Sunak: Labour wants to ‘depress its way to victory’
“Rishi Sunak has branded Sir Keir Starmer a threat to national security and urged voters to look past Liz Truss’s ill-fated 49-day premiership when they come to judge the Tories at the election. The prime minister said Labour was seeking to “depress their way to victory” as he launched a staunch defence of the last 14 years of Conservative government. He also claimed that Britain would be less safe under Starmer, highlighting Labour’s refusal to match a pledge to raise defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2030, claiming it “emboldens our adversaries”. – The Times
- Starmer has ‘no plans’ and ‘no principles’, says Sunak – Daily Telegraph
- And Starmer not prepared to face up to dangers facing UK, says Lord Howard – Daily Telegraph
- Britain would be ‘less safe’ under Labour, Prime Minister warns – Daily Mail
- Tory MPs on election alert as Sunak ‘resets’ campaign strategy – the i
- Tories could face extinction if Farage makes comeback, expert says – The Sun
- When is the next general election? The dates Sunak is considering – Daily Telegraph
- True Blue turns Green in rural areas – FT
Comment
>Today:
>Yesterday:
Commons approves plans to exclude MPs arrested on suspicion of serious offence
“MPs arrested on suspicion of a serious offence face being barred from parliament under new plans approved in a vote on Monday night. It comes despite the government putting forward a motion that recommended MPs only face a ban if they are charged with a violent or sexual offence – a higher bar. On Monday night, MPs voted to reverse government moves to water down the measures on “risk-based exclusions” to ensure members can be excluded from parliament at the point of arrest for serious sexual or violent offences, in line with the original recommendation from the House of Commons Commission. The commission’s initial proposal was later revised by the government to raise the threshold for a potential ban to the point of charge. But in a surprise move, MPs voted 170 to 169, a majority of one, in favour of an amendment by Lib Dem MP Wendy Chamberlain and Labour MP Jess Phillips to reinstate the original intention of the policy.” – Sky News
- MPs accused of a sexual offence to be barred from Parliament – Daily Telegraph
Tories abandon plan to criminalise homelessness after backbench revolt
“Ministers have abandoned controversial plans to criminalise homelessness in the face of a Conservative backbench rebellion. James Cleverly, the home secretary, has agreed to drop proposals in the government’s flagship criminal justice bill that would have given police the powers to fine or move on “nuisance” rough sleepers. It is understood that the amendments to the bill being brought forward by the government will restrict the criminal offence to aggressive begging, such as harassing people near cash points. It will also include “reserve” powers to deal with individuals who repeatedly refuse help.” – The Times
- Plans to criminalise homelessness dropped after Tory backbench rebellion – Daily Telegraph
Migrants in Northern Ireland can’t be deported to Rwanda, High Court rules
“Asylum seekers cannot be deported to Rwanda from Northern Ireland, a high court judge has ruled. Mr Justice Humphreys said the Government’s law allowing asylum seekers to be deported to Rwanda should be disapplied in Northern Ireland as it undermined human rights protections guaranteed in the region under post-Brexit arrangements. The judge also said that aspects of the Illegal Migration Act were incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The post-Brexit Windsor Framework jointly agreed by the UK and EU includes a stipulation that there can be no diminution of the rights provisions contained within Northern Ireland’s Good Friday peace agreement of 1998.” – Daily Telegraph
Comment
Woke teacher crackdown as they’ll be forced to teach gender ideology as ‘contested belief’
“Gillian Keegan is to issue guidelines to schools on Thursday following a backlash from parents over what children are taught. The Education Secretary will make clear that gender ideology — that people can be born the wrong sex — must be taught as a “contested belief” rather than as fact. It will also order schools to show parents all classroom material to ensure that they are comfortable with what is being taught. Rishi Sunak ordered the review into relationships, sex and health education lessons last year in response to claims content was age-inappropriate, extreme and sexualising.” – The Sun
>Today:
‘Common sense’ minister bans rainbow lanyards in civil service
“Civil servants will be banned from wearing rainbow lanyards and universities must prioritise domestic students, a Cabinet Office minister has said as part of a government “common sense fightback”. Esther McVey, a minister without portfolio, is cracking down on staff networks for minority groups, accusing them of sowing divisions and bringing politics to Whitehall “by the back door”. Describing Rishi Sunak as an “intellectual giant”, McVey praised the prime minister for standing up to “religious-type zealotry” on net zero as she criticised Boris Johnson and Theresa May for setting climate deadlines driven by ideology. McVey was brought into the cabinet last November in a move widely seen as a sop to the Tory right after Suella Braverman was sacked as home secretary.” – The Times
- Brexit boost as Badenoch rips up 500 rules imposed by Brussels – Daily Express
Comment
Labour 1) MP calls for Elphicke to be suspended over ex-husband claim
“Natalie Elphicke should be suspended from Labour while claims against her are investigated, one of her fellow MPs has said. Rosie Duffield, the Labour MP, called for Ms Elphicke, who defected from the Tories to Labour last week, to be “thoroughly investigated” by party chiefs following reports she lobbied ministers to intervene in her ex-husband’s sex assault trial four years ago. Speaking to BBC South East, Ms Duffield said: “I think that if the shoe was on the other foot, if she was still officially a Conservative MP, we would rightly be calling for this to be thoroughly investigated and that’s what should happen in this case.” – Daily Telegraph
- Double-edged sword of defections underscores wider Labour discontent – FT
Comment
Labour 2) Tory £3bn-a-year Ukraine spending pledge matched by Labour
“Labour is ready to spend at least £15 billion on military support for Ukraine, the shadow defence secretary has announced during a trip to Kyiv. John Healey said he “fully backs” Rishi Sunak’s commitment to maintain the current level of lethal aid until at least the end of the decade. But he failed to say how his party would pay for the pledge, given that it opposes Tory plans to fund the extra assistance by cutting the Civil Service. Labour’s support for the pledge was in doubt after it refused to match Mr Sunak’s plan to boost defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2030.” – Daily Telegraph
- Royal Marines to get six new ships which can launch drones and fire laser weapons – Daily Telegraph
China furious at arrest of ‘UK spies’
“A Border Force officer and a Home Office immigration official were among three people charged on Monday with spying for Hong Kong. Chi Leung Wai, 38, Matthew Trickett, 37, and Chung Biu Yuen, 63, are accused of spying on pro-democracy activists living in the UK. China reacted angrily to the charges. Its London embassy said: “We strongly condemn the UK’s unwarranted accusation against the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government.” The men were detained following an investigation by counter-terrorism police in which 11 people were arrested under the National Security Act, which was introduced last year to tackle the threat to the UK posed by hostile states.” – Daily Telegraph
Comment
Tories in mass data breach as PM claims he can ‘keep you and your family secure’
“The Conservative Party has reported itself to the information watchdog after apparently revealing hundreds of email addresses in a mass data breach. The party apologised and said it had launched an investigation into the incident, in which it is accused of accidentally disclosing an array of personal contact details in an email reminding people to sign up for its annual conference. The error emerged on the same day that Rishi Sunak sought to position the Tories as the party of national security, warning Britons that they will be less safe if they vote for Labour at the next election.” – Daily Telegraph
NHS spending rise lags behind Tory funding pledges, IFS finds
“Spending on the NHS in England has risen less quickly than the Conservatives promised at the last election despite the extra demand created by the pandemic and record waiting lists, a leading thinktank has said. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said increases in funding from the government had been eaten up by higher than expected inflation and, as a result, NHS day-to-day spending had grown by 2.7% a year during the current parliament – below the 3.3% pledged by Boris Johnson in 2019. The IFS said: “This breaks the habit of a lifetime: over the past 40 years, the NHS budget has almost always grown more quickly than originally planned. This parliament is the exception.” – The Guardian
Comment
Christians feared expulsion from the Lib Dems over faith
“Christian Liberal Democrats feared that they would be expelled from the party in a “night of the long knives” after a hopeful MP was interrogated over his faith. The Telegraph revealed yesterday that David Campanale, a former BBC journalist, was deselected when questions were raised about his religious background. On Monday, the Liberal Democrat Christian Forum (LDCF) wrote to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), adding its voice to calls from other members for an investigation. Local party members and some LGBT activists began questioning Mr Campanale over his faith shortly after he was selected to contest the Sutton and Cheam seat in late 2021.” – Daily Telegraph
>Today:
Zahawi named as new chairman of Very Group
“The former UK chancellor Nadhim Zahawi has been appointed as the new chairman of the Very Group, the online retailer owned by the Barclay family. His appointment comes days after the Stratford-on-Avon MP said that he would not seek re-election as a Conservative MP at the next general election. Zahawi, who has also served as health secretary and chairman of the Tory party, will replace Aidan Barclay, who took over as acting chairman of Very in February. The Iraqi-born British politician was touted as a possible candidate after acting as a middleman between the Barclay family and the Abu Dhabi-based investor IMI Investments since its interest in participating in a bid for The Daily Telegraph emerged last summer.” – The Times
