The Conservatives have pledged to take up to £50,000 off the cost of buying a new home and scrap a levy they say pushes up the cost of the weekly shop as they kicked off their annual conference.
Andrew Griffith, the shadow Chancellor, set out his vision in his first major speech on Monday – as the Tories put the economy at the heart of their Birmingham gathering.
The party said the new home saving would come from scrapping red tape and net zero building rules. It would also abolish extended producer responsibility (EPR), a packaging levy it calls the “grocery tax”.
BT agrees deal to save TalkTalk from administration
BT has agreed to buy TalkTalk’s consumer and wholesale businesses to save the company from collapse, ending months of speculation over the operator’s future.
Deal provides ‘safety net’ for millions
BT chief executive Alison Kirkby said the £400m deal provided “a safety net” not only for TalkTalk’s 2.5 million customers, but also the company’s 900 staff.
However, rival operator Virgin Media has called the deal a “stitch up” which allows BT – the UK’s largest broadband provider – to “tighten its grip” over the market.
- BT said it stepped in amid a “”.
- The Government said it took urgent action to intervene after TalkTalk had failed to find a buyer.
- TalkTalk’s customers include , as well as connections that support across several sectors.
Takeover not yet approved
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) must approve the takeover, taking into account what would happen if TalkTalk was forced to exit the market. The regulator has until 19 October to deliver its verdict.
The Government has given itself the power to have the final say, though, citing TalkTalk’s importance to critical public services.
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Phone and broadband services are vital national infrastructure. If TalkTalk services fail, there is a genuine risk to life and public services – including to hospitals, schools and emergency care. These are unprecedented circumstances that require action now.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy
What to know amid Russian plague outbreak fears
A laboratory worker at an institute in Siberia dedicated to researching the plague has died of a mysterious illness, prompting
Russian authorities to impose “anti-epidemic measures” in the local area.
Here’s what we know so far…
- Darya Shipilova was exposed to a pathogen after accidentally breaking a test tube at the Anti-Plague Research Institute in Shelekhov, local media reported.
- Shipilova was hospitalised on 29 September with severe pneumonia of “unknown origin,” according to Rospotrebnadzor, Russia’s infectious disease agency.
- She was placed on a ventilator but died shortly after.
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Three-week quarantine imposed
Hospitals close
Several hospitals in the city of Irkutsk have closed for a three-week quarantine, local outlet reported.
Medical isolation
About 200 people suspected of having direct or indirect contact with Shipilova are said to be in medical isolation.
Closely monitored
Over 100 individuals are being monitored in hospital wards.
Irkutsk governor Igor Kobzev urged residents to remain calm, writing on Telegram that an anti-epidemic commission had met to address a “suspected case of a particularly dangerous infection”.
The White House is also monitoring the situation, a US official told Axios.
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Criminal investigation opened
The Anti-Plague Institute is a major research and public health facility responsible for monitoring and preventing outbreaks of high-risk bacterial and viral infections across Siberia and Russia’s Far East. It employs around 95 researchers, per its website.
Russian law enforcement agencies have reportedly opened a criminal investigation into potential workplace health and safety violations resulting in the lab worker’s death.
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No signs of ‘spread’
- Kobzev said none of the deceased woman’s contacts were showing any signs of illness and testing had come back negative.
- Gennady Onishchenko, a former head of Rospotrebnadzor, said on Friday the infection was “most likely not the plague, but even if confirmed, there will be no spread of this disease”.
Easily transferable
There are no plague outbreaks.
Alexei Tsydenov, head of the neighbouring republic of Buryatia, said the employee died “possibly from the plague” but noted that “there are no plague outbreaks” in Buryatia.
Pneumonic plague, one of the three types of plagues caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, can be transmitted between people through respiratory particles.
Andrew taking legal action over police search warrants
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is taking legal action against Thames Valley Police in a bid to quash search warrants which led to his arrest. Here’s what we know.
Police investigation
Mountbatten-Windsor has been accused of sharing sensitive information with Jeffrey Epstein.
- The former prince, who denies any wrongdoing, was detained on his 66th birthday in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
- He was interviewed under caution and released under investigation after being held in custody for around 11 hours.
- It came after emails appeared to show him sharing official documents with Epstein and others while serving as the UK’s trade envoy from 2001 to 2011.
- Police searched Mountbatten-Windsor’s property at Marsh Farm in Sandringham and his former Windsor home, Royal Lodge, for days after his arrest.
Andrew requests judge examine lawfulness of search warrants
Thames Valley Police is continuing its investigation into Mountbatten-Windsor, who is now taking legal action against the force.
He has requested that a judge examine the lawfulness of the search warrants, which were issued by an Old Bailey judge.
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Hearing to begin this week
- A hearing into Mountbatten-Windsor’s legal claim will take place at the High Court at 2pm on Thursday, a judicial spokesperson confirmed on Monday.
- The spokesperson said it will feature a bid by Thames Valley Police to restrict access to court documents, with the hearing to begin in private.
It is currently not known whether Andrew will attend the hearing.
First public pushback since arrest
Mountbatten-Windsor’s legal action against the police is his first public pushback against his arrest.
Mountbatten-Windsor has already been stripped of his home and titles by King Charles, after emails showed he continued his relationship with Epstein beyond when he publicly said such links had been severed.
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What to remember when asking AI about your pension savings
While AI can be a “great tool” for research, pension savers have been warned they could lose money if they rely on chatbots to answer financial questions.
Here’s what you should remember when asking AI about your nest egg…
Leaving out crucial details
UK-based online provider PensionBee has warned that an AI bot’s answers to common questions about retirement savings could leave out crucial details.
It found issues around questions about significant life events, and those enquiries where the user’s location was unclear.
AI also might not recognise that the person asking the question may be in vulnerable circumstances, PensionBee said.
An answer can contain correct information and still leave you with the wrong impression because something important is missing. This is one of the biggest risks with using AI for financial questions. Consumers need to look beyond whether an answer sounds right and check whether it gives them the full picture before acting.
Becky O’Connor, head of at PensionBee
Free AI advice may be wrong
Someone in a genuinely difficult financial situation may turn to an AI chatbot because they don’t want or can’t afford to pay for advice, says Becky O’Connor
She added that free AI advice was “exactly when recognising the wider circumstances matters most”, and people should understand a clear, confident answer from a chatbot might still be incomplete or wrong.
If you want AI advice:
- That includes age, pension type, and whether you are going through a major life event.
- Do not share personal details, such as passwords and account numbers, with AI.
- Ask neutral questions and verify sources and information before acting.
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What we know about US bombers withdrawal from RAF Fairford
The United States has withdrawn all of its
B-1, B-2 and B-52 bombers from RAF Fairford, despite Downing Street insisting the airbase is safe following the arrest and bailing of six individuals over the past week in connection with a suspected terror plot.
Warplanes sent back to US
According to and , the warplanes were removed due to a new potential threat against the airbase in Gloucestershire.
At least three of the bombers had returned to the US, landing in South Dakota, by Sunday, the reported.
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New Fairford threats?
One US official, speaking anonymously to the , said the new threats were part of the same warnings from three weeks ago, but that more specific details had emerged in the past 24 hours. The report claimed some planes left so urgently that refuelling aircraft were still being arranged to support the journeys.
The UK Ministry of Defence has not commented, while US secretary of state Marco Rubio said he would not link the aircrafts’ departures to the recent suspected terror plot targeting the base.
US plays down concerns
We’ve documented what happened last week. I wouldn’t directly tie that to the move that was made. It’s not unusual to see movement of assets to different parts of the world based on exercises, redeployments, people changing out and new people coming in, new planes coming in and old planes going out.
marco rubio, us secretary of state
PM: Iran may be responsible
- It follows the five arrests just over a week ago, after three suspicious vans were spotted near the base.
- Andy Burnham has said there were “strong indications” that Iran played a part in that incident.
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Senior Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP)
co-ordinator Vicki Evans said a “hugely complex” investigation into the suspected terror plot was ongoing.
- On Saturday, CTP said a sixth man arrested in connection with events at RAF Fairford had been released on bail.
- The 25-year-old, a dual UK-Iranian national, was held on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006.
- Five British nationals, all in their mid-20s, were arrested on suspicion of explosives offences and terrorism and then bailed.
Speculation over new strikes
The departure of the bombers has renewed speculation the US could begin fresh strikes on Iran after next month’s midterm elections. US forces have used Fairford as a base for Middle East operations and had been granted permission to launch “defensive” strikes on Iran from there. But Fairford-based bombers would have been unable to take part in new, aggressive measures.
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Pentagon statement
We can acknowledge now that all US bombers that were deployed to RAF have redeployed to their home stations in the United States. The airmen that operate America’s bomber force… remain ready to deliver precision global strike capabilities – including through operations that launch and recover from the continental United States – anywhere, anytime.
A Pentagon official
Why Israel has banned Greens leader Polanski
Israel’s foreign ministry has banned Green Party leader Zack Polanski from entering the country after a motion on the definition of Zionism was adopted by the Greens at the party’s conference over the weekend.
What does the motion say?
The motion defines Zionism as supporting “an ethnonationalist Jewish state”.
A democratic Palestine
It backs a “single democratic Palestinian state in all of historic Palestine”.
It has divided senior party figures, with deputy leader Rachel Millward calling the wording “problematic”.
Zionism motion is a ‘stain’ on UK history, says Israel
Polanski did not take part in the vote at the Greens’ conference in Brighton on Sunday, but members endorsed the policy motion by 1,022 votes to 813.
Israel’s foreign ministry described it as a “clear antisemitic text” and “a stain on the history of the United Kingdom”.
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Polanski calls for changes to motion
Asked about the motion on Friday, Polanski told the BBC: “If your Zionism is the displacement of the Palestinian people then that is clearly racist, and I say that as a Jewish leader of a British political party.”
Polanski did not vote in the debate, as
he left the Greens’ conference early to campaign for a seat in this week’s Holborn and St Pancras by-election.
However, the Green Party leader called for some amendments to the motion.
Amendments rejected
- Polanski said he wanted to see reference to a single Palestinian state changed, arguing that the UK should not be “deciding what the future settlement looks like”.
- He also wanted an amendment to specify that it should not be used
to discipline Jewish members attending synagogues that consider themselves Zionist. - However, both amendments were rejected by Green members.
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Watch more from The i Paper
Jewish groups speak out
Zionism is anti-racism, creating a refuge for Jews in their ancient homeland after millennia of persecution outside it. Branding most British Jews and Jewish institutions ‘racist’ stokes
Board of Deputies of British Jews and
anti-Jewish hatred.
the Jewish Leadership Council
Watch more from The i Paper
Griffith said lower, simpler and fairer taxes would be his “personal North Star” as chancellor, adding that the party would cut taxes “only when we can afford to do so”.
He accused Prime Minister Andy Burnham of wanting to return to a socialist “fever dream” of the 1970s, in which, Griffith wrote, “the strikes, decline and blackouts never happened”.
Griffith described his plans as “the most ambitious growth package in a generation”. Here is what he has announced.
How the Tories want to cut tax
Scrapping the ‘grocery tax’: The extended producer responsibility scheme, which the Tories have dubbed the “grocery tax”, requires supermarkets and food manufacturers to pay a levy on the packaging they use.
The money goes to local authorities to fund bin collections and recycling plants. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has claimed the scheme costs businesses an extra £1.5bn each year. The Conservatives have today pledged to scrap it, saying it raises “the price of everyone’s supermarket shop” as retailers pass on the costs.
Fixing tax codes: Griffith has claimed that the UK’s tax code system – which is used by employers and HMRC to work out how much tax someone has to pay – is a “cat’s cradle of complexity”. He has said time spent on tax returns or waiting on HMRC helplines takes small business owners and the self-employed away from their work and families.
To tackle this, he announced on Monday that every Treasury minister in a Conservative government would be given a mission to simplify it.
Removing the 60 per cent marginal tax rate: Griffith said it is his “ambition” to end the 60 per cent tax rate. This applies to earnings between £100,000 and £125,140, where the tax-free personal allowance shrinks by £1 for every £2 you earn. He said ending it “will take time”, and gave no timetable for when it could be achieved.
Dropping Labour’s ‘family homes tax’: Griffith announced today that the Conservatives would scrap what Labour calls the High Value Council Tax Surcharge, often known as the ‘mansion tax’. It was announced by former chancellor Rachel Reeves in her November 2025 Budget and will charge owners of homes in England worth £2m or more between £2,500 and £7,500 a year from April 2028.
Ending stamp duty: At the 2025 Conservative Party conference, party leader Kemi Badenoch announced that they would scrap stamp duty – a tax you pay when you buy property or land over a certain price – on primary residences.
Scrapping the tax would cost the Treasury around £9bn, but she said doing so would “unlock a fairer and more aspirational society” by making it easier to buy a house.
How quickly would the Tories cut taxes?
Not immediately, according to the Conservatives’ own shadow Chancellor.
Griffith says the party’s first Budget back in government would aim to be “a tax-cutting Budget”, telling on Monday that further cuts would come “only as and when we can, living within our means”.
One tax that Conservatives have suggested they would like to scrap is inheritance tax – the duty paid when a deceased person’s estate is passed on to inheritors.
But Griffith told this morning that it was unlikely the party would be able to commit to that.
“There are lots of things that we would like to do, but the job of the chancellor is to make sure that those can be paid for,” he said.
Opposition parties have also suggested that the Tory pledges to cut taxes are unrealistic.
Labour Party chairwoman Bridget Phillipson said the Tories “had failed at every turn” to grow the economy during their 14 years in power, while Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper described their plan as a “litany of fantasy-financial pledges”.
She also said the Conservatives had “cemented their position as a pointless anti-growth, anti-business party” by rejecting closer ties with Europe.
How the Tories want to cut house prices
Another of the big pledges Griffith has announced is to take up to £50,000 off the price of a new home by cutting red tape.
Scrapping net zero building rules: The party would axe the Future Homes Standard, a set of rules on how environmentally friendly new homes have to be. Under the rules, builders would have to fit things like heat pumps in new homes from 2027.
The Tories claim these rules add more than £30,000 to the cost of building a home. They also say separate rules to protect wildlife add almost £6,000 to the cost of a new home, and would also be scrapped.
Replacing planning levies: At the moment, developers have to pay councils money when they build through two mechanisms: Section 106 agreements and the community infrastructure levy. The money pays for things like affordable homes, roads, schools and GP surgeries in the local area.
The Tories have said they would replace both with one “simple and transparent” fee. Griffith says the paperwork needed for these mechanisms can hold up building by up to 17 months, and that the new fee would give local councillors more say over how the money is spent.
Abolishing Natural England and the Environment Agency: The Tories would scrap both government bodies and hand the work they say is still needed, such as flood defence, to Defra, the government department for the environment and farming.
The party blames Natural England for holding up more than 160,000 homes because of rules aimed at cutting river pollution. It claims the Environment Agency has done too little to stop flooding.
Will the plan to cut house prices work?
The £50,000 figure is the Conservatives’ own estimate, and has not been independently corroborated.
Questions have also been raised about whether removing bureaucratic hurdles will boost housebuilding and cut costs.
Paul Johnson, the former director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, told on Monday that the party’s diagnosis that regulation is holding back the economy was “at least partly right”.
But he said the Tories needed to “put some flesh onto those bones” by setting out how they would scrap the rules.
Politicians from several parties have long recognised that regulation holds back the economy, he said, but have struggled to do anything about it.
James Alexander, chief executive of the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association, also warned that scrapping the Future Homes Standard could “weaken the financing environment for housebuilding”.
He said investors had backed strong standards for new homes because the UK’s ageing housing stock posed a risk to families and the property market.
The environmental impact of the Tory plans has also been criticised. Craig Bennett, chief executive of the Wildlife Trusts, said scrapping Natural England and the Environment Agency “would do nothing to encourage growth or deliver development”.