Brexit news live: Latest updates as Rishi Sunak announces £20 billion budget spree

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Sunak refuses to say cutting off the sure start was a mistake

Viewers of Rishi Sunak’s budget speech later in the week may not get many surprises, as the Treasury has already defaulted on investments of around £20 billion early on.

The spending spree includes around £7 billion to “upgrade” transport outside London, although it’s not all new money. £500m for family support including new children’s centres; and £5 billion for health research and genome sequencing.

Labor is furious over funding for the Children’s Centre, complaining that the Conservatives had previously cut funding for the Sure Start program but now effectively opted for the scheme. “If you hadn’t taken all of that away, imagine the difference it could have made in the lives of young people and their parents,” said Shade Counsellor Rachel Reeves.

Meanwhile, Brexit negotiations are set to move to London in the week as the UK and Brussels remain “spaced” over the Northern Ireland Protocol, previously signed by Boris Johnson’s government.

While British negotiators have said the talks so far have been constructive, they have claimed that “governance” issues are holding back further progress – namely, London’s demand to tear up the agreement currently overseen by the European Court of Justice over the disputes between the two sides.

Key PointsView Latest Update 1635069301Sunak declines request for fresh free school meals from Rashford

Rishi Sunak appeared to reject calls from Marcus Rashford to extend the free school meal program during his Sunday morning media tour.

In a letter to the Sunday Times, the England and Manchester United footballer joined supermarket chiefs in asking ministers to pay the scheme over school holidays.

But Mr Sunak told the Andrew Marr Show: “So we took some measures to help families during the coronavirus, and that was the right thing to do, and it’s in common with the other things that are now over, whether it’s vacation or other things, that’s right because we’ve moved on.” to a natural way of doing things.

“But we’ve already done it already, that’s what I’d say to Marcus and the others. We’ve put in place something called the Holiday Activities Program, which not only provides meals, but also provides activities for kids during holiday periods for those families who need extra help.”

“This is a new program, announced earlier this year, that’s rolling out across the country, and I think it can make a huge difference to people.”

John Sharman Oct 24, 2021 10:55

1635068161 Sunak says inflation is out of his control

Rishi Sunak pointed out that the rise in inflation was due to factors he could not control.

He told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: “If we take the last inflation number, which was just over 3 per cent, which is clearly higher than we normally target, and you look at why that is, the bulk of that increase is down to two things.

“One of those is the fact that with economies reopening fairly quickly after the coronavirus, that has put pressure on global supply chains, and then the other part of the increase is due to energy prices.

“Both of these factors are universal. We’re not alone in having these problems, and I don’t have a magic wand that can make any of these things go away.”

John Sharman Oct 24, 2021 10:36

1635067561 EXCLUSIVE: Two-thirds of UK voters support tax increases to take action on climate crisis

Two out of three UK voters support tax increases to pay for climate mitigation measures, according to an exclusive new poll for The Independent.

Rishi Sunak is under pressure to avoid tax increases from Conservative MPs skeptical of the government’s net-zero plans as he prepares to hand over his budget on Wednesday, Adam Forrest wrote.

A study by Savanta ComRes revealed that the idea of ​​raising taxes to deal with the climate emergency has widespread support from the British public.

John Sharman Oct 24, 2021 10:26

1635066421 Labor demands government to introduce Covid B plan measures now… and Rishi Sunak . responds

Labor has called on the government to implement so-called “Plan B” restrictions to tackle the increase in Covid cases, Adam Forrest wrote.

Shadow adviser Rachel Reeves said Boris Johnson should listen to science advisers who are calling for stricter restrictions – including mandatory wearing of masks in public and a return to work-from-home guidelines.

“We think we should follow the science – if scientists say wear masks and work from home, we should,” Reeves said on The Andrew Marr Show.

John Sharman Oct 24, 2021 10:07

1635065281 EXCLUSIVE: MPs avoided £70,000 a year in congestion and emissions charges by charging them

MPs who drive into Westminster avoid tens of thousands of pounds a year in congestion charges and ultra-low emissions area fees by charging them, according to an investigation by The Independent.

The clean air groups have written to Parliament’s expenditure watchdog asking it to prevent MPs from avoiding pollution control fees, which are supposed to prevent people from driving into central London and increase illegal air pollution levels.

MPs spent nearly £70,000 in congestion charges and Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) charges in the most recent full financial year – and managed to collect another £10,000 bill in the two months leading up to this year’s summer break, John Stone wrote.

John Sharman Oct 24, 2021 09:48

1635064141 Better street lamps and CCTV part of £435m crime spending plan

Attacks on women are the focus of the £435m crime prevention spending in this week’s budget.

Rishi Sunak is expected to pledge millions to improve CCTV and street lamps as well as an additional £80m in cash for the prosecution service.

The Treasury said part of this will be devoted to improving the response to rape and sexual assault cases.

The chancellor said everyone should feel safe at home, on the streets or outside, but acknowledged that “sometimes this is not the case, especially for young women”.

This statement comes after the widespread shocking of the murder of Sarah Everard at the hands of Metropolitan Police Officer Wayne Cousins ​​and police forces who have dealt with hundreds of alcohol and injection drop incidents.

Funding for victims is also expected to increase, with the Treasury saying it will be £185m, an increase of 85 per cent over 2019-20.

“From boosting investment in better surveillance cameras and street lighting, to improving homeland security and supporting repeat victims, we are committed to making our streets and homes safe,” said Mr. Sunak.

Additional coverage by PA Media

John Sharman Oct 24, 2021 09:29

1635063001 Sunak forced to admit that the £7 billion transfer funding is mostly not new money

Only £1.5 billion of the nearly £7 billion that Rishi Sunak has announced he plans to spend on “upgrading” transport outside London is the newly promised money, the chancellor admitted in an interview.

Pressing details of this budget outline by Sky News’ Trevor Phillips, Mr Sunak said: “The transfer money we’ve announced is a combination of two things.

“First, we previously announced a blanket envelope to improve how people move around our big cities. We want our cities, whether it’s in the West Midlands, Teesside or Greater Manchester, to have the same kind of transport settlements that London has always had… We have We previously announced £4.2 billion for that.

“What we’ve actually done is increase that, as you said, by 1.5 billion pounds, but then, crucially, provide the allotment in that circumstance, where are all the pieces going.”

John Sharman Oct 24, 2021 09:10

1635062439 Business furious over new family center funding in light of confirmed cuts

Labour’s shadow chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has reacted suspiciously to Rishi Sunak’s £500m plan for more family ‘hubs’.

“I would just say to the consultant, ‘Did you hear about Sure from the start?'” she told Sky News. Because that’s what your government has cut back over the past 11 years.

“It’s all well and good to say, ‘We’re going to invest in these family gardens,’ but the thousands of children’s centers and proven start-up centers that our communities—especially some of our poorest—are long gone are long gone.

“I think there’s a real sense that if you hadn’t taken all of that away, imagine the difference it could have made in the lives of young people and their parents.”

John Sharman October 24, 2021 09:00

1635061861Sunak refuses to say that the confirmed start cut was a mistake

Rishi Sunak rejected George Osborne’s criticism of his funding cuts to Sure Start.

The chancellor was speaking on Sky News Trevor Phillips on Sunday about his plan to spend £500m on family support and children’s centres.

He was asked if Osborne’s previous deep cuts to “Shore Start” had been a mistake, in light of these new plans to effectively copy the scheme.

Mr Sunak said: “I think it is right to judge everyone by the context in which they perform their jobs.

“The one thing that my predecessors did, not just George, was to make sure that I actually had a very strong economy and a solid set of public finances.

“Then, when the coronavirus came, which no one really knew, I was able to respond in a comprehensive and generous way.”

Urging on whether the confirmed cuts were a mistake, the chancellor added: “You can pick individual things, but in general, what my predecessors have done has been to provide a strong economy … which we have benefited from now over the past year.”

He claimed that the new hubs will provide “wider” advantages than the “Sure Start” company.

John Sharman Oct 24, 2021 08:51

1635060721 Sunak warns that a £500m package for families will not make up for the cuts

Rishi Sunak has pledged a £500m package to support parents with young children – but has been warned it is not enough to offset the cuts and closures.

Mr. Sunak will announce a batch of early years investments that will give children “the best possible start in life” in his budget on Wednesday, Adam Forrest wrote.

But Neil Leach, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, said the government knew that “the current structure is collapsing” and more was needed to help nurseries, kindergartens and baby sitters.

John Sharman Oct 24, 2021 08:32

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