Details on how to enter for your chance to win free tickets to our early screening of The Accountant 2 and Q&A with director Gavin O'Connor.
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Win Free Tickets to Our Early Screening of ‘The Accountant 2’ and Q&A
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Out-of-touch BBC bang on about ‘austerity’ over public sector cuts – but public want to see bloated State chopped back
JUST how much more debt would the Government have to pile on to the shoulders of taxpayers before the BBC stopped accusing it of “austerity”?
You may have woken up yesterday to think that Chancellor Rachel Reeves is about to throw us all into penury as she clings, Scrooge-like, to the Government’s purse strings, refusing to dole out any of the gold which lurks within.
On BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, presenter Justin Webb put it to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander that, “We have, or we are about to this week, are we not, to return to austerity”.
Over on BBC Breakfast, presenter Sally Nugent could hardly contain herself. Speaking of tomorrow’s spring statement, she said: “If you weren’t feeling slightly queasy about it, you certainly are now.”
But why should taxpayers feel queasy about the prospect of the Government frittering away a little less of their hard-earned cash on fat pay rises for train drivers or on wellbeing courses for civil servants?
Public sector bloated
Her words betrayed the Beeb’s left-wing bias.
If you are likely to be among the 50,000 public sector staff who could be made redundant, or if you are living a life on benefits while pretending to be too sick to work, no doubt you were choking on your corn flakes.
But if you are getting a bit fed up of paying ever more tax while potholes go unfilled and the bins are only collected once a fortnight, you are more likely to be feeling rather pleased that the Chancellor says she is going to force the public sector to become more efficient.
To describe the modest spending cuts which Reeves will announce this week as “austerity” is ridiculous.
So far, it has been suggested that £5billion will be cut from the welfare budget and £2billion from government administration.
To put that into context, the Office of Budgetary Responsibility predicted last November that the Government will spend £1.276trillion this year. The cuts would be equivalent to just 0.5 per cent of total public spending.
Except that since November, the estimate for this year’s public spending has already been raised by £17billion to £1.293trillion.
The “cuts”, in other words, will not really be cuts at all — they will not even cancel out the Government’s overspending in the last four months.
They will not make a dent on this year’s deficit, which the OBR expects to be £127billion.
The public sector has never been more bloated. Public spending now accounts for 45 per cent of our GDP — five percentage points higher than before the pandemic and a near record for peacetime.
When Tony Blair came to power it was just 35 per cent.
We have civil service unions bleating about 50,000 job cuts, with Fran Heathcote of the Public and Commercial Services Union claiming it will cause “chaos”.
Yet those job cuts would not even nearly reverse the 150,000 growth in civil service numbers over the past nine years.
Maybe Brexit negotiations and Covid required a temporary increase in staff, yet those two things are well in the past now and civil service numbers keep on growing.
No wonder civil service unions think they can do their work in four days a week rather than five.
The Government has become hugely overstaffed with pen-pushers with too little to do.
Disgracefully, public sector productivity is now lower than it was in 1997, in spite of advances in technology which ought to have made many human roles redundant.
After splurging money on pay rises for train drivers and many other workers, without even demanding improvements in working practices in return, Reeves seems finally to have got it.
Rather than cut civil servants’ hours, she is going to keep them on five days a week and cut staff numbers instead.
Dangerous nonsense
But that should be just the beginning. The Government is spending £7billion a year supporting illegal migrants — many of whom are making asylum claims in Britain in spite of travelling from other safe countries, such as France.
We could save another £90million a year, at least, by simply not gifting the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, a country which has no reasonable claim on them.
In the eyes of many people on the Left a government can never spend enough money, because every penny frittered helps stimulate the economy which, in turn, boosts tax revenues and so on in a virtuous circle.
What dangerous nonsense.
UK governments have been running deficits for each of the past 22 years, but a fat lot of good that has done. Economic growth is static.
All it has achieved is to force the Government to spend £100billion a year servicing the national debt — more than it spends on education or defence.
“Austerity” has become a byword for government policy which seeks even slightly to reduce the deficit and get Britain back on an even financial keel.
Fail to do that, though, and we will be sucked rapidly into national bankruptcy.
If Reeves wants to avoid the humiliation wrought on her 1970s predecessor, Denis Healey, who had to go to the IMF to beg for a bailout, she really has no option other than to take an axe to public spending.
Millionaire BBC stars who badger hard-up viewers into giving their last £10 to Comic Relief should at least be FUNNY
COMIC Relief 2025 — a show that should be up in court under the Trade Descriptions Act.
One so painfully unfunny, categorically no sides were split in the making of it.
Bloated with no fewer than eight BBC presenters — who says the Beeb is over-staffed?? — this year’s Red Nose Day raised £4million less than last year.
While £34million is laudable — and let’s not forget every pound spent goes on charitable projects — it pales in comparison to, say, 2011’s telethon that raised a whopping £108million. AKA the glory days.
When the hosts were funny, the skits original, the singers anarchic.
Instead, on Friday night, we had Carol Decker singing, followed by a 16-year-old sketch from James Corden, EastEnders’ Phil Mitchell depressed in a mental health unit, and two blokes from The Inbetweeners dressed up as Noel and Liam Gallagher in a scene that was genuinely so cringe, I had to turn over and watch England v Albania on ITV.
So apologies if the last 45 seconds of James Buckley and Joe Thomas’s act were unadulterated comedy platinum, I wouldn’t know . . . although unlikely, judging by these X reviews: “That Oasis sketch on #ComicRelief might just be the worst thing I’ve ever seen on TV,” and “jaw-droppingly bad — can’t believe someone signed this off”. Yep, I was better off seeing England passing sideways.
Even Comic Relief’s co-founder, Sir Lenny Henry, has given up flogging this limp donkey — merely appealing to viewers over a pre-recorded VT to part with their hard-earned cash.
And this, naturally, is part of the problem.
In a cost-of-living crisis, one that shows no imminent sign of abating under Labour, it will never not be galling to see [eight] millionaires instructing us to give their last tenner.
Or as one user on Reddit remarked: “I do support the cause, but at the same time I would kind of like to have electricity on at home next week. F*** off, and sell your spare Ferrari or something.”
And thanks to the Captain Tom Moore saga — you poor f***ers paid for tiles in his family’s swimming pool — people are increasingly viewing charities as big business.
And wonderful charities like Comic Relief — an organisation that has raised £1.6billion — are the fall guys.
In the streaming age, the BBC is up against it.
Perhaps people would rather watch Adolescence on Netflix than a real-life sob story.
It is up to Aunty, then, to cheer us up.
Throw everything at it — not just Alesha Dixon, Joel Dommett and Jonathan Ross awkwardly reading an autocue.
Water cooler moment
The best moment of the night — a recap of Jamie Laing’s astonishing five-day ultramarathon, which raised over £2million — was truncated to a couple of minutes long. That unlikely superhero deserved so much more.
Red Nose Day used to be a huge deal, a water cooler moment and something we’d excitedly stay home to watch.
It was a TV event.
Kids would queue up around the block to buy their noses.
Today, red noses are available to buy on Amazon for £2.50, or £60 for a “collector’s box”.
Because nothing says charity-starts-at-home like an American trillionaire’s e-commerce company flogging plastic snouts.
There were some touching moments in the show — like Davina McCall reflecting on her recent surgery to remove a brain tumour — but too few of them.
An event that used to feel like such a special, one-off televisual takeover, now feels like any other day of the week.
Finishing his charity appeal, Sir Lenny said: “Please keep doing what you can to help, because doing good never gets old.”
Sadly the same couldn’t be said for Comic Relief’s gags.
NOT ON YOUR NELLY
OXYMORON of the week care of Antonio Murolo, bless him.
The brave Sun Club interviewee revealed his wife, Ejiro, had paid for him to use escorts due to their ailing sex life – and his micropenis.
Gamely, he said: “I have a micropenis – just 3.5 inches when erect – which, while never an issue before, suddenly felt like the elephant in the room.”
Toy elephant, perhaps.
LACKS KECKS APPEAL
NOW, I can understand why Cristiano Ronaldo, Justin Bieber, Nick Jonas, David Beckham and David Gandy have underwear deals.
But the decision to give Kyle Walker – a man never so happy as when out of his pants – I cannot.
Bafflingly, AC Milan’s serial shagger has landed a contract to feature in Hugo Boss’s new campaign.
What woman in her right mind would buy her partner Y-fronts associated with that love rat? “Ah yes, let’s hope my man scores with other women in his Kyle pants.”
CARD'S DAY WORK
A TAX office worker whose boss sent her a birthday card has been awarded £25,000 in damages after she sued HMRC for harassment.
While Kani Toure, a French national of African origin, was off sick with work-related stress (sigh), she “clearly explained” she wanted contact to be kept to a minimum.
She claimed the 11 emails checking in on her and the birthday card amounted to harassment.
Inexplicably, a judge agreed to ten of 20 allegations of race and disability harassment and discrimination, and she got her pay day.
This is precisely the disgusting sort of taking-the-p*** abuse of taxpayers’ money the Government MUST clamp down on.
But until Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall is brave enough to shake off union shackles, money like this will continue to be spunked. And it is beyond infuriating.
A million reasons to get a ‘job’ like Alix . . .
QUITE possibly, not until this very nanosecond had you heard of a young lady called Alix Earle.
But influencer Ms Earle and her like go a long way towards explaining why the TikTok generation refuse to work. (By “work” I mean a full day’s graft.)
Because Alix, with an “ix”, is suing a fitness brand called Gymshark after it allegedly axed her sponsorship deal over her pro-Israel views.
Court filings claim Gymshark agreed to pay her $1million for three – three!!! – TikTok videos. (And a draining four vids on Instagram, to be fair.)
No wonder kids today are not growing up wanting to be doctors, lawyers, teachers or mechanics when the alternative – £300,000 for a few minutes work – is in reach.
That being said, perhaps we are the real mugs.
AWW, nepo telly. On Saturday night, viewers had the option to tune into father and son combo Bradley and Barney Walsh on Gladiators, or sibling combo Ryan and Adam Thomas, for new ITV show 99 To Beat – a Poundland Squid Game. Cute.
Brits spot mysterious spirals over UK as sky lights up with ‘frozen fuel from Space X rocket’
MYSTERIOUS spirals thought to be frozen fuel from a Space X rocket have been spotted in the sky above Britain tonight.
The white phenomenon was seen by countless across the UK at around 8pm this evening.
Abbey Nicholls, 25, spotted the mystical pattern above her home in Middleton, Manchester.
She stepped out into her front garden thinking it was a “shooting star” before quickly realising it was something else.
Abbey said: “It was like a whirlpool of lights floating across the sky.
“It made me feel really strange.
“I’ve never seen anything like that before.”
BBC lead weather presenter Simon King explained: “Watchers have captured the SpaceX spiral in the skies above the UK this evening after a rocket launch in the US.
“[It was] caused by illuminated frozen fuel expelled from the rocket second stage.”
More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online
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‘Shocking’ scene after 2 men, 20s, critically injured in 200kph Westmeath smash with ENGINE & debris strewn down street
THIS is the shocking scene of absolute carnage after a 200kph crash — that two men miraculously SURVIVED.
The pair, aged in their 20s, were flung from the red Audi after it ploughed into two trees in Rathowen, Co Westmeath, at around 2.30am on Sunday.
Debris was strewn for hundreds of yards down the village’s main street — with doors, wheels and even the car’s ENGINE sent flying in the smash.
Cops are now examining footage filmed inside the car in the moments before the horrific collision.
Locals ran to help the men before emergency services arrived at the scene, near Feerick’s hotel and pub.
The lads were rushed to Tullamore Hospital, where they were last night still in a critical condition.
One local said: “It was a shocking crash. It appears the car hit two trees before it continued up the road.
“It really is a miracle that the two men are alive but they’re in a bad way in hospital — hopefully they can pull through.”
Horrifying CCTV footage shows the car losing control before smashing into the trees and careering down the road for hundreds of metres.
Gardai probing the crash became aware of footage from inside the car in the minutes before the crash.
It showed the speedometer hitting almost 200kph at one point.
Investigators also have taken away CCTV from nearby areas as they tracked the car and its movements.
A source told The Irish Sun: “Footage has become available to gardai, which they are examining, and they have built a picture as to what happened and what led to the crash.”
Local publican John Feerick revealed some of his night staff and neighbours came upon the horrific crash.
‘THEY DID EVERYTHING THEY COULD’
He told us: “They were a credit to themselves and the local community here, because they did everything they could until emergency services came.”
Mr Feerick also said he was aware of footage going around social media but urged: “People forget at times that there’s two families affected there.
“That should be first and foremost in anyone’s mind, the two families affected and the two lads in question.
“The shrapnel of the car can be picked up and it’s repairable but hopefully the two lads are able to make it out of recovery.”
INVESTIGATION APPEAL
The village was closed off to traffic for most of Sunday as Garda forensic investigators examined the scene.
Cops urged those who may have seen the collision to come forward.
A spokesman said: “Road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling on the N4 near Rathowen village at the time of the collision are asked to make this footage available. Contact Mullingar Garda Station at 044 938 4000.”
B&M to launch first ever baby sale event within days – with 80p deals, cut price play gyms & bargain lotion
RUN, don’t walk to B&M to get your hands on some seriously cheap baby essentials.
The discount retailer is launching their highly anticipated Baby Event later this month – and there’s loads to be excited about.
Hitting stores nationwide on 31st March, the event will see an extensive range of baby essentials to their shelves at incredible prices.
This is a game-changing event launch for B&M, bringing a wide range of essentials, catering to the needs of new and expectant parents with everything from nappies and wipes, to feeding and bathing products and everything in between.
B&M will be stocking a variety of known brands, including the leading Pampers nappy range, offering parents the reliability and quality that they trust, at the best value price.
There will be Pampers choices in a comprehensive range of sizes, from newborn to toddlers – and prices are starting from just over 18p per nappy.
Alongside Pampers, customers can expect to find a wide selection of other trusted brands, so parents can shop for all their baby favourites all in the same place.
Shop a selection of Johnsons baby bathing products such as baby lotion, bubble bath and shampoo, for as little as £1.49, as well as a wide range of food and snacks from the likes of Heinz and Organix.
Customers will be able to shop the entire Baby Event range together in their local B&M store – which will come in handy when you have the little ones with you.
A B&M spokesperson said of the event: “We are absolutely thrilled to launch our first-ever Baby Event in stores nationwide!
“This exciting event is all about helping parents get their hands on must-have baby essentials at incredible prices.
“We have partnered with top brands to bring you trusted products at unbeatable value, making it easier than ever for families to stock up.
“At the heart of this event is our commitment to offering big brands with big savings—because we believe every parent should have access to quality branded baby essentials at the best possible price.
“Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to save on everything from nappies and wipes to feeding and bath-time must-haves.
“Visit your nearest store and grab these fantastic deals before they’re gone!”
You can find the comprehensive baby range in stores nationwide from the 31st of March for a limited time only.
B&M expect the range to fly off the shelves so advise shoppers to head down to their local B&M and stock up on all their baby necessities for less.
How to save money on your supermarket shop
THERE are plenty of ways to save on your grocery shop.
You can look out for yellow or red stickers on products, which show when they’ve been reduced.
If the food is fresh, you’ll have to eat it quickly or freeze it for another time.
Making a list should also save you money, as you’ll be less likely to make any rash purchases when you get to the supermarket.
Going own brand can be one easy way to save hundreds of pounds a year on your food bills too.
This means ditching “finest” or “luxury” products and instead going for “own” or value” type of lines.
Plenty of supermarkets run wonky veg and fruit schemes where you can get cheap prices if they’re misshapen or imperfect.
For example, Lidl runs its Waste Not scheme, offering boxes of 5kg of fruit and vegetables for just £1.50.
If you’re on a low income and a parent, you may be able to get up to £442 a year in Healthy Start vouchers to use at the supermarket too.
Plus, many councils offer supermarket vouchers as part of the Household Support Fund.
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