Andrew Haldenby, Reform's Director, discussed how to save £7 billion by abolishing universal child benefit on yesterday's BBC One Politics Show (Politics Show [at 8.20]).
Further coverage of the Vince Cable pamphlet published by Reform about cutting public spending (Independent; Coffee House, Spectator; Guido Fawkes). Dr Cable is also reported to be set to warn that higher taxes may be necessary but promises his first priority will be low and middle earners (Mirror).
Vince Cable has called for a freeze on all public sector pay at this year’s Liberal Democrats party conference in Bournemouth. He argues that Britain's £158 billion public sector pay bill, 22 per cent of all government spending, should be frozen in a move that could potentially save £2.4 billion a year (Guardian).
A “mansion tax” could hit homeowners in properties worth more than £1 million under Liberal Democrat plans to rebalance the tax system by targeting the rich. According to this plan, £17.1 billion would be saved by cutting reliefs that benefit wealthier people (Guardian; Independent; Mail).
Reform’s April publication Back to black was mentioned in an article about scrapping Trident where it was claimed scrapping it could save the UK taxpayer £70 billion over 25 years (BBC Online).
Credit card owners could be hit by an additional £150 million in late payment fines as the postal strike is delaying their cheques (Express).
The pound has dropped to a five month low against the euro and lost ground against the dollar as the Bank of England warned the UK’s long-run sustainable exchange rates may have fallen due to the increased focus on the UK’s economic imbalance (FT).
An International Energy Agency study has shown that the recession has resulted in an unparalleled fall in greenhouse gas emissions, providing a “unique opportunity” to move the world away from high-carbon growth (FT).
Robert Zoellick, the World Bank president, has urged G20 leaders ahead of this week’s meeting in Pittsburgh to set out an ambitious agenda for so called “responsible globalisation” (FT).
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer, has drawn up an interim policy aimed at clarifying the law for people who want to die and assisted suicide (Times; Guardian; Mail; Express).
A simple blood test that will test for stomach and bowel cancer, two of Britain’s biggest killer cancers, could help save tens of thousands of lives every year. The breakthrough procedure will cost as little as £5 (Express).
The CBI advised that university fees should be raised to £5,000 a year to tackle the funding crisis. (Times; Telegraph; Guardian; Mail).
Charles Kennedy, the former Liberal Democrat leader, urged the new party leadership not to abandon the plan for student tuition fees abolition. The new leadership expressed concern about the viability of the plan given the Britain’s debt levels (Independent).
Teachers’ unions yesterday accused the Schools Secretary, Ed Balls, of risking disaster after it emerged that he intends to cut £2 billion from the budget for education (Telegraph; Guardian; Independent; Mail; Mirror).
Europe’s Justice Commissioner, Jacques Barrot, will demand a change in the law to allow “Britain obsessed” asylum seekers into the UK at the earliest convenience (Mail).
Gordon Brown will this week risk reigniting the Lockerbie row by shaking hands with Muammar Gaddafi of Libya at a meeting of the UN this Thursday (Telegraph).