Crime 1) Police ‘hero’ should not have been charged with Kaba shooting, say MPs
“The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is under fire from politicians and the police after a jury took just three hours to find a “hero” officer not guilty of the murder of a man shot dead in south London. Sgt Martyn Blake was cleared over the killing of 24-year-old Chris Kaba, who was shot in the head while trying to ram his way out of a police roadblock in September 2022. Prosecutors decided to charge the 40-year-old, a highly experienced firearms officer, following a lengthy investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). But the jury rejected the suggestion the officer had no lawful justification for pulling the trigger after he described how he genuinely believed one of his colleagues would be killed when Mr Kaba drove his two-ton Audi Q8 vehicle towards them.” – Daily Telegraph
- Police fury at treatment of Blake over Kaba shooting – The Times
- Hundreds of soldiers secretly deployed to London over fears armed officers would walk out – The Sun
- Questions mount for CPS – Daily Mail
- Met chief backs armed police after officer cleared of murder – The Times
Editorial:
Crime 2) Jenrick unveils new ‘five strikes and you’re out’ policy with automatic jail terms for repeat offenders
“A new ‘five strikes and you’re out’ policy with automatic jail terms for repeat offenders has been unveiled by Tory leadership contender Robert Jenrick. He said crooks convicted of five or more offences would be jailed for at least a year. It would aim to combat huge numbers of offences being committed by prolific offenders. The policy would require tens of thousands of extra prison places, funded partly by selling off inner city jail sites in London and other cities. The land would be ‘sold with planning permission for high-rise residential development’, Mr Jenrick said. Money from the sales would be reinvested in new ‘mega-prisons’ located in cheaper areas of the country to hold 1,500 or more inmates.” – Daily Mail
- House arrest to replace prison for low-level offenders – The Times
- Mahmood drawing up plans for the expansion of community punishments including ‘virtual prisons’ – Daily Telegraph
More:
- Patel warns dangerous criminals among 1,100 inmates released early to free up cells – Daily Express
- Review announced as England and Wales free 1,100 inmates in latest phase of early release scheme – FT
- Sentences given to paedophiles caught with child abuse images to be reassessed – The Sun
Comment:
- I have a three point plan to stop the mass early release of prisoners from happening again – Shabana Mahmood MP, The Sun
>Yesterday:
Cleverly warns that singer’s police escort could spark diplomatic spat
“Swiftgate last night sparked fears of a diplomatic spat if ministers are forced to reject VIP security for visiting dignitaries – after granting it to the pop star. Ex-Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said it would put the government in a “difficult position” now a precedent has been set. He hammered Home Secretary Yvette Cooper in the Commons for allegedly pressuring the Met Police to give Taylor Swift a police escort during her London shows last summer. The row has snowballed since the Sun’s first exclusive after it emerged a string of Labour MPs were gifted free concert tickets and Sir Keir Starmer even met the singer backstage… Home Office Minister Jess Phillips insisted that “operational decisions for policing falls to the police”.” – The Sun
- Badenoch will give the Tories time to think – William Hague, The Times
>Today: Lord Ashcroft in Comment: The Conservatives need a leader of rare quality – for me that’s Kemi
Braverman sent government documents to her private email 127 times
“Suella Braverman forwarded government documents to her private email accounts on at least 127 occasions while serving as a minister in a potential breach of the ministerial code. The Conservative former home secretary was sacked by Rishi Sunak in November last year after comments she made in a column for The Times condemning pro-Palestinian protests as “hate marches” and accusing the Metropolitan Police of “playing favourites”. She was previously forced to resign from Liz Truss’s cabinet in October 2022 when she was found to have breached security provisions of the ministerial code by forwarding a draft ministerial statement from her personal email address to Sir John Hayes, a Tory MP also on the right of the party.” – The Times
Budget 1) Raising employers’ National Insurance will cost taxpayers extra £3.6bn, say Tories
“Rachel Reeves’ plan to increase National Insurance (NI) contributions for employers will cost the taxpayer an extra £3.6 billion a year, the Conservatives have said. The Government would be forced to find the money given that the public sector as well as the private pays the contributions. At present, the NI bill for public sector employers is about £26 billion a year at the current employers rate of 13.8 per cent. Andrew RT Davies, the leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said it would cost the taxpayer an additional £3.6 billion annually if the Chancellor were to put up the rate by 2 per cent. Mr Davies pointed out that this was three times the amount of money raised by scrapping the winter fuel allowance for all but the poorest.” – Daily Telegraph
- Reeves could target ISAs in her Budget next week – Daily Mail
- Minister leaves door open to Budget tax raid on high earners – Daily Telegraph
- Labour accused of dodging questions over tax plans – Daily Express
- Hiking fuel duty by 5p a litre will make the UK even more of an outlier in Europe – Daily Mail
Comment:
- Reeves’ Halloween Budget will break trust with millions of workers if she hikes Fuel Duty – Harry Cole, The Sun
>Today: David Willetts’ column: Labour is in the trap, but it awaits the Conservatives if we return to office unprepared
Budget 2) Reeves denies Labour civil war over controversial Budget spending plans
“Rachel Reeves has denied there is a rift at the top of Government over her spending plans in the looming Budget. She insisted Cabinet is united on Labour’s plans for the autumn fiscal event next Wednesday. The Chancellor was reportedly locked in negotiations with some ministers until last week as she sought £40 billion of tax rises and spending cuts ahead of the announcement on October 30. Ms Reeves said the final settlements had been confirmed but acknowledged it had been “right for all Cabinet members to want to get the best settlement for their departments”… Several ministers were reported to have written to the Prime Minister to express concern about the scale of cuts being demanded in some areas as the Chancellor attempts to find £40 billion with which to deliver Labour’s promises.” – Daily Express
- Labour could drag 1.5m pensioners into higher tax rates – The Times
- Are you a ‘working person’? Why billions of pounds rest on Labour’s definition – The Times
Comment:
- Reeves banks on big Budget wheeze to reconcile Labour’s pledges – Stephen Bush, FT
Editorial:
- Labour is making a mockery of its pledge not to raise taxes on working people – The Times
- Tax plans must avoid overburdening business and investors – FT
>Yesterday: Victoria Stratford in Comment: Starmer has pledged £22 billion for carbon capture projects, but where is the money coming from?
Rayner’s plan to slash Right to Buy discount branded ‘assault on aspiration’…
“Ministers signalled a double assault on aspiration yesterday, with a clampdown on the Right to Buy and a Budget raid on high earners. Whitehall sources said Angela Rayner is poised to slash discounts for council house tenants looking to buy their home, despite benefiting from the scheme herself. And ministers opened the door to a fresh raid on the better off by refusing to say whether those earning more than £100,000 are covered by Labour’s pledge to avoid tax rises on ‘working people’ in next week’s Budget. Before entering Parliament, Ms Rayner made use of Margaret Thatcher’s flagship Right to Buy scheme to purchase her council house in Stockport at a discount. She sold it eight years later at a profit of £48,000.” – Daily Mail
- One in four councils in England may seek emergency bailout to avoid bankruptcy – Daily Express
- Ministers outline plans to redraw airspace over London airports – FT
>Today: ToryDiary: Rayner’s attack on Right to Buy is a reminder that the Conservatives should finish their revolutions
>Yesterday: Shaun Bailey in Comment: The Government must act now to boost housebuilding in London
…as her workers’ rights overhaul is predicted to cost employers up to £5bn a year
“Angela Rayner’s sweeping overhaul of workers’ rights could cost employers almost £5bn a year, the Government’s own analysis has found. According to an impact assessment published by the Government on Monday, the Deputy Prime Minister’s shake-up could result in businesses raising prices, cutting back on salaries or reducing investment as they shoulder a significant increase in costs. Officials estimated the changes would cost businesses £4.5bn a year but added: “We are confident that the total direct cost to business will be less than £5bn annually.” The burden means companies are facing a double whammy of increased costs from changes to workers’ rights and a looming tax raid.” – Daily Telegraph
- Official analysis finds reform of sick pay and unfair dismissal will hit small firms hardest – The Times
- Deputy Prime Minister insisted her reforms were ‘pro-business’ and ‘pro-growth’ – Daily Mail
More:
- New laws force employers to stop harassment before it starts – FT
Comment:
- Labour must urgently rethink their draconian workers rights Bill – Kevin Hollinrake MP, Daily Mail
NHS delays mean ‘death sentence’ for some patients, says Wes Streeting
“Some NHS patients have received a “death sentence” due to delays within the health service, Wes Streeting has said, as Keir Starmer stressed the need for more use of AI and technology. The health secretary was speaking alongside the prime minister at the launch of what they described as the “biggest national conversation about the future of the NHS since it was founded 76 years ago”. But while Keir Starmer tried to take an optimistic tone, alluding to the benefits and opportunities that could arise from a public conversation, Streeting warned the NHS is in “such a poor state, I’m amazed we’re not still using carrier pigeons”… Streeting said he hopes a reformed NHS app would help streamline the health service, and will be as “easy and as joyful” to use as Netflix.” – The Guardian
- Labour launch public consultation on improving the NHS – The Times
- We need nanny state measures to protect health, says Starmer – The Times
- How much will it cost to fix the NHS in England? – FT
Sketch:
- Keyboard Warrior Dave has a way to fix the NHS – Tom Peck, The Times
Comment:
- The operation to rescue the NHS must be led by the people and its staff – Wes Streeting MP, The Guardian
- NHS patients need swift access to a GP, an end to record waiting lists, and no more people dying on trolleys – Karol Sikora, Daily Mail
Serious Fraud Office probes £112mn hotel built by leading trade union
“The UK Serious Fraud Office is investigating a hotel and conference centre in Birmingham built by Britain’s second largest trade union that has been valued at tens of millions of pounds below its construction cost. There has been a long-running controversy over the valuation of the four-star venue called Aloft, which was commissioned by Unite the Union as a commercial venture, with 195 bedrooms and space for 1,200 conference guests. The venue has been valued at just £29mn, despite Unite spending about £112mn of members’ money on the project, according to union officials. Originally Unite had expected the venue, which was completed in 2020, to cost £57mn. Sharon Graham, after becoming Unite general secretary in 2021, ordered a probe into claims of financial irregularities at the hotel and conference centre.” – FT
- Unite reported itself over huge reported spend in Birmingham – Daily Telegraph
UK to lend Ukraine an additional £2.26bn for weapons to fight Russia
“Britain is to lend Ukraine an additional £2.26bn and allow Kyiv to spend the money on weapons to fight off the Russian invasion as part of a wider $50bn (£38.5bn) loan programme expected to be confirmed by G7 members later this week. The loans will be repaid using interest generated by the $300bn of frozen Russian assets held in the west, with the extra funds promised as the US heads towards a presidential election where support for Ukraine is a divisive issue. Rachel Reeves said: “The profits being made on those assets aren’t being kept for Russia to use in the future. They’re now being used to fund Ukraine.” The chancellor made the announcement alongside the defence secretary, John Healey.” – The Guardian
- A secure Ukraine means a secure Britain – Rachel Reeves MP, Daily Mail
>Yesterday:
News in Brief:
- The problem at the heart of the Kaba case – Danny Shaw, The Spectator
- How to fix the prisons crisis – David Gauke, The Spectator
- Faux greenery cannot get in the way of free trade – Daniel Hannan, CapX
- On the sad decline of the British university – Jorge González-Gallarza, The Critic
- California’s woes were born in England – Leighton Woodhouse, UnHerd
