China’s president Xi Jinping is yet to confirm whether he will attend the Cop26 climate conference in Glasgow later this year, Cabinet minister Alok Sharma has admitted.
However, Mr Sharma told the BBC on Sunday that he was “very hopeful” that the country would send a negotiating team to the talks, which are seen as being crucial for agreeing substantial action to tackle the climate crisis.
It came as Boris Johnson’s government was warned that the UK faces a “national security issue” over a sudden shortage of carbon dioxide (CO2) used by the food and drink industry, with the issue set to cause problems in the food supply chain.
Ranjit Singh Boparan, the owner of Bernard Matthews and 2 Sisters Food Group, warned on Saturday that there was potential for “massive food waste” across the country due to the shortage, which is linked to a spike in wholesale gas prices.
Meanwhile, an NHS leader has warned that operations could be put at risk due to the CO2 shortage if ministers fail to prioritise the health service in emergency talks.
Starmer must unify Labour conference by welcoming Corbyn back, McDonnell says
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer should unify his party by restoring the whip to his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn and by setting out a radical platform for government, former shadow chancellor John McDonnell has said.
The prominent left-wing MP also warned that Sir Keir was running out of time to put forward a compelling vision for the country before the next general election.
Our political editor, Andrew Woodcock, has the full story below:
ICYMI: Report accuses Boris Johnson of neglecting national security
Boris Johnson has been accused of overseeing an “inadequate” Whitehall system and neglecting national security, according to a new parliamentary report.
The Joint Committee on National Security Strategy has branded the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan as “a systemic failure”, while also noting that the National Security Council’s structures were abandoned when the Covid pandemic struck.
Our deputy political editor, Rob Merrick, has the full story below:
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has joined the prime minister in paying tribute to England footballer Jimmy Greaves, who has passed away at the age of 81:
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has brought back his prop “blue wall” for his party conference speech this afternoon…
For those who don’t remember, Sir Ed used the wall to celebrate his party’s surprise by-election victory in the former Tory seat of Chesham and Amersham in June:
On Saturday night, it was revealed that former Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane had been appointed as the head of the government’s “levelling up” taskforce.
Here’s what Mr Haldane had to say about Boris Johnson’s strategy for the agenda at an Institute for Government event earlier this year.
“The best laid plans are those that are laid locally and which build a broad base of foundations, including investment, education, skills and culture,” he said.
“That requires local institutions, and it requires them to have the holy trinity of powers, money and people.”
Mr Haldane added: “Put simply, you don’t level up from the top down, rather you level up from the bottom up.”
You can find his comments in full below:
ICYMI: China’s attendance at Cop26 in doubt, Alok Sharma says
China’s president Xi Jinping has yet to commit to attending the Cop26 international climate change talks in Glasgow in November, the conference’s head has admitted.
Alok Sharma acknowledged on Sunday that China would have to play a “key” part in any agreement on action to tackle the climate crisis.
Our reporter, Leonie Chao-Fong, has the full story below:
As the journalism app PARLY notes, the Ministry of Housing has gone through a number of different names over the past 20 years or so:
Senior economist asked to rescue Johnson’s troubled ‘levelling up’ pledge
A former Bank of England chief economist has been asked to breathe life into Boris Johnson’s troubled “levelling up” agenda as part of a shake-up of the government’s strategy.
Andy Haldane will lead a new Cabinet Office taskforce, with No 10 declaring that the policy is now its “central mission”.
You can find the full story below:
Operations at risk from CO2 shortages ‘unless ministers prioritise NHS’
NHS surgery is at risk from CO2 shortages brought on by rising gas prices unless ministers make the issue a top priority, a health service leader has warned.
Lord Adebowale, the chair of the NHS Confederation, urged business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng to focus on “making sure there’s enough CO2 for the NHS” as part of emergency talks over the coming days.
Our deputy political editor, Rob Merrick, has the full story below:
Ministry of Housing renamed as Department for Levelling Up in reshuffle shake-up
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government will now be known as the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities as part of a push to deliver on one of the government’s key issues.
Michael Gove was handed the department, which will now have an expanded role for delivering improvements for “undervalued communities”, in Boris Johnson’s Cabinet reshuffle earlier this week.
Mr Gove said that he was “thrilled” to be taking on the Levelling Up agenda, which he described as “the defining mission of this government”.
“With a superb team of ministers and officials in a new department, our relentless focus will be on delivering for those overlooked families and undervalued communities across the United Kingdom,” he said.
“We have a unique opportunity to make a real difference to people’s lives.”
