Newslinks for Sunday 24th August 2025

Reeves ‘heading towards IMF bailout’

“Rachel Reeves’ tax-and-spend gamble is driving Britain towards a 1970s-style debt crisis and bailout from the International Monetary Fund, leading economists have warned. They have said the Chancellor’s handling of the economy risks a return to the years of high inflation and borrowing that ended with Britain being forced to borrow billions from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) 50 years ago. On Saturday night, Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader aid the economic situation was like “the 1970s all over again”, while Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative Party leader, said that the surging cost of government borrowing was “the price” of Labour’s “economic mismanagement”. – Sunday Telegraph

Bar boss quits Labour taskforce over Reeves tax raid – Sunday Telegraph

Comment

Britain is doomed. Middle England has only one way out – Annabel Denham, Sunday Telegraph

The Left will make sure your children inherit nothing – Michael Mosbacher, Sunday Telegraph

Britain is staring impoverishment in the face – Editorial, Sunday Telegraph

Badenoch: Labour’s tax-and-spend madness guarantees an autumn of discontent

“The summer is drawing to a close. It’s been a good one. The weather has been great – unless, of course, you run a farm. But as the holiday months give way to cooler evenings and longer shadows, the signs are already pointing to an autumn of discontent. In a few weeks, Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, will deliver her second (or arguably third) Budget in less than a year. The last two were sold as bold resets, but damaged confidence and worsened the economic outlook. This one is rumoured to bring more tax rises – stealthy and not-so-stealthy taxes that will hit homes, pensions, small businesses and family inheritances.” – Sunday Telegraph

Badenoch: Racists say I reached the top because I’m black – Sunday Times

Tory leader hits out at ‘sore losers’ pushing for Jenrick to replace her – Sunday Express

Rival groups clash at migrant hotel protests across country

“Rival groups clashed outside migrant hotels as protests spread across the country on Saturday. Demonstrations under the Abolish Asylum System banner calling for an end to housing asylum seekers in hotels were organised in dozens of towns and cities across Britain. Campaign group Stand Up To Racism vowed to confront and drown out the protests, leading to scuffles in areas such as Bristol, Horley, Liverpool, Perth and Newcastle. This summer’s wave of unrest first began in Epping after an asylum seeker from Ethiopia was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old schoolgirl, which he denies.” – Sunday Telegraph

Immigration advisers sent abroad to stop bogus asylum seekers entering Britain – Sunday Telegraph

Police clash with protesters as asylum hotel demonstrations take place in UK – Observer

Members of far-right party organising asylum hotel protests across UK, Facebook posts show – Observer

Brighton council takes down St George’s flags – Sunday Telegraph

Group of men putting up St George’s flags are ‘attacked with firebomb’ – Mail on Sunday

Farage warns of unrest worse than poll tax riots – Mail on Sunday

Comment

If flags become markers of ethnic identity, I fear the Britain I once loved will disappear – Daniel Hannan, Sunday Telegraph

Starmer makes desperate migration move as boat crossings leave record in tatters

“Sir Keir Starmer will overhaul the asylum appeal system in a bid to speed up the deportation of people with no right to be in the UK. Yvette Cooper promised to implement the new scheme amid protests about the use of hotel accommodation for migrants. The Home Secretary said “completely unacceptable” delays in the appeals process left failed asylum seekers in the system for years. The Government plans to set up a new independent panel focused on asylum appeals to help reduce the backlog.” – Sunday Express

Farage to champion Connolly’s story at US Congress

“Nigel Farage will tell Lucy Connolly’s story to key allies of Donald Trump when he gives evidence at a free speech hearing in the US next month. The Reform UK leader will travel to Washington in early September to testify to members of Congress about threats to freedom of expression in Britain. He is set to bring up the case of Mrs Connolly, who was released from prison last week after being jailed for 31 months over a social media post in the aftermath of the Southport attacks. Mr Farage said the case of Mrs Connolly, who after her release described herself as a political prisoner, would be “a very central point of what I’m discussing”. – Sunday Telegraph

Rayner adds to property empire with purchase of holiday home

“Angela Rayner has been criticised for having “three pads” after it emerged on Saturday night that she had added an £800,000 seaside apartment to her property empire. The Deputy Prime Minister has bought a new “holiday home” in Hove to add to her three-bedroom grace-and-favour flat at Admiralty House, in central London, and a £650,000 constituency home near Manchester. It comes as Ms Rayner is looking to impose an extra 100 per cent council tax charge on second homes, leading to the Conservatives to call on her to “come clean” about her council tax.” – Sunday Telegraph

Rayner buys third home for north of £700,000 – Sunday Times

And Deputy PM shells out £800k on third home – Mail on Sunday

Three pads Rayner – Sun on Sunday

Deputy PM to block Khan from running as MP while Mayor

“Angela Rayner has moved to block Sir Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, from returning to Parliament amid claims that she is manoeuvring against her rivals for the Labour leadership. The Deputy Prime Minister has tabled a Bill that would prevent anybody from serving as the London mayor and an MP at the same time. It would shut off Sir Sadiq’s main route back to the heart of Labour and diminish the prospect of him getting a Commons seat before the next election. Ms Rayner’s department insisted that the change, which also applies to the mayors of other cities, is designed so mayors can “focus on” serving their local populations.” – Sunday Telegraph

Other political news and comment

Criminals face pub, club and football bans under Sentencing Bill – Sunday Times

Labour MP ‘receives death threats’ after Tory MP shares video on grooming gangs inquiry – Observer

Forget Reform, Green leadership race is Westminster’s wildest story – Josh Glancy, Sunday Times

>Today:

ToryDiary: There’s no such thing as petty crime, and crime data doesn’t answer how people see law and order

News in Brief

The rage of Cummings – John Merrick, New Statesman

Rallying round the flag – Owen Polley, The Critic

Britain’s sickness is plain to see on the streets of London – Patrick West, The Spectator

Our tax system is complex and unfair – here’s how to fix it – John Penrose, CapX

Can Le Pen be stopped? – Julian Jackson, UnHerd