Tory leadership race 1) Tugendhat: How I’d end the epic Tory infighting
“When Tom Tugendhat became security minister, he was given a badge by one of the senior people in the Home Office labelled “Sheriff Tom”. It sits on his desk now in an otherwise spartan parliamentary office, where Thomas More, the 16th-century lord chancellor (after whom he was named by his Catholic mother) peers austerely down at us. The Tory party needs a new sheriff in town and Tugendhat, 51, is running to be leader for the second time. He finished fifth in 2022 but gave a good account of himself then and won the first debate. Like all the other candidates Tugendhat is calling for unity: “We’ve had epic amounts of factional infighting,” he says.” – Sunday Times
- Why the next Tory leader must abandon reckless economic nonsense to save Britain – Sunday Telegraph
Tory leadership race 2) Jenrick lays out 10 principles for the future of the Conservatives
“Robert Jenrick has laid out 10 principles for the future of the Conservatives as he seeks to outline a common creed for the party. The Tory leadership hopeful set out his stall with a warning that the Tories must rebuild far more quickly than after their previous landslide election defeat in 1997. In an essay for the Sunday Telegraph, the former immigration minister said political oblivion awaits the Conservatives unless they show the public that they have changed. Mr Jenrick said although his party had failed to deliver in 2019, the Tory brand had also lost its meaning as an identity crisis took hold.” – Sunday Telegraph
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Tory leadership race 3) Patel: We must excel as an Opposition to show Tories can be trusted to govern again
“The Conservative and Unionist Party must act with urgency. We need energy and experience to get us on the road back to government. CCHQ must be reformed to help support an effective Opposition, support our fantastic candidates and embolden our heroic membership. We cannot shy away from the fact that over the past few years, the Conservative Party has lost too many representatives at the local and national level. Every single time we lose a candidate, we lose someone able to make the case for Conservative values. We can’t let this go on.” – Sunday Telegraph
Tory leadership race 4) Badenoch skips northern Tory leadership hustings to go on holiday
“Kemi Badenoch will miss the only Conservative Party leadership hustings to take place in the north of England on Saturday because she is on holiday. The shadow housing secretary has apologised to members for being unable to make the event in Yarm, north Yorkshire, as a result of long-standing family commitments. The panel has been organised by the Northern Conservatives and advertised as “your chance to hear from and question the next leader of the Conservative Party”. – Sunday Telegraph
Extreme misogyny to be treated as terrorism
“Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, has ordered a review of Britain’s counter-extremism strategy to urgently address gaps in the Government’s stance, The Sunday Telegraph can reveal. It will look at tackling violence against women and girls in the same way as Islamist and far-Right extremism, amid fears that current Home Office guidance is too narrow. This could mean teachers will be legally required to refer pupils they suspect of extreme misogyny to Prevent, the Government’s counter-terror programme. It comes after warnings that misogynistic influencers are radicalising teenage boys online.” – Sunday Telegraph
- ‘We can’t write off working-class people as white trash’ – Sunday Telegraph
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Clapping NHS workers like a ‘national religion’ is dangerous, health watchdog warns
“Clapping the NHS during the pandemic may have had “dangerous” consequences by insulating it from criticism, the health ombudsman has suggested. Rebecca Hilsenrath warned against treating the health service as a “national religion” as she called on its leaders to radically overhaul the culture and listen to those it fails. She also accused the NHS of “doubly traumatising” those who had lost loved ones by refusing to even acknowledge the harm caused.” – Sunday Telegraph
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Labour 1) Labour turns screw on housebuilders for failures on cladding fix
“Angela Rayner’s housing department has launched a searing attack on builders for failing to remove Grenfell-style cladding. The housing minister Rushanara Ali has summoned major developers to a ministerial roundtable after accusing them of dragging their heels when it comes to fixing buildings that have been deemed dangerous. Some 55 companies signed a “developer remediation contract” in 2023 in which they promised to review developments that might feature dangerous building materials — and fix them.” – Sunday Times
Labour 2) Winter fuel savings to be wiped out by £4bn benefits bill
“Labour’s planned savings from scrapping winter fuel payments could be wiped out by an unintended £4bn benefit bill, analysis has suggested. The Chancellor estimated the move, which would restrict payments to people claiming means-tested benefits, would save the Treasury £1.4bn a year. But a report suggests the move could cost the taxpayer up to £3.8bn if hundreds of thousands of retirees rush to claim pension credit in order to qualify for winter fuel payments. An estimated 850,000 eligible pensioners do not currently claim pension credit, according to official figures.” – Sunday Telegraph
- Reeves’ pension plan could damage the North, says ex-minister – Observer
- Chancellor accused of burying report on winter fuel payments axe – Sunday Express
- Train drivers’ pay has grown twice as much as teachers, doctors and soldiers – Sunday Telegraph
- Striking train drivers to average £80,000 on a four-day week – Sunday Times
- Tories criticise appointment of second senior civil servant to Labour – FT
- Starmer accused of treating taxpayers like a cash machine – Mail on Sunday
- Labour MP took £4,000 donation from train drivers’ union – Mail on Sunday
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Labour 3) Starmer on alert as his untold story is about to be released
“One of Britain’s highest profile political biographers is on a mission to expose Sir Keir Starmer’s most closely guarded secrets. Lord Ashcroft, who sent shockwaves through Westminster with his deep dives into the lives of David Cameron and Angela Rayner, is at work on a fully revised edition of Red Knight, his biography of Sir Keir. The famously private PM can expect the political blockbuster to land in the spring – and he will probably await its publication with gritted teeth. Tory peer Lord Ashcroft said: “Three years after the publication of Red Knight, my unauthorised biography of Sir Keir Starmer, I have decided to fully revise and update it.” – Sunday Express
Mystery meeting of cabinet minister and Robinson representative
“A cabinet minister held a private meeting with a key ally of Tommy Robinson, the far-right leader accused of stoking the riots that followed the Southport stabbings. Louise Haigh, the transport secretary, met Sammy Woodhouse, a victim of the Rotherham grooming gang scandal who now works as a “citizen journalist” for Urban Scoop, an alternative news site linked to Robinson. No officials were present at the meeting. It took place on Thursday in Sheffield, where Haigh sits as an MP. The revelation is likely to prompt questions about Haigh’s judgement and could raise concerns about a potential ministerial conflict of interest.” – Sunday Times
- Robinson explores his options amid HMRC investigation – Sunday Times
Farage: I have always been extremely hardworking. That’s how I combine broadcasting with Westminster
“These days it’s fashionable to talk about having a good work /life balance. To most people, this means working for a maximum of 40 hours per week – preferably from home for some of the time – and having five weeks’ annual holiday. It also means never being pestered outside of office hours – a workers’ rights policy that the Labour Party has recently championed and has even talked about putting into law. My life is not like that. This year, I will not be taking any holiday and it is normal for me to be on call from 5am until 11pm, seven days a week. It is for this reason that what has been published in the latest Register of MPs’ Financial Interests is deeply misleading.” – Sunday Telegraph
- Johnson yet to appear on GB News 10 months after being signed up as a presenter – Observer
Other news
- Lammy criticised for removing Israeli hostage badge to meet Palestinian PM – Sunday Telegraph
