Markus Andrews

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailRishi Sunak was warned today that his culture war strategy will “not save the Tories” as Sir Keir Starmer brutally mocked him in prime minister’s questions (PMQs) as “a jumped up milk monitor”.The Labour leader went on the attack over plans to ban “rainbow lanyards” in the civil service, as leading pollsters questioned the Tory strategy as the government unveiled plans to ban explicit sex education in schools until children turn 13, and all gender identity lessons.This latest foray into the culture wars followed a major speech on Monday by the common sense minister Esther McVey unveiling new civil service rules to end so-called “woke activism” in Whitehall and other departments, including an attempt to ban rainbow lanyards.Added to that ministers also unveiled new stop and search powers for police to tackle knife crime.The new strategy comes after the Techne UK weekly tracker poll recently showed Labour’s lead increase to 24 points over the Tories in the wake of Dover MP Natalie Elphicke’s defection over the small boats crisis. Pollsters told The Independent that the strategy would not work and Mr Sunak needs to somehow get his message on the economy over to voters instead.Rishi Sunak has appeared to turn to a culture war strategy More

Nigel Farage has suggested it is unlikely that he will join the Conservative Party after Jacob Rees-Mogg revealed that he wanted the Tories to join forces with both him and members of Reform UK.“It’s just not going to happen because Rishi [Sunak] is not bold, he has no leadership whatsoever,” Mr Farage said, responding to the idea on GB News.The former Ukip leader went on to add that the “vast majority” of Conservative MPs have “no courage” and “no vision”.“This will not happen, even though Jacob [Rees-Mogg] thinks it’s a frightfully good idea.” More

Sunak in ‘war against lanyards’, Starmer jokes after rainbow colours banned in civil serviceSign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailRishi Sunak faced off against Sir Keir Starmer in the first PMQs since ENatalie Elphicke’s defection last week. The Prime Minister was branded by Starmer a “jumped up-milk monitor” obsessed with “confiscating lanyards”. The Labour leader accused the PM of trying to grant high-risk criminals early release, but Mr Sunak told MPs serious offenders would not be freed from jail early as part of a Government bid to cut overcrowding.The SNP’s Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn, demanded that Sunak apologises for comparing Scottish people to war criminal Vladimir Putin. PMQs came amid a fresh crackdown on culture war issues, with a ban to be introduced on children under nine being taught sex education and about gender identity. Policing minister Chris Philp said the new measures are expected to come into force soon. Speaking today, he also called on police forces to increase the use of stop and search as part of tougher measures to tackle knife crime. Show latest update 1715784702PM’s sex education plan to spark homophobia in schools, critics say Salma Ouaguira15 May 2024 15:511715784109Rishi Sunak ‘shocked’ by Slovak PM shooting The incident took place in the town of Handlova, some 150 kilometres northeast of the capital Bratislava, after a government meeting.Rishi Sunak has taken to social media to send his support to the Slovak PM. Salma Ouaguira15 May 2024 15:411715783519’Sex education restriction is ill-informed and war noise,’ schools’ unions sayThe National Education says there are many areas of concern in the new sex education restrictions.The crackdown hasn’t been well received among unions who claim education about sex and about positive relationships is already being delivered in an age-appropriate way. The Union’s general secretary Daniel Kebede has accused the “ill-informed” PM of causing culture war noise. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailRishi Sunak’s government is reported to be planning a ban on children being taught about gender identity and having “explicit” conversations about sex before the age of 13.In an apparent doubling down on so-called culture war issues, the government is reportedly set to publish new guidance on when children should be offered sex education, with schools required to provide parents with samples of the material their children will be taught.The guidance will tell teachers to focus on “biological” facts about sex and will warn that ministers view gender identity as a contested subject, and will ban all sex education until year five, when children are aged nine or over, according to a series of reports.The government is reportedly set to publish new guidance on when children should be offered sex education More

Sir Keir Starmer joked that Rishi Sunak was on the front line of the “war against lanyards” after Esther McVey announced a ban on rainbow colours on the items if they are worn in the civil service.The “minister for common sense” said other “random” lanyards would not be allowed part of a new series of measures for a Tory “war on woke” .Ms McVey told the right-wing Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) think tank lanyards should be a “standard design.”“Working in the civil service is all about leaving your political views at the building entrance,” she added. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailSir Keir Starmer is under fresh pressure to scrap the two-child benefit cap if he becomes prime minister after Gordon Brown said it is condemning children to live in poverty.The former Labour prime minister lashed out at the “inequities” of the policy and said it “should be scrapped” before the next general election.But his call also piles pressure on Labour, which is currently backing the policy despite criticism. Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting told The Independent that Labour would inherit a difficult set of public finances but would work to bringing down child poverty.Sir Keir Starmer has said he will maintain the two-child benefit cap More

Sir Keir Starmer opened this week’s session of Prime Minister’s Questions by poking fun at Esther McVey’s “vital crackdown” on colourful lanyards.The Labour leader was referencing Ms McVey’s call for civil servants to wear “standard design” lanyards and leave their political views “at the building entrance”.“On Monday the prime minister treated us to his 7th relaunch in 18 months, he vowed to take on the dangers that threaten the country,” Sir Keir said.“So it was good to see the minister for common sense immediately take up that mantle announcing a vital crackdown on the gravest of threats… colourful lanyards.” More

A Sky News presenter mocked a Tory minister over a spending announcement on new police technology.The Home Office said on Tuesday that it would give £3.5 million in additional funding for research and development of new technologies which aim to tackle knife crime.An additional £547,863 will also be given to the Metropolitan Police to fund four more live facial recognition camera vans.As Sky News presenter Wilfred Frost introduced Chris Philp on Wednesday morning (15 May), he questioned if the spending announcement was “a joke”.“With the greatest of respect, £4 million… it’s not very much,” he said. More