UK PM announces five budget 'everyday fixes' a day early; Tories call them an insult to families

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham on 27 October announced five measures he describes as "everyday fixes". They are part of the budget that Chancellor John Healey will present tomorrow, but have been made public a day early. The Guardian suggests the reason may be that tomorrow's budget holds bigger surprises that would overshadow them.

What is planned

According to the Treasury, the changes are:

• Higher tax-free mileage rates become permanent. The 55p per mile rate for the first 10,000 business miles is locked in, while the rate above that threshold rises from 25p to 35p. About three million people are affected. Someone driving 6,000 business miles saves £120 a year in tax, and someone driving 15,000 miles up to £300.
• Parental pay is extended to more than 150,000 additional parents a year, including self-employed fathers. It gives two weeks of support worth up to £194 a week.
• The carer's allowance "cliff edge" is ending. Until now, unpaid carers lost the whole allowance if weekly earnings exceeded the limit by even a penny. In future, £1 of support will taper away for each extra £1 earned.
• Import tariffs are removed on more than 100 products, including baked beans, chocolate and gherkins. Together with tariff suspensions already in place, households could save up to £21 a year on food shopping.
• Post Office drop boxes will rise to 1,000, and 600 branches will be upgraded by the end of the financial year.

Reactions

Andrew Griffith, the shadow chancellor for the opposition Conservative Party, said inflation has already wiped out the benefits of the fixes. He called the plan "cheaper gherkins" and an insult to families.

The trade union Unison welcomed the mileage changes, but its general secretary Andrea Egan called for a bolder approach, saying the cost of essentials will keep rising.

Brexit debate

On the same day, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage told the BBC's Today programme that Brexit has been a success, though he accepted it had not cut immigration as leave voters expected. He also said Burnham has no mandate to reopen the Brexit debate.