2025: Week 44 - Remembrance
“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.”
Poignant words from Laurence Binyon, from his poem For the Fallen. We are reminded of these words every November, during the remembrance services that take place across the country, and also the two minute silences where we spend a short time honouring those who gave their lives in service to our country.
I was proud to take part in two wreath laying services this year, in Newton Abbot and Dawlish, and I was humbled by the amount of people that attended these events, despite the rather inclement weather. It is heartening to know that in these often troubled times, communities can still come together when it is important, to show their respect for their fellow man.
This last week we were told that the latest ONS figures have shown unemployment has risen from 4.8% to 5%, the highest level in four years.
Surely the writing is on the wall now for the Chancellor’s jobs tax. Everyone except Rachel Reeves seems to have woken up to the fact that forcing small businesses to pay more in tax for giving people jobs would damage opportunities. Now the proof is staring her in the face. The Government must reverse their damaging National Insurance hike at the Budget, and commit to saving the small businesses who employ millions in Britain and are at risk of collapse, if they’re to have any hope of reversing today's concerning trend.
Additionally, GDP growth has slowed more than expected to 0.1%. This is a damning incitement of the Government’s disastrous decisions, from the above mentioned jobs tax, to business rates bills.
The Chancellor should take up the Lib Dem plans for an emergency package to save our high streets, put money back in the pockets of families and finally fix our broken relationship with Europe to bring in Billions for our public services.
It has been reported by the Financial Times that the Chancellor has decided against Income Tax rises in the forthcoming budget. If true, it is yet another example of an 11th hour U-turn, proving once again that the Ministers in charge are far removed from their backbench MPs, party members and the British public too. One of the key points in Labour’s manifesto was that they would not raise taxes for working people, and if this Government is to retain any credibility, they need to stick to that promise now. If the Chancellor is really serious about putting ordinary people first, she needs to look to raising revenue from windfall taxes from companies who post billions in profits, and ensure that the wealthiest in society pay their fair share.