Starmer 1) The Prime Minister removes ‘unsettling’ portrait of Thatcher from Number 10
“Sir Keir Starmer has had a portrait of Margaret Thatcher removed from No 10 Downing Street weeks after moving in. The Prime Minister found the artwork “unsettling” and asked for it to be taken down, according to his biographer. The portrait of Baroness Thatcher was commissioned by Gordon Brown and unveiled to the Iron Lady at a private reception in 2009. Painted by Richard Stone, one of Britain’s leading portrait artists, it was intended for permanent display in Downing Street. The decision to take down the painting…was revealed by Tom Baldwin, Sir Keir’s biographer…The former journalist reportedly said the Prime Minister delivered the news while the pair viewed the painting hanging in the former No 10 study, unofficially known as the Thatcher Room.” – The Daily Telegraph
- Starmer will be responsible for his record of failure and can’t just blame Tories – Leo McKinstry, Daily Express
Starmer 2) He says Harris has brought ‘profound change’ to the US election
“There has been a “profound change” in the American election since Kamala Harris became the Democratic presidential candidate, Sir Keir Starmer has said. The prime minister said that “everyone can see” the difference in the month since President Biden made way for Harris after senior Democrats raised concerns over his age. Ministers have repeatedly said that Britain would work with whoever ended up in the White House. But Labour is understood to significantly favour a Democrat win, and key party figures have deep links to Harris’s party… There are clear similarities between Harris’s campaign and the one run by Starmer. Harris told voters last week “you can always trust me to put country above party”, a phrase similar to Starmer’s pledges during the British election.” – The Times
Starmer 3) He is warned he cannot ‘sidestep Brussels’ in bid to reset UK-EU relations
“Sir Keir Starmer cannot sidestep Brussels as he seeks to improve the UK’s post-Brexit ties with the EU, officials in the bloc have warned after the British prime minister’s trips to Berlin and Paris. In the last few days Starmer met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron in the latest flurry of diplomacy with EU leaders since he entered Downing Street last month. During the two-day tour he talked up his proposed UK-EU “reset” and emphasised his desire for “a closer relationship on a number of fronts, including the economy, including defence, including exchanges”. However, he also reiterated his red lines on Brexit, which include no UK re-entry to the EU single market or customs union, or the return of free movement.” – The Financial Times
- How Starmer working with EU on illegal immigration could lead to a better Brexit – The I
- Has Macron gone mad? And how long will it be until he stabs his new best chum Starmer in the back? – Jonathan Miller, The Daily Mail
Starmer 4) He faces a ‘Labour backlash’ over his smoking ban
“Sir Keir Starmer is facing a Labour backlash over plans to outlaw smoking in pub beer gardens amid warnings that it will force more pubs to close. The Prime Minister has confirmed that he is looking at extending the smoking ban to outdoor areas, which would also include sports stadiums and parks. His proposals to extend the ban to beer gardens have been described by one of his own MPs as an “attack [on] working-class culture”. Business leaders also hit out at the “nuts” move, while ministers privately questioned whether Sue Gray was behind the “mad” decision. Downing Street strongly denied suggestions that Ms Gray, the Prime Minister’s chief of staff, was behind the plans, describing the claim as “ridiculous”. Sir Keir defended the plans on Thursday…” – The Daily Telegraph
- Labour’s ‘authoritarian’ outdoor smoking ban could see ‘one in eight’ pubs close – The Daily Mail
- How would the outdoor smoking ban work, and will it backfire for Labour? – The Times
- Farage says smokers are ‘heroes of the nation’ – The i
- Starmer faces pushback from pubs over ‘bonkers’ outdoor smoking curbs plans – The Guardian
- Pubs hit out at UK plans to ban smoking in outdoor areas – The Financial Times
- McVey told to ‘get a grip’ for using Holocaust poem to criticise smoking ban – The Guardian
- Starmer’s invasive ban on smoking outdoors will be catastrophic for the nation’s pubs – Editorial, The Sun
- Labour calls time on thousands of pubs – Editorial, The Daily Mail
- The Tories didn’t defend liberty in office. But it’s never too late to start – Fraser Nelson, The Daily Telegraph
- Starmer’s smoking ban will hammer pubs and it won’t stop people lighting up – Kate Nicholls, The Sun
Reeves warned of ‘double Labour rebellion’ over winter fuel and spending cuts
“Rachel Reeves has been warned she could face a double rebellion over the Budget if she pushes ahead with even deeper cuts to public services as well as axeing the winter fuel allowance for pensioners. It was reported that the Chancellor has asked several Whitehall departments – including health and education – to find “savings” of up to £1bn to help fill the £22bn black hole she says Labour inherited from the Tories. This plan would go further than the £3.2bn of cuts across Whitehall announced in July when she revealed the extent of the government’s public finances crisis. The Department of Health has been asked to find £1.3bn of savings before the 30 October Budget, while the Department for Education is one of a number being asked for £1bn…” – The i
Voters are sceptical of Labour claims that finances were worse than expected
“Most voters do not believe Sir Keir Starmer’s claim that he found the public finances in a worse state than expected and hold Labour at least partly responsible for looming tax rises and spending cuts. This week the prime minister warned of a “painful” budget…in a Downing Street speech designed to pin the blame for unpopular decisions on the Conservative legacy. However, polling…finds widespread scepticism…after the government’s approval rating dropped 20 points in a month. Now 51 per cent of voters disapprove of the Labour record, compared with 23 per cent who approve. Starmer braced Britain for things to get worse over the coming months, urging voters to accept “short-term pain for long-term good” as he sought to remove a “deep rot” from the heart of the British state.” – The Times
Gray accused of lacking ‘political judgement’ by senior Labour insiders
“Labour MPs are growing increasingly impatient with Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff Sue Gray, claiming the former senior civil servant “lacks political judgement”, party insiders have told i. Cabinet members, ministers and Labour backbenchers are believed to be among those briefing against Ms Gray, who was best known for leading the inquiry into the Downing Street parties during the Covid pandemic lockdowns in 2020 and 2021, before Sir Keir appointed her as his most senior adviser in March 2023. Ms Gray has cut a controversial figure since she was appointed as the Labour leader’s chief of staff, with reports of clashes – denied by No 10 – between her and her former boss, Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, and Labour’s head of political strategy Morgan McSweeney.” – The i
- Starmer’s chief of staff is ‘in another row over a Number 10 appointment’ – The Daily Mail
- Even Labour thinks the Blob is incompetent – David Frost, The Daily Telegraph
Rayner 1) Bring in skilled migrants to fuel housebuilding boom, the Deputy Prime Minister is urged
“Britain must open the door to more migrants in order to deliver Angela Rayner’s building boom, a think tank has said. A report by the Institute for Government (IfG) said that in order to hit the most ambitious housebuilding target since the 1960s, the Housing Secretary should consider loosening immigration policy. It urged Ms Rayner to set out a construction skills plan that may need to include changing visa rules to bring in more skilled construction workers from abroad. The IfG suggested this could be done with seasonal workers’ visas commonly used in agriculture. “The new Government has bold plans which set out encouraging first steps, but its housebuilding programme poses huge delivery challenges as much as it does political ones,” said Sophie Metcalfe…” – The Daily Telegraph
Rayner 2) Staff will be granted ‘right to demand four-day week’
“Workers will be given rights to demand a four-day week in a law planned to be announced this autumn, it has emerged. The government’s package of worker rights will include a “compressed hours” system, enabling staff to fulfil their weekly contracted hours over four days…This initiative will be part of legislation led by Angela Rayner…developed in collaboration with trade unions and businesses. Employees have the legal right to request flexible hours, which can include part-time working, flexible start and finish times or working from home, but companies do not have to agree. The balance of power will shift, requiring companies legally to offer flexible working from the first day of employment…This change will give workers far more leverage to request a four-day working week.” – The Times
- TUC warns Starmer: do not water down ban on zero-hours contracts – The Guardian
- Labour’s lawfare nightmare has only just begun – Fred de Fossard, The Daily Telegraph
Miliband deals ‘final blow’ to North Sea oil after ‘siding with Greenpeace’
“Ed Miliband has bowed to Greenpeace by refusing to fight a climate lawsuit brought against two of Britain’s biggest North Sea oil schemes. The Energy Secretary has said that he will not resist legal challenges against licences issued for the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil fields – meaning the two projects are at high risk of being halted. Claire Coutinho, the shadow energy secretary, described the decision as a “final blow” for the North Sea. Equinor is developing Rosebank, 60 miles west of Shetland, which contains up to 500m barrels of oil and was planned to operate until at least 2050. Jackdaw, which would produce 40,000 barrels a day for two decades or more, is being developed by Shell… A final decision on the licences will depend on the companies and the courts…” – The Daily Telegraph
- UK government will not challenge legal bid to block Rosebank oilfield – The Financial Times
- By refusing to defend oil exploration, Labour will harm growth and energy security – Editorial, The Times
I would not have been a minister under the Tories, says Labour’s Vallance
“The Labour minister Patrick Vallance, who helped spearhead the country’s response to the Covid pandemic, has said he would not have served as a minister in a Conservative government. The former UK government chief scientific adviser was made a peer and appointed science minister this year after Keir Starmer’s party swept to victory in the general election. And he made clear on Thursday that, if he had been asked by Rishi Sunak to consider serving in a Tory government: “I wouldn’t have done, no”… Last year, Vallance’s private diaries from the Covid pandemic made the headlines, revealing his frustration with the politicians at the heart of government at the time. But he said his main concern was about science not being integrated in the system.” – The Guardian
Rail minister ‘accused of misconduct’ after ‘having whistleblower sacked’
“The rail minister has been accused of misconduct in public office after claims emerged that he helped to get an engineer sacked for raising concerns about safety at Euston station. When he was chair of National Rail Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill is said to have “pressured” a consultancy firm into taking disciplinary action. The alleged target of his ire was Gareth Dennis, an engineer who told a journalist that the London station was dangerously overcrowded. It was reported that Hendy told his officials to “deal with” him. He also complained to Dennis’s employer, Systra UK, a contractor to Network Rail, raising doubts about their commercial relationship, it has been claimed. Dennis was dismissed last month and Hendy’s complaints about his conduct were cited by his employer.” – The Times
Special relationship at risk if UK bans arms sales to Israel, says Trump adviser
“Labour risks a serious rift in the UK’s special relationship with the US if it goes ahead with a ban on arms sales to Israel, Donald Trump’s last national security adviser has warned. Robert O’Brien, still one of the key security voices in the Trump circle, said the UK was endangering its future role in the F-35 project as well as facing the risk of US congressional counter-embargos. The F-35 fighter jets are made in part by British arms firms…The Labour government has yet to decide whether to suspend licences for arms exports to Israel over concerns that international humanitarian law may have been breached in the war in Gaza…O’Brien also urged the UK government to do everything it could to shut down the international criminal court’s (ICC) investigation of Israel…” – The Guardian
Henry Hill: You can’t stop another Truss without stopping democracy
“Sir Keir Starmer is reportedly considering calls to strip Labour members of their vote on the party leader. Allies apparently pushing for this measure are calling it the “Liz Truss lock”, presumably because they would rather remind the nation about her than Jeremy Corbyn. But coming in the same week as Anthony Seldon’s excruciating new chronicle of Truss’s premiership, it does pose the obvious question of how we avoid the elevation of the next Truss…Yes, it would be nice if we were spared another prime minister as straightforwardly politically incompetent as she. But the people best positioned to screen for such things are MPs, and for all the fingers pointed at Tory members, it was her parliamentary colleagues who put Truss in the final two.” – The i
Tugendhat ‘pledges to commit’ to an annual net migration cap of 100,000…
“Tory leadership hopeful Tom Tugendhat today argued Britain should limit net migration to a maximum of 100,000 per year. The shadow security minister pledged, if he becomes the next Conservative leader, the party would commit to such a cap. He suggested the current level of net migration, the difference between the number of people migrating to the UK and migrating from the UK, was unsustainable. Mr Tugendhat said an ‘honest and open conversation about population size is the only way to have a country that is happy with itself’. ‘What we decide will have to recognise that we cannot build… the first-class public services we need without taking numbers into account,’ he added. The Tories oversaw a huge surge in migration numbers…with net migration estimated to be 685,000 in 2023.” – The Daily Mail
- Record number of migrants living in Britain are jobless with more than 1.6 million unemployed – The Daily Mail
- The next Tory leader must show they believe Britain can grow richer – Editorial, The Daily Telegraph
- Jenrick diagnosed Tory party’s ails, but can he follow through on recovery? – Stephen Bush, The Financial Times
- The true scale of immigration fraud has yet to be discovered – Karl Williams, The Daily Telegraph
>Yesterday:
…as Cleverly is accused of ‘aggravating asylum backlog’ by ‘dithering’ on key decisions
“James Cleverly has been accused of increasing the asylum backlog…by “dithering” over key decisions. Ministers under the then home secretary refused to give caseworkers permission to tackle outstanding cases covered by the Illegal Migration Act, departmental sources and the UK’s biggest civil service union have told the Guardian. A leaked email…indicates that senior staff overseeing asylum caseworkers were waiting for “key decisions to be made in the coming weeks” and diverting staff to other tasks. The number of asylum decisions fell dramatically in the weeks before the July general election, data released last week showed. Between March and June this year, the Home Office made decisions on 15,965 applications, down from 24,348 in the first three months.” – The Guardian
SNP turns to post-mortem in wake of electoral wipeout
“The Scottish National party is set to dissect its disastrous election result at its annual conference this weekend as it seeks to rebuild support and avoid receiving another kicking in elections for the Holyrood parliament due in 2026. John Swinney, Scotland’s first minister and SNP leader, will lead a closed-door “election review” on Friday morning, where party members are expected to share the outcome of debriefs held over the summer. Activists said the party was aiming to form a strategy that defends the SNP’s delivery on its policies, while plotting a course towards independence amid unionist claims that the issue is now off the agenda… “The SNP, and indeed Scotland as a whole, must come together to stand up against Labour’s cuts,” Swinney will say…” – The Financial Times
