Newslinks for Wednesday 10th September 2025

Badenoch hits out at Reeves wanting to tax ‘anything she can lay her hands on’

“Britons will be poorer this winter because Rachel Reeves is scrambling to tax “anything she can lay her hands on” in November’s Budget, Kemi Badenoch has warned. The Tory leader accused the Chancellor of driving the nation to bankruptcy and racking up debts our children will have to pay “over decades”. Labour is unwilling to stop “spending more than we earn” on benefits and huge pay rises for trade unions, said Mrs Badenoch. Instead, she claimed the Chancellor and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer are trying to balance the books with job-destroying taxes that will hurt economic growth and push up debt further. In a major speech as experts delivered further dire warnings about the state of the economy, Mrs Badenoch said the Chancellor had “a multi-billion-pound black hole in her figures”. The Conservative leader said: “So, what’s her plan? She’s going to tax us more. She is in the Treasury right now, I’m sure, with officials. I’m a former Treasury minister, I know how it works. She’ll be desperately making plans for anything she can lay her hands on. She will be looking at hiking taxes on our homes, wages, and pensions. Every single one of us will be paying a Reeves penalty this winter. Everything this government is doing is making life more expensive for all of us.” The Conservative leader also took a swipe at Nigel Farage and Reform UK, calling it a “Left-wing party” that wants to increase welfare spending. She said the Tories stand ready to “clean up an economic mess” as they did once before after former Labour prime minister Gordon Brown allowed borrowing to soar. The cost of government borrowing soared to its highest level since 1998 earlier this month, amid market concern over the state of the Government’s finances. Costs have since fallen slightly, but a report by Oxford Economics warned the Treasury’s annual interest payments are now £5billion higher than in March, and could rise further.” – Daily Express

• Kemi Badenoch warns debt crisis could force UK to seek 1970s-style IMF bailout – as Tory leader offers to help Starmer cut benefits to avoid tax rises – Daily Mail
• Kemi Badenoch reveals her conditions for helping Sir Keir Starmer with ‘out of control’ welfare spending – Sky News
• Kemi Badenoch: Labour presiding over ‘tax doom loop’ – CityAM
• Kemi Badenoch: Britain at risk of needing IMF bailout for benefits – The Times

Comment:

• Everywhere I go in the City, bosses are issuing dire warnings. But Reeves just won’t listen – Alex Brummer, Daily Mail
• Want to fix the state? Here’s the textbook – Daniel Finkelstein, The Times
• The taxpayer is paying the price for the Manston disaster – Suella Braverman, Daily Telegraph
• Bone idle Britain is addicted to strikes and benefits – the workshy will turn us into basket case France – Leo McKinstry, The Sun

> Today: Daniel Hannan: Starmer is speed-running the usual lifecycle of Labour failure

> Yesterday: Katie Lam: Don’t look at the government’s majority, look at how we’ve made them change course

Mandelson called Epstein ‘best pal’ in birthday message

“Sir Keir Starmer has backed Lord Mandelson after it emerged that Britain’s ambassador to the United States had described the billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein as his “best pal”. Documents published by a Democrat-controlled committee revealed that Mandelson had shared a photo of himself dressed in a bathrobe with Epstein in a book for the disgraced financier’s birthday in 2003. This was three years before Epstein was first publicly accused of wrongdoing in 2006, when he was charged in Florida. In the so-called “birthday book” he wrote that Epstein was known for “taking you by surprise … in one of his glorious homes he likes to share with his friends (yum yum)”. Mandelson ended one message with the phrase “we love you”. The pages are contained in files from Epstein’s estate, which were published by the US House oversight committee on Monday. They were presented as a series of messages, each accompanied by a photograph. A number of pages show pictures of Mandelson, who served in a series of ministerial roles in the New Labour years, including the one with him dressed in a bathing robe. The collection of birthday tributes, compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell, also includes a hand-drawing of a woman’s body, signed: “Donald J. Trump.” The US president has denied any impropriety involving Epstein.” – The Times

• Epstein brokered billion-pound deal with Mandelson – Daily Telegraph
• Starmer backs Mandelson after US ambassador calls Jeffrey Epstein his ‘best pal’ – The Independent
• Mandelson must be sacked as ambassador, say Epstein victims – Daily Telegraph
• Watch Lord Mandelson make bombshell confession about his paedo ex pal Jeffrey Epstein in our explosive new show – The Sun
• Emails that reveal how Mandelson brought ‘best pal’ Epstein into the heart of Labour – Daily Telegraph

Comment:

• Only Trump can save Mandelson now – Daniel Johnson, Daily Telegraph
• With UK state visit looming, Epstein questions come at worst moment for Lord Mandelson – David Blevins, Sky News
• Why in God’s name did the bathrobe-wearing Prince of Darkness become ‘best pals’ with the Apostle of Satan? – Stephen Glover, Daily Mail
• It’s time for powerful men to come clean about the Epstein ‘code’ – Anne McElvoy, The i
• Mandelson’s past must now be scrutinised – Telegraph View
• Can Peter Mandelson survive his association with Jeffrey Epstein? – Mary Dejevsky, The Spectator

Jobs watchdog ‘looking at’ Boris Johnson over alleged profiting from contacts

“Boris Johnson is under mounting pressure to explain how his private office complies with rules over taxpayer subsidies after further revelations about how his staff appear to be overseeing his global commercial operations. A leak of data from the Office of Boris Johnson appears to show all three of his staff helping Johnson’s business and profit-making ventures. The office is partly funded by the public duty costs allowance (PDCA), which rules say should only be used to support the public work of former prime ministers. Johnson said he had followed the rules. Five other former prime ministers – Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May and Liz Truss – have released statements saying they fully comply with rules prohibiting the use of public funds for private business. It is understood Sunak does not claim the allowance. Brown said there was now a need for the introduction of new rules that would require former prime ministers to publicly declare their business interests. There are growing calls for the National Audit Office, which scrutinises public spending, including the PDCA scheme for former prime ministers, to launch an inquiry. Johnson did not directly respond to questions about the slew of revelations concerning his apparent attempts to monetise his time in Downing Street after stepping down as prime minister in September 2022. They include business ventures in Venezuela, the UAE and Saudi Arabia involving individuals he met while prime minister. In his first comments since the Guardian revealed details of the leak, Johnson denied suggestions he was misusing public funds. “This story is rubbish,” he said. “The PDCA has been used entirely in accordance with the rules. The Guardian should change its name to Pravda.”” – The Guardian

• Post-ministerial jobs watchdog ‘looking at’ Boris Johnson over alleged profiting from contacts – ITV News
• Boris Johnson ‘lobbied UAE for $1bn venture after leaving office’ – The Times
• Revealed: Boris Johnson approached Elon Musk on behalf of London Evening Standard owner Lebedev – The Guardian
• Badenoch defends Johnson over claims he profited from contacts made in office – PA
• Call to halt Boris Johnson’s £115,000 allowance after Boris Files revelations – The Guardian

Comment:

News in brief:

• Kemi Badenoch hopes the economy can save her – Rachel Cunliffe, The New Statesman
• Hard truths from Lord Rose and Badenoch the thorn – Christian May, CityAM
• Britain needs honesty more than genius – Craig Drake, The Critic
• The mutiny of Middle England’s mums – Mary Harrington, Unherd
• Sacred truths are driving Britain to the edge – Mani Basharzad, CapX