The shadow chancellor of the exchequer has defended the previous government for the rise in inflation, instead blaming Chancellor Rachel Reeves' budget and other government decisions, including increased spending and borrowing.
Mel Stride's comments come after government ministers pointed blame at the previous Conservative government after new data from the Office for National Statistics estimated that the rate of UK inflation rose from 2.5% in December to 3% in.
Report by Faragt.
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Conservative co-chairman Nigel Huddleston says the party has a strong track record of delivering value for money through better services at lower costs. He praised local Tory councillors for their commitment to community issues like road maintenance and social care, while downplaying defections as a normal part of politics. Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
The Conservatives have branded the Governmentās welfare reforms as too little, too late, with Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall being urged to be tougher. Shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately told the Commons: "The fact is Ā£5 billion just doesnāt cut it. With a bill so big, going up so fast, she needed to be tougher." Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
The shadow education secretary says schools "desperately" need to ban pupils from using phones during the school day. Neil O'Brien adds that phones cause "a huge amount of disruption in class, lower educational standards and it's also bad for kids' mental health". The government has so far resisted calls from the Conservative Party to ban the devices. Report by Brooksl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott claims the government are āall over the placeā with welfare reforms as uncertainty continues around what will be announced this week. Report by Blairm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Shadow foreign minister Wendy Morton calls for āpragmatismā and ācalm headsā over negotiations for a Ukraine peace deal following the clash between President Zelenskyy and Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Friday. Report by Blairm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Rachel Reeves will unveil further welfare cuts in her spring statement after being told the reforms announced last week will save less than planned, Sky News.. Sky News
The Green Party has said the government's expected cuts to welfare are "not fair" and that Chancellor Rachel Reeves could avoid making the cuts by choosing to "tax wealth fairly". Co-leaders Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay joined MPs holding placards outside the Treasury, at a 'Rebalance the Economy' photo-op. Report by Brooksl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
The shadow chief secretary to the Treasury says Rachel Reeves "looks out of her depth" and senses she is "having to backtrack and look for savings" ahead of tomorrow's Spring budget. Richard Fuller adds, "I don't get the impression she's coming into this Spring statement confident knowing this is where she planned to be at". Report by Brooksl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride has accused the Government of making rushed welfare cuts, including to disability benefits, to save money. He said ministers "lacked ambition" in finding fair savings and warned of "hard cases" emerging from the plans. Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Shadow chancellor Mel Stride has criticised the new growth figures released by the ONS. Mr Stride accused the government of "talking down the economy" and referenced the "disastrous budget" set out by Rachel Reeves.
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The shadow chancellor has argued that Rachel Reeves's plan to expand Heathrow Airport doesn't do enough to tackle economic issues affecting people now, claiming it will only come into effect in the next 10-30 years, if at all. Mel Stride did, however, assert his support for Reeves's planned Heathrow expansion, despite citing Labour divisions about the issue including Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan's objections. Report by Faragt. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Kemi Badenoch warned that the Conservatives would lose āevery singleā council they won in 2021 if the general election results were applied to May's local elections. The Tory leader acknowledged the partyās āgreatest defeatā in history and predicted a tough battle ahead, although she hoped for slightly better results. Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Sir Keir Starmer defended Labourās economic record since coming into Government, amid questions from Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch on why Rachel Reeves will hold her spring statement next week. The Prime Minister said: "We have delivered record investment into this country, had three interest rates cuts in a row, and wages are going up faster than prices which is a massive cost-of-living boost." Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Police have launched an investigation after a baby's body was found in a bag outside a church west London. Officers were called to the scene in Notting Hill after the body was discovered in a bag and are appealing for the mother to come forward. Report by Brooksl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
The director general for threats in the National Crime Agency says he is "very concerned" about online networks of predominantly teenage boys that are inflicting harm and committing a range of criminality. James Babbage adds that the threats teenage boys are predominantly involved with include cyber crime, fraud, child sexual abuse and commissioning violence across the internet, and that their victims tend to be young girls. Report by Brooksl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Sharon Holland says her life "is not the same anymore" since her daughter Chloe took her own life after suffering sustained domestic abuse. An annual national police report has revelaed that most domestic abuse victims die by suicide. Sharon met Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips who says in most cases like Chloe's, "it wasn't the first cry for help". Assistant Commissioner of the National Police Chiefs' Council Louisa Rolfe adds the report "identifies how much more we need to do, not just in policing but in wider society". Report by Brooksl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
The home secretary says she is "really worried" about "dangerous" criminal networks drawing in teenagers online. Yvette Cooper adds, "the National Crime Agency is making this a priority and we are strengthening the law so that the organisers of these criminal networks could face up to 10 years in jail". Report by Brooksl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Sir Ed Davey says the latest figures showing a dip in UK growth are "really disappointing". The Liberal Democrat leader adds that the figures are a result of the Labour government's budget, their jobs tax and their lack of a growth strategy. His comments come after the latest Office for National Statistics data showed growth contracted by 0.1% in January. Report by Brooksl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
A health minister says long-term, systemic domestic problems and a volatile global state has affected UK growth, as the latest Office for National Statistics figures show the economy contracted by 0.1% in January. Karin Smyth adds growth "is difficult, it's going to take some time, but we are determined to get there". Report by Brooksl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Robert Jenrick says "confidence has collapsed within our economy", after the latest Office for National Statistics figures show it contracted by 0.1% in January. The shadow justice secretary says the figures are a result of Rachel Reeves' "disastrous" Autumn budget, and urges the chancellor to stop her "anti-growth measures" and "put the economy back on firm footing again". Report by Brooksl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Rachel Reeves says the government is "determined" to turn around a decade of poor growth performance, after the latest Office for National Statistics figures show the UK economy contracted by 0.1% in January. The announcement is a blow to the chancellor ahead of her Spring statement on March 26. Report by Brooksl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
The Conservatives have said that the "disappointing" rise in inflation is a cause of worry. Kevin Hollinrake, Shadow Levelling Up Secretary, said the 0.5% rise in inflation from December to January was..