LUSH is famous for its luxurious skincare and haircare products as well as its incredible bath bombs.
When it comes to making baths and showers an indulgent experience, the high street beauty definitely comes out on top.
But to really put it to the test, I tried out the beloved chain’s new Halloween bath melt.
The new Roasting Chestnuts Melt is a limited edition, spicy yet sweet seasonal treat that has a mouth-watering scent.
Its ingredients include pumpkin seed oil, almond oil, jojoba oil and cocoa butter which all blend to create a smokey, sweet smell.
The melt comes in a large bar with eight squares – four of which are a golden colour and the rest are velvety red.
What I loved about it though is that the whole bar had a glittery, golden shimmer to it that glows on the skin.
Once I popped a few squares into a hot bath I was instantly relaxed, with the sweet cassia and almond oils being so warm and comforting.
The smoky vetivert and woody cedarwood added the perfect touch as it wrapped me in their warmth.
And the organic butters and pumpkin seed oil leave the skin feeling soft and moisturised as it melts in the water.
But it doesn’t just work as a bath melt – this luxurious product actually has two purposes.
And it’s secondary use is set to send homeowners into a frenzy.
One of the many incredible things about Lush is the fact that all of the chain’s products are made fresh by hand and only use natural, vegetarian ingredients.
Because of this, the melt can also be used as a wax melt to add incredible fragrance to your home.
All you need to do to make your home smell of this sweet and smokey scent is add one or two squares to your burner.
Each square has an approximate burn time of around six hours, but the smell lasts much longer even when the candle is out or the burner is off.
I tried it on my pumpkin wax burner to see how well it worked in the home and it is a must-have for those who love a festive scent.
The melts last for days in the burner and within minutes the whole room is full of its mouth-watering fragrance.
Just light the burner for a few hours in the evening and put it out when you go to bed and the smell lingers in the room right through until the following morning.
It’s the ideal seasonal scent for both autumn and winter, so it’s perfect for lovers of both Halloween and Christmas.
The smokey chestnut tones are reminiscent of being warm around a bonfire roasting nuts as leaves fall in October and November.
A WOMAN has revealed she was left stunned when she discovered a 'secret message' on her Lush hair conditioner.
Brooke splashed out on the Super Milk spray from the much-loved store after hearing about its lasting smell on social media.
But she then made another discovery, after learning that the stickers on Lush products – which say which employee made them – have messages underneath.
Admitting in a TikTok video that she must have been “living under a rock”, Brooke said she “never knew that”, so wanted to see if it was true.
Peeling back the sticker on the Super Milk spray, she saw it said “Got plant-based milk?”
Brooke then went to find another Lush product to see what was under the sticker on that one.
She found a shower gel from the Shrek range, and underneath the sticker it said “there’s an arrow in your butt”.
According to Lush themselves, the secret messages are for the person who places the stickers on the pot or bottle – so they know “exactly where to pop it”.
But it also brings back memories of being cosy with the family in front of a fireplace sipping on a hot drink at Christmas.
And I’m not the only one who loved Lush’s latest melt – shoppers have flocked to social media to praise the team for their newest creation.
One person said: “I can’t get over the smell. It’s my new obsession”.
Another added: “I’m really enjoying this now the weather is getting cooler. I want to get another one to see me through to Christmas.”
Someone else wrote: “This little beauty is smokey, cosy and comforting. It’s everything I want from a melt.”
And a fourth commented: “It’s an absolutely beautiful product and I’d love to have this scent in more products!”
While a fifth chimed in: “This was a lovely blend of fruity, Spicy and citrus scents that gets me in the mood for Christmas! (I know Halloween hasn’t passed yet but I was a bit excited)”.
Nick Knowles has broken his silence after his Strictly Come Dancing journey came to an end tonight.
The DIY SOS star, 62, returned to the BBC dance competition on Saturday after a touch and go week.
Nick and pro dancer Luba Mushtuk found themselves in the dance off against Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu – with Nick being unanimously voted off by the judges.
Following his exit, the TV presenter took to Instagram with a smiling snap with his fiance Katie Dadzie at the studios.
He admitted being voted off will give him the chance to properly recover and deal with his injuries.
Nick wrote: “Thank you for all your messages, it’s been so much fun!
“Now I can sort out the injuries and spend time with my family and my lovely fiance Katie, who has been supporting me through the Strictly adventure.
“Mostly holding my hand while I’m yelping in physio and doctors appointments,” followed with a laughing face emoji and a love heart icon.
Shayne scored a total of 30 points and was seventh in the leaderboard, while Nick only received 21 points from the judges and was second from the bottom on Saturday.
Both couples performed their routines again tonight; Shayne and Nancy danced their Cha Cha to Ain’t No Love (Ain’t No Use) by Sub Sub feat. Melanie Williams.
Nick and Luba then took to the dancefloor with their Charleston to Rain on the Roof from the film Paddington 2.
After both couples had danced for a second time, the judges delivered their verdicts.
Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke all chose to save Shayne and Nancy.
With three votes in favour of Shayne and Nancy, they had won the majority vote – meaning Nick and Luba had been eliminated.
Head Judge Shirley Ballas also agreed and said she would have saved Shayne and Nancy.
When asked by co-host Tess Daly about his time on the show, Nick said: “I’ve really, really been surprised by how much I’ve loved doing it and by two things that happen.
“One is how much you care each week, and the other is how much you don’t want to let down your partner.
“The only reason I could do this is simply because of Luba’s changes, she’s been amazing.”
A tearful Luba said: “I’ve never met someone as determined as you, and I remember you saying that if you do your best, you’ll be very happy.
“I think you did more than your best. Thank you.”
When asked by Tess about his partner Luba, Nick said: “Luba’s been amazing and just been so fabulous every day.
“And I should say thank you also to all the background staff, the physios, all the people that have actually got me through this week, and to all of my fellow competitors who have been absolutely astounding, beautiful people.
“There are some amazing dancers up there, and I will love watching the rest of the series.”
Nick’s future on the show had been hanging in the balance after he suffered two nasty injuries.
His most recent left him on crutches and forced the pair to miss Movie Week last weekend.
Prior to dancing, Nick revealed he had been looking forward to doing the routine for his 10-year-old son Eddie, whom he said was a huge fan of the Paddington movie.
Motsi said she was “100% sure” Knowles’s son was proud of him following the dance.
Nick was forced to pull out of last week’s live show after an accident during the dress rehearsal left him on crutches.
The star fell out of a jump and sustained an injury to his knee.
Prior to this, Nick had also hurt his shoulder while changing a car tyre away from show rehearsals.
Although he was able to struggle through that week’s dance, he did take part in several training sessions while wearing a sling.
MODEL Devyn Garcia is all fur coat but with knickers as she poses in lavender underwear.
The American, 23, showed her wild side for the shoot at Longleat, Wilts.
She will make her Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show debut on Tuesday as it returns five years after the last one in New York.
Models Candice Swanepoel and Behati Prinsloo united to show teamwork makes the Dream work as they launched Victoria’s Secret’s latest collection.
Candice, 35, and Behati, 36, wore sexy outfits from the lingerie brand’s new Dream range.
They also wore matching high heels for the shoot at Longleat House, in Wilts.
It comes after Candice Swanepoel revealed her secret weapon for the perfect pout – and it’s super affordable.
The 35-year-old is famed for her striking features, perfectly-toned rig and shifting more lingerie than any of her catwalk contemporaries.
But her everyday beauty routine isn’t as lavish as the rest of her glitzy life.
The mum-of-two likes to rock a “fake natural” make-up look that she can whack on in 10 minutes – sometimes even in two.
Taking to Vogue’s YouTube channel, she even revealed her £3 must-have product that you can pick up in Superdrug.
Candice said she “doesn’t leave the house without it”.
THE World Grand Prix has concluded after an epic tournament in Leicester.
SunSport details how the huge event unfolded below as a new champion was crowned at the Mattioli Arena.
32 of the world’s top players will compete for the coveted title in Leicester.
The World Grand Prix is one of the most unique tournaments in the darts calendar with its double-in and double-out format.
Every player will start on the usual 501, but they must begin and finish on either a double or the bull.
Here is how the World Grand Prix unfolded:
Monday, October 7
8x First Round matches
Tuesday, October 8 (times approx.)
8x First Round matches
Wednesday, October 9 (7pm BST)
4x Second Round matches – order of games TBC
Thursday, October 10 (7pm BST)
4x Second Round matches – order of games TBC
Friday, October 11 (7pm BST)
Quarter-Finals
Saturday, October 12 (8.30pm BST)
Semi-Finals
Sunday, October 13 (8pm BST)
Final
PRIMARK fans are in a frenzy over the launch of a brand new puffer jacket to their Rita Ora collection.
Summer is now well and truly behind us, and a the days get shorter and temperatures drop, many of us will be in need of some stylish winter wear to spice up our wardrobes.
And whether you are planning on going for cosy autumn walks in the woods, or strolling around outdoor markets on Sunday afternoons, you will need a big winter coat to keep you nice and toasty.
Sharing a video of the coat to its official TikTok channel, Primark said: “Puffer jacket of the season!
“The perfect check jacket.”
The cropped jacket comes in a brown and white checked pattern, that will be sure to turn heads every time you wear it.
It’s priced at £28, and is available to purchase in store, or via click and collect.
Primark fans raced to the comments section of the video to share their love for the jacket.
One person said: “Big fat slay.”
A second person said: “What an amazing product, the quality looks great.”
A third person said: “I’m so tempted.”
And the chic coat isn’t the only Primark buys shoppers have been raving about lately.
Primark fans are obsessed with the Bow Embellished Cardigan, which comes in an ivory colour, and is embellished with adorable, tiny black bows.
It features a crew neckline, button fastenings and long sleeves, making it perfect for fitting into the coquette aesthetic.
The cardigan is priced at £13, and is available in sizes XS to XL.
Heading into Primark soon? Keep an eye out for these items.
Here, Fabulous fashion editor Clemmie Fieldsend reveals her top 6 buys from Primark this Autumn.
Coat, £60
I know what you’re thinking, ‘£60 for Primark?’ Yes it’s a higher price tag than we’re used to from Primark but its worth every penny.
It’s from their Edit range which is more premium than the rest of their collection and it’s made to last.
It’s a mixed wool blend which is durable and warm, plus its a timeless straight silhouette which is slightly oversized and will last you not only this season but for many after.
Bag, £16
Big bags are back… In a big way, finally.
This tote screams luxury with its croc effect and burnt orange colour, plus its great for shoving in your laptop, lunch, spare shoes, purse – essentially everything you need for the day – all for £16.
Jacket, £32
Field jackets are on the backs of celebrities and catwalk models this season with designer brands Barbour, Burberry and Bottega all championing the utilitarian look.
They’re great for chucking over jeans or contrasting with a floral or floaty dress and are the perfect transitional jacket.
Dress, £18,
You may have seen, heard and read that leopard print isn’t going anywhere for autumn, so to encapsulate the trend this dress is a must.
Sleeves? Check. Midi length? Check. Ultra flattering square neck? Check. It’s got it all.
Pair with black knee high boots or your favourite trainers for the day and dress up with gold heels and accessories for the evening.
Jeans, £16
Barrel, balloon, horseshoe – whatever you want to call them, they are the must have trouser shape of this season.
I’ve tried Primarks pair and they fit like a dream, are comfortable and flattering.
So if you think you have nothing that hits the trend mark, swapping your go-to denim for this shape will bring you bang up to date.
Boots, £24
It’s boot season and instead of feeling like you need to buy one in every colour, length, height – its best to stick to a pair that you can wear with the majority of your wardrobe.
My jaw almost hit the floor when I saw that this black, knee-high, block heel with flat point and side zip (so there’s no tug of war to get them off at the end of the day) was only £24.
If you buy one thing this season, it should be these.
Also available in their knitwear collection is a chunky V-necked Knitted Jumper, perfect for autumn walks in the park, coffee in hand.
It comes in four colours, red, oatmeal, pink and light grey and is priced at £15.
Shoppers can pick the jumper up in sizes small, medium and large in store or via click and collect.
Oversized knitwear fans will also be delighted by the launch of Primark’s Oversized Crew Neck Jumper, which comes in light blue, burgundy, camel and light grey.
The jumpers are £17 each, and are available in small, medium or large.
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BIG Brother left viewers on the edge of their seats as it closed tonight’s episode with a huge game changing twist.
The ITV2 reality show swore housemate Khaled to a ‘top secret’ mission in the diary room, after he won position as Head of House.
Yet in the final moments of the show on Sunday night, it was revealed that he would be granted the power to influence nominations, which has never been done before on the show.
Viewers watched as Big Brother told Khaled: “There you will choose your special power, the power that will change the fate of your fellow housemates.
“This is top secret, you cannot mention this to anyone. The power is in your hands.”
At the end of the show, narrator Marcus Bentley revealed: “Tomorrow night, the head of house gains new powers as Big Brother reveals a game-changing secret.”
After the cliffhanger ending, viewers took to social media share their excitement and try to guess what will be included in the top secret challenge.
One person wrote: “Can’t wait to see what this big secret is!!”
Another shared: “This will be good.”
One viewer joked with their own theory for the huge twist as they posted: “I think I know what the “secret” is in Big Brother.
“What if…. Big Brother opens a secret door and suddenly Khaled is competing in LOVE ISLAND! He gets to pick one more person to go along with him and it’s MARCELLO!”
Yet some pointed out that Khaled seemed baffled by what Big Brother was revealing, and not too sure on what was happening.
One eagle eyed viewer wrote: “Safe to say Khaled hasn’t a clue what Big Brother just told him.”
The official Big Brother Twitter account hinted at the drama to come as it wrote: “Big Brother has revealed that as Head of House, Khaled has the power to influence Nominations. Tune in tomorrow at 9pm so see it all unfold in Big Brother’s Secret Basement…”
The replied flooded in from viewers who have already slammed the twist as ‘meddling’.
One person wrote: “Yeah you should have brought this show back under the USA‘s format from the get-go. We dont need silly basement gimmicks and bullshit montages either. You’re on the right track but stick to it.”
Another added: “So, we had one series of back-to-basics. Now it’s back to the Channel 5 meddling.”
During the follow up show, Big Brother: Late and Live, presenter Will Best was allowed to reveal what the upcoming twist would be.
Towards the end of the show he said: “This is important, I can exclusively reveal that as Head of House Khaled will face a decision, a big decision in tomorrow night’s show.
“He’s going to have the power to save and replace one of the housemates facing eviction or keep all the housemates facing eviction and just add another one with a killer nomination of his own. It’s big stuff.”
A brand new batch of Big Brother housemates are living it up in the famous compound.
Meet the cast of the 2024 series:
A GRUMPY pub owner is reluctantly lifting his ban on the sale of half pints and soft drinks.
John Bittles outright refused to add fizzy drinks to his menu and any Guinness pours smaller than a full pint some two years ago.
The Belfast-based landlord has since changed his ways after revelling in tourists and visitor’s sufferings for long enough.
Despite being music to the ears of those who prefer shorter beverages, a half-pint will now cost just 85p less than a full one.
The eye-watering price tag of Bittles’ half pints in one of the capital’s smallest pubs is £4.95.
And the change of heart is thanks to the influx of cruise ships docking in the port right next to his tiny establishment.
John told Metro: “Touristy people especially are coming looking for a half pint, so I’ve worked out what I have to do to make it worth my while.”
He added some do decide to just order a full pint when they realise the cost.
But many are happy to pay for the half because they’re “not pint-drinking people, they are more half-pint people”.
John previously made a sign stating “No coke drinkers” – with customers being refused a soft drink – before lifting the ban.
However, strict conditions still apply.
Bittles is only allowing the sale of pop if the buyer is with someone ordering an alcoholic drink.
AFTER three months of uncertainty, it is now absolutely as clear as mud.
Does Lee Carsley want to be England’s permanent manager or not?
And why is he so reluctant to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to such a simple question?
Following a team selection which brought a welcome return to common sense — and an England victory which restored a certain amount of pride — came another chaotic round of post-match interviews in which Carsley contradicted himself several times.
And given that communication is such an important part of the England job, it does not help his cause when you feel as if you are disappearing down a rabbit hole every time you speak to Carsley.
He is a likeable man and a gifted coach — but he simply doesn’t sound like an England manager.
There simply isn’t enough authority or clarity about him.
At the age of 50, Carsley has never been the full-time manager of any senior football team and it shows.
That is irrespective of the tactical car crash of Thursday’s 2-1 home defeat by Greece.
After goals from Jack Grealish, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Declan Rice had comfortably defeated a limited Finland side, came another round of riddles and muddle.
FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS
First, the Three Lions’ interim boss told ITV the England job “deserves a world-class manager who has won trophies” and admitted that he was “still on the path to that”.
This sounded like confirmation of stories Carsley does not want the job.
ENGLAND secured a commanding 3-1 win over Finland following their horror show at home to Greece
Here’s how SunSport’s Tom Barclay assessed the Three Lions’ stars performances.
Dean Henderson – 6
Only his second cap after long-time No1 Jordan Pickford was dropped. Not a lot to do, but pretty assured when he was called into action, including a smart, first-half stop to repel a Benjamin Kallman strike – even if the Finn was later flagged offside. Could do little to prevent Finland’s goal.
Kyle Walker – 6
After the calamity against Greece, it was no surprise to see Lee Carsley turn to his most experienced defender. Now just nine caps shy of a century, Walker was solid. Could have had an assist late on but his cushioned down header was poor.
John Stones – 6
England’s more conventional system meant the defence was far less exposed – though Carsley’s attacking approach did still see the Finns create chances. Stones made a good early block to deny Kallman after Angel Gomes gave the ball away.
Marc Guehi – 6
Our best defender in the Euros group stages, Guehi was back in here with Levi Colwill dropping out. Pretty assured for a player who by his own admission has not started the season particularly well for his club.
Trent Alexander-Arnold – 7
We saw him in midfield at the Euros, and here the Liverpool right-back was shunted to left-back. Looked vulnerable defensively at times but who cares when he produces such quality on the ball – epitomised by his terrific free-kick to kill off this game.
Angel Gomes – 8
The big success story of the Carsley era, however long it lasts, has been bringing Gomes into the fold. He created Jack Grealish’s opener with a beautiful, flicked-pass round the corner and was excellent in possession – barring one sloppy early pass.
Declan Rice – 7
Looked far more comfortable with Gomes playing in behind him, as opposed to the one-man defensive operation he was forced to put up against the Greeks. Looked proud as punch after stroking home England’s third from Watkins’ cross.
Cole Palmer – 5
Played in a more familiar wide right position compared to his central-midfield experiment against Greece. Yet it reduced him to a peripheral figure, adding more questions than answers as to where best to deploy him, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden.
Jude Bellingham – 6
The Real Madrid superstar played off Harry Kane and had the occasional, exciting link-up with Grealish, but this was not one of his more memorable games overall.
Jack Grealish – 8
No doubt will be hoping Carsley does get the job full-time as his fellow Brummie seems to appreciate his talents. His composed finish was his second goal in three games under Carsley – doubling his overall haul from 39 caps.
Harry Kane – 6
Cap 101 for the captain but not one he will remember particularly fondly. He offered the presence the team lacked against Greece when they played with no striker, but did not get much of a sniff in front of goal.
Subs
Noni Madueke (for Palmer, 69) – 7
This game was made for him to make an impact off the bench and he almost teed up Watkins after one fine run but the Finns cleared.
Ollie Watkins (for Kane, 69) – 7
Low cross for Rice’s third was right on the money.
Rico Lewis (for Gomes, 80) – 6
Slotted in at centre midfield when coming on and looked busy.
Phil Foden (for Bellingham, 80) – 5
Embraced the post ruefully after Madueke opted to shoot instead of crossing to him for a tap-in seconds after Finland’s goal. Was marking Arttu Hoskonen when the Finn headed home a consolatio.
Conor Gallagher (for Rice, 89) – 6
His first appearance under Carsley but too late to make an impact.
Lee Carsley – 7
His tactical gamble backfired against Greece but he held his hands up and went more conventional here. It paid off as England were relatively comfortable – although his teams have looked defensively vulnerable at times in all four of his games and this was no different.
But the three best players, Gomes, Grealish and Alexander-Arnold, were all given starring roles by Carsley when used sparingly or not at all by predecessor Gareth Southgate – and for that, the interim boss should take credit.
Given that there are literally no English world-class trophy-winning managers, did this mean Carsley was preparing us for the imminent arrival of Thomas Tuchel?
Apparently that isn’t the case either.
When asked if this comment meant he was ruling himself out of the running, he said that was not the case.
Asked why he won’t give a straight answer, Carsley said he had talked himself out of jobs when he had been a caretaker boss at clubs and didn’t want to make the same mistake again.
So if he does want the job, why not say that?
Curiouser and curiouser.
The FA’s decision to appoint Carsley for all six Nations League fixtures — over three separate international breaks — always felt like an unnecessary stretch.
This is a long period of uncertainty to go through before the really serious business of World Cup qualification begins next year.
Surely the FA would be better off making their long-term decision before next month’s matches against Greece in Athens and the Republic of Ireland at Wembley?
Still, there have been some genuine positives from Carsley’s reign — all three of yesterday’s goalscorers in Helsinki having benefited from his management.
The hugely-popular Grealish, who became a father for the first time last week, was a shock omission from Southgate’s Euros squad but has netted twice in three starts under Carsley.
Alexander-Arnold has started all four matches under the current regime — this one as a makeshift left-back — and he conjured a gorgeous curling free-kick for the killer second goal here.
Rice, meanwhile, has enjoyed playing in his preferred No 8 role rather than the holding job he usually performed under Southgate.
Except, of course, for Thursday’s debacle against the Greeks, when the Arsenal man was horribly exposed by a gung-ho team selection.
This was England’s first journey to Helsinki’s historic Olympic Stadium since 2000 — and that also came on the back of a Wembley shambles.
Kevin Keegan had just quit in the toilets of the old national stadium with Howard Wilkinson taking charge of a goalless World Cup qualifying draw here in the Finnish capital.
After Thursday’s fiasco, Carsley selected a much more conventional team with Harry Kane fit enough to start up front after an ankle injury.
The interim manager’s decision to drop Jordan Pickford — something Southgate barely did — made sense too after an extremely jittery display against Greece, with Dean Henderson handed a first England start.
Angel Gomes, one of Carsley’s Under-21 European champions, was polished again on his second full international start. And after turning two defenders, the little Lille anchor man provided a gorgeous outside-of-the-boot assist for Grealish to slot home the early opener.
It was only the Manchester City man’s fourth goal from 39 caps but his second under Carsley.
England were sloppy before and after half-time, Finland centre-forward Fredrik Jensen firing over from close range either side of the interval.
Alexander-Arnold and Rice both forced saves from Lukas Hradecky but England were hardly tearing it up. Midway through the second half, Carsley freshened it up by sending on Ollie Watkins for Kane and Noni Madueke for the largely anonymous Cole Palmer.
After England won a free-kick on the left, just over 26 yards out, Alexander-Arnold sized it up and curled his effort deftly into the postage stamp, Hradecky doing well even to get a hand to the ball.
Soon, Ollie Watkins darted down the left and centred low to the near post where Rice tapped in. Arttu Hoskinen then headed home a consolation from a corner, denying Henderson his clean sheet.
That mattered little, though.
Carsley’s team had played with common sense and clarity.
As for the interim manager’s post-match comments, that is an entirely different story.
BARELY a day goes by where Treasury officials do not attempt to get Rachel Reeves to reverse cuts on workers’ National Insurance payments made by Jeremy Hunt.
This lobbying began the first day the new Chancellor arrived in No 11, and I hear it continues as she prepares to deliver her first Budget in just over two weeks’ time.
But Reeves is still saying no, citing the very clear promise Labour were elected on this summer, and despite a mad dash for cash.
Officials say scrapping the previous Chancellor’s four per cent cut is the quickest and easiest way to raise revenue, but politically it is a horror show.
With the exquisite timing we have come to expect from this new government, Reeves’ big moment falls the day before Halloween — and the mood music coming from the Treasury so far suggests it’s going to be plenty of trick and not much treat.
Which takes us to page 21 of the Labour Manifesto from June: “Labour will not increase taxes on working people, which is why we will not increase National Insurance, the basic, higher or additional rates of income tax, or VAT.”
But if you squint, can you see some wriggle room there on hiking National Insurance on employers’ contributions?
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds certainly thinks so, telling broadcasters yesterday: “That pledge, it was taxes on working people, so it was specifically in the manifesto, a reference to employees and to income tax.”
Which I don’t remember Labour saying at the time.
It’s pretty clear that Reeves is preparing to hike employer contributions, and it’s pretty clear the Tories will hammer that as a straight-up manifesto breach.
And besides, National Insurance is literally a tax on jobs, whether you are pinching it directly from a worker’s pay packet, or making the cost of employing them higher for firms.
And the verbal gymnastics do not stop there.
By any definition, “working people” are clearly people in work, paying their taxes.
Now take the other mooted tax raid: Hiking capital gains taxes. Yes, they’re paid by the mega rich on stocks and shares sales, and profit on selling second, third and fourth homes.
But is that really the whole picture? The Treasury’s own figures show that of those who paid CGT in 2021/22, 50 per cent declared in their tax returns that they were in employment or self-employed.
Which by definition at least makes half a tax on “working people”.
And drilling down into the data, 213,000 of those payers had a taxable income (after allowances and reliefs) of less than £37,700. Hardly what you would call the mega rich. And what about Sir Keir Starmer?
In 2022/23 he paid £52,688 in capital gains tax after the £275,739 sale of a field behind his parents’ old home in Surrey. Does our self-proclaimed socialist PM really not consider himself to be a working person?
So tricks aplenty are on their way, but will there be any treats? Treasury insiders insist Reeves will not pull the “tax levers lightly” with Whitehall grumbling at the stringent spending restraint she is in- sisting on.
Waste, dubious projects and head counts are in her sights, with Cabinet ministers set for sore disappointment over their big spending dreams.
The benefits system is also on the chopping block, with a White Paper on how to slim down handouts and get people back to work due in the coming weeks.
Labour have bet the house on getting growth going and with their plummeting poll ratings already, Reeves better hope that banker is right
The Tories identified £12billion in potential savings there ahead of the election, but Labour sources suggest that was a little high.
Yet half that sum would give Reeves some much-needed breathing space — but there will be plenty of squealing from the Left.
Alongside the painful tax rises, it’s shaping up to be a Budget in three parts.
The Chancellor insists she will put “a ring of steel” around working people with measures to improve their living standards and protect them from the pain of tax rises.
Despite what officials may say, she would be wise to remember that a hike in fuel duty is a tax on working people as most commuters drive.
Secondly, where the spending taps will be turned on is a package of support for the NHS — but this will come with hefty caveats on reforms.
A source told me: “We are not just going to pour cash into that money pit strings free, and Wes Streeting has been told very clearly it only comes with reforms.”
And thirdly, a final trick to trigger the treat of getting growth and wealth creation going.
How UK debt is calculated will be changed to allow tens of billions to be invested in infrastructure over the course of the Parliament, but still allow Reeves to pay lip service to her fiscal rules of having the debt coming down in five years’ time.
That extra borrowing will have “guard rails” around it with the Office for Budget Responsibility, National Audit Office and other associated three-letter acronym quangos given more meddling powers.
Allies of Reeves insist the debt plan was given the thumbs-up by big banks when they were briefed on it last week — promising a hike in public investment will drive the private sector to get spending too.
But the benefits of that will take years to be felt if it does anything to get Britain’s anaemic growth ticking up.
I hear one city bigwig told Reeves at their meeting last week: “What is the alternative to doing this? There isn’t one.”
Labour have bet the house on getting growth going and with their plummeting poll ratings already, Reeves better hope that banker is right.
CABINET ministers are grumbling that they are being forced into Tory-esque austerity by the lack of cash coming out of the Treasury.
But they are not going to get much truck with Rachel Reeves’ hatchet man Darren Jones.
The Chief Secretary, who is in charge of saying no to spending, is such a stickler for penny pinching that he even takes his work home.
He’s nicknamed his three kids Cost Unit 1, 2 and 3 and uses the loving term so much that some close colleagues actually have no idea what his children are really called.