Mr. Karan Rana appointed as Honorary Trade Commissioner for Strengthening India–PNG Trade Relations

Andy Burnham has unveiled plans to introduce a land value tax if he becomes Prime Minister, arguing British land is currently under‑taxed.Launching his campaign in the Makerfield by‑election, Mr Burnham told The Telegraph: “I think land is under‑taxed.” He pointed to large areas of unused land across Greater Manchester, saying there is currently no meaningful charge on plots left idle without development.According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), UK land was valued at £7.1trillion in 2024. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say A levy of 0.5 per cent on that total could raise around £35.5billion a year for the Treasury, while a one per cent charge could generate roughly £71billion.Mr Burnham has previously backed a land value tax, including during his unsuccessful 2010 Labour leadership bid, when he proposed it as a way to abolish stamp duty, which he described as a “tax on the aspirations of young people”.Unlike traditional property taxes, a land value tax is charged on the unimproved value of land rather than buildings constructed on it.Supporters argue it encourages landowners to develop unused plots or sell them to those who will.Mr Burnham did not say whether the levy would replace existing property taxes or operate alongside them.Tax expert Dan Neidle cautioned against presenting a land value tax as a simple way to target wealthy landowners. “The vast majority of people you are going to tax are normal people,” he said.“We already tax land more than any other OECD country.”Mr Neidle stated the policy would only work effectively if used to offset other taxes, suggesting revenue could be used to abolish stamp duty and potentially council tax and business rates.The intervention comes as fellow Labour figure Wes Streeting has proposed aligning capital gains tax rates with income tax rates, which he said could raise £12billion a year.LATEST DEVELOPMENTSRachel Reeves slaps British families with £300 ‘cash grab’ on UK staycations amid heatwaveHMRC tax bills averaging £2,300 set to hit thousands of UK saversMartin Lewis hails new fuel allowance boost as drivers handed ‘really important’ lifeline“I know there’s a great resentment about inheritance tax, so actually just, you know, take that away, perhaps, and look at a care levy,” he said, arguing it could give people “peace of mind while they’re alive”.The idea mirrors proposals he made as health secretary under Gordon Brown between 2009 and 2010, when he advocated a flat 10 per cent estate tax to fund universal free social care.The Conservatives branded it a “death tax” during the 2010 General Election, releasing campaign material featuring a tombstone marked “RIP off” — a message that resonated strongly with older voters.Mr Burnham also backed reforms to council tax, which he described as “highly regressive”, and called for cuts to business rates for hospitality venues funded through expanded tourist levies.Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter

New mileage allowances have marked a major step forward for millions of drivers, with employees set to benefit from the first rise in business mileage rates in 15 years.Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed the tax-free mileage allowance will increase by 10p to 55p per mile for the first 10,000 business miles driven each year.The increase will be backdated to April 2026 and applies to workers using their own cars or vans for business journeys. The mileage allowance had previously been frozen at 45p per mile since 2011 despite soaring fuel prices and higher motoring costs. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Under the HMRC-approved scheme, employers can pay workers mileage expenses tax-free when they use their own vehicles for work-related travel. The allowance does not apply to normal commuting to and from work. The money-saving expert Martin Lewis said the change would make a real difference for workers who rely on their vehicles every day. Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Mr Lewis described the increase as one of the most important announcements in the Government’s latest cost-of-living package. He said: “The big one that I think is going to be undercovered but is actually really important is the increase in the mileage allowance for people who drive as part of their work.”Mr Lewis explained many workers, including carers travelling between homes, use their own vehicles throughout the day and face significant running costs. He added: “If you drive your own car as part of your work, this mileage allowance is the amount that your employer can give you to cover your costs, and you don’t pay tax and National Insurance on it. So moving that from 45p to 55p is important.” The financial expert also highlighted workers can still claim support even if employers do not pay the full allowance rate. “And if you’re not given that level, you can claim the tax back on the difference between what you’re given and that amount,” he added. LATEST DEVELOPMENTSNorthern Ireland: Drivers could be banned from overtaking under new driving law proposalsMajor MOT changes to come into effect next week as DVSA brings in new rules for popular vehiclesDrivers warned as most popular first cars disappearing from roads – Ford, VW, Toyota and moreMr Lewis then gave an example of how workers could benefit financially, saying: “If you’re given 30p/mile, you can reclaim tax paid on your wages for the 25p/mile difference.” Under the updated rules, workers whose employers pay less than the approved HMRC rate can claim tax relief on the shortfall through HMRC or through self-assessment tax returns. The 55p rate will apply only to the first 10,000 business miles travelled during a tax year. After that threshold, the lower 25p per mile rate will continue to apply. The increase covers cars and vans, while rates for motorcycles and bicycles will remain unchanged at 24p and 20p per mile, respectively.Ms Reeves announced the changes as part of Labour’s wider “Great British Summer Savings” package aimed at helping households manage living costs. Speaking in the House of Commons, the Chancellor said: “I can today announce a 10p per mile increase in tax-free mileage rates backdated to April 2026, benefiting those who drive to work.” She added the Government was continuing support measures already in place, including freezing fuel duty. The Treasury estimates the mileage allowance increase could save around £120 annually for someone driving 6,000 business miles each year using their own vehicle.Alongside the mileage changes, Ms Reeves also announced temporary VAT cuts on family attractions during the summer holidays, free bus travel for children in England this August and continued freezes on fuel duty and rail fares. The Government said mileage rates would be reviewed again at the Autumn Budget.Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter

Labour has launched an urgent review after three teenage rapists avoided jail.The punishments were handed out to the offending trio after they sexually assaulted two teenage girls and “laughed” while filming the attacks.The traveller boys, who were aged between 13 and 14 at the time, “brazenly filmed” the rapes on their phones. They then shared the content online, Southampton Crown Court heard, with the first attack taking place on November 26, 2024 and the second on January 17, 2025. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Shadow justice minister Kieran Mullan and safeguarding minister Alicia Kearns referred the sentences to Lord Hermer under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme for the “horrific premeditated offences”.They argued the sentences failed to reflect the gravity of the offences, the impact on the victims’ lives and fell short of maintaining public confidence in the justice system.As a result, Lord Hermer has announced law officers will review the sentencing of the rapists “urgently”.He said: “We share the public’s shock at the details of this horrific case, and our thoughts are with the young victims during this distressing time.”The law officers are urgently reviewing the case with the utmost care and attention.”Lord Hermer and Solicitor General Ellie Reeves, who both act as the Government’s primary law officers, will have 28 days to decide on the case and could opt to refer it to the Court of Appeal.Although the three were convicted of a total of 11 rape charges in a trial in which the victims had to relive the attack, the trio were allowed to walk free. They received youth rehabilitation orders and were told by the judge they had “done well” with the restrictions put in place during the trial.LABOUR LATEST:Rachel Reeves slaps British families with £300 ‘cash grab’ on UK staycations amid heatwaveLabour’s work tsar warns young people becoming ‘bedroom generation’ as ‘economic catastrophe’ loomsAndy Burnham says Labour ‘not good enough’ under Keir StarmerThe two older boys were handed three-year youth rehabilitation orders and 180 days of intensive surveillance and supervision.Meanwhile, the younger boy received an 18-month-long youth rehabilitation order.During the sentencing, Judge Nicholas Rowland said: “I should avoid criminalising these children unnecessarily and understand the effects of their behaviour and support their reintegration into society.”The judge stressed the boys were “very young” and had low intelligence. The sentencing has sparked backlash from several senior officials, including former safeguarding minister Jess Phillips.She said: “It seems unduly lenient to me and has wider public interest beyond just the case itself in the message that it sends.”For those young women, going through a rape trial like this will not have been a simple thing to do. It will have been many, many months, if not years, to achieve any sort of justice, and I am afraid to say it sends a bad message.”Meanwhile, Hampshire Police Detective Sergeant Naomi Stocker praised the victims’ “immense bravery”. She added her team was liaising with partners at the Crown Prosecution Service “in relation to the sentence passed”. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter

The Welsh Conservative Party has suspended councillor Nick Baneswell following revelations about his participation in a Channel 4 documentary.Mr Baneswell, 47, who represents Rogerstone North on Newport City Council, said both he and his local Tory colleagues remain unaware of the specific reasons behind his suspension.A party spokesman confirmed: “Nick has been suspended from the Conservative Party pending an investigation. As this is an ongoing and confidential process, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”The councillor had only recently secured his seat, winning the Rogerstone North by-election on May 8 with 597 votes, comfortably defeating Plaid Cymru’s Iestyn Davies, who received 287 votes. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Just four days after his electoral victory, Nation.Cymru revealed his appearance in 2021’s “Only Human” about so-called “serial dads”.The show featured four men who had collectively fathered more than 70 children with over 40 different women.Mr Baneswell, who appeared under his real name, Nick Portman, spoke openly about having 10 children and three grandchildren from relationships with five women.The pub landlord told cameras he had “never carried a condom” in his life, adding with a grin: “It was just, things happen, and I enjoy.”Footage from the programme showed Mr Baneswell interacting with a young woman whose face had been obscured by the producers.The documentary also introduced viewers to Mr Baneswell’s fiancée, Lauren, who was 20 years old at the time of filming and had first met him when she was 17.LATEST DEVELOPMENTSFormer Conservative MP slams Transport for London staff for ‘heartless’ response after being punched at station‘Nobody is running the country!’ Kemi Badenoch slams Labour ‘civil war’ after Wes Streeting exitTories to force vote on opening up the North Sea as Labour confirms new licences banThe couple, separated by 27 years in age, became engaged just three months into their relationship.Lauren, a mother of one, described her partner as “one of the most flirtiest” men she had ever encountered, expressing her difficulties watching him interact with women at work.Footage captured Mr Baneswell embracing several blonde bar staff members while introducing them on camera.Discussing their relationship, he stated: “You know, if I want to go out, I’m going out.”When Lauren revealed she would remain with him despite his infidelity, Mr Baneswell suggested she had “no choice”.The couple have since separated.His election agent Jake Enea, a former Senedd candidate, initially released a statement claiming the party had no prior knowledge of the documentary.Mr Enea also confirmed an internal investigation had commenced.Mr Baneswell said in a statement said of his suspension: “Myself and the Conservative Party in Newport do not know why.“At the moment we are in the dark and have sent off emails.”Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter

British families could face charges of up to £300 on domestic holidays under Labour’s newly announced Overnight Visitor Levy Bill, which was unveiled during this month’s King’s Speech ahead of a heatwave over this bank holiday weekend. The legislation would hand regional mayors and local authorities powers to impose taxes on overnight accommodation, with 10 of England’s 14 regional mayors now planning or actively considering introducing the levy.The proposals come as UK temperatures are forecast to climb as high as 33C over the bank holiday, raising the prospect of breaking the 32.8C May record set in Camden Square in 1922.Health agencies have issued heat alerts as conditions are expected to remain hot and dry across much of England from Friday into next week. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Forecasters say the UK could see its hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures surpassing those in several Mediterranean destinations.Popular destinations from Whitby to Sandbanks fall within areas backing the proposals, with Yorkshire, the North East, the West Country and large parts of the Midlands represented among supportive mayors.The regions collectively attract 37.5 million domestic trips each year, accounting for almost 40 per cent of Britain’s internal tourism market.Smaller councils including Bath, Bournemouth, Oxford and North Norfolk, are also considering introducing the charges under the proposed framework.The hospitality industry has condemned the plans, warning the levy could damage domestic tourism and place additional strain on businesses already facing mounting costs.Research carried out by Oxford Economics for UKHospitality and published last week projected the tax would lead to the loss of 33,000 jobs while reducing tourism spending and contributing to a £2.2billion decline in Gross Domestic Product (GDP).Tourism currently accounts for five per cent of the British economy and supports 2.4 million jobs across the country.The sector is growing at 9.3 per cent annually, outpacing wider economic growth, according to figures from VisitBritain.Industry figures have warned the levy could encourage holidaymakers to travel abroad instead of taking breaks within the UK.Business leaders in Cornwall have previously warned growing anti-tourism sentiment risks discouraging visitors and harming local economies heavily dependent on the sector.Three regional mayors have publicly rejected the proposed powers and said they would refuse to introduce the charges in their areas.LATEST DEVELOPMENTS’Two months of childcare put me in £2k debt’ – The Britons crippled for starting a familyState pension tax update as Rachel Reeves faces challenge over ‘unfair’ policyUK borrowing costs surge to £24.3bn as Rachel Reeves faces ‘financial strain’Reform UK’s Lincolnshire mayor , Andrea Jenkyns, said: “At a time when British families are already struggling under the weight of this Labour Government’s policies, the last thing they need is a tax on their hard-earned holidays.” She added hospitality businesses were already “pushed to the brink” and needed support rather than “more financial hurdles”.Fellow Reform UK mayor Luke Campbell has also ruled out introducing the levy in Hull and East Yorkshire.Conservative Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen described the proposal as “yet another cash grab” and said: “If Labour hands me these powers, I won’t use them.”Mr Houchen also stressed he would never introduce a mayoral tax in the region.Labour is currently considering two different models for the levy, including either a percentage-based charge on accommodation costs or a flat nightly fee.Amsterdam’s 12.5 per cent tourist tax rate has emerged as one potential benchmark, which would add £345 to a typical £2,765 week-long family holiday, data from Go.Compare shows.Lower rates of seven per cent, similar to the system used in Aberdeen, or five per cent, as applied in Edinburgh, would still increase costs by £193 and £138 respectively.A flat fee model of either £1 or £2 per night, similar to schemes already operating in Manchester and Liverpool, would add around £112 to a two-week stay, estimates from UKHospitality reveal.Labour has confirmed accommodation providers would usually pass the additional costs directly on to guests booking overnight stays.Ministers have not yet confirmed whether a national cap on the charges will be introduced, as operates in Wales, or whether local authorities will be allowed to set uncapped rates similar to the system in Scotland.Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter