People 'will not face higher taxes on their payslips after budget'

People will not face higher taxes on their payslips after the budget, a cabinet minister said, as she refused to be drawn on what measures could be in the £40bn revenue raiser.

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Compensation considered for thousands of Britons 'left disabled' by AstraZeneca Covid jabs

Thousands of Britons who say they have been left disabled by AstraZeneca's Covid jabs could be in line for compensation under a potential Labour plan.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting is currently lining up a bespoke scheme for those affected by life-changing conditions after receiving the vaccine - similar to one already in place for victims of the infected blood scandal.

The plans, unearthed by The Telegraph, follow concerns that the existing Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) is struggling under the weight of a mountain of claims from those suffering the side effects of Covid vaccines.

Campaigners have said that VDPS - originally set up in 1979 - is no longer fit for purpose.

Meanwhile, officials at the Department of Health and Social Care are understood to weighing up reforms or a complete overhaul of the VDPS.

Just last month, Streeting and Andrew Gwynne, a health minister, met with campaigners from Vaccine Bereaved and Injured UK (Vibuk) to discuss their concerns about the existing compensation scheme.

A number of the families represented by Vibuk are involved in legal action against AstraZeneca - which earlier this year admitted in court documents that its Covid vaccines can, "in very rare cases" cause a side effect.

The UK-Swedish pharmaceutical firm is being sued in a class action over claims that the vaccine, developed with Oxford University, led to dozens of cases of death and serious injury.

Shadow Attorney General Sir Jeremy Wright was also at the meeting with Streeting and Vibuk last month - and is said to have another follow-up meeting with the Health Secretary scheduled in the coming weeks.

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"The two options are reforming the VDPS and also setting up a bespoke compensation scheme," Wright said. "But it is not an option for the Government to put its head in the sand and do nothing."

He added: "If you are in the very small minority of those injured [by the Covid vaccine], those people have a right to expect the state to look after them properly - they were only doing what the state asked them to do."

More than 15,000 people have applied for VDPS compensation for alleged harm caused by Covid vaccines, latest official figures say.

But of the existing 15,804 claims, only 188 have been told they are entitled to payouts.

The figures, disclosed by the Government after a number of freedom of information requests, show that the vast majority of successful claims relate to the AstraZeneca vaccine - while fewer than five concern Pfizer's and Moderna's.

Britons have already been paid out for conditions as severe as heart attacks, strokes and facial paralysis - but campaigners have hit back, arguing that VDPS does not adequately compensate those who have been left unable to work after suffering severe side effects from Covid vaccines.

Charlet Crichton, founder of Covid vaccine side effect support charity UKCVFamily, said: "We are optimistic that the new Government is supporting their vaccine injured and bereaved constituents and we hope that the scheme will be reformed.

"We are calling for a complete overhaul of the scheme. There are too many things wrong with the current scheme for it to be viable."

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: "Our deepest sympathies are with those who have suffered harm.

"The Secretary of State has met with the families to listen to their concerns and agreed that the Government will look closely at these as we continue to learn and apply the lessons of the pandemic."

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Trump hits out at 'stupid women' after admitting major 'mistake' in Joe Rogan interview

Donald Trump has hit out at "stupid women" in a rip-roaring interview just days before his potential return to the White House.

In a landmark appearance on the world's number one podcast, the Joe Rogan Experience, the Republican presidential hopeful ripped into his detractors - and even admitted to making "big mistakes" in his previous term in office.

On Friday, Trump told Rogan that his biggest mistake in his tenure as Commander-in-Chief was hiring "disloyal people" - just days after his ex-chief of staff John Kelly claimed he was a "fascist".

Rogan then probed Trump on whether he had made "bad choices" when he assembled his cabinet.

"The biggest mistake I made," Trump admitted, was that "I picked some people that I shouldn't have picked".

Then, in true Trump fashion, the potential next President accused political commentators and media outlets of misrepresenting his words on the campaign trail.

In the three-hour sit-down chat, he appeared to single out US broadcaster MSNBC's Joy Reid and others.

"Some of these women... they're so stupid," he said.

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Trump is looking to repeat an historic feat on November 5 when months of narrow, nerve-wracking politicking finally come to a head.

If he wins the White House, he will become only the second President in history to serve two non-consecutive terms in office - after Grover Cleveland, who did the same between 1893-1897 and 1885-1889.

Though polls are still narrow, Trump appears to have been turning the heads of America's youth by gracing the "Gen-Z"-focused media world with his presence.

And insiders have revealed the unexpected strategist behind his podcasting ventures: his 18-year-old son, Barron.

Top Trump adviser Jason Miller told Politico that Barron's recommendations have been "absolutely ratings gold".

Miller said: "Barron has been very involved in selecting or recommending, I should say, a number of the podcasts that we should do.

"I got to tell you, hats off to the young man. Every single recommendation he's had has turned out to be absolute ratings gold that's broken the internet. He's done a great job."

Back offline, Trump laid into Kamala Harris on the campaign trail on Saturday.

He told followers in Michigan that there is "something wrong" with his Democratic opponent Kamala Harris - who sits a meagre 1.4 points ahead of Trump in national polling averages.

He said: "You do know she's doing really badly, right? She can't speak. There's something wrong with her. We went through four years of that... We can't go through four more!"

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Farage offers Remembrance 'lifeline' ​after parade 'cancelled' over insurance issue

Clacton MP Nigel Farage has offered Walton-on-the-Naze's Remembrance Sunday parade a lifeline after stepping in to assist the local Royal British Legion after it cancelled plans over insurance issues.

Farage, who romped to victory in the Essex seaside seat on July 4, offered to cover the costs of organising the event after the charity announced it was pulling the parade.

The 60-year-old Brexit supremo is a known history lover - and previously paid his respects to Walton-on-the-Naze's own First World War Private Herbert Columbine.

Columbine was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross at the age of 24 after single-handedly holding off a German onslaught at Hervilly Wood with a Vickers gun to ensure that two fellow Machine Gun Corps soldiers could escape unscathed.

But this year, Walton-on-the-Naze's Royal British Legion had announced it was cancelling its parade due to a change in insurance circumstances.

Neil Hayes, of Walton Royal British Legion, said: "Due to circumstances beyond our control, there will be no Remembrance Sunday parade this year, due to changes in insurance regarding parades.

"This decision has not been taken lightly, but for everyone’s safety was deemed necessary.

"Plans are already being looked into to bring the parade back next year."

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Hayes added: "This does no detract from the main service of remembrance and wreath-laying, which is still going ahead.

"This year we have a representative from His Majesty the King, the Vice Lord Lieutenant of Essex, laying a wreath."

It is not known who is responsible for providing the insurance.

RBL supports members of the Armed Forces and veterans across the country.

The charity organises a number of parades and events across Essex to mark Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday.

Frinton & Walton Town Council said it had no involvement with the town's Remembrance Sunday parades.

Tendring District Council also claimed it was not behind organising the event, although it does assist a similar service in Clacton-on-Sea.

During the 2024 General Election campaign, Farage also visited the Columbine Centre, named after the local hero in the heart of the town.

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Conservatives accused of being 'too left-wing' as Tory councillor sparks fresh gender row with Labour: 'They need to move to the right!'

The Conservative Party has been branded "too left-wing" after a councillor sparked outrage for targeting Labour over a new set of public toilets.

In an exclusive report by GB News, it was revealed that Conservative councillor and "LGBT+ Conservatives" member Ed Pitt Ford hit out at Westminster City Council's plans for new public toilets, accusing them of not consulting the "non-cisgendered" community.

Taking to social media, Pitt Ford stated: "I recently discovered that Labour-led Westminster City Council didn't consult the trans and non-binary communities for the refurbishment plans for flagship public toilets at Piccadilly Circus, Embankment and Green Park.

"I urge them to consult non-cisgendered people going forward."

Reacting to the row, Fiona McAnena, director of campaigns at human rights charity Sex Matters, told GB News: "When a politician starts talking about non-cisgendered people and non-binary communities, I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

"It's virtue-signalling nonsense, and many people will have no idea what he's talking about."

Debating the councillor's outburst on GB News, political commentator Chloe Dobbs told host Mark Dolan that the Tories are "too left-wing", and is the reason why they lost millions of votes at this year's General Election.

Dobbs explained: "The Tory party is too left wing, it has been infiltrated by the wet. I can't believe that we have some people claiming that the Tories lost the election because they were too right wing when obviously they were way too left-wing.

"They need to move to they need to move to the right. And the idea in Westminster of where the centre is, is very different to normal members of the public."

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Hitting out at the Tories further, Dobbs added: "A normal member of the public who thinks that maybe we shouldn't have unfettered immigration, that's a pretty normal view, that should be in the centre.

"But according to Westminster, that's on the far-right."

Offering her view on Pitt Ford's row with Labour, commentator Liz Kershaw told GB News: "Have they not woken up yet to the fact that that's why they lost so many seats?

"That's why they lost the general election, because people just didn't like what was on offer.

"They want people who will stand up and show strength and sort out the issues that bother people most.

"They don't want people telling you, like Michael Gove, whether or not you can have a wood burner in the Cotswolds."

GB News has approached Westminster City Council and Ed Pitt Ford for comment.

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Keir Starmer tipped to be 'most divisive Prime Minister ever' with Labour 'class war': 'Utterly tin-eared!'

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer could become the "most divisive" in history following his latest "tin-eared" comments ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves's looming Budget announcement.

Speaking at the Commonwealth leaders' summit, Starmer was asked whether those who work but receive "additional income" from assets such as shares and property are regarded as "working people".

Starmer claimed that he views the working person as someone who "goes out and earns their living, usually paid in a sort of monthly cheque", and someone who can't "write a cheque to get out of difficulties".

The Prime Minister added that those who earn additional income from assets do "not come within his definition" of the working Briton.

However, Starmer's spokesman made clear after his remarks were made that he believes those with a "small amount of savings" do fit his defnition.

Reacting to the comments and the latest Labour backlash, Lord Daniel Moylan told GB News that Starmer is "utterly tin-eared" in his remarks, and is heading to become the "most divisive Prime Minister in history".

Moylan fumed: "Anybody who doesn't fit into his category of working people can expect to pay more tax starting next week. And so it really matters what he means by working people - and he can't define it, he can't express it.

"What he seems to be saying is that if you are somebody who has worked hard all your life, and in the course of that, you have saved money, you have made provision for the future so that if there is a crisis you might be able to write a check for it, then you are in scope of higher taxes."

Hitting out at Labour's decision to scrap the Winter Fuel Payment for millions of pensioners, Moylan added that Starmer has "already shown he can't stand pensioners", and could now be "the most divisive Prime Minister in history".

Weighing in on Starmer's remarks, host Emily Carver claimed that Labour should be "encouraging people to do the right thing" by saving money, not taxing them on it.

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Emily explained: "Governments should want people to do the right thing. Invest in their future, put money away, maybe invest in assets. It's sensible things to do to prepare themselves for the future.

"It does feel like Sir Keir Starmer is trying to draw this horrible divide between what he perceives to be the haves and the haves not. Why doesn't he just talk about taxing the super wealthy and the super rich? He's not. He's talking about anyone who can write a check."

Offering a defence for the Prime Minister, former Labour MP Steve McCabe argued that Starmer is "trying to identify a group of people who need to be protected from tax rises".

He added: "Anyone who's worked hard and put a bit away for a rainy day - you tell me the tax that's going to catch that person."

Hitting back at McCabe, Moylan responded: "Well, they already pay income tax and they'd be paying higher income tax on that, that's the first thing. Those who put them have put their money into ISAs are allowed to keep that tax free - but for how long will that continue?

"All these people are hard working people who are striving to save, you're killing the instinct to save and look after yourself, that's what Starmer is doing."

In disagreement with Moylan, McCabe concluded: "There isn't a group available that Daniel and co haven't tried to say are going to be hit by this Budget.

"The only thing they won't admit to is the fact that the Budget is going to have to increase tax because of the mess left behind by the Tories."

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Labour 'U-turns on pub garden smoking ban' as Starmer fears move would be death sentence for businesses

Labour has reportedly U-turned on a proposed ban on smoking in pub gardens, as Sir Keir Starmer worries that the move could be a death sentence for businesses.

Instead, cigarettes will only be prohibited outside of hospitals and schools, with pub gardens, outside stadiums and outdoor restaurants being spared from the ban.

Starmer had previously defended the move, claiming that banning smoking in outdoor areas will “reduce the burden” on the NHS and taxpayers.

However, following a furious backlash from Britons, the proposed ban is set to be dropped, The Sun has revealed.

A recent impact assessment found that banning smoking outdoors could cost jobs and force even more pubs to close, the publication reports.

Reacting to the proposed ban on GB News in August, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage criticised the proposals and claimed it will spell the "end of British pubs" as we know them.

"I will probably never go to a pub again," he told the People's Channel.

Wes Steeting, the Health Secretary, has called for a “national debate” on prohibiting smoking.

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A 2020 government press release made explicitly clear that banning outdoor smoking in bars would be a hammer blow.

It said: “Since the existing ban was introduced, businesses have invested heavily in outdoor areas. Banning outdoor smoking would lead to significant closures and job losses."

It comes after top doctors have called for legislation aimed at tackling youth vaping to include a total ban on disposable e-cigarettes and all flavours apart from tobacco.

The British Medical Association (BMA) urged ministers to “take bold and brave actions” to protect the health of children and young people amid a “vaping epidemic”.

A ­target exists to make England "smoke-free" by 2030, meaning only five per cent of the population would smoke by then.

Chris Whitty has repeatedly criticised the “utterly unacceptable” practice of marketing vapes to children, accusing companies of behaving in a “shameful way”.

Writing in The Times, he said vaping was "not risk free".

He wrote: "If you smoke, vaping is much safer - if you don't smoke, don't vape."

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