5 important things happening in the UK today

Here are 5 important things happening in the UK today, Wednesday (5 November 2025):

Call to raise income tax by 10p for top earners to plug black hole: Rachel Reeves must raise income tax for high earners by as much as 10p to fill a black hole in Britain’s finances, top economists have warned. Hiking the higher rate of income tax to as much as 50p in the pound from 40p and increasing the basic rate by 2p to 22p is the best way to raise the money that the Chancellor needs to stabilise the public finances, according to the National Institute of Economic and Social Research. [Telegraph]

New set of forest towns to be built between Oxford and Cambridge: A new set of forest towns will be built in the area between Oxford and Cambridge, nestled in the middle of a new national forest. After facing anger from nature groups over the deregulation in the upcoming planning bill, ministers are trying to demonstrate that mass housebuilding can be delivered in conjunction with new nature. The government has promised to plant millions of trees to boost England’s nature. [Guardian]

UK’s richest man dies aged 85: The head of Britain’s richest family, Gopichand Hinduja, has died aged 85. Known as GP, Mr Hinduja and his family made their fortune from the Indian conglomerate Hinduja Group, which operates in 11 sectors including finance, media and entertainment, and oil. It has about 200,000 staff around the world. Hinduja helped transform his father’s modest textile and trading businesses into a global conglomerate and one of India’s largest companies. [BBC]

West End pedicab drivers face fines for loud music and speeding: Westminster City Council is planning to introduce a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) from November 18, which will allow fines and enforcement against rickshaw drivers for playing loud music, speeding, blocking pavements and intimidating behaviour. If approved after consultation with the police and other organisations, it could cover the borough for the next three years. It will allow police, council inspectors and TfL enforcement officers to force pedicabs to leave an area after being asked, and would view a grouping of four or more pedicabs, either stationary or moving, as an obstruction to the public highway. [The Times]