An anonymous erotica writer has sent “grubby” romance stories to residents of a Yorkshire street and asked for money in return.

The mystery writer has sent three letters to most addresses on Abbott Street in Hexthorpe, Doncaster in recent days.

In the 1,700-word correspondence, the author tells the apparently fictitious story of the “Reverend” and his lover, a parishioner called “Contralto”.

The story features some racy details but the romance is marred by murder.

One recipient of the “dark” tale said it left her slightly scared. Katarina, who did not give her second name, said she considered calling the police.

She told Yorkshire Live: “The first one I found amusing, thinking someone had sent it as a joke. I brought it into work and myself and the staff had a good giggle about it.

“Then the second was delivered and I found it dark to say the least and if I’m honest it did get me thinking if it was someone trying to confess to something in a strange sort of way.”

She added: “I wasn’t aware that they had been delivered to almost everyone on the street as I work long hours as part of the management team in a care home.

“It did scare me a little, the second letter, and I was a little worried about it. I was debating speaking to police about it and then a friend shared a post on Facebook about them so that put me at ease.”

An individual claiming to be the author of the story later wrote anonymously to Yorkshire Live saying they had spent £50 on stamps and envelopes to deliver the letters. They made the local newspaper aware of a GoFundMe page that has been set up so they can recoup the money and fund subsequent postage costs.

At the time of writing a total of £5 had been raised out of the £300 overall target, with just one anonymous donor having contributed.

The email to the local newspaper from a named address, TheDoncasterLetters, read: “The number of letters that I send will depend on my ability to afford the ever-increasing cost of printing, envelopes and postage.

“I wouldn’t like to give too much away on how many are to come, but they won’t carry on forever. I hope people enjoy receiving them while they last.

“Nobody has to donate anything, and I admit that the appeal has been launched more in hope than expectation. But I like the wild and unfounded optimism of it.”

They added: “Admittedly, The Doncaster Letters do depict a couple of slightly grubby sex scenes early on, and I’m sorry if anyone is offended by that (this is the reason why they’re addressed to ‘The Resident Adult’), but I hope that people will ultimately see that the wider themes of the story are much more edifying and honourable.

“My further desire is that people find the tone of the early letters, and the amount of innuendo when describing those scenes, more amusing than threatening.

“If I do become aware that people are genuinely distressed/worried by the letters, then they will stop. But that would seem a shame, particularly at this early juncture.”

The Kremlin has confirmed a report that Donald Trump sent Vladimir Putin Covid-19 tests, insisting it was part of an international exchange at the start of the pandemic.

In his book War, due to be published on Tuesday, journalist Bob Woodward writes that Trump sent the tests to Putin for the Russian president’s personal use despite a shortage in the US.

The Kremlin confirmed the report on Thursday, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov telling journalists: “The first tests worked badly and at first there was not enough equipment… all countries tried to somehow exchange between themselves. We sent a supply of ventilator units to the US, they sent these tests to us.”

Mr Peskov said that the exchange occurred “when the pandemic was starting”, adding that the tests “at the time, these were rare items”.

According to Mr Woodward, the reporter who revealed the Watergate scandal, Trump sent a batch of the coveted tests to his counterpart in Moscow when the pandemic was raging. Putin accepted the supplies and urged Trump not to announce the exchange, indicating it would harm him politically.

Putin told Trump: “I don’t want you to tell anybody because people will get mad at you, not me,” according to Mr Woodward.

The journalist, known for breaking the Watergate scandal, also cited an unnamed Trump aide who stated that the former US president and Putin may have spoken up to seven times since 2021 — despite the US effort to help Ukraine resist Russia’s full-scale assault.

The Kremlin spokesman denied this, however, saying: “As for the calls, that’s not true, it didn’t happen.”

A Labour MP has backed a report calling for laser light shows to replace fireworks on Bonfire Night.

More than 60 per cent of the public would support fully or partially replacing Nov 5 fireworks with alternatives such as lasers, drones or “silent” displays because of the impact on animals and the environment, according to the report by the Social Market Foundation (SMF), a think tank.

The SMF has recommended new restrictions on the noise levels and size of fireworks as well as giving councils powers to designate “firework-free zones” and to put on alternative laser light or drone shows rather than traditional pyrotechnics.

In a foreword to the report, Andrew Pakes, an MP who has been campaigning on the issue, said the proposals offered “practical steps for reducing the harm fireworks cause, without taking away from the joy they bring”.

“Around the world, countries are starting to use alternatives like drones, light shows and quieter fireworks, proving that we can celebrate in ways that are kinder to animals, safer for people and better for the environment,” he added.

Nearly a quarter (24 per cent) of those surveyed believed the UK should stop using traditional fireworks and use alternatives, compared with just 10 per cent who wanted to maintain the status quo.

A quarter (25 per cent) believed the UK should keep traditional fireworks while sometimes using alternatives. 

A further 42 per cent believe there should be greater use of alternatives and less use of fireworks, though they should be retained.

The report said England and Wales should follow the example of Scotland where councils can designate “firework-free zones” in areas where the pyrotechnics are likely to have a greater impact on animals, the environment and vulnerable people.

It recommended that once these were set up, local councils should organise their own alternative displays and draw on examples such as Japan where drone displays, light shows and “quiet fireworks” are incorporated into traditional shows.

The report’s authors said this would help introduce the alternatives and their use to the public, which the SMF polling indicated would in turn increase their popularity.

The recommended tougher regulation would see the maximum noise level of all traditional fireworks reduced from 120 decibels to 90 decibels, that would be equivalent to cutting it down from the sound of a thunderclap to a truck in traffic.

The report also proposed limiting the sale of consumer fireworks to indoor or handheld fireworks or those designed for use in a confined outdoor space, and only to specialised or licensed shops.

Dani Payne, SMF senior researcher, said: “The overwhelming public support for alternative firework displays, as revealed by our research, shows that there is a real opportunity here for the Government to listen to the public’s concerns and take steps toward better, safer firework use.”

The SMF was associated with the Conservatives in the 1990s – and was sometimes called John Major’s favourite think tank. 

In the late 1990s, it moved closer to New Labour and was associated with the party’s public service reform.

The Princess of Wales has made a last-minute decision to join her husband, the Prince of Wales, to meet the families of the three girls killed in the Southport knife attack.

The visit marked her first public engagement since completing chemotherapy treatment and the couple’s first joint public engagement since her Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey on Dec 15 last year.

It was also the first time the Princess has spoken in public since stepping back from the spotlight in January for major surgery followed by cancer treatment.

The Prince and Princess spent 30 minutes with each of the families of Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, who were stabbed to death at a Taylor-Swift themed dance class at the Hart Space Community Centre on July 29.

The couple also met the dance teacher who was present during the attack that left 10 others seriously injured.

Later at Southport community centre, the couple met emergency responders who had helped the victims, as well as mental health practitioners who have been providing them with long-term support.

The unannounced visit was initially billed as a solo public engagement for the Prince, but it is understood that just hours earlier, the Princess decided to join him in order to show her support and compassion for the community.

It comes after Kensington Palace said following the end of her chemotherapy treatment in late summer, she would make a gradual return to a light programme of public engagements, subject to how she was feeling.

Both the Prince and Princess are understood to have felt it was important to visit Southport almost three months on to show the community that it has not been forgotten and that they will continue to offer their support.

It comes after the King interrupted his summer break to meet the bereaved families and survivors on Aug 20.

The monarch received a rapturous welcome as he met emergency service personnel, faith leaders and some of those who opened their doors to first responders in the aftermath of the attack and subsequent riots.

Just hours after the killings, the Prince and Princess shared a personal message of support for those affected.

“As parents, we cannot begin to imagine what the families, friends and loved ones of those killed and injured in Southport today are going through,” they said.

Their Royal Foundation later made a donation to the National Police and Wellbeing Service to help fast track psychological and physical support for emergency service personnel.

The provision of mental health support for the emergency services has become one of the key themes of the Prince’s work following his stint as a pilot with the East Anglian Air Ambulance between March 2015 and July 2017.

During a visit to Wales Air Ambulance last month, he told the pilots and crew: “I made sure all the first responders after Southport were getting any help they needed. It’s important you guys feel supported at the right moment.”

The Princess has been seen twice in public this year, at Trooping the Colour in June and at Wimbledon in July.

On Sept 9, she released a personal video in which she revealed that she had finished her course of chemotherapy and that her focus was on staying cancer free.

Since then, she has appeared in the court circular twice after holding private meetings for her early years project and her annual Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey.

On Oct 2, the Princess was photographed back at work for the first time since ending her cancer treatment when she met 16-year-old Liz Hatton, who has a rare and aggressive form of cancer, at Windsor Castle.

Liz, a budding photographer, was given rare permission to shoot pictures behind the scenes of an investiture, as part of her “bucket wish” list, and met the Prince and Princess privately.

As she continues to rebuild her strength, the Princess is hoping to join her family on Remembrance Sunday at the Cenotaph and to attend her carol service in December.

Axel Rudakubana, 18, is charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder following the Southport attack.

He will next appear at Liverpool Crown Court on Oct 25 for a pre-trial preparation hearing.

Portugal is planning to become a haven for young adults by giving them a decade-long tax break in an attempt to curb a brain drain.

Under plans proposed by the country’s centre-Right government, workers under 35 would be exempt from paying income tax for the first year of their careers before receiving progressive discounts for the next decade.

Luis Montenegro, the prime minister, said: “Our goal is to really increase our ability to retain talent, to keep our young people in Portugal, ensuring that fewer of them leave and that those who do can return.”

Portugal has struggled with a “brain drain” since the global financial crisis in 2008. In the period since, 360,000 young people between 15 and 35 have left in order to find work – one third of all emigrants during this period.

In a bid to prevent this, after a year of living income tax free young workers would receive a 75 per cent tax break for the next two years. This would be followed by a 50 per cent tax exemption in years five to seven, dropping to 25 per cent in years eight to 10.

But the scheme may not get off the ground because Mr Montenegro’s ruling alliance, led by his centre-Right PSD party, does not have a majority in Portugal’s unicameral parliament.

Mr Montenegro was elected in March after a narrow victory over the Socialist Party, which was called after Antonio Costa, the former prime minister, resigned over corruption allegations.

He has ruled out working closely with Chega, an upstart populist anti-immigration party that won 50 out of 230 seats in the Assembly of the Republic – a record for the far-Right. Andre Ventura, Chega’s leader, has expressed support for a low-tax regime for young people.

Pedro Nuno Santos, the socialists’ leader, has not yet revealed whether his party will back the budget, but it has negotiated changes to some of the government’s proposals, including bigger tax breaks for the lower earners.

Mr Santos is against the government’s plan to reduce corporation tax for businesses.

A Nigerian pirate who lost his leg in a shoot-out with Denmark’s navy will have his new prosthesis funded by the taxpayer as part of a special residential deal granted by the government.

Lucky Frances, who lost a gunfight with the Danish navy in 2021, will receive an education plan, guidance on employment and an “integration contract” to ensure that he becomes a productive member of society.

The Right-wing Danish People’s Party (DF) said the decision mocked the country’s migration and security policy.

Mikkel Bjorn, the DF’s integration spokesman, said: “This is absolutely absurd. That man should never have been in Denmark and to imagine that he can now be meaningfully integrated in Denmark is completely beyond the pale.”

Frances’ run-in with the navy has gripped Denmark since 2021 when he was severely wounded in a firefight with the Danish frigate Esbern Snare in the Gulf of Guinea.

Four of his fellow pirates were killed in the confrontation, but Frances himself received medical treatment, including the amputation of his bullet-riddled leg. Three other survivors were set free by the Danish navy.

As a result of his severe injuries, Frances was brought back to Denmark, where he recovered before being found guilty of endangering Danish lives. Nonetheless, he was spared jail and later claimed asylum in Denmark.

His application sparked a lengthy and complex government process that culminated in him receiving a residence permit and an integration plan.

This includes a language programme, so that Frances can become fluent in Danish, as well as assistance in finding a job as an amputee, BT, a local news outlet, reported.

‘Repatriation benefits’

Frances must also sign an “integration contract” that “contains a number of set goals that Lucky must meet in order to be integrated and otherwise continue to receive his self-support and repatriation benefits”, the news outlet reported. He will also receive an allowance for his new leg.

Frances’s case is so far estimated to have cost the public 4.2 million Danish kroner (£300,000) in addition to his medical bills, according to DR, another local media outlet.

The former pirate said in 2023 that he initially wanted to recover in Denmark before returning to Nigeria, but later changed his mind and applied for asylum despite his daughter’s hesitations.

“Going back to Africa will not be good for me,” he said. “I have thought about my situation. I have also spoken to my family and explained to them about my physical condition. They are okay with me applying for asylum, even if my daughter is not completely satisfied.”

“This shows that [famous Danish comedy writer] Erik Balling’s Denmark is alive and well. It looks like a satirical side story in an Olsen Banden film,” Steffen Larsen, a spokesman for Denmark’s Liberal Alliance, said.

“After we have shot the man’s leg off in battle, we must then send him on a work trial and teach him Danish. Good luck with that.”

They are the soaring human towers that have become the pride of Catalonia over hundreds of years of carefully honed tradition.

Hundreds of people compete in the region every year to create the highest peak in a death-defying tradition stretching back generations.

So when the town of Vilafranca claimed victory in the sport’s most coveted tournament on Sunday, some may have been a little surprised to find a pensioner from south-east London at the base of the “castell”.

Thousands packed into Tarragona’s old bullring to watch the historic event on Sunday for the Concurs de Castells tournament.

Michael, who was born in Catford but lives in Bromley, has been partaking in the sport for 18 years. He told The Telegraph: “The opportunities this has given me as an Englishman are unbelievable.

“How else could an OAP from Bromley get to perform in front of 100,000 at the Camp Nou stadium?”

Michael admitted that he is the unlikeliest member of Catalonia’s Castellers de Vilafranca, an association dedicated to building castells (human towers), not least because he is an ardent Brexiteer who does not speak a word of Catalan.

The London-based pensioner fell into Catalonia’s most traditional sport in 2006 as the Vilafranca group was short on numbers.

Convinced that he was not the right fit, Michael initially dismissed the offer to join Vilafranca, but they had different ideas.

“I said I don’t speak Catalan but they put me in the base of the tower,” Michael told The Telegraph.

Fast-forward nearly two decades and Michael travels the world more than a dozen times a year, helping the group to glory across the globe.

His latest escapade came in Tarragona’s old bullring in the Concurs de Castells tournament on Sunday, which culminates 200 years of fierce local rivalry every two years.

His team, the Castellers de Vilafranca, has won 13 out of 15 of the last championships at the Tarragona event.

But Sunday’s competition went down to the wire after the team failed to complete three out of their first four towers.

In the competition, hundreds of men and women are used to form the foundation of the human towers, which measure up to 10-people high, and are often crowned by children as young as five years old.

Known as enxanetes, the children clamber up like monkeys and slide down the adults’ legs in order to dismount.

Naturally, all roles in the human tower are important, but Michael, who is 6ft 1in, plays a particularly crucial part as one of the key pressure points at the base of the tower.

That means Michael is forced to withstand both a lot of physical and mental pressure.

“When the tower starts wobbling and you hear the crowd gasp, you just think ‘please let no one fall on me today’,” he told The Telegraph.

Vilafranca’s has a strong rivalry with Vella dels Xiquets de Valls, another human tower group, though incidences of murders and gloating over accidents by delivering coffins to each other have been left behind in recent decades.

Nowadays digital calculations of weight and pressures and modern fitness regimes are the order of the day.

“We normally have falls only 20 percent of the time, but at the championship you wheel out the hardest constructions and take risks; you’re there to win it,” Michael explained.

Michael was not always into building human towers, having travelled all over Spain and Italy in search of “weird Catholic festivals” and the latest opera concert.

But despite most of his interests being rooted in European culture, Michael insisted that it is “not about loving Europe”.

“The thing is I’m a Brexiteer… it’s about not becoming one big, grey blob controlled by an unelected government. I love cultural differences; they’re what make us great and I am passionate about Catalonia,” Michael explained.

Despite Lorraine, his wife, describing her husband’s passion as “madness”, Michael said he has no intention of stopping.

“There are 80-year-olds who still take part, although in less strenuous positions than mine,” he said.

Even if he wanted to, Vilafranca would not let him go anyway, Michael said as he has become a kind of mascot for the club as its sole Englishman.

“We talk in English because as they’re all Catalan nationalists, they won’t let me speak Spanish and I’m too old to learn Catalan. The days are too long with dinner and drinks until midnight for me to take on anything new.”

Taiwan’s new president Lai Ching-te pledged on Thursday to “resist annexation” in the face of growing military and economic pressure from Beijing to assert its territorial claims over the East Asian democracy.

The Chinese Communist Party claims the island as its own territory even though it has never ruled there. In recent years it has stepped up air and sea military drills as well as trade sanctions to try to bring Taiwan and its 23.5 million-strong population under its control.

“I will also uphold the commitment to resist annexation or encroachment upon our sovereignty,” Mr Lai told the Taiwanese public and foreign dignitaries during a keynote speech on Thursday to mark Taiwan’s National Day.

He urged China to join Taiwan in contributing to “peace, security, and prosperity” in the region and across the globe.

“As we stand here today, international tensions are on the rise, and each day countless innocents are suffering injuries or losing their lives in conflict.

“We hope that China will live up to the expectations of the international community, that it will apply its influence and work with other countries toward ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East,” he said.

President Lai’s address had been highly anticipated. Beijing views the new Taiwanese president with contempt and has denounced him as a “separatist”.

On Thursday, China’s foreign ministry condemned Mr Lai for being “hell-bent” on independence.

The speech “exposed his hell-bent position on independence and his sinister intention to escalate tensions in the Taiwan Strait for political self-interest,” Mao Ning, China’s foreign ministry spokesman, told a regular press briefing.

Ahead of the speech, the United States urged “restraint” from both sides of the Taiwan Strait and warned that Beijing could use Mr Lai’s remarks as a “pretext” for taking military action.

“We see no justification for a routine annual celebration to be used in this manner,” said a senior official in the Biden administration.

Mr Lai’s address was widely viewed as robust but measured.

He reiterated his government’s position that China has no right to represent Taiwan, stressing that the Republic of China, the island’s formal name, and the People’s Republic of China are “not subordinate to each other”.

But he also struck a conciliatory note, offering to coordinate with Beijing on “addressing climate change, combating infectious diseases, and maintaining regional security to pursue peace and mutual prosperity for the well-being of the people on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.”

Lev Nachman, a political science professor at National Taiwan University, told The Telegraph that Mr Lai had taken a “pragmatic tone” and made “reasonable cross-Strait statements” while avoiding “snarky” lines and “cheap jabs at China” that he had used in the past.

China ‘reacts negatively to Taiwan no matter what’

However, a reaction from Beijing was likely as it “reacts negatively no matter what”, he said.

“The speech from today didn’t really give China much ammo but Lai’s past comments have so I’m more inclined to think we are still going to see some sort of reaction from the People’s Republic of China.”

Beijing’s threats towards Taiwan and its increasingly aggressive expansion across the East and South China Seas have created friction with Western nations, including the UK.

David Lammy, the British Foreign Secretary, is expected to visit China next week, in what sources told Reuters was an attempt to seek less confrontational ties with the world’s second-largest economy and to resume trade and investment talks.

British officials say the Government wants to recalibrate the more hawkish approach of the previous Conservative administration, which described China as an “epoch-defining challenge”.

However, the Global Times, a Chinese state media outlet, accused the UK of having a “contradictory mindset” by eyeing deeper engagement while also seeking to suppress China.

Mr Lammy was planning to visit in a bid to reset ties while the head of MI5 was “hyping the China threat”, it said, referring to Ken McCallum’s comments this week that China posed a significant risk, particularly in obtaining sensitive information.

Mr McCallum called for a nuanced approach to relations with Beijing during his annual update on threats faced by the UK.

“The UK-China economic relationship supports UK growth, which underpins our security. And there are also risks to be managed,” he said.

Russell Brand has claimed he found God in the middle of Hurricane Milton, despite being hundreds of miles away from the eye of the storm.

Speaking from Miami – which was not directly in Milton’s path – Brand, a British comedian turned podcaster, said: “In the middle of this crazy storm, [it is] worth thinking how the metaphor of the storm affects us all.

“Like animals, I think we can feel something unusual is happening. The storm, I suppose, is a demonstration of the almighty power that is beyond our control. As a metaphor, it helps me to understand that I must listen and watch for Christ.”

Some 27 tornadoes struck Florida on Wednesday, killing at least two pensioners, as Milton generated powerful storm surges and freak winds into Thursday.

Florida’s west coast has been worst affected, with Tampa, Sarasota and Fort Myers suffering devastating storm surges and winds of up to 120 mph.

The storm then moved eastwards, barrelling through central and eastern Florida towards Orlando, where flash flood warnings were in place. It is not thought to have had much of an impact in Miami, south Florida, where Brand said he was staying.

In April, Brand revealed in April that he had been baptised as a Christian by Bear Grylls in the River Thames.

He has been increasingly vocal about his recently-acquired faith, saying on Tucker Carlson’s live show last month: “Christ chooses us. I wish I had known earlier. I wish I hadn’t thought that I was too clever for the religion of my grandmothers.”

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday, Brand compared living through the storm with Peter seeing Christ walk on water – it served as a reminder, Brand said, to always “keep your eyes fixed on the Lord”.

Last year, Brand was interviewed by police in connection with historic sex allegations following a joint investigation by The Times, The Sunday Times, and Channel 4’s Dispatches.

There have been no arrests, and he has denied any wrongdoing.

Praying at home may be a criminal offence under new Scottish abortion laws, the SNP Government has warned.

New legislation took effect across Scotland last month, establishing 200-metre “safe access zones” around all abortion clinics.

Residents in these zones have been warned they could be in breach of the Abortion Services Act (Scotland) 2024 if they do “anything” that “would cause harassment, alarm, or distress” to staff and patients, even if this activity is carried out in the privacy of their own home.

Pro-life campaigners fear that praying in these zones will be considered an offence following the arrests of several activists for harassment and public order-related offences in England and Northern Ireland.

Guidance published by the Scottish Government to accompany the law change lists “religious preaching” and “silent vigils” as examples of activities that could be prohibited if conducted with “intent or recklessness”.

A letter sent to residents in an Edinburgh “safe access zone,” seen by The Telegraph, warned they could face criminal prosecution for actions carried out at home.

It said: “In general, the offences apply in public places within the safe access zones.

“However, activities in a private place (such as a house) within the area between the protected premises and the boundary of a zone could be an offence if they can be seen or heard within the zone and are done intentionally or recklessly.”

It said that less serious offences violating the buffer zone law could result in fines of up to £10,000, with the most serious offences incurring an unlimited fine.

Campaigners have told The Telegraph they fear Holyrood’s implementation of the buffer zone law could restrict religious expression within private residences.

One Edinburgh resident said she was “surprised” to receive such a letter. “As a Christian, I pray all the time,” the young woman said, adding: “To think that this could now be a criminal offence, even within the vicinity of my own home, is truly unbelievable.”

‘Excessive and wrong’

Michael Robinson, executive director of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, told The Telegraph: “This sinister and deeply Orwellian guidance suggests that the buffer zone legislation could be used to control and regulate religious activity on private property, including displaying a Bible verse saying all life is sacred in their window, or someone silently praying in their front garden – or even their front room if they are seen or heard from the street.”

He added: “Most ordinary people, regardless of their views on abortion, would find it excessive and wrong to threaten individuals with hefty fines for praying in their own homes.”

England and Wales will enact similar legislation at the end of October.

The English legislation criminalises activities “in any location” within a 150-metre radius of abortion providers which could deter or distress staff and patients, if those activities are “visible from a public highway, public right of way, open space to which the public have access, or the curtilage of an abortion clinic”.

Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern, said her organisation would “vigilantly” monitor how buffer zone legislation was applied across Britain, adding that these laws are “regressive” and a form of “state overreach”.

In August, West Midlands Police apologised and paid £13,000 to a Christian charity volunteer who said her arrest for silently praying outside an abortion clinic violated her human rights.

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce was arrested in November 2022, and again in March last year, outside a clinic which had been covered by a local Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO).

After the case against her collapsed, Ms Vaughan-Spruce issued a claim against the force for two wrongful arrests and false imprisonments, assault and battery, and for a breach of her human rights.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Safe access zones are designed to safeguard a woman’s right to access healthcare. The legislation that creates them intentionally does not criminalise any particular behaviour, including prayer.”

A new 999 emergency services communication network is a decade late and has gone a further £3.1 billion over budget, the Home Office has admitted.

The proposed emergency services network (ESN), first announced in 2015, was supposed to have replaced the existing “walkie-talkie” style Airwave system for police, fire and ambulance services in England, Scotland and Wales by 2020.

However, in a statement to Parliament, Sir Matthew Rycroft, the permanent secretary at the Home Office, has now admitted it will not now be delivered until December 2029. The extra delays will add £3.1 billion to the cost, with the total already at more than £11 billion.

The “evaluation period” for the new ESN system has also been extended by seven years to 2044, which would add £2 billion to the costs. Sir Matthew also admitted that it would cost £1.1 billion to run the current system for another three years.

The delay has left the emergency services reliant on an ageing Airwave system introduced in 2000. Critics say that its continuing use is lengthening response times to accidents and emergencies.

The new system will be based on a 4G network, enabling officers to use smartphone equipment to access data such as videos and images quickly.

The Home Office has said that the ESN is the “way forward for Britain’s emergency services” and will transform the way they work.

In opposition, Labour accused the former government of mishandling the project and said the “wasted” cash could pay for more than 90,000 police officers for a year or an additional 20,000 police officers for the next five years.

The Home Office insisted it was working to deliver a service that provided better value for money as quickly as possible.

The Competition and Markets Authority has imposed a price cap on how much Motorola, the phone company that delivers the current Airwave system, can charge the Government for it.

As its original contract had expired, Motorola could effectively charge what it wanted, similar to a household customer paying for their phone bill after their contract has expired.

Joe Biden pushed the UK into giving up the Chagos Islands over concerns the US would lose control of an important air base, The Telegraph understands.

Days after the general election in July, senior officials from the White House’s National Security Council and State Department told the incoming Labour government that refusing to sign away the islands would jeopardise the “special relationship” with Washington.

Sir Keir Starmer was criticised last week for his decision to give up the archipelago of more than 1,000 tiny islands, a UK overseas territory since 1965 known officially as the British Indian Ocean Territory.

It was suggested the deal could give China access to the Diego Garcia air base, which is on the largest island in the chain.

Under the deal, Mauritius will take control of the islands, but Britain and the US will rent the base for 99 years.

Strategically important air base

The Telegraph understands that American officials pushed the UK toward the deal, fearing that if it was not signed, Mauritius would successfully apply for a binding ruling at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to take control of the islands, effectively shuttering the air base.

The base is considered strategically important because it puts some bomber aircraft within range of the Middle East. Diego Garcia was previously used by the US to conduct bombing runs in Iraq and Afghanistan.

US officials told the Foreign Office that a quick deal should be signed before the American and Mauritian elections next month, agreeing to give up UK territory in exchange for the base.

The officials argued that handing over the islands would safeguard Britain’s special relationship with the US, and that a binding court ruling would make it more difficult to fly aircraft to the base, conduct repairs, and cooperate with UN agencies.

‘Deal makes UK look pathetic’

Since announcing the deal on Thursday, the Government has faced criticism from MPs, who argue that Britain should not have agreed to give up territory and to rent a military base it already controls.

Boris Johnson said the “terrible” deal made the UK look “pathetic”.

Some also argued that the base would come under threat from Chinese spyware, because Mauritius and China are economically aligned.

The Telegraph understands that the full terms of the deal, which has not been made public, contain protections against Chinese influence in the islands without the agreement of Britain and the US.

On Monday, Robert Jenrick said David Lammy had signed the deal so that he could “feel good about himself at his next north London dinner party”.

In a debate discussing the decision in Parliament, the Tory leadership contender said: “We’ve just handed sovereign British territory to a small island nation which is an ally of China – and we’re paying for the privilege.

“All so that the foreign secretary can feel good about himself at his next North London dinner party.”

‘Unsustainable’ legal position

However, the Foreign Secretary told MPs on Monday that the dispute between Britain and Mauritius was “clearly not sustainable” and that Labour faced a choice between “abandoning the base altogether or breaking international law”.

Friends of the British Overseas Territories, a charity dedicated to British-owned islands abroad, called Mr Lammy’s statement “shameful”.

“Proceeding with the transfer of [the island] goes against our national interests and must be stopped at once,” it said.

The ICJ had already issued a non-binding ruling that the islands belong to Mauritius, and a further ruling that forced the handover of the base was likely, he said, because of the “regrettable” removal of indigenous islanders by the UK in the 1960s.

Downing Street insisted the deal to give up sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) was due to the “unsustainable” legal position and had no impact on other disputed territories including the Falkland Islands and Gibraltar.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman would not be drawn on the cost to the UK taxpayer of the deal which will see Mauritius being given sovereignty over the islands, with a 99-year agreement to secure the strategically important UK-US military base on Diego Garcia.

The spokesman said: “The Government inherited a situation where the long-term secure operation of the military base at Diego Garcia was under threat with contested sovereignty and legal challenges, including through various international courts and tribunals.

“You will be aware that the previous government initiated sovereignty negotiations in 2022 and conducted a number of rounds of negotiations. This Government picked up those negotiations and has reached an agreement, which means that for the first time in over 50 years, the base will be undisputed, legally secure, with full Mauritian backing.”

Asked why the Islands should not be seen as a precedent for other sovereignty disputes such as the Falklands and Gibraltar, the spokesman said: “It’s a unique situation based on its unique history and circumstances, and has no bearing on other overseas territories.”

The spokesman added: “British sovereignty of the Falkland Islands or Gibraltar is not up for negotiation.”

The BBC Weather app has incorrectly forecast hurricane force winds and record temperatures across England.

Wind speeds of 15,345mph were predicted in Oxford Circus, central London, while temperatures of 404C were forecast in Nottingham.

BBC Weather said it was were working to fix some “data issues” on its app and website, and apologised for the inaccuracy.

Commenting on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, host Nick Robinson said: “If, like me, you’re one of those people who reaches for your phone first thing in the morning to look at the BBC News app or BBC Weather, you might have noticed that there are hurricane force winds in Oxford Circus.

“Let me just reassure you, there aren’t, because I’m in Oxford Circus. I’m afraid there’s just a little problem with the data on the BBC Weather app, which suggests that the wind speed is 350mph – which I think is something of an overestimate – but it is being dealt with, rest assured.”

Co-host Emma Barnett added that Robinson was providing “a live debunking of misinformation”.

It came as Hurricane Milton brought winds of up to 120mph as it made landfall in Florida, causing nearly three million households to lose power.

Matt Taylor, a BBC presenter, wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “Don’t be alarmed folks – Hurricane Milton hasn’t made it to us here in the UK! There’s been a data glitch between our suppliers and the app/online. Folk are working to solve the issue.”

In another post, presenter Simon King said: “Oops, don’t be alarmed by some of our BBC Weather app data this morning. Be assured there won’t be 14,408mph winds, hurricane force winds or overnight temperatures of 404C.”

The actual weather forecast for England includes rain and drizzle in the south and blustery showers near the east coast, BBC weather said in an updated forecast.

A BBC spokesman said: “We’re aware of an issue with our third-party supplier, which means our weather app and website are wrongly predicting hurricane wind speeds everywhere.

“That is incorrect, and we apologise. We’re working with our supplier to fix this as soon as possible.”

The strongest-ever wind speed recorded in the UK was 173mph at Cairngorm summit, Scotland, on March 20 1986, according to the Met Office.

The maximum wind speed ever recorded on earth was 253mph on April 4 1996 in Barrow Island Australia, the World Meteorological Organisation’s extreme weather archives record.

Earth’s wind speeds are not the Solar System’s strongest. Jupiter has gales of around 900mph, Saturn winds peak at 1,100mph and wind speeds on Neptune reach 1,600mph.

The BBC was contacted for comment.

A British convert to Islam who claims she was ordered to remove her hijab at work is claiming she was racially discriminated against because she is white.

Aisha Amalou, described in legal papers as a “caucasian female who converted to Islam many years ago”, is attempting to win damages from a care home company over allegations a manager insisted she was “not even a Muslim”.

She alleges a colleague at the Lochleven Care Home in Broughty Ferry, where she was employed as a care assistant, repeatedly ordered her to remove the head covering and dismissed her pleas that she wore it for religious reasons.

Ms Amalou, 33, claims she then sought to raise the issue with a manager, Kim McLaughlin. However, it is alleged Ms McLaughlin revealed that she was the one who had given the order for the hijab to be taken off.

It is alleged that another manager, Scott Bland, sacked Ms Amalou on Mar 1 because she suffered a panic attack at work and because of the “hijab issue”. 

Mr Bland is said to have told Ms Amalou “toddle-oo” in a “mocking tone” after firing her.

‘Stereotypical assumption’

Ms Amalou, who was born and raised in Scotland, is taking legal action against Thistle Healthcare Ltd, the care home operator, alleging an “incorrect stereotypical assumption” was made that she should not be wearing a hijab.

Ms Amalou, who began working at the care home in November last year, is also claiming mistreatment on the grounds of her Muslim religion and disability, citing a history of anxiety and depression.

Thistle Healthcare Ltd declined to comment before the case is heard at the end of next month but it is understood the company will dispute all of Ms Amalou’s claims and state that at no point during her employment was she asked to remove her head covering.

Sources suggested the firm had evidence to confirm that conversations Ms Amalou alleges took place never happened.

However, Ryan Russell, Ms Amalou’s lawyer, insisted his client had the evidence to support her allegations, including text message exchanges with her imam and eyewitness accounts from other workers.

Legal papers include a WhatsApp exchange with her imam, on the date she alleges she was ordered to remove the hijab, seeking his guidance.

She wrote: “My manager told me to remove my hijab I got emotional… she says its [sic] not religion and to take it off I’m really upset.” She asked the imam: “Is the hijab a choice? What should I do?”

‘The hijab is timeless’

Ms Amalou’s imam advised her to explain the importance of her hijab in a “non-confrontational way” and added: “The benefits of hijab are many, the ruling of hijab is timeless, and it is a part of our religion and obedience to Allah.”

The legal papers state that Ms Amalou was told to remove her hijab due to a policy around head coverings in the workplace.

It is alleged that she was dismissed for reasons “connected to wearing the hijab” and that comments about it created an “intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating and offensive environment”.

Ms Amalou is seeking a ruling that she was unlawfully discriminated against and “financial compensation and an award for injury to feelings.”

She claims the discrimination she encountered “had a significant impact” on her mental health.

Mr Russell said his firm, MML Law, “seeks to raise awareness for those being discriminated against in the workplace” and predicted the case would proceed to a full public hearing in 2025.

The sinking of a Royal New Zealand Navy ship in the South Pacific had nothing to do with the fact that the British-born captain is a woman, the country’s defence minister said, criticising “armchair admirals” who are speculating on the causes of the disaster.

HMNZS Manawanui ran aground on a reef off the Samoan island of Upolu on Saturday in rough seas and strong winds. The next day, it caught fire and sank, becoming the first ship that New Zealand’s navy has lost at sea since the Second World War.

All 75 passengers and crew were evacuated onto lifeboats and rescued, although some were injured.

The captain, Yvonne Gray, who is originally from Harrogate, Yorkshire, previously served in the Royal Navy before moving to New Zealand with her wife after they fell in love with the country during a campervan trip.

Social media in New Zealand is rife with caustic comments about “diversity in action”, sexist remarks about “women drivers” and homophobic references to Commander Gray’s sexuality.

Judith Collins, the country’s first female defence minister, said she had been appalled to see trolling from “armchair admirals”.

She said that a “deeply concerning misogynist narrative reared its head before our people had even made it home to New Zealand. A court of inquiry has been stood up to establish what caused this terrible incident.

“The one thing that we already know did not cause it, is the gender of the ship’s captain, a woman with 30 years of naval experience who made the call to get her people to safety.

“I’m appalled to see the comments online from these armchair admirals, people who will never have to make decisions which mean life or death for their subordinates.”

“I thought, seriously in 2024, what the hell is going on here, with people who are sitting there in their armchair operating a keyboard making comments about people that they do not know, about an area they do not know, and they are just vile. Where’s a bit of decency?”

Cdr Gray said losing the ship meant that her “very worst imagining” as captain had become a reality.

The ship’s crew had responded to the emergency “exactly the way I needed them to”, she said, praising their “commitment and courage”.

She has been captain of HMNZS Manawanui, which is Māori for “steadfast” or “big heart”, since 2022.

The hydrographic and salvage vessel is based at Devonport Naval Base in Auckland.

Cdr Gray started her Royal Navy career in 1993 as a warfare officer, serving on frigates, mine hunters and aircraft carriers.

She and her wife Sharon emigrated to New Zealand in 2012.

“The most obvious thing to do was join the Royal New Zealand Navy,” she said in an official navy profile.

HMNZS Manawanui is a relatively new ship that entered service in 2019.

“With Manawanui, it’s not just about the command. This is an opportunity to take a ship still in its infancy and further the capability of that ship,” she said in 2022.

The sunken vessel is leaking diesel into the sea, Samoa’s Marine Pollution Advisory Committee said on Thursday.

The New Zealand Navy has sent a team which will “react to any contamination of local beaches and to remove debris that has started to come ashore”.

Criminals are to be released from Scotland’s prisons after serving only 40 per cent of their sentences, under “dangerous” SNP plans to ease chronic overcrowding.

Angela Constance, the SNP’s Justice Secretary, said most “short-term” prisoners sentenced to less than four years would be let out earlier than at present.

In a statement to MSPs, she said the point at which they would be freed will be changed from 50 per cent to 40 per cent of their sentences.

Ms Constance said the move, which will exclude those convicted of domestic abuse and sexual offences, will result in the prison population falling by between 260 and 390 compared with current projections.

She said “emergency legislation”, to be tabled next month, will also include powers to create new rules for freeing criminals serving longer sentences but this was not the “immediate focus of the Bill”.

But Russell Findlay, the new Scottish Tory leader, said the SNP had “trashed” the judicial independence of the country’s courts by riding roughshod over the sentences they had imposed.

He said the public were bewildered about criminals “not serving the sentence they’re given” and accused First Minister John Swinney of being “softer on justice than Nicola Sturgeon”.

In a second move to ease overcrowding, Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC said she had issued temporary guidelines to prosecutors that they should only oppose an accused being given bail in limited circumstances.

Ms Bain, who heads the Crown Office, said that an objection to bail being granted to someone awaiting trial should only be made if they “pose a substantial risk of reoffending and causing harm to a victim, witness or the public which cannot be mitigated.”

Ms Constance made the Holyrood statement after a previous emergency release for criminals serving sentences of under four years with 180 days or less left failed to solve the overcrowding problem.

A total of 477 inmates were let out early in four tranches over the summer but 57 of them were returned to jail after allegedly reoffending and the prison population quickly bounced back.

The SNP Justice Secretary said there were 8,322 inmates in custody, more than the 8,270 total before the summer release, and the prison population had reached “critical levels”.

Official projections show this will likely continue to rise through to January this year, she said, putting Scotland’s jails in an “unsustainable position” that jeopardised the safety of staff and inmates.

Ms Constance noted that the Labour UK Government had already started to release some prisoners after only 40 per cent of their sentences and she would “pursue a similar policy.”

“This proposal would come with statutory exclusions in relation to domestic abuse and sexual offences, recognising the particular concerns which will arise in relation to such offences,” she said.

“This will require primary legislation, which I plan to introduce in November and will ask Parliament’s permission to progress on an emergency basis.”

Ms Constance said she would also start “contingency planning” for another emergency release, similar to that conducted in the summer, in case there is “no alternative” to getting the prison population down.

In a second parliamentary statement, Ms Bain announced she had independently reviewed guidelines issued to prosecutors and police so that there may be fewer court cases in which they oppose the granting of bail.

The Lord Advocate argued that “at a time when there are significant pressures on prison populations, it is vital that resources are used carefully”, with the priority being to “ensure it is those who are a risk to others that are kept behind bars.”

Although she said the judiciary makes the final decision on whether bail is granted, she noted that “the attitude of the prosecutor” can have a “significant bearing” on whether an accused is released.

Liam Kerr, the Scottish Tories’ Shadow Justice Secretary, said: “The SNP’s decision to reintroduce early release is a betrayal of victims, compromises community safety and makes a mockery of independent judicial sentencing.

“Rather than continually failing Scotland’s victims, the SNP should apply some common sense and focus on delivering the long overdue new prisons in Glasgow and the Highlands to alleviate the prison population crisis.”

He added: “The Lord Advocate’s deeply disappointing statement will only serve to accelerate the SNP’s plans to empty Scotland’s prisons.”

Mr Swinney told First Minister’s Questions it was “patently untrue” that his government had “stacked the entire justice system against crime victims”, arguing that the average prison sentence length had risen by 32 per cent over the past decade.

A Labour MP has backed a report calling for laser light shows to replace fireworks on Bonfire Night.

More than 60 per cent of the public would support fully or partially replacing Nov 5 fireworks with alternatives such as lasers, drones or “silent” displays because of the impact on animals and the environment, according to the report by the Social Market Foundation (SMF), a think tank.

The SMF has recommended new restrictions on the noise levels and size of fireworks as well as giving councils powers to designate “firework-free zones” and to put on alternative laser light or drone shows rather than traditional pyrotechnics.

In a foreword to the report, Andrew Pakes, an MP who has been campaigning on the issue, said the proposals offered “practical steps for reducing the harm fireworks cause, without taking away from the joy they bring”.

“Around the world, countries are starting to use alternatives like drones, light shows and quieter fireworks, proving that we can celebrate in ways that are kinder to animals, safer for people and better for the environment,” he added.

Nearly a quarter (24 per cent) of those surveyed believed the UK should stop using traditional fireworks and use alternatives, compared with just 10 per cent who wanted to maintain the status quo.

A quarter (25 per cent) believed the UK should keep traditional fireworks while sometimes using alternatives. 

A further 42 per cent believe there should be greater use of alternatives and less use of fireworks, though they should be retained.

The report said England and Wales should follow the example of Scotland where councils can designate “firework-free zones” in areas where the pyrotechnics are likely to have a greater impact on animals, the environment and vulnerable people.

It recommended that once these were set up, local councils should organise their own alternative displays and draw on examples such as Japan where drone displays, light shows and “quiet fireworks” are incorporated into traditional shows.

The report’s authors said this would help introduce the alternatives and their use to the public, which the SMF polling indicated would in turn increase their popularity.

The recommended tougher regulation would see the maximum noise level of all traditional fireworks reduced from 120 decibels to 90 decibels, that would be equivalent to cutting it down from the sound of a thunderclap to a truck in traffic.

The report also proposed limiting the sale of consumer fireworks to indoor or handheld fireworks or those designed for use in a confined outdoor space, and only to specialised or licensed shops.

Dani Payne, SMF senior researcher, said: “The overwhelming public support for alternative firework displays, as revealed by our research, shows that there is a real opportunity here for the Government to listen to the public’s concerns and take steps toward better, safer firework use.”

The SMF was associated with the Conservatives in the 1990s – and was sometimes called John Major’s favourite think tank. 

In the late 1990s, it moved closer to New Labour and was associated with the party’s public service reform.

The UK’s most senior Catholic has called on churchgoers to lobby their MPs to vote against a proposed bill on assisted dying.

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster, warned Catholics that legalising assisted dying “risks bringing about for all medical professionals a slow change from a duty to care to a duty to kill”.

His letter will be read in churches this weekend, urging parishioners to write to their local MP to block the proposed law change to decriminalise the practice for the terminally ill.

MPs will be able to make their opinions known in the Commons on the controversial subject when they debate the Bill on choice at the end of life for people with terminal illness on Nov 29.

Labour MP Kim Leadbeater’s Private Member’s Bill is due to be formally introduced in Parliament on Wednesday. Details of the legislation will be published ahead of the first full debate and vote next month, the MP’s office said.

Sir Keir Starmer has promised to allow his party to vote with their conscience and previously said he was “very pleased” MPs would get the chance to have a say on the issue.

Campaigners for assisted dying argue it would reduce suffering and increase personal dignity in death.

The campaign to legalise assisted dying has been given greater prominence by Dame Esther Rantzen, the former television presenter who is suffering from terminal lung cancer.

But others are warning against voting for the law change. In his letter, Cardinal Nichols claimed that evidence of a slippery slope is “clear” in every country where assisted dying has been legalised.

“That the circumstances in which the taking of a life is permitted are widened and widened, making assisted suicide and medical killing, or euthanasia, more and more available and accepted,” he said.

The archbishop told churchgoers to consider the unintended consequences of this law change on the most vulnerable in society.

“This proposed change in the law may be a source of relief to some. But it will bring great fear and trepidation to many, especially those who have vulnerabilities and those living with disabilities,” he said, adding: “What is now proposed will not be the end of the story. It is a story better not begun.”

The archbishop said permitting assisted suicide could end up allowing families to wrongly encourage their elderly relatives to take up the offer for financial gain, or encouraging those who feel they are a “burden” to end their lives prematurely.

“Once assisted suicide is approved by the law, a key protection of human life falls away. Pressure mounts on those who are nearing death, from others or even from themselves, to end their life in order to take away a perceived burden of care from their family, for the avoidance of pain, or for the sake of an inheritance,” he warned.

In his letter, Cardinal Nichols also tells people of faith that “every human being is made in the image and likeness of God”.

He continues: “This is not a freedom of choice we can take for ourselves without undermining the foundations of trust and shared dignity on which a stable society rests.”

Sarah Wootton, chief executive of Dignity in Dying, said: “The ban on assisted dying is forcing terminally ill people to suffer despite the best care, spend their life savings travelling to Switzerland, or take matters into their own hands at home, with relatives often left traumatised.”

She added that legalisation would “give dying people a proper choice over how they die, and would introduce practical measures to assess eligibility, ensure rigorous medical oversight, and robustly monitor every part of the process”.

Sarah Wootton MP, the campaign group’s chief executive, said: “Three-quarters of the British public, from all parts of the country and walks of life, understand the pressing need for law change on assisted dying.”

Taxes aren’t usually the sexy topic on the ballot ticket, but in this year’s presidential election they’re set to be particularly significant. 

Everyone’s finances will be affected in some way, because most of Trump’s 2017 tax cuts are due to expire at the end of 2025, putting US tax policy firmly on the agenda. While Donald Trump has plans to extend all of these, Kamala Harris has her plans for change.

Across the income spectrum, from high earners to new parents and small business owners, tax reform is on the horizon. 

If Harris secures a victory for the Democrats, what would it mean for your finances? Well, it depends where you stand on the income ladder.

What is Kamala Harris’s tax plan?

On the campaign trail, Harris has made bold promises. “Under my economic plan, more than 100m Americans will get a tax cut,” she announced in North Carolina. 

Harris wanted to repeal Trump’s tax cuts when she ran for the presidential primaries back in 2019. But this time around she’s promised to keep the cuts for households earning less than $400,000 a year, adding in even more extensive support for low income families. 

If she gets any of her proposed policies through Congress, the middle class, low income workers and households with children could get some much-needed financial relief. But many remain sceptical that Harris can deliver on her promises. 

“Democrats historically issue more detailed policy proposals during campaigns,” said Elliot Hentov, head of macro policy research for State Street Global Advisors. 

“The main thing to remember is that tax policy will only be significantly affected if the President also controls both houses of Congress. The odds for the Democrats are very unlikely.”

For most Americans, Harris doesn’t propose any direct tax increases. Instead, she’s aiming to boost lower incomes through enhanced tax credits and deductions. 

This includes expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for childless workers too; a tax break to encourage people to stay in the workforce rather than dropping out.

Child Tax Credits

One of the most significant aspects of Harris’s tax agenda is the expansion of the Child Tax Credit (CTC). 

Building on the Democrats’ pandemic-era expansions, her plan would raise the CTC from $2,000 to $3,600 per child, and offers a one-time $6,000 credit for families with newborns. 

The Tax Policy Center estimates that, on average, low income families would gain roughly $2,750 from the expanded CTC and additional newborns credit. 

The Democrats are hoping that these larger tax credits and no new income tax burdens will help support low-income families battling inflation and the high cost of living.  

Tax on tips 

Like Trump, Harris has voiced support for eliminating taxes on tips, which would directly benefit service workers in swing states like Nevada, Florida and California. Harris also proposes guardrails to prevent people from reclassifying other types of income as tips to avoid taxes.

Unlike Trump, she’s additionally put forward minimum wage increases, an expansion of the low income housing tax credit and home building credits for certain low income communities. 

Healthcare and small business support

More affordable healthcare is also on the agenda. Continuing the work of the Biden administration, Harris has proposed further healthcare subsidies to expand the Affordable Care Act (ACA). 

The goal is to ensure that no family pays more than 8.5pc of their income on health insurance premiums. 

Cuts for small businesses

Small businesses – considered the backbone of the US economy – stand to benefit under her plan too. 

Currently new startups can deduct up to $5,000 in business costs during their first year of operating. Harris has proposed expanding this tax deduction all the way up to $50,000 for startup costs.  

How will Harris fund these tax cuts? 

The burning question for her opposition remains: How will Harris fund these tax cuts? 

Her plan has a clear focus on wealth redistribution, but it’s more nebulous on where the money to pay for it all will come from. 

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) estimates that Harris’s plans could add $1.2 trillion to the country’s deficit over the next decade. 

“It’s not too surprising that during a presidential campaign that both candidates are highlighting ways they would make households better off rather than worse off,” said Joe Rosenthal, senior research associate at the Tax Policy Center, “but the other thing that is just simply a fact – when there’s discussion of extending the tax cuts – is that they are extremely expensive.” 

To counter this, Harris has outlined a plan to raise $5 trillion dollars in taxes by 2034, to offset the country’s deficit spending. It’s largely targeting big corporations and high earners. 

“Both candidates have talked about the longer term fiscal pressures,” said Mr Rosenthal, speaking from Washington DC. “But generally it’s framed as something that can be solved relatively easily, with sacrifices only from a small segment of the population.”

With the US stock market near all-time highs, America’s budget deficit doesn’t seem to be knocking investor confidence. 

Yes, economies can grow their way out of a debt problem, but only if there is fundamental confidence in the government’s fiscal strategy. It remains to be seen whether a Kamala win could sustain the momentum.

Taxes on the wealthy

Harris has made clear that under her plans, high income earners would shoulder more of the tax burden. “The wealthiest Americans and corporations must pay their fair share,” she said in her first presidential debate. In terms of her tax plan, that means proposed tax hikes for corporations, high earners, and capital gains. 

One of her primary goals is to raise the corporate tax rate from 21pc to 28pc, aligning with President Biden’s original push. Before Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, this rate stood at 35pc, so even the 28pc proposal is a reduction from pre-Trump levels. 

If it passes Congress, the corporate tax hike alone could be expected to generate around $1.3 trillion over a decade, according to the Penn Wharton budget model. 

For high income earners – anyone earning over $400,000 a year – Harris proposes reinstating the top income tax rate of 39.6pc, a jump from its current 37pc. 

Capital gains hikes 

Investors and Wall Street can expect further tax dents to their profits too.  

For anyone earning over $1m, Harris is looking to raise the long term capital gains tax rate, from 20pc up to 28pc. 

While these tax hikes aim to address the country’s wealth inequality, some investors argue that it could dampen stock market activity and discourage investment in startups, potentially impacting economic growth.

One of the most contentious aspects of Harris’s tax plan – that she will likely struggle to get through congress – is a proposal to tax unrealised capital gains. 

Under current law, capital gains tax can only be collected by the government when assets are sold. This has historically created a loophole, allowing wealthy people to pass on large estates and investments to their heirs without paying taxes on the accumulated gains. 

Harris wants to change this by taxing the appreciation in value of assets that haven’t been sold, particularly at the time of the owner’s death. 

A billionaire minimum tax

Another bold move in Harris’s tax agenda is her proposed Billionaire Minimum Tax, which would impose a 25pc tax on any assets – whether owned or inherited – over $5m for households with a net worth exceeding $100m. 

While this ultra-wealthy segment represents only 0.1pc of the American population, they control about 14pc of total household wealth, according to Federal Reserve data. 

Harris has made it clear that she wants this wealth to contribute more significantly to the national tax base.

Estate tax reform 

There have been suggestions that Harris also intends to tighten the estate tax rules, which would reduce the amount of untaxed wealth that can be passed between generations. 

Currently, estates valued at over $13.61m per individual (or $27.22m per couple) are subject to federal estate taxes. Lowering this threshold would bring more estates under the tax net. 

Though she hasn’t provided specific figures, this would signal a further push for generational wealth to shoulder more of the tax burden. 

What does Harris’s plan mean for the average American?

In many ways, the Kamala Harris tax vision is a continuation of the Biden administration’s financial policies over the last four years: a clear shift towards redistributive fiscal policies. 

She hopes to expand benefits for lower- and middle-income earners while placing a greater tax burden on high-income individuals, generational wealth and large corporations. 

With the revenue generated she would plan to keep spending – funding further social programs, infrastructure, and healthcare. But some economists have raised concerns about the potential economic risks too, suggesting that higher corporate taxes could stifle job creation, slow wage growth, and make America less competitive globally. 

Similarly, increased taxes on capital gains and unrealized wealth might discourage investment in innovation and startups.    

Mr Hentove sees the risks as small. “US tax revenue as a share of GDP is near historically low levels. There should be a lot of scope to raise tax rates before it impacts capital flight,” he said. 

“The tax cuts are not huge, but the expansion of part of the safety net would be material for the affected families.” 

Can Harris get the changes through Congress?

Ultimately, like any American tax plan, the president won’t be able to pass any of these tax reforms into law without the support of congress. 

While Harris’s new tax plans may appeal to America’s voters, the political makeup of Congress – particularly if Republicans retain significant influence – will determine whether her sweeping tax reforms stand a chance of actually coming to fruition. 

With Republicans expected to push back against any significant tax hikes, securing bipartisan support will be challenging, at best. 

Whether these proposals lead to meaningful change or get mired in congressional gridlock remains to be seen – but one thing is certain: the outcome of the 2024 election will have significant implications for your money.