Markus Andrews

Alex Salmond has claimed he could have “destroyed” SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon’s political career if he had wanted to.The Alba leader made the astonishing remark in a US magazine article focusing on Ms Sturgeon and her spectacular fall-out with Mr Salmond over the Scottish government’s handling of harassment claims.“I think my political opponents – I don’t know, maybe Alex himself … There was an element of ‘We can break her,’ you know,” Scotland’s first minister told The New Yorker.“Almost kind of personally as well as politically. That was how it felt. And, you know, there were days when they might have come closer than they knew. But they didn’t.”When approached by the magazine about Ms Sturgeon’s comments, Mr Salmond reportedly “chuckled,” before adding: “If I wanted to destroy her, that could have been done.”The SNP leader accused the Alba leader of “an abuse of power” during the interview. Asked if she thought Mr Salmond had acknowledged that he had done anything wrong, she said: “I didn’t get the sense that he had really understood why he should have apologised.” She added: “And I didn’t get the sense then, and I don’t get the sense now, that he understood the aspect of abuse of power that was at play.”Mr Salmond and his team expressed their unhappiness with The New Yorker article, claiming he had been taken out of context.A spokesman for Alba said: “Mr Salmond takes issue with the manner at which the article has reported his views … Mr Salmond laughed at how ridiculous the suggestion was.“The context of his comments are that he pointed out that at the parliamentary committee, he specifically stated that he did not think Nicola Sturgeon should have resigned, and he did not go further which he could have done so if he choose to do so … The New Yorker seemed totally unaware of this.”The latest BMG Research poll suggested the SNP is on course to win 68 seats at this Thursday’s Holyrood election, which would give Ms Sturgeon’s party a narrow but outright majority.BMG’s survey gives the Alba Party two seats, while the Greens will pick up nine seats – meaning Holyrood would have 79 pro-independence MSPs out of 129. More

Boris Johnson’s Conservatives have a 17-point lead in a crucial by-election battle for a Labour stronghold later this week, according to a new poll.The survey for ITV’s Good Morning Britain by pollsters Survation gives Jill Mortimer, the Tory candidate in the north-east constituency, 50 per cent of the vote share in the area which has been held by the Labour Party since its creation in 1974.It is a considerable lead over Labour’s candidate, Paul Williams, in the constituency once represented by key New Labour architect Peter Mandelson, with just 33 per cent of respondents saying they would cast a vote for Sir Keir Starmer’s party at the 6 May by-election.According to the poll, three per cent intend to vote Green and just one per cent said they would vote for the Liberal Democrats in Hartlepool — an that voted by almost 70 per cent to Leave at the 2016 Brexit referendum.At the 2019 general election, Labour, which suffered major defeats in parts of the “Red Wall” in one of its worst results, held on to Hartlepool with 37 per cent of the vote share, compared to the Conservatives’ 28 per cent.However, support for the Brexit Party, which won 25 per cent of the vote share at the winter election, now appears to have collapsed under its rebrand of Reform UK. Just one per cent of voters polled suggested they would vote for the party’s candidate.The poll, which involved interviews with 517 people living in the area between 23-29 April also showed that 51 per cent of respondents view the prime minister “favourably” – compared to just 22 per cent for Sir Keir.It comes as vast swathes of Great Britain prepare to head to the polls later this week in elections across the country, including ballots for metro mayors in major cities, and elections at the Scottish and Welsh Parliaments.According to a separate poll by Opinium, the Tories are also on course for victory in the West Midlands, with incumbent Andy Street enjoying 57 per cent of the vote share, compared to the Labour contender and former minister Liam Byrne, who has 37 per cent support.And in Tees Valley, a huge 63 per cent of respondents said they would cast their ballot for the Conservative incumbent Ben Houchen, with 37 per cent opting for Jessie Joe Jacobs.In the eight constituencies, which fall under the authority of the Tees Valley mayor, including Redcar, Sedgefield, and Darlington, five turned blue at the 2019 winter general election. At the 2017 vote Mr Houchen won the competition over his Labour rival by just over 2,000 votes.Attempting to play down expectations for the Conservatives after his third visit to Hartlepool on Monday, the prime minister told supporters at a fundraising event it would be a “massive, massive challenge” for the party to win.“I want to stress that a lot of people are talking about Hartlepool — I have just been there,” he said at the event, according to Politico. “I think it’s important for people to understand this is not a seat that Conservatives have ever held.“This is the stamping ground of Peter Mandelson. It’s very important for everybody to be aware of the deep psephological reality, it’s a massive, massive challenge, it would be a quite an extraordinary thing in my view if that were to happen.”To sign up for the free politics newsletter, fill in your email in the box above and The Inside Politics email will arrive in your inbox every weekday at 8am. Do you have interests in topics other than politics? Then take a look at our wide range of newsletters by clicking herePressed on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme whether the results of the elections later this week would reflect on his leadership — over one year after succeeding Jeremy Corbyn — Sir Keir said: “Yes, and I take full responsibility for the results just I take full responsibility for everything that happens in the Labour Party under my leadership.”Speaking directly about the party’s prospects at the by-election, the Labour added: “Well, I hope we won’t lose Hartlepool. We’re fighting for every vote there and I know that every vote has to be earned and that’s why I’ve been in Hartlepool three times in the campaign and we’ve got teams on the ground.“My job as Labour leader was to rebuild the Labour Party out of that devastating loss in 2019 and put us in a position to win the next general election. I said on the day I was elected that that was a mountain to climb — it is, we’re climbing it and I’ve got a burning desire to build a better future for a country and Thursday is a first step towards that better future. “But I don’t think anybody realistically thought that it was possible to turn the Labour Party around from the worst general election result since 1935 to a position to win the next general election within a period of one year: it was always going to take longer than that.” More

May 2021 sees a whole series of elections take place across the UK on the same day, the biggest exercise in British democracy outside of a general election.On 6 May – dubbed “Super Thursday” by political pundits – elections will be taking place across England to decide on councillors for 145 local authorities and 13 directly elected mayors.Conservative leader Boris Johnson and his Labour rival Sir Keir Starmer have both been out campaigning for their parties across England, as they seek to gain political momentum from the local results. In Scotland, voters will be asked to elect members to the Scottish parliament on 6 May – a crucial contest which will shape the fate of the independence question in the months ahead.SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has claimed any kind of pro-independence majority (the Scottish Green also favour a breakaway) will amount to a mandate for a second referendum on separation from the UK.An election is also taking place in Wales on 6 May to elect members to the Welsh parliament, which could see one party win an overall majority for the first time since the creation of the Senedd.The latest Opinium poll shows Labour within touching distance of a majority – forecast to win 29 of the 60 seats, just two short of an overall control. Plaid Cymru has promised a referendum on Welsh independence within five years if it comes to power.In London, voters are being asked to elect both the next mayor and members of the London Assembly, the body which scrutinises whoever else wins the mayoral contest.The latest Savanta ComRes poll shows the Labour incumbent Sadiq Khan on course to become mayor again, with 41 per cent support in the capital.The Tory candidate Shaun Bailey languishes well behind on 28 per cent, while the Lib Dems’ Luisa Porritt is on 8 per cent and the Green party’s Sian Berry on 6 per cent.To add to the political drama on 6 May, there is also a parliamentary by-election taking place in Hartlepool, in north-west England.The by-election was sparked by the resignation of Labour MP Mike Hill, ahead of an employment tribunal over allegations of sexual harassment. Recent polling shows Labour is on course to lose the “red wall” seat to the Tories for the first time in half a century. More

People across Britain will head to the polls for 2021 election on 6 May, with a range of different offices on the ballot.In England and Wales local elections that were postponed during the first coronavirus lockdown will be held – with votes cast for positions including mayoralties in regions like London, greater Manchester and the West Midlands.Votes will also be cast for district, borough and unitary councils, county councils and police & crime commissioners, while some areas will also vote on referenda on local issues.Devolved nations will also hold votes to elect those who will stand in their assemblies – with the Welsh Senedd’s 60 seats up for grabs as well as Scotland’s 129 seat parliament in Holyrood.But how will you know what is on the ballot?Option 1: Polling cardsEveryone who is registered to vote in the UK is sent a polling card after their registration with details of where they need to go, and what they will be voting on.Details include the races that you will be able to cast a vote in – such as mayoral elections of assembly members – or any referendum you may be asked to vote on.They also contain useful information including your nearest polling station and reminders to wear a face covering and expect to have to queue due to the ongoing pandemic.Option 2: Online toolsThere are a number of online tools that can help you to assess both the races and candidates in your area.The Electoral Commission has its own service that can step in if you’ve lost your polling card – telling you both the nearest polling station and giving you a rundown of candidates you will be asked to cast a vote on.Meanwhile if you want more information, Democracy Club’s Who Can I Vote For tool can offer an overview of the candidate’s policies and record. More

Next week voters across the UK will head to the polls for a series of local elections.Around 48 million people have registered to vote, with local council contests taking place in England and elections to the devolved parliaments in Scotland and Wales.London, Manchester, Liverpool and Tees Valley are among several cities and regions that will choose a new mayor. There is also a by-election in Hartlepool, where voters there will elect a new Westminster MP.People must register to vote before they can choose their preferred candidate in any of those elections. The deadline to register for the 6 May elections has now passed, although people can still sign up for future elections now if they wish (see below).Am I registered to vote?You can check whether you are registered to vote by contacting your local Electoral Registration Office. This can be done via the following link.Where is my nearest polling station?You can find out where your nearest polling station is by checking with your local council or by entering your postcode here.What if I’m not registered to vote?The deadline to register to vote in the 6 May elections has now passed.But people who want to vote in future elections can do so if:They are a British citizenAn Irish or EU citizen living in the UKA Commonwealth citizen who has permission to enter or stay in the UK, or who does not need permissionA citizen of another country living in Scotland or Wales who has permission to enter or stay in the UK, or who does not need permissionThose wishing to join the electoral register and vote in future elections can do so by following this link.The process usually takes around five minutes and you’ll be asked for your National Insurance number, although you can still register if you don’t have it. More

The United States has “no closer ally, no closer partner” than Britain – but the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland must be protected post-Brexit, president Joe Biden’s top diplomat said in a visit to London on Monday.”We’re connected. It’s often said but always important to reaffirm,” secretary of state Antony Blinken told a Downing Street news conference.“We’re connected by ties of friendship, family, history, shared values, and shared sacrifice.”But in between warm talk of a special relationship, there was a warning that the 1998 peace deal covering terms of the border between the UK and Ireland must be upheld despite the problems faced since Brexit.“The United States remains a steadfast supporter of a secure and prosperous Northern Ireland, in which all communities have a voice and can enjoy the gains of the hard-won peace,” Blinken said.“Like several US presidents before him, President Biden has been unequivocal in his support for the Good Friday Agreement which was a historic achievement and one that we should protect.”Mr Raab said that London and Washington stood “shoulder to shoulder” on issues of security, such as in Iran and Afghanistan.Asked about traditional alliances, he said: “I do see the increasing demand and need for agile clusters of like-minded countries which share the same values and that want to protect the multilateral system and I think you can see that in the guests that we brought in to the G7 – South Korea, India, Australia and South Africa.“So in that organic sense, I think we can see a shift towards that pattern of clusters of like-minded countries agile enough to work together.”The press conference came as the UK prepared to host the first foreign ministers meeting for more than two years on Tuesday.Raab is set to discuss “shared challenges and rising threats” with his G7 counterparts during face-to-face talks.Mr Raab held face-to-face talks at Chevening House in Kent on Monday night with Japan’s minister of foreign affairs Toshimitsu Motegi, where they spoke of trade, security co-operation and climate change.Australia, India, Japan, South Korea and South Africa have been invited as guests as the UK tries to deepen ties with the Indo-Pacific region.Regular testing, size limits and other measures have been pledged to prevent the spread of Covid-19 during the discussions. More

A proper focus on nature restoration would help spark a badly needed jobs boost in struggling red wall areas, a study finds today.Coastal and peatland restoration, plus the creation of woodlands and new urban green spaces, offer the potential to create many thousands of new posts, Boris Johnson has been told.And the research, carried out by consultants WPI Economics, found that potential is greatest in employment blackspots such as the red wall seats snatched by the Tories from Labour during the last general election.At least 16,000 jobs could be created; 11,000 by developing urban green spaces and the rest in coastal restoration and woodland creation.County Durham, West Cumbria, Wolverhampton and parts of Nottinghamshire are among areas that would be major winners, the study argues.Sam Alvis, from the Green Alliance organisation, said: “The opportunity is there for the chancellor to create a legacy of new high-quality jobs across Britain.”And Patrick Begg, from the National Trust, said: “During the pandemic, those fortunate enough to have access to green space have been taking comfort from nature and areas of beauty close to home.“The government could generate green jobs for the communities that need them most. This would accelerate the journey we are on to a more prosperous future for people and planet.”When he unveiled his 10-point climate plan last November, the prime minister promised a “green recovery” would guide his government’s response to the Covid-19 crisis.But he has been criticised for an empty pledge, after the green homes grant was scrapped and with targets for native tree planting being missed.Promises of a “green Brexit” have also been broken, campaigners say, with safeguards for chemicals, nature, air quality and waste all weaker since the UK left the EU.The report, Levelling Up Through Nature, points to the potential for:* Restoring wetlands and seagrass meadows – creating jobs in Welsh coastal communities such as Anglesey and Newport.* Peatland restoration – with Yorkshire containing 27 per cent of the rich habitat and important store of carbon.* Two-thirds of the best land for tree planting is in low-job constituencies – including 112,000 hectares in red wall areas.Dr Darren Moorcroft, chief executive of the Woodland Trust, said: “Tackling the climate and nature crises will require not just planting more trees but planting the right kinds of trees.“Investing in UK nurseries to grow the trees that we need to plant in the UK is a too often overlooked aspect of green job creation that requires greater attention.”To locate green job potential, WPI matched employment data at constituency level with maps identifying the potential for the various types of possible nature restoration. More

Almost three-quarters of a million businesses in the UK are “at risk of failure over the next three months” because of the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic, economists have warned.The figure has prompted Labour calls for the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, to ease the pressure by allowing bosses to convert government loans to a “student-style” arrangement that would give them more time to repay.Firms are being dragged down by more than £75bn of Covid debt from the government’s bounce-back loan scheme and similar initiatives, Labour said.But the Treasury watchdog has estimated that £27.2bn of these liabilities will never be repaid – inflicting a huge cost on the taxpayer, on top of the loss of jobs and livelihoods.“We need to get the economy firing on all cylinders again, but that won’t happen with businesses bogged down by debt,” said Anneliese Dodds, the shadow chancellor.The warning comes as Sir Keir Starmer steps up his pressure on Boris Johnson over sleaze allegations, pledging to “clean up our politics”.The Labour leader said: “When I was director of public prosecutions, I was not afraid to prosecute MPs who had broken the rules over MPs’ expenses. As prime minister, I would not be afraid to overhaul a system that still allows power to be abused.”Labour has compared the possible cost of Mr Johnson’s flat makeover – No 10 has not denied it could have reached £200,000 – with the property market up and down the country.The sum would pay for a terraced house in the UK (at an average price of £203,000), a flat in the southeast (£202,000) and a semi-detached house in the east Midlands (£195,000) or the northwest (£198,000), it said.The warning of widespread business failure comes in an analysis by the London School of Economics, using the latest Business Insights and Impact survey.It calculated that, in the two weeks to 4 April, more than 740,000 businesses – employing 1.9 million staff – had “low” or “no” confidence they would survive.“Should all these businesses exit, roughly 1.9 million jobs would be lost,” Professor John Van Reenen and Peter Lambert wrote.“The knock-on effects of this would be severe in terms of financial and macroeconomic stability. Unsurprisingly, the smaller the firm, the greater the risk of failure.”But the authors acknowledged that the proportion of companies reporting “low” or “no” chance of survival had fallen by one-third since “the January 2021 peak”.Mr Sunak has won praise for his bounce-back loan scheme, saying recently it had “worked so effectively that it issued three loans every minute since its launch last May”.But Ms Dodds said: “The chancellor should free up British business to drive the recovery, making his loan schemes smarter so that companies only have to start repaying when they’re making a profit.” More