China 1) Sunak ‘urged’ to ‘expel Chinese diplomats’ over ‘brutal’ crackdown on anti-government protests in China
“Rishi Sunak is being urged to expel Chinese diplomats and take a tougher stance on China following the Communist Party’s brutal crackdown of protestors, which included the beating of a BBC journalist covering the events. Former Cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg argued diplomats should be expelled, and even suggested the Dalai Lama could be invited on a formal visit to Britain to show that the UK was not a ‘pushover’. Chinese ambassador Zheng Zeguang was hauled into the Foreign Office over the treatment of BBC journalist Ed Lawrence as he reported on local demonstrations against China’s zero-Covid strategy. Huge demonstrations have erupted across China in recent days in a furious public backlash to the government’s restrictive policies…” – The Daily Mail
- China’s ambassador summoned for a rebuke at the Foreign Office – The Sun
- China shows how not to handle a pandemic – Editorial, The Daily Telegraph
- Three tribes of Tory produce turbulence for their new leader – Quentin Letts, The Times
- Xi’s Covid-Leninism has destroyed China’s bid for economic supremacy – Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, The Daily Telegraph
>Today:
China 2) ‘UK taxpayers’ to pay Chinese state-owned nuclear group to quit nuclear power station
“The Government has forced a Chinese state nuclear group out of its new Sizewell C nuclear power station as it invests £700million into the scheme and forces China out of the contract. The Government has paid an undisclosed sum to China General Nuclear (CGN) to oust them…just hours after Rishi Sunak declared that the “golden era” of UK-China relations was “over”. He added that Beijing posed a “systemic challenge” to Britain. CGN initially had a 20 per cent stake in Sizewell C, but control will now be shared 50-50 between the Government and the French energy giant EDF. The government investment in Sizewell “allows for China General Nuclear’s exit from the project, including buyout costs, any tax due and commercial arrangements”, the business department said.” – The I
Donelan denies ‘watering down’ Online Safety Bill
“Conservative MPs have backed the Online Safety Bill but Michelle Donelan, the culture secretary, had to defend it from criticism by the father of Molly Russell, whose death at 14 was linked to social media. The bill was published yesterday after being rewritten to address concerns that it restricted freedom of speech. Sections that covered “legal but harmful” content seen by adults have been changed so that the government does not dictate a list of such harms. There are new measures to stop over-censorship by technology companies, and adult users will have the ability to filter out problematic content. The compromise risked a rebellion from Tory MPs who had sought greater controls on technology companies.” – The Times
- Dorries ‘delighted’ the legislation has been ‘repackaged’ after months of delays – The Daily Mail
- The softening of the Online Safety Bill is both welcome and overdue – Editorial, The Times
- We commend the rewriting of the Online Safety Bill – but how long before social media decides Conservative views are ‘harmful’? – Editorial, The Sun
- Striking a balance over online safety – Editorial, The Daily Mail
- The Online Safety Bill must protect children – Editorial, The Daily Telegraph
- Online Harms Bill will protect kids from cesspit of social media – but the danger is it also harms free speech – Mick Hume, The Sun
>Yesterday:
Braverman’s migrants speech likened to ‘Rivers of Blood’ by Britain’s most senior Asian police officer…
“Britain’s most senior Asian police officer has compared Suella Braverman’s comments on immigration to Enoch Powell’s infamous Rivers of Blood speech. Neil Basu, the UK’s former head of counter terrorism, described the Home Secretary’s choice of language on the asylum issue as “inexplicable” and “horrific”. Ms Braverman came in for criticism when she told the Telegraph she dreamed of sending migrants to Rwanda and also when she described the current crisis as an “invasion”. In an interview ahead of his retirement from the Metropolitan Police, Mr Basu, whose father came to the UK from India in the 1960s, said such language reminded him of the racism his family endured following Powell’s inflammatory speech.” – The Daily Telegraph
…as Jenrick ‘axes’ plan to turn migrant boats around in the Channel, arguing tough tactics ‘don’t work’
“Plans to use ‘pushback’ tactics against small boats in the Channel have been ditched by the Home Office, the immigration minister confirmed yesterday. Robert Jenrick said analysis showed there were only ‘limited circumstances’ in which the turnaround idea could be deployed against dinghies. He said the proposals were ‘currently withdrawn’ and there were ‘no current plans’ to bring them into operation. Another 426 migrants crossed the Channel on Monday…It brings the total since the start of the year to 42,588… A further unconfirmed number arrived yesterday despite poor visibility in the busy shipping lane. The minister’s comments appeared to draw a final line under the pushback measures, which the French government insists break international maritime law.” – The Daily Mail
- Britain has abandoned any pretence of controlling immigration – Allison Pearson, The Daily Telegraph
Daniel Finkelstein: Sorry nurses, but your strike is a mistake
“The action proposed by the nurses will — whatever they may say to the contrary — harm patient care. In fact, suggesting it will not would be a terrible admission. The nurses would be arguing it made no difference to patients whether most of them turned up to work or not. I can’t think that’s the point they wish to make. Or they would be suggesting any work that isn’t “frontline” is utterly without value and can be dispensed with, without any impact on patients. Which is obviously nonsense. And the nurses know it to be nonsense too. For the power of their strike lies only in the threat it poses to patient care…It would be like the train drivers going on strike and saying their action will have no impact on passenger travel.” – The Times
- Union bosses accuse ministers of showing an ‘astonishing lack of urgency’ to prevent Christmas rail strikes – The Daily Mail
- Ambulance workers vote to strike in England – The Financial Times
- Royal Mai, university lecturers, and sixth-form teachers strike again – The Daily Mail
>Today:
The FT and The Times pick up ConHome’s latest Moggcast…
“Jacob Rees-Mogg, the former business secretary and a close ally of ex- prime minister Boris Johnson, on Tuesday said MPs would be “ill-advised” to make life difficult for Sunak’s government. “I think if the Conservative party wants to win the next election we have to support our current leader and we therefore have to vote for what he puts in front of us, unless it is something that singularly disadvantages one’s own constituency,” he told the ConservativeHome website. Four rebellious tribes of Tory MPs appear to be seeking to derail Sunak. Sunak’s natural supporters should be centrist Conservatives…but some of these Tory MPs representing constituencies in the party’s so-called blue wall…are rebelling amid a challenge from the Liberal Democrats.” – The Financial Times
…as the former Business Secretary tells ‘wind farm rebels’ not to ‘blow it’ for the Tories at the next election
“Rival groups of Tory MPs who are heading for a confrontation over onshore wind power are “ill advised” and risk damaging the government’s election chances, Jacob Rees-Mogg has said…Sir Jake Berry, the former Tory party chairman, is among the latest to sign, with rebels confident they can overturn the government’s majority. Critics of onshore sites have begun a counter-offensive with at least 19 declared backers as ministers weigh up a compromise. Rees-Mogg told the Conservative Home website: “I think if the Conservative Party wants to win the next election we have to support our current leader and we therefore have to vote for what he puts in front of us unless it is something that singularly disadvantages one’s own constituency.”” – The Times
- If Sunak caves in to the wind turbine zealots, the lights will go out in Britain…and perhaps on his premiership, too – Ross Clark, The Daily Mail
- Generation gap threatens to sink the Tories – Alice Thomson, The Times
>Today:
‘Openly gay’ sports minister Andrew wears the ‘OneLove’ armband watching England-Wales game in Qatar
“The UK’s sports minister Stuart Andrew, who is openly gay, is wearing the OneLove armband for the highly anticipated Battle of Britain World Cup match this evening. Mr Andrew was pictured in the stands of Qatar’s Ahmed bin Ali Stadium alongside Welsh economy minister Vaughan Gething and Secretary David Davies on Tuesday night as the game got underway. Wearing a rainbow tie, his armband and his identifying documentation on a lanyard, Mr Andrew jumped to his feet and clapped in a box at the stadium. Earlier, he said he felt it was his duty to take a stand against Qatar’s homosexuality laws, but seriously considered boycotting the tournament. He said: ‘These games should be a celebration show and for all football fans to enjoy…’” – The Daily Mail
- Rashford fires England into World Cup last 16 – The Times
Madeline Grant: Secular Britain worships destructive new gods
“As long ago as 1867, Matthew Arnold was writing about the “slow withdrawing roar” of non-belief. In the intervening years, that roaring tide has become a deafening torrent. For the first time, the census has found that less than half of the population identifies as Christian. The number describing themselves as “non-religious” has almost trebled since the millennium…But while we may be losing our faith, that doesn’t mean society is losing its religion – if indeed, that is even possible. As Tom Holland brilliantly observes in Dominion, Western idealists who consider themselves emancipated from religious thought are beneficiaries of an inescapable Judeo-Christian inheritance that seeps into everything, even – especially – their own liberal and progressive beliefs.” – The Daily Telegraph
- ‘Calls grow’ to disestablish Church of England as Christians become minority – The Guardian
- Keep faith in religion, our rock in tough times – Editorial, Daily Express
Bank of England ‘not briefed’ on Kwarteng’s mini-Budget ahead of announcement, says Bailey
“Treasury officials did not know what was in the government’s “mini” Budget ahead of its announcement and were unable to brief the Bank of England on the overall scale of fiscal loosening it contained, the central bank’s governor said on Tuesday. The BoE’s monetary policy committee raised interest rates by 0.5 percentage points on the eve of former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s September’s fiscal statement — a smaller step than investors had expected given double-digit inflation. Although a Treasury official attended the MPC meeting, rate-setters were not able to factor in the impact of a £45bn-package that caused upheaval in financial markets, forcing the central bank into an emergency intervention.” – The Financial Times
- Mortgage rates start to ease after turmoil of Trussonomics – The Times
Labour ‘hits back’ at Tory attacks on plan to put VAT on private school fees
“Labour has hit back at Conservative attacks on its pledge to put VAT on private school fees, with analysis showing a drop in partnerships with state schools. The party has been accused of starting a “class war” against private schools though Labour sources said the Conservative’s 2017 manifesto had also promised to review whether to charge VAT on school fees if partnerships with state schools did not increase. The manifesto states: “‘We will keep open the option of changing the tax status of independent schools unless their partnership work increases.” Partnerships between private and state schools can take a number of different forms, including sharing facilities or expertise, invitations to events, or even sponsoring academies – in the case of some larger schools.” – The Guardian
- Private schools add £16.5 billion to the economy and £5.1 billion in tax contributions, analysis shows – The Daily Mail
- Miliband hints at political comeback – The Guardian
- Removing private schools’ tax breaks is an easy choice – Bridget Phillipson, The Times
- Labour’s class war on private schools would drag the whole country down – Philip Johnston, The Daily Telegraph
Sturgeon heckled with ‘shame on you’ during male violence speech
“A protester interrupted a speech by Nicola Sturgeon on tackling male violence against women after the audience was urged not to mention her controversial gender reform plans. The woman was ejected from the event to commemorate the 30th anniversary of charity Zero Tolerance after telling the First Minister she had “let down vulnerable women in Scotland”. Critics of Ms Sturgeon’s legislation allowing Scots to self-identify their legal gender have said male sexual predators would have a new means of gaining access to women’s spaces, such as changing rooms and refuges. In a lengthy diatribe, the unidentified protester told the First Minister: “You are allowing paedophiles, sex offenders and rapists to self-ID in Scotland and put women at risk…”” – The Daily Telegraph
News in Brief:
- The SNP doesn’t have a serious plan for independence – John Ferry, The Spectator
- John Mearsheimer: We’re playing Russian roulette – Freddie Sayers, UnHerd
- Not Wellcome here: our museums need defending from censorious activists – Henry Hill, CapX
- Ideology + competence = success – Tim Congdon, The Critic
- Can we take back control of the institutions? – Ed West, Wrong Side of History
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