# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Enjoy more audio and podcasts on
Listen to this story.
iOS or Android.

Your browser does not support the <audio> element.

N ASSIROU MAHAMADOU, a vegetable-seller perched on a stool in Niamey, the capital of Niger, does not look like a fighter. Yet at the mention of threats by Niger's neighbours to use force to reinstate Mohamed Bazoum, the elected president who was ousted in a coup on July 26th, he swells with anger. "If they come here, we [civilians] are going to war alongside the army." He is outraged that the Economic Community of West African States ( ECOWAS), the regional bloc, is considering sending troops to battle the junta, even as it has done little to fight the jihadists that he says are the bigger threat. " ECOWAS has weapons to attack Niger but not to kill the terrorists," he says. "It's a disgrace."

The regional bloc had threatened to use force if Mr Bazoum were not reinstated by August 6th. Yet as the clock ticked down to that deadline, the coup leaders showed no sign of giving up power. Instead they filled a stadium with cheering supporters (pictured), who beheaded a rooster painted in the colours of France, the former colonial power. As the deadline day ended, the junta closed Niger's airspace altogether, claiming that two other African countries had been preparing troops for deployment to Niger. It said Niger's armed forces were "ready to defend the integrity of our territory". It later ratcheted up tension by accusing France of violating its airspace and freeing terrorists, without providing any evidence. France denied the claims.

The rising tension highlights two related, and disturbing, trends in the region. The first is the rapid spread of jihadist terrorism over the past decade as groups affiliated with Islamic State and al-Qaeda have pushed into the Sahel, a desperately poor and arid region south of the Sahara. Among the worst-affected places are Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, where more than 10,000 people were killed in armed conflict last year. The second trend is the retreat of civilian rule, as men in uniform have overthrown elected governments that were losing popular legitimacy because they have failed to end the jihadist terror. Since 2020 there have been coups in Burkina Faso, Chad, Guinea and Mali. In Burkina Faso and Mali the putsches have been followed by a spiral of deteriorating security.

The leaders of the coup in Niger also claimed to want to restore security. Yet Mr Bazoum's government had been making progress against the jihadists through talks, demobilisation programmes and help from the roughly 1,500 French troops in Niger. Deaths in conflict in the first six months of this year were lower than in any equivalent period since 2018. Instead, the coup appears to have been motivated by the personal ambition of generals.

Many leaders in the region hoped to halt this contagion of coups, not least because left unchecked it might give ambitious generals in their own armies ideas. Among the most strident is Bola Tinubu, the recently elected president of neighbouring Nigeria who chairs ECOWAS. Because he was briefly detained by a junta in 1994 he detests putschists. Others in the region tend to agree with him. "It's one coup too many," said Aissata Tall Sall, Senegal's minister of foreign affairs.

After the deadline passed, hopes of reinstating Mr Bazoum through diplomacy suffered further blows. Victoria Nuland, a senior American diplomat, met members of the junta in Niger but described talks as "difficult". She was blocked from meeting either Mr Bazoum or General Abdourahamane Tchiani, who overthrew him. On August 8th a mediation team from ECOWAS, the UN and the African Union was refused entry to the country.

The snub came after defence chiefs of ECOWAS said they had finalised plans for sending in a force. Benin, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Senegal all indicated they would contribute (see map). Yet the junta in Niger has allies of its own. The military rulers of Burkina Faso and Mali declared that they would consider any intervention in Niger to be a declaration of war on their own countries. Members of Niger's junta have also travelled to Mali. There, according to Wassim Nasr, a journalist and researcher, they requested assistance from Wagner, a Russian mercenary group that has operated in Mali since 2021.

ECOWAS, having drawn a line in the sand, may find it difficult to accept anything less than a full reinstatement of Mr Bazoum. Instead the junta named 21 ministers in a cabinet led by Ali Lamine Zeine, an economist, shortly before an ECOWAS summit was due to be held on August 10th to decide on the bloc's next steps. Even if ECOWAS is willing to accept this government, it would probably still insist on Mr Bazoum's liberation. Yet General Tchiani may see holding him as his best protection against another coup, or counter-coup, argues Nina Wilén of Lund University.

Still, an ECOWAS invasion is not inevitable. War is "the option of last resort", a high-level government official involved in deliberations in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, told The Economist after the deadline had expired. The junta has "reached out to the Nigerian authorities through back channels", the official said. Moreover, he said Nigeria's government was concerned by domestic opposition to a military intervention "especially in northern Nigeria with imams preaching against it".

After a closed-door meeting of the Nigerian Senate, the body's president, Godswill Akpabio, advised ECOWAS "to strengthen their political and diplomatic options". Several reports suggest that a majority of senators at the meeting were against sending in troops. Under the constitution, Nigeria cannot deploy forces abroad without Senate approval unless there is an "imminent threat or danger" to national security.

ECOWAS has also struggled to win the support of other regional powers that share borders with Niger. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Algeria's president, said he was "categorically against any military intervention", which would be considered a "direct threat to Algeria". Chad also opposes the use of force.

Gauging the mood

A key consideration for ECOWAS must surely be whether foreign troops would be welcomed or opposed by Nigeriens themselves. On August 8th Rhissa Ag Boula, a former rebel and then minister under Mr Bazoum, announced the creation of a "resistance council" to reinstate the president. It says it supports an ECOWAS military intervention. "We are going to mobilise all over the country to denounce [the junta]," Mr Ag Boula told The Economist.

Whether it will gain support is unclear. Canvassing by Premise Data, a polling firm, for The Economist in the first survey conducted since the coup found that 79% of respondents support the actions of the junta, and that 78% think it should stay in power "for an extended period" or "until new elections are held" (see chart). A slim majority of 57% said they were not in favour of an intervention by regional or international organisations. Of those supporting foreign intervention, an alarming 53% said they preferred it to be by Russia, presumably because they think it would support the putschists, as Wagner has done in Mali. Just 13% chose America, 11% the African Union and a paltry 6% preferred ECOWAS. These findings are not necessarily representative of opinion across the country because the poll was conducted quickly, with a small sample, made up mainly of men in the capital. Even so, it provides an indication of the mood.

There are other big hurdles facing an ECOWAS force. One is cost. "Nigeria is too broke to conduct this operation, so needs funding for it," says Cheta Nwanze of SBM Intelligence, a research firm in Lagos. France has said it supports efforts by ECOWAS to reinstate Mr Bazoum but has not said if its armed forces would back an ECOWAS intervention or whether its treasury would help fund the operation.

Moreover, an ECOWAS mission would be far more complex and risky than any the bloc has mounted in decades. In 2017 a Senegalese-led force moved against the longtime president of the Gambia, Yahya Jammeh, after he refused to accept the result of an election he had lost. He folded as soon as troops pressed in. Yet Niger is more than 100 times larger than the Gambia and it has a Western-trained army that seemingly supports the junta, which is holding its legitimate president hostage.

A closer parallel might be Sierra Leone, where in 1997 a group of soldiers ousted the elected president during a civil war. Some eight months later, after the putschists allied with gang-raping rebels, ECOWAS forces rolled in and reinstated the president. Although the mission was successful, albeit against a ragtag army, the Nigerian-led force was accused of human-rights abuses and of bombing civilian targets.

Mr Tinubu may hope that large parts of Niger's army will refuse to fight if ECOWAS troops cross the border. Yet if they do resist, the region's troops may find themselves stuck in a three-way fight between the junta's forces and the jihadists. Even if an intervention succeeded in restoring Mr Bazoum, he could be perceived as a puppet of foreign forces. "I pray to God that Bazoum comes out of this alive," says a former adviser in the presidency. Yet even he counsels against ECOWAS sending in troops. "It will destroy human life for nothing and sink our country into war." ■

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
After Niger's coup, the drums of war are growing louder

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hopes for a diplomatic solution are fading | Middle East & Africa

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Alberto Núñez Feijóo again asks Spanish MPs to back him for PM
Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the leader of Spain's conservative People's party (PP), will conclude his all but doomed attempt to win power today when he once again asks MPs to back him as the next prime minister despite lacking the necessary votes in congress.

Although the PP finished first in July's snap general election, it failed to win enough votes to form a government, taking 137 seats in Spain's 350-seat congress, and scored a far less emphatic win over the ruling Spanish Socialist Workers party (PSOE) than had been expected.

Despite knowing he did not have the numbers to reach the absolute majority threshold of 176 seats - even with the support of the far-right Vox party and two smaller groupings - Feijóo received King Felipe's blessing to attempt an investiture this week.

As predicted, he lost the first vote on Wednesday by 172 votes to 178, falling four votes short of the absolute majority he needed. Today's vote, which requires only a simple majority - more yes votes than no votes - seems equally unlikely to put Feijóo in the Moncloa Palace.

If, as expected, Feijóo's bid fails, the socialist leader and acting prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, will then seek the king's permission to attempt to form a government.

Read the full story here.

Leader of the People's Party Alberto Nunez-Feijoo (L) receives applause after his speech during the debate that will conclude with a first round of voting on his investiture, at the Lower Chamber in Madrid, Spain, 27 September 2023. Photograph: Sergio Pérez/EPA

Welcome to the blog
Good morning and welcome back to the Europe live blog.

Today we will be looking at the latest in Spanish politics, as the country's congress prepares to vote on Alberto Núñez Feijóo 's (almost certainly doomed) bid to become prime minister.

Feijóo's conservative People's party (PP) got the most votes in Spain's July snap election, but failed to secure sufficient support to form a government.

Are you a reader in Spain following the vote? Send your comments: lili.bayer@theguardian.com.

An investiture plenary session is held, in Madrid
Spain's opposition People's Party leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo looks on in parliament on the day of the investiture debate in Madrid, Spain, 27 September 2023. Photograph: Susana Vera/Reuters

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Spanish parliament prepares to vote on conservative party leader's bid to become prime minister - Europe live

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Alberto Núñez Feijoo, leader of the People's party, received the most votes in July's election but failed to get enough support to form a government

# data[].attributes.body
Key issues: rising knife crime, lack of safeguarding

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A 17-year-old boy has been charged with the murder of 15-year-old Elianne Andam in Croydon, south London.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, will appear at youth court, sitting at Croydon magistrates court, on Friday. He has also been charged with possession of a knife.

Police were called to reports of a stabbing on Wellesley Road at about 8.30am on Wednesday. Elianne died at the scene.

Her parents, Michael and Dorcas, appeared there on Thursday evening accompanied by about 20 family members and friends. They hugged and consoled each other, while some laid flowers under the gaze of dozens of photographers and camera operators.

Friends and family of Elianne Andam at the scene of the stabbing in Croydon on Thursday. Photograph: Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images

Later, Bishop Rosemarie Mallett read a statement on behalf of the family, with Elianne's aunt Marian by her side. It said: "We as a family are struggling to comprehend this painful tragedy that has happened to our beautiful daughter and beloved sister Elianne. Our hearts are broken. And we are overwhelmed by sorrow and grief. Our faith in the Lord is strengthening us.

"We would like to express our gratitude to those who have taken the time to send us thoughtful and compassionate messages and prayers. We kindly ask for your consideration to also respect our need for privacy as we attempt to come to grips with our deeply devastating loss.

"Elianne was a beautiful person inside and out who loved Jesus. She was intelligent, thoughtful, kind and had a bright future ahead of her. It is our request that you keep our cherished daughter Elianne and our family in your thoughts and prayers."

Earlier in the day, the family released a statement through the Metropolitan police, saying: "Our hearts are broken by the senseless death of our daughter. Elianne was the light of our lives. She was bright and funny, with many friends who all adored her.

"She was only 15 and had her whole life ahead of her, with hopes and dreams for the future. All those dreams have now been shattered. Our lives have fallen apart, along with that of our wider family. We ask the media to please respect our privacy as we try to grieve the short life of our beautiful child."
More details soon ...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Croydon stabbing: boy, 17, charged with murdering 15-year-old Elianne Andam

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Teenager to appear at youth court charged over rush-hour killing of schoolgirl in south London

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The UN's refugee agency has rebuked Suella Braverman after she claimed that world leaders had failed to make wholesale reform of human rights laws because of fears of being branded "racist or illiberal".

The UNHCR issued a highly unusual statement on Tuesday defending the 1951 refugee convention and highlighting the UK's record asylum claim backlog.

It came after the home secretary refused to rule out leaving the convention and said the international community had "collectively failed" to modernise international laws.

She also claimed that women and gay people must face more than discrimination if they are to qualify as a refugee - a statement that has been challenged by refugee charities.

Speaking to the American Enterprise Institute in Washington DC, Braverman claimed the international community had failed to reform the UN's refugee convention of 1951 and the European convention on human rights (ECHR).

"The first [reason] is simply that it is very hard to renegotiate these instruments. The second is much more cynical. The fear of being branded a racist or illiberal. Any attempt to reform the refugee convention will see you smeared as anti-refugee," she said.

She began her speech by claiming that uncontrolled and illegal migration posed an "existential challenge" to Europe and the US.

"I'm here in America to talk about a critical and shared global challenge: uncontrolled and illegal migration," she said. "It is an existential challenge for the political and cultural institutions of the west."

She claimed case law arising from the refugee convention had lowered the threshold so that asylum seekers needed only prove that they faced discrimination instead of a real risk of torture, death or violence.

"Where individuals are being persecuted, it is right that we offer sanctuary. But we will not be able to sustain an asylum system if, in effect, simply being gay, or a woman, and fearful of discrimination in your country of origin is sufficient to qualify for protection."

Asked after the speech whether the UK would consider leaving the convention if changes were not delivered, Braverman said the government would do "whatever is required" to tackle the issue of migrants arriving via unauthorised routes.

She said: "The prime minister himself has said we will do whatever it takes to stop the boats and that is my position."

In a statement, the UNHCR backed the convention and questioned Braverman's distinction between persecution and discrimination.

"The refugee convention remains as relevant today as when it was adopted. Where individuals are at risk of persecution on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity, it is crucial that they are able to seek safety and protection," it said.

Rejecting an overhaul of the convention, the UNHCR called for a "more consistent application of the convention and its underlying principle of responsibility-sharing" and pointedly referred to the UK's asylum backlog, which was more than 175,000 last month.

"An appropriate response to the increase in arrivals and to the UK's current asylum backlog would include strengthening and expediting decision-making procedures," the statement said.

Responding to the speech, the Refugee Council, which works closely with asylum seekers, questioned Braverman's claim that there was a lower bar to being granted asylum on the grounds of discrimination.

Jon Featonby, the charity's chief policy analyst, said: "In our work with people in the asylum system, we have seen no evidence that Home Office decision-makers are lowering the threshold for asylum so that a well-founded fear of persecution is replaced with discrimination. The home secretary's claims do not appear to be grounded in credible evidence."

ActionAid UK said seeking asylum was the only lifeline left for the many women and girls its dealt with who were fleeing persecution. The charity's chief executive, Halima Begum, said: "Denying this fundamental right is not just a policy choice; it's a direct affront to gender equality and human rights."

Andrew Boff, a Conservative London assembly member and patron of the LGBT+ Conservative group, said Braverman should stop engaging in "dog-whistle" politics and focus on the "basket case" that was her department.

"Talking about the victims of persecution as if they are the problem is incredibly unhelpful and really paints us as an uncaring party. I'm deeply unhappy with it," he said.

The 4,497-word speech came after two days of headlines about Braverman's three-day visit to the US during which she is expected to meet representatives of the Biden administration.

Global asylum framework incentivises illegal migration, says Suella Braverman - video

Braverman held back from calling for the UK to leave the ECHR - a move that friends say she would like to see in a Conservative election manifesto - but said leaving human rights conventions had been supported by previous Tory leaders.

"As home secretary, Theresa May called for Britain to leave the ECHR. And it was Conservative party policy under Michael Howard to leave the refugee convention - I'm merely advocating for reform," she said.

A former Tory cabinet minister told the Guardian that Braverman was making a "cynical pitch" to gain support before the Conservative party's annual conference, which begins this weekend.

"The home secretary has created a row to obscure her poor record in office given she has a stalled Rwanda scheme, a stalled barge for migrants, and a mutinous police force," the former minister said.

As she left the thinktank's venue, Braverman ignored a question from a reporter asking whether her speech had been designed to improve her chances of becoming Conservative leader.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
UN rebukes Suella Braverman over her attack on refugee convention

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
UNHCR defends 1951 convention after UK home secretary's speech on 'uncontrolled and illegal migration'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Laurence Fox made his name as an actor in films like The Hole and Gosford Park, but is perhaps best known for his role in Inspector Morse spin-off Lewis.

Acting very much runs in his family. Fox's father, James, won a Bafta for his performance in the 1963 film The Servant and has also starred in Downton Abbey. His uncle Edward and cousins Emilia and Freddie also act.

In 2007, Fox married actor and star of Doctor Who Billie Piper, and the pair divorced in 2016.

The split came shortly after Fox was forced to apologise for swearing at a heckler while performing in a play.

In recent years, he has repositioned himself as a right-wing commentator, activist and aspiring politician, but has frequently caused controversy.

When the pandemic took hold in 2019, he expressed scepticism about the Covid vaccine and opposed lockdowns during the pandemic.

In 2021, Fox announced his candidacy for London mayor under the banner of the Reclaim Party, which he founded; on its website, the party says it exists "for patriotism and believes hard work should be rewarded".

Fox also stood in the recent Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election, hoping to replace former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, winning 714 votes.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
GB News: Another presenter says he's been suspended as boss slams Fox - BBC News

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Calvin Robinson says he has been suspended from the station in the wake of a furore over comments made by a colleague.

# data[].attributes.body
Lack of representation and protection of minorities in middle east

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Prominent Iraqi TikToker fatally shot in Baghdad amid crackdown on LGBTQ community | CNN

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A popular Iraqi TikTok personality was shot dead on Monday in Baghdad, an Iraqi security source told CNN.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The UK's first official consumption room for illegal drugs including heroin and cocaine has been approved by authorities in Glasgow.

The facility is backed by the Scottish government as a way to tackle the country's drugs deaths crisis.

The pilot scheme will be based at a health centre in the east end of Glasgow.

It will see users take their own drugs under the supervision of trained health professionals.

Glasgow's Integration Joint Board, which brings together NHS and council officials, ratified the plans at an online meeting on Wednesday morning.

It is hoped the project, funded by the Scottish government, will be opened by next summer - and will run for an initial three years at a total cost of £7m.

Dr Saket Priyadarshi, associate medical director of Glasgow alcohol and drug recovery services, told the gathering the project would "reduce drug-related harms" for individuals as well as providing them with "opportunities for treatment, care and recovery".

A report on the facility prepared by officials from the NHS and Glasgow City Council said it aimed to tackle the problem of "approximately 400 to 500 people injecting drugs in public places in Glasgow city centre on a regular basis".

The idea has been discussed for years but it is able to go ahead now after Scotland's senior law officer said users would not be prosecuted for possessing illegal drugs while at the facility.

The guidance issued to prosecutors by Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC earlier this month stated that it would "not be in the public interest" to bring proceedings in such cases.

The Glasgow consumption room would be based at Hunter Street in the east end of the city alongside a clinic where 23 long-term drug users are currently prescribed pharmaceutical heroin.

Jade, 33, a drug user in the east end described it as a "brilliant idea" which would "make a massive, massive difference".

She told BBC News that she had used heroin and cocaine to block out trauma from her past and had witnessed many loved ones dying as a result of drug addiction.

"My ex-partner died of drugs. My dad died. He was an addict. My sister passed away. A lot of my friends have passed away," she said.

Users will be able to inject drugs at the Glasgow facility but a proposal for a room where they can smoke illegal substances has been removed from the original plans.

Dr Priyadarshi said that was because of the legal issues posed by Scottish anti-smoking legislation as well as technical challenges with ventilation and filtration.

"Maybe it's something we can add to in due course as we move forward," he said.

Cecilia O'Lone, Labour councillor for the Calton ward where the facility is located, told the board meeting that there was "some concern" in the community about the plans.

"If we don't take the community with us, it's leaving it open to fail because it can be stigmatised," she told the meeting.

Susanne Millar, chief officer of Glasgow's Heath and Social Care Partnership, said engagement would begin immediately, with an initial community meeting scheduled for Thursday.

She promised "clear mechanisms for quickly sorting any issues that might arise".

'No single answer'

The consumption room is part of a wider move by the Scottish government to tackle a crisis which is claiming more lives per head than anywhere else in Europe.

Drugs deaths peaked at 1,339 in 2020 before falling slightly in 2021 and then dropping by about a fifth in 2022 to 1,051.

Since then preliminary figures suggest they have begun to creep up again.

The consumption room plan is supported by Scottish National Party, Labour and Liberal Democrat politicians but the UK Home Office insists "there is no safe way to take illegal drugs".

That position is shared by Annemarie Ward, chief executive of the charity Faces and Voices of Recovery UK, which helped draft the Right to Recovery Bill tabled at Holyrood last year by the Scottish Conservatives.

Ms Ward said the SNP was playing politics by calling for Westminster to amend the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act to decriminalise possession of drugs, a move rejected by the UK government.

Instead, she said, the Scottish government should be focusing not just on harm reduction but also on treatment, prevention, dissuasion and reintegration of users into society.

"They are stoking a constitutional debate about independence, unfortunately, and that's at the cost of people's lives," she said.

SNP ministers deny that is the case.

Last week Elena Whitham, minister for drugs and alcohol policy, told the Scottish Parliament "the war on drugs is over. No-one won and the main casualties were not organised criminals but the poorest and most vulnerable."

"We know that Scotland as a nation needs to do something different and, within the confines of the law, Police Scotland is going to be a part of that, working in partnership," said Dep Ch Con Malcolm Graham, head of local policing at Police Scotland.

He insisted the force would continue to crack down on drug dealers but added that supply was only part of the problem.

"We need to tackle the demand and we also need to tackle the harm," said Mr Graham, adding: "There is no single answer to this problem that our nation faces."

Scottish Tory health spokesperson Dr Sandesh Gulhane said he was happy for the pilot to be considered as a range of measures to tackle drug deaths, but added the party still had "serious reservations about how effective drug consumption rooms will be in reality".

The MSP said the facility should not be seen as a "silver bullet to tackle this crisis".

He called for the government to back the Tory Right to Recovery Bill, which would enshrine in law access to treatment for those struggling with drug addiction.

Are you personally affected by the issues raised in this story? You can get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:

If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
UK's first consumption room for illegal drugs given go-ahead

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It will involve users taking their own illegal drugs in a hygienic environment under supervision.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
South African "Hate Speech" Bill Would Violate Human Rights; Free Speech Experts Address Parliament

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
ADF International experts address Parliament, "Bill is unconstitutional, dangerous and not in line with international human rights standards".

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The government is on course to oversee the biggest tax-raising parliament since records began, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies' analysis.

The IFS forecasts taxes will amount to about 37% of national income by the next general election, due in 2024.

That would be a level not seen since 1948, just after the Second World War.

Responding to the report, a Treasury spokesperson said the "most effective tax cut we can deliver" is to "drive down inflation".

"We have taken three million people out of paying tax altogether since 2010 through raising personal thresholds."

Next year, the government will collect upwards of £100bn more in tax compared to pre-2019 levels, the IFS says.

Some Tory MPs are putting pressure on Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to reduce taxes in the government's autumn statement next month.

Mr Hunt however said last week that tax cuts were "virtually impossible".

The analysis by the IFS is published on the eve of the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, which begins on Sunday.

Historically high

The IFS says the government is currently raising more in tax revenue, as a percentage of national income, than at any time since the 1940s.

In recent years, the government has announced a series of tax-raising measures, including an increase in corporation tax from 19% to 25%, and the levy on profits made by energy companies.

The IFS said the data on tax revenues only go back to 1948.

Only during and in the immediate aftermath of the two world wars have government revenues - not just those from taxes - grown by as much in this parliament in the 123 years since 1900, the IFS says.

The analysis did include a number of caveats, including the point that the level of overall taxation in the UK "is fairly middling when compared with other developed countries".

Ben Zaranko, a senior research economist at the IFS, said the tax rate was not primarily "a direct consequence of the pandemic", when government spending surged to keep the economy afloat.

"Rather, it reflects decisions to increase government spending, in part driven by demographic change, pressures on the health service, and some unwinding of austerity," Mr Zaranko said.

"It is likely that this parliament will mark a decisive and permanent shift to a higher-tax economy."

Liz Truss and former cabinet ministers in her short-lived, economically turbulent government, launched the Conservative Growth Group in January to push on with her calls to slash taxes and promote radical free-market economic policies.

Responding to the report, Ms Truss said: "This unprecedentedly high tax burden is one of the reasons that the British economy is stagnating."

Another Conservative, John Redwood said there were "affordable tax cuts to be had", including raising the VAT threshold for businesses and slashing duties on fuel.

In an interview with the BBC on Thursday, Mr Sunak said he thought halving inflation by the end of this year was the "most important" of the five pledges he made in January.

Inflation was at 10.7% in the three-month period between October and December 2022, which means the government aims to reduce inflation to 5.3%.

"Inflation is falling, there's light at the end of the tunnel, but we need to stick to the plan," Mr Sunak said.

Labour said the Tories had presided over "13 years of low growth and stagnant wages".

"Brits are working hard but getting clobbered with 25 Tory tax rises and a continuing Conservative premium on their household budgets," said Darren Jones, the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury.

The Liberal Democrats said the Conservatives had "crashed the economy" under Ms Truss and are "making the public pay the price".

"This is the same party which promised not to raise people's taxes and is now taxing families through the nose," said the party's treasury spokeswoman, Sarah Olney.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
UK on track for record tax levels, IFS think tank says

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Study says taxes will reach 37% of national income by next election - the highest since 1948

# data[].attributes.body
https://discord.gg/PBaEUqdjBb