27 h. ago Scots cops firing tasers up by 70% in last four years sparking fears over use

New figures released by Police Scotland show that the use of Tasers by officers has risen by more than 100 percent since 2021 including a 70 percent rise in incidents were the devices were fired

Politics

33 h. ago Reeves to launch crackdown on benefit fraud alongside lifting two

Move aims to bring in extra £1.2bn of savings as government seeks to head off criticism over welfare spendingYou be the chancellor: play our budget gameRachel Reeves will launch a fresh crackdown on benefit fraud at the same time as lifting the two-child limit for universal credit at a cost of £3bn, as ministers seek to head off criticism over rising welfare spending in the budget.The chancellor has made the decision to scrap the two-child limit in full, a move that will be welcomed by Labour MPs who have long highlighted its effect on increasing child poverty.Freezing income tax thresholds for an extra two years to 2030, bringing more people into higher tax bands as wages rise.Making salary sacrifice schemes less generous, including those for pension contributions.A pay-per-mile scheme on electric cars to help fill the tax gap from petrol duty as more people opt for green vehicles.Bringing in higher tax on the most expensive properties, including a surcharge on the highest-value ho...

Politics

3 d. ago Surge in emergency payments as Scottish children's charity wants two

Calls for ‘life-changing reforms’ ahead of next week’s key Budget

Politics

5 d. ago Government 'to announce major benefits change' that will affect millions

The two-child benefit cap limits child tax credit and Universal Credit claims to the first two children in a household

Politics

6 d. ago Chinese spying amounts to interference in UK democracy, minister says, after MI5 warns MPs – politics live

Dan Jarvis, the security minister, says China is trying to contact MPs and peers to get sensitive information about parliamentBack at the Reform UK press conference, Zia Yusuf, the party’s head of policy, has just finished outlining his plan to cut spending on foreignersAs he finished, Yusuf claimed this was “treachery”.Labour is making the conscious and deliberate decision to continue funding extortionate amounts to foreign nationals, to the detriment of British citizens.And I don’t know what to call that. Frankly, in my view, it’s treachery. I think it’s appalling. British people are sick and tired of it.Just a few months ago, Rachel Reeves was saying she couldn’t afford to scrap the two-child benefit cap. Now it looks like becoming her latest U-turn.This isn’t because the economic circumstances have improved. Quite the opposite. Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago Badenoch to accuse Labour of raising taxes to fund bloated welfare bill

Tories seek to draw up battle lines over the Budget as Reeves prepares to lift the two child benefit cap

Economics

8 d. ago Call for inquiry after families stripped of child benefit due to flawed travel data

Andrew Snowden MP says government ‘must immediate take action’ on failures of anti-fraud benefits crackdownCalls are being made for an urgent independent inquiry after thousands of families were stripped of child benefit due to flawed Home Office travel data that claimed to show parents going on holidays and not returning.Andrew Snowden, the Conservative MP for Fylde and the party’s assistant whip, said the government “must take immediate and transparent action” to address the failures of the anti-fraud benefits crackdown. Continue reading...

Society

9 d. ago Keir Starmer has had ‘500 days of failure’ in office, says SNP

SNP Westminster deputy leader Pete Wishart highlighted issues such as pensioner winter fuel payments and the two-child benefit cap.

Events

1 week ago Labour begged to make major change as dozens of stars join forces with new demand

More than 40 celebrities including Arelene Phillips, Mark Bonnar, Jason Isaacs and Bill Nighy have joined forces to call for the 'cruel' two-child benefit limit to be scrapped

Politics

1 week ago Government issues apology after thousands of Child Benefit payments wrongly suspended

A new scheme designed to tackle fraud wrongly suspended thousands of Child Benefit claims

Politics

1 week ago Family court judge blasts 'astronomical' £300k cost for boy to attend specialist outdoor activity care placement

Liverpool Family Court heard the child, who had been involved in organised crime, would 'benefit enormously' from the 17-week placement.

Economics

1 week ago Benefits better way to get people out of poverty than work, research says

It comes as the Government is considering scrapping a child benefit cap

Politics

1 week ago Over 100 groups call for Labour to fully scrap two child benefit cap: ‘Do the right thing’

‘Abolishing the two-child limit in full will set millions of children’s lives on a path to a brighter future’, major organisations say

Politics

1 week ago DWP exact payments only people over State Pension age can get

The government provides a range of financial support and discounts for people over State Pension age - here's a full list of what you could be entitled to

Economics

1 week ago Racism returning to UK politics – and people are very scared, says Starmer

PM attacks ‘toxic division of Reform’ and gives strongest signal yet that two-child benefit cap will be liftedUK politics live – latest updatesDecades-old racism is returning to British politics, and “it makes people feel very scared” Keir Starmer has said, warning that divisive hard-right politics was “tearing our country apart”.Speaking to the GP and TV personality Amir Khan, the prime minister accused Nigel Farage’s Reform UK of overseeing a return of the racist and divisive politics “that frankly I thought we had dealt with decades ago”. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Minister suggests BBC should apologise to Trump over documentary as president threatens $1bn lawsuit – UK politics live

Alison McGovern speaks to media about BBC crisis as culture secretary due to address MPs in attempt to contain falloutYesterday Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, gave an interview that indicated very strongly that she will get rid of the two-child benefit cap in full in the budget. It had been reported that the government was only going to partially remove it (by replacing the cap with a softer version, like a three-child benefit cap), but Reeves signalled that the cap will go in its entirety.If anyone did not get the message, Keir Starmer has signalled exactly the same intention – only even more strongly. In an interview with Amir Khan, a doctor and ITV broadcaster, the PM said he was determined to drive child poverty down. In the clip, recorded yesterday but broadcast this morning, Starmer said:I can tell you in no uncertain terms I’m determined to drive child poverty down. It is what the last Labour government did. And it’s one of the things we were proudest of. I am personally dete...

Politics

2 w. ago Reeves signals she will break manifesto pledge with Budget tax rises

Chancellor hopes to win support from Labour MPs by lifting two-child benefit cap

Economics

2 w. ago Rachel Reeves drops strongest hint she will raise income tax and scrap two child benefit cap

The Chancellor said sticking to manifesto commitments on tax would lead to deep cuts.

Politics

2 w. ago Rachel Reeves gives biggest hint yet that manifesto pledge on taxes will be broken at Budget

The chancellor also hinted that there could be movement on the two-child benefit cap

Economics

2 w. ago Chancellor Rachel Reeves drops two major Budget hints on tax and benefits

Chancellor Rachel Reeves indicated the government will scrap the cruel two-child benefit limit at the Budget on November 26 to lift hundreds of thousands out of poverty

Economics