Reeves defends Labour’s £40bn tax rise as businesses prepare for NICs hike

Rachel Reeves has defended the £40bn in tax increases in autumn’s budget as businesses brace for their impact, saying NHS waiting lists would now be higher if she had not taken action.Employers are set for a £25bn increase in national insurance contributions (NICs), which comes into force on 6 April, at the same time as consumers are being hit by a slew of increases in bills for everything from utilities to car tax.Challenged about her decisions by MPs, the chancellor said “we increased national insurance contributions and we put £25bn extra investment into our NHS. We think that was the right priority.”If she had not raised taxes, Reeves said, it would have meant “further increases in NHS hospital waiting lists”, instead of which they have declined for the past five months

Starmer sails through PMQs as Badenoch fails to get out of the blocks again | John Crace

There will come a moment when the Labour claim that the Tories are to blame for everything will no longer stick. People will start shaking their heads and reckon that Labour have something to answer for. But we’re not quite there yet. At least not at prime minister’s questions. For half an hour in the Commons every Wednesday the Conservatives remain the villains of the piece

MPs’ attacks on judges a huge threat to the rule of law, says attorney general

Political attacks on judges are “dangerous” and “a huge threat to the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary”, the attorney general has said in a direct rebuke to the shadow justice secretary.Richard Hermer said politics was entering a “dangerous moment” where politicians were “attacking judges on a personal basis” on the floor of the House of Commons.He made the intervention after Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, criticised a senior judge in the Commons on Tuesday. Jenrick called for Lord Justice Davis, the head of the Sentencing Council for England and Wales, to be sacked amid a row over new sentencing guidelines.Speaking to parliament’s joint committee on human rights, Hermer said that “we are entering a dangerous moment in which not simply on social media but indeed on the floor of the House of Commons, people are attacking judges on a personal basis

Reeves says hasty response to Trump tariffs could put ‘prize’ of economic deal at risk – as it happened

Reeves says the government will respond to the Trump tariffs in a calm way. She says he met big exporters this morning, and they support this approach too.She says “the prize on offer is an economic agreement” and businesses do not want the government to do anything that would put this at risk.The UK has “prepared for all eventualities” when it comes to looming US tariffs, with no response ruled out, Keir Starmer has told MPs before Donald Trump’s so-called liberation day, which could spark a global trade war.Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, has told MPs that the government does not want to give a hasty response to the Trump tariffs because it does not want to put the “prize” of an economic deal with the US at risk

Patrick Harvie to stand down as co-leader of Scottish Greens

Patrick Harvie, the UK’s longest serving parliamentary leader, has announced he is standing down as co-convener of the Scottish Greens after nearly 17 years in the role.An MSP since 2003, Harvie, 52, had recently taken leave of absence from Holyrood for an operation and recuperation. He announced on Wednesday he would not contest this summer’s party leadership election.The MSP said it had been “an extraordinary privilege” to have led the party. He became the first Green politician in the UK to serve in government, along with his co-convener, Lorna Slater, in a power-sharing deal he brokered with Nicola Sturgeon in 2021

UK prepared for all eventualities, says Starmer as new Trump tariffs loom

The UK has “prepared for all eventualities” when it comes to looming US tariffs, with no response ruled out, Keir Starmer has told MPs before Donald Trump’s so-called liberation day, which could spark a global trade war.Challenged by Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, at prime minister’s questions on Wednesday, Starmer said while all options were being considered, he would avoid any kneejerk reactions.Starmer told the Commons in his opening remarks: “Let me be clear with the house, a trade war is in nobody’s interest, and the country deserves, and we will take, a calm, pragmatic approach.“That is why constructive talks are progressing to agree a wider economic prosperity deal with the US. That is why we are working with all industries and sectors likely to be impacted