We believe in freedom. Free press. Free speech. Free markets. If you share these values, join us today. | | Rob White Senior Money Writer | If one idea could encapsulate last month’s Budget, it is the overwhelming sense that under Labour, some are more equal than others.
One aspect of civic life that has until now escaped the dreaded “two-tier” label is the state pension. That is about to change.
Rachel Reeves announced that people who rely solely on the state pension for their income would not pay tax this parliament – a move to protect the millions of retirees whose state pension will become taxable from April 2027 thanks to a combination of the triple lock guarantee and frozen tax thresholds. Well, to protect some of them.
Those with their own pension savings will pay tax not only on their private income but also on the taxable portion of their state income.
In effect, under this two-tier tax system, just £1 of private income could cost them £58 in the first year it is introduced, rising to £188 by 2029.
Not only does the move create a chasm between how pensioners are taxed on the same chunk of income, it also means a worker will pay more tax on their hard-earned income than a pensioner does on the same amount of state payout.
Labour’s policy will leave hard-working people who have diligently saved for their future wondering: “Why did I bother?”
Read the full investigation here ➤ | | Blackrock Cottage in beautiful Glencoe is one of the most photographed Scottish crofts in the region | Britain can be magical in winter, especially if you’re staying somewhere small, quiet and seasonally appropriate – the sort of village that might show up on a classic Christmas card. Weekend activities on offer should include trying to successfully light the log burner (or finding the nearest fire-warmed pub) and watching whatever weather is occurring outside, to decide if a walk is in order.
A winter village break can be both comforting and refreshing. And also cheap: low-season rates in cute little honeypots are invariably a bargain compared with summer. | The village of Little Haven, Pembrokeshire has a sheltered bay | So where to go? UK travel expert Sarah Baxter has chosen 10 of her favourite spots for a cosy escape. They include Dunster, a medieval village on the edge of Exmoor, well-placed for bracing strolls and bountiful snowdrops; Lindisfarne in Northumberland, with its crag-top castle, priory ruins, white-sand beaches and enormous skies; and Little Haven in Pembrokeshire, for a blast of coastal cuteness at half the summer price.
See the full list here ➤ | | | Ben Stokes can’t bring himself to watch as England toil in the first session | Australia is the land of the barbecue, but Steve Smith’s men opted to slow roast England on the third day at The Gabba, Will Macpherson writes.
The hosts added 72 in the first session, helping to take their lead just after tea to 131. England’s exhausted bowlers were better than yesterday, but had just two wickets to show for it.
With every passing ball, England’s batting reckoning moved closer to the night-time witching hour. There is little more frustrating in cricket than tail-end runs, and Mitchell Starc tormented England.
The run rate slowed, and at times the most interesting action was in the stands, where hundreds of Queenslanders were decked out as the Star Wars inspired “Gabbatroopers”. Later today, England need the fours to be with them.
Follow the latest from The Gabba ➤ Plus, sign up to our Sport Briefing newsletter for a full review of the action at close of play, every day. | | Rowan Pelling The Yanks have nicked our shabby Yuletide and sold it back to us as a luxury Ralph Lauren trend Continue reading ➤ Michael Deacon Eurovision won’t miss the hateful anti-Israel mob Continue reading ➤ Camilla Tominey The campaign against Farage shows that nothing is beneath the frightened Left Continue reading ➤ | Sharpen your talking points. Explore incisive opinion from Britain’s leading comment writers. | | As Sir Keir Starmer’s popularity continues to falter, Wes Streeting’s allies are pressing Angela Rayner to sign up to a “joint ticket” for the Labour leadership, The Telegraph can reveal. This proposal would see the return of Rayner, the disgraced deputy prime minister, to the Cabinet if she agreed to back Streeting in a leadership run. Here, these Westminster whisperings are exposed. Continue reading ➤ | | | Being a special constable has helped Penny Lancaster heal from some of the traumas of her past, she tells The Telegraph. In a revealing conversation, she also talks about the assaults she endured during her teenage years, the secret to her 18-year marriage to Rod Stewart and how she felt when her husband lambasted MasterChef’s Gregg Wallace on Instagram for bullying her. Continue reading ➤ | | | It’s an all-too-familiar Christmas conundrum: the tub of Quality Street has been cracked open, the matching snowflake-pattern pyjamas are on and the fire is blazing – but which festive film should you watch? Our critics offer 37 solutions, from classics to curveballs. Did your favourite movie make the cut? There’s only one way to find out... Continue reading ➤ | | | Sex in your 60s doesn’t have to be boring (or non-existent). In fact, one man suggests, it’s often better than in your 20s. From casual hook-ups to online “ghosting”, he reveals what intimacy is really like when you’re single in later life. Continue reading ➤ | | | For months, Russia found itself unable to advance in the face of the fierce resistance inside Pokrovsk. Then, Vladimir Putin’s army changed tactics. Beginning in July, the Russian army began sending “infiltrators” into the city – small groups who could slip past Ukrainian positions unnoticed. According to Ukrainian troops, the infiltrators sometimes dressed as civilians, or wore the uniform of Ukrainian soldiers. Many of these sabotage groups were eliminated, but those who survived began to eat away at Ukraine’s defensive forces from the inside out. Continue reading ➤ | | | For almost a millennium, trial by jury has been a feature of English life. As such, notes Simon Heffer, it is vital, not only to our justice system, but also to our sense of Englishness itself. David Lammy’s reforms will erode both, he says, further fraying the bonds between ordinary people and those who govern them. Continue reading ➤ | | | It took a long time to procure an interview with Toto Wolff, the magnetic but enigmatic team principal of Mercedes Formula One team, but it was well worth my persistence, writes Jessamy Calkin, Senior Features Writer. In the time we spent together at Mercedes HQ he opened up about his traumatic childhood, his love/hate relationship with Christian Horner, his disgraced former colleague, and how the controversial 2021 drivers’ championship, which Lewis Hamilton lost to Max Verstappen, has haunted him ever since. Continue reading ➤ | | The best wines to buy for Christmas With Christmas fast approaching, Victoria Moore, our Wine Correspondent, is on hand to help you find the best fits for your festive engagements. After tasting hundreds of bottles, she recommends a Spanish tempranillo as your hard-working house red and a “top-notch” Australian chardonnay. Here are her guides to the best red wines and best white wines for Christmas.
Elsewhere, Victoria also recommends the best sparkling wines, including supermarket own-label champagnes and an English fizz that’s “pure class” – and non-drinkers are in for a treat with her line-up of low-and-no tipples.
Find our comprehensive expert guides below:
• Red wines
• White wines
• Sparkling wines
• Non-alcoholic drinks
Below are two more articles that I hope will be useful this weekend: | Andrew Baker’s Saturday Quiz |
Gather round for the latest instalment of my Saturday quiz.
You can find the answers at the end of the newsletter. - On this date in 1492, Christopher Columbus landed on the island he called Hispaniola. Which two sovereign countries now share that landmass?
- Our Man in Havana (1958) is a black comedy set in Cuba and written by which British novelist?
- Shakespeare’s A Comedy of Errors is set in which Ancient Greek city?
- The English word “telephone” derives from two words in Greek. What do they mean?
- What will you hear if you dial 123 from a BT landline?
| Christmas treats Mince pies for now, foodie presents for later | Flaky, buttery and perfectly spiced: try your hand at these professional-standard pies |  | Eleanor Steafel Feature writer and recipe columnist | It’s time to make the first batch of mince pies. You may well have a recipe you return to every year, but if you’re in need of inspiration, Ravneet Gill has a very clever pastry technique which uses cream cheese for a short, flaky texture. Or for a traditional, lard based dough, Josceline Dimbleby’s is always brilliant. | Flavoured with dill, mustard seeds and chilli | This could also be a weekend to get ahead with some foodie presents. Jars of pickles are always a winner and these dill cucumbers couldn’t be simpler and will be ready to eat by Christmas. Diana Henry has a beautiful chilli jam recipe which is so good with things like leftover hot ham. Make a batch now and it can adorn all your loved ones’ Christmas cheese boards in a couple of weeks.
| Make this glowing pot of cranberry sauce ahead of Christmas dinner | If you’re a cranberry sauce household and fancy making your own this year, try Xanthe Clay’s recipe with orange, port and star anise.
Happy cooking, and see you next Saturday!
Eleanor writes a weekly Recipes newsletter every Friday. Sign up here. | | Find as many words as you can in today’s Panagram, including the nine-letter solution. Visit Telegraph Puzzles to play a range of head-scratching games, including PlusWord, Sorted, and Quick, Mini or Cryptic Crosswords.
Yesterday’s Panagram was NAUGHTILY. Come back tomorrow for the solution to today’s puzzle. | | Thank you for reading. Have a fulfilling day and I hope to see you tomorrow. Chris Evans, Editor
P.S. Please send me your thoughts on this newsletter. You can email me here. | Quiz answers: - Dominican Republic and Haiti
- Graham Greene
- Ephesus
- Distant voice
- The speaking clock
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