Senior Tory Tom Tugendhat lashed out at the US President’s remarks
Donald Trump (Image: Getty)
Donald Trump is “completely incoherent” for questioning the UK’s ability to defend the Falklands in the face of a new Argentine invasion, a senior Tory has blasted. Tom Tugendhat lashed out at the “erratic” remarks after the US President suggested British forces would not travel “that far” to defend the islands.
Mr Trump has previously indicated he might not back the UK’s sovereignty over the Falklands if Argentina launched an attack. Speaking during a visit to Ireland, Mr Trump suggested UK forces might be put off by a journey of “weeks by boat” to reach the South Atlantic archipelago. Mr Tugendhat told Sky News that the president’s intervention was “completely incoherent, but it’s also, as we know, it’s erratic”.
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Tom Tugendhat (Image: Getty)
He pointed out that islanders voted in a referendum by more than 99% to remain British, adding: “What the Argentine government is trying to do is attempt a colonial takeover.
“It absolutely has never been part of Argentina. So what they’re trying to do is attempt colonial occupation.”
Speaking in the Irish capital about the UK’s ability to retake the Falklands, Mr Trump said: “I’m not sure they’re doing that. They have a little problem with immigration.
“They have a little problem with energy, and then have some other problems they have to take care of.”
He added: “I’m sure I’ll be called into that potential disaster, but if they do, I’ll probably be able to settle it out.”
His comments come amid renewed tension over the south Atlantic islands.
Argentina’s president Javier Milei, an ally of Mr Trump, reiterated his country’s claim to the Falklands in a nationally televised address, saying the islands “are our future”.
His government has also imposed sanctions on people and companies involved in oil exploration around the Falklands and said it would file a criminal complaint against oil company Navitas Petroleum over its operations around the islands.
In the Commons on Wednesday, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the UK would be “relentless in defending the Falkland Islanders” right to be British.
Javier Lilei (Image: Getty)
Although the US is formally neutral on the issue of Falklands sovereignty, Washington provided support for Britain’s campaign to retake the islands after the Argentinian invasion in 1982.
It sparked the Falklands war, which led to 255 British service deaths in just over 70 days. It also led to the deaths of 655 Argentinians and three Falkland Islanders.
Falkland Islanders voted overwhelmingly to remain a British overseas territory in a 2013 referendum, with 99.8 per cent voting in favour – and just three votes against.
Older state pensioners can cut BBC TV Licence bill to £0 in 16 minutes
A TV Licence currently costs £180 per year.
A TV Licence currently costs £180 per year (Image: Getty)
Older state pensioners across the UK can cut their TV Licence bill down to £0 in just 16 minutes if they meet certain criteria.
The annual fee for a TV Licence currently costs £180 and is due to rise again in April. The UK Government agreed that the TV Licence fee would increase in line with inflation for the remaining four years of the Charter period, which runs until the end of 2027, so another hike to bills is looming in early 2027. You need a TV Licence to watch or record programmes on a TV, computer, or other device on any channel or service as they are broadcast – including on-demand BBC programmes on BBC iPlayer, as well as live events on streaming services.
While most households must pay the annual £180 fee, it’s possible to get a TV Licence at a discounted rate in some cases and for some older pensioners, this fee can be avoided entirely, effectively cutting bills down to £0 simply thanks to one Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefit: Pension Credit.
Pension Credit provides extra money to people who have reached State Pension age and are on a low income, and it is worth £4,300 per year on average, according to the DWP.
The benefit tops up your weekly income to £238 if you’re single, or your joint weekly income to £363.25 if you have a partner, but it also unlocks access to other financial support, too – including a free TV Licence if you’re aged 75 or over.
According to the DWP, it only takes 16 minutes on average to apply for Pension Credit and by doing so, you can unlock thousands of pounds worth of extra financial support.
The DWP said last year: “The online claim form – updated by the Work and Pensions Secretary after listening to the views of pensioners– means it now takes just 16 minutes on average to apply for Pension Credit and be eligible for up to £4,300, with 90 percent of new customers applying using the simple online form, or over the phone.”
If you already get Pension Credit, then you can apply for a free TV Licence when you’re 74, but you’ll need to continue paying for your licence until the end of the month before your 75th birthday. After this, you’ll be covered by your free licence.
Commenting on the perks of claiming the DWP benefit, Sarah Pennells, consumer finance specialist at Royal London, said: “Pension Credit is a valuable benefit because it is a ‘gateway’ benefit. That means, if you’re able to claim it, you may also be able to get help with housing costs (through Council Tax discount and Housing Benefit or Support for Mortgage Interest).
“You’re also eligible for a free TV licence if you’re aged 75 or over and you may be able to get help with NHS dental treatment, prescriptions and transport costs. If you’re entitled to these benefits, the state help you get could be very valuable and that could make a real difference to your finances.
For those who don’t meet the eligibility criteria for Pension Credit, there are other ways to reduce your TV Licence bill, or avoid the fee entirely.
If you no longer watch live on any channel, TV service or streaming service, or use BBC iPlayer, it may be worth cancelling your TV Licence and in some cases, you could be eligible for a refund if, before your licence expires, you won’t be doing any of the following:
- watching TV on any channel, like BBC, ITV, Channel 4, U&Dave and international channels
- watching TV on pay TV services, like Sky, Virgin Media and EE TV
- watching live TV on streaming services, like YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video.
- using BBC iPlayer
This includes recording and downloading programmes on any device. But if you still need your TV Licence there are other ways to reduce the cost.
If you live in a residential care home, supported housing or sheltered accommodation, then you may be entitled to a reduced fee TV Licence, and if you’re blind (severely sight impaired) and can provide the appropriate evidence, you can apply for a 50% discount on your TV Licence. But if neither of these apply then you’ll have to pay for a TV Licence at the full rate.
TV licence: A look at reforms made to fee in 2022
If you don’t meet the eligibility criteria for Pension Credit or qualify for a reduced fee TV Licence, then there are still a few options to save money.
TV licences are per household, not per person, so if you live in a house with several people, you don’t all need to have one and could all chip in to share the cost of one licence. Instead, you can share a TV Licence among the whole household if you watch TV in a single shared area, or have a joint tenancy agreement. But if you have separate tenancy agreements and watch TV in your own room, then you will need to pay for your own.
You also don’t need a TV Licence to watch streaming services, such as Netflix and Disney Plus, on-demand TV through services like All 4 and Amazon Prime Video, videos on websites such as YouTube, or DVDs and Blu-rays.
So if you’re happy to just stick to watching any of these, and not watch or record any live TV or BBC iPlayer, you can save yourself £180 per year. But if you do watch or record live TV without a TV Licence, then you can be issued a fine of up to £1,000.