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Rishi Sunak giving with one hand and taking away with the other, says Labour

Rishi Sunak has been urged to use the budget to help families with “immediate pressures” through the winter, as pay rises alone are unlikely to make up for the cost-of-living crisis and universal credit cut.

Bridget Phillipson, the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, said the chancellor was so far “giving with one hand and taking away with the other” as the national living wage rise would not in many cases make up for the £20 a week cut to universal credit and rising inflation.

Sunak is expected to announce a flagship measure to help with the cost of living at the budget, which is due to be announced in the Commons at 12.30pm on Wednesday.

He could offer help with energy bills, which have risen by 12% on average, and may also reduce the taper rate on universal credit, which would allow those in work to keep more of their earnings.

Andy Burnham, the Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, said he had heard there would be a “U-turn” on universal credit that would help those in work.

In his budget, Sunak is expected to strike an upbeat note, after proclaiming an “age of optimism” after setting out £30bn of spending on the NHS, transport and skills in the run-up to Wednesday’s speech.

He has more room for manoeuvre on spending than previously thought earlier this year as the economy has performed better than forecasts.

However, the threat of inflation is still looming over winter before pay rises from the higher national living wage and end to the public sector pay freeze come into force in spring.

Sunak’s 1.25 percentage point rise in national insurance also comes into force in April, while the universal credit cut has already happened.

In a round of media interviews, Phillipson said the cut to universal credit was “the biggest cut to social security we have seen since the welfare state was created”.

“For many families it is all they have ever known,” she told Sky News. “A lot of families started receiving universal credit because of the pandemic. It is a massive hit to families’ incomes. We want to see immediate action to deal with the cost-of-living crisis facing families as we are entering a pretty tough winter for lots of people, but also businesses too.

“We have had a lot of smoke and mirrors going into this budget, and it’s all very good and well the government promising things, but if that doesn’t lead to people feeling that extra support in their pocket, that will be the real test for the government.”

Robert Jenrick, a former Treasury minister, told broadcasters Sunak would have to think carefully about the pressures on people on modest incomes when he delivered the budget.

Jenrick said there were “reasons for optimism”, but the chancellor was still facing some problems.

“I think the Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts are going to show the economy has grown substantially therefore we are borrowing much less as a country, and that gives the chancellor more room to invest in the future of public services like the NHS,” Jenrick told Sky News.

“But I think he is also going to have to think carefully about people on the most modest incomes and how he can help them in what is undoubtedly still going to be a difficult period when we are seeing inflation rising, higher energy prices and so on.”

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Presidential Spokesman Ajuri Ngelale Proceeds On Indefinite Leave Of Absence

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, has proceeded on an indefinite leave of absence.

Ngelale said the decision was taken after significant consultations with his family over the past days as a vexatious medical situation had worsened.

He made this known in a statement issued on Saturday to the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.

“On Friday, I submitted a memo to the Chief of Staff to the President informing my office that I am proceeding on an indefinite leave of absence to frontally deal with medical matters presently affecting my immediate, nuclear family,” he said.

“While I fully appreciate that the ship of state waits for no man, this agonizing decision — entailing a pause of my functions as the Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity and Official Spokesperson of the President; Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, and Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen — was taken after significant consultations with my family over the past several days as a vexatious medical situation has worsened at home.

“I look forward to returning to full-time national service when time, healing, and fate permit. I respectfully ask for some privacy for my family and I during this time.”

The leave of absence implies that he would temporarily suspend his duties as spokesperson to President Bola Tinubu

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No tenure extension for IGP Egbetokun – Police

The Nigeria Police Force High Command has clarified the rumoured tenure extension for Inspector General of Police, Dr. Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, stating that there was no extension granted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Instead, the law governing the tenure of the IGP’s office was properly applied.

This clarification was made in a statement released on Friday in Abuja by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Assistant Commissioner of Police, Olumuyiwa Adejobi.

The statement reads, “the attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to various misleading reports and misinterpretations concerning the tenure of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, and wishes to categorically state that what His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, approved for the IGP is not an extension of tenure, but rather the proper application of the law governing the tenure of the office of the IGP.

“Contrary to the misinformation being circulated on social media and in the news, an appointment letter in circulation was issued to the IGP shortly after his appointment was confirmed by the Police Council.

This letter, dated 3rd November 2023, clearly stated that the President had approved a four-year tenure for the IGP in accordance with the provisions of Section 215(a) and Section 28(c) of the Third Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

” It is important to emphasize that the IGP does not need to lobby for any tenure extension as his appointment letter explicitly grants him a four-year tenure from the date of his appointment

“The ongoing circulation of false information is clearly the handiwork of pessimists and mischief makers who are determined to spread baseless narratives against the office and the personality of the IGP for obvious reasons and pecuniary gains.

” Furthermore, the IGP has since been issued with another letter in accordance with the provisions of the Police Act, 2020 (as amended), which supersedes the earlier correspondence.

This clarification is necessary to put an end to the speculations and falsehoods being spread.

” We urge the public to disregard the unfounded reports and to trust that the tenure of the IGP is in full compliance with the laws governing the Nigeria Police Force.

In clear terms, IGP’s tenure of office is not subject to unnecessary debate and should not be a source of perennial distraction to policing system in Nigeria. The law is sacrosanct.”

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EFCC grabs 44 for internet fraud in Kwara

Forty-four (44) suspected internet fraudsters were arrested at different locations in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State on Friday by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Spokesperson for EFCC, Dele Oyewale said in a statement on Friday that the suspects were arrested by the operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC.

“They were arrested on Friday September 6, 2024 at Sango, Kulende, Taxaco and Harmony Estate, all in Ilorin, following credible intelligence over their alleged involvement internet- related offences,” the EFCC spokesperson said.

He listed items recovered from the suspects to include six different brands of exotic cars, laptops, smart phones and charms.

The suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.

The Ilorin Directorate of the anti-graft agency had also arrested 56 suspected internet fraudsters two days ago.