Flights delayed until June as Government loses seven Lords votes on Rwanda Bill
“Rishi Sunak has suffered another blow to his Rwanda bill after a series of heavy defeats in the Lords delayed the first flights until June, as he pleaded with MPs to unite behind him. The government lost seven votes, with majorities ranging between 30 and 55, as peers backed changes that aim to water down Sunak’s hardline legislation to deport migrants to Rwanda. Among those who voted against the government was the Conservative peer Lord Clarke of Nottingham, who served as chancellor in 1993-97… The defeats leave the Safety of Rwanda bill, one of Sunak’s flagship policies, deadlocked between the Lords and the Commons, which had on Monday rejected ten previous changes voted through by the upper chamber.” – The Times
- Government suffers clean sweep of defeats – Daily Telegraph
- Improbable the legislation will return to the Commons this side of Easter – The Guardian
- ‘Out of touch’ Lords warned they must respect ‘democratic will’ – Daily Express
More:
- One hundred asylum hotels will have been closed by the end of March, Government says – Daily Mail
- Falling birth rate to leave UK ‘reliant on immigration until 2100’ – The Times
Comment:
- The Civil Service is making it impossible to stop the boats – Isabel Oakshott, Daily Telegraph
Editorial:
- Baby Bust – The Times
>Yesterday: Nick Emmerson in Comment: The Lords have made the Rwanda Bill work. Ministers should follow their lead.
Prime Minister urges Tory MPs to present unified front before local elections
“Rishi Sunak has sought to unify his fractious party ahead of what could be a brutal set of local elections, urging his MPs to ignore dissenting voices and present a coherent front. The prime minister’s address to the 1922 Committee of Conservative backbenchers gave the appearance of agreement, with much of the traditional banging of desks and no public criticism, although some attenders doubted how genuine it all was. In a meeting lasting nearly an hour, taking place as the government lost a series of votes in the Lords on its flagship bill to declare Rwanda a safe country to which to deport asylum seekers, Sunak made a lengthy speech and answered a series of questions. A senior MP on the right of the party said the meeting was “all very positive” and that the prime minister was cheerful enough to crack a couple of jokes.” – The Guardian
- Very small minority of MPs plotting against me, Sunak claims – The Times
- He tells backbench Tories they face the ‘fight of our lives’ at the next election – Daily Mail
- Half of Sunak’s Cabinet are lining up to replace him, says Starmer – Daily Telegraph
Sketches:
- Sunak and Starmer run out of things to shout at PMQs – Tom Peck, The Times
- A minister was plonked between Sunak the veggie and carnivorous Mordaunt – Quentin Letts, Daily Mail
>Yesterday:
- ToryDiary: Andrew Gimson’s PMQs sketch: Starmer shows a touch of over-confidence and Mordaunt is not amused
- Parliament: ‘Outstanding’ Deane selected in Finchley and Golders Green
Sunak hails ‘new economic moment’ as inflation falls to a two-year low…
“Rishi Sunak last night hailed a ‘new economic moment’ as inflation fell and economists predicted interest rates will start falling within months. In an upbeat assessment, the Prime Minister said 2024 would ‘prove to be the year that the economy bounces back’ following a ‘tough’ period. A sharper-than-expected fall in inflation has raised hopes that Britain is in the ‘last mile’ of its battle to end the cost-of-living squeeze. Inflation dropped to 3.4 per cent last month from 4 per cent in January amid predictions that it could hit the Bank of England’s 2 per cent target next month. The Bank is expected to hold interest rates at 5.25 per cent today. But the markets believe the rate will start to fall this summer, with some economists predicting as many as five cuts this year, easing mortgage costs for millions of households.” – Daily Mail
- Interest rates likely to be cut in the summer as inflation falls – The Times
More:
- Victory for Brexit as Global Britain moves closer to £12 trillion trade bloc – Daily Express
>Yesterday: Clive Moffatt in Comment: Our electricity system must prioritise energy security and affordability over decarbonisation
…as Tories make ‘huge state pension promise’
“Rishi Sunak will give pensioners an election guarantee that the triple lock will remain in place under a future Conservative government. In a major victory for the Daily Express, the Prime Minister will put the pledge of a decent rise in the state pension at the heart of his manifesto. Campaigners hailed the promise as a “great first shot” in the battle for support from older voters. A Conservative source told the Express: “The triple lock has been in every Conservative Party manifesto since we created it, and we will commit to it again.” The future of the triple lock came under fresh scrutiny after Jeremy Hunt told peers that the triple lock and pension age are “kept under review”… It sparked concern that the future of the funding formula was again under threat.” – Daily Express
- HMRC halts plan to close tax helpline for six months a year – The Guardian
Editorial:
- HMRC’s treatment of taxpayers is shocking – Daily Telegraph
>Yesterday: Patrick English’s column: Sunak and Hunt should realise that voters want increased public spending, not tax cuts
Jeremy Hunt: The figures show our plan is working, but we need to stick to it
“With the progress we’ve made so far, we’ve been able to cut taxes by £900 a year for a typical worker on £35,400. That means the average earner in the UK now has the lowest effective personal tax rate since 1975 – and one that is lower than in America, France, Germany or any G7 country. And our reason for focusing on cutting National Insurance is simple: it’s a double tax on work. Right now, if you are working, what you earn is taxed twice – through both National Insurance contributions and income tax. But if you get income from other sources you pay tax only once. That’s what needs to end – and we’ll do so without borrowing more or cutting funding for public services. We’ll do it responsibly, as proven by the steps we’ve already taken to cut taxes for 29 million people.” – Daily Mail
- Reeves is staking it all on economic growth. So where’s her plan to achieve it? – Larry Elliott, The Guardian
- Is Labour ready for a fight with the Treasury? – Juliet Samuel, The Times
Editorial:
- Government’s critics blamed them for soaring inflation but give them no credit for it plummeting – The Sun
- Inflation fall shows Tory plan is working – Daily Mail
>Today: James Crouch in Comment: Why the National Insurance giveaway will prove this Government’s biggest missed opportunity
>Yesterday:
- ToryDiary: Reeves invites comparisons to 1979 – but Labour’s policy timidity suggests 1972 will be the better benchmark
- Sir John Redwood MP’s column: If the OBR is demanding spending cuts, here are some ideas
Mental health culture has gone too far, says Stride…
“Britain’s approach to mental health is in danger of having “gone too far” and “normal anxieties of life” are being labelled as an illness, the Work and Pensions Secretary has warned. Speaking as he unveiled plans to make 150,000 people signed off work with “mild” conditions look for a job, Mel Stride said that the benefits bill was being pushed up by the problem. In an interview with The Telegraph, he suggested an increased public focus on talking about mental health had led to people effectively self-diagnosing conditions. His intervention comes amid growing alarm over the ballooning welfare bill, which is set to hit £100 billion this year, and the impact of worklessness on the economy. The rising cost is being fuelled by a sharp increase in the number of people, especially the young, who are on long-term sickness payments for mental health conditions.” – Daily Telegraph
- NHS chief says taxes alone can’t fund ailing £160bn-a-year service – Daily Mail
More:
- Government has brought adult social care in England ‘to its knees’, MPs say – The Guardian
- Vapes could be limited to four flavours – The Times
>Today: Elliot Keck in Local Government: South Cambridgeshire Council unrepentant over four-day week folly
…as Badenoch claims that workplace diversity courses are ‘ineffective’
“British companies should not waste money on diversity training in the workplace because it is “ineffective” and often fails to achieve its stated objectives, a report commissioned by the government has concluded. In a strong attack on the UK’s multimillion-pound equality, diversity and inclusion industry, a panel of experts said there was little evidence that many interventions were successful. They also warned that companies too often outsourced or delegated their equality training to those with “potentially conflicting incentives” that had a “proliferation” of different initiatives. The report has been endorsed by Kemi Badenoch, the business secretary and minister for women and equalities, who said some groups and companies offering diversity training were making large amounts of money selling “snake oil”.” – The Times
- Starmer is not listening to me, says Labour race adviser – The Times
Editorial:
- The sector is very often a solution in search of a problem – The Times
>Today: Maya Forstater in Comment: A simple amendment to the Equality Act could protect women’s spaces. What are ministers waiting for?
Military aid to Ukraine dwarfed by Germany as UK’s international reputation ‘plummets’, defence sources claim
“Britain is being cut adrift by European allies after failing to provide enough military aid and political support to Ukraine, senior defence sources have claimed. The UK’s international reputation has plummeted since 2022 and Ukraine now regards Germany, the Nordic states and France as closer allies, the sources told the Mail. It comes as figures indicate the UK’s support for Ukraine is set to be trumped threefold by Germany in 2024-25. Meanwhile, the outcry continues over the Chancellor’s refusal to increase defence spending in the Budget. Jeremy Hunt’s failure to raise investment to 2.5 per cent of GDP proved the final straw for Armed Forces minister James Heappey who resigned the following week… The shocking drop-off in UK support for Ukraine is borne out in academic analysis.” – Daily Mail
- Army must ‘genuinely prepare for war’ for armed forces to be a credible deterrent, ex-generals warn – Daily Mail
Comment:
- It’s time for a deal with the EU on defence – Iain Martin, The Times
>Yesterday: Lord Bethell in Comment: The UK can be a global leader in prohibiting data transfers to countries without enforceable privacy laws
Johnson ‘did not consult watchdog’ over paid role with hedge fund
“Boris Johnson did not seek permission from the post-ministerial jobs watchdog before taking a role as a consultant to a hedge fund, on whose behalf he met the Venezuelan president. As a former minister, Johnson is required to seek the advice of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba) for two years from September 2022, when he left office. The committee’s advice typically comes with restrictions on lobbying and contact with the UK government. It was writing to Johnson on the matter, a source said. The former prime minister has not sought the committee’s advice for his paid role with Merlyn Advisors, a London-based hedge fund, the Guardian understands… A source close to Johnson said the rules had not been broken, and suggested no work had been undertaken that would require an application to Acoba.” – The Guardian
Yousaf reveals Sturgeon will ‘definitely’ play key election role for SNP
“Humza Yousaf said Nicola Sturgeon will “definitely” campaign for the SNP at the next general election. The Scottish First Minister and SNP leader described his predecessor as “one of the most successful politicians in Europe”. Asked on ITV’s Peston if he would like Ms Sturgeon to campaign for the party at the election, Mr Yousaf said: “Oh, she definitely will, I’ve got no doubt about that.” … It comes after a difficult start to the year for the SNP with Ms Sturgeon’s exit and a police probe into its finances. At its conference in Aberdeen last year the party set victory as winning a majority of seats north of the border – the equivalent of 29 constituencies under new boundaries… Recent polling suggests the SNP is level with Labour, which currently has just two Scottish MPs, north of the border.” – Daily Express
- First Minister’s family firm in Glasgow is accused of displaying antisemitic posters – Daily Mail
Sinn Féin calls for elections after Varadkar’s surprise resignation
“Sinn Fein called for immediate elections after Leo Varadkar’s shock resignation as Ireland’s prime minister on Wednesday. “I don’t feel I’m the best person for that job anymore,” Mr Varadkar said as he announced the end of his second stint as Taoiseach outside Government Buildings in Dublin shortly after noon. Ireland’s first openly gay leader, and its youngest at 38 when he first took up the role in 2017, said there would not be an early general election before the March 2025 deadline for the vote. Mr Varadkar, who is half-Indian and the first member of an ethnic minority to be Taoiseach, said he would stay on until Fine Gael appointed his replacement, which should happen before April 16… Earlier, Mr Varadkar, 45, said he was stepping down as prime minister and Fine Gael leader after the “most fulfilling” time of his life for reasons that were “both personal and political”.” – Daily Telegraph
- How ambitious taoiseach squandered his popularity – The Times
Comment:
- Farewell Leo, no one will miss you – Ruth Dudley Edwards, Daily Telegraph
>Yesterday: David Lu’s International column: Trudeau’s last stand on an unpopular carbon tax puts his legacy ahead of Liberal re-election hopes
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