Today’s news summary – Paper Talk
March budget speculation & prince harry court case
Good Morning! Thursday’s front pages look ahead at the March Budget, with a clear divide along political lines on how they speculate on what measures might be included.
Grab your coffee and have a read – we’ve assessed the front page takes on the big stories.
‘Reducing tax breaks for non-doms’
Thursday’s front pages look ahead at the upcoming Budget. The traditional right-leaning papers suggest scrapping or reducing the tax breaks for non-doms is “contentious” and could drive non-doms out of the UK.
The left-leaning papers note the scrapping of non-doms is one of Labour’s key policies and if the government do announce it, it could be a problem for Labour.
The Daily Telegraph, the Times and the Financial Times all lead on the Chancellor, they suggest he is considering scrapping or reducing the tax breaks for non-doms.
The rules allow some wealthy individuals, whose main home is overseas, not to pay tax on foreign earnings. According to the FT, the idea is on a “secret project list” of potential revenue-raising measures.
Creating a huge problem for Labour, according to the Daily Mail, would benefit the Tories, but stresses it may not be announced in the Budget – if it’s not deemed necessary.
The Telegraph offers up its analysis, suggesting axing the status is no “silver bullet” as it may drive some non-doms out of the UK, while others could use offshore trusts.
The Guardian’s website reports that it would be “poaching” one of Labour’s key fiscal policies, making it an option the Times labels “particularly contentious” and the FT notes it as “politically charged.”
The i also leads on the upcoming Budget suggesting it’s unlikely to fix the “unfairness” of the child benefit system.
The Mirror’s lead reports on shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves and a different angle on the upcoming Budget. The paper reports Reeves has said if Labour win the next general election they will inherit the “worst economic challenge” since WW2.
‘MPs safety concerns’
The Sun and the Times editorials both look at concern over the safety of MPs. The Sun protests that guards shouldn’t be needed for politicians, instead, it urges police chiefs to be willing to send in the cops and enforce the law.
The Times backs Rishi Sunak’s calls – saying “This assault on our national life cannot continue.”
Elsewhere, the front pages lead on a variety of other domestic stories.
The Guardian leads on a review of ultra-processed food. The paper highlights the statistic that more than half the average diet in the UK and US now consists of foods that have 32 damaging effects.
The Sun leads on Red Bull F1 boss Christain Horner who has been cleared of sending improper messages to a female employee. The paper says his wife Geri Halliwell is ‘relieved and elated’.
The Express leads on Dame Ester Rantzen’s criticism of the government on the issue of assisted dying.
‘Prince Harry looses security challenge’
Several of the right-leaning papers leave space on their front pages to report on Prince Harry who lost a High Court challenge over his security when he is in the UK.
The Daily Mirror says the decision hits “hope of healing a rift” with King Charles. The Metro leads on the story, calling it a “bombshell ruling” and recounts how his security status was downgraded once he stopped being a working royal. It also reports on assassination threats from al-Qaeda following the release of his memoir Spare – in which he recounted killing 25 Taliban fighters when he was in the British Army.
The Mail asks “What’s going on with the royals?” reporting on Prince William and Princess Kate. William pulled out of his godfather’s memorial service last minute, and Princess Kate hadn’t been seen in public for several weeks, as she receivers from surgery.