Britain and US launch airstrikes on Houthi targets
“Explosions were heard across Yemen late on Thursday night as British and US forces launched strikes on Houthi targets, after the Iranian-backed group ignored warnings to stop attacking ships in the Red Sea. Rishi Sunak, who had authorised the military action hours earlier and briefed ministers in an emergency cabinet meeting, said the situation could not be allowed to stand and the UK had taken “limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defence”. President Biden said that Australia, Bahrain, Canada, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, New Zealand and South Korea had also provided backing. Saba, the Yemeni press agency, reported attacks in the capital, Sanaa, and the governorates of Sa’dah, Hodeidah, Taiz and Dhamar.” – The Times
- Who are the Houthis and how did the US and UK strikes on Yemen come about? – The Guardian
- The West is united against Houthi threat, says Biden, as Britain and US bomb Yemen – The Daily Telegraph
- US and UK strike Houthi sites in response to ‘unprecedented’ attacks – The Guardian
- Sunak says attacks on international shipping by Houthi rebels ‘cannot stand’ – The Daily Mail
- Why the Houthis’ advanced arsenal means this fight could be long and tough – The Daily Telegraph
- MPs ‘demand to know’ why Commons wasn’t recalled – The Daily Mail
- Britain is delivering on its pledge to defend commercial interests in the Red Sea – Editorial, The Times
- How US and British warships are taking the fight to the Houthis in the Red Sea – Tom Sharpe, The Daily Telegraph
- Strikes on Houthis could bring Biden closer to the regional war he sought to avoid – Julian Border, The Guardian
- The US and UK air strikes could be the first of many – James Rothwell and Tony Diver, The Daily Telegraph
UK economy grew by 0.3 per cent in November
“The economy grew by 0.3 per cent in November, new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show. The ONS said the services sector was the main contributor to the monthly growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Services output grew by 0.4 per cent in November 2023, following a fall of 0.1 per cent in October 2023. The economy grew by more than expected in November, with economists having forecasted GDP to rise by 0.2 per cent… Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt, who has welcomed the news, said tax cuts for businesses and workers put the UK in a strong position for future growth… In October, when manufacturing and construction sectors were hit by poor weather conditions, GDP fell by 0.3 per cent.” – The I
Sunak 1) The Prime Minister moves to hold two ‘perilous’ by-elections in February
“Rishi Sunak has decided to get two perilous UK parliamentary by-elections out of the way as quickly as possible, moving the writs for contests to be held in Wellingborough and Kingswood in mid-February. Labour strategists are hopeful of winning both seats, with victories seen as a way of building political momentum ahead of a general election which Sunak has said he expects to call in the second half of 2024. Sunak has lost four Conservative seats in by-elections since becoming prime minister…confirming Labour’s strength in opinion polls. The main opposition party leads the Tories by an average of 18 points. The Conservatives on Thursday moved the writ for by-elections to be held in Wellingborough… and Kingswood…both of which were held by Tory MPs.” – The Financial Times
- He faces ‘two by-election defeats on same day’ for the third time – The Daily Telegraph
- Tories ‘slam fellow MP’ who quit over government’s fossil fuels policy to trigger needless by-election – The Sun
- Skidmore’s grandstanding has forced an unwanted by-election – Editorial, The Times
- He is deeply wrongheaded about the Tories’ climate record – Sebastian Payne, The I
Sunak 2) He visits Kyiv after announcing rise in UK military aid to Ukraine to £2.5 billion
“Rishi Sunak is making a surprise visit to Ukraine to meet Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, as the UK announced it would provide £2.5bn in military aid to the country over the coming year. The Ukrainian president has pressed western allies to provide the country with more support to fight back against Russian forces, amid fears that interest in the war is flagging as the war drags on. The crisis in the Middle East as Israel continues to bombard Gaza has also turned global attention away from the battle against Vladimir Putin. The prime minister stressed the UK’s continued backing for Kyiv ahead of his meeting with Zelensky, which comes hours after UK and US forces launched strikes against targets used by Houthi rebels in Yemen.” – The Guardian
Sunak 3) He allows Labour to meet civil servants to prepare for possible election victory
“Rishi Sunak has granted Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, permission to start formal access talks with the Civil Service…The meetings will be an opportunity for Labour to discuss its agenda for government and establish relationships with potential future colleagues in Whitehall. Simon Case, the Cabinet Secretary, will oversee and arrange them. Access talks, held in the run-up to a general election, are the only chance for the opposition and the Civil Service to exchange information ahead of a potential handover date after the election. The leader of the opposition must write to the prime minister requesting the meetings in order to initiate the process. By convention, the prime minister is expected to respond by authorising the talks.” – The Daily Telegraph
- So-called ‘access talks’ happen before every general election but mark significant changes in access for opposition party – The Guardian
>Today:
Sunak 4) He ‘relaxes planning rules’ to allow ‘mini nuclear plants’ to be built almost anywhere in the UK
“Mini-nuclear power plants will be allowed almost anywhere outside built-up areas, as ministers relax planning rules to allow a “reawakening” of atomic electricity. Under plans to quadruple capacity in the next quarter of a century, ministers want a fleet of “small modular reactors” to be built across Britain alongside large power plants…Rishi Sunak argues that “nuclear is the perfect antidote to the energy challenges facing Britain”, helping meet net zero goals with reliable, domestically produced power. The prime minister is sticking with ambitions set out by Boris Johnson to get a quarter of electricity from nuclear power by 2050 and on Thursday published a “road map” to building the 24GW of capacity needed.” – The Times
- Britain needs nuclear power – Editorial, The Daily Telegraph
- The Tories are making the largest investment in domestic nuclear energy for 70 years – Clare Coutinho, Daily Express
Sunak 5) Truss joins Tory rebels telling him to toughen the Rwanda Bill
“Liz Truss, the former prime minister, has joined Tory rebels demanding Rishi Sunak toughens his Rwanda Bill as the number of backbench MPs supporting the changes reached 40. Ms Truss is among nine former Cabinet ministers backing amendments that aim to limit virtually all legal challenges by migrants against their deportation to Rwanda and block any attempt by Strasbourg judges to halt the flights. It sets up a showdown next week between the Right-wing MPs and Mr Sunak when the Bill returns to the Commons on Tuesday and Wednesday for its line-by-line scrutiny in its committee stage on the floor of the Commons. The 40 MPs are enough to overturn Mr Sunak’s 56-seat majority, although the crunch will not come until the third reading…” – The Daily Telegraph
- Tory Rwanda rebel MPs grow to 40 – The I
- ‘Evidence pack’ to convince Tory rebels of migration plan shows it could take months for first deportations to African nation – The Times
- European judges ‘could delay Rwanda flights until after election’ – The Daily Telegraph
- Rwanda flights must start for Sunak to ‘quell Tory war’ and win election – The I
- Rebels must swallow their pride on Rwanda – Editorial, The Daily Mail
Sunak 6) He wanted to keep migrants in hotels as Chancellor rather than build expensive camps
“Rishi Sunak fought to keep migrants in hotels as Chancellor rather than build large-scale camps, The Sun can reveal. Leaked documents from 2022 show officials complaining he was “refusing to fund” Greek-style asylum centres and insisted “hotels are cheaper”. The bombshell papers risk a fresh row for Mr Sunak as the bill for housing small boat arrivals in hotels has since spiralled to £8million per day. We can disclose that aides implored then PM Boris Johnson to overrule his Chancellor and demand he provide money for large-scale accommodation. A No10 dossier reeled off several illegal immigration proposals Mr Sunak was supposedly seeking to frustrate… Downing Street sources insisted however that Mr Sunak was merely concerned about value for money…” – The Sun
Ministers to publish ‘tests’ on whether to publish new AI laws
“The UK government is set to publish a series of tests that need to be met to pass new laws on artificial intelligence, as it continues to resist creating a tougher regulatory regime for the fast-developing technology. British ministers are preparing to publish criteria in the coming weeks on the circumstances in which they would enact curbs on powerful AI models created by leading companies such as OpenAI and Google, according to multiple people familiar with the impending move. Among the “key tests” that would trigger an intervention is if the systems put in place by the UK’s new AI Safety Institute — a government body comprised of academics and machine learning experts — fail to identify risks around the technology.” – The Financial Times
Gove considering Birmingham request for 21 per cent council tax increase after ‘Labour mismanagement’
“Households in Birmingham face a 21 per cent rise in council tax, adding £350 to average bills. Labour-run Birmingham City Council – the largest in Europe – has asked Michael Gove for permission to increase charges by up to 10 per cent in April and up to 10 per cent the year after. It comes just weeks after the council said it was effectively bankrupt as a result of an equal pay claim lodged by female workers. Mr Gove, the Levelling-Up Secretary, is considering the request. If he agrees, the increases of 10 per cent each year for two financial years could add up to a potential 21 per cent overall increase by April 2025. Such an increase would add £342 to the bill for a typical Band D property and £685 on the most expensive Band H homes.” – The Daily Telegraph
- Another Labour-run council verges on bankruptcy: Middlesbrough set to ask government for emergency funding – following Birmingham, Woking, and Nottingham – The Daily Mail
- Here’s how to stimulate UK growth: give away power – Andy Haldane, The Financial Times
Welsh MPs ‘astonished’ at Frazer’s absence during S4C bullying scandal
“It is “wholly unacceptable” that the culture secretary did not meet the chair of the Welsh-language public service broadcaster as it was engulfed in a crisis, a group of Welsh MPs have said. Senedd politicians wrote to Lucy Frazer on Thursday to say they were “astonished” she had not met S4C leaders despite repeated requests and said that Westminster had failed to deal with a bullying scandal that culminated in the sacking of two senior female executives. Members of the Welsh parliament’s culture committee on Thursday joined Westminster’s Welsh affairs committee in calling for Rhodri Williams, the chair of S4C, to be replaced… Giving evidence, Williams said the Department for Culture, Media and Sport had been aware of the difficulties at S4C…” – The Guardian
Post Office scandal 1) Investigators should pay bonuses into compensation scheme, says Redwood
“Post Office investigators should be forced to repay their bonuses and pensions into the compensation scheme for wronged branch managers, Tory MPs have said. Senior Conservatives have demanded that Downing Street acts to claw back cash The Telegraph revealed executives were awarded for every sub-postmaster convicted during the Horizon scandal. Sir John Redwood, a former Cabinet minister, said rules should also be introduced to curb excessive bonuses at publicly funded bodies. More than 700 branch managers were convicted using evidence from faulty accounting software… On Wednesday, Rishi Sunak announced that he was issuing a blanket exoneration of those affected and unveiled a fresh compensation offer.” – The Daily Telegraph
- Wrongly convicted Post Office clerk homes in on Starmer’s Crown Prosecution Service – The Times
- Judges wary of political interference after mass exoneration of sub-postmasters – The Financial Times
- How Lord Arbuthnot became Post Office victims’ most trusted voice – The Times
- The Post Office Horizon inquiry must move quickly to uncover the truth – Editorial, The Daily Telegraph
- In the wake of the Post Office scandal, the Government must place safeguards on the freedom of large organisations to bring private prosecutions – Editorial, The Times
- The British public is in the mood for revolution – David Frost, The Daily Telegraph
Post Office scandal 2) Patrick Maguire: Starmer has defence ready over his legal past
“Almost as soon as the credits rolled on the final episode of Mr Bates vs the Post Office, Starmer faced questions over what he knew and when about the handful of prosecutions brought forward by the CPS…This week, The Sun revealed a rogues’ gallery of child murderers spared the death penalty thanks to his advocacy against capital punishment in the Commonwealth, the pro bono work of which he is proudest. And just before Christmas, ministers took to the Daily Telegraph to condemn his defence of terror suspects and work with Phil Shiner, the disgraced human rights solicitor struck off for dishonesty… It was for precisely this reason that Starmer’s enforcers were once divided on how best to present his legal career…” – The Times
- Cathedral schools ‘fear going bust’ under Labour plans to curb tax breaks – The Daily Telegraph
- What the NHS could look like for patients under Labour – The I
- Labour’s steps to ‘de-risk’ the party face obstacles ahead – Stephen Bush, The Financial Times
- Why Labour’s plan for a new Race Equality Act would only entrench racial division in Britain – Inaya Folarin Iman, The Daily Mail
- As London stabbings reach ten per week – will someone please end this Khanage? – Harry Cole, The Sun
- Labour should not intervene in every aspect of our lives – Leo McKinstry, Daily Express
- Children need the school inspectors back at work, and tougher than ever – Fraser Nelson, The Daily Telegraph
>Yesterday:
General election likely to take place on 14th November, says Osborne
“Rishi Sunak is planning a general election on 14 November, according to the former chancellor George Osborne, as the prime minister looks to maximise the amount of time he has to recover the Conservatives’ poll deficit before polling day. Speaking on Political Currency, the podcast he hosts with the former Labour cabinet minister Ed Balls, Osborne said he had been told Sunak’s team were working towards the date in mid-November as the target for an election. Sunak has said his “working assumption” is that he will hold the vote in the second half of the year, while Conservative sources say a final decision has not yet been taken over a date… Sunak has until January 2025 to hold an election, and Labour politicians had speculated that he would do so in May this year.” – The Guardian
Yousaf targets ‘Tory-free Scotland’ despite collapse in SNP support…
“Humza Yousaf has set a target of ousting all the Tory MPs in Scotland in the general election, despite polls showing a collapse in support for the SNP. The First Minister will tell activists on Friday that his party can deliver a “Tory-free Scotland” by winning all six Scottish seats held by the Conservatives. However, polls suggest the SNP is on course to lose seats across the country, with a dramatic fall in support coinciding with a series of policy mishaps, Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation and a police investigation into the party’s finances. Mr Yousaf will launch the SNP’s general election campaign in Glasgow on Friday, with Rishi Sunak having said he is likely to call a vote in the second half of the year.” – The Daily Telegraph
- El-Nakla, his wife, urges ministers to let her host Palestinian brother – The Guardian
…as he is ‘forced into U-turn’ over American XL bully dogs ban
“Humza Yousaf has banned XL bully dogs two months after he was warned by Westminster that not doing so would turn Scotland into a “dumping ground” for the dangerous pets. The SNP first minister, who said last week that a ban was “not required”, told MSPs on Thursday that an influx of the dogs over the border had forced the Scottish government’s hand. Replicating the ban in England and Wales, which was announced in September and came into force at the start of the new year, will involve adding the XL bullies to the proscribed list of dog breeds under the Dangerous Dogs Act. Unlike other dogs already on the list…which are illegal to own, sell, breed and exchange, existing bully owners will apply for a certificate to exempt them from the legislation.” – The Times
- The Scottish government will ban the breed following ‘influx’ of dogs from England – The Daily Telegraph
- Yousaf is finally following the UK government’s lead on dangerous dogs – Editorial, The Times
News in Brief:
- Striking the Houthis won’t stop Iran – Jason M. Brodsky, The Spectator
- Why Taylor Swift can’t deny being gay – Kat Rosenfield, UnHerd
- We have to be more precise about progress – Henry Hill, The Critic
- There’s more to the Horizon scandal than Ed Davey’s incompotence – Henry Hill, CapX
- We don’t need a British West Wing – we’re already living in it – Will Lloyd, The New Statesman
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