Council Tax & Business rates on the up!
Council leaders have issued a warning that services will be cut or severely strained unless council tax is increased. Almost every council has planned to raise council tax per household, and in some cases that could be up to 4.99%. The cost of elderly care is being cited as the reason for the increase.
Council tax to rise while services cut, says LGA. BBC
Staying with council revenues, The government has mounted a staunch defence of the shakeup in business rates, after Britain’s biggest business groups strongly condemned the changes.
UK business rates battle hots up as firms challenge government. The Guardian
Trump makes his own Fake News with a terrorist attack in Sweden
Trump turned Nostradamus over the weekend, where his comments during a rally in Florida on Saturday night that seemed to suggest a non-existent terrorist attack had taken place in Sweden, Did somebody say #fakenews?
Perhaps the president is confused between the terrorist attacks that took place in Pakistan last week. The bloodiest and worst week in Pakistan’s recent history. Incidently, shouldn’t he have tweeted JeSuisLahore? perhaps Muslims deaths don’t matter to him.
‘JeSuisIkea’: Donald Trump’s comments confuse Swedes as supporters cry cover-up. The Guardian
Donald Trump admits his ‘Sweden attack’ comments were based on debunked Fox News report. The Independent
The Battle for Mosul begins.
Iraqi government forces have started their offensive aimed at capturing the western half of Mosul. Iraqi paramilitary federal police and interior ministry units are advancing from the south of Mosul with the initial aim of seizing the city airport. But the heaviest fighting is likely to come when the soldiers get into built up areas. Jihadis expected to fight to the last man to defend the city where the group established its self-declared caliphate.
Iraqi forces begin bitter battle for Mosul in effort to destroy Isis. The Independent
UN says civilians at extreme risk as west Mosul offensive begins. The Guardian
Peers to begin debating the bill paving the way for the start of Brexit
The House of Lords is to start deliberating on the Brexit bill. MPs have already backed the proposed law authorising Theresa May to inform the EU of the UK’s intention to leave. But the government does not have a majority in the House of Lords where a record 190 peers are due to speak, with a number of amendments put forward.
Brexit: Lords to begin debating bill to trigger Article 50. The BBC
Brexit a decision for whole UK, not just hardliners in Tory party, says Mandelson. The Independent
Social Media
https://twitter.com/thriftyvintage_/status/833573865783697408
Mondays are much better after a win. #COYS #MondayMotivation pic.twitter.com/uiFU3ewUJK
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) February 20, 2017
https://twitter.com/metajane/status/833535779628408832
