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       Sunak ‘making economy worse’, says senior Tory in cost of living row

       Prime minister Boris Johnson is to hold talks with senior cabinet ministers to boost the UK's energy security amid rising bills.

       The government’s announcement of a strategy on energy following Russia's invasion of Ukraine has reportedly been delayed by a cabinet split on nuclear energy funding, onshore wind and the role of fracking.

       There are reportedly major disagreements between the prime minister, the chancellor and business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng.

       Meanwhile, Rishi Sunak has been branded “Mr Tax” by Labour as the party accused him of “acting in his own interest” in the Spring Statement. The chancellor is reportedly planning a new council tax rebate after initially announcing a ￡150 refund to help households with sky-high energy costs.

       In a stinging attack against the chancellor, senior Conservative MP David Davis said Mr Sunak is "making things worse" for the UK economy.

       “What you’re seeing is a Spring Statement driven by headlines. My view of the Treasury’s economic strategy is that there isn’t one,” Mr Davis told LBC on Sunday.

       Recommended Rishi Sunak ‘making economy worse’, says senior Tory in cost of living row Boris Johnson helping Ukraine more thanks to British public pressure, Zelensky says Russian sanctions could be lifted after invading forces withdrawn, Truss says Rishi Sunak vs Liz Truss: the leadership contest goes on despite the war

       Key Points Rishi Sunak ‘planning new council tax rebate’ Chancellor under fire over cost of living crisis Boris Johnson to hold talks with senior cabinet members

       Show latest update 1648447347 UK government distances itself from Biden’s remarks on Putin

       Education secretary Nadhim Zahawi distanced the British government from US president Joe Biden’s alleged call for a regime change in Moscow by saying it was “up to the Russian people”.

       After meeting Ukrainian refugees in Warsaw on Saturday, Mr Biden called his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin a “butcher” and said he “cannot remain in power”.

       Mr Zahawi told Sky News it was “for the Russian people to decide how they are governed”. However, he added that they “would certainly do well” to have someone who “is democratic and understands their wishes”.

       “The Russian people, I think, are pretty fed up with what is happening in Ukraine, this illegal invasion, the destruction of their own livelihoods, their economy is collapsing around them and I think the Russian people will decide the fate of Putin and his cronies,” he added.

       Alisha Rahaman Sarkar 28 March 2022 07:02

       1648446312 Johnson helping Ukraine more thanks to pressure from Britons, says Zelensky

       Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said Boris Johnson is “helping more” than other leaders in the resistance against Russia thanks to pressure from the British people.

       The president said, “Britain is definitely on our side” and is “not performing a balancing act”. “The leaders of countries react according to how their constituents act. In this case, Johnson is an example,” he told the Economist magazine.

       Mr Johnson has forged a close relationship with the Ukrainian leader, speaking to him regularly by phone.

       Sam Blewett has more.

       Boris Johnson helping Ukraine more thanks to British public pressure, Zelensky says Ukrainian president says Britain ‘definitely on our side’ and providing better support than other allies

       Alisha Rahaman Sarkar 28 March 2022 06:45

       1648444596

       Schools across the country will be told to provide at least 32.5 hours of teaching a week under a new government plan, education secretary Nadhim Zahawi said.

       The Schools White Paper is scheduled to be published on Monday but the government has not made any new money available to fund the increase in teaching hours.

       Most primary and secondary schools already offer a 32.5-hour week, but Mr Zahawi said there were discrepancies that needed to be abolished by 2023.

       Mr Zahawi has indicated that school teachers will not be receiving a pay rise to keep pace with soaring inflation levels.

       He confirmed the government was sticking with plans for a 3 per cent pay award in 2022-23, followed by another 2 per cent the following year – despite estimates that inflation will hit 10 per cent this year.

       Alisha Rahaman Sarkar 28 March 2022 06:16

       1648443179 Labour calls Sunak ‘Mr Tax’

       Labour branded chancellor Rishi Sunak “Mr Tax” and accused him of “acting in his own interest” rather than those of Britons.

       Shadow work and pensions secretary Jon Ashworth gave the nickname to Mr Sunak while warning that pensioners have been “cutting back on hot meals” and “forgoing hot showers” as they cannot afford the cost.

       “Rishi Sunak absolutely had more room for manoeuvre in this spring statement and mini-budget, but rather than acting in the interests of the British people, he was playing games,” Mr Ashworth told Sky News.

       He added: “I don’t believe that putting 1.3 million people into poverty because you’re imposing a very severe real-terms cut to universal credit, you’re imposing the biggest cut to the pension in 50 years, is fair”.

       Richard Wheeler reports.

       Rishi Sunak ‘considering further help on bills’ as cost of living fears grow No 10 said to be ‘panicking’ about rising food and energy bills ahead of May elections

       Alisha Rahaman Sarkar 28 March 2022 05:52

       1648442528 PM to hold talks over tackling energy crisis

       Prime minister Boris Johnson will hold talks with senior Cabinet members in a bid to resolve disagreement on ways to boost UK’s energy security amid rising bills.

       The cabinet has been spit since chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Spring Statement, which faced heavy criticism for failing to address the cost of living crisis.

       Mr Sunak now faces pressure from Downing Street to sanction spending on new nuclear power and renewables projects, The Guardian reported.

       Alisha Rahaman Sarkar 28 March 2022 05:42

       1648442326 Tory leader accuses Sunak of ‘making economy worse’

       Senior Conservative MP David Davis has accused chancellor Rishi Sunak of “making things worse” for the British economy.

       He said Mr Sunak and his Treasury team had “no strategy” to deal with the mounting cost of living crisis following the chancellor’s heavily-criticised Spring Statement.

       “What you’re seeing is a Spring Statement driven by headlines. My view of the Treasury’s economic strategy is that there isn’t one,” Mr Davis told LBC on Sunday.

       Adam Forrest has more.

       Rishi Sunak ‘making economy worse’, says senior Tory David Davis Treasury has ‘no strategy’, says David Davis – amid new fears poorest will miss out on council tax rebate

       Alisha Rahaman Sarkar 28 March 2022 05:38

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       Alisha Rahaman Sarkar 28 March 2022 04:43