The Know Daily - Monday 2 October 2023

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The winners of the world’s largest annual photography competition - which received more than 500,000 entries - have been announced. Given that the 10 winning shots all celebrate the theme of “Our world is beautiful”, a browse through the selection is guaranteed to brighten your Monday morning!

📝 Conservative conference latest

The national living wage will rise to at least £11 an hour from next April, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is set to confirm today.

Tell me more.
Hunt will announce the increase in his speech at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester. The national living wage - the lowest amount that workers aged 23+ can be paid by law - currently stands at £10.42.

What else will he say?
In his speech, the chancellor will unveil plans for tougher benefits sanctions for people who do not take steps to find work. This could include introducing measures to stop those who are persistently sanctioned (in other words, if someone doesn’t arrive on time for interviews or accept a job that they’re offered) from claiming benefits.

Hunt is expected to tell the conference that it is a “fundamental matter of fairness”. “Those who won’t even look for work do not deserve the same benefits as people trying hard to do the right thing,” he will say.

The Conservatives appear to be using “tougher rhetoric” on benefits claimants ahead of the election as they believe it could be a “dividing line” with Labour, said The Guardian.

What else is going on?
Taxes are expected to be a key flashpoint at this year’s conference, as the government is “under pressure” from some within its own party to cut taxes, said the BBC.

Former PM Liz Truss will reportedly use a speech later today to urge the government to cut corporation taxes for businesses, to help grow the economy - but the chancellor has previously said that tax cuts are “virtually impossible” in the current climate.

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