over the autumn”, adding: “I’m not going to pre-judge what that will be.”

The comments come after a slew of senior Tories called on the PM to row back on cutting public spending in the middle of the cost of living crisis.

On Monday, senior Conservative MP Damian Green told Sky News: “The government should uprate in line with inflation. The previous government said it was going to, so people are expecting this.”

Former transport secretary Grant Shapps has also stepped up the pressure. Asked if he would want to see benefits increased in line with inflation, he said: “Of course, every politician would want to see that.”

Benefits are usually uprated in line with the consumer price index (CPI) rate of inflation from September, with the rise coming into effect the following April.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates that each percentage point rise in CPI adds £1.6 billion to welfare spending.

The latest row comes as the government dramatically dropped its plans to abolish the 45% tax rate on earnings over £150,000 following widespread criticism, including from Tory MPs.

UK

England survive scare against Slovakia to book spot in Euro 2024 quarter-finals

Published

6 hours ago

June 30, 2024

admin

England survive scare against Slovakia to book spot in Euro 2024 quarter-finals

England survived a scare to book their place in the quarter-finals at Euro 2024 after beating Slovakia 2-1 in extra-time.

Gareth Southgate’s team fell behind in the 25th minute when Ivan Schranz put Slovakia into a shock lead and they looked to be heading out of the tournament as the game went into injury time.

However, Jude Bellingham produced a moment of brilliance to score a stunning equaliser with seconds to spare and send the last-16 tie to extra-time.

Captain Harry Kane put England in the lead early in the first half of extra-time and they held on, despite some nervy moments.

Bellingham told reporters the team’s success may spur them on in the rest of the competition and described his goal as “one of the most important moments of my career so far”.

England looked disappointing in the first half and at half-time, manager Gareth Southgate failed to make any changes.

In the second half, however, England got closer with two attempts to score, although Phil Foden’s goal was disallowed by VAR and Declan Rice’s shot came off the post.

Southgate’s side now faces Switzerland in the Euro 2024 quarter-final on Saturday.

Were they to reach the last four, they would then play in a semi-final on Wednesday 10 July.

UK

Jay Slater: Search for missing British teenager in area of Tenerife called off by police

Published

6 hours ago

June 30, 2024

admin

Jay Slater: Search for missing British teenager in area of Tenerife called off by police

The search for Jay Slater in an area of Tenerife has been called off, police have said, nearly two weeks after his disappearance.

The British teenager, from Oswaldtwistle, near Blackburn in Lancashire, has been missing in Tenerife since 17 June, when he vanished the morning after a rave.

The Civil Guard called for volunteers to join a new search in the Masca area – near his last-known location – on Saturday.

It has now confirmed to Sky News that the search has ended. Police are keeping the investigation open and could yet open up searches in the south of the island, but have not provided an update.

A handful of volunteers turned up to help rescue teams on Saturday, forming a total group of 30 to 40 people scouring a huge area of rugged and hilly terrain.

Mr Slater, 19, had been on holiday with friends on the Spanish island and was last pictured at Papayago, a nightclub hosting the end of the NRG festival, late on 16 June.

After the event ended, he got in a car travelling to a small Airbnb in Masca with two men, who police said on Saturday are “not relevant” to the case.

His last known location was the Rural de Teno Park in the north of the island – which is about an 11-hour walk from his accommodation.

A local cafe owner told Sky News he tried to catch a bus back to Los Cristianos, where he was staying.

Ofelia Medina Hernandez said she spoke to the teenager at 8am on 17 June, telling him a bus was due at 10am – but he set off walking and she said she later drove past him “walking fast”.

The apprentice bricklayer called a friend holidaying with him at around 8.30am on 17 June and said he was going to walk back after missing the bus.

He also told his friend he was lost and in need of water, with only 1% charge on his phone.

On Friday, Mr Slater’s friend Brad Hargreaves told ITV’s This Morning he had been on a video call with him before his disappearance when he heard him go off the road.

He said he could see his friend’s feet “sliding” down the hill and hear he was walking on gravel.

Meanwhile, Mr Slater’s family shared a blurry image of what they believe could be the missing teenager captured on CCTV in a nearby town 10 hours after he was first reported missing.