Revealed: How millions of ordinary pensioners now face a stealth state pension tax raid - even if they have no other income
One former minister warned the raid on some of the poorest pensioners who have never had to fill in a tax return before will be an 'administrative nightmare'.
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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Dining across the divide: ‘He was a 'Stop the boats' person'
Occupation Account director in the IT sector Voting record Conservative, but in the last election he protest-voted for Reform Amuse bouche He's a huge Metallica fan, and will be seeing them next year for the 25th time Occupation Financial services technician Voting record Always Labour until the last election, when he voted Green Amuse bouche After dancing in seven consecutive national ballroom dancing finals, he's just retired, because he is, in ballroom dancing terms, a senior Sam We immediately started chatting about music, and got on really well. Matt He was a really likable chap, very open and conversational, like myself. Sam I've been to the restaurant before, and I've spent the last two years telling everyone about the beef dripping flatbread with massive salt crystals. We also had beetroot in a creamy foam and herb oil, a cuttlefish risotto and a very lemony skate on crushed potatoes. It was excellent. Matt I had a grapefruit sorbet for dessert – amazing! Sam had red wine, which I'd have loved, but I've just come out of cancer treatment, so I had a Coke. Matt We talked about public spending. I think we need to shrink welfare – but in a controlled manner that benefits people and gets them back into work. Sam I'd like to see more investment in the state, funded by a tax on absolutely everyone. If we had proper housing, social care and mental health structures in place, it would reduce demand on things like the NHS. Matt We should strip all the bureaucracy out of the NHS and reinvest in medical practitioners. Sam said that's already happening with Labour scrapping NHS England. But my understanding is that, while the organisation is being abolished, nobody's being made redundant. They're all being redeployed into other parts of government. So it won't free up money for reinvestment. Sam I don't think Matt was too far from my perspective. He's had a lot of contact with the NHS recently and felt there was a lot of bureaucracy that could be cut down. But when I said I'm in favour of nationalising natural monopolies like water, he largely seemed to agree. Sign up to Inside Saturday The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. after newsletter promotion Matt I think big tech is a force for good. If you're a researcher looking for cures for cancer and it gives you quicker access to information from a multitude of sources, surely we get better results quicker? AI worries people, because we hear it's going to automate and take everybody's jobs, but it's just rules-based processing and straightforward algorithms piecing together information that's already out there. People think it's intelligent enough to self-learn. I haven't seen any evidence of that. Sam I fully agree that technology can be a force for good. But I don't think companies like Meta and Google have our best interests at heart. We've seen that with electioneering and the way they manipulate people's data to target them. We agreed technology is neutral, but once you put it into humanity's hands, it's not necessarily going to have a positive outcome. Sam He was a 'Stop the boats' person. From a humane standpoint I agree: I don't want people coming across the Channel. I know once upon a time if you were seeking asylum you could turn up at an embassy. Matt thought that was a good idea, but the problem is that embassies have been whittled down to very few. To me, safe routes are the answer. Matt As one of the top countries in the world, we have a right and a duty to take care of people who are coming to the UK because they're at risk of harm, but I think we've got to get quicker at identifying those who are at risk, and then dealing with those who aren't by processing them quicker, and returning them to their rightful abode. Sam The world would be a better place if we could all have a chat. On the internet we seem to have a desire to antagonise, but in person you generally find the points on which you agree rather than differ. Matt At the end of dinner, our conclusion was that there wasn't a river dividing us. It was more of a stream, a trickle. When you sit down and talk to someone from supposedly the opposite side of the fence, the division isn't as big as you think. Additional reporting: Kitty Drake Matt and Sam ate at Erst in Manchester Want to meet someone from across the divide? Find out how to take part
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Ten-year Plan for Barrow aims to create 'thriving' town
A new 10-year strategy to improve a town has been launched in preparation for a huge number of people moving to the of jobs are expected to be created in Barrow, Cumbria, after the town was recognised as a strategic national asset because of its importance as a manufacturing base for Royal Navy new Plan for Barrow aims to transform the town so it can meet a rise in population while also improving housing and economic growth, the partnership behind the scheme Barrow chief executive Peter Anstiss said a number of "long-standing issues" needed to be addressed to achieve a positive future . Most of the jobs are expected to be created at submarine manufacturer BAE Systems, which was recently commissioned to build 12 attack Anstiss said the aim of the plan was to provide "improved housing and transport infrastructure, while also addressing social and health inequalities, to ensure everyone can connect to the opportunities in Barrow"."We know these are the areas which the community and future residents will want to see tackled and that's why we've prioritised them in our plan," he said. Town centre transformation The decade-long strategy has been developed by Team Barrow, a partnership between the government, Westmorland and Furness Council and BAE projected has been supported by £220m of government investment. One of its main focuses will be on transforming Barrow town centre into a "thriving" area, with more housing, retail and leisure facilities.A previous plan for the town centre, led by Westmorland and Furness Council, has been shelved in favour of developing "a more ambitious programme of work".Under the new scheme, housing in the town centre would be higher-density and include more rented properties to appeal to students and young also aims to build on Barrow's existing arts and culture sector, while providing support for businesses to grow. "This is a long-term programme and we're confident that we have a plan and a vision that will match the ambitions of the community and deliver lasting benefits for generations to come," Mr Anstiss said.A drop in session is being held on 10 July and 19 July at The Bridge, in Portland Walk, for members of the public to find out more about the Plan for Barrow. Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Yvette Cooper hails new French tactics to reduce Channel crossings
Yvette Cooper has lauded new tactics used by the French in reducing the flow of asylum seekers across the Channel in small boats, ahead of a visit by Emmanuel Macron to the UK this week during which new initiatives are likely to be announced. It is understood that a French review of how its police can potentially intervene to block boats that are already in the water has been completed, and French and British officials were continuing talks this weekend about what more could be done. In a departure from their usual practice of not trying to stop boats already in the water, on Friday French police used knives to puncture a boat in shallow seas near Boulogne, in northern France. If the legal review offers more scope for such direct action, it is possible that French patrol boats could intercept craft carrying asylum seekers to return them, or use other tactics such as jetskis spreading nets that would snarl propellers. Macron, the French president, begins a state visit to the UK on Tuesday, with the first part of the trip focused on royal events, including a stay at Windsor Castle. On Thursday he is scheduled to see Keir Starmer for an Anglo-French summit, and it is anticipated that the pair, who spoke by phone on Saturday morning, could announce new cooperative measures on small boats. In comments released over the weekend, Cooper, the home secretary, said working with the French was 'vital to stop boats crossing in the first place'. She said: 'Over the last few months, we have been working together on new ways to crack down on the criminal gang operations, with the French now bringing in important new tactics to stop boats that are in the water.' Another idea still being discussed is a 'one in, one out' plan whereby people who manage to reach England by small boat could be sent back to France in return for the UK accepting another asylum seeker from France who is seen as having a clearer right to claim asylum in Britain, such as family ties. The hope is that the combination a greater likelihood of being stopped in the water, and then the prospect of being returned to France even if the crossing succeeds, could put off people from paying people smugglers to try to get them across. However, it is still not known if the 'one in, one out' plan will be ready to be announced in time for Macron's visit, with UK officials saying there were still 'lots of moving parts'. 'We want to get it right,' one UK government source said. 'Signing it during the visit would be ideal, but it would be even more ideal to make sure it works properly.' Starmer and Cooper are facing sustained political pressure to reduce the number of arrivals across the Channel. Despite a government promise to 'smash' the gangs organising crossings, more than 20,000 people have crossed to the UK in the first six months of this year, up 48% on the equivalent period in 2024.
