The government has been sent a “warning shot” by voters in the Chesham and Amersham by-election, the co-chairman of the Tories has said.
Amanda Milling said voters’ concerns over planning reforms and HS2 were “loud and clear” following the party’s defeat to the Liberal Democrats.
Boris Johnson has been warned more “blue wall” seats could be in danger following Thursday’s historic win for the Lib Dems.
Senior Tories say the prime minister must change course or face more defeats in southern seats, with a warning the Lib Dems could become the “natural party for the home counties”.
Former Cabinet ministers are among worried Conservatives calling on the prime minister to accept the danger that his “blue wall” will crumble – in a “mirror image” of Labour’s plight in the north.
Opinion: Calls for the courts to narrow their remit are deeply troubling
There is much to absorb from the Lord Chancellor’s thoughtful speech to the conference on the constitutional reform agenda, hosted by UCL on 17 June…but for any Lord Chancellor to suggest that the courts are “reading too much into the rule of law” is perhaps startling, writes Sir Jonathan Jones KCB QC (Hon).
Read more from the former Treasury Solicitor below:
Opinion: Extending the eviction ban is a cheap trick – UK businesses need real support
Offering up an extended eviction ban in an attempt to damp down the hospitality industry’s fury is a neat, some would say cheap, trick because it’s a concession that doesn’t put any more Treasury skin in the game, writes our chief business commentator.
Read more on this from James Moore below:
Give all workers right to work from home after Covid, says Labour
All employees should be given the right to work from home after the Covid-19 pandemic ends, Labour has said.
The party’s shadow employment rights secretary Angela Rayner said the government should introduce a “default presumption” that flexible working would be permitted in law.
Our policy correspondent Jon Stone has more on this story below:
Royal British Legion responds to reports it will ‘stop selling poppies in EU due to Brexit’
The Royal British Legion (RBL) has released a statement saying post-Brexit regulations will only affect sales to the EU from its online Poppy Shop and would not impact the distribution of poppies to RBL members in Europe for remembrance activities.
It comes amid reports the charity sent an email to supporters stating it will “need to cease sales to customers in countries in the EU” for the foreseeable future until legislation surrounding Brexit is reviewed.
A spokesperson for the RBL said: “The RBL’s distribution of paper poppies to the EU is not affected as a result of the UK leaving the European Union.
“Goods sold by our online Poppy Shop to customers in the EU will be subject to the local rate of VAT and customs fees from 1 July.
“These costs are often higher than the value of the goods themselves and to pass them on to customers is not reasonable, therefore regrettably we are ceasing sales to customers in countries in the EU until such time as that legislation is reviewed.”
Community divisions being stoked by outsiders in Batley by-election, says Jo Cox’s sister
On the campaign trail in Batley, Kim Leadbeater, sister of murdered MP Jo Cox, has hit out at candidates who would only “cause problems for our community” in what appeared to be a swipe at rival George Galloway.
Here, she talks exclusively to our north of England correspondent Colin Drury:
Former government legal chief blasts Justice Secretary for claiming judges are becoming politicised
The former head of the government’s legal service has hit out at the justice secretary for suggesting judges are becoming “politicians by proxy”.
Jonathan Jones, who quit in response to ministers’ plans to break international law over Brexit, said recent comments by Robert Buckland about a new balance being needed on rule of law were “startling”.
Read our exclusive report by Kate Devlin and Jon Stone:
Labour ‘on course for more electoral humiliation’
Keir Starmer is on course for another electoral battering at the Batley and Spen by-election next month, according to a new constituency poll.
The new survey of the ‘red wall’ seat published by Survation found the Tories taking the West Yorkshire constituency with 47 per cent of the vote
Policy correspondent Jon Stone looks at what lies ahead in next month’s vote.
Chelsea Flower Show to feature garden with ‘strong political message’
The Chelsea Flower Show will feature a garden with a “strong political message” this year that designers hope will attract the attention of government.
The Royal Horticultural Society plot will aim to highlight how gardening can play a role in tackling climate change ahead of the United Nations climate summit (Cop26).
My colleague Joanna Taylor explains more here:
Andrew Lloyd Webber rejects Boris Johnson’s offer of help for Cinderella
Andrew Lloyd Webber has rejected Boris Johnson’s offer for his musical Cinderella to be included in a pilot scheme for live events.
Earlier this week the PM said he was in talks with Lord Lloyd-Webber about including the West End show in the scheme, saying he will “do whatever we can to be helpful”.
Lord Lloyd-Webber was criticised by a government source after he rejected the offer on Friday.
Read more on this story below:
Businessman jailed for a year over ‘vile’ threats to MPs who criticised Brexit
A businessman who sent death threats to MPs in a series of emails warning them not to block Brexit has been jailed for 12 months.
Paul Ritchie, 35, targeted more than a dozen different politicians including ex-Commons speaker John Bercow, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, former home secretary Amber Rudd and current Lib Dem leader Ed Davey.
My colleague Peter Stubley has the full story here:
