Rishi Sunak pledges to keep child benefit cap if Tories win next election

Rishi Sunak has revealed he will keep the two-child benefit cap if the Conservatives win the next election.

from Political News - International and UK Politics | Sky News https://ift.tt/tRfJHXP

What Liz Truss and Donald Trump have in common | Adam Boulton

Liz Truss has much more in common with Donald Trump than just the first three letters of his surname.

from Political News - International and UK Politics | Sky News https://ift.tt/XW6a2vs

Ulez: Drivers may have to 'pay-per-mile' in order to meet net zero targets

Motorists could face pay-per-mile driving charges under London Mayor Sadiq Khan's plans to hit Net Zero targets, Tories have claimed, despite Khan having "ruled out" the option being enforced during his tenure.

The Mayor has spoken positively about a pay-per-mile system in the past - which could see the end of the Ulez scheme altogether - and though he has shut down suggestions of actually implementing it, Khan has locked horns with Conservative mayoral candidate Susan Hall ahead of London's elections on May 2.

Conservatives have highlighted how the mayor's official transport strategy includes a commitment to "investigate proposals for the next generation of road-user charging", and have said that Khan's 2030 Net Zero targets in the capital are reliant on such measures.

The Mayor proposed the 2030 target in 2020, before enshrining it in his 2021 re-election manifesto.

This year's manifesto, published on Thursday, says: "We have an ambitious target of making London a net zero-carbon city by 2030 - faster than any comparable city".

Khan had previously commissioned research by sustainability consultancy firm Element Energy, which published a report on potential "pathways" to carbon neutrality in January 2022 - which said that "all scenarios would benefit from London-wide road user charging being introduced as early as possible", and described charging as "one of the key early building blocks of any package".

The pathway the Mayor chose - an "accelerated green" pathway - requires "London-wide road-user charging" from the "mid-late 2020s" in order to reach Net Zero.

In a formal response to the report, Khan said: "The scale of reductions required - a 27 per cent reduction in vehicle kilometres according to the 'accelerated green' scenario - is only possible with some form of road user charging.

MORE ULEZ MADNESS:

• Ulez revolt: The county bordering London where 75 PER CENT of fines remain unpaid
  
• Ulez: Drivers plot extreme ways to avoid being caught on Sadiq Khan’s enforcement cameras
  
• Ulez leaves dad with £30,000 of fines just from 'taking children to school'
  

"Such a system could abolish all existing road user charges - such as the Congestion Charge and Ulez (Ultra Low Emission Zone) - and replace them with a simple and fair scheme where drivers pay per mile, with different rates depending on how polluting vehicles are, the level of congestion in the area and access to public transport."

But when questioned by Conservative London Assembly Member Emma Best on pay-per-mile last year, Khan was bullish in shutting down claims he would implement such a system, stating: "I want to be crystal clear. A pay-per-mile scheme is not on the table and not on my agenda. I will not move the goalposts on Ulez emission standards."

Tories have also flagged that Khan’s 2023 book, Breathe, states: "we have plans to introduce a new, more comprehensive, road user charging system."

In response to those claims, Hackney Labour councillor Mete Coban said Breathe was a "personal book... Not the manifesto for London", addiing that "Sadiq has ruled out pay-per-mile for now".

But Susan Hall told the Telegraph there was "no doubt that he will put [pay-per-mile] in", adding: "We've seen all the evidence."

A spokesman for the Mayor said: "Sadiq has repeatedly and categorically ruled out pay-per-mile for as long as he is mayor.

"It will not be introduced in London, despite misleading statements from the Tories saying otherwise.

"The road-user charging scheme was originally proposed by Boris Johnson as Mayor and by Rishi Sunak as Chancellor... Sadiq has repeatedly ruled out any such scheme while he is Mayor."

from GB News https://ift.tt/QePGMOX

US agrees multi-billion-dollar aid package for Ukraine after MONTHS of pleading from Zelensky for help

The US House of Representatives has voted in favour of a multi-billion-dollar military aid package for Ukraine after months of delays.

Lawmakers passed the bill by 311 votes to 112, with the Senate expected to approve the measures over the next few days - while President Joe Biden has already pledged to enshrine it in law.

Despite all 210 House Democrats voting in favour of the $61billion (£49billion) aid package, more Republicans voted against the legislation than for of it, at a split of 112 to 101.

The aid marks a significant boost for the embattled Ukrainian military and their country's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, who has seen his armed forces struggle increasingly against Russian aggression over the last few months.

But commentators have warned that if Republicans gain more power in Congress - or take back the White House - in November's presidential election, Ukraine may face a withdrawal of US support.

Reacting to the news, President Zelensky said: "I am grateful to the United States House of Representatives, both parties, and personally Speaker Mike Johnson for the decision that keeps history on the right track.

"Democracy and freedom will always have global significance and will never fail as long as America helps to protect it.

"The vital US aid bill passed today by the House will keep the war from expanding, save thousands and thousands of lives, and help both of our nations to become stronger.

MORE ON UKRAINE AND THE US:

• Trump's hand-picked RNC chair includes Ukraine alongside China and Iran as US adversaries
  
• 'Putin would have never invaded Ukraine with me': Donald Trump on Russia's war - 'Putin made a fortune on oil'
  
• Putin's oil depots hit by Ukraine kamikaze drones sparking huge explosions
  

"Just peace and security can only be attained through strength. We hope that bills will be supported in the Senate and sent to President Biden’s desk. Thank you, America!"

When it became apparent that the aid package had been passed, supporters in the chamber - who had been pushing for the bill to be passed for months - stood to clap, cheer and wave Ukrainian flags.

Alongside the aid promised to Ukraine, Congress also passed a funding package for Israel which would see the key US ally strengthened by $26billion (£21billion) worth of military and humanitarian assistance.

Taiwan, also under mounting threats from China, is also set to receive further US assistance after the House voted through a $8.2billion (£6.6billion)-valued security package.

Ahead of the measures' passing, a White House statement said: "The world is watching what the Congress does. Passing this legislation would send a powerful message about the strength of American leadership at a pivotal moment."

In total, the bills provide $95billion ($77billion) of aid: $60.84billion (£49billion) to address the conflict in Ukraine, including $23billion (£18.5billion) to replenish US weapons, stocks and facilities; $26billion (£21billion) for Israel, including $9.1billion for humanitarian needs, and $8.12billion (£6.6billion) for Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific.

Republican speaker Johnson, who has seen scathing opposition from within his party to any further assistance to Ukraine, said: "It's not the perfect legislation, it's not the legislation that we would write if Republicans were in charge of both the House, the Senate, and the White House.

"This is the best possible product that we can get under these circumstances to take care of these really important obligations."

from GB News https://ift.tt/KUOtTGe

Mel Stride reacts to Israel's act of aggression in Iran: 'Has a right'

Tory MP Mel Stride speaks out after Israel's act of aggression in Iran, saying the country has a right to defend itself.

WATCH THE CLIP ABOVE

from GB News https://ift.tt/5vTdkNe

Police 'reviewing information' about ex-Tory MP Mark Menzies after alleged misuse of funds

Police say they are reviewing "information" about former Conservative MP Mark Menzies after Labour asked for an investigation into claims he misused party funds.

from Political News - International and UK Politics | Sky News https://ift.tt/JhamknH

Man sets himself on FIRE outside Trump trial in New York leaving onlookers terrified

A person has set themselves on fire outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's hush-money trial has been taking place.

The man was engulfed in flames for more than three minutes before a police officer sprayed a fire extinguisher on the ground.

The person received medical attention and was taken from the area on a stretcher.

Police quickly taped off the scene of the incident as smoke lingered in the air.

One witness said: "I see a totally charred human being."

The courthouse in New York City is already under heightened security given the former President's presence in the courtroom each day.

Police say the man is in a critical condition.

A witness said he first heard the man throwing pamphlets into the air, then saw him douse himself from a can and light himself on fire.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

• Biden staff 'refer to Trump as 'Hitler pig sleepy' sparking huge backlash
• Donald Trump takes PHONE CALL from inside court as trial begins
• Trump arrives at court - 'This is an ASSAULT on America, I'm proud to be here!'

Other people at the scene said the man appeared to be calm before he doused himself with liquid.

The reason for the incident is currently unknown.

A pamphlet which was thrown by the man referred to "evil billionaires" and called on people to "expose this corruption."

The development came shortly after jury selection for the trial was completed, clearing the way for prosecutors and defence attorneys to make opening statements next week.

The 12 jurors, along with six alternates, will consider evidence in a first-ever trial to determine whether a former US President is guilty of breaking the law.

Trump is accused of covering up a $130,000 payment his former lawyer Michael Cohen made to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election to keep quiet about a sexual encounter she says they had a decade earlier.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records and denies any such encounter with Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.

from GB News https://ift.tt/PLSxlGg