Newslinks for Thursday 7th August 2025

Starmer’s tax pledge thrown into chaos

“Sir Keir Starmer has thrown his party’s pledges on tax into chaos after he apparently refused to rule out a raid on working people to plug a £51bn black hole. The Prime Minister said Rachel Reeves would “set out our Budget” later in the year but declined to repeat his pledge not to raise income tax, National Insurance or VAT. Number 10 sources were later forced to insist that the Government remained committed to its manifesto promise to not increase taxes on working people.” – Daily Telegraph

• PM refuses to rule out tax hikes in Budget – Daily Mail
• And PM paves way for tax hikes – The Sun
• Reeves faces £51bn blackhole in public finances – FT
• Middle-income workers shoulder biggest tax burden increase – Daily Telegraph
• Millions of households to be hit by council tax increases – Daily Mail
• Wealthier areas face bigger rises in council tax – The Times
• Bank expected to cut interest rates to 4% – The Times

Comment

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Trump to meet Putin as early as next week

“Donald Trump told allies that he planned to meet Vladimir Putin next week, followed by a three-way meeting that would include Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president. The announcement has raised hopes that an end to the conflict could be in sight after more than three years of intense fighting. After speaking by phone to the American president, Mr Zelensky said he believed Russia was “now more inclined to a ceasefire”. The positive signs came during a day of intense diplomatic activity. Mr Trump’s special envoy met in Moscow with Putin, the Russian president, for three hours.” – Daily Telegraph

• Trump may meet Putin and Zelensky – The Times
• Putin and Trump could meet next week – Guardian

Comment

Ban asylum seekers who work illegally from gaining refugee status, Tories say

“Asylum seekers who work in the UK without permission should be placed “on the next plane home”, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has said. Ms Badenoch and her shadow home secretary Chris Philp criticised the UK as being a “soft touch” and that illegal working acts as a “pull factor” for those making the dangerous journey across the English Channel. While people who have asylum claims that are yet to be processed are not usually allowed to work, if they have been waiting for a year or longer for a decision they can apply for permission to work.” – Sky News

Deputy PM orders China to explain secret basement under London ‘mega-embassy’

“Angela Rayner has ordered China to explain why it has redacted blueprints of a basement and other areas in a “mega-embassy” to be built in London. Ms Rayner, who as Housing Secretary is tasked with deciding whether the project in the Royal Mint Court can go ahead, has given Beijing two weeks to explain why certain parts of its floor plans have been “greyed out”. It comes amid fears the complex could effectively become a nest of espionage in the heart of London, with reports China could convert basement rooms into “spy dungeons”. – Daily Telegraph

• UK demands China explain embassy plan – FT

Comment

Badenoch reveals Josef Fritzl case made me reject God

“Kemi Badenoch has revealed that the case of Josef Fritzl made her reject God. The Tory leader said that the behaviour of Fritzl, who kept his daughter captive for 24 years, “killed” her belief in God. Mrs Badenoch said that after reading the story of Fritzl’s daughter Elisabeth and how she kept praying to be saved, “it was like someone blew out a candle” on her faith. In an interview with the BBC, she said that she still had “cultural Christianity” but was not a believer. The Conservative Party leader grew up in a Christian household, having had a grandfather who was a clergyman.” – Daily Telegraph

• Badenoch reveals horror that made her lose belief in God – Daily Mail
• And Badenoch says Fritz took away her faith – The Times
• I was persecuted for being a Christian, says teacher sacked over Connolly comments – Daily Telegraph
• Jenrick predicts festive cheer for Badenoch – The Times

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Gove says Tory old guard have too much baggage and should stay out of politics

“Kemi Badenoch should jettison almost all of her shadow ministers who served in the last Conservative cabinet because they have “too much baggage”, Michael Gove has said. The former education secretary said there was a risk that the “psychodrama” image of the Tories after 14 turbulent years in power would follow Mrs Badenoch and her team unless there was a clean break from the past. He said: “It’s like the kids being blamed for the dysfunctional, feuding parents.” Mr Gove, now the editor of The Spectator magazine after leaving Parliament last year, said there were “one or two” politicians of his generation who were “less tainted” by the past, but the rest would be “an encumbrance on Conservative recovery”. – Daily Telegraph

Labour MP sets up AI chatbot … and it won’t say if Starmer is a good PM

“A Labour MP has become the first British politician to make an AI chatbot of himself. The AI clone was created in an attempt to allow constituents to contact Mark Sewards “any time of the day”, but its responses, when tested by The Telegraph, were somewhat lacklustre. When asked to identify key political figures, the Sewards chatbot could not say who the Chancellor or the Deputy Prime Minister were, could not answer whether Sir Keir Starmer was a good Prime Minister, and did not even know who the monarch was. Mr Sewards, who has been the MP for Leeds South West and Morley since 2024, said he had designed, and lent his voice, to the animated chatbot in order to “help strengthen the connection between an MP’s office and the constituents we serve”. – Daily Telegraph

• Labour ‘leaving public in dark’ over payments from lobbyists – The Times

Other political news and comment

• Israel’s cabinet expected to sign off plans for Gaza invasion – Guardian
• PM’s migrant deal crumbles on day one – Daily Express
• Don’t call rural voters Nimbys, Labour MPs tell Starmer – Daily Telegraph
• Reform threatens to pull solar subsidies over ‘desecration of countryside’ – Daily Telegraph
• Blunder reveals UK hired foreign contractors for Gaza spy mission – The Times
• Palestine Action ‘targeted Jewish-owned businesses’, Starmer says – The Times
• Homelessness minister threw out her tenants – then increased rent by £700 a month – The i
• Labour minister for homelessness ‘threw out tenants then hiked rent by £700 a month’ – The Sun
• UK housebuilding falls at fastest pace since onset of pandemic – The Times
• Number of civil servants in same pay band as PM doubles – FT

News in Brief