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The political stories dominate the news cycle today – online and in print.
Trending – PM’s Rose Garden speech lays the groundwork for tax hike
Wednesday’s trending story across the UK is politics-loaded. The newspapers offer up their assessment of the prime minister’s Downing Street speech. PM Sir Keir Starmer, speaking from the Rose Garden, told the public that the October budget would be “painful” as they need to plug a £22bn “black hole” in public finances.
Starmer’s trip to Europe this week is another top trending political story in the UK as the prime minister said his trip aims to ‘reset’ relations between the EU and UK following Brexit. “We must turn a corner on Brexit and fix the broken relationships left behind by the previous government,” he said.
Basic facts
- PM Keir Starmer says Budget will be “painful”
- He did not detail what measures would be in the Budget but NI, VAT and income tax would not go up
- Govt will withdraw winter fuel payments from 10 million pensioners in England and Wales
- Elsewhere, PM to visit France and Germany to ‘reset’ UK’s relations with EU
The reaction
The papers dig their heels into their political camps and their take on the speech highlights their political biases.
Left-leaning newspapers tend to lead with the prime minister’s plans to reset Britain’s relationship with the EU – but Starmer has stressed it is not a reversal of Brexit. The PM has promised to “turn a corner on Brexit.”
Right-leaning publications have a fairly blunt take on the PM’s speech. They frame the context of the speech as a ‘warning’ and ‘tax alert’ to the middle class.
Related stories
Front Pages
A look at how a handful of the newspapers have covered the prime minister’s speech in the Rose Garden of Downing Street.
Trending on social media
Related searches
- Austerity
- Brexit
- Tories
- Tory
How social media is reacting
There is a wide range of opinions being shared on social media regarding the latest from Downing Street – across Instagram and Twitter/X – the public is not happy with the prime minister saying he’s choosing austerity instead of taxing the wealthy, whilst the middle class is also unhappy believing they are being unfairly targeted.
Pro-Brexiteers are not happy with the prime minister’s trip to Germany and France to ‘rest’ relations whilst remainders are hoping for a more positive relationship with the EU, hoping it’ll improve the UK economy.
Read the Tweets! A look at social media
Budgets are always about political choices
— Gina Miller (@thatginamiller) August 27, 2024
Starmers and Reeves' Painful Autumn Budget is not necessary if they:
– raise corporation tax to 28% (also Harris/Walz proposal)
– impose an additional 1% tax on individual wealth in excess of £10m per annum, raising £11.9bn
– Equalise…
So…a painful autumn budget is not a painful autumn budget… like covid is not covid? I guess that's one way of dealing with stuff
— David Hamilton (@davidhamiltons1) August 28, 2024
"There is a budget coming in October & it's going to be painful"
— Jerry Hicks (@JerryHicksUnite) August 27, 2024
"Those with the broadest shoulders should bear the heavier burden"
Labour's Keir Starmer announces Autumn of pain pic.twitter.com/DeN9PfV5xb#Starmer #OctoberBudget #Labour #Tories #RachelReeves pic.twitter.com/XBzPuNU4xX
A central way @Keir_Starmer can "fix the foundations" is to invest in green economic prosperity.@E3G is calling for @RachelReevesMP to use the Autumn Budget to spur investment in the clean industries of the future, & provide targeted energy bill support.https://t.co/XNyWiEfH8k
— Juliet Phillips (@_JulietPhillips) August 27, 2024
Hmm, didn’t he promise there would be no tax rises? Wait until the Autumn budget , then see if you’re still gullible enough to believe him
— Freddie M (@Freddie1985039) August 28, 2024
What do the political experts say?
Sky’s Beth Rigby: Sir Keir Starmer will need to show progress on his missions amid the bleak picture he has painted
BBC’s Newsnight: Has Starmer signalled austerity 2.0?
The Independent’s David Maddox: Starmer accused of lacking ambition as he launches Brexit reset in Germany
The Sun’s Jack Elsom: LABOUR ‘LIES’ Sir Keir Starmer ‘conning public over size of black hole Tories left in public finances’