Australia has made a “huge mistake” by cancelling a major submarine contract with France in favour of a deal with the UK and US, the French ambassador to the country has said.
French envoy Jean-Pierre Thebault said on Saturday that the original arms agreement between the French and Australian governments was supposed to be based “on trust, mutual understanding and sincerity.”
It came after France recalled its ambassadors to the US and Australia in a dramatic escalation of diplomatic tensions over the new AUKUS alliance.
Meanwhile, the UK government is holding urgent talks with senior figures in the energy industry to discuss a sudden rise in wholesale gas prices which has led to a CO2 shortage, potentially risking the food supply chain.
Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng insisted on Saturday that the UK’s gas supplies were stable, while the chief executive of the British Meat Processors Association warned that the CO2 shortage was “undoubtedly a crisis”.
Women to be ‘hit hardest’ by Universal Credit cut, figures show
Planned cuts to Universal Credit (UC) will hit women hardest and lead to billions of pounds being lost from their annual incomes in total, a charity has warned.
Some 5.9 million people in the UK are currently receiving UC payments – with women making up 54 per cent of those claiming the benefit as of August 2021.
Our women’s correspondent, Maya Oppenheim, has the full story below:
Closure of Covid taskforce leads to ‘brain drain’ ahead of feared winter surge
The government’s Covid taskforce, which plays a key role in decisions on lockdowns, PPE and emergency planning, is facing a “brain drain” as the country prepares for a potentially challenging winter, The Independent can reveal.
As the department is to be disbanded in the spring, members of the taskforce are already reportedly heading for the exit.
Our reporter, Anna Isaac, has the full story below:
Opinion: ‘Starmer may have John Smith’s style – but he faces a stronger opposition’
Sir Keir Starmer shares some characteristics with a former leader of the Labour Party, John Smith, but he faces an even tougher challenge to win the next general election, according to our commentator John Rentoul.
Ahead of Labour’s annual conference, John writes:
“Keir Starmer doesn’t like being compared to previous Labour leaders, but the Smith one is more apt than most. Like Smith, Starmer trades on his competence as a lawyer to present a reassuring face to the voters. Like Smith, Starmer places himself at the centre of the party, emphasising unity above all, while offering baubles to both left and right to keep them happy.”
You can find his full piece below:
Wholesale gas prices surge by 250 per cent since January, industry body says
Wholesale gas prices have surged by 250 per cent since January, with a 70 per cent rise since August alone, the UK’s offshore oil and gas industry body has said.
OGUK, which represents the industry, said that the crisis had coincided with discussions on whether to open new gas fields in the North Sea, with the body predicting that UK North Sea output would roughly halve by 2027 unless new fields are opened.
“This price surge shows how we continue to need UK gas,” OGUK energy policy manager Will Webster said.
“Letting production fall faster than we can reduce demand risks leaving us increasingly dependent on other countries, and at the mercy of global events over which we have no control.
“While the UK continues to use oil and gas, we should make the most of the resources in our control while working for a low-carbon future.”
Southern Tory voters do not believe Johnson is ‘decent man’, Lib Dem leader claims
Voters in the Tory Party’s southern seats could turn on Boris Johnson because they do not believe he’s a “decent man”, the leader of the Liberal Democrats has claimed.
Sir Ed Davey told the Daily Mirror that he believed such voters were up for grabs in the next general election as the Conservatives focus their attention on retaining the “Red Wall” seats in Labour’s former northern heartlands.
“He has been proven to not tell the truth time and time again, I think he plays to people’s prejudices,” Sir Ed said.
“There’s something that a prime minister should have – even if you disagree with them, they should be able to command respect, that they tell the truth, they work hard and they do the very best they can.
“He doesn’t recognise the truth, he’s completely incompetent and I don’t think he works hard.”
He added: “This is what Conservative voters are telling us – they don’t think he’s decent.”
Ministers must recognise ‘cost of living crisis’ as gas prices rise, Miliband says
The government must recognise the “severity of the cost of living crisis” facing families following a sudden rise in wholesale gas prices, former Labour leader Ed Miliband has said.
The shadow business secretary said on Saturday that ministers needed to do more to put in place “more robust, resilient and diverse energy infrastructure” across the UK.
“It is a fundamental failure of long-term government planning over the last decade that we are so exposed and vulnerable as a country and it is businesses and consumers that are paying the price,” Mr Miliband wrote on Twitter.
“If we had been investing at sufficient scale in diverse, secure, zero carbon energy supplies and making energy efficiency a much bigger priority, we would not be in such a precarious position.”
He added: “Ministers must recognise the severity of the cost of living crisis now facing families and cancel the cut to Universal Credit.
“They must also ensure security of supply and take the long term action to put in place a much more robust, resilient and diverse energy infrastructure.”
ICYMI: Health minister Lord Bethell, who was at the centre of a series of Covid-related controversies, has confirmed that he has been sacked in Boris Johnson’s reshuffle this week.
Our political editor, Andrew Woodcock, has the full story below:
Why did France spare UK ambassador in AUKUS row?
Despite the UK’s role in the new AUKUS alliance, France notably chose not to recall its British ambassador on Friday when it told its envoys for the US and Australia to return home in a major diplomatic rebuke.
The reason for that may be due to the French government not viewing the UK as an active party in the defence contract that sparked the row.
According to a French diplomatic source for Reuters, the UK acted in an “opportunistic” manner in the deal struck between the US and Australia which ended a $40bn submarine contract deal between Canberra and Paris
“The UK accompanied this operation opportunistically,” the French diplomatic source said.
“We do not need to consult in Paris with our ambassador to know what to think and what conclusions to draw from it.”
Exclusive: Government accused of lowering cap on Afghan refugees by 10 per cent
Boris Johnson’s government has been accused of quietly slashing by 10 per cent the number of Afghan refugees to be admitted to the UK under a scheme to protect those fleeing the Taliban.
The Liberal Democrats said on Saturday that the “already derisory” offer to take in 5,000 people this year under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme had been reduced to 4,500 due to a technicality in the Home Office policy.
Our political editor, Andrew Woodcock, has the full story below:
ICYMI: Australian government ‘regrets’ France’s decision to recall ambassador
The Australian government has expressed “regret” over France’s decision to recall its ambassador to the country in connection to a row over a cancelled submarine contract.
The French government is angry because Australia cancelled a major defence contract after it agreed to work with the UK and US to build nuclear-powered submarines as part of the new AUKUS strategic alliance.
“We note with regret France’s decision to recall its Ambassador to Australia for consultations following the decision on the Attack Class project,” a spokesperson for foreign minister Marise Payne said.
“Australia understands France’s deep disappointment with our decision, which was taken in accordance with our clear and communicated national security interests.
“Australia values its relationship with France, which is an important partner and a vital contributor to stability, particularly in the Indo-Pacific. This will not change.”
They added: “We look forward to engaging with France again on our many issues of shared interest, based on shared values.”
The AUKUS defence pact between the UK, US and Australia has been widely seen as an attempt to counter the growing military assertiveness of China in the Indo-Pacific region.
