Tory MP Andrew Bridgen suspended from the Commons over ‘cavalier’ attitude to lobbying rules January 10, 2023 MPs have agreed to suspend Tory MP Andrew Bridgen after he was found to have displayed a “very cavalier” attitude to the rules in a series of lobbying breaches. The North West Leicestershire Tory MP will be suspended from the Commons for five sitting days from Tuesday. Bridgen, a backbencher should have told ministers and officials [...]
Sunak and Starmer offer little new year cheer on ailing UK growth path January 10, 2023 This brand new weekly column, published every Tuesday, will drill down into the stories behind the numbers to reveal what makes the UK – and global – economy tick. But, today, inspired by what resembled soon-to-broken new year’s resolutions by political leaders last week, it will make the case for why a stable government economic [...]
Rishi Sunak calls for ‘radical’ action as NHS on ‘knife-edge’ January 7, 2023 Rishi Sunak has urged health leaders at an emergency meeting to take “bold and radical” action to alleviate the winter crisis in the NHS. The Prime Minister told them during Downing Street talks on Saturday that a “business-as-usual mindset won’t fix the challenges we face”. Critics said the discussions would be just a “talking shop” [...]
Confirmed: Channel 4 privatisation cancelled as broadcaster to stay in public ownership January 5, 2023 Channel 4 will remain in public ownership after a planned privatisation – championed by Boris Johnson’s government – was binned today. The Culture Department confirmed the move today, confirming reports based on a leaked letter yesterday. The Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan had written to Rishi Sunak calling for the government to drop the plans to [...]
Starmer promises Labour will deliver ‘decade of renewal’ after doubts cast over Sunak pledges January 4, 2023 A Labour government will deliver “a decade of national renewal” to show “the light at the end of the tunnel” for the British people, opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer will claim in his first speech of 2023 tomorrow. Speaking in Stratford, East London, Starmer, 60, is set to characterise the more than decade of Conservative [...]
Property boss urges Sunak to ditch tax breaks for eco-friendly home owners in 2023 January 4, 2023 Plans to offer stamp duty refunds to home owners who make their properties more eco-friendly are simply “a bad idea,” one of Britain’s largest property associations has told City A.M.. Banks last year urged the Government to incentivise changes by refunding stamp duty to buyers who pay for green upgrades within two years of making [...]
Rishi Sunak: I’ll halve inflation and get the economy growing again January 4, 2023 Rishi Sunak has pledged to halve inflation and bring down NHS waiting lists, as he set out a fresh vision for his premiership with five promises to voters. In his first major speech of 2023, the Prime Minister promised to deliver “peace of mind” to the public, even as his Government grapples with an NHS [...]
Maths to 18: Sunak’s “personal” mission to boost the nation’s numeracy – but Labour tell him to “show his working” January 4, 2023 The Prime Minister will set out his plan to ensure all pupils in England study some form of maths until aged 18 in his first speech of 2023. On Wednesday, Rishi Sunak will lay out his priorities and ambitions for the year ahead, which will include a new mission to combat high rates of innumeracy [...]
Sunak can’t afford to lose another ethics adviser, says appointments board chair December 27, 2022 The Government cannot afford to lose another ethics adviser, the head of the business appointments watchdog has warned. The warning by Lord Pickles, chairman of the independent Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba), comes days after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak filled the six-month vacancy by appointing veteran banker and Historic England chairman Sir Laurie Magnus. [...]
Rishi Sunak hires Spectator journo James Forsyth as key political aide December 24, 2022 Rishi Sunak has hired James Forsyth, the Spectator’s political editor and a Times columnist, as his new political secretary. The news was broken by The Times and the Spectator. Forsyth will bolster Sunak’s key Downing Street team as the Prime Minister seeks to overcome a double-digit deficit in most election polls. He is a long-standing [...]