Racing calls one-day strike over proposed betting tax rise
The BHA set up the 'Axe the Racing Tax' campaign in response to proposals to replace the existing three-tax structure of online gambling duties with a single tax, with fears the current 15 per cent duty on racing could be increased to the 21 per cent levied on games of chance.
Brant Dunshea, chief executive at the British Horseracing Authority, said: 'We have decided to take the unprecedented decision to cancel our planned racing fixtures on September 10 to highlight to Government the serious consequences of the Treasury's tax proposals which threaten the very future of our sport.
'British racing is already in a precarious financial position and research has shown that a tax rise on racing could be catastrophic for the sport and the thousands of jobs that rely on it in towns and communities across the country.
'This is the first time that British racing has chosen not to race due to Government proposals. We haven't taken this decision lightly but in doing so we are urging the Government to rethink this tax proposal to protect the future of our sport which is a cherished part of Britain's heritage and culture.
'Our message to Government is clear: axe the racing tax and back British racing.'
The four tracks involved are operated by the Jockey Club and the Arena Racing Company, with both backing the move.
Jim Mullen, CEO at the Jockey Club, said: 'We hope this pause for reflection will enable the Government to truly understand the economic impact of horseracing and its cultural significance to communities across the UK, as well as the world-class racing festivals we host.
'After this period of reflection, we hope the full implications will be understood, and we can prevent the irreparable damage that threatens a sport the nation is, and should be, proud of.'
Martin Cruddace, CEO at ARC, added: 'We have always been taxed and regulated differently, and it is imperative for our future that we continue to be so.
'If the Government wants Britain to be a world leader in online casino and a world pauper in a sport at the heart of its culture, then tax harmonisation will achieve that aim.'
While the four meetings will be rescheduled, Paul Johnson, chief executive of the National Trainers Federation, underlined the 'sacrifice' in calling a halt to the sport for a day.
He said: 'Cancelling fixtures is a huge sacrifice by racing and should serve as a stark reminder to the Government of the impact its tax raid will have on our sport.
'Thousands of jobs are at stake alongside the loss of millions of pounds to the British economy.'
A Treasury spokesperson said: 'We are consulting on bringing the treatment of online betting in line with other forms of online gambling to cut down bureaucracy – it is not about increasing or decreasing rates, and we welcome views from all stakeholders including businesses, trade bodies, the third sector and individuals.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
21 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Iran 'is hunting British spies using leaked kill list' - with fears they will be captured and used as 'bargaining chips'
Iran is plotting with the Taliban to hunt down British agents using a leaked database that exposed details of MI6 spies and UK Special Forces. Officials from Iran's Revolutionary Guards flew to Kabul last week to ask Afghanistan 's warlords for 'access' to the bombshell list at the centre of a two-year super-injunction drama in the UK. Earlier this month it was reported that Iran had begun efforts to get their hands on the highly sensitive list 'so they can hunt down MI6 spies'. But now it is understood that four IRGC officials - who are said to have travelled to Afghanistan without involving Tehran's civilian government - intend to capture British spies and use them as 'bargaining chips' in negotiations with the West over the nation's controversial nuclear programme, The Telegraph reported. In return, the Taliban wish to be formally recognised by Iran as the official rulers of Afghanistan. A senior Iranian official said the list had been handed over by the Taliban, adding: 'They [the IRGC officials] want to find British spies before the 'snapback' to have something to pressure London behind closed doors.' The spectre of Iran's extremists and the brutal Taliban regime co-ordinating efforts to hunt down British agents has been causing 'concern' in Whitehall, the Daily Mail reported earlier this month. A vital database of Afghans and UK officials putting 100,000 people 'at risk of death'. A soldier escorts a family at Stansted in May as part of a government scheme costed at £7billion smuggling migrants to Britain after a data-leak blunder exposed by the Daily Mail When the Daily Mail discovered this data breach disaster in 2023, the Government secured a draconian court order to hush it up, triggering a 23-month battle in secret courts for open justice. Last month the Government finally abandoned its super-injunction and the public discovered ministers had secretly agreed a £7billion scheme, including a mass evacuation programme to rescue thousands of Afghans who had worked for British forces. Ministers ordered lawyers to gag the Daily Mail and others with a second High Court injunction, to prevent the media revealing how the lost list had included details of more than a hundred MI6 spies, Special Forces and other UK officials. The so-called 'kill list' contains the names of 25,000 Afghans who were applying to a UK scheme to give sanctuary to those who had worked on the frontlines with British forces. The Daily Mail has seen a copy of the full dataset lost by the British government, and it is understood it also includes details of more than 100 British officials including MI6, Special Forces and senior military commanders, as well as MPs. Many of these were included to help officials verify legitimate claims. Although codes are used, and the list does not specifically identify any spies or special forces, it could be a valuable dataset for an enemy. It is understood that several people whose names appear on the list have been arrested in recent days by Iranian border forces. Daily Mail journalists faced jail by order of a Penal Notice if they revealed the Government's secret - or even breathed a word about the existence of the draconian court order Many have been released soon after, with the 'focus' said to be on detaining 'British spies'. This week, Britain, France and Germany threatened Iran with a 'snapback' - the return of economic sanctions that were imposed before 2015 if nuclear talks did not begin again by the end of this month. In 2015 a deal was struck between Iran and Western powers to curb its nuclear enrichment program in return for a lifting of banking and trade sanctions. With this deal due to expire on October 18, the official added: 'The IRGC is doing everything it can to find bargaining chips for talks before the deadline.' Meanwhile a Taliban official told The Telegraph: 'Some argued that we should not do any favours for the Iranians given how badly they are treating our refugees there, but if they were willing to recognise the Islamic Emirate [of Afghanistan] in return, that would not be a bad deal.' The so-called 'kill list' was accidentally leaked in February 2022 when a British soldier emailed the complete file to Afghan contacts instead of sending a small extract. A Government spokesman said: 'It's a longstanding policy of successive governments to not comment on intelligence matters but this once again underlines how serious the original data breach was and why the previous government have serious questions to answer about how this was ever allowed to happen.'
Daily Mail
21 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Rubbish collections are delayed because of a staff shortage... after binmen went on holiday
A delay in rubbish collections in London has been caused by staff shortages with binmen going on holiday. A shortage of drivers has left Ealing Council considering paying its remaining workers more to fill the gap. The council said that while some workers were on sick leave, it expected disruption to continue until holidays finished in September. On Sunday, the Government warned that taxpayers rely on regular waste collections and said the vital service must continue, The Telegraph reported. Meanwhile council tax has risen for Ealing residents, with the average band D homes now paying £93 extra per month, from £1,948 to £2,041. Occupiers in band H properties are now paying more than £4,000 in council tax. The Labour-led council said the services were being deployed later than usual, adding that any bins not collected on schedule would be prioritised the following day. A council spokesman told the Chiswick Calendar: 'We are sorry about the delays that are occurring to bin collections due to driver shortage and the impact it is having on residents. 'This is because a number of staff are currently off sick and, in addition, as it is the summer holiday period many staff are on leave, which we anticipate lasting until September when the holidays have finished.' 'To address this issue we are actively recruiting more staff. We also employ a number of HGV drivers, which are highly sought after across various industries, including supermarket deliveries, and consequently they are likely to be attracted by companies that are able to offer higher salaries. The council said it was reviewing salaries and other incentives for staff. Susan Hall, Conservative leader in the London Assembly, said the lack of collection was 'outrageous'. 'When you're paid to do a job, damn well do it and the people in charge of them, they need to be talked to as well,' she told The Telegraph. 'When you're running a company or a business, you have to make sure you've got a certain amount of staff in order to deliver the service you're providing. 'Just because these people work for a council, they assume they can do what they like. It's not good enough.' In Birmingham, mounds of rubbish is still piling up, seven months after strikes began in the city. Lengthy negotiations are taking place between the Unite union and city council - but there still appears to be no end in sight. Some locals have complained of feeling 'forgotten about' amid the foul smells and infestations of giant rats dubbed 'Squeaky Blinders'. In June Birmingham bin workers voted to continue industrial action - meaning the strikes could go on until December. The council has paid £8 million to keep a skeleton service run by agency staff in place while strikes continue. The council - which effectively declared itself bankrupt in 2023 - has been blamed for also mishandling an equal pay dispute. The walkout began in January over pay cuts of up to £8,000 impacting around 400 workers who are either former waste recycling collection officers or bin lorry drivers. It has so far paid out almost £1.1 billion after losing a landmark case in 2012 launched after it gave bonuses to refuse collectors and street cleaners but not to cleaners and caterers - roles typically held by women. It still has to find more money to settle further claims but insists its debt is 'unrelated to the need to modernise the waste service and to eliminate any future equal pay risk'.
Daily Mirror
21 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
State Pension age rises in 2026 for people with these specific birthdates
The State Pension age is set to rise from 66 to 67 next year, with the increase due to be completed for all men and women across the UK by 2028 The State Pension age is due to start climbing from 66 to 67 next year, with the hike expected to be fully implemented for all men and women across the UK by 2028. This planned alteration to the official retirement age has been in legislation since 2014, with another increase from 67 to 68 set to take place between 2044 and 2046. The Pensions Act 2014 expedited the rise in the State Pension age from 66 to 67 by eight years. The UK Government also altered the method of phasing in the increase in State Pension age, meaning that instead of reaching State Pension age on a specific date, individuals born between March 6, 1961 and April 5, 1977 will be eligible to claim the State Pension once they turn 67. It's crucial to be cognisant of these impending changes now, particularly if you have a retirement plan in place. All those affected by alterations to their State Pension age will receive a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) well ahead of time. In other similar news, thousands of Brits to get shock letter from HMRC after drastic new tax rule comes into force. DWP could issue £187 weekly payments if you have stomach problems Under the Pensions Act 2007, the State Pension age for both men and women will rise from 67 to 68 between 2044 and 2046. The Pensions Act 2014 mandates a regular review of the State Pension age, at least once every five years. The review will be centred around the concept that people should be able to spend a certain proportion of their adult life receiving a State Pension. The UK Government has recently unveiled a new Pension Commission to explore ways of enhancing pension savings, with its findings set to be published in 2027. The commission will consider areas such as auto-enrolment saving rates, increasing savings among groups like the self-employed, and a review of the State Pension age. Dr Suzy Morrissey will provide insights on factors the UK Government should take into account regarding the State Pension age, while the Government Actuary's Department will compile a report on the proportion of adult life spent in retirement. The review of the State Pension age will factor in life expectancy along with a variety of other relevant aspects when determining the State Pension age. Following the review's findings, the UK Government may decide to implement changes to the State Pension age. However, any proposed changes would need to pass through Parliament before becoming law, reports the Daily Record. Check your State Pension age online Your State Pension age is the earliest age at which you can begin receiving your State Pension. It might differ from the age at which you can receive a workplace or personal pension. The online tool at allows anyone of any age to check their State Pension age, an essential step in planning for retirement. You can use the State Pension age tool to check: When you will reach State Pension age Your Pension Credit qualifying age When you will be eligible for free bus travel - this is at age 60 in Scotland Check your State Pension age online here. Boosting State Pension payments HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has revealed that over 10,000 payments totalling £12.5 million have been made by individuals using the new digital service to enhance their State Pensions since its inception last year. However, those looking to maximise their retirement income through the contributory benefit only have a few weeks left to fill any gaps in their National Insurance (NI) records dating back to 2006. Typically, individuals can only make voluntary contributions for the previous six tax years, and after the April 5 deadline this year, the standard six-tax year limit will be reinstated. In 2023, the previous government extended the deadline for making voluntary NI contributions to April 5, 2025 for those affected by new State Pension transitional arrangements, covering the tax years from April 6, 2006 to April 5, 2018. This extended deadline has given people more time to consider their options and make their contributions. READ MORE: HMRC set to issue record number of tax bills - see who will be affected Men born after April 6, 1951 and women born after April 6, 1953 are eligible to make voluntary NI contributions to increase their New State Pension. Some individuals may be entitled to NI credits instead of having to make contributions, so they should check and consider what is best for them. More information about making voluntary contributions can be found here. Working-age individuals can also check their State Pension forecast here. Alice Haine, a personal finance analyst at Bestinvest by Evelyn Partners, the online investment platform, explained: "People typically need at least 10 qualifying years of NI (National Insurance) contributions to receive any state pension at all and at least 35 years to receive the full new State Pension - though they don't need to be consecutive years." "Plugging gaps can be quite an expensive process, so it is important to assess whether you actually need to buy back any missing years. This will depend on how many more years you plan to work, and whether you are eligible for NI tax credits, which fill the gaps, such as those who have been sick, were unemployed or took time out to raise a family or care for elderly relations." "Plugging gaps in your record is relatively straightforward since the Government rolled out its new NI payments services in April last year - a State Pension forecast tool that has been checked by 3.7m since its launch," Alice continued. She went on to say: "People simply need to log into their personal tax account or the HMRC app to not only view any payment gaps but also check if they can plug those gaps directly through the Government's digital channels. A short survey assesses the person's suitability to pay online with those eligible to pay directly given a series of options to plug any gaps depending on when someone wants to stop working." "Calculating whether to top up can be confusing though and ultimately there is no point paying for more years than you need because you won't get that money back," Alice concluded. Ms Haine further stated: "People who might need to top up include those that took a career break as well as low earners or expatriates living and working abroad." "Remember, this deadline has been extended a couple of times in the past, which makes it more likely the Government will stick to the April cut-off point this time around. For this reason, those that think they might need to take action should start the process now."
