I assume that its removal from electricity alone is a recognition that almost all homes have mains electricity whereas mains gas has a smaller footprint and applying the cut to that as well would, for fairness, also require bottled gas and oil to be similarly treated. Cutting VAT on electricity is logistically simple and has the broadest impact, other products are harder to manage.
Well they've managed that for two years, one more to go then!
That is standard when there is a change of government or PM.
What has changed?
Eliminating standing charges for gas and electricity would have provided greater targeted relief for low users but, would have taken longer to implement as standing charges hide a multitude of energy company costs beyond infrastructure.
That would have cost a much much larger sum, and I would question how much it would be targeted.
Nothing. Everything on the site published under a government has the name of the PM at the time appended at the top, unless it was released under the current PM. It's been that way for years.
It is basically a transparency and user-protection signal: it prevents old ministerial statements or policy announcements from being mistaken for the position of the current government.
Which works in the other way too - it helps to prevent the current government from claiming credit for things that they may well have fought against when in opposition. For an example of this, see the number of US Republican congresspeople and senators who take credit for investment that is flowing into their states from Biden-era initiatives such as the CHIPS Act.
www.bbc.co.uk
I'd like to see root and branch reform of the education system to something more like The Netherlands where vocational schools are seen as equal in stature to academic ones.
Let's hope, about time offered sensible pathways, too much government meddling in the past by all parties with emphasis on academic studies for all, rather than giving appropriate opportunities so all can achieve in one way or another.Great to hear the Government advocating a school curriculum that’s much closer to real life. I’d be delighted if there was a GCSE in construction.
Schools to offer technical subjects to pupils from age 14, Burnham says
The government wants pupils to take courses like AI and manufacturing which are linked to local jobs.
I suspect that's true and that any chance or disruption will be painful. But has the expansion of the sector actually delivered real benefits for society (for individuals and society as a whole)? If not, perhaps things do need to change...
It's delivered significant benefits for a range of smaller towns in the form of being a significant employer and often providing comparatively well remunerated and secure employment at the same time. Take Teesside Uni as an example (based in Middlesbrough) this is the staffing numbers from July 2025:
www.tees.ac.uk
Maybe time then for unis to adapt and maybe reverse some of the Poly-to-Uni conversions? The baby doesn’t have to go out with the ‘media studies’ (etc.) bathwater.It's delivered significant benefits for a range of smaller towns in the form of being a significant employer and often providing comparatively well remunerated and secure employment at the same time. Take Teesside Uni as an example (based in Middlesbrough) this is the staffing numbers from July 2025:
Staff data aalysis 2024-25 | About us | Teesside University
The staff data analysis is informed by a snapshot of data as of July 2025.
That's a lot of jobs to go pop in a town like Middlesbrough. It will be similar in other towns and small cities with institutions like Teesside University.
Indeed. The need to educate and for educators will still exist, even if the topics are more vocational and less academic.
Well that's helpful, but not really the point of a university.... That probably sounds harsher than intended but if we are to have a "make work" scheme I'd rather have something relating to technical education or building infrastructure
Many ex-polys have a lot of non-UK students. The top ten includes Hertfordshire, Coventry and East London. Hertfordshire has 19000 non-EU overseas students out of 33500 total students. .
My son got a 2:1 in Cyber Security and IT Systems from there, graduated in 2025 - still looking for a job . . . . ☹It's delivered significant benefits for a range of smaller towns in the form of being a significant employer and often providing comparatively well remunerated and secure employment at the same time. Take Teesside Uni as an example (based in Middlesbrough) this is the staffing numbers from July 2025:
Staff data aalysis 2024-25 | About us | Teesside University
The staff data analysis is informed by a snapshot of data as of July 2025.
That's a lot of jobs to go pop in a town like Middlesbrough. It will be similar in other towns and small cities with institutions like Teesside University.
That's surprising. I work in the industry and there's a shortage of skilled people. Has he just been looking locally or further afield?
He's been applying mainly in the Nottingham, Derby, Leicester triangle - only had 2 interviews in the year (and I know he's well into the 3 figures in applications)
I don't know how well he would cope with moving further away but as well as the south east, a lot of tech jobs have moved to Scotland. As an example, we've just hired about ten cyber-security trained people to stand up a SOC (security operation centre).
I know the feeling. I graduated with a degree in Computing just after the dotcom bubble burst and it took a couple of years before I managed to find a job.
I would second that advice - I recently retired from managing an IT service that was delivered/supported by a contractor (I was co-located in their premises). Over 10 -12 years I knew several service desk agents who moved into more specialised areas of support, inc security and other ITIL disciplines. The company encouraged staff to develop skills and experience so someone keen & willing starting 'at the bottom' genuinely did get the opportunities to progress quite quickly if they showed willing and talent.
