Business
Tax wealthiest to end rip-off Britain, says Green leader Polanski
Kate WhannelPolitical reporter
Newly-elected Green Party leader Zack Polanski has told his party’s conference a tax on the wealthiest would end “rip-off Britain” and make the country “an affordable” place to live.
Addressing members in Bournemouth, he said taxing the assets of the richest 1% would enable the government to fund universal free childcare, special needs education and rural bus routes.
He also defended migrants and refugees to loud applause from the audience and accused Labour of being “handmaidens” of Reform UK adding: “When Farage says jump, Labour asks ‘how high’.”
Polanski has described himself as an “eco-populist” and is seeking to shift the party to the left to take on Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party.
The prime minister has sought to tighten immigration controls in recent months, in what is being seen by critics as a response to Reform leading national opinion polls.
But Sir Keir launched an attack on Reform leader Nigel Farage in his Labour conference speech this week, accusing him of sowing division and not believing in Britain – something denied by Farage.
Polanski described Farage as a “Trump-loving corporate stooge” and accused Sir Keir of jumping to his tune.
Unusually for a speech by a Green Party leader, Polanski did not focus primarily on the environment.
He told the conference: “You can not be an effective environmentalist without talking about the deep inequality in our society.”
Much of his speech centred on the problems posed by the cost of living, pointing to a rise in homelessness, tenants worried about their rent and families struggling to pay bills.
Polanski argued that the country’s problems were “rooted in an economic model built on austerity and privatisation” but that the Green Party would “break the shackles of poverty and hardship that lock so many in”.
“This is a country with so much going for it, but we have been failed time and time again by a political class poisoned by extreme wealth and you can see that poison everyday.”
“A country where a tiny few have taken our power and wealth. Things must change. It’s time to take it back.”
He said some voters might worry that they could be hit by taxes on the wealthiest being proposed by his party.
“Hairdressers and plumbers say understandably ‘I’ve worked hard all my life. Why are you taxing me? Why are you taxing my ambition?'”
However, Polanski said he was targeting people who “will make more money in one night than everyone in this room could probably earn in an entire year”.
In a 20 minute speech, Polanski told the conference his party’s “horizons” would not be “narrow” and that he would “not be silent” on “the mass slaughter in Palestine”.
“We must stop selling arms to Israel, we must stop sharing intelligence,” he said.
He also criticised what he called a “draconian crackdown on the right to protest”.
“From terrorist proscription against protesters, to banning journalists from their conference, to diving into a rushed evidence-free plan for digital IDs that are likely to discriminate against minorities – the alarm bells of authoritarianism are now ringing.”
In his defence of refugees and migrants, Polanski said it was the “economic system” that was a “threat to the places we love… not people arriving small boats”.
To loud cheers from party members he declared: “We’ll say it loud, we’ll say it clear migrants and refugees are welcome here.”
He said the Greens wanted to stop small boats crossing the Channel through “safe and legal routes”.
He also blamed “a politics that tries to divide us and points the finger at each other, instead of at billionaires”.
In a contrast with comments from Sir Keir earlier this year, who said the UK risked becoming an “island of strangers”, Polanski said: “This is a nation of neighbours.”
He said defending migration was important to him because of his own “confused and muddled” Jewish ancestry, which saw his family flee from Latvia to Ukraine to Poland and eventually to England.
Taking a moment to mark Thursday’s attack on a synagogue in Manchester, where Polanski grew up, he said “my heart is with the community.”
In the past year the Green Party has built on its success at the 2024 general election – when it won four MPs – by winning 74 seats in the local council elections.
Last month, Polanski was overwhelmingly backed by members in a leadership contest against the less combative duo of Green MPs Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chowns.
Since the election the party says its membership has risen by 20% to an all-time high of 80,000.
Polanski, who is a member of the London Assembly but does not have a seat in Parliament, has expressed interest in working with the new party being set up by former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and former Labour MP Zarah Sultana.
Speaking after the leadership election, he said it was “too soon to talk about joining electoral coalitions”, but he was interested in working with “anyone who wants to challenge a failing Labour government and take on fascism and the far right”.
Business
Bank holiday on Swami Vivekananda’s birth anniversary: Will banks remain shut on January 12? Check state-wise list – The Times of India
Bank holiday on Swami Vivekananda’s birth anniversary: Banks will be observing multiple holidays in January 2026, ranging from regional festivals to nationwide observances. On January 12, some banks will remain closed to mark the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. Keeping track of bank holidays is essential for planning financial activities, as physical banking services will be unavailable on these days and customers are advised to schedule branch visits accordingly.
Where are banks closed on January 12?
On January 12, the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, banks will remain closed in West Bengal.
Upcoming holidays in January:
January 14: Banks in Gujarat, Odisha, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh will remain closed on account of Makar Sankranti and Magh Bihu. January 15: Banks in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Sikkim, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh will shut for Uttarayana Punyakala, Pongal, Maghe Sankranti and Makara Sankranti. January 16 and January 17: Tamil Nadu will see additional banking holidays, in observance of Thiruvalluvar Day and Uzhavar Thirunal.January 23: Banks in Tripura, Odisha and West Bengal will shut to mark the birthday of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Saraswati Puja (Shree Panchami), Vir Surendrasai Jayanti and Basanta Panchami. January 26: Banks across the country will remain closed for Republic Day. In addition to these holidays, banks will also be closed on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month, as per the standard banking schedule. While physical branches will not be operational on these days, customers will still be able to access online banking services, ATMs, mobile banking applications and UPI for routine transactions such as fund transfers and bill payments. However, services requiring an in-person visit, including large cash deposits, cheque clearances and the issuance of demand drafts, will not be available during closures. Customers are advised to plan essential banking activities in advance to avoid inconvenience and make use of digital banking options during holiday periods.
Business
Has Govt Proposed Measure To Force Smartphone Manufacturers To Share Their Source Code? Check Truth Behind The Claim
New Delhi: The government has refuted media report that said the center is proposing to force smartphone makers to share source code with the government.
A Reuters report has said that India has proposed to force smartphone manufacturers to share their source code as part of a security overhaul.
Fact-checking agency PIB has refuted the media claim. PIB has stated that the claim being made in this post is misleading.
A news report by @Reuters claims that India proposes forcing smartphone manufacturers to share their source code as part of a security overhaul.
_ This claim is #FAKE
__ The Government of India has NOT proposed any measure to force smartphone manufacturers to_ pic.twitter.com/0bnw0KQL9Q
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) January 11, 2026
“This claim is FAKE. The Government of India has NOT proposed any measure to force smartphone manufacturers to share their source code,” PIB has tweeted.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has started the process of stakeholders’ consultations to devise the most appropriate regulatory framework for mobile security. This is a part of regular and routine consultations with the industry for any safety or security standards. Once a stakeholder consultation is done, then various aspects of security standards are discussed with the industry.
No final regulations have been framed, and any future framework will be formulated only after due consultations, it added.
How to get messages fact-checked by PIB
If you get any such suspicious message, you can always know its authenticity and check if the news is for real or it is a fake news. For that, you need to send the message to https://factcheck.pib.gov.in. Alternatively you can send a WhatsApp message to +918799711259 for fact check. You can also send your message to pibfactcheck@gmail.com. The fact check information is also available on https://pib.gov.in.
Business
‘They’re playing cute’: Trump ‘inclined’ to keep ExxonMobil out of Venezuela — here’s why – The Times of India
US President Donald Trump said that he may bar ExxonMobil from operating in Venezuela, criticising the oil giant after its leadership questioned the viability of investing in the country after the capture of former president Nicolas Maduro by US forces. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday as he departed West Palm Beach, Florida, Trump said he was unhappy with the company’s stance. “I didn’t like Exxon’s response,” he said. “They’re playing too cute.” The remarks came days after Trump met oil executives on Friday in an effort to calm industry concerns about Venezuela. During the meeting, he told companies that any engagement would be handled directly with the United States rather than through the Venezuelan government. However, not all executives were reassured. Darren Woods, chief executive of ExxonMobil, described the current situation in stark terms. “If we look at the commercial constructs and frameworks in place today in Venezuela, today it’s uninvestable,” he said. On the same day, Trump also signed an executive order aimed at protecting Venezuelan oil revenues from being used in judicial proceedings. The order, released publicly on Saturday, warned that allowing such funds to be seized could “undermine critical US efforts to ensure economic and political stability in Venezuela.” The country has long faced state asset seizures, US sanctions and prolonged political uncertainty. Securing investment from US oil companies to help rebuild Venezuela’s infrastructure has become a key objective of the Trump administration following Maduro’s capture. The White House has presented the approach as an economic strategy, with Trump already having seized tankers transporting Venezuelan oil, announced that the US is taking control of the sale of 30 million to 50 million barrels of previously sanctioned crude, and stated plans to oversee those sales globally on an indefinite basis.
Confidence lowest among Dutch textiles-apparel-leather manufacturers
US military studying ‘very strong options’ for Iran: Trump
Bank holiday on Swami Vivekananda’s birth anniversary: Will banks remain shut on January 12? Check state-wise list – The Times of India
-
Entertainment7 days agoMinnesota Governor Tim Walz to drop out of 2026 race, official confirmation expected soon
-
Politics4 days agoUK says provided assistance in US-led tanker seizure
-
Sports7 days agoVAR review: Why was Wirtz onside in Premier League, offside in Europe?
-
Entertainment4 days agoWhy did Nick Reiner’s lawyer Alan Jackson withdraw from case?
-
Entertainment4 days agoDoes new US food pyramid put too much steak on your plate?
-
Business7 days ago8th Pay Commission: From Policy Review, Cabinet Approval To Implementation –Key Stages Explained
-
Business4 days agoTrump moves to ban home purchases by institutional investors
-
Sports1 week agoFACI invites applications for 2026 chess development project | The Express Tribune