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Badenoch calls for benefit cuts to fund defence spending in pre-budget speech – UK politics live
UK NewsPolitics•October 20, 2026 at 10:39 AMNational

Badenoch calls for benefit cuts to fund defence spending in pre-budget speech – UK politics live

By Andrew Sparrow•The Guardian - UK News

Conservative leader gives speech as Treasury sources say Healey has ruled out a rise in capital gains taxBadenoch says Britain needs tax cuts.We need to get out of the way of job creators who make our country richer. We need to encourage risk taking, wealth creation, enterprise.Britain’s tax burden has never been higher. You are taxed on the heating in your home. You’re taxed at the petrol pump filling up your car. You’re taxed when you insure that car. You’re taxed if you take the family away on holiday. You’re taxed if you stay in the UK thanks to Andy Burnham’s tourist tax. You’re taxed to buy a home, taxed to live in a home, taxed to pass on your home. This is clearly not working. Britain does not feel better off.Andy Burnham wrote in The Times yesterday about the moral outrage of the current benefit system. But as far as I could work out, his answer is to spend even more on benefits. Continue reading...

Conservative leader gives speech as Treasury sources say Healey has ruled out a rise in capital gains tax

Badenoch says Britain needs tax cuts.

We need to get out of the way of job creators who make our country richer. We need to encourage risk taking, wealth creation, enterprise.

Britain’s tax burden has never been higher. You are taxed on the heating in your home. You’re taxed at the petrol pump filling up your car. You’re taxed when you insure that car. You’re taxed if you take the family away on holiday. You’re taxed if you stay in the UK thanks to Andy Burnham’s tourist tax. You’re taxed to buy a home, taxed to live in a home, taxed to pass on your home. This is clearly not working. Britain does not feel better off.

Andy Burnham wrote in The Times yesterday about the moral outrage of the current benefit system. But as far as I could work out, his answer is to spend even more on benefits.

Continue reading...