Sunak faces calls from Wales for cost of living support

Jump to contentSign up to our newslettersSubscribeNewsSportsVoicesCultureLifestyleTravelPremiumCloseRelated: Matt Hancock sings Ed Sheeran on I’m a CelebrityRishi Sunak is set to face a fresh wave of pressure to provide more help during the winter period to people struggling due to the cost-of-living crisis.Welsh first minister Mark Drakeford will use the British-Irish Council summit on Thursday to reinstate ‘constructive dialogue with the prime minister’ following a breakdown in communication between the two countries under former premier Liz Truss.A Welsh government spokesperson said: ‘The first minister will raise the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis and the additional actions that are required to help people deal with the very difficult challenges over the winter period.’It comes after Sir Iain Duncan Smith warned of a swell of ‘deep concern’ within the Conservative party ranks if Rishi Sunak announces tax rises in next week’s Autumn Budget.The former Tory leader told Sky News that it is now ‘pretty clear’ there will be a reccession in Britain, but cautioned ministers that should they ‘try and hammer us too hard with tax rises, they will actually drive us deeper into recession’ – simultaneously hurting the party’s chances at the next general election.1668081211Rishi Sunak is set to face a fresh wave of pressure to provide more help during the winter period to people struggling due to the cost-of-living crisis.Mark Drakeford will use the British-Irish Council summit on Thursday to reinstate ‘constructive dialogue with the prime minister’ following a breakdown in communication between the two countries under Liz Truss.A Welsh government spokesperson said: ‘The first minister will discuss a range of issues with the Prime Minister later this afternoon.’In particular, the first minister will raise the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis and the additional actions that are required to help people deal with the very difficult challenges over the winter period.’The first minister also welcomes the return of constructive dialogue with the Prime Minister.’Emily Atkinson10 November 2022 11:531668079558The boss of retail giant Next has called on the Government to let more foreign workers into the UK as he warned Brexit immigration policies were hurting the economy.Lord Simon Wolfson, who was a prominent Brexit supporter, told the BBC that it was ‘not the Brexit that I wanted’ given the immigration clampdown that has compounded worker shortages in Britain.He said: ‘We have got people queuing up to come to this country to pick crops that are rotting in fields, to work in warehouses that otherwise wouldn’t be operable, and we’re not letting them in.’And we have to take a different approach to economically productive migration.’Lord Simon Wolfson, who was a prominent Brexit supporter, has suggested firms could pay a tax to employ foreign staff.Emily Atkinson10 November 2022 11:251668078178Matt Hancock is seen trapped inside a cage partially submerged underwater water as he dives down to collect stars in his latest I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! trial.The former health secretary, who was seen on screen for the first time in the ITV show on Wednesday night, was voted to do Thursday’s Tentacles of Terror Bushtucker Trial.In a preview of the challenge, the 44-year-old hunts for stars to earn meals for the camp while avoiding the pincers of small crayfish.Hosts Declan Donnelly and Ant McPartlin watch as Hancock tackles the trial, with Donnelly commenting: ‘You’ve got to hold your breath for a long time…’He later adds: ‘Good going this, down we go again, your air hole gets smaller…’, to which McPartlin quips: ‘What did you call him?’ and Donnelly replies jokingly: ‘Air hole…’Matt Hancock tackles ‘terrifying’ underwater task in second bushtucker trialEmily Atkinson10 November 2022 11:021668076852Emily Atkinson10 November 2022 10:401668075935The Northern Ireland secretary has joked that he might vote to see Matt Hancock face bushtucker trials on Im a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! on the basis of his singing.Charlie Heaton-Harris was played an audio clip from the show during an appearance on LBC in which Mr Hancock can be heard singing an extract from Ed Sheeran’s ‘Perfect’.Asked if the former health secretary had ever sung to him, Mr Heaton-Harris replied: ‘Not like that. Crikey. That deserves a vote doesn’t it. Blimey.’Emily Atkinson10 November 2022 10:251668074452A Conservative promise to ‘fix’ Britain’s broken social care system by imposing a cap on costs has been thrown into doubt, with Rishi Sunak preparing to announce a major delay.Boris Johnson’s flagship policy on social care will reportedly not be introduced before 2025 in a move expected to save at least £1bn a year.It means the prime minister and his chancellor Jeremy Hunt will not have to feature the cap in next week’s autumn Budget – pushing the issue back until the next spending review.PM said to have asked for ‘indefinite’ delay to flagship Tory pledgeEmily Atkinson10 November 2022 10:001668073192Matt Hancock has ‘dragged dyslexia into realms of failure’ by going on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, a Labour shadow minister has said.Asked if he thinks the former health secretary’s time on the show will make a difference to those with dyslexia, Peter Kyle replied: ‘No, no I don’t.’I think everybody knows it’s not credible to say he’s going into the jungle to talk about dyslexia.’The shadow Northern Ireland secretary explained that, as someone with dyslexia himself, it’s ‘hurtful’ that Mr Hancock is claiming he’s joined the ITV reality show to draw attention to the learning difficulty.’I want dyslexia to be associated with success,’ he said. ‘Because those of us who have overcome the barriers dyslexia, or severe dyslexia, puts in our way, I think we can point to attributes that we have gained from that experience – that actually help us in life.’But, once again, Matt Hancock has just dragged dyslexia into realms of failure,’ Mr Kyle said.’He’s there because he failed as a politician elsewhere. We know why he’s there. It hurts me that dyslexia is being attached to failure again.’Mr Kyle said he, along with others who have dyslexia, want to ‘switch the debate’ to focus on the positives and the ‘pathways to success’ it can open up.’But, unfortunately, Matt Hancock has dragged it into the gutter,’ he said.Emily Atkinson10 November 2022 09:391668072044Sir Iain Duncan Smith has warned of a swell of ‘deep concern’ within the Conservative party ranks if Rishi Sunak announces tax rises in next week’s Autumn Budget.The former Tory leader told Sky News that it is now ‘pretty clear’ there will be a reccession in Britain, but cautioned ministers that should they ‘try and hammer us too hard with tax rises, they will actually drive us deeper into recession’ – simultaneously hurting the party’s chances at the next general election.’It will be deep concern if we go over the top on tax rises because, as I say, it is absolutely a fact of life that tax rises will make the recession deeper,’ Sir Iain said.’It wont go down particularly well because many people and economists too think it will be a [problematic] decision to make. I think he has got to focus on finding the spending [cuts].’Emily Atkinson10 November 2022 09:201668070912Rishi Sunak has been warned that public services need an additional £43bn a year simply to ‘stand still’, as his government prepares to make swingeing cuts in a bid to balance the books.The Trades Union Congress (TUC) said the prime minister must ‘protect’ frontline services and workers’ pay from the impact inflation and Liz Truss’s disastrous mini-Budget.TUC and New Economics Foundation research shows an extra £43bn a year will be needed by 2024-25 so spending on public services stays at the level set out in last year’s spending review.Frontline services ‘short-staffed and overwhelmed’, say TUC Emily Atkinson10 November 2022 09:011668070252Welcome to the jungle, Matt Hancock, and welcome the rest of the nation to quite possibly the greatest primetime weeknight TV viewing of our sad little livesEmily Atkinson10 November 2022 08:50Registration is a free and easy way to support our truly independent journalismBy registering, you will also enjoy limited access to Premium articles, exclusive newsletters, commenting, and virtual events with our leading journalistsAlready have an account? sign inRegistration is a free and easy way to support our truly independent journalismBy registering, you will also enjoy limited access to Premium articles, exclusive newsletters, commenting, and virtual events with our leading journalistsAlready have an account? sign inPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in