Call it a defence levy or even a patriot tax – but Labour is going to have to raise taxes, fast | Gaby Hinsliff
The world has shifted and defence spending has to rise. But time is running out for the government to make a case for it
Five years ago this weekend, life as we knew it was suspended overnight. Though with hindsight it seems amazing that it took Britain so long to lock down in the face of a gathering pandemic, at the time the pace of events felt dizzyingly fast.
It took a still-young government time to realise its manifesto was toast; that it would be forced into decisions either it or the public hated, which would nonetheless beat the alternative. The new chancellor, Rishi Sunak, was visibly reluctant to rip up a budget whose ink was barely dry and instead spend billions paying people not to go to work. Yet ironically, it is furlough for which history may remember him most kindly.
Gaby Hinsliff is a Guardian columnist
Continue reading...
Read more at The Guardian
Topics
-
Merz presses Greens to name their terms for German defence spending rise
‘What more do you want from us?’ asks chancellor-in-waiting as he seeks urgent support for fiscal rule changes. Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting has tried to win over the Greens to his ambitious but ...The Guardian - 5d -
Five Years On, Ghosts of a Pandemic We Didn’t Imagine Still Haunt Us
Time’s passage may have granted the illusion of distance, but we are living in a world that has yet to put the effects of Covid behind it.The New York Times - 3d -
If even Germany is embracing higher spending, why on earth can’t Labour? | William Keegan
Russia has pushed Europe into a quasi-Keynesian approach to the defence budget. Only Britain insists on cutting help to the sick to pay for security. As the president of the US provokes trade and ...The Guardian - 2d -
Merz Challenges Germans to Make a Bold Strategic Shift. Will They Do It?
The likely next chancellor has staked his government on a move to increase military spending. But the window for change is closing fast.The New York Times - 4d -
‘Nothing is off the table’ on EU defence funding, says Ursula von der Leyen
Commission president says ‘something fundamental’ has shifted and democracy and rule of law are under threat. “Nothing is off the table” when it comes to raising money for defence, the head of the ...The Guardian - Mar. 9 -
‘We have ignored lessons’: how Covid continues to affect lives five years later
The ways the pandemic has shaken Guardian readers’ worlds – from new businesses to difficulty socialising. It’s been five years since the Trump administration declared a nationwide emergency ...The Guardian - 5d -
Reflecting on five years since the COVID-19 pandemic changed the world
On this day five years ago, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, shutting down daily life, crippling the economy and reshaping public health. More than 1.1 million ...CBS News - Mar. 11 -
Germany has broken 'shackles' to spend more on defence, Scholz says
Yahoo News - 2h -
These tax errors could delay your refund
We're less than a month out from tax day and if you still haven't filed there are some common mistakes you should try to avoid to make sure you get your refund in a timely fashion. Medora Lee, ...CBS News - 9h
More from The Guardian
-
Vladimir Putin agrees to 30-day halt to attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid
Russian leader refuses to commit to a full month-long truce after high-stakes phone call with Donald Trump. Europe live – latest updates Vladimir Putin has agreed to a limited ceasefire ...The Guardian - 1h -
Netanyahu warns Israel’s renewed Gaza offensive ‘is only the beginning’
Israeli PM says attacks will continue until Hamas is destroyed and hostages freed, as airstrikes kill hundreds. Middle East crisis – live updates The wave of deadly airstrikes that shattered ...The Guardian - 2h -
Nasa-SpaceX landing live: astronauts return to Earth after successful splashdown in Florida
Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore and Suni Williams back on Earth for first time in over nine months, along with Nasa astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. We are really being given ...The Guardian - 11m -
Trump waging ‘sickening’ psychological war, deported Venezuelan’s lawyer says
One detained man’s lawyer says he is gay artist who had fled persecution in his home country, not a gang member. A lawyer for one of the Venezuelan immigrants sent from the US to a notorious mega ...The Guardian - 3h -
‘I am a political prisoner’: Mahmoud Khalil says he’s being targeted for political beliefs
Exclusive: Palestinian activist and green card holder speaks out from Louisiana immigration detention for first time. Never miss global breaking news. Download our free app to keep up with key ...The Guardian - 1h
More in World
-
Nasa-SpaceX landing live: astronauts return to Earth after successful splashdown in Florida
Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore and Suni Williams back on Earth for first time in over nine months, along with Nasa astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. We are really being given ...The Guardian - 11m -
Hungary bans Pride events and plans to use facial recognition to target attenders
Amnesty International describes legislation as ‘full-frontal attack’ on country’s LGBTQ+ population. MPs in Hungary have voted to ban Pride events and allow authorities to use facial recognition ...The Guardian - 31m -
Lammy says Israel international law remarks 'could have been clearer'
Yahoo News - 31m -
Son of Jair Bolsonaro Says He Will Seek Political Asylum in the U.S.
Eduardo Bolsonaro, a son of Brazil’s former president, said he planned to stay in the United States, claiming persecution back home.The New York Times - 47m -
‘I am a political prisoner’: Mahmoud Khalil says he’s being targeted for political beliefs
Exclusive: Palestinian activist and green card holder speaks out from Louisiana immigration detention for first time. Never miss global breaking news. Download our free app to keep up with key ...The Guardian - 1h
