Wednesday, November 19, 2025 |
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Talk of 'freezing' inside and out in Westminster |
As the mercury dropped in SW1 on Wednesday, the prime minister refused to rule out a freeze on income tax thresholds in next week's Budget. The press pack knows the refrain by now: politicians and their spokespeople insist they will not pre-empt the chancellor's statement. Yet eyebrows are inevitably raised when that dismissal comes after weeks – if not months – of briefings and leaks ahead of this autumn's fiscal event. At PMQs, Sir Keir Starmer also declined to rule out forcing more people to pay more tax by continuing the freeze on the point at which the higher rate kicks in – otherwise known as fiscal drag. Speculation over further freezes has grown since the chancellor's apparent U-turn last week on increasing income tax, a move previously expected to anchor the Budget. My colleague Kate Devlin reports that holding thresholds steady could cause fresh problems, as it may not soothe the markets. But Rachel Reeves will still be searching for levers to pull to plug the hole in the public finances, given that an income tax rise is no longer on the cards. To freeze or not to freeze – that is the question. Not long to wait to find out… |
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The rate of CPI inflation fell to 3.6 per cent in October, it was announced on Wednesday morning. What level did it peak at in autumn 2022? |
Answer at the bottom of today's email |
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| John Healey condemns "deeply dangerous" action by Russia as spy ship breaches UK waters for the second time this year |
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| As the government scrambles to find the money from other sources, the prime minister did not rule out forcing many to pay more |
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| People who were at school with the Reform leader claim he displayed offensive behaviour as a boy, including giving Nazi salutes and making racial slurs |
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What else you need to know today |
- As Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood faces a Labour revolt over her planned overhaul of the asylum system, Alex Ross looks at how effective the measures would be.
- Across the pond, Trump's 'war on women' continues – but his silly schoolboy insults aren't big and they certainly aren't clever, says Victoria Richards. Isn't it time for old men like Trump to give it up altogether?
- Sticking with the president, Trump also eviscerated a White House reporter for asking about the murder of fellow journalist Jamal Khashoggi in front of Mohammed bin Salman. The president's put-down shows press freedom counts for little in the US, writes chief international correspondent Bel Trew.
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Is it time to brace for a US recession? |
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As the ailing US economy stutters, concerns that the AI bubble is finally about to burst may trigger a global market meltdown, says James Moore. Read more |
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It's not right... I wouldn't want my sisters being spoken to like that |
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Quiz answer: 11.1 per cent |
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