Berkeley Homes to sue Michael Gove for ‘irrational’ decision to block Kent housing development, reports May 2, 2023 Berkeley Homes, one of the UK’s biggest housebuilders, has taken Michael Gove to court over his decision to block one of its developments because he did not like the look of the homes. The housing secretary overruled planning inspectors and refused permission for a 165-home development in Kent over claims about generic properties, according to [...]
‘Had enough of experts?’ Record level of Brits now want them in charge April 6, 2023 Record levels of Britons now want experts to run the country, a global democracy survey has found. Almost two thirds of the British public – 61 per cent – in 2022, said having experts, not politicians, make decisions according to what they think best, was a good way of governing. The finding comes six years [...]
UK housing model is ‘broken’, says Michael Gove April 3, 2023 The UK’s housing model is “broken”, housing secretary Michael Gove has said. The comments by the senior cabinet minister come in a foreword to a collection of essays by liberal conservative think tank Bright Blue. First reported by the Times newspaper, Mr Gove writes: “We desperately need more homes to bring ownership within reach of [...]
MPs should ‘put public service first’ after second jobs sting, Michael Gove says March 26, 2023 Levelling-up secretary Michael Gove said today that MPs must “put public service first” after undercover reporting revealed a handful of MPs were willing to provide advice to a foreign company in return for sizeable fees. Politicians Matt Hancock and Kwasi Kwarteng were left red-faced after anti-Brexit campaign group Led By Donkeys released footage of them [...]
UK suffering worst living standards squeeze on record, OBR boss warns March 26, 2023 Brits’ spending power won’t recover to pre-pandemic levels for another half decade, the boss of the UK’s economic watchdog has warned. The UK is experiencing the “biggest squeeze on living standards we’ve faced in this country on record”, Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) chairman Richard Hughes said today. His stark warning came after the regulator’s [...]
Michael Gove: Four more firms signed up to Grenfell safety contracts after being named and shamed March 24, 2023 Michael Gove said four more companies have signed up to post-Grenfell building safety contracts after he named and shamed some of the firms earlier this month that had not signed up to the agreement. The Communities Secretary had given companies until March 13 to sign up to the agreement aimed at addressing cladding issues following [...]
Govt announces £1.4bn levelling-up devolution deal for north east including new mayor December 28, 2022 The North East of England could become the latest region to have a directly elected mayor, as the Government announced a new £1.4 billion devolution deal for the region. Hailed as a “significant step” by local politicians, Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said a new devolution deal would bring fresh powers over skills, transport and [...]
Gove backs new design school to challenge ‘indifferent and insipid’ town planning December 27, 2022 Michael Gove has said new housing developments are let down by “indifferent or insipid” town planning, as he calls for a new school for designing. The Levelling Up Secretary made his comments in a foreword for the conservative think tank Policy Exchange, in which he bemoaned modern architecture, saying “all too frequently in Britain the [...]
‘Is that it?’: Gove unable to say how Brexit ‘made business easier’ when asked six times on R4 November 24, 2022 Principal Brexiteer michael Gove was unable to name a ‘single benefit’ of Brexit, as business leaders warn of continued economic strain. The levelling up secretary appeared to falter while speaking on Radio 4’s Today Programme this morning, asked no less than six times how firms would benefit from the UK’s departure from the EU. This [...]
‘I am just a regular guy’: Michael Gove rejects Downing Street’s ‘snake’ label July 12, 2022 Former government minister and Tory heavyweight Michael Gove has denied that he is a “snake” after being described as such by No 10 sources after being sacked as communities secretary by Boris Johnson last week. The Prime Minister dramatically fired Gove last Wednesday after his Cabinet rival told him that it was time for him [...]