James Archer 🔶🏳️‍🌈🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧🇪🇺

Reforming Capital Gains Tax and reinstating the banking taxes would plug this hole in a fair way, without removing support from many pensioners who will struggle with the choice between heating and eating this winter.

The Conservatives apparently cover up a £20bn hole in the public finances. Labour moves to plug by removing the winter fuel payment from all but the poorest pensioners at a time when fuel prices are only just dropping from historic highs. I urge Labour to steal our tax plan.

News. The Chancellor's just announced Winter Fuel Payments will no longer be universal to all pensioners, now only pensioners on benefits will get it - in my view that's too narrow a group. Here's my formal statement to @RachelReevesMP ... -------------- The targeting of Winter Fuel Payments is too narrow with the winter we have coming. Pensioners were already due to get less as this will be the first time since winter 2022 they haven’t got the up to £300 extra winter fuel cost of living top-up. The Energy Price Cap is likely to rise 10% this October and stay high across the winter, leaving most energy bills nearly double those pre-crisis, at levels unaffordable for millions. Many pensioners eke out the £100 to £300 Winter Fuel Payments to allow them to keep some heating on through the cold months. While there's an argument for ending its universality due to tight national finances, it's being squeezed to too narrow a group – just those on benefits and Pension Credit. Yet again, those just above the thresholds will be hardest hit. This is often justified as there's a 'lack of household income data' to allow other targeting. However, there's a usable precedent from the emergency energy crisis measures announced in April 2022, which I'd urge the Government to look at. Then, a payment was made to homes in council tax bands A to D – as an imperfect but workable proxy for lower household incomes. That'd allow an additional group of lower to middle-income pensioners to keep the payments and mitigate bill shocks. Councils' discretionary funds could also be funded as in April 2022, for the limited numbers who still need help but don't qualify. Plus, with this announcement, the Government has a huge moral imperative to ensure the 800,000 people eligible for Pension Credit who don't get it, are informed, educated and helped through the process. It is planning an awareness-raising campaign, but it needs to ensure that reaches every corner – and if possible proactively and personally contact people. Pension Credit is a crucial gateway benefit, giving access to a host of other entitlements, and now with the link to the Winter Fuel Payment, it makes it even more important to ensure fewer miss out."

Two futures: Labour in Government. Tories in Opposition. 5 years of endless culture wars & immigrant-bashing. Labour in Government, LibDems in Opposition. Tories powerless & voiceless on back benches. If the Tories come third, it changes everything. Here's why: 1/12

A reminder: stunts are not new for #EdDavey This is a true story: Covered in blood and carrying a stranger in his arms, Ed Davey turned to see the lights of a high-speed train hurtling towards him...

@adamthompson111 would you be in favour of cameras to stop people using Hawthorne-Thoresby as a cut through?

@CommPharmDerby @maggie_erewash @adamthompson111 Community pharmacies are also integral parts of our high streets. We would work towards a fairer more sustainable long-term funding model in order to build on the Pharmacy First model to give patients more accessible advice and ease the pressure on GP services.

Community Pharmacy is integral to primary care yet pharmacies are closing, 1 in 3 is operating at a loss and patients are struggling to get medicines. As candidates in Erewash how do you plan to support hardworking pharmacy teams? @maggie_erewash @adamthompson111 @JamesArcherLD

theguardian.com/environment/ga… Can you spot me in the picrures?

Ready to go Taking a break from the campaign today for the #RestoreNatureNow march in London.

I'm proud to back the Climate and Nature Bill as your local candidate. If elected on 4 July, I will do everything I can to keep climate and nature action at the top of the agenda. #CANBill action.zerohour.uk

People with #arthritis must not be forgotten. There are 10 million people with arthritis in the UK living with pain - it’s vital we support them to live the life they choose. I’m supporting @versusarthritis and their calls to #TakeArthritisSeriously. versusarthritis.org/general-electi…

@MartinSLewis just had a conversation with @eon_next about their Drive EV tariff. If you have a 2 rate meter they bill by the 2 rates now rather than half hourly smart readings. Means the cheap rate may not start at 00:00 as advertised instead it is regionally dependent.

This is just the urgent treatment centre all other services at Ilkeston remain unaffected.

Just recieved an email from DCHS saying they are transferring all Urgent Treatment Centre functions from Illeston to Ripley due to staffing shortages. Our NHS is in crisis and a vote for the Lib Dems is the best way to save it.

All 380 games are broadcast live in the US. Half of these are not available in the UK live. This encourages the use of dodgy streams, putting users at risk and potentially funding organised crime and even rogue states.

I'd like us to go further and change the law so that any game screened live on a broadcaster anywhere in the world must be available to watch on a UK broadcaster. bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

Proud to be part of this community wind farm project. news.sky.com/story/uks-larg…

@Ecodanheating Would like to return my cloud interface unit to you for a refund. Since you stopped supportimg Home Assistant and your own app stopped working it is now useless.

Today we celebrate #EarthDay2024. 🌍 As an ASHP manufacturer, we are committed to the transition to renewable and low-carbon heating alternatives that promote a greener future and the health of the planet. 🍃 Visit EARTHDAY.ORG #Ecodan #HeatPumps #ClimateAction

@nationalgriduk you have repeatedly been back to put an emergency fix in here causing traffic chaos and gridlock in #Sawley and #LongEaton each time any chance of the repair lasting this time? When can we expect a permanent replacement of what seems to be a failing appliance?