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A number of papers report on expectations for the budget, set to be delivered by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt on Wednesday. Mr Hunt is hoping to find the money to introduce a 2p cut across income tax and national insurance, according to the Sunday Times. The paper says Mr Hunt has asked officials to launch a last-minute effort to find other tax rises or spending cuts to fund the move and is set to meet with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Sunday night to make a final decision.
The Sunday Express says the Conservatives have been warned they face a "furious backlash from pensioners" if they fail to cut income tax. The paper says the freeze in the personal allowance has meant the number of over-65s liable to pay income tax has almost doubled since the party came to power and that angry campaigners argue pensioners are being "ravaged by rampant inflation". It adds that Mr Hunt is "edging towards" cutting national insurance instead of income tax, but that over-65s don't pay national insurance, so wouldn't benefit from any cut.
Speaking to the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Hunt says he wants to fund tax cuts by reducing bureaucracy in the public sector and slashing tens of thousands of civil service jobs. "Public sector waste is immoral. It is taking money out of taxpayers' pockets," he is quoted as saying. He also admits that he will have less fiscal headroom than he had hoped for in the budget because the economic forecasts he received this week from the Office for Budget Responsibility have "gone against us".
The Observer says economists have warned that pre-election cuts to tax and spending could "cost the country dear". In a statement to the paper, two former advisors to the Treasury say Mr Hunt should focus on long-term measures to spur investment and growth instead of making decisions aimed at "sabotaging prospects for the next government". It adds that there have also been signs of tensions between the Treasury and No 10, with Mr Sunak said to be pushing harder for tax reductions.
Prince Andrew will face "new questions" about his association with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein because of new documents set to be released in the US, the Daily Mirror reports. The paper says testimony previously submitted to a grand jury contains details of attempts by the duke to lobby US authorities to accept a plea deal that allowed Epstein to avoid a federal sex trafficking charge in 2008.
And the Daily Star Sunday leads with the story of Megan Tompkins, a British woman who it says is addicted to mayonnaise. The paper says Tompkins gets through three bottles of the condiment a week and puts it on all her food, including porridge and curry.
A number of papers report on expectations for the budget, set to be delivered by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt on Wednesday.
In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Hunt says that the latest economic forecasts from the independent Office for Budgetary Responsibility - which will inform the budget - "have gone against us". He suggests that reducing the tax burden - which is at its highest level since the Second World War - will be "a long path". The chancellor also repeats his call for cuts to civil service jobs, telling the paper they should be brought back to pre-pandemic levels.
The Sunday Times reports that Mr Hunt and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak are spending the weekend "battling" to find the necessary savings for a 2p cut across income tax and national insurance. The paper says Mr Hunt is planning to launch a "£300 million tax raid" on second-home owners who rent out their properties to tourists. He'll argue the move will help tackle the housing shortage in coastal areas and holiday hotspots like the Lake District.
The Sunday Express warns of a furious reaction from pensioners if income tax isn't reduced, as they're already exempt from national insurance. Two former Treasury advisers have told the Observer that "tax cuts to stimulate a pre-election spending spree are the last thing the British economy needs" and warn the Chancellor against "sabotaging prospects for the next government".
The Sun on Sunday carries an interview with shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves. Under the headline "The Iron Lefty", Ms Reeves says she's pleased when companies make profits, relaxed about people being rich, and wants to reduce taxes for working people.
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt are said to be battling to find the savings for a 2p cut to personal taxes in Wednesday's budget
The Mail on Sunday reports that security officials have told MPs that the terror threat facing the UK is "rising rapidly" because of the conflict in Gaza. The paper says the level of "extremist chatter" monitored by the security services is at its highest level since the 9/11 attacks, and that there are also fears of far-right attacks during the forthcoming Muslim month of Ramadan.
The wife of former Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen, who has sat as an independent since losing the party whip for comparing the Covid-19 vaccine to the Holocaust, tells the Sunday Times that he has been taken in by a "cult". Nevena Bridgen claims Mr Bridgen, now a leading member of the anti-vax movement, has been turned against her and that she and her son have been left homeless by the breakdown of the marriage. She also criticises the Conservative Party and the parliamentary authorities for not better protecting him from "radicalisation". Mr Bridgen denies belonging to or being associated with any "sect" or "cult", and says that his work is aimed at safeguarding the health and safety of the constituents who voted for him.
And the Sunday Mirror says Prince Andrew will face "new questions" about his association with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein because of new documents set to be released in the US. The paper says testimony previously submitted to a grand jury contains details of attempts by the duke to lobby US authorities to accept a plea deal that allowed Epstein to avoid a federal sex trafficking charge in 2008.
