Reduced rate VAT extended in Rishi Sunak's Budget with standard rate not returning until next year

Well, if you were hoping that The Talk might finally show some new episodes and/or address the ongoing racism controversy and drama centered on Sharon Osbourne and Sheryl Underwood, you’d better think again!

direct to your inboxAs part of today's new budget announcement, chancellor Rishi Sunak updated the UK on duty tax on both alcohol and fuel.Many people had expected the cost of alcohol and fuel to rise after the Budget.However, Rishi has now announced that all alcohol duties will be frozen - news which will be welcomed by millions of people in the UK.The Chancellor also announced that "the planned increase in fuel duty is also cancelled."Rishi Sunak told MPs: “I can confirm that the planned

direct to your inboxRishi Sunak will unveil the 2021 Budget today.The Chancellor will set out the UK government's spending plan in his annual statement. Last night, it was revealed he would be revealing an extension to the furlough scheme until the end of September.

direct to your inboxThe Chancellor is set to extend the furlough scheme when he unveils the 2021 Budget on Wednesday afternoon.Rishi Sunak is expected to announce that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will remain in place until September - two months later than its most recent end date.But the government's contribution will be reduced from July with employers asked to pay in alongside the taxpayer for the cost of furloughed employees.The scheme, has protected more than 11 million jobs since

pandemic.

Joe Biden rather than repeat the "failures of the past" ahead of setting out the Budget.Ian Blackford said he fears "more of the same" from the Chancellor after a decade of austerity under Conservative governments.And the SNP Westminster leader insisted the UK should look towards the response of President Biden after the House of Representatives passed a 1.9 trillion dollars Covid relief bill.Blackford said: "I think what the Covid pandemic has shown is the basic inequalities that exist in the

2017 RICS benchmarking figures put the national average rent on pubs at £37,691 - nearly twice Sunak's top estimate. Many have voiced concern that any support for hospitality that will be announced at Wednesday's budget could be based on these figures, which are described as being 'fundamentally wrong'.It could mean that pubs and restaurants would not receive - and have not received so far - the sums they need to survive through the coming months of restrictions and closures.

coronavirus vaccine roll out will receive a £1.65 billion boost to help it meet the target of offering a dose to every adult by July 31.

direct to your inbox The issue of vaccine passports is one which is beset with complex moral and legal considerations, but it could pave the way out of the coronavirus pandemic and for more normal life to return.

Rishi Sunak has indicated he will extend emergency support packages as the coronavirus lockdown is unwound, and did not rule out first raising taxes before cutting them ahead of the next election.The Chancellor insisted ahead of Wednesday's Budget that he is in favour of low taxes but said he needs to repair the public finances from the "enormous shock" of the pandemic.He said he does not "recognise" suggestions he told MPs in private that he would raise taxes now before cutting them in a