Politics tamfitronics
Tens of millions could pay more if Vodafone-Three merger goes ahead, CMA warns
Tens of millions of mobile phone users could end up paying more if the merger between Vodafone and Three goes ahead, the competition watchdog has warned.
The deal would create the UK’s biggest mobile network and could also improve network quality, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said.
The proposed £15bn merger, announced last year, would bring 27 million customers together under a single provider.
But claims of providing a faster 5G network are “overstated”the CMA added, and the new combined network would not “necessarily have the incentive” to follow through on its investment and improvement plan.
Customers may have to pay more for services they don’t value, the regulator also said.
Esther Rantzen pleas with PM to allow time for debate on assisted dying
Dame Esther Rantzen has made direct a plea to Prime Minister Keir Starmer to remember a conversation the pair had about allowing time for a debate in parliament on assisted dying.
She said the issue “really is a matter of life and death”.
Dame Esther told Sky News: “He did say to me, rather sweetly – I had a phone call conversation with him – that he hoped I’d be alive to see the debate. So, I just want to remind him, just gently, you know, nothing bossy, just quietly.
“Dear Sir Keir, whom I’ve met and have worked with, could you possibly recall your kind words to me and make it come true?”
Without a change in the law, the broadcaster said she and others who are terminally ill could face “a bad death” or their families could face police questioning should she decide to go to Dignitas.
She said: “What we’re hoping for is proper time to discuss the issues, have the free vote and change this cruel law.
“I call it cruel, because not only at the moment does it mean that I’ve got to have a bad death, if that’s what the cancer creates for me, but my family can’t be with me if I decide to go to Dignitas.
“Because otherwise they are liable to being accused of killing me and they get investigated by the police, so that’s just messy and wrong and not what we want.
“So, please Sir Keir, remember our conversation and let’s make time for this. It really is a matter of life and death.”
Electoral Dysfunction: Is this the end of MPs presenting TV shows?
With the winter fuel allowance vote passing in the House of Commons, Beth, Harriet and Ruth discuss the row and government’s approach to dealing with the unpopular policy.
They also look at MPs who have second jobs presenting TV shows (or podcasts) and what sort of extra work or broadcast appearances they should, or shouldn’t, be paid for.
Plus, with both Harriet and Ruth now in the House of Lords, they discuss how the unelected chamber could be modernised, and if it should even exist.
👉Click here to follow Electoral Dysfunction wherever you get your podcasts👈
For more information on dates and tickets for our tour, go to: www.aegpresents.co.uk/event/electoral-dysfunction-live/
Email us at [email protected], post on X to @BethRigby, or send a WhatsApp voice note on 07934 200 444.
Gove reveals how Sunak unveiled election plans – and which Tory he compares to Stormzy
Tory grandee Michael Gove said he had to “smile” and “hope for the best” when Rishi Sunak revealed his decision to call the general election.
Speaking on stage in London at the first live show of Sky News’ Electoral Dysfunction tour, the former cabinet minister described how he was called into the then prime minister’s office half an hour before the full cabinet to be told the news.
But despite his own reservations, only defence secretary Grant Shapps told Mr Sunak: “I don’t think this is a good idea.”
Telling the story to Sky News’ political editor Beth Rigby, Labour peer Harriet Harman and Conservative peer Ruth Davidson, Mr Gove said: “There were mounting rumours the day before, various meetings had been cancelled.
“I couldn’t quite believe it would be because we were going to call a general election. There were suggestions that there might be another reshuffle.”
Prison population drops by more than 2,000 in one week after start of plan to tackle overcrowding
The prison population in England and Wales has fallen by more than 2,000 people in just one week, after the start of a government plan to reduce overcrowding.
A temporary early release scheme came into effect on Tuesday 10 September, which sees around 1,750 prisoners released after serving 40 per cent of their sentence, rather than the usual 50 per cent.
Tuesday’s cohort of early leavers were those serving sentences of less than five years.
On 22 October it will be the turn of those with sentences of five years or more – but the government insists it won’t apply to most serious offenders such as killers, rapists and terrorists.
Last Friday, the prison population was 88, 521.
But today the figure has fallen by 2,188, to 86,333.
‘Not too late’ for ministers to ‘change course’ on winter fuel payments, say Lib Dems
It is “unthinkable” that the government did not carry out an impact assessment on means testing the winter fuel payment, the Liberal Democrats have said.
Last night, Sir Keir Starmer confirmed there was no impact assessment into the change, which would strip millions of pensioners of the benefit.
The prime minister and Chancellor Rachel Reeves decided to means-test the payments, worth up to £300, to help fill a £22bn “black hole” in the public finances.
Pressed on whether an impact assessment would be published, Sir Keir told reporters travelling with him to Washington DC: “There isn’t a report on my desk which somehow we’re not showing, that I’m not showing, as simple as that.”
The Liberal Democrats have condemned this decision, describing it as “unthinkable”.
Wendy Chamberlain, the party’s work and pensions spokeswoman, said: “We know this will have massive knock-on effects for pensioners and potentially our NHS this winter as people are forced to choose between heating and eating.
“It’s not too late for ministers to change course.
” Liberal Democrats are calling on the government to tax the big banks rather than punish pensioners to make up for the years of Conservative Party failure.”
‘Reform or die’: Can technology save the NHS?
Sir Keir Starmer has said the NHS must “reform or die” following Lord Darzi’s damning report, which paints a grim picture of the state of the health service.
On the Sky News Daily, Niall Paterson speaks to health correspondent Ashish Joshi about what the prime minister has promised to do to save it.
Among the promises is moving from an “analogue to a digital NHS”. Niall speaks to medical tech entrepreneur Dr Ben Maruthappu about how the NHS can better use technology and AI to become more efficient and future-proof.
👉Tap here to follow the Sky News Daily podcast – 20 minutes on the biggest stories every day👈
Which taxes could increase in the budget?
The prime minister has warned of a “painful” budget in October.
Tax rises will feature, but with the chancellor having ruled out raising income tax, national insurance, and VAT – what could be set for a hike?
Inheritance tax
One of the taxes most likely to be hiked – the threshold could be lowered from £325,000 when someone dies, or people could pay more than 40% on some inheritances.
A leaked recording of Treasury minister Darren Jones, from before he was in government, suggested he favours such a change.
Capital gains tax
This levy is imposed on the profit of a sale of assets.
The government could reduce the minimum limit, or raise the percentage of tax levied – with some calling for it to be set in line with income tax.
Council tax
There is speculation council tax is viewed as “out of date”.
While Labour said before the election it would not change the banding of council tax, there may be other updates on the table.
Business rates
This tax is what businesses pay instead of council tax on their properties.
The calculations for how much people pay could be updated to reflect a more current situation with property prices.
Stamp duty
A tax paid on properties over £250,000, which increases for second homes.
Changing this could increase the volume of transactions and raise more money.
Alix Culbertson, political reportergoes into more detail on the topic of taxes in the piece below:
Analysis: Naked politics as Starmer tries to calm NHS expectations
By Sam Coates, deputy political editor
Thursday’s major report by peer and NHS surgeon Lord Darzi on the NHS aims to perform three very clear political tasks.
The first is to set expectations that the NHS will not be fixed by the time of the next election by talking about a 10-year, two-parliament programme for change.
The second is to prepare the ground for more money to go into the NHS – something Sir Keir Starmer appeared to explicitly signal today.
The third is to change the way we think about what’s needed for the NHS.
This means moving away from the way the Tories’ talk about NHS reform – stop focusing on new hospitals as a goal in of themselves and framing social care reform as a means of freeing up NHS beds rather than protecting middle-class wealth, for instance.
Yesterday,we did not learn the shape of a reborn NHS. Instead, we were treated to some naked politics by a prime minister trying to condition and calm expectations.
Read Sam’s full analysis here:
Sharp dip in public backing for PM and chancellor, poll shows
Public favourability for both Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves has fallen sharply, according to a poll.
As the government faces criticism for withdrawing winter fuel payments from all but the poorest pensioners, research this month found 32% of people viewed the prime minister favourably, a six-percentage point drop since August.
Those who view Sir Keir unfavourably increased by eight points to 46% over the same period, leaving a net score of minus 14 compared with a net score of zero last month.
The percentage who view Sir Keir unfavourably matches the highest level of negativity previously recorded for him by Ipsos following the Hartlepool by-election in 2021, which the Conservatives won from Labour with a swing of almost 16%.
The chancellor, who has warned of difficult choices ahead of the budget on 30 October, has seen her favourability fall by four points to 23%, at a time her unfavourability has risen by nine points to 44%.
This resulted in a net score of minus 21 in September compared with a score of minus eight in August.
The proportion of people who view the Labour Party favourably has fallen by four points to 36%, while unfavourability has increased by eight points to 45%.
However, despite some internal party concerns over the winter fuel allowance squeeze, positivity towards the prime minister and his party among Labour voters remains unchanged this month at 69%.
