The new UK budget announcement has resulted in a decrease in private sector activity. A survey of businesses reveals that they have given a “thumb’s down” to the government’s decision to increase employer National Insurance contributions, leading to a 13-month low. The poor outlook, as reported by the Daily Mail, comes after Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s decision to impose a “damaging tax raid” on businesses. This has resulted in the private sector warning that confidence in the Labor government has been badly affected.
The Financial Times also reports the concerning news that private sector activity has decreased, stating that businesses have accused the government of wrecking UK growth. This, in turn, led to the pound falling to its weakest value against the dollar since May. Social care campaigners have also warned that the budget may be the “final straw” for millions of people, according to the Daily Express. Since rising tax receipts and wages combined could be catastrophic for firms that provide care, an expert has told the paper.
This year, while focusing less on politics, the Daily Telegraph leads with US President-elect Donald Trump’s threats to sanction the International Criminal Court following its recent decision to issue an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu. The paper reports that the Hague-based court has faced significant international backlash over its plans to charge the Israeli prime minister over alleged war crimes in Gaza. Additionally, the I reports that the number of individuals being hospitalised after adverse reactions linked to weight loss injections is “four times higher than previously reported,” with hundreds requiring treatment following purchases of weight loss injections made over social media.
On a more positive note, Princess Kate has invited children who survived the Southport stabbings to her Christmas carol concert, according to the Sun. Furthermore, the Daily Mirror reports that the King is planning a vast tour of Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan, indicating his return to full duties following cancer treatment. The original tour of the subcontinent was cancelled after the Queen’s death in 2022. Finally, the Daily Star criticises the astronomical cost of the King’s coronation to taxpayers that could have been spent on an extra 2,057 nurses
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