Markus Andrews

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorJames Cleverly has surged to the top of the Tory leadership race, winning the backing of the most Conservative MPs after a barnstorming conference performance.The former home secretary topped the third round ballot of Tory MPs, winning the backing of 39 in total.It turns the race to succeed Rishi Sunak on its head, with Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch now in a life or death struggle – before members begin voting on a final two from Thursday.Former immigration minister Mr Jenrick, who was considered the favourite in the run up to the Tory conference last week in Birmingham, placed second with 31 votes.Ex-business secretary Ms Badenoch, a favourite among the Tory rank and file, was third with just 30 votes.The four had battled it out at the party’s annual conference in Birmingham to win over MPs and members More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorChancellor Rachel Reeves is reportedly considering making a major change to the UK’s fiscal rules at the Budget on 30 October – and experts say the shift could unlock an extra £57 billion for infrastructure spending.Ahead of the general election, Labour pledged to follow two rules. The first was that in the current budget costs are met by revenues such as tax. This has proven much more of a challenge for Ms Reeves than anticipated after she unveiled Treasury analysis in late July which showed a £22 billion shortfall in public spending.The chancellor has acknowledged this herself, saying at a Labour party conference fringe event that the measure would be “incredibly hard” to meet and require “tough decisions” to be made.The second rule is that debt must be falling as a share of the economy by the fifth year of the economic forecast. This measure rules out excessive borrowing to fill Labour’s black hole, as debt would be driven up as a result.However, during her speech at conference, Ms Reeves said: “It is time that the Treasury moved on from just counting the costs of investments to recognising the benefits too”. The comment caused experts to speculate that she may be looking to alter Labour’s fiscal rules at the Budget to deal with what Labour calls its unexpected ‘inheritance’.Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer at Labour’s 2024 Conference (Stefan Rousseau/PA) More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorThe transport secretary has indicated that HS2 will run into central London, saying it “would never have made sense” for that not to happen, following months of speculation over the rail line.The government will make a final announcement around the time of the Budget, Louise Haigh suggested. Asked if it would be affordable to get HS2 to terminate at Euston, she said: “We will be making an announcement on that soon.“But it certainly would never have made sense to leave it between Old Oak Common and Birmingham.” HS2 is likely to reach Euston, transport secretary Louise Haigh has indicated, saying it ‘would never have made sense’ for that not to happen More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorBoris Johnnson has denied mocking the public for obeying lockdown rules “like a religion” in his new memoir, which saw him question why people “so avidly craved” restrictions.Speaking to Sky News, Mr Johnson said he “totally rejects” the claim he was expressing disdain for members of the public who followed the rules during the Covid-19 pandemic.In a chapter of his book about fighting the second wave of the pandemic, the former prime minister pointed out the “sheer complexity” of the tier system, which saw different parts of the UK placed under varying levels of restriction.Mr Johnson said: “The real question is why on earth the public so avidly craved these rules and why they were so willing to have their doings circumscribed in such rabbinical detail.”He added that the rules acted “like a kind of religion, detailed rituals you just obeyed, Leviticus like in the hope of salvation”.Copies of former prime minister Boris Johnson’s latest memoir, titled Unleashed , ahead of its release to the public (James Manning/PA) More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorLabour’s polling lead has fallen to just one point after a rocky start to Sir Keir Starmer’s time in government. The latest polling comes despite the prime minister attempting to draw a line under the disorder by accepting the resignation of his chief of staff Sue Gray.The survey, conducted by More in Common for Politico, put Labour on 29 per cent and the Conservative Party on 28 per cent. Reform UK was on 19 per cent, while the Lib Dems were on 11 per cent. The Green Party was at seven per cent, while the SNP was on two per cent.Ahead of the election, Labour was consistently polling around 20 points ahead of the Tories More