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Boris Johnson news – live: ‘Millions left out’ in mini budget, as Shapps admits fuel prices still ‘crazy high’

Former Labour PM warns ‘this is an emergency’ as parents choose between turning up heating or feeding children amid rising cost of living

'Something has got to be done', says Gordon Brown over cost of living crisis

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Gordon Brown has said the chancellor’s Spring Statement “missed out millions of people facing real hardship”.

The former Labour prime minister warned “the problem is only going to get worse” as he described parents having to choose between paying to turn the heating up or feeding their children amid the rising cost of living.

He told BBC Breakfast: “There was a blank page in his budget statement this week and it missed out millions of people who are facing real hardship.”

His comments came as transport secretary Grant Shapps admitted fuel prices were still “crazy high”.

Speaking about the benefits of electric vehicles on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Shapps said: “For the time being, there is a big advantage in – and particularly with the crazy high fuel prices even after the chancellor’s generosity with the 5p off, we’re still seeing prices of £1.66, £1.70 at the pump during March and we want to see people relieved from the cost of living and going electric is one of the ways that that can start to happen.”

Who is sanctioned ‘stepdaughter’ of Russia foreign minister?

Polina Kovaleva is in her mid-twenties, and said to have master’s degree from a leading London university and experience travelling the world.

But as of today, she has also been sanctioned by the UK Government over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Ms Kovaleva, 26, is the alleged stepdaughter of the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, and is said to own a London property worth in the region of £4 million.

Her assets in the UK will now be frozen, along with the other newly targeted individuals, the Foreign Office said - which means no person or company in the country can do business with her.

A new financial sanctions notice from the Treasury, published on Thursday, gave a Kensington address for her property, which tallies with reports she bought a luxury apartment in the area with no mortgage in 2016, when she was only 21.

MPs and campaigners had previously called for Ms Kovaleva to be sanctioned, according to The Daily Telegraph, as her mother is said to be Mr Lavrov’s alleged mistress.

Amy Gibbons has more details below:

Who is the sanctioned ‘stepdaughter’ of the Russian foreign minister?

Polina Kovalena is the alleged stepdaughter of Sergei Lavrov, and is said to own a London property worth around £4m.

Matt Mathers24 March 2022 15:12

Who is sanctioned ‘stepdaughter’ of Russia foreign minister?

Polina Kovaleva is in her mid-twenties, and said to have master’s degree from a leading London university and experience travelling the world.

But as of today, she has also been sanctioned by the UK Government over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Ms Kovaleva, 26, is the alleged stepdaughter of the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, and is said to own a London property worth in the region of £4 million.

Her assets in the UK will now be frozen, along with the other newly targeted individuals, the Foreign Office said - which means no person or company in the country can do business with her.

A new financial sanctions notice from the Treasury, published on Thursday, gave a Kensington address for her property, which tallies with reports she bought a luxury apartment in the area with no mortgage in 2016, when she was only 21.

MPs and campaigners had previously called for Ms Kovaleva to be sanctioned, according to The Daily Telegraph, as her mother is said to be Mr Lavrov’s alleged mistress.

Amy Gibbons has more details below:

Matt Mathers24 March 2022 15:12

Sunak’s tax cuts will have ‘negligible impact’ on poorest, Tory MP says

Tax cuts announced in Rishi Sunak’s spring statement will have a “negligible impact” on Britain’s poorest families, a Tory MP has warned.

The chancellor slashed fuel duty by 5p and raised the threshold at which workers pay national insurance contributions by £3,000.

But Peter Aldous, the Tory MP for Waveney, said Mr Sunak’s failure to provide a real-terms increase to Universal Credit payments would see those “most exposed” to inflationary pressures hit with a further fall in their spending power, “following a decade of real-terms freezes or cuts.”

“Whilst the measures announced will go​ some way to alleviating the crisis for many families, it is worth putting in context the more negligible impact they will have for the most vulnerable,” he added.

Matt Mathers24 March 2022 15:02

Cut to income tax will come too late, Tory MP warns

A promise by Rishi Sunak to cut income tax by 1p in 2024 will come “too late” for families struggling with the current cost-of-living squeeze, a Conservative MP has warned.

Richard Drax, the Tory MP for South Dorset, welcomed some of the announcements in the chancellor’s spring statement but called on the Treasury to “go further”.

“I welcome the chancellor’s talk of more tax cuts to come, but in my humble opinion, and certainly for my constituents for the reasons I’ve stated, they will come too late,” he said.

Matt Mathers24 March 2022 14:55

Sunak borrows Sainsbury worker’s hatchback for mini-Budget photo-shoot

The car which Rishi Sunak was pictured filling with petrol to highlight his 5p cut to fuel duty last night did not belong to the chancellor, it has emerged.

The photograph, posted on Mr Sunak’s social media feeds at the moment when the cut announced in Wednesday’s spring statement took effect, sparked incredulity among Twitter users.

Our politics editor Andrew Woodcock reports:

Sunak borrows Sainsbury worker’s hatchback for mini-Budget photo-shoot

Picture marked 5p cut in taxes on petrol and diesel in spring statement

Matt Mathers24 March 2022 14:45

Patel meets G7 leaders

Alongside the photograph she tweeted: “Meeting of G7 Interior Ministers today to discuss our response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine - I set out the UK’s humanitarian response and our schemes to welcome Ukrainians to the UK & the various forms of aid we are sending to Ukraine and the region.

“International allies must continue working together to denude (Vladimir) Putin of his ability to wage his barbaric war.

“There must be coordinated and robust enforcement of sanctions and firm action to protect the integrity of international law enforcement tools from Russian abuse.”

The Home Secretary Priti Patel has posted a photograph of herself on Twitter at a meeting with G7 interior ministers to discuss the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Matt Mathers24 March 2022 14:38

Are you doing enough for Ukraine, Johnson asks Nato allies

Boris Johnson is understood to have asked allies at the Nato summit to question whether they have done enough to support Ukraine against the Russian invasion.

According to a UK official, the Prime Minister said: "We all want Putin to come to his senses, put his tanks into reverse.

"He's gonna grind on. Only has forward gears. He's already crossed the red line into barbarism. The heroism of the Ukrainians has fundamentally changed the geopolitics of Europe...”

He added: "People will ask, did we do enough? I don't think we can deny them in their moment of agony. We have the means and they have need."

Matt Mathers24 March 2022 13:52

PM not ‘anti-Russian’, Downing Street says

Downing Street rejected a Kremlin claim that Boris Johnson was "anti-Russian".

The prime minister's official spokesman said Mr Johnson was among the "most active" leaders in opposing Vladimir Putin but had no issue with the Russian people.

"The prime minister is among the most active anti-Putin leaders. We have no issue with the Russian people and in fact we have seen many bravely protest - not least Alexei Navalny - against Putin's regime and call on them to cease this war," the spokesman said.

"But we are among some of the world leaders that have been the most proactive when it comes to taking steps to both defend Ukraine's interests and up pressure on Putin to change course."

The spokesman said there were "very strong defences in this country" in case the UK was targeted by Russia with retaliatory measures.

Matt Mathers24 March 2022 13:30

PM one of ‘most active anti-Putin leaders’, No 10 claims

Downing Street has hit out at suggestions from the Kremlin that Boris Johnson is “anti-Russian”.

Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov called the British prime minister “the most active participant in the race to be anti-Russian.”

No 10 responded by saying: “The prime minister is one of the most active anti-Putin leaders. We have no issue with the Russian people.”

Here are more details from our political editor Andrew Woodcock:

Kremlin accuses Boris Johnson of being ‘most active anti-Russian leader’

Prime minister is ‘anti-Putin’, not anti-Russian, retorts Downing Street

Rory Sullivan24 March 2022 13:10

Government does not rule out further cost-of-living support

Turning back to the cost-of-living crisis, the government has said it could offer more support to households if needed.

The statement follows criticism of Rishi Sunak’s Spring Statement, as the Institute for Fiscal Studies warned that people earning £27,500 a year would still be £360 worse off next financial year.

No 10 said: “We need to keep a close and watchful eye.

“As the chancellor has said before, we are there to support the public when needed, as we have been throughout,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said.

“These are unprecedented times coming after the global pandemic and war in Europe.”

Rory Sullivan24 March 2022 12:58

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