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    ‘Weak’ Sunak must not ‘drift into appeasement’ in talks with China’s Xi, former Tory leader warns

    Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Rishi Sunak has been accused of “drifting into appeasement” after hastily arranging last-minute face-to-face talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the G20 summit. The meeting on the margins of […] More

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    Rishi Sunak green-lights visas for Indians in hope of salvaging trade deal

    Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Rishi Sunak has today made a bid to resurrect plans for a trade deal with India, by giving the go-ahead for 3,000 visas for young professionals from the country to […] More

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    Dominic Raab seeks new staff to run his private office as bullying claims mount OLD

    Dominic Raab is recruiting new staff to run his private office amid claims he was “abrasive and controlling” of previous aides, The Independent has learned.Opposition MPs said it was unsurprising that there were vacancies to fill working with the deputy prime minister and said it was “outrageous” that allegations against him were effectively being ignored in government. The search for new staff comes as a top mandarin warned that some officials were too scared to enter Mr Raab’s office and that he was obvious the effect his behaviour had on colleagues despite a talking-to. More

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    Council tax will go up in autumn statement, Jeremy Hunt tells MPs OLD

    Council tax will go up following this week’s crucial autumn statement but the wealthy will feel most of the pain, Jeremy Hunt has said.The chancellor rejected a plea from Labour to hold down bills – as the Conservative 2019 election manifesto promised – insisting some “very difficult announcements” are unavoidable on Thursday.“We are going to be asking everyone to contribute more – but we’ll be asking people who have more, to contribute even more. And that will be reflected in our decisions on council tax,” Mr Hunt told MPs. More