Latest news with #thetimes.co.uk
Times
06-05-2025
- Business
- Times
Times letters: a reset for Labour — and local democracy
Write to letters@ Sir, Louise Haigh is entirely correct that the government requires an economic reset ('Fight off Reform with higher taxes and spending, PM told', news; 'PM must show country what party stands for', news, May 5). Voters understand that in order to bring about an improvement in public services and thus an improvement in their lives, the money has to come from somewhere. Sadly by boxing themselves in and vowing not to increase income tax, Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves were forced to aim at the worst possible targets, pensioners and welfare recipients. The government should have the courage to admit these mistakes, restore those cuts and instead raise the level of income tax, particularly the higher rates. Rather than
Times
30-04-2025
- Health
- Times
Times letters: Extending sugar tax to milkshakes and lattes
Write to letters@ Sir, The government should avoid being seen as clobbering poorer consumers ('Milkshake tax looms in broader sugar levy', Apr 29). Instead it should allocate the proceeds of this levy to programmes that directly help those consumers to access and afford more nutritious food, such as the NHS Healthy Start cards, free school meals and school holiday clubs. The Healthy Start weekly allowance of £4.25 toward fruit, vegetables, milk and pulses has been frozen for four years. The eligibility criteria are so tight as to disqualify some poorer families. Meanwhile tens of thousands of poorer children are eligible but are not registered for these cards because awareness of the scheme is very low. An increased allowance, alongside revised criteria and the
Times
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Times
Times letters: Jockeying for position at the Pope's funeral
Write to letters@ Sir, Two months ago President Trump accused President Zelensky of showing disrespect by not wearing a suit when he visited the White House, but what could be more disrespectful than Trump wearing a shiny blue suit at Pope Francis's funeral, without even a black tie? No wonder some mourners were infuriated. Another blunder demonstrating Trump's unpredictable behaviour since returning to the White DavisHorsell, Woking Sir, Timothy Radcliffe (letters, Apr 24 & 25) may have been made a cardinal only very recently but as the first Englishman to be the global head of the Dominican Order (1992-2001) he has unparalleled experience of the facets of Catholicism worldwide. He would make an excellent LongriggOxford Sir, Your account
Times
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Times
Times letters: Trump's ‘land for peace' deal for Ukraine
Write to letters@ Sir, Europe is facing the biggest and most dangerous security threat since the Second World War. Quite rightly, the US is being roundly criticised for equating defence with trade deals. However, it is now the case that the EU is doing the same by insisting on better fishing rights from the UK before British defence companies are allowed to bid for the new €150 billion EU defence fund ('EU arms deal 'will come at expense of UK fishing'', Apr 22). It is sad that Britain is not in a position to tell both of these mercenary outfits where to LewisEdinburgh Sir, Your editorial ('Art of the Steal', Apr 25) highlights the lack of western leverage
Times
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Times
Times letters: Vatican reform and the search for a new pope
Write to letters@ Sir, Given that there has been only one English Pope, Adrian IV (Nicholas Breakspear), and that he served in the 12th century, is the time not right for a second? Cardinal Reginald Pole (the last Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury) was in the running for the papacy but was not elected in the 16th Timothy Radcliffe OP is the ideal candidate to follow in Pope Francis's footsteps. He has all the attributes necessary and his self-deprecating comment on Monday that the Holy Spirit would not be so foolish to lead the conclave to his election can only add to his credentials and eligibility ('Inside the conclave: the politics of choosing the next pontiff', Apr 23). We have just had
