The health secretary Sajid Javid says a vaccine booster plan will be rolled out as early as next week, as he set out the government’s plans for tackling Covid-19 this winter. Javid confirmed to the House that the government had accepted the JCVI’s advice to offer vaccines to priority groups 1-9, six months after their…
MPs had their say whether or not to scrap HS2 in a packed Westminster Hall debate this evening. The e-petition, brought forward by Chris Packham, calls on Parliament to stop work on HS2 and hold a new vote to repeal the legislation. The petition has gained over 155,000 signatures. Opening the debate, Coventry North West…
he Treasury has admitted that government bodies will be effectively exempt from a new tax hike, during a committee session on efficiency in government spending. Cat Little, director general public spending at the Treasury, told the public accounts committee that “government departments who are directly employing individuals who have to pay higher employer national insurance…
Speaking to the parliamentary home affairs committee, former professional footballers Anton Ferdinand and Marvin Sordell discussed racist abuse received online. Ferdinand admitted that he had become used to it, saying: “I’m better prepared for it. It still hurts me. It still cuts me. But I’m better prepared.” Sordell said that “it is clear to see”…
Boris Johnson declared that “a global pandemic was in no one’s manifesto”, as he defended the government breaking a manifesto pledge to tackle the NHS backlog and fund social care. In newly unveiled plans to overhaul social care, the prime minister announced a new 1.25% Health and Social Care Levy, funded by National Insurance Contributions.…
Ian Blackford, the SNP’s Westminster leader, called the planned National Insurance rise a “regressive Tory poll tax” during Prime Minister’s Questions today in the Commons. The planned 1.25 percentage point rise to National Insurance in order to raise money for the NHS and adult social care dominated the debate. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said:…
Batley & Spen MP, Kim Leadbeater, delivered her maiden speech in the House of Commons today during a debate on the legacy of her sister Jo Cox. Cox was murdered in 2016 by a far right extremist. Leadbeater stood for her seat at a recent by-election, replacing Tracey Brabin. In a moving speech, Leadbeater said:…
The government has broken a manifesto pledge not to increase national insurance as MPs voted to raise NI by 1.25 percentage points yesterday evening. Labour said that this was a “tax on jobs”, with Rachel Reeves, shadow chancellor of the exchequer, saying: “The country is now littered by Tory broken promises torn from the election…
