Saqib Bhatti MP

Just about to be on BBC Radio 4 Westminster Hour on the big issues with @lucyfisher.bsky.social, @rachelblakemp.bsky.social & @saqibbhattimp.bsky.social

Tune in if you can ...

Serious questions about Starmer’s judgement for appointing her even though he knew she had a criminal conviction.

🤯 astonishing - surely her position is untenable now

Labour party manifesto said it would overhaul business rates system “so we can raise *the same revenue* but in a fairer way”

instead the government is removing £2.7bn of annual business rates relief

but because this is part of a wider shake-up (larger premises paying more) it’s easy to obfuscate

British companies face a stealth tax rise of £900mn next year and up to £2.7bn in 2026 through higher business rates, despite Labour’s manifesto promise not to increase the amount of cash raised by the levy

www.ft.com/content/39f4...

For all those parroting the Labour Party line.

The farmers are clear. The experts have backed them. Defra’s own figures contradict the treasury.

Labour have got this wrong and it will do immeasurable harm to our farming industry and it will weaken our food security.

Did Labour mislead UK public ahead of Budget? Rachel Reeves’ tax-raising measures come after she pledged not to be a levy-hiking chancellor

- Angela Rayner expresses outrage at PMQs that the Tories could possibly suggest that Labour broke promises on taxation

- here’s an FT reminder of the multiple ways in which Labour misled people over taxes

www.ft.com/content/07fe...

Second on PMQ list today… what would you ask? #PMQs

For weeks we challenged the Government to publish their impact assessment for the removal of the Winter Fuel Payment. Now we see the full cost laid bare.

Labour MPs supported it and sneered at the suggestion this would create pensioner poverty, now we see how crass and damaging their arrogance is.

'Miscalculation' over government's handling of assisted dying issue The government did not prepare for ministers being dragged into the centre of the debate - creating a red-on-red conflict it could do without.

My piece on how some in No10 are hoping the assisted dying legislation itself dies a death
news.sky.com/story/miscal...

Labour finally confirm that 100,000 pensioners will be sent into poverty as a result of their winter fuel allowance cut.

They made a political choice to punish pensioners. Labour should be ashamed.

Out on College Green this morning to stand with farmers who have been betrayed by Labour’s Family Farm Tax. This policy threatens our family farms and weakens our food security. The only winners are Putin and Xi Jin Ping who will relish us relying on food imports more.

Important day today as our farmers stand up against the damaging family farm tax by Labour. I’ll be standing with them.

Sign up to the petition here

www.stopthefarmtax.com

Absolutely tone-deaf from City Steve ahead of the mass NFU-led farming protest in Westminster tomorrow.

As he insults our farmers suggesting that they don’t understand Labour’s Family Farms Tax, Labour MPs across rural constituencies are refusing to meet their farmers tomorrow.

Shadow culture minister @saqibbhattimp.bsky.social is now on Bluesky (and is definitely real)

Only the second Tory MP I’m aware of, along with @benobesejecty.bsky.social

Looks like Starmer is going to break another election promise and undermine the democratic Brexit vote of 2016.

To justify this huge Brexit betrayal he will let his backbenches and Peers agitate so it looks like he had no choice when it was his plan all along.

So this is BlueSky … hello 👋