Sunak 1) The Prime Minister’s attempt to ‘boost Tory morale’ hit after Halfon joins Heappey is resigning
“Rishi Sunak’s attempts to boost morale in Conservative ranks ahead of the Easter recess were hit by two ministerial resignations on Tuesday. The UK prime minister was hoping to send his MPs off for the three-week parliamentary break with an upbeat assessment of the economy. But instead, he was forced into a mini-reshuffle after Robert Halfon became the second minister to quit his post and announced he would not be standing for re-election. Halfon’s shock decision to quit as minister for skills in the education department came within hours of the resignation of armed forces minister James Heappey, who had announced earlier this month that he would be joining more than 60 other Tory MPs stepping down at the next general election.” – The Financial Times
- The education minister said he also intended to step down as an MP at the forthcoming general election, but praised the Prime Minister – The Times
- Gullis makes ‘political comeback’ as Deputy Party Chairman after mini-reshuffle – The Sun
- Conservatives drop to lowest polling numbers since ‘bloody aftermath’ of Truss mini-Budget – The Daily Telegraph
- Local elections could see ‘ungovernable’ Tories turn on Sunak – The I
- Can it get worse for the Tories? Oh yes it can – Daniel Finkelstein, The Times
- Sunak can scrape some cheer from his next by-election – Stephen Bush, The Financial Times
- The Tories are clueless – but Starmer’s attack plan has a fatal flaw – Ben Marlow, The Daily Telegraph
- Sunak’s greatest liability is his deluded party – Stephen Bush, The Financial Times
>Today:
>Yesterday:
Sunak 2) Triple lock will stay for the rest of the decade if Tories win election, he says
“Rishi Sunak has said the pensions triple lock will remain for the rest of the decade if the Tories win the general election, insisting it was “affordable”. The triple lock guarantees that the state pension will rise each year by either 2.5 per cent, average earnings or inflation, with the highest figure of the three being picked. However, some Tories are against it being included in the party’s manifesto, wanting the promise to be abandoned and the money spent on other priorities. The triple lock has been a central plank in the Conservatives’ pitch to voters in their 13-year run in Government, but think tanks have warned that it will become unaffordable in the years to come… If the election is held this autumn and the Tories win, that means the triple lock would stay until at least 2029.” – The Daily Telegraph
- He mocks Truss’s claim she was ousted as Prime Minister by the ‘Deep State’ – The Sun
- The Prime Minister told select committee heads that better productivity would allow tax cuts – The Times
- ‘No heroics needed’ to find £20 billion of savings, he tells public services – The Sun
- State pension age may rise to 68 sooner to pay for triple lock, ex-ministers warn – The I
- Minimum wage is UK’s ‘most successful economic policy in a generation’ says the Resolution Foundation – The Guardian
- Sunak gets his ear chewed – but not in the Russian way – Tim Stanley, The Daily Telegraph
- He dodges questions on Rwanda, the deep state, and more – Tom Peck, The Times
- ‘And you part of the deep state, Prime Minister?’ And for once, Sunak’s answer was quite witty – Quentin Letts, The Daily Mail
Sunak 3) He is ‘facing a split’ over China designation decision
“Rishi Sunak is facing government splits over plans to formally designate China as a threat to Britain under new national security laws. On Monday the UK and the US accused Beijing of a “prolific” global campaign to seize the personal information of politicians, journalists, academics and millions of voters. Sunak insisted that Britain was tougher on China than most of its allies and said that he would not rule out a further crackdown on TikTok…Oliver Dowden, the deputy prime minister, indicated that the government was preparing to place China on a new enhanced list of countries that pose the biggest national security risk to the UK. Under the plans, anyone working “at the direction” of China or state-linked Chinese companies would be required to register with the government…” – The Times
- US and UK accuse China of cyber attacks on politicians and companies – The Financial Times
- UK ‘more robust’ with China than allies, Sunak says – The Daily Telegraph
- He promises a ‘careful’ crackdown in wake of China cyber attacks – The Financial Times
- Foreign Office summons senior Chinese diplomat over ‘malicious cyber activity’ – The Guardian
- China hawks in UK only learned they had been targeted by hackers from US press release – The Daily Telegraph
- The Chinese see us as a nation of soft-bellied layabouts, addicted to their cut-price fast fashion and electronics. And they’re right – Sarah Vine, The Daily Mail
Sunak 4) ‘Cabinet clash’ over defence spending as he refuses to commit that 2.5 per cent of GDP for the armed forces would be in the Conservative manifesto
“Rishi Sunak should commit to spending more on defence in the Conservative Party general election manifesto, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has said, amid warnings that the UK is not ready for an all-out war with Russia. Shapps made clear he wanted to see the 2.5 per cent GDP target in the manifesto, hours after the Prime Minister refused to say whether it would be included. The Cabinet clash came as a senior army chief admitted to the defence select committee that while the UK armed forces can “get out the door tonight” for an urgent military operation, they are not ready for an “enduring” ground war with Russia due to equipment and personnel shortages… Defence spending is set to be around 2.3 per cent of GDP in 2024-25.” – The I
- Shapps is accused of ‘cheating’ over claims more money is being spent on the UK’s armed forces – The Daily Mail
- He ‘piles pressure’ on Sunak to increase defence spending – Daily Express
- Army can’t afford enough ammunition to protect Britain, general warns – The Times
The Government ‘pours cold water’ on Davie’s idea to charge wealthy more for BBC licence fee
“The Conservatives have made clear that wealthier Britons will not be made to pay a higher BBC licence fee after Tim Davie, the corporation’s director general, floated the idea. Mr Davie said the corporation was also looking at licence fee non-payment and whether criminalisation is the best option to enforce compliance. “There is no doubt that the market has changed hugely since the licence fee was introduced, and I think it is right to ask fundamental questions about its longevity,” the director-general told the Royal Television Society… But a Tory source responded: “Charging better off households more for receiving the same service as audience shares and trust fall is not something a Conservative government could countenance.” The licence fee currently stands at £159.” – The Daily Telegraph
- Rees-Mogg attacks BBC for ‘absolutely monstrous’ proposed reform to licence fee – Daily Express
- The BBC serves Labour’s political bedfellows perfectly. Why would Starmer jeopardise that? – Editorial, The Sun
- The BBC cares more about Asian aunties from Bradford and rapper called Big Zuu than it does about the Greatest Story Ever Told – Quentin Letts, The Daily Mail
- Our topsy turvey legal system pounces on old and sick for not having a TV licence as real criminals go free – Ross Clark, The Sun
Mordaunt claims 70-plus Tory association visits are ‘to help the party’
“It was a finding that raised eyebrows about leadership ambitions: Penny Mordaunt had visited 40 Tory associations across the country since Rishi Sunak became Prime Minister. Now, Ms Mordaunt, the House of Commons Leader, has written to The Telegraph with an urgent clarification: The real figure is actually more than 70. In a letter published in today’s newspaper, Ms Mordaunt mounts a defence of the trips, arguing they are helping see off the electoral threat from Labour at the next election. She also notes that her visits have raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for candidates standing for election to be MPs or councillors… Ms Mordaunt’s stop-bys at local Tory associations are not happening every 13 days on average…but actually more like every week.” – The Daily Telegraph
Pressure for ban on new-build ‘rip off charges’ grows as dozens of Tory MPs write to Gove demanding a change in the law
“Dozens of senior MPs today wrote to Michael Gove demanding a ban on new-build rip off charges. The group of 46 Tory backbenchers want to change the law to stop big developers dishing out bogus maintenance fees to residents. And they want the government to take control of public spaces such as roads and parks being managed by private firms. Around four million Brits are living in “fleeceholds”, new build estates where common spaces haven’t been adopted by local councils. Instead private companies or developers issue large sums, often in exchange for shoddy maintenance services with little or no scope for redress. Anguished residents have spent years crying out for action… Tory MPs want the Leasehold and Freehold Bill…to be amended to end the fleecehold model.” – The Sun
Barclay apologises for not recusing himself sooner from incinerator decision
“The environment secretary has refused to say whether he abused his position when he tried to stop an incinerator being built in his constituency. But Steve Barclay apologised for not properly declaring his interest and recusing himself, when questioned about it on Tuesday. Barclay has been furiously opposing a waste-to-energy incinerator in Wisbech, in his North East Cambridgeshire constituency, which would burn non-recyclable waste in order to generate energy for local industrial use. The incinerator was signed off by the energy department last month after a recommendation from the Planning Inspectorate. According to reports Barclay made Number 10 aware that he was furious about this decision.” – The Guardian
- Sewage spills double to record 4million hours in England – The Times
Lords approves law that would block UAE Telegraph takeover
“Foreign state influence over British newspapers will be outlawed after the House of Lords voted to effectively block the UAE bid for The Telegraph. Peers passed an amendment to rule out the “ownership, influence or control” of newspapers and periodical news magazines by foreign governments. Lord Parkinson, the culture minister, announced that the law would later be extended to online newspapers. RedBird IMI, a fund 75 per cent backed by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE vice-president, had positioned itself to take control of The Telegraph and The Spectator magazine by repaying the debts of the Barclay family, the current owners. The takeover had been in limbo under scrutiny from the Government…” – The Daily Telegraph
Satisfaction with the NHS falls to record low
“Satisfaction with the NHS has fallen to a historic low, with only a quarter of the British public believing that the health service is working. Experts said people felt trapped in a “toxic relationship” with the NHS, supporting the institution on principle but increasingly fed up, sick and anxious because of its failures. The annual report by the King’s Fund and Nuffield Trust think tanks found that public confidence in the health service was at its lowest since polling began in 1983. The difficulty of seeing a GP was the biggest source of frustration. Just 24 per cent of people said they were satisfied with the NHS in 2023, a year of “strikes, scandals and sustained long waits for care”. This had fallen from 29 per cent the previous year and a peak of 70 per cent in 2010.” – The Times
- NHS needs more than a sticking plaster – Editorial, The Daily Mail
- Bevan’s NHS legacy is in tatters, and Labour will have to repair the damage – Philip Johnston, The Daily Telegraph
Labour retreats on plan for ‘a better Brexit deal’ after EU snub
“Labour has scaled back plans for a quick renegotiation of the Brexit trade deal after it was snubbed by the European Union. Sir Keir Starmer has quietly dropped his ambition to secure a major overhaul of the pact when it comes up for review in 2025…EU sources said he was now taking a more “realistic” approach after Brussels warned him it would not reopen the agreement. The Labour leader has criticised the 2019 deal struck by Boris Johnson as “far too thin” and said he would renegotiate it to boost economic growth. In September, he talked up a planned review of how the pact is working, scheduled to take place in 2025, as the opportunity to make changes… But the EU Commission has privately warned him that it is broadly happy with the agreement…” – The Daily Telegraph
- UK politicians need to get over Brexit and prioritise trade, say businesses – The Financial Times
- Reeves’s team behind Budget tax cut leak, ‘government sources’ claim – The I
- Welcome to Starmer’s Britain, where class hatred will ruin our private schools – Allison Pearson, The Daily Telegraph
>Today:
Matheson: I won’t resign as MSP despite iPad rules breach
“The former health secretary Michael Matheson has said he will not resign as an MSP despite being found to have breached parliamentary rules. The Falkirk MSP returned to Holyrood on Tuesday after almost seven weeks absent. It was the first time he had been in parliament since he resigned on February 8 before the publication of a report on his £11,000 iPad bill he had racked up on holiday in Morocco in 2022. He told journalists after the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) issued its findings this month that he hoped Holyrood’s standards process would conclude “shortly”. Asked on Tuesday after leaving an SNP group meeting at Holyrood whether he would resign, he said “no”… Matheson had been missing from Holyrood for weeks…” – The Times
- He returned to Holyrood for first time on Tuesday since quitting as Health Secretary – The Daily Telegraph
News in Brief:
- The painful truth about Southgate’s England – Jawad Iqbal, The Spectator
- The return of the Irish right – David Swift, UnHerd
- Yousaf doesn’t understand his own Hate Crime Act – Eliot Wilson, CapX
- Men deserve single-sex spaces too – Georgia L. Gilholy, The Critic
- Total Tory destruction? Be careful what you wish for – Tim Chapman, J’Accuse
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