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
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Your support makes all the difference.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.”
No powers’ to prosecute P&O, government concedes
The government has said it will not take P&O ferries to court, despite its boss admitting that the firm broke the law over its mass sacking of staff.
A senior official at the the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said there are “no powers to injunct” P&O ferries.
Given the UK’s relatively loose redundancy laws, the workers will need to take the firm to an industrial tribunal themselves.
This comes a day after Boris Johnson said P&O “clearly aren’t going to get away with it”.
‘No powers’ to prosecute P&O despite firm admitting it broke law in sacking 800 staff
It is up to ‘the individuals concerned’ to take the firm to a tribunal, minister tells MPs
P&O Ferries intentionally broke law over mass sackings, CEO admits
The chief executive of P&O Ferries has admitted his firm broke the law by sacking 800 employees without consultation.
Peter Hebblethwaite told MPs on Thursday there was “absolutely no doubt” the company should have spoken to unions first.
My colleague Zoe Tidman has the full story:
P&O chief admits firm intentionally broke law over mass sacking of 800 workers
‘We chose not to consult and we are - and will - compensate everybody in full for that,’ ferry company boss says
People will be worse off despite Sunak’s measures, says IFS
The measures set out by chancellor Rishi Sunak will not be enough to stop people becoming worse off, the head of the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has said.
Speaking the day after the Spring Statement, Paul Johnson said: “It looks like a median earner on around £27,500 a year will be about £360 worse off in the next financial year than in the current year.”
“Someone earning around £40,000 will be getting on for £800 worse off.”
“He had tough decisions to make. Other choices were available,” the IFS boss added.
Rishi Sunak boasts he has ‘whole range of breads’ in his house when quizzed about surging prices
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said his family has a “whole range of breads” at home as he was quizzed on surging bills bringing Britain’s worst fall in living standards since the 1950s.
My colleague Thomas Kingsley reports:
Rishi Sunak boasts he has ‘whole range of breads’ in his house when quizzed on prices
The chancellor has faced backlash following his ‘out of touch’ remarks
Watch: Boris Johnson awkwardly stands alone ahead of Nato family photo
Video shows Boris Johnson standing awkwardly alone ahead of a photo call at today’s Nato summit.
The prime minister meets with other leaders, including US president Joe Biden, to discuss the alliance’s response to the Ukraine war.
Earlier this week he was criticised by leaders in Europe for comparing Brexit to the Ukrainian people’s fight for freedom.
Sturgeon: Ukrainian orphans will find ‘love, care and support’ in Scotland
A group of Ukrainian orphans will find "love, care and support" in Scotland after fleeing the war in their homeland, first minister Nicola Sturgeon has said.
Ms Sturgeon welcomed the 54 children and young people, who have been taken out of Ukraine by the charity, Dnipro Kids.
They arrived in Scotland in the early hours of Thursday morning, after their plane left Poland on Wednesday evening.
It had been hoped to bring the youngsters and their orphanage carers to the UK on Monday, but problems with paperwork meant the journey was delayed.
No 10 announces Queen’s speech will take place on 10 May
No 10 has announced the Queen’s speech — setting out the government’s agenda — will take place on 10 May.
Downing Street said it will set out Mr Johnson’s plans to “grow our economy, cut the cost of living, make our streets safer and clear the Covid backlogs”.’
Mark Spencer, the leader of the Commons, told MPs in a written statement: “As is usual, the current session of Parliament will be prorogued ahead of the Queen’s Speech and this time will be used to enable logistical and security preparations for the State Opening of Parliament.
“The likely date of prorogation will be confirmed in due course.”The event will take place just weeks before four days of celebrations - from June 2-5 - to mark the Queen’s 70 years on the throne.”
Watch: Rishi Sunak denies family profiting from Putin’s regime in awkward interview
Rishi Sunak has denied his family is profiting from Vladimir Putin’s regime in an awkward interview about the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The chancellor was asked about reports of “family links” to Russia, which has been hit by sanctions over the war it is waging in eastern Europe.
Watch more comments from Sunak below:
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