The Independent, on UK Politics, 23 October 2026

The Independent's bulletin repeats the Treasury's own figures and wording for Healey's deregulation plan, calling the paperwork "unnecessary" in its own voice rather than attributing it to the chancellor. The only outside comment comes from the prime minister, backing his own government, while the shadow chancellor's response to the same announcement, carried by the BBC, is missing.

3.0

Minor

out of 10

What we found

  1. States one side's claim as fact

    Minor

    “cutting unnecessary form-filling and red tape”

    What the words do
    Writes the Treasury's characterisation of the rules into the outlet's own voice, without quotation marks or attribution.
    What a reader comes away believing
    That the reporting requirements being scrapped were objectively unnecessary.
    What is actually the case
    Whether the requirements are unnecessary is the government's position: the BBC puts the same wording inside quotation marks attributed to Healey, who said firms are "fed up with form-filling and pointless paperwork".

    How we know

    Show it in the article

  2. One side gets the space

    Minor

    “Prime Minister Andy Burnham supported the move”

    What the words do
    Gives the only outside comment in the piece to the prime minister, on his own government's announcement.
    What a reader comes away believing
    That the plan has been welcomed and that there is no contrary view on the record.
    What is actually the case
    The BBC's report of the same announcement carried the shadow chancellor saying Labour had made things worse for business; no opposition or business voice appears here at all.

    How we know

    Show it in the article

  3. Leaves out what changes the picture

    Minor

    What is missing

    The opposition response to the same announcement. The BBC reported the shadow chancellor, Andrew Griffith, saying Labour had "finally admitted that endless red tape is hammering businesses". Without it a reader takes the announcement as uncontested.

    How we know

    Show where it belongs

Every underline is part of a finding. Press one to see why.

Businesses to save £800m on paperwork under Healey's new plan

Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today. Join today Already a member? Log in Businesses to save £800m on paperwork under Healey's new plan Anna Loren Friday 23 October 2026 07:12 BST Bookmark popover Removed from bookmarks Close popover Related: Healey says Britain's growth trajectory 'has been weak' Chancellor John Healey has unveiled plans to save UK businesses about £800 million by ahead of his first Budget. The measures aim to cut business regulatory admin by 25 per cent by the end of this Parliament, streamlining reporting and property transaction processes. Import tariff suspensions covering more than 250 products across various sectors have been extended for another year, generating up to £155 million in savings. , saying that reducing bureaucracy will give companies the breathing space to invest, grow, and create jobs. The announcement comes amid tight public finances, after UK government borrowing rose to £24.5 billion last month. In full Chancellor unveils £800 million savings for businesses by slashing 'pointless paperwork'

Read the original article on independent.co.uk (opens in a new tab)

What it gets right

  • “saying that reducing bureaucracy will give companies the breathing space to invest, grow, and create jobs”

    Attributes the claim about what the plan will achieve to Burnham rather than stating it as the outlet's own conclusion.

  • “after UK government borrowing rose to £24.5 billion last month”

    Sets a hard fiscal figure against the announcement instead of leaving the Treasury's good news to stand alone.

  • “generating up to £155 million in savings”

    Keeps the "up to" qualifier on the tariff figure, matching the government's own statement as reported by Reuters.

How other outlets reported it

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