The jab roll-out has been a shot in the arm for Britain – now Rishi’s Budget must be too

THE vaccine roll-out is something the Government can rightly feel proud of. But the Budget this week needs to be Rishi Sunak’s “Hold my beer” moment. Though he’s done well to support the economy through the pandemic, the moves he announces on Wednesday could massively help the country’s bounce-back, or stall the recovery before it […]

THE vaccine roll-out is something the Government can rightly feel proud of.

But the Budget this week needs to be Rishi Sunak’s “Hold my beer” moment.

Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates…

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Rishi Sunak’s upcoming Budget needs to be his ‘Hold my beer’ moment[/caption]

Though he’s done well to support the economy through the pandemic, the moves he announces on Wednesday could massively help the country’s bounce-back, or stall the recovery before it gets going.

The extension of the VAT cut for hospitality businesses will be a great start.

A freeze or cut in fuel duty would be a similar boost for the white van drivers who have kept Britain going during lockdown and for parts of the country that don’t have good public transport.

People know the nation’s finances are in a mess and the unprecedented Covid borrowing will need to be paid back.

But tax rises now will not refill empty government coffers like tax receipts from a booming economy will do.

So it’s time to be bold, again, Rishi.

Take advantage of the shot in the arm the vaccine roll-out has given Britain.

Help the pubs; help the high street; help businesses to create more jobs, and you’ll be the toast of the nation.

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More than 20million Brits have now had their first Covid vaccine[/caption]

Help for abused

WE have sadly had another epidemic: a surge in cases of domestic abuse.

The pressures of successive lockdowns may explain it but can never excuse it.

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Abusers who throttle their partners will spend up to five years in jail[/caption]

So it is good that sick abusers who throttle their partners to coerce and to bully them, short of killing them, will in future face up to five years in jail for the new offence of “non-fatal strangulation”.

It is good, too, that laws tackling “revenge porn” will be toughened, and better still that there will be more cash for Respite Rooms for vulnerable women, and programmes to end domestic abuse.

There must be shelter for those who need it, and no hiding place for abusers.

Lining podkets

THOSE who have struggled to work from home will be aghast at how MPs like Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner have cashed in with luxury upgrades on expenses.

A reasonably-priced pair of headphones would have been sufficient.

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Labour’s Angela Rayner claimed a pair of personalised Apple AirPods on expenses[/caption]

If she wanted top-of-the-range personalised Apple AirPod Pros, at £249, then why should you pay for them? It’s pure greed.

What was she listening to? Certainly not the howls of cash-strapped taxpayers.

Icon of Corrie

CORRIE’S womanising, no-nonsense factory boss Mike Baldwin was often charming, sometimes bullying, occasionally controversial, and always TV gold.

Actor Johnny Briggs, who has died aged 85, will be remembered for one of the soap’s most iconic characters.

Rex Features

Johnny Briggs will be remembered as one of Corrie’s most iconic characters[/caption]

Rest in peace, Johnny.

 

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