Andrew Griffith MP

Remembrance Sunday is a duty between generations.

A reminder that the freedoms we enjoy today were hard won by those we may never have known, who fought and died to defend our country.

It is over a decade since the last veteran of the Great War passed away. The day will come when the last Second World War veteran is no longer with us. We are losing the living link to those who fought and died for Britain, and while we cannot repay the debt we owe them, we can honour it.

There are some who argue that the poppy glorifies war or has become a symbol of shame for Britain.

They are wrong. It is a symbol of sacrifice. It reminds us that the freedoms we enjoy were not given freely, but defended at an extraordinary cost by generations of brave men and women who put our country before themselves.

Behind that symbol is the work of the Royal British Legion, supporting veterans and their families and ensuring that those who served our country receive the care and respect they deserve.

Today, I’ll be in West Sussex to remember those who gave their lives, thank those who continue to serve and honour the generations whose sacrifices secured the freedoms we enjoy.

We will remember them.

Putin is not waiting around for the spending review…

As Shadow Chancellor, I've set out my plan to cut welfare and fund 3% defence spending.

John Healey has been Chancellor for three months. Still, we have no proper plan.

Funding our defence will always be my first duty.

A one-way ticket to the past. Nationalised rail services are poorer than when they were private.

This is what happens when Labour politicians try to run things.

This is why every renter should HATE Labour’s Landlord Tax… 👇

Last year, Rachel Reeves introduced it. Now, John Healey has DOUBLED IT before it has even come into force!

Labour doesn’t hang about when it comes to putting up taxes.

It means landlords will be forced to pay up to 49p in tax on every pound they earn from rental properties.

Why is Labour singling out landlords for a politically motivated tax?

They didn’t pile extra taxes onto their trade union paymasters.

As any renter or landlord will know, our rental sector is already in a mess.

Start with Angela Rayner’s Renters’ Rights Act.

In the third quarter of this year, the number of properties available to rent fell by 15,000. SpareRoom has found that more than a third of landlords are reducing their property portfolios. Almost half of landlords who own just a single property are selling up entirely.

There is no point in having a myriad of ‘rights’ if you can’t find somewhere to live…

Labour MPs will no doubt tell you this is all about fairness. I am sure Labour’s Treasury Minister, Emma Reynolds, would decry landlords as not being ‘working people’ - just something else to be taxed.

They simply don’t understand the bigger picture because Labour MPs have so little real-life experience. Rogue landlords won’t follow these rules anyway.

If you’re a landlord, you already face huge costs.

Expensive insurance. Maintenance. Safety certificates that cost hundreds of pounds. Councils pile on the pressure too, making it difficult and eye-wateringly expensive to get the right licences. Meanwhile, HMRC is forcing landlords to file their ‘Making Tax Difficult’ reports five times a year.

And don’t forget the vital home improvements that make tenants’ lives better - and cost money.

All of this means landlords are asking themselves the question: ‘Is it really worth it?’

In the end, renters will foot the bill through higher rents (and the independent OBR has warned that this will happen) - if, of course, they can find somewhere to live in the first place.

Conservatives want to help people own a home of their own. We will scrap net zero and gold-plated building regulations to make it cheaper to build a home, and scrap stamp duty to make it cheaper to buy a home.

You don’t help renters by raising taxes on their landlords and tying them up in red tape.

In the end, renters will pay the price for Labour’s Landlord Tax.

Haven't we suffered enough?