Keir Starmer Confirms: ‘It’s My Decision’ Angela Rayner Braces For Sack

If a standards inquiry reveals that Angela Rayner violated the ministerial code by failing to pay property taxes on her flat, Sir Keir Starmer has said that he is ready to fire her.

On Thursday, Sir Keir admitted that the decision “falls on him” to axe Ms Rayner if the ethics probe rules she breached the ministerial code.

Ms Rayner admitted to paying £40,000 less in stamp duty than she should have on her £800,000 home in Hove.

During Prime Minister’s Questions, the Labour leader rallied behind Ms Rayner, declaring he was “very proud to sit alongside” her.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves also threw her support behind the housing secretary, adding that she had “full confidence” in her and claimed she had “tried to do the right thing”.

The assessment of Ms. Rayner’s behaviour is anticipated to be released on Friday by Sir Laurie Magnus, the Prime Minister’s independent advisor on ministerial standards.

Sir Keir said he would “act” on Sir Laurie’s findings if he concludes the Deputy PM breached the code.

The Prime Minister said, “We need to establish the facts and come to a conclusion.

“Obviously, I will look very carefully at whatever report he puts in front of me… and then of course I will act.”

Government officials have hinted that Ms. Rayner’s position may not be as safe, even if her fellow members of the House of Commons have backed her.

One minister told The i Paper: “Yesterday, I thought she would be fine, today I think things are slipping.

“I just don’t see how she can stay in charge of housing.”

Another source, lashing out at an apparent media smear campaign, blasted: “At the moment, two points of view can co-exist; you can think she’s still an asset because she’s working class and a victim of the Mail and Telegraph snobbishness.

“On the other hand, you can also think Keir is going to find it hard to keep her in housing, whatever the outcome tomorrow.

“This might change tomorrow, but right now there is a distinction.

“Some people may be privately saying they think she can’t survive, but no one is gathering in corners actively saying she should go.”

Ms Rayner blamed “legal advice that I received” for avoiding payment of the £40,000 tax bill on her seaside property.

However, lawyers for the Deputy Prime Minister said that they had not provided her with any tax advice on the flat purchase.

Joanna Verrico, the managing director of small family-run firm Verrico & Associates, told The Telegraph: “We did not – and never have – given tax or trust advice.

“It’s something we always refer our clients to an accountant or tax expert for.

“We probably are being made scapegoats for all this.”

Despite coming from a working-class family and living on a council estate, Angela Rayner has only made life more difficult for the working class. That’s called ‘hypocrisy’, but because the whole lot of them say one thing and then do the opposite, she will get away with it.

Whilst some might be sympathetic to Angela Rayner, especially as she has a disabled child, but that doesn’t mean you can get away with allegedly paying less tax, whoever you are!

She is supposed to be setting the standards because she is a government worker, and if Rayner is found guilty, she should be sacked, and if she isn’t sacked, she should at least have the decency to resign.

Nigel Farage Slammed As A ‘False Patriot’

Nigel Farage is a “false patriot” who doesn’t care about working-class Brits, a senior union leader has said.

TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak branded the Reform leader a “snake oil salesman” and accused him of sowing division for political gain.

He urged Labour to take the fight to Mr Farage, and to show it’s on the side of ordinary people.

Mr Nowak told The Mirror: “Let’s be clear about Farage. He’s a complete political snake oil salesman. He sells false cures to the big problems that face parts of our country.”

He took aim at Reform’s attempts to claim Britain is broken, saying: “This is a classic example of why Farage is a false patriot.

“At the same time that he wraps himself in the flag, he constantly talks down Britain, he constantly talks down working people in this country.”

The TUC leader said Reform had repeatedly voted against greater protections for workers in the Employment Rights Bill – and accused him of wanting to replace the NHS with a US-style health insurance model.

In the past, Mr. Farage has discussed examining the NHS’s funding model, although he has stated that it would remain free at the point of use.

Mr Nowak, whose grandad Josef came to Britain from Poland to work as an aircraft engineer during the Second World War, said the debate on immigration had become “depressing and dangerous”.

He said: “Farage, he is sowing division in our communities. He is constantly looking for scapegoats. He’s happy to rile up those divisions for his own political agenda.

“He’s a complete and utter opportunist, and I think the government’s got to be relentlessly focused on demonstrating ‘We’re the people on the side of working class communities’.”

Mr Nowak added: “I think most of the British public are instinctively fair-minded and decent, and I think they will be really worried about their neighbours feeling threatened and worried and harassed by the likes of Farage stoking it up.”

I guess it’s safe to say that Farage and his Reform Party won’t be winning the 2029 election – he’ll be lucky to win even one seat. He should at least get a participation award for at least trying.

We do not want false patriots in this country – be gone with you, Farage, and take your little dog ‘Toto’ with you!

A Prime Minister who immortalises their nation is what we want, not one who disparages it.

We don’t want a Prime Minister who is a fraud – they are called ‘salesmen’, and they sell worthless and deceptive products. There is only one thing that I can say about Farage – the charlatan party!

If you vote for Reform, you will be voting to eradicate everything that is dear to us. Farage is a grifter, and he only cares about himself, and anyone who believes otherwise is just another fool who Farage will use to his own ends – it’s called playing ‘devil’s advocate.’

Mother Of Brianna Ghey Wants Smartphone Ban

The mother of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey is calling on Sir Keir Starmer to ban smartphones in schools, claiming it “would really have helped her daughter”.

In addition, Esther Ghey is calling for increased funding for schools to implement phone lock pouches, which she claims have worked well for her daughter’s previous school, Birchwood Community High School in Warrington.

Brianna was killed in a despicable, deliberate attack by Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe in a Warrington park in February 2023.

Her mother is now supporting the ban along with actors Stephen Graham, Kate Winslet, and a number of Members of Parliament.

Esther told reporters, “For me, it would have really helped Brianna. It would have helped her to focus on her schoolwork.

“She wouldn’t have been getting into so much trouble because all of the issues were around the phone use. She would have had a much better chance in life.”

During the three years Brianna was at Birchwood, there were 120 safeguarding logs and 116 behaviour logs around her phone use, Esther said.

Esther explained: “These ranged from Brianna being at risk of child sexual exploitation, to what she was accessing online, which was encouraging her to self-harm and to have an eating disorder…As a parent, I really felt like I was failing…I didn’t know what to do.”

Talking about the services Brianna was offered, Esther told her daughter’s inquest last year: “I feel like she was let down with the lack of mental health treatment.”

Under the Birchwood approach, students’ phones are put in pouches when they first arrive at school and are then carried around by them instead of being locked somewhere else.

Esther said: “The funding needs to be in place, because I’ve spoken to headteachers.

“They’ve said sometimes it’s a choice between a new classroom assistant or the pouches, and headteachers shouldn’t have to make that choice.”

Asked about this, Esther said: “My thoughts on the idea currently is that under-16s shouldn’t be on social media full stop. There’s so much harmful content on there.

“And I think that’s the issue with schools, because there’s so many parents that are completely locking down phone or that are choosing to give the children brick phones so they can’t access social media, but when they go to secondary school, they’re opened up to a world of harms because all the children have phones.”

A ban in schools is just “one part of the puzzle” in the approach to children’s phone and social media usage, she added.

Jenkinson and Ratcliffe, both 15 at the time, lured Brianna to Culcheth Linear Park in Warrington, where the 16-year-old transgender teenager was fatally stabbed 28 times with a hunting knife in February 2023.

Jenkinson was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court in December 2023 to a minimum sentence of 22 years in prison, and Ratcliffe to a minimum term of 20 years.

The court heard how Ratcliffe’s motivation was, in part, hostility to Brianna’s transgender identity, while Jenkinson was motivated by a “deep desire to kill”.

Responding to the news of the sentencing, former Met Police senior detective Peter Bleksley told GB News: “It is so astonishing, so brutal, and so vile. My thoughts go out to everyone who knew and loved Brianna.”

Smartphone use by kids should be restricted until they graduate from school since it can lead to several issues, such as grooming and harassment.

Youngsters should only have rudimentary access to a cell phone in case of an emergency.

No child should be bullied, full stop! It should be made illegal to bully another person, regardless of their age.

Even before cell phones and the internet, many children were victims of bullying, but it is much worse now.

Back then, there were no cell phones, and I was subjected to severe bullying at school. I was fortunate enough to be able to defend myself rather adequately, but many people are unable to do so and end up taking their own lives.

The majority of internet gadgets include parental controls, so parents must take charge and limit what their kids can and cannot do on their phones and other devices.

It’s a treacherous world out there, and parents should be mindful of those perils.

A strong smartphone policy is already in place at several schools. Contract phones should not be available to anybody under the age of 18. Pay as you go is more than sufficient, but we do require more responsible parents. If their kids aren’t using their phones appropriately, they should be banned from using them.

Smartphones and other internet devices are an issue for most kids, and they have far too much access at a young age. And these devices should now come with a health warning!

Tube Passenger Kicks Out Train Window

A shirtless man booted through the window of a London tube before walking away after passengers were allegedly “stuck” on board.

The man is seen kicking the glass three times until it finally breaks onto the platform at Euston station in footage that has gone viral on social media.

The man then climbs through the window before swearing and walking away.

The incident unfolded in front of a Transport for London (TfL) employee, who could be seen earlier in the video speaking to a passenger on the train through the window.

A TikTok user who posted the clip alleged the underground passengers were “stuck” and had “no air conditioning”.

People on social media have reacted to the video in different ways.

One person said the passenger did the “right thing”, with others branding his actions “valid”.

You may have experienced what it’s like to be trapped in a tube when everyone else is coughing, sneezing, sweating, and in a panic.

Greetings from London under Sadiq Khan.

It’s not surprising that many people want to leave cities like London. Some believe London could become a place to avoid, with people moved into so-called ‘smart growth zones.’

We have such lovely people who now live amongst us, and we have become overrun with many lunatics.

Another one of our esteemed visitors simply bringing our nation to its knees.

What does a government that disregards this conduct and the worries of people affected say? Instead of punishing its citizens, our government ought to take care of them.

The issue is that people are becoming more conceited and entitled because they can get away with anything. If they end up in jail, they will have access to training programs, food, phones, and gyms—all of which are obviously funded by taxpayers.

Over to you, Keir Starmer, for comment!

Keir Starmer Sidelines Rachel Reeves

Keir Starmer sidelined Rachel Reeves as he strengthened his hold on economic policy through a significant reorganisation of the government.

The Prime Minister recruited the Chancellor’s deputy and senior tax adviser to join his staff, and he appointed his own economic expert as a sign that he intends to oversee the autumn budget personally.

The move is designed to stop the PM being ‘blindsided’ by the Treasury again after U-turns over winter fuel payments and benefit cuts, which helped to drive Labour’s poll ratings to record lows.

But the Tories accused Sir Keir of appointing a string of ‘tax fanatics’ to advise him as Labour tries to plug a black hole of up to £50 billion in public finances.

Downing Street insisted the PM and Ms Reeves will continue to work ‘in lockstep’.

This week, the Chancellor will attempt to gain the upper hand by claiming that the secret to economic development is increasing Britain’s declining productivity through investment and training.

But Sir Keir’s decision to establish his own economic team brings to an end his earlier approach of subcontracting economic policy to Ms Reeves.

Former Tory cabinet minister Sir James Cleverly suggested the changes signal that the PM is ‘getting ready to throw Rachel under the bus in the proper reshuffle that is inevitably coming’. 

Conservative business spokesman Andrew Griffith said: ‘A stronger Prime Minister would have gone the whole hog and fired [Ms Reeves], not just created his own shadow chancellor.’

It comes as Sir Keir is said to have appointed Darren Jones, former Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Baroness Shafik, former Bank of England deputy governor, and Dan-York-Smith from the Treasury to help shape the Chancellor’s upcoming autumn budget, according to The Telegraph.

But a Labour MP insisted that the decision is bound to erode Reeves’ authority, telling the publication that it signifies she is already ‘in a weak position and it’s deteriorating.’ 

Sir Keir insisted the changes were not another reset but marked the Government moving into its ‘second phase’, which would focus on ‘delivery, delivery, delivery’. 

Asked if it was a reflection of frustration that he had not brought about the change he had promised, he told the BBC: ‘I do want to go further and faster, and yes, I’m frustrated about that.’

His Svengali-like chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, was also seen entering No 10. He masterminded Labour’s election victory but has been criticised for the party’s handling of its recent problems.

Economist Paul Johnson, former head of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, told Times Radio: ‘It’s extraordinary, more than a year into this Government, they’re only just working out that they might need some senior economic expertise within No 10, both at a political level and at the adviser level.’

Former Bank of England deputy governor and economist Minouche Shafik will assume a new role as the prime minister’s chief economic adviser.

In the past, she and Treasury Minister Torsten Bell co-chaired an investigation that recommended numerous new tax increases.

She has supported wealth taxes in the past, writing in 2018: ‘Because wealth has grown even more unequal than income, we should explore taxing wealth such as inheritance, land, and real estate.’

Recently appointed Treasury minister Dan Tomlinson has also made the case for a wealth tax and for a higher capital gains tax, saying in 2022: ‘Our tax system is unfair to most working people, leaving those who pay capital gains and other taxes paying less.’

The Tories described Mr Tomlinson, who has opposed cuts to fuel duty, as a ‘tax fanatic’. 

Former Treasury chief secretary Darren Jones, who has emerged as the big winner from the reshuffle, will now serve in a newly created role of Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, responsible for driving delivery of the PM’s priorities across government.

Mr Jones was captured on tape before the last election, making the case for higher council tax on valuable properties and arguing the need for inheritance tax to ‘ease intergenerational inequality’.

His successor as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, James Murray, has likewise advocated for a wealth tax.

Sir Keir has appointed a third new communications chief in a year – bringing back Blair-era spin doctor Tim Allan, a former sidekick of Alastair Campbell.

All they are really doing is arranging the deck chairs, like on the Titanic, and they’re sinking fast – crikey – iceberge ahead!

Rachel Reeves is inept, but Starmer is worse. The kind of people he has appointed to advise him on the economy speaks volumes about Labour’s distaste for hard-working taxpayers. Now there is no motivation to work or thrive because you just can’t leave that legacy to your family anymore.

They should all be sacked because they have cost the economy billions of pounds plus. Killed off thousands of pensioners. Forced the highest taxes onto us and regularly demonstrated that this is not the UK we once knew.

It doesn’t pay to work in this day and age.

Keir Starmer needs to realise that he can reshuffle his cabinet as much as he likes, but if you shake a barrel full of rotten apples, you’re still left with a barrel of rotten apples.

‘Eunuch Maker’ Castration Ring Member Jailed

A former vicar who was part of a ‘Eunuch Maker’ castration ring has been jailed after using nail scissors on a man’s genitals.

Reverend Geoffrey Baulcomb, 79, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent after the video of the shocking procedure in January 2020 was found on his phone.

He also admitted to seven other charges, including making and distributing pictures of children and having extreme pornography, and has been given a three-year jail sentence.

Baulcomb had 31 indecent photographs of a boy as a child, as well as other sexual pictures of children, both male and female.

The vicar had 182 extreme pornographic photos showing serious injury to a person’s private parts, five pictures portraying an act threatening a person’s life and eight photographs showing a person performing a sex act on an animal.

Some of the material included moving images which appeared on the Eunuch Maker website, run by Marius Gustavson, 47.

Norwegian national Gustavson received a life sentence, with a minimum of 22 years, last year after a court heard he earned almost £300,000 from the site where thousands of visitors paid to view sick clips of procedures, including castrations.

He had his own penis cut off, a nipple removed, and his leg frozen so it had to be amputated.

Baulcomb and Gustavson were said to have been ‘acquaintances’, exchanging more than 10,000 messages over four years. 

At the Old Bailey on Monday, Judge Mark Lucraft, KC, the Recorder of London, said: ‘With any extreme body modification procedure, there has to be some positive planning and pre-organisation. 

‘The procedure involved the use of scissors, which in the circumstances are highly dangerous.

‘You undertook the procedure in conditions far from sterile and did so without any medical skills or training.

‘The procedure and the resulting injury is one that is serious; it is a permanent, long-lasting procedure that will have serious effects on the victim.

‘It is an aggravating feature that the procedure is filmed. Bearing in mind the obvious sexual nature of this offence, it is something that adds seriousness.

‘Those who have written about you speak warmly and highly about you and your many qualities.

‘It is clear many have been assisted by you over the years, and I suspect many who knew you will have been deeply shocked by what they have heard in this hearing.’

Judge Lucraft said he had reduced the sentence because of the victim’s consent to the procedure, Baulcomb’s health, age, and character and his guilty plea. 

The retired clergyman was still ordained at the time of his offences, but a disciplinary body expelled him from the Church of England last year.

After being seen on camera widening a man’s urethral entrance in a nine-second footage of the event, he entered a guilty plea to causing grievous bodily injury with intent at the Old Bailey in June.

The footage, which was discovered on the vicar’s mobile phone, is said to have been filmed on January 4, 2020. He was later arrested in December 2022.

Baulcomb previously confessed to three counts of making indecent photographs of a child, namely one Category A image, four Category B images and 37 Category C indecent images.

Three additional charges against Baulcomb related to possession of extreme pornography, one of which related to eight shots of a person committing an act of intercourse with a live or dead unknown animal.

Another involved ‘182 images which portrayed in an explicit and realistic way an act which resulted or was likely to result in serious injury to a person’s anus, breasts or genitals and which were grossly offensive, disgusting or otherwise of an obscene character’.

Police ransacked Baulcomb’s £25,000 cottage near Eastbourne in December 2022 and discovered a cache of heroin along with the tranquilliser ketamine.

He received a police caution for having the substances and told church officials he had been purchasing and using drugs, including heroin, ‘periodically’ for 20 years.

The Church of England’s (CofE) disciplinary tribunal had ‘utterly rejected’ his assertion that taking drugs ‘assisted him in carrying out his pastoral mission’.

Baulcomb, from Eastbourne, East Sussex, was ordained as a priest in 1970, according to the Church of England website.

He withdrew from the historic St Mary the Virgin church in Eastbourne in 2003, but was still ordained at the time of the crimes. 

The diocese said Baulcomb’s permission to officiate was immediately removed after being contacted by police.

A statement said: ‘The Diocese wishes to put on record our gratitude for the Metropolitan Police’s pro-active approach to information sharing and partnership working, which has enabled us to manage the risks Mr Baulcomb has presented whilst under investigation.’

After his plea, Baulcomb was given conditional bail, ordering him not to attend any Church of England premises or functions and to have no contact with children under the age of 18. 

These individuals are operating their sinister secrets through their faith, which appears to be the only function of religion these days – just goes to show that there are some serious oddballs out there masquerading as agents of the church, but this has been going on for centuries.

Some people might say that this man is going straight to hell, but actually, all he has to do is repent, and he will be accepted into heaven, which is all extremely convenient.

How many more like him lurk behind the inner sanctum of the church? It must be quite distressing for parents whose children were held by him during their baptism.

We are all aware that the church is rife with paedophiles and deviants who lurk in plain sight.

The devil hides in plain sight and has numerous recruits, but he mostly likes clergymen.

Trials Planned For Miracle Tooth-Growing Drug

Early next year, human trials for a medication intended to promote tooth growth are scheduled to begin.

If the drug proves effective, it could be a game-changer for millions of people who wear dentures.

Researchers in Japan expect the treatment, yet to be named, could be rolled out to patients by 2030 if successful. 

The medication increased tooth growth in mice and ferrets, according to early experiments.

The drug is designed for those who, due to genetic factors, do not have a complete set of adult teeth.

But the scientists described it as ‘every dentist’s dream’, suggesting it may be used more widely in the future. 

Japanese media reported clinical trials are set to begin in July 2024.

The drug, an antibody treatment, works by suppressing USAG-1. 

The gene limits the growth of teeth, studies have shown.

At the time of their initial breakthrough on rodents in 2021, scientists from Kyoto University and the University of Fukui admitted they didn’t know if blocking USAG-1 ‘would be enough’ to work.

However, their experiments were a great success.

The process is hoped to spark a ‘third generation’ of teeth in humans, who begin with their baby teeth before developing their permanent set.

Speaking about the human trial, Dr Takahashi told the Mainichi newspaper: ‘The idea of growing new teeth is every dentist’s dream. 

‘I’ve been working on this since I was a graduate student.

He added: ‘I was confident I’d be able to make it happen. We hope to pave the way for the medicine’s clinical use.’ 

Anodontia is a genetic condition in which teeth are missing.

Although studies have indicated that women are more likely than men to have it, the precise number of affected individuals worldwide is unknown.

According to the latest Government statistics, some 73 per cent of people in the UK have one or more missing back teeth, while 7.6 per cent have one or more missing front teeth.

Meanwhile, in the US, over 25 per cent of adults aged 65 or older have eight or fewer teeth, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has said. 

Dentures and other artificial tooth replacements are the only available treatments for tooth loss at this time.

However, they are inferior to natural teeth, are not permanent, and are frequently costly.

Scientists have described it as ‘every dentist’s dream’. In the US, it would be every dentist’s nightmare because it would kill the cash cow, and it would be the same for those who have to pay for private dentistry.

Furthermore, because they need to maintain the industry’s revenue flow, they will make it unaffordable for the general public, particularly for those who are most in need, even if it is inexpensive to produce.

Of course, there is an alternative scenario: will the FDA approve this medication or, like so many previous medicines, will they ban it? And of course, you never get something for nothing. What will the side effects be of this new drug?

Even if all of this sounds fantastic, cancer still has no known cure. Pharmaceutical firms would profit from making us sicker, not from finding a cure for cancer, so perhaps they have already discovered one and are keeping it a secret.

But hold on a second—don’t mice’ teeth regrow? Indeed, a rat’s incisor teeth grow continually throughout its life. If an incisor tooth breaks, the tooth bud and reserve crown will stay in place, allowing the incisor to grow again.

Rats must gnaw on suitable things to wear down their teeth because of this constant growth; otherwise, the teeth would get enlarged, which could be painful and lead to serious health issues.

Furthermore, how many people actually purchase mouthwashes? They all think they can somehow prevent tooth decay, but they don’t, especially mouthwashes with alcohol or acidic compounds that might erode tooth enamel or create dry mouth.

Also, some antibacterial mouthwashes can destroy beneficial bacteria in the mouth, disrupting the oral microbiome and leading to corrosion.

It is preferable to use a mouthwash with fluoride, but only in small amounts. These are the most important variables in maintaining dental health, along with brushing, flossing, and eating a balanced diet.

Actually, all of this medical science sounds fantastic! The last thing I want is to resemble a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Rachel Reeves’ Plan To Raise Landfill Tax

Rachel Reeves plans to increase landfill tax, which could slap £24,000 onto the cost of new-build homes, which will have a new impact on struggling first-time buyers.

Industry chiefs fear the Chancellor’s ‘insane’ proposal could see a 36-fold increase to the levy, causing construction costs to soar. 

Critics have even claimed the ‘development killer’ scheme could lead to firms either stopping construction of new homes or demanding higher prices from buyers. 

Worries over the tax hike come after Labour pledged to build 300,000 homes a year to tackle the nation’s housing problem.

The significantly higher standard levy is what Ms. Reeves wants to replace the lesser landfill fee that was previously applied to debris like topsoil, pebbles, and clay.

Presently, landfill tax is split into two bands, with waste generated by housebuilders – like topsoil – attracting the lowest levy of £4.05 per tonne. 

However, the Government is proposing to roll out a singular flat rate by 2030, which would see charges for inert or inactive waste rising from £126.15.

According to waste management firm Business Waste, the plan would see landfill costs per home explode from around £690 to a staggering £24,820.

Other estimates have warned it could be even higher, though, with the Mineral Products Association saying the hikes could see waste disposal costs swell to £28,000 per home. 

The hike comes amid years of growing costs for building supplies, which have seen the price of wood increase dramatically since the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Graham Matthews, of Business Waste, told the Telegraph: ‘Builders may treat the increase as a permanent cost, which could ultimately be reflected in the prices paid by homebuyers.’ 

The latest Land Registry figures from April show the average new-build sold for £368,354 – 43 per cent more than an existing property.

Rico Wojtulewicz, of the National Federation of Housebuilders, warned: ‘Builders are just going to be leaving the industry entirely because they can’t make the numbers work.

‘House prices will theoretically increase. I think there is a chance in some regions that developers may absorb some of it, but it’s more likely that development will be made totally unviable.

‘Fewer homes will get built, which means high demand and lower supply, and that causes house prices to rise. It could be a complete and utter development killer – it’s insane.’

Meanwhile, Mark Russell, of the MPA trade association, said the proposal ‘risk[s] shutting down’ much of the aggregates sector, adding that taxing inert materials like chalk, clay or soils at over £125 per tonne ‘is as damaging as it is absurd’.

The tax was first rolled out in 1996 to encourage recycling.

Ministers worry, however, that rogue builders are abusing the reduced cost by unlawfully disposing of rubbish.

In 2022-23, waste crime cost the Treasury about £100 million to deal with.  

A consultation on the revamped plan claimed the change would spearhead innovation in recycling, with many of the materials subject to the lower rate – such as rocks and soil – having the potential ‘to be recycled and reused’. 

But critics worry the move will not only affect housebuilding but could also harm necessary infrastructure projects like roads and drainage schemes.

For instance, one 619-home plan – which would also see a school being built – could see its landfill bill balloon from £135,448 on the lower end to £4.2million under the new plan. 

Mr Wojtulewicz said: ‘This is going to create such a nightmare. It’s more than a 3,015pc uplift on the current price.’

The Treasury defended the plan, with a spokesman saying: ‘We are delivering the biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation, backed by £ 39 billion investment and planning reforms, driving UK housebuilding to its highest level in over 40 years as part of our Plan for Change to build 1.5million new homes and end the housing crisis.

‘No decisions have been made on changes to landfill tax, and we remain committed to working with businesses to understand the impact of the proposals.’

I fail to see how this additional tax is a forward-looking move to reach the goal of £300,000 to build new homes each year, or am I missing something?

For whatever reason, they’re asking for the construction of millions of homes while also attempting to drive home builders out of business. Is this woman insane? Sadly, they never think of the long-term consequences.

The worst chancellor in history must be Rachel Reeves. The next government will be left with the highest debt in history by this party. In other words, whoever wins the next election will not recover in a single term but rather across several years.

Watching Reeves is a bit like watching a tree surgeon straddling the end of a long branch, chainsawing the wrong end.

Rayner: We want to build 1.5 million houses. Reeves: Let’s increase costs by 24 grand. Reeves: We want economic growth. Reeves (again): Let’s increase National Insurance to scupper it at the same time. Streeting: We want to improve the NHS. Reeves: Let’s pay 22 per cent increases with no guarantees so they strike again next year. Starmer: We want economic growth. Ed Miliband: Let’s make the UK THE most expensive place to buy energy in the world. Any of you Labour voters getting the picture yet? You’ve backed a bunch of bumbling fools.

Our government is a thief; therefore, it’s not a single plan to increase wealth; rather, it’s a series of schemes to diminish what we already have.

Gavin Newsom Suggests Trump Has Dementia

As their public spat intensifies, California Governor Gavin Newsom has accused Donald Trump of having dementia.

The dig by Newsom, viewed as a potential Democratic presidential candidate, comes after Trump repeated a string of widely-debunked assertions about help sent to Los Angeles during the catastrophic wildfires in January.

In a cabinet meeting, the 79-year-old president said the federal government had to force California to ‘turn a valve’ of water back on’, claiming Californian leaders refused to provide critical water supplies.

‘We sent hundreds of millions of gallons of water per day into the Pacific Ocean,’ he said.

‘They turn a valve. The valve heads out. We turned the valve back. I actually had to do it using force.’ 

Referring to Newsom as ‘Gavin Newscum’, Trump said he told him ‘to turn the rest of the water on’.

Newsom, who has been California’s governor since 2019, hit back at Trump, using Grok, X’s AI chatbot, to suggest that the president has dementia. 

Reposting a video of Trump’s attack on him, he added a screenshot of his interaction with Grok, where he asked it if ‘people with dementia repeat false things over and over again’.

‘Yes, people with dementia can repeat false statements or beliefs, a behaviour often linked to memory impairments and cognitive changes,’ the chatbot responded.

‘This can manifest as confabulation, where they create or repeat false memories to fill gaps in recollection, or perseveration, where they fixate on a particular idea or statement.’

Newsom’s social media remark prompted a response from the White House.

In a statement to the Daily Beast, a spokesperson said: ‘Newscum will say anything to distract from his terrible handling of the California wildfires that President Trump had to come in and clean up.’

Trump also branded Newsom as ‘incompetent’ in the cabinet meeting, adding: ‘he’s got some strange hand action going on, I don’t know what the hell his problem is.’

The Democrat governor shared the clip, responding: ‘You really want to have the conversation about hands?’

Since Trump continued to make false statements about California state officials and their refusal to supply water to combat the flames, the two have been engaged in a heated battle.

Newsom has also come under fire from Trump for opposing mass deportations.

Newsom sued Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth in June for using the National Guard to put down demonstrations protesting immigration raids in Los Angeles.

Newsom has garnered attention for copying Trump’s use of social media.

On Monday, he posted images of his own merchandise, an imitation of Trump’s Make America Great Again products, including caps with slogans including ‘Newsom was right about everything!’

He also launched ‘The Patriot Shop,’ which mockingly offers MAGA-red hats and $100 Holy Bibles.

‘I hope it’s a wake-up call to the President of the United States following his example,’ Newsom recently said.

‘If you have issues with what I’m putting out, you sure as hell should have concerns about what he’s putting out as President.’

To be fair, Donald Trump is old – the guy is 79 years old, and although we don’t know, there must be some sort of cognitive deterioration at his age.

He is the oldest person in American history to be inaugurated as president for the second time. Should he serve as president until August 15, 2028, he would be the oldest sitting president in American history, and at the end of his second term, he would be 82 years old.

But when all is said and done, most governments are a bit demented!

Newsom suggested that Donald Trump has dementia – I’m not sure on that one – he might have a few marbles swimming around in that head of his, giving it a wobble from time to time. However, even at Trump’s age, he’s still pretty sharp cognitively wise, but a tad slower because of his age.

Donald Trump is the president, of course, he’s going to get insults from someone or another – it should be part of the job description, but I’m sure Trump has a thick skin, he will get over all of the infantile insults, and I bet he won’t lose a night’s sleep over it.

Week-Long Strike Could Halt Tube Network

When Tube employees go on strike for seven days next month, commuters are bracing for transport disruption.

In a disagreement over wages and working conditions, London Underground employees will go on strike several times next month, according to the RMT union.

The workers will start the week-long strike on Friday, September 5.

The union said that rail bosses ‘refused to engage seriously’ with their demands on pay as well as concerns about fatigue management and ‘extreme shift patterns’.

Additionally, underground workers were calling for a shorter workweek and the observance of prior agreements with employees.

An RMT spokesperson said: ‘Management’s dismissive approach has fuelled widespread anger and distrust among the workforce, who voted in overwhelming numbers to take strike action.’

During this time, workers on the Docklands Light Railway will also go on strike in a separate dispute over wages and working conditions.

The union stated that the action would cause ‘significant disruption to the capital’s transport network’. 

RMT General Secretary Eddie Dempsey said: ‘Our members are doing a fantastic job to keep our capital moving and work strenuous shift patterns to make sure Londoners get to their destinations around the clock.

‘They are not after a King’s ransom, but fatigue and extreme shift rotations are serious issues impacting on our members’ health and wellbeing- all of which have not been adequately addressed for years by LU management.

‘Coupled with the fact there are outstanding issues around staff travel arrangements, an atmosphere of distrust has been created, where our members feel like no one is listening to them.

‘RMT will continue to engage LU management with a view to seeking a revised offer in order to reach a negotiated settlement.’

A Transport for London spokesperson said: ‘We regularly meet with our trade unions to discuss any concerns that they may have, and we recently met with the RMT to discuss some specific points.

‘We are committed to ensuring our colleagues are treated fairly and, as well as offering a 3.4 per cent pay increase in our ongoing pay discussions, we have made progress on a number of commitments we have made previously.

‘We welcome further engagement with our unions about fatigue and rostering across London Underground, but a reduction in the contractual 35-hour working week is neither practical nor affordable.

‘Given the improvements we have recently put in place in response to concerns raised by our unions, we urge the RMT to put our fair, affordable pay offer to their members and to continue to engage with us rather than threaten strike action, which will only disrupt Londoners.’

Various rail network segments will go on strike at various times during the strikes.

On Friday, September 5 and Saturday, 6, managers at Ruislip depot are set to strike over pay, in a separate walkout to the main dispute. The Central Line is likely to be affected.

On Sunday, 7, track access controllers, power control, and Emergency Response Unit (ERU) workers will refuse to work. This is likely to cause lengthy delays in the case of any incidents and could impact all Tube lines.

On Monday, 8 and Wednesday, 10, the majority of engineers and station workers will walk out, which will probably lead to stations closing due to a lack of staff and fewer trains available on the grid.

While on Tuesday, 9 and Thursday, 11, signalers, service control and ERU members will strike. This is likely to cancel most of the services as trains are not able to safely operate without signalling staff.

Muniya Barua, Deputy Chief Executive at BusinessLDN, said: ‘It’s extremely concerning to hear that the capital is set to be disrupted by strikes yet again, just as schools reopen and Londoners head back to work after the summer break.

‘This industrial action will hit already sluggish economic growth, particularly in sectors like hospitality and retail that are struggling due to hikes in employment costs. We urge all sides to work together to avoid a damaging scenario where the city grinds to a halt.’

These people are already well overpaid for the job that they do.

Perhaps we should all go on strike, against Rachel Reeves and her mad taxes or Starmer and his Labour loons?

These people want more pay and less work, but our government will cave in and give them whatever they demand.

It’s no surprise, though. First junior doctors, now the underground. Wait for it, while the rest follow like teachers and civil servants. They all know how weak our government is, and they’ll continue this until our government slit its own throat.

Name your price drivers! Our government will give it to you, and we taxpayers will cover it. It seems the norm these days. And if there’s a tax to consider, our government will levy it.

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