Markus Andrews

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailA government minister has accused the former presenter of Art Attack of anti-Tory bias in a bungled attack on the BBC.In an extraordinary gaffe, Huw Merriman mistakenly lashed out at Neil Buchanan for his reporting of the government’s work on Universal Credit.But Mr Buchanan never reported on Universal Credit, and was in fact the presenter of the children’s arts and crafts show between 1990 and 2007.Instead, Mr Merriman appeared to be referring to BBC social affairs correspondent Michael Buchanan, who has previously reported on the rollout of Universal Credit.Mr Merriman said the ex-Art Attack presenter always gave one side of the story Transport minister Mr Merriman, who was working in the Department of Work and Pensions at the time, said Mr Buchanan had “always given one side” of the story about Universal Credit.The extraordinary gaffe came as Mr Merriman was grilled over claims by culture secretary Lucy Frazer that the BBC is biased.Ms Frazer said she believed the broadcaster had been biassed “on occasion”, as she discussed a potential move for media regulator Ofcom to have more powers over the BBC News website.Neil Buchanan did not write about Universal Credit Mr Merriman was quizzed by Sky News presenter Kay Burley, who demanded evidence of the claim. He said: “When I worked at the Department of Work and Pensions doing work on Universal Credit there was an individual there who would report on it, Neil Buchanan, who I always felt gave one side of the story and not the other side, which was the government side.”He also suggested the corporation was biassed against the Conservatives because of its popular News Quiz.Mr Merriman told Sky News: “Let me give you an example, I know that you were searching for them yesterday. I was listening to the News Quiz, which is on Radio 4 at 6.30pm on Friday when I was driving to my constituency office.”For 10 minutes all I heard, and it wasn’t satirical, it was just diatribe against Conservatives, not the government. And I did listen to that and think ‘for goodness sake, where’s the balance in that? So yes, I’m afraid to say despite the fact I’ve always been a big supporter of the BBC, that struck me as completely biassed.”Ms Burley pointed out that the News Quiz is a comedy show, while others noted that the show has criticised left wing politicians in the past.Labour’s shadow culture secretary Thangam Debbonaire said: “The government spending another day undermining the BBC, this time for supposed bias in a satirical news quiz, is laughable.“Is this the Tories for the next few months? Is this really all they have to offer working people? Scraping the barrel.” More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailA £6 million donation from Sir James Dyson to his local state primary school has been given the green light by the Government.Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has approved the donation from the billionaire inventor to build a centre for science, technology, engineering, mathematics (Stem) and arts at Malmesbury Church of England primary school in Wiltshire.The expansion at the school would see purpose-built rooms equipped for design, technology, art, science and mathematics-based activities, as well as additional classrooms.If planning permission is approved by Wiltshire Council, it is expected to be open from September 2027, the Department for Education (DfE) said.I welcome this generous donation from the Dyson Foundation which will support cutting edge education for local pupils, helping to develop the scientists and engineers of the futureEducation Secretary Gillian KeeganIn November, Sir James announced a £35 million donation to his former fee-paying school – Gresham’s School in Holt, Norfolk – which allowed him to continue his studies there for free after the death of his father.In a letter to The Times last year, Sir James said his donation to Malmesbury Church of England primary school had been blocked by officials – a claim denied by Downing Street.The billionaire businessman said he had been trying to give a grant to the state school through his charitable foundation to help with the building of its new science and technology centre and expansion by 210 places.“But the local authority and Department for Education say no, citing the risk of other schools having insufficient numbers,” Sir James wrote in the letter to The Times in October.Announcing the approval of the donation on Monday, Ms Keegan said: “I welcome this generous donation from the Dyson Foundation which will support cutting edge education for local pupils, helping to develop the scientists and engineers of the future.“This new centre will provide world-class facilities for pupils in Malmesbury and the surrounding areas to inspire them and develop the skills we need to compete on the world stage.“The £6 million donation builds on the work we have been doing to boost the uptake of Stem subjects in schools and through apprenticeships and further education, boosting growth and opportunity in these vital sectors.”A James Dyson Foundation spokesman said: “The Secretary of State’s approval is conditional on the local authority approving the school’s expansion before any building work can commence, which takes us back to square one.”Wiltshire Council has raised concerns around having all the investment in one location, and the impact that the expansion of pupil numbers at Malmesbury Primary School could have on neighbouring schools.Laura Mayes, cabinet member for children’s services, said: “We have an important responsibility to ensure all our school pupils can access opportunities that inspire them and help them achieve their potential.“Our school places strategy is our long-term plan, based on clear evidence, which maps out how we will secure sufficient school places for the future.“Our strategy shows we have sufficient places in the three local schools to cater for expected demand and we have expressed concern about the impact that adding 210 additional places at Malmesbury Primary School could have on neighbouring schools.“However we now have the Government’s final decision and we will work with everyone involved to ensure we achieve the best outcomes for all our pupils.” More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailChancellor Jeremy Hunt has been warned that Britain could already be in a technical recession, despite government claims of an economic recovery.Mr Hunt has insisted that the government’s plan “is working”, as he continues to dangle the prospect of fresh tax cuts at his March Budget.But leading economists have said fresh analysis of the UK’s poor growth figures suggest the country has hit a major slump.Martin Beck, chief economic adviser to the EY Item Club forecasters, said there is a “good chance” that Britain’s economy had contracted at the end of 2023 and slipped into a recession.After the 0.1 per cent slump in July to September, a slump in the final quarter would mean a “technical” recession of two negative quarters in a row, said Mr Beck.“We know that GDP – gross domestic product – shrunk in the third quarter and looking at the high frequency numbers for Q4, there’s a good chance that it may have shrunk slightly again,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt under pressure to boost growth and get on top of inflation, as well as cutting taxes The EY Item Club expects the economy to pick up somewhat this year, revising its growth estimate grow for 2024 from 0.7 per cent growth to 0.9 per cent.But the sluggish outlook is not helping Mr Sunak and Mr Hunt make the case that they have got the economy growing again – one of their big five pledges – as the PM tells voters to “stick to the plan”.The recession warning comes as Mr Sunak dismissed the idea of replacing Mr Hunt – insisting that he will still be chancellor at the general election later this year.Asked on a visit to Buckinghamshire whether Mr Hunt would remain in his position when the country goes to the polls, Mr Sunak told broadcasters: “Yes.”The PM added: “We’d like to do more when it is responsible to do so, but as we saw with the latest inflation data, inflation doesn’t fall in a straight line, it isn’t a given, there’s still work to do, and that’s why it’s important we stick to the plan.”Reports last year suggested Mr Hunt would stay for the autumn statement and the Budget, but that there was a question mark over his longer-term future. Mr Sunak has until January 2025 to hold an election, but has said he is working towards a vote in the second half of 2024.Mr Hunt has again signalled that he will cut taxes at his 6 March Budget. In an op-ed for the ConservativeHome website, he said the Tory party had a “track record” of cutting taxes – vowing that voters will “see it as we emerge from the turbulence of recent years”.Mr Hunt has compared himself to tax-cutting former chancellor Nigel Lawson over the weekend as he and the PM dangled the prospect of further giveaways in the fiscal event on 6 March.In an op-ed for The Mail on Sunday, he insisted the government’s “plan is working” and likened his record to that of the late party grandee, who slashed personal taxation while serving in the Margaret Thatcher government.Meanwhile, Mr Sunak and Mr Hunt are under pressure from Tory MPs to boost the funding settlement for on-the-brink councils.More than 40 Conservative MPs have signed a letter to the PM warning that without emergency cash, many councils will be forced to cut crucial frontline services and hike council tax in an election year. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailLabour has backed the idea of teaching children about white privilege with a shadow minister saying it is “a good idea”.Shadow culture secretary Thangam Debbonaire said children need “the opportunity to ask difficult questions sometimes of our nation’s history”, insisting it would not be “undermining” Britain.She was asked about children’s charity Barnado’s, which was criticised for publishing a “guide for parents” about white privilege.The term refers to inherent advantages possessed by white people over non-white people on the basis of their race, with examples including a lower likelihood of being stopped and searched by police.The Barnado’s guide encouraged parents to “start the conversation with others who are interested and willing to learn” and to “teach your white friends, family and colleagues about their privilege”.Ms Debbonaire said children need to be able to ‘ask difficult questions sometimes of our nation’s history’ Ms Debonnaire was asked whether she supported the guide, and told BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme: “We need education that allows children the opportunity to question, to ask difficult questions sometimes of our nation’s history.”That’s a strong country that’s able to look at itself and its history and say ‘are there things we could have done differently? Are there things we regret? Are there even things that we’re sorry about?“But also are there things we can learn so that we make a stronger, better country for the future?”Ms Debbonaire went on to say that “encouraging children to be questioning is a good idea” and is “part of any really good education”.And she added: “Questioning our symbols thinking about what they mean doesn’t mean that you’re undermining them.“It means that you’re looking at them and thinking, how can I appreciate these symbols and what their meaning is?”Her comments stand in stark contrast with culture secretary Lucy Frazer, who has said the idea of white privilege is a “debate” and not a fact.While education secretary, Ms Frazer told LBC radio: “We’ve basically said: ‘Look, here’s what we should be teaching, we should have balanced debate’.“There is a lot of debate in the country, we should be able to have those debates. We should be able to have those open discussions, but you shouldn’t be teaching things as fact that are debates.”Outspoken backbench Tory MP Jonathan Gullis went further, saying anyone using the term should be reported to the Home Office as an extremist.The Independent in 2021 obtained a leaked recording in which Mr Gullis said anti-racism campaigners using the term should be referred to the government’s Prevent programme – which is meant to track down potential terrorists.Ms Debbonaire’s embrace of the sometimes controversial term came as Labour attacked the Tories for engaging in constant culture wars in a bid to stoke division ahead of this year’s general election.Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer used a speech to set out his opposition to years of the Conservatives “waging war” on institutions such as the National Trust and tjhe Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).He condemned the Tories’ “McCarthyite” anti-woke attacks on British institutions as he promised to end years of “divisive” culture wars should he win the next election.Ms Debbonaire was asked whether it marked a change of footing for Labour, but insisted the party “has always wanted to defend our national institutions… whether that is the National Trust or the BBC”. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailWatch as peers in the House of Lords debate Rishi Sunak’s flagship Rwanda asylum policy on Monday, 22 January, after the prime minister won a key Commons vote last week.The Safety of Rwanda Bill passed its third reading in the Commons unamended with a majority of 44.Eleven Tories, including former home secretary Suella Braverman, voted against Mr Sunak’s immigration plan – despite other would-be rebels indicating they opposed the legislation before the vote.Serious opposition is now expected as the bill moves to the House of Lords – prominent peer Lord Carlile, a former independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, has said that the legislation represents “a step towards totalitarianism”.Mr Sunak’s bill states that Rwanda must be treated as a “safe country” under UK law, which the government believes will allow deportation flights to the country to begin.Lord Carlile told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We’ve seen in various countries the damage that is done when governments use perceived and often ill-judged political imperatives to place themselves above the courts – this is a step towards totalitarianism and an attitude that the United Kingdom usually deprecates.” More