ALEX BRUMMER: Rachel Reeves’ plan to ‘gold-plate’ OBR Budget scrutiny is not a radical new deal

• Reeves promises ‘permanent tax and spending changes’ will get OBR scrutiny
• She says Labour will commit to single budget by end of November each year
• But the notion that this is some radical new deal needs to be scotched

By Alex Brummer for the Daily Mail

Updated: 07:07 EDT, 23 September 2023

Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.

A wave of American teens are using laxatives as a ‘budget Ozempic’ to feel skinnier, which is contributing to a shortage of the stool-loosening drugs.

Demand is beginning to outstrip supply for polyethylene glycol 3350, the generic name for laxatives like Miralax and Glycolax.

The teens descending on the laxatives may mean that people who actually need them to treat genuine constipation cannot access the drug, such as those with Crohn’s disease.

Laxatives may give the impression of short-term weight loss, but only water weight is lost and is put back on when someone drinks again.

An aging population in America, as well as a general lack of fiber in diets, is also causing the laxative shortage.

Eating disorder specialist Dr Jenna DiLossi told the Wall Street Journal she had seen a sharp rise in teenage patients abusing laxatives over the past two years, with some viewing it as an over-the-counter form of Ozempic.

Laxatives are drugs that loosen stools and increase bowel movements and are used to treat and prevent constipation. They work by drawing in water or physically stimulating the colon to contract. 

Some people might think that laxatives will help them poop out what they have eaten before the body absorbs the calories, meaning they will lose weight.

But this is false. The food we eat goes through many processes before it reaches your bowel and becomes stool.

The body absorbs the calories, fat, and the majority of nutrients before they reach the large intestine.

What is left is mainly water and some minerals which your body does not need. Some of it is absorbed by the body in the large intestine.

If someone takes laxatives and loses weight, they are only losing water. As soon as they drink something, they will regain the weight back.

Prior to the pandemic, Dr DiLossi said new clients rarely responded ‘yes’ to laxative use in intake surveys.

The clinical psychologist from Pennsylvania said that now, at least three of the five new teens she typically sees a week admit to having tried a laxative for weight loss.

‘When people have an excessive bowel movement and they feel completely empty inside, that gets wrapped up in thinness and health,’ she said.

Dr DiLossi said teens told her they got the idea to try laxatives from TikTok, where the hashtag #GutTok has garnered 1.1 billion views.

She said that even the videos that do not directly promote laxatives for weight loss still endorse the idea that going to the bathroom more often is better for you.

According to analytics company Pattern, searches for laxative pills on Amazon have more than tripled over the past year.

Meanwhile, the companies manufacturing the fiber supplements Metamucil and Benefiber have reported huge sales growth in recent years.

Dow Chemical, which makes pharmaceutical ingredients for drug companies, is building new factories which employees said is partly to produce more polyethylene glycol — the laxative that has been hard to get since the pandemic. Polyethylene glycol is also used in cleaning products and moisturizers.

Surprisingly, growing numbers of younger customers are using fiber supplements, suppliers say.

Haleon, the manufacturer of Benefiber, a popular plant-based fiber supplement, said that 18-42-year-olds are copping the supplement quicker than ever.

Jissan Cherian, who is head of marketing at Haleon and notes that its messaging has not altered, said: ‘The demand has changed.’

He thinks the move is due to millennials becoming more focused on wellness and an increasing awareness of the relationship between gut bacteria and depression.

Earlier this year, Haleon launched a gummy version of its product to appeal specifically to young adults.

This year London was declared the fourth most expensive city in the world.

But what does that mean for daytrippers? Is having a great day out in the UK capital for peanuts possible? And what sort of experiences are on offer if you have cash to splurge?

Two travel experts from The Points Guy and a guest travel influencer set about finding out – one with a budget of £10 ($12.64), one with £100 ($126) to spend, and the other with £1,000 ($1,264) to throw at a good time.

Each participant filmed themselves enjoying an activity, food – focussing on the popular British tradition of Indian dining – and drinks, and trying out various modes of transport.

The resulting video is fascinating – and the conclusion great news for anyone with little more than a tenner in their pocket.

LUXE

£1,000 BUDGET – TRAVEL CONTENT CREATOR MAZ GREEN

The ‘luxe’ London experience is enjoyed by Points Guy guest and travel content creator Maz Green. Her mode of transport for getting around the capital is the ‘Uber Lux’ service, which deploys luxury cars by the likes of BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

Maz spends £60 throughout the day with Uber Lux and praises its ‘privacy, reliability and five-star service… and the premium cars’. She’s also delighted to discover sweets in the armrest of one of the rides she summons.

For her luxe activity she opts for a £300 one-on-one ‘music meditation therapy’ session in the Akasha spa of Hotel Cafe Royal on Regent Street.

She describes the spa as an ‘oasis in the heart of the city’ and after the music meditation session says she feels ‘like she’s on a little cloud’.

Maz’s dining experience takes place at the Michelin-starred Gymkhana on Albemarle Street in Mayfair, where she splashes £214 on a tasting-menu meal with paired wines.

The Michelin Guide says guests will find ‘a delicious contrast of textures and flavours’. Maz’s verdict? She says the food is indeed delicious and the restaurant decor ‘classy and chic’.

Maz’s drinks jaunt is to Scarfes Bar at Rosewood Hotel London, where she splashes £50 on just two cocktails – but describes the drinks as ‘worth the price’, especially given the ‘cool atmosphere’ of the hotel.

Maz’s total spend: £624 ($788).

MID-RANGE

£100 BUDGET – REVIEWER LIAM SPENCER

The Points Guy’s Liam Spencer hits the town with a budget of £100, spending £19.50 to get from A to B and on to C using black cabs, describing them as ‘easy to hail’ and spacious.

His activity? Seeing a hit musical. West End shows are notoriously expensive, but Liam snares a ticket to see Henry-the-eighth-themed Six the musical on Shaftesbury Avenue for just £25 (down from around £80), using the TodayTix app.

The verdict? ‘A truly brilliant show.’

Liam’s lunch experience costs £43 and takes place at Dishoom in Covent Garden, which he describes as a ‘gorgeous Indian restaurant’.

Liam warns viewers that the popularity of the restaurant means that there can be a 20 to 30-minute wait to be seated, but stresses that ‘your patience will be rewarded… the food is that good’.

For his casual drink, Liam heads to historical Shoreditch pub The Ten Bells on Commercial Street near Spitalfields Market.

There he spends £6.50 on a pint of lager and tells viewers about the boozer’s Jack the Ripper link. According to legend, he says, some of his victims drank at the pub.

Liam’s total spend: £92.90 ($116).

BUDGET

£10 – REVIEWER NICKY KELVIN 

Points Guy Editor Nicky Kelvin reveals how to enjoy London with just £10 to spend, commenting that ‘London is one of the best cities in the world to have a budget day’.

To get around, he spends a total of just £3.75 on a ‘trusty’ Lime Bike and a double-decker bus journey.

For his activity, Nicky opts to see the changing of the guard at Wellington Barracks – which costs nothing at all.

‘It’s such a cool place to be,’ says Nicky, who watches the guards being inspected and the military band playing.

For his meal, Nicky heads to the ‘super clean hidden gem’ Indian YMCA Hostel canteen on ‘beautiful’ Fitzroy Square in Fitzrovia – and spends just £8 on food he describes as ‘authentic and delicious’.

This spend would take him over his £10 budget, but Nicky points out that he ‘ordered a few extras’ and that you can get a vegetable curry and a chapati at the hostel for £5.

For his drink, Nicky buys a £1.09 can of beer from Lidl and takes it to Primrose Hill, where he gazes at the London skyline.

‘Who needs a pub or a fancy bar when you’re in a gorgeous park with a view?’ he asks.

Nicky’s total spend: £12.84 ($16.23), but £9.84 ($12.44) without the hostel food extras.

For more from The Points Guy visit thepointsguy.com/uk-travel. To see the original TPG ‘perfect day in London’ video click here.

Set around a stretch of golden sandy bays and framed by three lush mountains, cities don’t come much prettier than Spain’s San Sebastian. 

But it’s the food that sets this coastal city apart; it is the birthplace of the pintxo (also known as pincho) after all, a bar snack that is a meal in miniature. 

And with bars dishing out wine from €2 and pinchos from €1.50, a holiday here doesn’t have to break the bank.

Where to eat and drink

Gandarias

Grab a table outside this standing room-only pinchos bar and eavesdrop on locals speaking in the ancient Basque language. The bar does the best solomillo — steak served on bread, topped with green pepper (restaurantegandarias.com).

Baztan

Fill out a paper order form while browsing the colourful pinchos displayed at the bar and pass it to a waiter. Pair food with the local txakoli, a fizzy, crisp white wine. Find some of the city’s best vegetarian and vegan pinchos here (barbaztan.com).

Bar Ganbara

This family-run pinchos bar in the Old Town uses the freshest ingredients (the simple but delicious plate of tomato and olive oil is testament to this). Sit at the bar and watch the staff dish out plates with impressive frequency. Ganbara’s speciality is spider crab tartlets (€3). Wine and beer from €2 (ganbarajatetxea.com).

Where to stay

Hotel Arbaso

Overlooking the cathedral, with valet parking and an excellent restaurant, Arbaso is a perfect city-centre hotel. Rooms have wooden floors, Marshall bluetooth speakers and Dyson hairdryers. Rooms from £99 (hotelarbaso.com).

Hotel de Londres

An imposing 19th-century building near the seafront. The bar is popular with locals. Doubles from £93 (hlondres.com).

Hotel Zinema7

In the un-touristy Amara neighbourhood, this cinema-turned-hotel has rooms themed on stars who have visited the San Sebastian film festival. Doubles from £67 (zinema7hotel.com).

Things to see & do

Take a dip at La Concha

Join the elderly Basque locals for a swim at La Concha, which stretches a mile from the Old Town to the suburb of Ondarreta and is one of Europe’s best urban beaches. Even in winter, the golden bay is busy with locals walking their fluffy dogs and children splashing about in the water. During summer, a floating platform moored offshore allows swimmers to escape the crowds.

Hike up Mount Urgull

Make room for yet more pinchos by working up an appetite on a hike up this mini mountain, which rises from the Old Town and the bobbing boats of the harbour.

The 30-minute walk is scattered with landmarks and viewing points, and topped with a 12th-century castle and 12-metre-high statue of Jesus Christ. At the top, watch the sunset while sampling a bottle or two of cider from one of the 42 cider houses on the outskirts of the city (buy six bottles from Essencia Wine in the Old Town for €18).

Join a pinchos tour

Pinchos-hopping is obligatory when in San Sebastian. The best way to pack the bars in is to join a txikiteo (the official word for a pinchos crawl), which will see you bounce from bar to bar in the Old Town and pair colourful, small bites with local wines and cider.

A word on etiquette: don’t overload your plate from the bar-top displays but, instead, sample one per drink, two if you must, then move on. Tours from £25 (viator.com).

Stroll around the cathedral

Made of sandstone and slate quarried from local mountains, charming Buen Pastor (the good shepherd) Cathedral was completed in 1897 at a time when the city was becoming a flourishing, aristocratic seaside resort.

The spire of the cathedral, set in a pretty square surrounded by tulips, can be seen from across the city. On a summer’s day, the sun shines brightly through the stained-glass windows, casting an array of dancing colours on its walls. Free entry.

How to get there

London Gatwick to Bilbao returns from £65 (vueling.com). Buses to San Sebastian take one hour (£15, pesa.net).

Tourists have long flocked to great lakes to enjoy the waterside serenity – as well as messing about in boats, of course.

There is a sense of tranquillity that’s quite different from the pleasure of the crashing waves of a beach, and many a writer has waxed lyrical about the joys of lakeside life over the years.

Edgar Allan Poe declared: ‘So lovely was the loneliness/Of a wild lake!’ While William Wordsworth was of the opinion that ‘a lake carries you into recesses of feeling otherwise impenetrable’.

For those after a lakeside fix, here we have selected some of the world’s very best hotels by the shimmering shores, for all types of budget…

YES PLEASE, LOUISE

During the summer, guests can take a canoe out on the turquoise waters of Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada, while in winter they can ice-skate. Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, within Banff National Park — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — is right by the shore in an isolated valley ringed by the snow-capped peaks of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. It’s a wonderfully peaceful place.

This large hotel — a far cry from its log cabin beginnings in 1890 — has swish rooms, a spa and a jolly restaurant/bar. A fine base for skiers and summer hikers.

How to book it: Doubles cost from £639 B&B (fairmont.com).

LIVE IT UP IN ITALY 

Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni offers superb views of Lake Como from the charming village of Bellagio. This much-loved hotel, opened in 1873, has a lakeside pool in an elegant garden, plus a top-class spa. The Michelin-starred restaurant, Mistral, serves seven-course feasts.

Antique furniture features in the plush bedrooms. Guests from the past include Winston Churchill, John F. Kennedy and Al Pacino.

How to book it: Doubles cost from £500 (villaserbelloni.com).

INDIAN WATERWORLD

Taj Lake Palace on Lake Pichola in Udaipur was built by Maharana Jagat Singh II in the 1740s and used as a summer palace by the Mewar royal family and their court before becoming a hotel in 1963.

It featured in the 1983 Bond film Octopussy, and is on a little island that seems to float on the tranquil water. Expect archways, columns and lavish interior decorations. There’s a spa, plus a martini bar for reliving 007 moments, naturally.

How to book it: Doubles cost from £253 (tajhotels.com).

PERFECT IN PERU 

Lake Titicaca is located in Peru and Bolivia. It’s way up in the Andes (3,812 metres above sea level) and the water is almost mysteriously calm.

Titilaka is an 18-room design hotel with accommodation facing the water. It’s hidden on a peninsula and has a first-rate restaurant (part of the Relais & Chateaux gourmet group). Two private beaches have kayaks and paddleboards available for guests.

How to book it: Doubles cost from £1,100 (titilaka.pe).

TASMANIAN TRIUMPH 

Fishing, hiking and gazing across the water are the order of the day at the Great Lake Hotel in Tasmania. The lodge-style hotel is by the island’s Great Lake, at 1,030 metres in the Tasmanian Highlands. It has a down-to-earth feel. Cosy bedrooms have wooden walls and big windows facing the lake. Seafood chowders and steaks feature in the restaurant.

How to book it: Doubles cost from £120 (greatlakehotel.com.au).

IRISH LOUGH

George V and Ronald Reagan have stayed at Ashford Castle by Lough Corrib in County Mayo. Parts date from the 13th century, and it was once the Guinness family home. The grounds and the nearby village of Cong were the locations for the 1952 film The Quiet Man.

It’s an unashamedly traditional hotel with chandeliers, four-posters, gilded mirrors, oil paintings, antiques and plenty of turrets. There’s a fine dining restaurant and a spa, plus organised fly-fishing trips.

How to book it: Doubles cost from £760 B&B (ashfordcastle.com).

GORGEOUS GARDA 

Dating from 1892, Grand Hotel a Villa Feltrinelli is a neo-Gothic villa by Lake Garda, Italy’s biggest lake.

It looks extraordinary: stripey, peach-coloured walls and faux battlements. But inside all is sophistication: parquet floors, fine art, antiques, and plush bedrooms and bathrooms. It’s a short walk to the peaceful town of Gargnano. The Michelin-starred restaurant has a great terrace with lake views.

How to book it: Doubles cost from £1,475 B&B (villafeltrinelli.com).

AMERICAN CLASSIC 

Name-dropping comes easily at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island on Lake Huron, by Lake Michigan: John F. Kennedy, Harry Truman, Bill Clinton and Mark Twain have all stayed. The Grand is in a whitewashed hillside building with a 200-metre porch, said to be the world’s longest. Great lake views are to be had. The tiny island’s lively High Street of restaurants and bars is close by.

How to book it: Doubles cost from £305 (grandhotel.com).

CHAPLIN AND CHANEL

Former famous guests at the Beau-Rivage Palace in Lausanne, Switzerland, include Charlie Chaplin, Victor Hugo and Coco Chanel.

This grande dame dates from 1861 and oozes class. Its distinguished facade faces Lake Geneva, with Evian in France on the opposite shore, the Alps rising beyond. Hang out by the secluded pool, tuck into sushi at the restaurant, order a cocktail from the ‘retro-chic’ bar — and enjoy the splendid scenery.

How to book it: Doubles cost from £550 (brp.ch).

LAKELAND WINNER 

Tucked away by a fell, Linthwaite House has splendid views of Windermere. Its 36 refined rooms are decorated with modern art, and the hotel recently won top honours in the Cumbria Tourism Awards. The restaurant, Henrock, is overseen by Simon Rogan, whose flagship restaurant in nearby Cartmel, L’Enclume, has three Michelin stars.

How to book it: Doubles from £298 B&B (leeucollection.com).

Americans think Republican-led House will have a POSITIVE impact on the federal budget – but are divided on whether they have more confidence in the GOP Congress or the Biden White House

• Americans believe that the federal budget will be most positively impacted by a Republican-led House of Representatives 
• A new CNN/SSRS poll released Monday found that 43 percent of respondents said the federal budget would be positively effected 
• Respondents were split almost evenly when asked if they had more confidence in a GOP Congress or the Biden White House  

By Nikki Schwab, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

Published: 18:48 EDT, 12 December 2022 | Updated: 20:19 EDT, 12 December 2022

Not many people make it to the Czech Republic’s second city, yet its charm is irresistible.

While Prague is packed with stag dos and Irish pubs, Brno (pronounced ‘bruh-no’) has modern art galleries, higgledy-piggeldy narrow streets with historic buildings and endless restaurants serving traditional potato dumplings, goulash and local beers. It’s vibrant, affordable and compact — you’re never much more than a 20-minute walk from anywhere.

Where to stay

Grandezza

The hand-painted glass ceilings in the lobby of this former bank make a grand first impression. It’s now a boutique hotel with smart, cosy rooms as well as spa treatments and pleasant views across the market square. Doubles from £87 (grandezzahotel.com).

Anybody Hotel

Despite its name, this hotel may not be for everybody. A whirlwind of neon and storytelling, it describes itself as ‘20 per cent hotel, 80 per cent experience’ and has cinematic-themed rooms with iPads which narrate a story played on speakers. 

Rooms also have bubble machines, picnic baskets and swings. Doubles from £100, when quoting ‘Daily Mail’ (anybody.cz).

Avion Hotel

A short wander from Freedom Square, this Art Deco boutique hotel has spectacular views of Spilberk Castle and the Cathedral of St Peter and Paul on the Petrov hill, which can be seen from the terrace. Beds are comfortable, breakfast generous and the staff friendly. Doubles from £86 (avion-hotel.cz).

10-z Bunker

Built during World War II, this air raid shelter and unused nuclear bunker is now a 50-bed hostel near the city centre. It may be a rather peculiar place to stay on a weekend break, but its history and friendly staff make up for any austerity. B&B doubles from £55 (10-z.cz, booking.com).

What to see & do

Visit the castle

The history of Castle Spilberk is harrowing. Take a guided tour to learn all about its troubled past, including its use as a brutal prison in the 13th century and as a Nazi barracks during the World War II German occupation. Take a break at the castle’s hilltop café afterwards. Admission free; tours £3-£6, spilberk.cz.

Scary ossuary

Even more harrowing is the underground ossuary at the Church of St James, which was rediscovered in 2001. It contains the bones of more than 50,000 victims of plague, cholera and war. Entry £5, gotobrno.cz.

Feeling arty

The Museum of Applied Arts houses an architecture and design exhibition but also showcases a vast collection of art from the present back to the Middle Ages. Don’t miss the Robot Cafe which recreates a portrait of you in your cup of coffee. (moravska-galerie.cz).

Best views

Straddling the city’s most imposing square Namesti Svobody (Freedom Square) and the cabbage market, the Old Town Hall’s tower has the best views of the city. Entry costs £2.50 and it’s open until 10pm. Afterwards, take a wander through the cabbage market’s wooden chalets, which also sell artisanal crafts and street food. (gotobrno.cz).

Where to eat 

Lokal u Caipla

This restaurant is the place to sample giant portions of schnitzel for about £7 along with a local beer. Note the hungover diners if you visit on a Sunday. (lokal-ucaipla.ambi.cz).

Element Restaurant

A strong contender for the best restaurant in the whole of Brno, its menu focuses on a fusion of European and Asian cuisine.

Fine dining at a fantastic price, a three-course meal with a cocktail will set you back about £30. I suggest going for the tender pork belly followed by soft and warm chestnut cake. (elementbrno.com).

The Bar That Doesn’t Exist

More than 1,000 bottles of spirit perch proudly on the ceiling-high glass bar in this relaxed speakeasy. Packed with leather sofas, chandeliers and guests sipping on delicious cocktails for just £7. (barkteryneexistuje.cz).

Forky’s

This vegan bistro in the old part of the city will make you forget you’re eating only plant-based food. Head to the upstairs restaurant if you’re sitting in or grab and go downstairs. About £7.20 buys a range of delicious dishes like shwarma, rice bowls, burgers and curries. (forkys.eu).

Getting there

Return London-Brno flights are priced from £52 (ryanair.com). For more tourist information go to: visitczechrepublic.com.

Nimes is home to Roman ruins and a world-class collection of contemporary art and architecture. 

There’s an easily walkable old town with narrow streets and pleasant cafe-lined squares, making this southern French city appealing for a short break. 

Where to stay

Appart’City Nimes Arenes

Five minutes’ walk from Nimes Centre train station, this grand, 19th-century mansion — formerly the city’s post office — has been a comfortable apart-hotel since 2016. Rooms are decorated with contemporary furnishings — some have original features including fireplaces and parquet floors. All rooms have kitchenettes. Double rooms from £83 (appartcity.com).

Square Hotel

Apart from the fact that it’s spotlessly clean and has spacious rooms sleeping up to four people, the main attraction at this three-star hotel, on the east side of the old town, is its fourth-floor roof terrace.

It’s a great spot for breakfast or an evening drink, although you’ll have to bring your own booze because there’s no bar. Doubles from £57 (squarehotel-nimes.com).

Hotel des Tuileries

A homely hotel, run by a British couple, on a residential street around the corner from the Philippe Starck-designed Abribus bus stop. 

Ask for a room with a little balcony so you can sit outside to enjoy a craft beer or wine from the ground-floor bar. Breakfast bread and pastries come from the neighbouring bakery. Doubles from £65 (hoteldestuileries.com).

Hotel de l’Amphitheatre

This 11-room hotel near the Roman arena, created from two adjoining townhouses from the 17th and 18th century, has been renovated in a minimalist, southern-French style. There is no lift to reach the two upper floors, but at least you’ll work off the cooked-to-order breakfast. Double rooms from £78 (hoteldelamphitheatre.com).

What to see & do

Rome around

As a former Roman colony, Nimes has sights including Maison Carree, a well-preserved temple, and the amphitheatre (£11.40, arenes-nimes.com). For floor mosaics, head to the Musee de la Romanite (from £7.90; museedelaromanite.fr).

Delight in denim

The Musee du Vieux Nimes (£4.40; Place aux Herbes), has a display tracing the history of denim, which is thought to have originated in Nimes.

Great modern art

It’s the 30th anniversary of the Carre d’Art, designed by Norman Foster and housing a modern art collection (from £7, carreartmusee.com).

Marvel at the market

Les Halles de Nimes, a covered market, has stalls piled with enticing local produce (leshallesdenimes.fr).

Where to eat

Le Bistrot de Tatie Agnes

You have to be quick to grab one of the few tables at this lunch-only ‘hole in the wall’, down an alley just south of the Maison Carree. Try a salad: ‘La Nimes’ features tapenade (olive spread), anchoiade (anchovy dip) and brandade (salt cod mixed with olive oil and cream) for £9 (lebistrotdetatieagnes.eatbu.com).

Le Napo

This pistachio-coloured cafe, with a listed painted and moulded ceiling, has been a popular meeting place for locals since 1813. Drop in for a coffee (£3.25) and cake (£3.70) or for lunch or dinner. There’s a plat du jour for £9.50 and snacks such as terrine (coarse pâté) with bread from £5.70 (le-napo.fr).

Le Nicolas

Run by the same family for 62 years, this cosy restaurant with a beamed ceiling, stone walls and a brightly tiled floor, serves good-value regional dishes such as gardiane de taureau — bull meat slow cooked in red wine — from £13 (restaurant-nicolas-nimes.com).

Gard O Vin

Tucked away in Place du Marche, this wine bar is the place to go to sample the local AOC, Costieres de Nimes (from £3.50 per glass). It opens at 5pm. Settle on a sofa in the vaulted cellar or perch on a stool outside to munch on cheese and charcuterie; a plate of sausage slices comes in at £4.40.

Getting there

Flights from Stansted and Edinburgh from £12.99 one-way (ryanair.com). The shuttle bus between the airport and Nimes is £6 one way (tangobus.fr). Or take the train from London St Pancras, changing at Lille or Paris, from £75 one way (thetrainline.com).

A two-day Nimes City Pass (nimescitypass.com) gives you access to the main sights for £25.50 (nimes-tourisme.com).

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has unleashed on Labor’s Budget and claimed the Albanese government is making life harder for ‘middle Australia’. 

The Liberal leader handed down his budget reply to the House of Representatives on Thursday night, two days after Treasurer Jim Chalmers outlined the government’s economic plan for the nation.

The budget will be back in black for the first time in 15 years with a short-lived but slim surplus of about $4bn this financial year, achieving what the Coalition was unable to do in its nine years in power.

However, Mr Dutton argued in his speech that the Albanese government was fuelling inflation with its budget. 

He also said it would do little for ‘millions of middle Australians’ who ‘have every right to be disappointed with this government’.

‘As a result of the government’s policies, inflation will only stay higher for longer, continuing to grind down real incomes of households,’ he said.

The Opposition Leader blamed Labor for the rises in mortgage repayments, gas and electricity bills, supermarket and petrol station receipts, and insurance premiums.

‘International factors feed into inflation – like the war in Ukraine – but the main ingredient is the domestic factors,’ he told parliament.

He also took aim at Labor’s attempts to bring down power prices, saying it was ‘being deceptive with its energy policy’.

More than five million eligible households and one million small businesses will get relief applied directly to their power bills under a deal with the states outlined in the budget.

Eligible people who are on the pension, are senior card holders or a recipient of family tax benefits A and B will reap the benefits of the scheme.

Those efforts are not enough to bring down power prices, according to Mr Dutton, who slammed the government’s commitment to renewable energy and its moves on coal, gas and nuclear energy.

He renewed the Coalition’s push for nuclear energy.

‘Next generation, small modular nuclear technologies are safe, reliable, cost effective, can be

plugged into existing grids where we have turned-off coal, and emit zero emissions,’ he said.

‘In the 21st century, any sensible government must consider small modular nuclear as part of the energy mix.’

Mr Dutton said the Coalition supported select pieces of the budget, including the increased bulk-billing incentives for some Australians, expanding the parenting payments and investing in women’s safety.

The government’s budget increased incentives to be paid to GPs who bulk bill 11.6 million eligible Australians including children under 16, pensioners and other concession card holders.

The government decided to lift the age cut-off of the single parent welfare payment from eight to 14, in a move that’s been applauded by advocacy groups.

An additional $589.3m will also be invested over four years toward the government’s goal of ending violence against women ‘within a generation’.

That money is in addition to the $1.7bn in the October budget.

Also in the firing line were the government’s tax choices, criticising the decision to scrap the low-and-middle-income tax offset saying that ‘around 10 million Australians earning under $126,000 will now be up to $1500 worse off’.

He later told ABC TV’s 7.30 that many families would be worse off as a result of the ending of that measure and other pressures due to high inflation.

‘I do worry dreadfully at the moment for a lot of families. I think there’s a lot of people underestimating how much pain is out there,’ he said.

‘The government really didn’t have any response to them at all in the budget.’

He also said the Albanese government was being coy on its commitment to the already legislated stage 3 tax cuts for anyone earning over $45,000 due to come into effect next July.

‘Labor has been silent on its promise to keep stage 3 of the Coalition’s legislated tax plan in full,’ he said.

‘Our tax cuts will see 95 per cent of Australian workers keep at least 70 cents in every dollar they earn.

‘With about 400 days before the tax cuts take effect, there’s time enough for Labor to break another promise.’

Mr Dutton called for a lift in the income-free threshold so that individuals can take up part-time work without losing benefits, without committing to the government’s decision to lift the JobSeeker rate.

‘We’ll wait to see how the government responds to what we’ve constructively put forward tonight because the proposal that we’ve put on the table tonight says that somebody on an unemployment benefit could earn considerably more than $40 through ten hours of work a fortnight

Mr Dutton argued that employment decisions made in the budget ‘risks creating a generation of working poor Australians’.

More than 1.1 million of the most vulnerable Australians will benefit from a $40 per fortnight boost to their welfare payment from September if parliament agrees.

The raised base rate will be applied to people receiving JobSeeker, Youth Allowance, Parenting Payment (partnered), ABSTUDY, Disability Support Pension (Youth) and Special Benefit.

Mr Dutton said the predicted population increase from net overseas migration will increase by 1.5 million people over five years, which will cause the housing and rental crisis to worsen.

‘The government is now proposing to bring in almost 6000 people per week, which will make a bad situation worse,’ he said.