Braverman calls for Met chief to quit over treatment of Jews
“Suella Braverman is leading calls for the head of the Metropolitan Police to quit as the force faces mounting pressure after threatening to arrest an “openly Jewish” man during a pro-Palestine rally. The former home secretary’s intervention comes as Oliver Dowden, the deputy prime minister, suggested that Scotland Yard has been “disrespecting” Jews. Speaking exclusively to The Telegraph, he said that it was “hard to think of any other minority that would be treated as disrespectfully as Jews seem to be”. Sir Mark Rowley has been summoned to a meeting with Chris Philp, the policing minister, who said he was “deeply concerned” by the Met’s handling of counter-protestors at Pro-Palestine rallies.” – Sunday Telegraph
- ‘Openly Jewish’ man threatened with arrest tells Rowley to quit – Mail on Sunday
Comment
>Today:
ToryDiary: As the Met disgraces itself again, the question for politicians: why is it still here?
Mordaunt wants an Iron Dome over Britain
“Penny Mordaunt has broken ranks to call for an Israeli-style “Iron Dome” missile defence system for Britain. In a highly unusual intervention, the Leader of the House of Commons has publicly urged Rishi Sunak to increase spending on defence, calling it a “duty to our citizens”. It comes as former defence secretaries, the former chief of the general staff, a former first sea lord and a former air marshall all call on the Prime Minister to bolster the UK’s air defences, warning that Britain would not be able to protect its citizens from a drone and missile attack of the type launched by Iran against Israel.” – Sunday Telegraph
- Sunak expected to unveil new warship programme – FT
Comment
Sunak vows to keep the two child benefit cap
“The Tories will keep the two-child benefit cap if they win the next election, Rishi Sunak has revealed. The policy – which limits the benefits that parents on Universal Credit can get for their kids – will be in the Conservative Party’s election manifesto. Mr Sunak has vowed to get tough on Britain’s ballooning benefits bill. Writing in today’s The Sun on Sunday, he said: “Working families do not see their incomes rise when they have more children. “Families on benefits should be asked to make the same financial decisions as those supporting themselves solely through work.” – Sun on Sunday
- PM unveils new five-point plan to crack down on benefits scroungers – Sunday Express
- Hoopla around Truss and Rayner shows Ashcroft still steering the debate – Observer
- Tories fear wipeout after another disastrous week – Observer
- Senior Conservatives warn BBC as they compile damning anti-Tory bias dossier – Mail on Sunday
- Dorset Tories tell MPs to stay away – FT
Comment
Hunt urged to review Bank of England’s independence
“MPs have demanded a review into the Bank of England’s independence, warning that it is saddling taxpayers with “entirely avoidable bills”. A group of more than 40 Conservative MPs has written to the Chancellor, saying they are “deeply concerned” the Bank is acting in a way that is “out of step” with the central banks of most other major economies. They say other mainstream central banks have adopted a “passive” form of quantitative tightening and are “shielding their populations from the costs of unwinding quantitative easing”. In contrast, they warn, the Bank has chosen an approach that costs the British public billions, “without any consideration of the costs or value for money for taxpayers” Signatories of the letter include Suella Braverman, the former home secretary, and former ministers Sir John Hayes, Sir Jacob Rees Mogg and Sir Simon Clarke.” – Sunday Telegraph
- Chancellor to pursue extra 2p cut in National Insurance – FT
- And Hunt reportedly mulling stamp duty and NI cuts – Observer
- Hunt lauded boss of hospital trust that faces deaths inquiry – Sunday Telegraph
Labour 1) We must not flinch from flying St George’s flag, says Starmer
“Sir Keir Starmer has said Labour must not flinch at flying the flag of St George as he declared that it “is the patriotic party now”. Writing for The Telegraph ahead of St George’s Day on Tuesday, the Labour leader said that he was “proud” to be English and that his party would celebrate the day of England’s patron saint “with enthusiasm”. The article represents a bold attempt to outmanoeuvre the Conservatives on the issue of national identity, as well as a slapdown to those in his own party who have criticised Labour’s use of patriotic symbols in its campaigning.” – Sunday Telegraph
- Tory party has ‘lost any right’ to call itself patriotic, says Starmer – Observer
- Labour shifts poll tactics to target fearful Tory over-65s – Observer
Comment
Labour 2) Cowley: Rayner is wounded but she’s still an asset for Labour
“As Labour’s “most dangerous beast”, Rayner is feeling hunted. She knows the Tories are out to get her and the minor revelations about her former living arrangements keep dribbling out. There are some in the parliamentary Labour Party who believe Rayner has acquired too much power and overreached but, though she is wounded, she retains the pragmatic support of the leadership. For now.” – Sunday Times
- The house sale document that could nail Rayner – Mail on Sunday
- Rayner dealt further blow in homes row as new document emerges – Sunday Telegraph
- Labour Deputy in fresh housing hypocrisy storm – Sun on Sunday
- Rayner ‘cheated’ during 2015 election campaign, senior Labour Party aide claims – Mail on Sunday
- Blair: ‘Politics is for the weird and the wealthy’ – Sunday Times
Comment
London Tory mayoral candidate: ‘I can still defeat Khan’
“Susan Hall has placed a digital countdown clock by the kettle in her kitchen, showing the days, hours, minutes and seconds to polling day in the London mayoral election. Rising early each morning, the Conservative candidate for mayor makes herself a cup of tea and contemplates the clock. She tells The Telegraph that each time the same thought occurs: “One day less to save London!” With just a week and a half remaining in the race, Ms Hall knows she has her work cut out to deny Sadiq Khan an unprecedented third mayoral term.” – Sunday Telegraph
Gove under pressure to scrap ‘foolish’ window planning rules
“Michael Gove is under pressure to scrap health and safety regulations that are forcing homebuilders to shrink the size of windows to stop people falling out. Developers up and down the country are building “gloomier” and “darker” homes due to rule changes brought in by the Government two years ago. Upstairs windows in new-build homes must now be at least 1.1 metres (3.6ft) from the floor, leaving younger children unable to see outside. The regulations were introduced over fears that hotter summers brought on by global warming will lead to people opening their windows more frequently, putting them at risk of falling out.” – Sunday Telegraph
Yousaf could lose Holyrood majority as coalition partners rebel
“The SNP could lose its working majority at Holyrood if the Scottish Greens decide to end their power-sharing deal over an abandoned greenhouse gas target. The Greens are to call an extraordinary general meeting at which party members are expected to vote on whether to continue with the deal, which kept the SNP in power after it failed to win an overall majority in 2021. Scottish Green Party co-leader Patrick Harvie said things have “come to a head” after the Scottish Government scrapped its target to cut greenhouse gases by 75 per cent by 2030.” – Sunday Telegraph
- Scottish Greens to vote on power-sharing deal – FT
Hannan: Reform’s success is a mirage. Even a Canada-style Tory wipeout won’t change that
“Here’s my manifesto. Better schools. Houses in the right places. Sensible immigration. Smart policing. Efficient public services. Lower, fairer taxes. Who’s with me? You can hardly be against a list like that, can you? Except, obviously, that I haven’t committed myself to anything. Using columnist’s privilege, I have listed a bunch of palpably desirable outcomes, thereby implying that others, whether from knavery or foolery, don’t want them. Politics often works this way. A facile but effective way to criticise any government is to pretend that it could operate without trade-offs. The programme of Reform UK bears a striking resemblance to the list with which I opened.” – Sunday Telegraph
Lib Dem MP paid £120,000 to firm run by party officials
“A Liberal Democrat MP has claimed more than £120,000 on expenses after she paid a consultancy company owned and operated by her own party officials. Sarah Green, who took Chesham & Amersham from the Conservatives at a crucial by-election in 2021, has spent £120,699.98 of taxpayers’ money on services provided by Midas Training. There is no suggestion that Green has broken any rules: MPs are generally only prohibited from using expenses to pay companies in which either they, their partner, or a family member has a financial interest; the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa), the expenses regulator, confirmed Green’s payments fell within the MPs’ expenses scheme. However, there are questions about whether this is a proper use of taxpayers’ money.” – Sunday Times
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