The £2bn lawyer tax – should Rachel Reeves tax LLPs?
The current situation – the doctorsWhen someone is employed, their employer applies employer national insurance to their pay packet. So, for example, if a hospital has £118k to pay its doctors, about £16k comes out immediately as employer national insurance. The doctor only ever sees the remaining £100k – and of course pays income tax and employee national insurance on it. Someone earning (say) £6m would pay £414k more tax if employer national insurance applied to their pay. This becomes quite hard to fix unless employer national insurance (or something equivalent) is applied to all the self-employed (and see further below).
Source:The Times
October 22, 2025 07:34 UTC
UK inflation expected to jump to 21-month high of 4%
Economists at Pantheon Macroeconomics predicted that higher motor fuel and airfare prices would help drive inflation to 4% in September. (PA Graphics)September’s predicted jump in inflation could represent a peak in the rising cost of living for UK households. However, the increase is based on either this inflation rate, average earnings growth between May and July, or 2.5%. Given earnings growth was confirmed as 4.8%, the inflation rate will only be used if there is a shock acceleration beyond this level. However, higher inflation would also contribute to a higher tax take, with the September rate also typically used to calculate some annual tax increases such as for business rates.
Source:The Times
October 22, 2025 05:58 UTC
Explained: Darktrace CEO says she was deepfaked — and couldn’t tell the difference
In 2023, an Asian multinational lost $35 million after a finance executive was duped by a video call featuring a deepfaked CFO. The technology behind the scamThe contextThe bigger pictureCorporate defences are unprepared: Traditional cybersecurity focuses on code and networks, not human perception. Legal frameworks lag: The UK, EU, and US are only beginning to draft legislation for labelling or watermarking synthetic media. AI companies are conflicted: The same technologies that power creative tools and customer service bots are also enabling sophisticated fraud. I couldn’t tell the difference,” she said.
Source:The Times
October 22, 2025 05:36 UTC
Grooming gangs probe will leave ‘no hiding place’ – Mahmood
Home Office Minister Jess Phillips took questions in parliament about the grooming gangs inquiry (Jonathan Brady/PA)A fourth survivor also reportedly resigned on Tuesday. Ms Mahmood acknowledged frustrations about the pace of progress towards launching the inquiry, which was announced by Sir Keir Starmer in June and is yet to appoint a chair. We must call them what they were: evil child rapists,” Ms Mahmood said in an op-ed for the Times and GB News. She later accused safeguarding minister Jess Phillips of lying for disputing allegations that the inquiry was being watered down and called on her to stand down from her position. “There will be no hiding place for those who abused the most vulnerable in our society.
Source:The Times
October 22, 2025 00:06 UTC
Senior German General Says Europe Must Do All It Can to Help Ukraine
As President Trump prepares to meet President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia in the coming weeks to discuss a possible cease-fire, a senior German general warned that if Russia is not stopped in Ukraine democracy in Europe would be at risk. “The only reason for Putin to stop is if he is stopped,” said Lt. Gen. Alexander Sollfrank, and that requires pressure. He had a similar job at NATO and earlier fought in Afghanistan as commander of a rapid-reaction force that saw serious action. He spoke in an interview last week at his Berlin headquarters. As Mr. Trump tries again to wrangle Mr. Putin into a cease-fire in Ukraine that Russia does not want without significant Ukrainian concessions of territory, General Sollfrank said that the accomplishments of the postwar world were at risk if Russia prevailed in Ukraine.
Source:The Times
October 21, 2025 20:31 UTC
Eighth contestant leaves The Great British Bake Off tent
Tuesday’s episode crowned medical student Jasmine Mitchell as the week’s Star Baker while presenter Noel Fielding broke the news to Iain that he would be leaving the tent. The Great British Bake Off contestant Iain has left the tent (Channel 4/Love Productions/PA)He said: “I didn’t think I would make it this far – I never thought I would make it past the first couple of weeks. So to make it to the quarter-finals is something that I couldn’t ever have thought of. We have made really, really good friends, and we always have a laugh. “My worst moment had to be the Bread Week showstopper.
Source:The Times
October 21, 2025 20:26 UTC
Chess GM Daniel Naroditsky Death: Vladimir Kramnik raises concerns about 'substance abuse'
Because I received this two days ago from a friend of mine, chess fan, and at least did what I could to warn people to do something urgently in my posts. To those who prefer blaming and shaming instead of helping. Awful tragedy, hope properly investigated. "The controversy that cast a long shadow over Daniel Naroditsky's final year commenced when Vladimir Kramnik publicly accused him of cheating through a series of online posts in early 2024.Kramnik alleged that Naroditsky used a second screen to consult chess engines, a serious accusation undermining the integrity of a professional player. Naroditsky, ranked among the world's top 75 in Rapid and top 25 in Blitz, had to defend himself in the court of public opinion.He strongly denied the allegations, stating that his streaming setup had been misinterpreted by Kramnik.
Source:The Times
October 21, 2025 12:46 UTC
here's what I thought when I visited Legoland Windsor for the first time
I visited the Windsor theme park for its annual Halloween Brick Or Treat festivalALL EARS I’ve been to Disney World more than 50 times – here’s what I thought when I visited Legoland Windsor for the first timeKEEPING the kids busy during October half term is probably the easiest of the school holidays, with Halloween events and pumpkin patches popping up everywhere. Legoland’s aptly-named ‘Brick or Treat’ event runs throughout the month of October with activities on select dates until November 1st 2025. This year, the park has also unveiled the UK’s first-ever Lego pumpkin patch, painstakingly made from almost 45,000 individual Lego bricks. I headed to the theme park in Berkshire with some friends and a gaggle of kids aged between four and fifteen. Tickets for Legoland Windsor start from £34 per person, with kids under 90cm going free.
Source:The Times
October 21, 2025 12:31 UTC
Rishi Sunak bags new role with The Sunday Times
Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy noticeRishi Sunak is becoming a weekly columnist for The Sunday Times, expressing his desire to engage in “a weekly conversation with readers”. “As a long-time reader of The Sunday Times business pages, I’m honoured to be joining a great team as a columnist,” Mr Sunak said. open image in gallery Rishi Sunak with his wife Akshata Murty ( PA Wire )It seeks to transform young lives through the power of improved numeracy. In January, Mr Sunak announced he was taking up two new jobs in the UK and America.
Source:The Times
October 21, 2025 12:00 UTC
“It Looked Better Just Thick And Fat”: 45 Beauty Procedures People Regret Having Done
Obviously not many of the surgeries I had were elective but the few that weren’t I overall don’t regret. Now when I smile, I don't look happy. It looks amazing now but it really took me out mentally for the better part of this year. I don't regret my breast lift or botox! I didn't regret getting it, but I wish I would have gotten to another doctor.
Source:The Times
October 21, 2025 10:02 UTC
Rishi Sunak joins The Sunday Times as a columnist
The Sunday Times today announces that the Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP is joining as a columnist. His fee will be paid to The Richmond Project, an education charity founded by Rishi Sunak and Akshata Murty which seeks to transform young lives through the power of improved numeracy. Emily Jones (Head of Communications)emily.jones@thetimes.co.uk07771 840 387About Times Media:Times Media includes newsbrands The Times, The Sunday Times and the Times Literary Supplement (TLS), and expanding into audio in 2020 with the launch of Times Radio and a portfolio of award-winning podcasts. At the 2024 Press Awards, The Times was named Daily Newspaper of the Year, while The Sunday Times took home Sunday Newspaper of the Year. Times Radio launched in 2020, and the latest RAJAR results revealed it is delivering a record reach of 616k listeners, who are listening to 4.9 million hours every week.
Source:The Times
October 21, 2025 09:24 UTC
Oxford Union confidence vote suspended after ‘intimidation of returning officer’
The extraordinary returning officer was allegedly subjected to “obstruction, intimidation, and unwarranted hostility by a number of representatives”, a notice signed by the returning officer stated. “The extraordinary returning officer was subject to obstruction, intimidation, and unwarranted hostility by a number of representatives, and on account of this had no choice but to informally suspend the process as co-operation and progress was rendered untenable. Mr Kirk, a 31-year-old father-of-two, was a Donald Trump ally and co-founder and chief executive of the right-wing youth organisation Turning Point USA. Posting on social media last week, Oxford Stand Up To Racism said Mr Abaraonye has faced a tirade of racist abuse online since. Oxford Union’s statement in September condemned the racial abuse and threats Mr Abaraonye has faced.
Source:The Times
October 21, 2025 09:16 UTC
Borrowing exceeds forecast by £7.2bn to dig deeper hole for Reeves
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Source:The Times
October 21, 2025 08:11 UTC
Unseen Grand Sumo Tournament — leg-stomping and a match of 1,000 slaps
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Source:The Times
October 21, 2025 07:49 UTC
Former NatWest executive David Lindberg appointed HSBC UK boss
Mr Lindberg, who was NatWest’s chief executive of retail banking until earlier this year, will take up the role on December 8. The appointment of Mr Lindberg is the latest leadership change under chief executive Georges Elhedery, who has spearheaded sweeping changes since taking the top job last year. Mr Lindberg joins HSBC UK after more than 27 years in financial services, including the past five years at NatWest. He said: “I am honoured to be joining HSBC at such an important time. “HSBC UK serves over 15 million personal and business customers and plays a vital role in supporting the country’s economy.
Source:The Times
October 21, 2025 07:09 UTC