Featured Newslinks Newslinks October 2025

Newslinks for Wednesday 22nd October 2025

October 22, 2025

Grooming gangs inquiry in chaos

“A fourth survivor has quit the panel for the Government’s grooming gangs inquiry, GB News can reveal. Jessica, not her real name, from West Yorkshire, quit the panel tonight. She said she was stunned to learn that the two prospective chairs were a former police officer and social worker, Jim Gamble and Annie Hudson. “When I found out the two potential chairs were a former police officer and a former social worker, I was shocked and I didn’t know how they could be involved. They were both part of a profession that failed all of us.” The survivor was one of several members of the panel blocked from attending the meeting with the prospective chairs. In the end, Annie Hudson withdrew ahead of the interviews citing media pressure. Jessica, who has secured convictions against several of her perpetrators, was speaking publicly in the media for the first time tonight. She said that the probe “does not need to be an overall investigation” amid wider concerns expressed by survivors that they feared the inquiry could be expanded to other elements beyond grooming gangs. GB News revealed that survivors were asked before a panel meeting if they wanted the inquiry to be specific to grooming gangs or cover wider issues in child sexual exploitation and abuse. Jessica, who received the email, said: “This needs to be specifically based on grooming gangs. We’ve never had a proper investigation into just grooming gangs.”” – GB News

Labour probe into child sex abuse falling apart as potential chairman and three victims pull out amid ‘cover-up’ fears – Daily Mail
Grooming gang victims tell Jess Phillips to step down over chaotic inquiry – Daily Telegraph
Focus of grooming gang inquiry won’t change, vows home secretary – The Times
UK grooming gang inquiry faces further disruption as candidate for leader withdraws – The Guardian

Comment:

I will stop at nothing to expose vile grooming gang rapists. It’s time for the truth – Shabana Mahmood, GB News
Whether it’s the backstreets of Bolton or a mews house in Mayfair, the mindset of sexual predators is the same: some girls are disposable – Sarah Vine, Daily Mail
Victims of the grooming gangs need answers – Telegraph View

Tax raid on middle class

“Rachel Reeves will launch a £2 billion tax raid on lawyers, family doctors and accountants as she seeks to balance the books by targeting the wealthy. The chancellor is expected to use the budget to impose a new charge on people who use limited liability partnerships as she tries to fill a £30 billion hole in the public finances. More than 190,000 workers use partnerships, particularly in the legal world, and they offer a significant tax benefit over ordinary employment. They are not subject to employer’s national insurance as partners are treated as self-employed. Reeves is said to consider this unfair and is expected to announce changes to the system in her budget. She has repeatedly said that “those with the broadest shoulders” should pay their “fair share of tax”, and many of those who use partnerships are high earners… The change is one of a series of measures in the budget that will target the wealthy. Reeves is also expected to announce a “mansion tax” that will impose capital gains tax on the sale of the most expensive homes. However, some economists have raised concerns that increasing taxes on the wealthy could backfire and cause more people to leave the UK.” – The Times

Rachel Reeves targets GPs and lawyers in £2billion raid on middle-classes: Chancellor ignores warnings economy could ‘spiral out of control’ with new budget plot – as UK debt hits £2.9TRILLION – Daily Mail
Benefits set to rise by 4% as problems pile up for Reeves – The i
Nearly 1.9 million foreign citizens claiming UK benefits – The Times
Reeves targets tax partnerships in crackdown on wealthy Britons – Financial Times
Soaring inflation on course to cost Reeves £28bn this year – Daily Telegraph

Comment:

Britain has an inflation problem – and Rachel Reeves is to blame – Hugo Duncan, This Is Money
Rachel Reeves’s figures on red-tape blitz just don’t add up – Robert Colvile, The Times
The state pension reveals the rot at the heart of broken Britain – James Baxter-Derrington, Daily Telegraph
Britain is on a one-way road to economic oblivion unless Rachel Reeves tackles borrowing and welfare spending – The Sun Says
There are horror stories coming out of the Treasury in advance of the Budget. But that’s not the most terrifyingly offensive part… – Richard Littlejohn, Daily Mail

Jenrick urges Prince Andrew to leave public life as people are ‘sick’ of him

“Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick stated the public are “sick” of Prince Andrew, urging him to leave public life and cease receiving taxpayer subsidies. Pressure is mounting on Prince Andrew to vacate his Royal Lodge mansion in Windsor and for the government to formally strip him of his dukedom. SNP MPs have lodged an early day motion calling for legislative steps to remove Prince Andrew’s dukedom. It emerged that Prince Andrew paid a “peppercorn rent” on the 30-room Royal Lodge for over 20 years, having secured a 75-year lease in 2003 for £1m. The lease agreement includes a clause that would require the Crown Estate to pay Prince Andrew approximately £558,000 if he were to give up the lease.” – The Independent

MPs begin attempt to strip Prince Andrew of his titles – The Times
Full list: MPs attacking Prince Andrew – The Spectator
‘Idle disgrace’ Prince Andrew must leave Royal Lodge, say ministers – The Times
Pressure mounts on Prince Andrew over rent-free Royal Lodge as it’s revealed he only pays for water ‘from time to time’ – The Sun

Comment:

Brother Jenrick whacked Prince Andrew then proposed a burka ban. Polite society will be appalled – Quentin Letts, Daily Mail
Will parliament’s push to strip Prince Andrew’s titles work? – John Rentoul, The Independent