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Robert Jenrick has thrown a thinly-veiled criticism at fellow contender Kemi Badenoch, suggesting the shadow secretary is an unserious candidate.
In his speech at the Policy Exchange think tank, he told supporters that the choices in the election are framed around his “serious plan” versus “not needless drama”, which was an apparent attack at his rival.
The former immigration minister also promised to bring back the government’s Rwanda deportation plan.
After the address, he rejected suggestions that Tory MPs mistakenly backed him for the final two in the leadership race, following speculation about internal “horse trading”.
Mr Jenrick was asked directly whether he could have made the final two by mistake. He admitted that there is always some manoeuvring but was confident that MPs ultimately chose him based on his leadership credentials.
Meanwhile, as the Labour government unveils its Employment Rights Bill, the party denied claims that the proposed reforms could jeopardise jobs.
However, unions criticised the proposed legislation claiming it fails to fully protect workers. Unite boss Sharon Graham said the reform would leave “more holes than Swiss cheese” for employers to exploit.
NHS faces ‘harsh trade-offs’ this winter, experts warn
Health experts are sounding the alarm as new data revealed the NHS is heading into the winter season “in bad shape”.
Experts at King’s Fund warned the health service has shown deteriorating performance across key measures.
The charity’s chief analyst highlighted a concerning picture of rising financial pressures, ongoing strikes and missed targets.
Siva Anandaciva said: “The NHS is approaching winter in bad shape.
“Industrial action is continuing, financial pressures are rising, and important performance targets continue to be missed.
“Despite the hard work of staff, patient care in the NHS continues to fall short of expectations.
“Today’s statistics show it has been three years since A&E performance was above the current temporary target of 78 per cent of people waiting under four hours and nearly a decade since the official target of 95 per cent of people being seen in four hours was met.”
Bill on assisted dying to be debated next month
A bill on assisted dying will have its first debate on 29 November, Labour MP Kim Leadbeater has said.
It will be the first time in almost a decade MPs have debated and voted on the subject in the House of Commons in almost a decade.
Her private member’s bill (PMB) on choice at the end of life for people with terminal illness will be formally introduced in Parliament on Wednesday.
The details of the legislation will be published ahead of the first full debate and vote on 29 November, Ms Leadbeater’s office said.
Pictured: Kemi Badenoch takes Tory leadership campaign to Ealing
Rachel Reeves ‘eyes’ capital gains tax hike amid budget scramble
Rachel Reeves is reportedly considering a significant rise in capital gains tax (CGT).
As Labour faces growing pressure to find funding for strained public services, the chancellor could hike the tax as high as 39 per cent.
Treasury reports, seen by The Guardian, suggest officials are examining CGT rates in the range of 33 per cent to 39 per cent, far higher than current levels.
The tax, which affects around 350,000 people and is levied on the sale of assets like second homes and shares, currently operates at much lower rates than income tax.
With a looming £25 billion fiscal gap highlighted by the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS), Labour’s budget preparations are increasingly focused on wealth taxes.
Although Sir Keir Starmer and Ms Reeves have promised not to raise taxes for “working people”, other tax options, such as targeting non-domiciled individuals or private equity, have faced setbacks.
COMMENT | The not-so-Cleverly scheming backfired – the Tories are now at war (and all at sea)
In a faux pas bordering on farce, the opposition finds itself faced with a choice between two hard right-wingers differing only in the extent of their extremism, writes Sean O’Grady:
Watch: Boris Johnson appears confused as former prime minister finally confirms how many children he has
Boris Johnson appears confused as he finally confirms how many children he has
Boris Johnson confirmed the exact number of children he has after being questioned on The Diary of a CEO podcast. Host Steven Bartlett directly asked him why the amount of kids he has is such a widely debated subject, to which the former prime minister replied: “Search me.” It was previously believed that Mr Johnson has nine children. He and his second wife, Marina Wheeler, who separated in 2018, have four children. Mr Johnson’s fifth child, Stephanie Macintyre, was fathered as a result of an affair. During court proceedings, it was alleged that Macintyre was one of two children the former prime minister fathered as a result of an affair. He also shares three children with his third wife Carrie Johnson.
Jenrick and Badenoch face rebuff from One Nation Conservatives
The Tory Reform Group (TRG), representing One Nation Conservatives, has declined to endorse either Robert Jenrick or Kemi Badenoch in the leadership race.
The TRG, a traditionally centrist faction within the party, criticised both candidates for straying too far from the party’s core values.
In a statement, the group said it had “engaged extensively” with all leadership hopefuls but was left unimpressed by the two finalists, accusing them of adopting a rhetoric that diverges from the principles that define the Conservatives at its pest.
The TRG said: “As the home of One Nation Conservatism since 1975, the TRG is committed to being radically moderate, values-driven, and focused on the future.
“Throughout the contest, we have sought to engage extensively with all the leadership campaigns in order to understand the views and approaches of the candidates. Unfortunately, we have been consistently disappointed by the lack of engagement from the two candidates chosen by MPs.
“TRG members were consulted throughout the process, and the results clearly show that neither candidate has secured widespread support from the majority of our membership.
“Both have used rhetoric and focused on issues which are far and away from the party at its best, let alone the One Nation values we cherish and uphold. Therefore, the board of the TRG has unanimously concluded that we are unable to endorse either candidate.”
Jenrick dismisses claims Tory MPs accidentally backed him for final two
Robert Jenrick has rejected suggestions that Tory MPs mistakenly backed him for the final two in the leadership race, following speculation about internal “horse trading”.
Speaking after a speech today, he was asked whether he could have made it to the final by mistake.
The former immigration minister acknowledged that there is always some manoeuvring in such contests but was confident that MPs ultimately chose him based on his leadership credentials.
In response to a question on his strengths compared to frontrunner Kemi Badenoch, Mr Jenrick emphasised his focus on key voter concerns such as the NHS, immigration, and the economy, suggesting his campaign’s broader appeal compared to his rival’s.
“I believe my colleagues voted for the candidates best placed to lead the party forward,” he said, adding that he was “immensely grateful” for the trust.
How ‘Robert Generic’ turned into a right-wing Tory leadership hopeful
So cautious and moderate was former immigration minister Robert Jenrick when he entered the Commons that he was nicknamed “Robert Generic”.
He ticked every box of the Conservative cliche. A history graduate from Cambridge and a qualified solicitor, he joined parliament as the MP for Newark in 2014.
He voted to remain in the EU, and backed Theresa May’s Brexit deal three times.
He has served as a minister, in multiple departments, under every prime minister since 2017. It is no surprise that he has long been considered a moderate within the party.
You can read the full analysis below:
