Afternoon briefing Monday 21st July

0:00This episode of the Times Radio News Briefing is sponsored by PwCWC. Staying competitive means getting ahead, not just keeping up. So how do business leaders cut through the noise and focus on what really matters. PwC takes you further with tech, from optimising the systems that put your data to work, to scaling AI from proof of concept to competitive edge. PwC helps you meet tomorrow's tech demands so you can compete at a speed that rewrites the rules. Discover more at pwc.co.uk. Welcome to the Times Afternoon Briefing on Monday 21st July. The man who led a major review of the provision of water in England and Wales says consumers will have to pay more.

0:43Sir John Cunliffe has told Times Radio there are various things to factor in. The cost of producing drinking water, of making it available and dealing with our waste, those costs are rising. They're rising because our standards are going up, because scientists are discovering new substances that we need to deal with. They're rising because of climate change and the pressure that's putting on the system. We're rising because of population growth, just the rising population in the country and economic development. He also says the system that regulates water companies should be overhauled and replaced with one body for England and one for Wales.

1:18It's claimed the brother of an elite Afghan soldier who worked with British forces has been killed by the Taliban after the serviceman's name appeared in a major data leak. Adnan Malik from Baring's Law says he's representing a special forces soldier who came to Britain under a relocation scheme. On Friday, the man's brother was shot dead, which Mr Malik says is because of the leak of names. He's told Times Radio many people are fearing for their lives. A lot of individuals now, based on what we've been informed, especially those in Afghanistan, are hiding, are looking to try and take steps that will keep them safe.

1:53They're having to move home, change telephone numbers. Rachel Reeves is expected to reject pressure from left-wing Labour MPs to implement a wealth tax after Cabinet ministers warned it wouldn't raise any money. The chance is being pressed by backbenchers and unions to levy a new tax on the savings, investments and property of the wealthy. But cabinet ministers think rich people would simply leave the UK. The Times' political editor Stephen Swinford has more details. We've spoken to a succession of senior people in government and they are telling us if you do this, it doesn't actually raise any money.

2:26In fact, it can do serious damage to the economy because it can discourage investment in this country. It can encourage people to leave. in most countries that have tried wealth taxes have ended up abandoning them because they either raise so little or they actually do serious economic damage. There's going to be a public inquiry into the 1984 Battle of Orgreave which saw violent clashes between police and striking miners. 95 picketers were charged over the disorder at the South Yorkshire coking plant before their cases were dropped because of unreliable evidence. It's claimed excessive force was used by officers resulting in 120 injuries.

3:03Former miner Carl Parkinson was there that day. It was though it were like orchestrated military you know I mean it was just like so obviously these lads just got splits down there that sticks me because they're like what's that for they did no wrong only thing they were there for were just to peacefully protest and pick it. And you can follow the Times news briefing on Spotify and listen live to Times Radio Online.

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