Monday, March 24, 2025 Labour freebie row reignited by Reeves  Rachel Reeves has thrust the freebie row which dominated Labour's early months in power back into the headlines - just in time for it to sit alongside the fallout from her brutal spring statement.  The chancellor failed to turn down two tickets for Sabrina Carpenter's O2 Arena show this month, while she was putting the finishing touches on billions of pounds of spending cuts.  She defended the decision on security grounds, arguing she can no longer simply sit in the crowd like a regular punter.  A fine explanation. But with a million disabled people set to lose their benefits and thousands of civil servants facing the chop - it does little to dispel the notion that it is one rule for them, another for everybody else. Written by Archie Mitchell Quiz question The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are all named after famous artists from which period? Answer at the bottom of today's email  Don't forget to complete your registration We've noticed that you still have not completed your registration to The Independent. Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism. It allows us to better understand our readers and tailor your experience. By registering, you'll also gain access to a range of exclusive benefits, including: Limited access to Premium articles Access to The Independent app Access to more than 20 newsletters Commenting on independent.co.uk Unlock these benefits by completing your registration today.  COMPLETE YOUR REGISTRATION NOW COMPLETE YOUR REGISTRATION NOW Daily briefing MPs get inflation-busting pay rise as they prepare to slash benefits The rise, to nearly £94,000, is a 2.8 per cent increase this year Minister 'too busy' for concerts amid Reeves row over Sabrina Carpenter tickets The chancellor has defended her decision to accept the freebie tickets as 'the right thing to do' because of her security arrangements Starmer promises to clamp down on local authorities in war on potholes Ministers 'want to get our sleeves rolled up' and fix potholes for good, the prime minister said What else you need to know today A new study warned average living standards could fall for all UK families by 2030, with those on the lowest incomes hit twice as hard as middle and high-earners Rachel Reeves pinned her hopes of kickstarting the economy and saving Labour's plan to build 1.5m new homes on training up to 60,000 bricklayers, electricians, engineers and carpenters over the next four years Keir Starmer hailed his "good relationship" with Donald Trump just hours before the US President's special envoy slammed the PM's Ukraine peace plan as "a posture and a pose" The Independent View A bonfire of civil servants – not Politics explained Is Rachel Reeves's plan to slash civil service part of a 'Trump lite' strategy by the Starmer government? From cuts to public spending to radical overhauls of government departments, the parallels between Labour's approach and the US president's are impossible to ignore, writes Sean O'Grady...    Read more MOST COMMENTED Reeves must scrap 'bonkers' pledge on pension triple lock, warns chancellor's former economic adviser Tomorrow inside the Westminster bubble  A row looms over Labour's Great British Energy Bill Rachel Reeves and Angela Rayner will tout a major investment in social housing and affordable house building.  Health secretary Wes Streeting will take questions in the Commons in the morning.  MPs will also debate Lords amendments to the Great British Energy Bill, including one to prevent forced labour being used in any part of its supply chain.   QUOTATION OF THE MONTH "British people are bored of seeing their politicians aimlessly pointing at potholes with no real plan to fix them. That ends with us"   Sir Keir Starmer Quiz answer: The Italian Renaissance, Leonardo [da Vinci], Donatello, Michelangelo and Raphael The Independent proudly partners with Refuge and the National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247 Join the conversation or follow us Download the free Independent app Please do not reply directly to this email   You are currently registered to receive The Independent's View From Westminster newsletter.   To unsubscribe from The Independent's View From Westminster newsletter, or to manage your email preferences please click here.   This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AH. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345 Read our privacy policy and cookie policy