Politics
UK government Budget draws fire from businesses and opposition
October 29, 2026 at 10:56 AM
Coverage
6 reports · 1 in Arabic, 5 in English · over 10 hours
Chancellor John Healey has delivered a Budget mixing £100 winter energy payments with tax rises on banks and savers, drawing criticism from businesses and rivals.
- Healey announced a £100 one-off payment to 20 million households in council tax bands A–D and a 3.9% minimum wage rise from April.
- The Budget suspended import tariffs on more than 100 food products, including gherkins, marmalade and baked beans.
- Karen Betts of the Food and Drink Federation said the tariff removal will barely affect prices while weakening British factories facing higher costs.
- Lib Dem leader Ed Davey called the Budget a "£76bn stealth tax rise."
- Lloyds CFO William Chalmers criticised Healey for linking the bank surcharge rise to energy bill support, hoping the measure proves temporary.





