Jenrick, Badenoch, and Patel lead Popular Conservatism leadership poll
“Robert Jenrick is the frontrunner in the Tory leadership race with Kemi Badenoch and Dame Priti Patel just behind, according to new polling. The survey of 468 party members by the right-wing Popular Conservatism faction put the former immigration minister in the lead with 24.2%. Mr Jenrick has emerged as a standard bearer for the right of the party and backs leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to deal with the small boats crisis. Shadow housing secretary Ms Badenoch and former home secretary Dame Priti, who are both prominent figures on the right, are close behind with 23.4% and 21% respectively. Shadow home secretary James Cleverly is next with with 4.9%, shadow security minister Tom Tugendhat is on 3.4% and shadow work and pensions secretary Mel Stride takes 1.9%.” – Daily Express
- Labour swipes at ‘posturing’ contenders as Jenrick faces backlash for ‘Allahu Akbar’ comments – Daily Mail
>Today: ToryDiary: Our survey. The leadership. Members back the 1922 Committee’s timetable, as Badenoch and Jenrick surge, and Tugendhat falls back.
>Yesterday:
Shapps: I never believed Sunak could ‘stop the boats’
“Grant Shapps has suggested he never believed Rishi Sunak’s promise to “stop the boats” was realistic. The former defence secretary said he voiced reservations about the Tory policy when it was first announced, and that it was similar to pledging to stop crime. Speaking to the Political Currency podcast, he said: “The moment I heard [‘stop the boats’] right from the outset, I was saying, “Hold on, this is like saying, ‘Stop crime’’’. “No one’s going to stop all crime, so don’t make a claim that is never going to be provable.” In January 2023, Mr Sunak announced his five priorities in government, which included a pledge to “stop the boats”, after 45,756 migrants crossed the Channel from France that way in 2022. While in government, Mr Shapps defended Mr Sunak’s pledge.” – Daily Telegraph
>Yesterday: Dr Tom Hoctor in Comment: Fourteen years of Conservative political economy. Where did it all go wrong?
Hayes accuses Starmer of having ‘no plan’ for reducing migration…
“Sir Keir Starmer was yesterday accused of having ‘no plan’ for reducing migration as he dodged questions about it in the wake of the riots. The Prime Minister was asked whether now was the time to acknowledge ‘underlying tensions’ in communities over record migration levels in recent years. But during a visit to a mosque in Solihull, Birmingham, he failed to answer the question, simply saying: ‘The first priority is safety and security of our communities. I was very keen that we were able to demonstrate that if you’re involved in disorder, within days you’ll be in the criminal justice system and with some people starting long terms of imprisonment.’ But Sir John Hayes, a former Tory security minister, said the PM needed to tackle the issue head on by setting out how he intends to stop small boat Channel crossings while also reducing net legal migration from the 685,000 it hit last year.” – Daily Mail
- Universities fear riots will deter foreign students even after payment – The Times
- Immigration: why public opinion is at odds with reality – FT
>Today: Katharine Howell in Comment: Can the Conservatives make any dent in Labour’s legislative juggernaut?
…as numbers fall sharply after curbs on family visas
“Britain’s high levels of immigration are falling significantly after curbs on visas contributed to a sharp decline in the number of foreign workers and students applying to come to the UK. The number of migrants and their family members applying to come to Britain on skilled worker, health and care and study visas fell by more than a third in July to 91,300 compared with last year. The fall has been particularly stark in monthly applications for health and care visas, with an 82 per cent decline in their number to 2,900 in July, while the number of people applying to study in the UK has fallen by 15 per cent to 69,500. The last Conservative government banned those coming to study in the UK and those on health and social care visas from bringing family members with them. Labour has said it has no plans to change the policy.” – The Times
- Health workers’ dependants coming to UK falls by 70 per cent – Daily Telegraph
- Labour urged not to drop Tory plan to stop people earning under £38,700 bringing foreign spouses or partners – Daily Mail
More:
Tories criticise Badenoch’s low profile during riots
“Kemi Badenoch, one of the candidates for the Conservative leadership, has been criticised by fellow Tories for adopting a “submarine” strategy by keeping a low national profile during the riots that have spread across England over the past week. While rivals James Cleverly, Robert Jenrick, Priti Patel and Mel Stride have been appearing across broadcast TV channels and social media, Badenoch has not been prominent during the unrest. She has posted several times on X since the riots began, including once in opposition to the Gender Recognition Act, but none of them address the violence directly. Badenoch’s main comment on the unrest was made in an interview in the Telegraph last Friday, in which she made an argument that there had not been enough integration in the UK.” – The Guardian
- Senior Conservatives warn against Government plan to define Islamophobia – Daily Telegraph
More:
- Cambridge University creates its own free speech rules after Labour drops law to protect it – Daily Mail
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: Where is Sunak?
Starmer tells police to stay on ‘high alert’ as rioters jailed…
“Sir Keir Starmer has told police to stay on “high alert” as more far-right rioters received lengthy jail terms on Thursday, with police braced for further unrest on the streets in the coming days. The UK prime minister thanked the police and those in the wider criminal justice system at an emergency Cobra meeting held on Thursday evening, according to people briefed on the event. Starmer also said there was no doubt that the levels of policing “in the right places”, as well as the swift application of justice and sentencing over the past week, had acted as a deterrent to further violence. During the day, a pensioner in Liverpool and a teenager from Hartlepool were among those sentenced as courts across England held fast-tracked hearings to deal with those involved in the past week’s violence.” – FT
- Some of those jailed could be released early – Daily Telegraph
- Prime Minister tells Cobra meeting to maintain ‘high alert’ for further far-right disorder – The Guardian
- Riots mean I’m not safe as a Muslim, says Khan… – Daily Telegraph
- …as he argues Online Safety Act not fit for purpose – The Guardian
Policing:
- Police Federation official calls for CS gas, baton rounds, and water cannon – Daily Express
- Officer who used pepper spray on ‘drunk and aggressive’ lout is convicted of assault – Daily Mail
More:
- Why did the riots fail? – The Times
- Areas hit by violence have high proportion of asylum seekers housed there – FT
>Yesterday: John Oxley’s column: The riots have exposed our failure to deal with serial, persistent offenders
…and Labour councillor who called for their throats to be cut is arrested
“A Labour councillor who was filmed saying far-Right rioters are “disgusting” and should have their throats cut has been arrested. Ricky Jones, a councillor for Princes, in Dartford, was seen on video footage telling anti-racism protesters in Walthamstow, north-east London: “We need to cut all their throats.” The Metropolitan Police said on Thursday that he had been arrested at an address in south-east London on suspicion of encouraging murder, and for an offence under the Public Order Act. Scotland Yard said Mr Jones, a paid organiser with the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) union, was being held in custody at a south London police station on Thursday evening. Before his arrest, the 57-year-old had been suspended from the Labour Party, meaning he will no longer sit as a Labour councillor.” – Daily Telegraph
- Woman arrested for ‘spreading false information’ about Southport attacker – Daily Telegraph
- Police examine links between far right and football hooligans – The Times
- The shameful incidents that saw far-right rioters jailed – Daily Mail
>Today: Georgia L Gilholy’s column: UK-Israel ties have always – and should always – be based on our best strategic interests
Fraser Nelson: The British migrant dream is thriving – it’s poor white boys who are in trouble
“Kemi Badenoch caused uproar when she said that Britain is the best country in the world to be black, but there is plenty of evidence to support her case. Race riots often come when an ethnic minority has been forced to the margins of society. That’s not really Britain’s story. One of Keir Starmer’s big mistakes was to try to hitch himself to the Black Lives Matter bandwagon and release a photo of him “taking the knee”. The problem with importing the American theories of “white privilege” is that it’s hard, in Britain, to suggest that “people of colour” are at a serious disadvantage. Here, non-whites are more likely to be in top jobs than whites and there is plenty of evidence of what Michael Howard famously called the “British dream”.” – Daily Telegraph
- Mass immigration has completely undermined stability and solidarity in Britain – Leo McKinstry, Daily Express
- Mosley’s ghost is haunting British politics – Patrick Maguire, The Times
- How Starmer could shape a credible message on immigration – Stephen Bush, FT
- Two-Tier Keir showed his true colours years ago – Michael Deacon, Daily Telegraph
Editorial:
- Swift, decisive action is helping to quell public disorder – The Times
- Starmer should be prepared to take his party out of its comfort zone – Daily Telegraph
- Rioters have been rebuffed by the law and the people – The Guardian
Treasury 1) Labour donor gets senior post
“A political donor who has made donations to Rachel Reeves, Labour’s new chancellor, has been made a director in the Treasury, prompting questions about the party’s stated commitment to high standards of public life. Former financial services executive Ian Corfield has donated more than £20,000 to senior Labour figures in the past decade, including a £5,000 contribution to Reeves last summer, according to Electoral Commission data. He became a director in the Treasury last month — the same month Labour won a seismic landslide in the general election — following a spell as a full-time senior business adviser to the party between January and July, according to his LinkedIn page. Prior to that Corfield held senior positions at financial services firms. Donors and figures with party political connections are not barred from becoming senior officials in Whitehall.” – FT
Treasury 2) Winter fuel payment cut will save less than Reeves needs, say experts
“Scrapping winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners could save a third less than the Chancellor has claimed, a former pensions minister has warned. The Government has said restricting the extra support to those on means-tested benefits – leaving almost 10 million pensioners worse off – will retain £1.4 billion for Treasury coffers in the first year. But Sir Steve Webb, a Liberal Democrat pensions minister in the coalition government, estimated that those savings could be cut by £490 million as retirees hit by the change seek extra support from the state. Currently, all 11.4 million pensioners receive an extra £200 to help heat their homes every winter, with those over 80 receiving a blanket £300 payment. Under Rachel Reeves’ plans, announced last week, only those receiving pension credit or other means-tested benefits will be eligible for the additional support.” – Daily Telegraph
- Energy bills set to soar by £140 from October ‘to heap misery on pensioners’ – Daily Mail
Comment:
- Chancellor has made her first wrong move, and retirees won’t let it rest – Ben Wilkinson, Daily Telegraph
>Yesterday: Karl McCartney in Comment: After England’s summer, safeguarding football governance should be a national priority
Treasury 3) Minister cleared after failure to register rental property
“A Treasury minister who failed to register her London rental property with parliament for more than a year has been cleared of wrongdoing after it was decided that the error had been “inadvertent”. Tulip Siddiq became the first MP of the new parliament to be put under investigation by the commissioner for standards last month over claims that it took her 16 months to declare the income from the flat which she owns with her husband. She also failed to register in time four theatre tickets donated by the Royal Shakespeare Company for a performance of My Neighbour Totoro at the Barbican, worth £382. However, she has now been cleared and has apologised. Siddiq, the MP for Hampstead & Highgate, let out the flat in December 2022 but it took her until March this year to declare it in the MPs’ register of interests.” – The Times
- New Labour MP issues grovelling apology after making vile post about Estonians – The Sun
Persimmon ups housebuilding forecast amid optimism over Labour plans
“Persimmon has strengthened its housebuilding forecasts for the year, saying it has been encouraged by the new Labour government’s planning reforms. The company, which is one of the UK’s largest housebuilders, said its outlook was already being bolstered by improving consumer confidence, having seen a rise in visits by potential buyers. That trend is expected to continue after the Bank of England’s rate cut last week, which brought the base rate down from to 5% from 5.25% and will help reduce mortgage costs for prospective homeowners. Persimmon suggested its housebuilding rates would also benefit from planning reforms announced by Labour shortly after the party’s general election victory last month, in which ministers pledged to reintroduce mandatory housing targets, and take swift action to clear bureaucratic backlogs to boost housebuilding across the UK.” – The Guardian
- Landlord sales rise amid fears over CGT – FT
Comment:
- Planning regulation is bogged down by newts – Emma Duncan, The Times
>Today: Judy Terry in Local Government: Labour threatens Suffolk’s countryside with plans for thousands of acres of solar panels and battery storage
>Yesterday: Zachary Spiro in Comment: Gove’s legacy as Housing Secretary? Fewer homes and more red tape.
New Reform UK chairman was member of Tory party just six days ago
“Reform UK’s new chairman Zia Yusuf was a member of the Conservative Party until last week, it’s been revealed. Conservative party chair Richard Fuller emailed Mr Yusuf, 37, to tell him his membership had been revoked last Friday, after being approached by The Guardian over whether it remained active. Mr Yusuf, a multi-millionaire tech donor, donated a six-figure sum to Reform in June despite being a paid-up member of the Tory party at the time. Despite the Conservative Party constitution barring members from publicly backing other parties, Mr Yusuf’s membership meant he remained eligible to cast his ballot in the upcoming Tory leadership election until last Friday. His membership wasn’t cancelled by the party even after he laid into then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his government in broadcast interviews while calling on voters to make Reform leader Nigel Farage the new PM.” – Daily Express
Yousaf concedes sacking Scottish Greens was a mistake
“The former Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf has admitted that he “fucked up” by sacking the Greens from his government. Earlier this year, the Greens forced a vote on the Bute House agreement – the alliance of the Scottish National party and the Greens – over the ditching of a key climate pledge. Ahead of the vote, Yousaf sacked the Green party’s co-leaders, Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater, from his government, bringing the deal between the parties to an end. The Greens subsequently said they would back a motion of no confidence in his premiership, forcing Yousaf’s resignation. Speaking at an Edinburgh festival fringe event with broadcaster Matthew Stadlen on Thursday, the former first minister also pointed to an interview with Harvie on the BBC where he appeared to question the scientific validity of the Cass review of gender care for young people.” – The Guardian
- SNP heavyweights travel 3,257 miles for ‘Tartan Week’ on the taxpayers’ dime – Daily Express
News in Brief:
- Reeves is planning a growth-killing tax raid – Harry Phibbs, CapX
- Understanding England’s anarchy – Will Tanner, New Statesman
- Is the ‘motherhood penalty’ really behind the UK’s falling birth rate? – Annabel Denham, The Spectator
- Patronising foreign people, and other progressive trends – David Scullion, The Critic
- Why liberal journalists need to be heroes – Lee Siegel, UnHerd
