Sunak calls for return of Stormont ahead of Biden visit
“Rishi Sunak has praised the “bravery, perseverance and political imagination” shown by the leaders who shaped Northern Ireland’s peace deal. The 1998 Good Friday Agreement ended Northern Ireland’s decades-long violent conflict known as the Troubles. But, on its 25th anniversary, the PM has called on local politicians to “get on with the business of governance”. As part of the milestone date, Mr Sunak will welcome the US President Joe Biden to Northern Ireland on Tuesday.” – BBC
Heaton-Harris: The people of Northern Ireland need a functioning Government
“I continue to listen intently to the conversation in the community and the feeling of frustration that the Executive and Assembly are once again not functioning is entirely justified. It is a frustration I share. Northern Ireland has benefited from a locally accountable power sharing government, but the fact that the devolved institutions have not been functioning fully for a third of the time since 1998 is simply not good enough for the 1.9 million people who call this part of the United Kingdom home. We must be honest. Across a range of measures, the people of Northern Ireland are being directly impacted due to an ongoing lack of locally accountable, devolved government. The UK Government wants to see the Northern Ireland institutions delivering better public services, more investment and a stronger Union based on prosperity.” Chris Heaton-Harris, Daily Telegraph
- Celebrate the Good Friday Agreement by freeing Northern Ireland’s economy – Matthew Lynn, Daily Telegraph
Labour to continue “provocative and aggressive” advertising…
“Labour is to launch more “provocative and aggressive” adverts attacking Rishi Sunak this week by blaming him personally for crashing the economy and for soaring mortgage and council tax rates. The party is doubling down on its controversial strategy of claiming the prime minister is responsible for prosecution and sentencing and will expand its remit to economic and health policies. Further adverts by Labour this week, seen by The Times, will claim that Sunak thinks it is “acceptable” for council tax to rise above £2,000 and that he “thinks it’s right” that people are having to pay higher housing costs and mortgage rates.” – The Times
- Party to campaign in “primary colours” – Daily Telegraph
- Labour plans ban on global scammers’ spoof phone calls to UK – The Guardian
- The Mayor of London cautions against “bashing” the capital – Financial Times
- Downing Street drops support for ‘draconian’ bill that would let staff sue employers if they were offended by rude customers – Daily Mail
…as Starmer declares he “stands by every word”
“Try telling the people I meet who are scared to go out at night because their communities suffer the brunt of failures to tackle crime, that law and order doesn’t matter. They will give you short shrift. I make absolutely zero apologies for being blunt about this. I stand by every word Labour has said on the subject, no matter how squeamish it might make some feel. When 4,500 child abusers avoid prison, people don’t want more excuses from politicians – they want answers. My answer has been to make Labour the party of law and order once again.” – Sir Keir Starmer, Daily Mail
- Labour MPs “complaining about the ads” – Independent
- This desperate – and hypocritical – campaign of hate shows Labour are running scared – Daniel Johnson, Daily Mail
- Starmer was a key figure as State prosecutor in the moves to adopt the soft-pedalling policies he now lays at Sunak’s feet – Trevor Kavanagh, The Sun
Crackdown on e-cigarettes being sold to children
“Ministers are to launch “enforcement squads” as part of a £3 million crackdown on the illegal sale of e-cigarettes to children. Trading Standards officers will lead the new teams as they stage undercover purchasing missions at corner grocers and vape shops across England. In addition to assessing whether shopkeepers are selling vapes to under-aged customers, the teams will have the power to remove illegal products.” – The Times
Strikes next term could close schools for five days
“Every school pupil could miss five days of school next term as teaching unions ballot on strike action after rejecting government pay deals. The NASUWT became the fourth union to turn down a pay deal and will ballot members again on strikes. The National Education Union is already planning five days of strikes and Patrick Roach, the NASUWT general secretary, said it would “be looking to co-ordinate wherever we can” on industrial action. He said that the pay offer was “contemptuous” of teachers.” – The Times
- School strikes aren’t all bad. They leave less time for classroom agitprop – Simon Heffer, Daily Telegraph
- Junior doctors’ strike will be ‘most disruptive in NHS history’, health leaders warn – Financial Times
- Solutions, not strikes, can save the NHS – Leader, Daily Telegraph
BBC objects to Twitter label of “government funded media”
“The BBC is objecting to a new label describing it as “government funded media” on its main Twitter account. The corporation has contacted the social media giant over the designation on the @BBC account to resolve the “issue as soon as possible”. “The BBC is, and always has been, independent. We are funded by the British public through the licence fee,” it said. Elon Musk said he believes the BBC is one of the “least biased” outlets.” – BBC
Other political news
- India halts UK trade talks over Sikh extremists – The Times
- Just 215 of 45,000 Channel migrants were deported from Britain last year – The Sun
- Braverman blasts police force for sending five officers to seize collection of golliwog dolls from family pub – Daily Mail
Cochrane: Ross should tone down his rhetoric on tactical voting, but his ‘country before party’ mantra could smash SNP support
“Any arrangements with Labour should be agreed locally and, if possible, discreetly. And Conservative Central Office should cool their responses, stop playing the “heavy” and realise that Scottish voters are ahead of them on this issue, being well-practised in tactical voting. The final defeat of nationalism is still a fair way off. To get there, it would be best if everyone adopted that hugely successful wartime slogan to keep calm and carry on.” – Alan Cochrane, Daily Telegraph
- Ross risks Conservative split over tactical voting – The Times
>Today: ToryDiary: Take Ross urging tactical voting for Labour in Scotland with a pinch of salt
Timothy: Don’t be craven to America over our “special relationship”
“A grown-up assessment of the alliance with America must be realistic. There are trade-offs in any international relationship, and there is plenty we gain from our alliance. But that does not mean we must always be craven or compliant. Sooner or later Biden will leave office. He may be replaced by a friendlier president, but regardless, he will not be the last unfriendly face in the White House. Our job is to assess our interests – not to fawn embarrassingly about the “special relationship”, plead for a trade deal we do not need, or rush into every war America feels it needs to wage. In other words, we need to grow up, and do what is right for ourselves.” – Nick Timothy, Daily Telegraph
Phillips: Loudmouth minorities are ruling the roost
“Even non-partisan movements with good causes to fight are undermined by the tail-waggers. Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion have forced mainstream politicians to adopt unpopular low-traffic neighbourhoods in London. The police find themselves co-operating with Islamist sects on the grounds that not to do so might see them branded as Islamophobic. The bright promise of the Black Lives Matter movement evaporated the day that its leaders adopted the slogan “defund the police” and swerved into an ideological digression about reparations for slavery.” – Trevor Phillips, The Times
News in brief
- Why does the Scottish Tory leader think people should vote Labour? – Fraser Nelson, The Spectator
- Starmer was on the Sentencing Council that decided on child sex assault guidelines – Guido Fawkes
- The Good Friday Agreement will not be revived by repeating old debates – Lord Bew, The House magazine
- Standing down as an MP: a user’s guide – Alistair Burt, The Article
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