Badenoch attacks Jenrick on Europe as Tory leadership contest heats up
“Tory leadership candidate Kemi Badenoch attacked her rival Robert Jenrick’s flagship pledge to take Britain out of the European Convention on Human Rights as a divisive policy that would fuel infighting in the party, as the pair took part in the first televised hustings…The live TV event, hosted by GB News in Westminster… as the Conservative grassroots began to receive ballots for the contest, which will culminate in a new Tory leader being announced…Badenoch appeared to win over the live audience of party members, according to a show of hands and cheers at the end, after a grilling in which she declared “children should be off social media”, adding that it was “very dangerous”… Jenrick declared the Conservatives must focus heavily on winning back trust on immigration…” – The Financial Times
- Who won the Tory debate? Badenoch had edge over Jenrick – but it’s not a done deal – The I
- Tory leadership debate highlights: six key moments – The Times
- Jenrick warns Tories will ‘never be in government again’ unless they win back voters who switched to Reform UK – The Daily Mail
- Badenoch has the qualities of Thatcher, says minister who served under her – The Daily Telegraph
- Who would you vote for? Take our Tory leadership manifesto quiz – The Times
- But Bobby, it’s cold outside – Madeline Grant, The Daily Telegraph
- Who won the Tory debate? Even the clap-o-meter wasn’t sure – Tom Peck, The Times
- Who won the Tory leadership hustings? – Tim Stanley, The Daily Telegraph
- There’s only one candidate with the grit, stamina, and win to reunite the Right – Jenrick – Daniel Hannan, The Daily Mail
- The next Tory leader must tack Right – and Left – David Frost, The Daily Telegraph
- I knew Thatcher and see echoes of her in Badenoch – Andrew Roberts, The Daily Mail
>Today:
>Yesterday:
Coutinho withdraws Tory support for Drax carbon capture plan
“Plans to fit green technology on the most polluting power station in Britain are being opposed by the Conservatives amid concerns the scheme is fuelled by the mass burning of trees. The Drax power plant in North Yorkshire, almost 40 miles east of Leeds, generates electricity by burning wood pellets imported from North America. It has received billions of pounds in subsidies since switching from coal to biomass in 2012. The plant has won the support of successive governments by claiming that it is “carbon neutral” because trees that are felled to produce the pellets absorb as much carbon dioxide while growing as they emit when they are burnt. The power station is by far the largest single source of CO₂ emissions in the UK.” – The Times
Budget 1) Starmer ‘rejects Cabinet pleas’ to reverse spending cuts
“Sir Keir Starmer has rebuked senior members of his cabinet after they appealed to him to reverse planned spending cuts in Rachel Reeves’s first budget. A number of senior ministers, including Starmer’s deputy, Angela Rayner, raised the alarm over Treasury proposals to reduce some departments’ spending plans next year. They wrote to Starmer and asked him to intervene with the Treasury to reverse the cuts — described by one minister as “absolutely huge”. However, on Thursday senior Downing Street figures said no more money would be found and ministers would have to accept the spending allocations they were given. One source said ministers needed to “get a grip”, suggesting that some were “inexperienced” and unused to the trade-offs of being in power.” – The Times
- ‘Bring out your dead’: the game of bluff causing alarm in Labour – The Times
- ‘It will be rough’: Ministers reveal fears over Reeves’s ‘bleak’ Budget – The I
- UK innovation will be undermined by science department Budget squeeze, industry leaders warn – The Financial Times
- Labour planning a ‘total reset’ Budget to avoid ‘public service collapse’ – The I
- Labour’s cynicism returns to haunt it – Editorial, The Daily Mail
- Put growth at the heart of government – Editorial, The Daily Telegraph
- Labour is presiding over a major increase in the tax burden – Editorial, The Times
- The Budget nightmare won’t be tax rises, but spending cuts – Julian Jessop, The Daily Telegraph
- Starmer should listen to Cameron on growth – Emma Duncan, The Times
>Today:
Budget 2) Ministers stick by ‘Tory plan’ for £1.3 billion of cuts to sickness benefits
“Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall does not plan to reverse £1.3bn in cuts to UK sickness benefits announced by the previous Conservative government at this month’s Budget, according to people briefed on the plans. The Labour government is expected to retain contentious changes to the “work capability assessment” that were introduced last year…in a move that is likely to cause concern among disability rights activists. But the Department for Work and Pensions intends to deliver savings through its own reforms in the coming months, including via support to help disabled people into work, the people said. The work capability assessment is used to decide eligibility for working-age incapacity benefits, whose claimants have risen by a quarter since 2019…” – The Financial Times
- More than 400,000 people with mobility and mental health problems will no longer be classed as unfit for work and will see their benefits cut – The Times
Budget 3) Reeves will not extend increase in stamp duty threshold
“Housebuyers will pay up to £2,500 more in stamp duty from next year as Rachel Reeves uses her budget to bring an end to a £2 billion discount in a bid to balance the books. The chancellor will confirm that the government will not be extending an increase in the thresholds at which people start paying stamp duty. The Tories increased the “nil rate” threshold from £125,000 to £250,000 when they were in office, while for first-time buyers it rose from £300,000 to £450,000. The budget will confirm that the scheme will come to an end in March, meaning there will be a significant rise in costs for buyers… The Resolution Foundation, a think tank, warned that in the short-term there would be a rush of people attempting to complete property deals before the March deadline.” – The Times
- Eight economy-boosting Budget measures Reeves could try – and how likely they are – The I
- She is considering scrapping salary sacrifice tax breaks for electric cars – The Daily Telegraph
- Reeves aide took freebies from firms seeking to influence policy – The Times
- The Chancellor is set to traise fuel duty by 7p a litre after a 14-year freeze – The Daily Mail
- An exodus of millionaires is already underway. Britain will be poorer for it – Fraser Nelson, The Daily Telegraph
- How Reeves plans to sell a painful Budget – Patrick Maguire, The Times
- Desperate Reeves is about to resort to stealing – Ben Wilkinson, The Daily Telegraph
Budget 4) Jones seeks to reassure bond investors over Labour’s borrowing plans
“The UK government has set out its “guardrails” for investment to reassure bond investors as chancellor Rachel Reeves prepares a multibillion-pound borrowing programme to fund capital spending. Darren Jones, Treasury chief secretary, said an array of government quangos and independent watchdogs would ensure ministers used any extra borrowing to fund sensible investment decisions. Jones said a new infrastructure oversight body…would guard against wasteful capital spending. He said the bodies would provide “independent checks and balances, institutional expertise” to hold Labour to whether it was “actually delivering in the way we’ve promised”. Reeves has signalled that the upcoming Budget on October 30 will focus on ramping up capital spending…” – The Financial Times
Lammy to stress ‘pragmatic’ approach to Beijing visit
“David Lammy will tell Chinese leaders that Britain will take a “pragmatic” approach to diplomatic relations as he visits Beijing for the first time as foreign secretary. Lammy is due to meet his counterpart, Wang Yi, on Friday to discuss issues ranging from climate change and trade to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Foreign Office said that Lammy would prioritise a “serious pragmatic re-engagement across the full spectrum of government”. The visit signals an attempt to kick-start high-level engagement with China, which still faces allegations of human rights abuses in Hong Kong, including the detention of the British citizen Jimmy Lai. Lammy is also expected to raise concerns about China’s growing technical support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.” – The Times
>Yesterday:
News in Brief:
- Hamas after Sinwar – Arash Azizi, The Spectator
- The tortured fame of Payne – Poppy Sowerby, UnHerd
- Badenoch’s “ming vase” must be shattered – Georgia L. Gilholy, The Critic
- In the spirit of football, England should welcome Tuchel – Sunder Katwala, CapX
- Who governs Britain (in 2029)? – Ed West, Wrong Side of History
- Cooper’s very English fantasies – Tanya Gold, The New Statesman
