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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A Tory minister has urged the Welsh Government to reconsider its requirements around steel as the UK Government races to avert the shutdown of Britain's last primary steelmaking plant. Shadow business minister Dame Harriett Baldwin said it's a "critical part of our national infrastructure" that the Scunthorpe plant is "kept going".
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MSP Jamie Greene has defected to the Scottish Liberal Democrats, just a day after dramatically quitting the Tories. The West Scotland MSP was unveiled as a Lib Dem at the party’s spring conference in Inverness. He had left the Scottish Conservatives on Thursday, writing a stinging letter to party leader Russell Findlay which accused his former party of having a “Reform-lite agenda”. Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
A shadow Treasury minister says he welcomes the chancellor's ÂŁ2.2bn boost to defence spending, but adds, "to invest in defence you've got to have a strong economy as well" and that "growth has flatlined". James Wild says, "the threats that we as a country are facing are increasing and we need to step up with our allies to deal with those". Report by Brooksl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
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 Government’s 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 £5 billion just doesn’t 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
Rachel Reeves has said she will be having "conversations with the US administration" next week as the UK looks to secure a trade deal with Washington. Report by Faragt. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Rajesh Kumar Singh and David Williams co-chaired the India-UK Defence Consultative Group meet in London. They discussed strengthening military cooperation and.. IndiaTimes
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the UK is “resolved” to secure the best possible trade deal with the US but is also seeking to boost ties with other countries. She stressed the importance of protecting British jobs and industry while continuing talks with American counterparts. Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Chancellor Rachel Reeves welcomed February’s strong GDP growth but said more must be done to ensure it’s “felt by families up and down the country”. She said Labour is “not complacent” and is pushing ahead with planning and regulatory reforms to “get Britain building” and drive further economic growth. Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Chancellor Rachel Reeves held her first EFD with India, signing a joint statement to enhance cooperation in defence, financial services, education, and development. Report by Chahalb. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride warns that the UK could face higher prices, job losses, and lower wages without a trade deal with the US. He said that businesses, investors, and stock markets are unhappy, urging the government to accelerate negotiations and secure a deal quickly to avoid economic difficulties. Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
The Tories have criticised the government for not being “quicker” with talks about tariffs imposed by the US. Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride said Labour’s comments about Trump whilst they were the opposition were “unhelpful” and could have “soured” relations with the Trump administration. Report by Faragt. 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
Kemi Badenoch has proposed scrapping the Net Zero agenda and reducing burdens on businesses to promote economic growth. The Conservative leader claimed that Labour have "broken their promises" regarding economic policies.
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Nigel Farage has claimed Reform UK is now the main challenger to Labour in the Midlands, North, Wales and Scotland, pushing the Conservatives into third place. In a campaign speech, he said voters felt betrayed by the Tories over Brexit and immigration, adding that backing the Conservatives in red wall areas would be a “wasted vote.” Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds says the Conservative leader is wrong to say she had negotiated a modernisation plan with British Steel for electric arc furnaces at Teesside and Scunthorpe. Ms Badenoch posted on X on Friday saying as business secretary in the last Conservative government she had negotiated the proposal, but it was "bungled" by Labour. After intervening, Ms Badenoch says: "Labour cannot negotiate. We were negotiating a modernisation deal that would have had limited job losses, just like we had in Port Talbot”. Report by Blairm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Kemi Badenoch has accused Labour of dropping plans for five local grooming gang inquiries promised in January. The Conservative leader called for a full national inquiry and suggested a “cover-up”, claiming Labour's refusal to act shows dishonesty and a failure to deliver justice. She pledged to force another vote, warning the public would “see who is on their side”. Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
A friend of Sofia Duarte, who is thought to have died in a fire caused by an e-bike, says her death could have been prevented. Alda Simoes has been calling for tougher regulations on e-bikes.
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Firefighters from the London Fire Brigade meet food delivery riders working in the gig economy - to raise awareness about the risk of e-bike and e-scooter fires.
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Local government minister Jim McMahon visits Birmingham where a strike by refuse collectors continues. McMahon said he holds a “strong view” that a deal to end the strikes can be agreed.
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In the latest light-hearted day of campaigning, Sir Ed Davey screams on a rollercoaster and jumps on a bouncy castle in Bideford, Devon.
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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..
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