Energy price rises prompt call for more help with bills
Gas and electricity bills for millions across England, Scotland, and Wales rose 2% this week under Ofgem’s new price cap, bringing the typical annual bill to £1,755. With household debt to suppliers at a record £4.4bn, campaigners warn vulnerable families face another harsh winter. Energy UK says current support, such as emergency vouchers and debt write-offs, varies widely and is insufficient. They urge the Government to establish a long-term targeted scheme, potentially funded by taxation, to close the 'fuel poverty gap’. The Government points to measures including the Warm Home Discount, offering £150 off for one in five households, and promises a major home upgrade programme to improve energy efficiency in five million homes. Pensioners on lower incomes will also receive restored winter fuel payments after a U-turn. Ofgem is considering a debt relief support scheme to address unpayable arrears.
France: implications of Sarkozy’s unexpected conviction for corruption
Former president Nicolas Sarkozy has been convicted of criminal conspiracy and sentenced to five years in prison, marking a historic and dramatic moment in French politics. The Paris court ruled that he engaged in an attempted ‘corruption pact’ with Muammar Gaddafi’s regime to secure millions in illegal funding for his 2007 presidential campaign, though it could not establish whether the money was actually transferred. The case underscores how corruption can erode citizens’ trust in leadership. Sarkozy, who maintains his innocence, also faces a €100,000 fine and will begin serving his sentence despite pending appeals, a rare judicial decision in France. The ruling has poured more fuel on France’s fractious politics; Marine le Pen, who was convicted of embezzlement in March, suggested the ruling was politically motivated, while others see it as proof that even powerful figures can be held accountable. Sarkozy, already convicted twice before, remains an influential figure, still consulted by current leaders navigating France’s volatile political landscape.
Czech Republic: former PM poised for comeback, faces difficult balancing act
Billionaire and former prime minister Andrej Babis is poised for a political comeback as his ANO party leads polls ahead of the October 3-4 elections. Having shifted from a liberal to a national-conservative position, Babis is promising voters financial relief and protection from external pressures such as immigration and climate policies. Yet his return to power would be fraught with complications. ANO is expected to fall short of a majority, forcing him to seek support from far-right or far-left allies who advocate leaving the EU and NATO – a stance at odds with his own pledge to remain. He also faces personal challenges, including a renewed fraud trial and a significant conflict of interest over his vast business empire, Agrofert, which receives significant EU subsidies. His alliances with figures like Hungary’s Viktor Orbán underscore his anti-Brussels stance, but navigating extremist demands while maintaining pro-Western ties may prove his toughest balancing act yet.
Gaza: Hamas likely to reject Trump’s peace plan
A senior Hamas leader has said the group is likely to reject Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza, arguing it favours Israel while ignoring Palestinian concerns. The plan requires Hamas to disarm, surrender its weapons, and release all hostages at once - conditions the group deems unacceptable. It also proposes an International Stabilisation Force, which Hamas views as a foreign occupation. While Benjamin Netanyahu publicly accepted the plan, he has already contradicted key provisions, insisting Israel must retain a military presence in Gaza and pledging to resist a Palestinian state. Palestinians in Gaza expressed desperate support for the proposal - not out of agreement with its terms, but in hopes of ending war, devastation, and famine. Critics warn that rejection could allow Israel to intensify its campaign with international backing. More than 66,000 deaths have been reported in Gaza since October 2023.
