In times of crisis it is UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak who comes to the rescue of Prime Minister Boris Johnson with his apparently bottomless treasure chest.
On Thursday, he stepped forward to address how the UK government intends to ease the burden of the global energy crisis.
It was a headline-grabbing money giveaway he has performed before — though much of the cash will have to be paid back.
As businesses teetered on the edge of Covid-19 disaster when the first lockdown began in March 2020, it was the chancellor who came up with a swift £70 billion ($95.25bn) to initiate the furlough system that saved companies and jobs.
When the catering trade was on its knees in the summer of 2020, Mr Sunak stepped in with his “eat out to help out” scheme, knocking 50 per cent off restaurant bills at a cost of £840 million.
Another £16bn was also found in 2020 to meet growing global threats and bolster the Ministry of Defence’s budget.
Now, with Mr Johnson’s government facing another stern test, with a combination of soaring energy prices, health tax increases and leadership crisis, Mr Sunak has stepped forward again.
The prime minister’s moneyman conjured the cash needed to bring back voters deeply dismayed at Downing Street lockdown antics.
Surging demand for fuel to drive Asia’s economies, a summer of still weather reducing wind power, the pandemic recovery and Ukraine crisis will this year mean average British household fuel bills rise from £1,300 to nearly £2,000.
The 1.25 per cent increase on the National Insurance tax in April to raise an extra £12bn a year to ensure the National Health Service has enough money, means that voters' big concern — money in their pocket — is shortly going to be hit hard.
After months of a relatively low profile — at times uncomfortably low when Mr Johnson was suffering “Partygate” — Mr Sunak stepped forward on Thursday and dished out the cash.
“Our plan allows us to provide more generous support, faster and to those who need it most,” he told the House of Commons in an urgent statement to Parliament. “Providing 28 million households with at least £200 and the vast majority, £350. It is the right way to help people with a spike in energy costs.”
The money, part of a £9bn package, will be paid back at £40 a year over the next five years.
Furthermore, there will be a one-off £150 rebate on council taxes and “this discount won't need to be repaid”.
Hours later, he held a news conference to repeat his intention reduce the financial burden, in which he again stressed that the reasons prices are rising are global.
He said he understood that many people were “feeling anxious” but that the government was able to “take the sting” out of escalating costs.
He said: “The factors that are driving gas prices higher are global in their nature ... I don’t have a crystal ball as to what the future holds but I want to be honest with people.
“Higher energy prices are something we will have to adjust to, in common with other countries around the world and it would be wrong to pretend otherwise but what we can do is slow that adjustment to make it more manageable for people’s household budgets.”
In a carefully choreographed day, Mr Sunak, 41, spoke just before the Bank of England announced another rise in interest rates to 0.5 per cent — the first time in 18 years it has ordered consecutive monthly increases. The move is to counter the expected inflation rise to 7.25 per cent in April.
The careful co-ordination was decided at the weekend when Mr Sunak was closeted with Mr Johnson and it appeared that the prime minister was wavering over the National Insurance tax hike, in order to placate his rebellious backbenchers.
Sunak set on burnishing fiscal credentials
However, the chancellor resisted. Without the taxation he would not be able to start paying off the huge debts incurred during the pandemic. A chancellor’s fiscal reputation is everything — especially in a leadership contest.
Pre-pandemic chancellor giveaways were unusual — except before general elections — but Mr Sunak has ensured a reputation for generosity, which will not be lost on voters.
But it also meant that there was little for his Labour shadow to contest, except on Britain’s insufficient energy supply.
“It’s decades in which the Tories have slashed our gas storage capacity, leaving us more reliant than ever on Russia for our gas imports,” said shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves.
“Decades of failure to make the most of solar, tidal and wind energy and a decade of stalled progress on insulating our homes to keep bills low.”
Mr Sunak brushed aside the complaints. But his reputation is riding on the pandemic-driven but very un-Conservative tax-and-spend policy he has imposed.
It may be unpopular with many free marketeers in his own party, one of whom — MP Peter Bone — on Thursday called him “a socialist".
But it makes him popular with the electorate and will do little to dampen speculation that he could succeed the under-fire Boris Johnson as UK prime minister.
For his part, Mr Sunak shows little inclination to dampen such speculation.
Indeed, over the last few years he has carefully cultivated an image of “Brand Rishi” which individuates him from the Westminster herd.
Brand Rishi - in pictures
The latest great Mr Sunak giveaway might also help voters tick the Tory box in the May local elections.
Mr Johnson will be grateful and if survives the police investigation into Partygate, a possible confidence vote by his own MPs and the May elections, he should be thankful to his chancellor.
But this chancellor is savvy enough to understand that Mr Johnson is unlikely to return the favour. That may well be irrelevant if a leadership contest arose when Mr Sunak can seemingly lay gold at people’s feet.
Mr Sunak's handling of the cost-of-living crisis and willingness to dip into the public purse show the distinctly statist instincts he displayed during the coronavirus crisis remain.
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'Nope'
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The biog
Favourite food: Fish and seafood
Favourite hobby: Socialising with friends
Favourite quote: You only get out what you put in!
Favourite country to visit: Italy
Favourite film: Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
Family: We all have one!
North Pole stats
Distance covered: 160km
Temperature: -40°C
Weight of equipment: 45kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 0
Terrain: Ice rock
South Pole stats
Distance covered: 130km
Temperature: -50°C
Weight of equipment: 50kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 3,300
Terrain: Flat ice
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
The Ashes
Results
First Test, Brisbane: Australia won by 10 wickets
Second Test, Adelaide: Australia won by 120 runs
Third Test, Perth: Australia won by an innings and 41 runs
Fourth Test: Melbourne: Drawn
Fifth Test: Australia won by an innings and 123 runs
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday Valladolid v Osasuna (Kick-off midnight UAE)
Saturday Valencia v Athletic Bilbao (5pm), Getafe v Sevilla (7.15pm), Huesca v Alaves (9.30pm), Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid (midnight)
Sunday Real Sociedad v Eibar (5pm), Real Betis v Villarreal (7.15pm), Elche v Granada (9.30pm), Barcelona v Levante (midnight)
Monday Celta Vigo v Cadiz (midnight)
LAST-16 EUROPA LEAGUE FIXTURES
Wednesday (Kick-offs UAE)
FC Copenhagen (0) v Istanbul Basaksehir (1) 8.55pm
Shakhtar Donetsk (2) v Wolfsburg (1) 8.55pm
Inter Milan v Getafe (one leg only) 11pm
Manchester United (5) v LASK (0) 11pm
Thursday
Bayer Leverkusen (3) v Rangers (1) 8.55pm
Sevilla v Roma (one leg only) 8.55pm
FC Basel (3) v Eintracht Frankfurt (0) 11pm
Wolves (1) Olympiakos (1) 11pm
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Results:
CSIL 2-star 145cm One Round with Jump-Off
1. Alice Debany Clero (USA) on Amareusa S 38.83 seconds
2. Anikka Sande (NOR) For Cash 2 39.09
3. Georgia Tame (GBR) Cash Up 39.42
4. Nadia Taryam (UAE) Askaria 3 39.63
5. Miriam Schneider (GER) Fidelius G 47.74
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
The five pillars of Islam
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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Sri Lanka squad for tri-nation series
Angelo Mathews (c), Upul Tharanga, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Janith Perera, Thisara Perera, Asela Gunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Dushmantha Chameera, Shehan Madushanka, Akila Dananjaya, Lakshan Sandakan and Wanidu Hasaranga
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
Why are you, you?
Why are you, you?
From this question, a new beginning.
From this question, a new destiny.
For you are a world, and a meeting of worlds.
Our dream is to unite that which has been
separated by history.
To return the many to the one.
A great story unites us all,
beyond colour and creed and gender.
The lightning flash of art
And the music of the heart.
We reflect all cultures, all ways.
We are a twenty first century wonder.
Universal ideals, visions of art and truth.
Now is the turning point of cultures and hopes.
Come with questions, leave with visions.
We are the link between the past and the future.
Here, through art, new possibilities are born. And
new answers are given wings.
Why are you, you?
Because we are mirrors of each other.
Because together we create new worlds.
Together we are more powerful than we know.
We connect, we inspire, we multiply illuminations
with the unique light of art.
Ben Okri,
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
Royal Birkdale Golf Course
Location: Southport, Merseyside, England
Established: 1889
Type: Private
Total holes: 18
