“How many more children will die?” – Starmer heckled on Southport visit…
“Sir Keir Starmer was asked “how many more children” will die as he left flowers at the scene of the Southport knife attack. The Prime Minister placed his own floral tribute among hundreds of others at a police cordon on Hart Street, and thanked the emergency services workers who responded to the incident. The brief visit, which lasted barely two minutes, was marred by shouts from some members of the public. As the Prime Minister walked close by, a man said: “Here’s your photo opportunity.” Another shouted: “How many more children? Our kids are dead and you’re leaving already?” A third man shouted: “Get the truth out!”, while Serena Kennedy, the Merseyside Police Chief Constable, was asked why the alleged attacker had not been named…” – The Daily Telegraph
- Violence in Southport after vigil for girls killed in mass stabbing – The Financial Times
- He says rioters will feel ‘full force of the law’ – The Guardian
- The truth about Starmer’s Labour has been exposed, and it’s dreadful – Madeline Grant, The Daily Telegraph
>Today:
… as he backs controversial £300 million Casement Park plan for Euros
“Sir Keir Starmer has told Uefa he will push for a controversial £310 million bailout of Casement Park to allow Northern Ireland to host matches in football’s 2028 European Championship. Uefa sources said Starmer had told senior figures in European football’s governing body that the Labour government was keen to drive through the redevelopment of the derelict site. However, it would be in the face of considerable opposition both in Northern Ireland and the cabinet. The Times reported last month that Sue Gray, the prime minister’s chief of staff, had angered government officials and ministers by “personally dominating” negotiations over a bailout for the dilapidated Gaelic games venue. That has caused resentment among Labour ministers…” – The Times
Reeves 1) The Chancellor admits taxes will rise in Labour’s first budget
“Rachel Reeves has said there will be tax rises in October’s budget but ruled out increases to income tax and national insurance. The chancellor said she thought she would “have to” raise taxes as she called for her predecessor to apologise for gaps in the public finances. Reeves, appearing on The News Agents podcast, was asked whether the budget, which she has set for October 30, would feature tax rises. She said: “I think that we will have to increase taxes in the budget.” Reeves ruled out rises to income tax, national insurance or VAT which were all protected under Labour’s manifesto commitments. A source close to Reeves said she was referring to the tax rises set out in the manifesto… Reeves also said that Jeremy Hunt, the former chancellor, should apologise for the state of public finances.” – The Times
- She is embroiled in a row over how much Labour knew before the election about a hole in the public finances – The Financial Times
- The Chancellor needs to raise billions and pensioners fear they are the target – The Daily Telegraph
- Labour’s black holes and revelations – The Financial Times
- Reeves may leave the economy in a worse state – The Daily Telegraph
- Who is to blame for the UK government’s overspending? – The Financial Times
- Labour’s care U-turn a ‘tragic betrayal’, says man behind reforms – The Times
- Labour have broken their promises to pensioners – Editorial, The Daily Telegraph
- Hypocrisy is at the heart of Labour’s agenda – Editorial, The Daily Mail
- Reeves goes big on Tory ‘cover up’, but Labour may fall into same mistakes – Stephen Bush, The Financial Times
- Reeves’s economic statement is simply rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic – Miriam Cates, Daily Express
- Not even pensioners’ free prescriptions are safe under Labour – Ben Wilkinson, The Daily Telegraph
- With her dogmatic and dishonest spin, Reeves is in danger of pounding her growth agenda to rubble – Alex Brummer, The Daily Mail
- The OBR will get more power – but can it do anything with it? – Mehreen Khan, The Times
- Labour’s war on wealth has claimed its first victim – Annabel Denham, The Daily Telegraph
- This spiteful attack shows Labour sees pensioners as cash cows – Jeff Prestridge, The Daily Mail
- Labour has shocked even me with how quickly Labour have taken us for fools – Robert Taylor, Daily Express
>Today:
Reeves 2) Her cost-cutting is labelled a ‘mini-Beeching’ as she scraps dozens of planned railway lines in ‘blow to small town Britain’
“Labour has axed plans to reopen dozens of railway lines and stations closed during the 1960s Beeching cuts. The closure of the £500m Restoring Your Railway fund, announced by Rachel Reeves on Monday, leaves the future of projects across England and Wales hanging in the balance in a blow to small-town Britain. The fund was established in 2020 as part of Boris Johnson’s “levelling up” agenda and has so far helped finance the reopening or near reopening of two lines and six stations. A dozen more projects are at an advanced stage and 20 others have received some funding. Briefing notes issued following the Chancellor’s speech, in which she claimed that Labour had inherited a £22bn hole in the public finances, suggest that scrapping the…programme will save £76m…” – The Daily Telegraph
Reeves 3) She criticises ‘obsession’ with private school pupils.
“The Chancellor insisted the 20 per cent levy on independent school fees is needed after confirming on Monday it will come into effect from the beginning of 2025. Labour claims the policy will raise up to £1.7 billion to spend on state education,…but analysis suggests it could actually come at a cost to the Exchequer. Around 550,000 pupils…are currently in the private education system, but it is feared the VAT raid could price out tens of thousands and overwhelm state schools… Treasury documents published after Ms Reeves announced the Government will start charging VAT on private schools from Jan 1 confirmed some parents would be priced out… Labour has accepted in writing that its VAT changes mean a private school education will no longer be affordable for some…” – The Daily Telegraph
- Private school closures ‘inevitable’ as Labour’s VAT charge is brought forward – The Times
- They face paying ‘millions’ as VAT legislation hits advanced payments – The I
- Labour’s plan to impose VAT on private schools is the politics of envy at its worst – Editorial, The Times
It’s nonsense to say that there’s no room to build on the green belt, says Rayner
“Angela Rayner has said it is “nonsense” to suggest that Britain’s countryside is too overcrowded for new homes. The Deputy Prime Minister on Tuesday announced sweeping reforms to deliver 1.5 million more houses this decade. Under the changes, councils will have to build on the “grey belt”, which is low-quality green belt land, to meet mandatory house-building targets that have been increased by 25 per cent. Ms Rayner insisted that she would not hesitate to impose house-building plans on councils that refused to meet the targets. Kemi Badenoch, the shadow housing secretary, warned that Labour’s plans would create millions of “ugly” new homes across the British countryside… Independent analysis suggests brownfield sites can carry a maximum of 1.4 million new homes…” – The Daily Telegraph
- Rayner: I’ll force councils failing to meet housing targets to build more homes – The Daily Telegraph
- Where will Labour build new homes? Check your area – The Times
- The towns must exposed to Labour’s housing revolution – The Daily Telegraph
- Ministers push for more housing in northern England and the Tory shires – The Financial Times
- Labour New Towns ‘could be started within months’ – The I
- Rayner’s housing plan is flawed – Editorial, The Daily Telegraph
- After years of inertia, the new government’s proposals for reinvigorating the planning system are promising – Editorial, The Times
- Orange is the new red for house-building Brother Rayner – Tim Stanley, The Daily Telegraph
- Labour stumbles and the Commons swelters on last day of school – Tom Peck, The Times
- Building more laboratories came out as building more lavatories – Quentin Letts, The Daily Mail
- We must build beautiful, British homes. Labour has seen the light – Nicholas Boys Smith, The Daily Telegraph
- How Number 10 is shoring up Labour group of shock troops – Patrick Maguire, The Times
- Rayner’s fight with Nimbys ignores our lack of housebuilding skills – Anne McElvoy, The I
- We’ll make sure the green belt doesn’t block our housebuilding plans – Angela Rayner, The Daily Telegraph
>Today:
Miliband to add £1.5 billion to energy bills in record offshore wind investment
“Ed Miliband is to add up to £1.5bn to energy bills as part of a record investment in Britain’s offshore wind industry. The Energy Secretary is to boost the UK’s budget for renewable energy by £500m as he seeks to build an extra 3,000 to 4,000 giant turbines in Britain’s coastal waters by 2030. The funding will include £1.1bn for offshore wind schemes in a bid to attract the industry again, after a disastrous auction for renewable energy contracts in September last year failed to garner any bids for offshore wind. Significant sums will also be set aside for onshore wind, solar and tidal projects. Developers snubbed last year’s auction after complaining that prices offered were too low and some cancelled projects that became too expensive after huge cost rises.” – The Daily Telegraph
- Austerity may kill Labour’s green superpower ambitions at the first hurdle – Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, The Daily Telegraph
Junior doctors’ leader threatens more strikes after NHS pay deal ‘when Labour’s honeymoon period ends’
“Junior doctors should prepare to launch a new round of strikes next year “when Labour’s honeymoon period ends”, one of the union’s leaders has suggested. Robert Laurenson, co-chairman of the junior doctors committee of the British Medical Association (BMA), told colleagues that the next “window of opportunity [for strikes] is about 12 months away”. On Monday, the government announced a deal with junior doctors for a 22 per cent pay rise to end hugely disruptive industrial action, following negotiations between the health secretary, Wes Streeting, and BMA leaders. Since then, however, Laurenson has appeared to trash his own deal in public and threatened further strikes even if members vote to accept it, in an extraordinary move that is likely to infuriate Streeting.” – The Times
- Reeves hands junior doctors 22.3 per cent pay rise – and it’s you who’ll bear the cost – Paul Baldwin, Daily Express
Labour scraps European scrutiny committee in ‘reset of ties’ with EU
“The Labour Government has scrapped the European scrutiny committee as it works towards a “reset” of its relationship with the EU. The committee of backbench MPs was set up in 1973, and in recent years assessed the impact of Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deals Brexiteers accused Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, of delivering a “kick in the teeth” by disbanding the group on the final day before Parliament’s summer recess. The Prime Minister is pursuing a reset of European relations and is hoping to forge closer trade, security and foreign policy ties with the EU. Lucy Powell, the leader of the Commons, put legislation before the House that rescinded standing order 143 – which set out the scope and responsibilities of the committee – without a debate or vote of MPs.” – The Daily Telegraph
Conservatives 1) Badenoch accused of ‘bullying and traumatising’ staff
“Kemi Badenoch, the frontrunner to be the next Conservative party leader, has been accused of creating an intimidating atmosphere in the government department she used to run, with some colleagues describing it as toxic, the Guardian can reveal. At least three officials found her behaviour so traumatising that they felt they had no other choice but to leave, sources claimed. Morale was said to be so low in the Department for Business and Trade last year that senior officials thought it necessary to address concerns about the working culture during an official “town hall” meeting. This was attended by about 70 staff in person and online on 13 December 2023… Badenoch has flatly denied behaving in that way.” – The Guardian
- Bulling claims are a ‘hit job’, she says – The Daily Telegraph
- What is it like inside the Tory leadership campaign? – Daily Express
- ‘Badenoch is the only hope the Tories have of avoiding total destruction’, says Telegraph reader – The Daily Telegraph
Conservatives 2) David Frost: Why Jenrick has my support to be Tory leader
“I have argued repeatedly in these pages that this country needs, and wants, massive change to deal with our deep-seated economic and political problems. So it is a huge pity that we have just elected Labour to deliver more of the same. Now, for another five years, Britain will carry on sliding downhill. But thereafter we must be ready as a Conservative Party to put forward an alternative that carries confidence. The first step is to face our problems honestly. The second is to tell hard truths about what it will take to fix them. That’s my view. And it’s Robert Jenrick’s view, too, as set out in his Tory leadership launch video. Like me, he believes we face “complex interlocking challenges”, low growth, poor public services, high immigration.” – The Daily Telegraph
- Truss: I may not back any of the Tory leadership contenders – The Daily Telegraph
- Jenrick is the only candidate who can win the Red Wall back for the Tories – Jack Brereton, Daily Express
- Elections are won on the common ground, not the centre ground – Iain Duncan Smith, The Daily Telegraph
>Yesterday:
Conservative 3) Braverman’s Tory leadership failure could be GB News’s gain as she eyes media job
“Suella Braverman would be a “good fit” for GB News, a channel insider said, as the former Home Secretary pursues new media opportunities following her withdrawal from the Conservative leadership contest. Ms Braverman said she would not run to be Tory leader because the party did not want to “hear the truth” about why it lost the election. Allies said she would now take to the airwaves to argue her case that the Conservatives lost because of failures over migration, taxes and trans ideology. “She could host a regular show on GB News,” an insider on the right-wing channel said. “She would be the obvious choice and a good fit.” Although Ms Braverman regularly appears on GB News there have been no discussions yet about her joining the channel’s line-up as a presenter, another source said.” – The I
Conservatives 4) Henry Hill: Hunt is right to defend his legacy
“One of the best arguments for the Conservatives staging a short leadership contest was that Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt wouldn’t be left to face Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves across the Despatch Box during what may prove the most important period of this Labour Government. There were arguments the other way; arguably, the one resource the Tories currently have plenty of is time. But given that they have decided to hold a very long contest (we won’t get a new leader until 2 November) there is a price to be paid…Providing instant responses to fiscal events in the Chamber is undoubtedly one of the most difficult jobs an MP can face. But any advantage Hunt derives from his time as chancellor is offset by the fact that he is not seen by the public or the media as a credible critic of the Government.” – The I
News in Brief:
- Labour’s private school VAT raid will stunt social mobility – Kristina Murkett, The Spectator
- What the Tories can learn from 2001 – Lee David Evans, UnHerd
- Public sector handouts won’t keep the unions quiet – Len Shackleton, CapX
- The Conservatives need to unite; none of them know how – Rachel Cunliffe, The New Statesman
- You don’t need a referendum on the ECHR – Tim Chapman, J’Accuse
