Sunak wants 2p tax cut before next general election
“Rishi Sunak wants to cut National Insurance or income tax by up to 2p before next year’s general election and head into the campaign “promising to do more”, The Telegraph understands. Officials have been investigating the impact and likely duration of current levels of inflation, after recent figures proved worse than Mr Sunak and Jeremy Hunt, the Chancellor, had expected even several weeks ago. Senior figures have tentatively concluded that despite the “stickiness” of inflation, the economy is likely to recover sufficiently for Mr Hunt to introduce a cut in April, even if he has to wait until the Budget in March to announce the move.” – Sunday Telegraph
- Tories on election alert as the Prime Minister looks to help hard-hit families – Sunday Express
More:
- Net zero ‘grocery tax’ will push shopping bills up by £4bn, Tories warned – Sunday Telegraph
Editorial:
Inquiry 1) Prime Minister under fire as ‘stupid’ Eat Out to Help Out scheme to be focus
“Rishi Sunak is facing a barrage of criticism in the run-up to the official Covid-19 inquiry as a leading scientist attacks his “spectacularly stupid” Eat Out to Help Out scheme, which is believed to have caused a sudden rise in cases of the virus. The prime minister’s role as chancellor during the pandemic is under increasing scrutiny – as is that of his predecessor at No 10, Boris Johnson – in an escalating Covid blame game at Westminster as Lady Hallett prepares to open her investigation into the government’s pandemic response later this month. The president of the British Medical Association, Prof Martin McKee, also criticises the “dysfunctional” way in which the government, including the Treasury under Sunak, overlooked scientific advice throughout the pandemic.” – The Observer
- MoD spends £3m on lawyers to help Government’s Covid inquiry response – Sunday Telegraph
Comment:
- Sunak must stop trying to hide evidence from the Covid inquiry – Andrew Rawnsley, The Observer
- We could have a long, long Covid inquiry, or just give Whitty a tape recorder – Oliver Colvile, Sunday Times
Inquiry 2) Johnson could lose legal funding
“The Cabinet Office has warned Boris Johnson it will pull public funding for his legal advice for the Covid inquiry if he “undermines the government’s position” or releases evidence without permission. Government lawyers wrote to Johnson last week saying money would “cease to be available” if he broke any of their conditions. These include the requirement to co-operate with any “reasonable” demand and to send them his witness statements and any requested documents for pre-approval and redaction before they are submitted to the inquiry. The advice puts the former prime minister on a collision course with officials, with experts suggesting that he may have already breached some of its provisions.” – Sunday Times
- Sunak accused of withholding texts as they ‘could reveal plot’ to oust predecessor – Sun on Sunday
- The Covid inquiry questions that could sink Johnson and Sunak – The Observer
Comment:
- Boris has no interest in an honest account of his actions during Covid – Dan Hodges, Mail on Sunday
Sunak to host global AI summit amid warnings of ‘threat to human civilisation’
“Rishi Sunak is to host a global summit in London this autumn aimed at devising international rules on artificial intelligence amid warnings it could threaten human extinction, The Telegraph can reveal. Mr Sunak is to seek Joe Biden’s buy-in for the conference during the Prime Minister’s visit to Washington DC this week. The Technology Secretary Chloe Smith will meanwhile meet with UK allies in Paris on Tuesday to build a united front on AI regulation ahead of the West opening up talks with China on the subject. The UK is conducting the diplomatic blitz to accelerate cooperation on AI safety amid growing fears that without regulation the technology could pose grave risks.” – Sunday Telegraph
Comment:
- On election day, I fear we’ll see how harmful AI can be – Sajid Javid MP, Sunday Times
- This is what the anti-American left will say about Rishi’s trip – Liam Fox MP, Sunday Express
Morgues in North Africa full with migrants who died trying to reach Europe, Jenrick warns
“Morgues in North Africa are overflowing with the bodies of dead migrants trying to get to Europe, the Immigration Minister has warned. Robert Jenrick said parts of the Mediterranean risk “becoming a graveyard” – in a wake-up call to critics of his bid to stop the boats. Following his five-day tour of the region he vowed to get flights to Rwanda off the country “as quickly as we possibly can” and eyes more return deals with other countries… British officers are being deployed in the region to work with local enforcement as the migration crisis explodes. Almost four times as many people crossed from Tunisia into Italy in the first three months of this year than the same period last year.” – Sun on Sunday
- Starmer thinks enforcing our borders is immoral – Robert Jenrick MP, Sunday Express
Comment:
- Labour’s radical land reform plans go too far – Liam Halligan, Sunday Telegraph
Davis urges Government to build a new generation of 20th-century ‘garden cities’
“Rishi Sunak will tomorrow be urged to build a new generation of ‘garden cities’ and towns to tackle the housing crisis and appeal to younger voters struggling to own their own home. Senior Tory MP David Davis will outline plans for a programme of entirely ‘new towns’ so hundreds of thousands of homes can be built, overcoming ‘nimby’ (not in my back yard) opposition to new houses in built-up areas. The move comes amid growing Tory panic that voters in their 20s and 30s will blame the Government for being unable to buy a home, as lack of new housing keeps property prices high. It also comes amid fears that these voters will back Labour after Sir Keir Starmer vowed to impose local building targets scrapped by the Prime Minister after a backlash from Tory MPs.” – Mail on Sunday
- Starmer branded hypocrite for wanting councils to punish landowners months after selling plot – Sun on Sunday
Tory MPs call for the UK to withdraw from the Council of Europe
“Tory MPs have urged Rishi Sunak to pull out of a European “talking shop” that costs the UK £35million a year. They want to quit the Council of Europe – an organisation that has attacked Government plans to stop migrants arriving illegally in small boats. Despite leaving the EU, the UK remains a member and sends a delegation to “assembly” sessions four times a year. Former Armed Forces minister Sir Mike Penning, MP for Hemel Hempstead, said: “I don’t think British tax payers will understand why we’re spending £35million on a European talking shop when there’s so much it could be better spent on here.” And Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant, a former whip, said: “Winston Churchill said ‘Jaw Jaw is better than War War’, but I do wonder at times how effective a talking shop the Council of Europe is.”” – Sunday Express
- Gove blasts civil servants with bad ‘attitudes’ for treating Brexit like a ‘big mistake’ – Sun on Sunday
>Today: ToryDiary: Will the EU uphold democracy and the rule of law in Hungary?
Just Stop Oil yobs could have driving licences revoked under new crackdown
“Just Stop Oil yobs could have their driving licences revoked under a planned government crackdown. The Sun on Sunday can reveal proposals to haul eco yobs off the road if their disruptive tactics break the law. Ministers are eyeing new legislation to let judges force someone to hand over their licence if they have committed a public order offence. The powers could be used to penalise anyone found guilty of the offence and would not be limited to road-blocking activists. But insiders working on the plans admit the activists are being targeted to deliver an ironic blow to those making drivers’ lives hell.” – Sun on Sunday
- Khan’s staff encouraged to join militant eco clowns at Extinction Rebellion – Sun on Sunday
Comment:
- As Sunak clamps down on Just Stop Oil, Starmer meets their demands – Esther McVey, Sunday Express
Henry Hill: CCHQ should give London Tories as broad a choice as possible in picking their mayoral champion
“Perhaps that’s why there are so many people tilting for the Tory nomination in 2024: MLAs such as Andrew Boff and Susan Hall; the MP Paul Scully; ex-special advisers Daniel Korski and Samuel Kasumu, and others from the world of business and even the Welsh Parliament. Yet Tory members in London are not going to be selecting from this broad field. Instead, they will choose only from a three-person shortlist decided by Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ). Why this abundance of caution? The national party has the right to screen candidates who want to fight an election under its colours. But in a devolved election, it surely ought to be making as limited an intervention as possible.” – Sunday Telegraph
Labour’s North Sea oil and gas ban ‘will lead to 60pc drop in production’
“Labour’s proposal to ban new oil and gas licences will lead to 45,000 job losses and an 60pc drop in domestic production, industry bosses have warned. Offshore Energies UK, which represents major oil companies, said blocking all new development in the North Sea was “premature” and would make tens of thousands of industry workers jobless years before they have a chance to switch to roles in green energy. Sir Keir Starmer is reportedly set to announce a ban on new oil and gas projects this month as part of his plans to make Britain a “clean energy superpower” if Labour wins the next general election.” – Sunday Telegraph
- The gigantic North Sea oil field that could be Britain’s last – Sunday Telegraph
- How Red Ed Miliband powered Labour’s green agenda, but Starmer may pull the plug – Sunday Times
‘Secret plan’ by Starmer to hit the well-off by cutting their access to GPs, libraries and bin collections
“Labour was last night accused of declaring ‘class war on Middle Britain’ over shock plans to slash public services in affluent areas. Party leader Sir Keir Starmer faced claims he was plotting a ‘hard-Left attack’ on the wealthy by diverting resources from rich areas to poorer postcodes – affecting access to GPs, school places and even bin collections. The radical plans, included among draft proposals for Labour’s Election manifesto, would extend equality laws covering race, age, gender, disability and sexuality to include ‘the inequality of social class’. It means public bodies could make spending decisions that penalise middle-class areas to divert funds to poorer neighbourhoods.” – Mail on Sunday
- ‘Last Corbynista in power’ excluded from North East mayoral contest – The Observer
- Woman sexually assaulted by MP condemns Labour’s complaints process – The Observer
Editorial:
- Labour offers nothing to Middle England except a new class war – Mail on Sunday
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