Tory MPs pile pressure on Sunak to retain green policies July 25, 2023 Senior Tory MPs have warned Rishi Sunak against backing away from policies aimed at tackling climate change. Labour’s loss in the recent Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election has been interpreted by some as a de-facto referendum on the controversial ULEZ expansion. Danny Beales, who lost to the Conservative candidate Steve Tuckwell by just 495 votes, [...]
‘Docklands 2.0’: Michael Gove outlines vision for new higher density London July 24, 2023 Michael Gove has outlined the government’s vision to create a “Docklands 2.0” in a key speech on housing policy, calling for higher density urban development. The housing and levelling up secretary cited the “ambitious approach” of Margaret Thatcher and Michael Heseltine and warned housing “inefficiency” is costing Britain’s productivity. It comes as the prime minister [...]
Sunak vows to meet one million new homes promise amid shortfall warnings July 24, 2023 Rishi Sunak has vowed his government will meet a Conservative manifesto pledge to build one million new homes before the end of this parliament. The Prime Minister made the promise ahead of a speech by housing and levelling up secretary Michael Gove on measures to slash red tape on loft conversions and extensions. It comes [...]
Relax some net zero measures, says Michael Gove July 23, 2023 Top Conservative minister Michael Gove has called for some net zero measures to be relaxed as he warned against green policies becoming a “religious crusade”. Gove’s intervention came in the wake of a Labour defeat in the Uxbridge by-election which saw the victorious Conservative MP Steve Tuckwell run a single-issue campaign opposing the ULEZ rollout. [...]
Labour must ‘learn lesson’ of Tories using ULEZ by-election attack July 22, 2023 Sir Keir Starmer has warned Labour must “learn the lesson” of seeing the ULEZ policy used against it following a narrow defeat in the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election. The Labour leader said there was “something very wrong” when a policy was on “each and every Tory leaflet” following attacks on London mayor Sadiq Khan’s [...]
Johnny Mercer will ‘soon be history’, says Keir Starmer July 22, 2023 Sir Keir Starmer has labelled Johnny Mercer a “silly sod” who will “soon be history”, after he compared Labour’s new 25-year-old MP to a character from comedy series The Inbetweeners. The minister for Veterans’ Affairs said Keir Mather had been “dropped into” the Selby and Ainsty constituency in North Yorkshire and “spouted identikit Keir Starmer [...]
You win some, ULEZ some: A mixed bag of by-election results but what does it all mean? July 21, 2023 Well, it was quite a night. Three by-elections, three very different constituencies, and – at face value at least – something for everyone. If you’re catching up now, the headlines are: Rishi Sunak dodges a triple defeat, as the Tory Party held onto Uxbridge, while Labour won big in Selby and the Lib Dems took [...]
Double loss for Tories in Selby and Somerton as Sunak gets kicking July 21, 2023 Rishi Sunak has suffered a double defeat, losing Selby and Ainsty to Labour in a historic victory as the Liberal Democrats took Somerton and Froome. The Conservatives held on the west London seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip – by fewer than 500 votes – but former prime minister Boris Johnson’s 7,210 majority was decimated. [...]
Uxbridge by-election: Tories hold Boris Johnson’s old seat as Labour blame Sadiq Khan’s ULEZ expansion July 21, 2023 The Conservatives have held onto Boris Johnson’s former seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip as Labour blame Sadiq Khan’s ULEZ expansion policy for the loss. Tory councillor and former postman Steve Tuckwell won the west London constituency with 13,965 votes – beating Labour’s Danny Beales, on 13,470. Sir Keir Starmer’s party had hoped to overturn [...]
Monarchy’s funding recalculated after boost to Crown Estate’s revenue from wind farm deals July 20, 2023 The Sovereign Grant – which is used to fund the monarchy’s official duties – will make up just 12 per cent of the Crown Estate’s net profits next year, down from 25 per cent, the Treasury has announced. The change has been introduced following a significant boost in the Crown Estate’s profits from offshore wind [...]