UK Politics

Rishi Sunak has denied he is considering resigning as chancellor after receiving a £50 fine for breaching Covid lockdown laws.The departure of his chancellor would almost certainly deliver a fatal blow to Boris Johnson’s hopes of staying on as Conservative leader, triggering a wave of letters of no confidence from backbench MPs.A decision to step down would starkly highlight Mr Johnson’s determination to hold on to office despite becoming the first serving prime minister to be found to have broken the law and facing charges of “failure of leadership” in the Sue Gray report into Partygate.The chancellor received a fixed penalty notice from the Metropolitan Police for attending a party for the PM’s 56th birthday in the 10 Downing Street cabinet room in 2020, even though he said he took part inadvertently after arriving early for a meeting.Reports suggested that Mr Sunak discussed stepping down after receiving the fine and had to be “talked out” of resigning by aides.But asked on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme whether he considered resignation – or whether he may still be contemplating it – he replied: “No.“I am fully committed to helping get the country through what are some challenging months ahead and building a brighter future for the people that I’m very privileged to represent.”Speaking the day after unveiling a £15bn package of cost-of-living support, Mr Sunak said: “As you saw yesterday, I’ve got the same energy and verve that I’ve always had for this job, and I will keep at it.” More

Rishi Sunak has said he will give his £400 energy bill rebate to charity, and suggested that other wealthy people could do the same.The chancellor yesterday doubled the planned £200 universal rebate to £400 and converted it from a loan to a grant as part of a £15bn package to help Britons weather the cost-of-living crisis.But questions were raised after it emerged that the money will go to every household in the country, regardless of wealth. And because the cash is being paid via a reduction in energy bills over six months from October, individuals who own more than one home will receive multiple payments – one for each property.Mr Sunak was challenged today over why he did not means-test what is effectively a multi-million pound state subsidy to people who may not need the money.He replied that it would have been too complicated to introduce a scheme to ensure the money did not go to the rich.And the chancellor – who last week became the first cabinet minister to appear on the Sunday Times Rich List, with a family fortune of around £730m – said that he would personally hand the money over to charity.He told Sky News interviewer Niall Paterson: “You, like me, can also give that money to charity if you don’t need it.“I’m sure you will, and set an example.”Mr Sunak told Sky News that the bulk of his package was closely targeted at the most vulnerable, with payments for welfare claimants, pensioners and people with disabilities.But he added: “When you’re trying to help people on that scale, when you need to get help to tens of millions of people, you’ve got a choice – how best can you deliver that? The reality is when you’re talking about that number of people, there really aren’t many ways to do it.”Mr Sunak said the alternative would have been to pay the money through a rebate on council tax for properties in lower bands.But he said: “We tried that and we tried to do it with a discretionary fund, and it’s worked reasonably well. But there are lots of cases of people who will say ‘Hang on, I happen to live in this expensive-looking house or in a high council tax band house, but I need help too’.“How else would you get the support to those on middle incomes who are working hard, who do feel they need support – and I hear a lot from them every week. Just because they’re not on benefits or they they’re not pensioners, they still actually think ‘This is tough for me, it’s a £1,200 increase in my energy bill, it’s right that the government’s on my side’.“And I do want to be on the side of those people.” More

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced a new package of support worth £15 billion to help the country through the cost of living crisis.Among them, is a one-off payment of £650 for eight million families on benefits to ease the pressure of rising energy bills.The sum will be applied to those on Universal Credit, Tax Credits, Pension Credit, and legacy benefits from July.Those eligible won’t need to apply, but will receive two direct payments – the first in July and the second in autumn – from the Department of Work and Pensions straight to their bank accounts.One-off payments of £300 to pensioners and £150 for those receiving disability benefits were also announced.“We need to make sure that for those whom the struggle is too hard, and for those whom the risks are too great, they are supported,’’ Mr Sunak said in the House of Commons while unveiling the new support package.The chancellor vowed to provide support to those across the country by revising his previous energy bill loan of £200 which he announced in March.It has now been doubled to £400 and households will no longer need to repay the money.Cost of living: how to get helpThe cost of living crisis has touched every corner of the UK, pushing families to the brink with rising food and fuel prices.The Independent has asked experts to explain small ways you can stretch your money, including managing debt and obtaining items for free.If you need to access a food bank, find your local council’s website, and then use the local authority’s site to locate your nearest centre. The Trussell Trust, which runs many foodbanks, has a similar tool. Citizens Advice provides free help to people in need. The organisation can help you find grants or benefits, or advise on rent, debt and budgeting. If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, The Samaritans offers support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.“We are meeting our responsibility to provide the most help to those on the lowest incomes. I believe that is fair, and I’m confident the House will agree,” he told MPs.“But there are many families who do not require state support in normal times, they are also facing challenging times. Is it fair to leave them unsupported? The answer must surely be no.“While it is impossible for the government to solve every problem, we can and will ease the burden as we help the entire country through the worst of the crisis.” More

Finance expert Martin Lewis has welcomed the government’s new package of support measures to tackle the cost of living crisis.Rishi Sunak laid bare a £15 billion deal which specifically targeted those in the lowest income households, pensioners and people with disabilities.Mr Lewis has been critical of the government’s fiscal response throughout the Covid pandemic and cost of living crisis, yet admitted he was “breathing a sigh of relief” after the announcement in the House of Commons.He said it was “very close” to what he’s asked the chancellor for in a conversation on Monday in which he called for those who “have to choose between freezing and starving” be prioritised.“I have to say this looks to be a relatively generous package from the government. I think they have listened, I would have liked to see it earlier but better late than never,” Mr Lewis said.The long-awaited and much-needed package will see eight millions of the lowest-income households – those on Universal Credit, Tax Credits, Pension Credits and legacy tax – receive a payment of £650 that they will not need to repay.In addition to this, separate one-off payments of £300 will go to pensioners, and £150 to those receiving disability benefits – a move Mr Lewis was “very pleased” to see after pushing for extra support for those with disabilities.Rishi Sunak announces £15bn package for cost of living crisisThe government has also decided to revise the energy bills discount – a £200 loan to ease pressure of energy bills yet needed to be repaid – for a grant double the value.All households, no matter the income, will receive a £400 discount in October which will not be required to pay back – a decision that Mr Lewis welcomed.The moneysupermarket.com founder said: “When I spoke to [Mr Sunak], I said we had to prioritise those who had to choose between freezing and starving – and I think that’s absolutely right.“When you’re talking about £1500-a-year bill increase, for those people, it’s an impact on lives, but for others it’s substantial impact on lifestyle.“The loan-not-loan is gone, it’s exactly what I suggested, so I’m quite happy with that. It’s gone and it’s been replaced with a straight grant.”The timing of Mr Sunak’s announcement had raised eyebrows with many accusing the chancellor of attempting to detract attention from the damning Sue Gray report into alleged parties in Downing Street throughout the Covid pandemic.Yet Mr Lewis argued the publication of the findings actually brought the package forward as, per previous conversations, the announcements were likely to have come in July.“It’s not a case the Sue Gray report has delayed this, if anything the Sue Gray report has brought this earlier,” he said.Mr Lewis is set to interview the chancellor on Thursday evening  following his announcement, where he will put forward questions to the chancellor live on Twitter.It will be live-streamed on MoneySavingExpert.com from 5.15pm, and will also be available live via @MartinSLewis and @MoneySavingExp on Twitter, Martin Lewis and MoneySavingExpert on Facebook, and MoneySavingExpert on YouTube. More

Rishi Sunak Says He Will Give His £400 Energy Rebate To CharityMinisters who are found to have breached the Ministerial Code will no longer be automatically expected to resign or face the sack, according to a new government policy statement.The statement said it would be “disproportionate” to expect a minister to lose their job for “minor” breaches of the code.The prime minister could instead order “some form of public apology, remedial action or removal of ministerial salary for a period”.The statement added: “Reflecting the prime minister’s accountability for the conduct of the executive, it is important that a role is retained for the prime minister in decisions about investigations.”Earlier, Tory MP Paul Holmes resigned as an aide to home secretary Priti Patel, saying the Sue Gray report into Partygate has exposed a “deep mistrust” in government.It is the first resignation since the publication of the civil servant’s final report into Covid rule-breaking parties in Downing Street.The Eastleigh MP said a “toxic culture [seems] to have permeated Number 10”.Show latest update

1653662735‘Extremely urgent’: British MPs push government to help human rights activist jailed in EgyptBritish MPs have demanded Boris Johnson’s government exert “maximum pressure” on Egypt to secure a consular visit for UK citizen Alaa Abdel-Fattah, who is nearly two months into a jail hunger strike, warning his situation is “dire and urgent”.The fresh calls for help come after more than 30 MPs and peers wrote to Foreign Secretary Liz Truss last week urging her to push for his immediate release, claiming his treatment sets a “dangerous precedent” and and doing nothing could impact on the rights of all Britons abroad.Our international correspondent Bel Trew reports:Maryam Zakir-Hussain27 May 2022 15:451653661835Ministers no longer expected to resign if they break CodeMinisters who are found to have breached the Ministerial Code will no longer automatically be expected to resign or face the sack, according a new Government policy statement.The statement said it would be “disproportionate” to expect a minister to lose their job for “minor” breaches of the code.It said the Prime Minister could instead order “some form of public apology, remedial action or removal of ministerial salary for a period”.It said revised terms of reference for the Prime Minister’s independent adviser on the code, Lord Geidt, include an “enhanced process” to allow him to initiate investigations with the Prime Minister’s consent, although the final decision rests with the Prime Minister.“Reflecting the Prime Minister’s accountability for the conduct of the executive, it is important that a role is retained for the Prime Minister in decisions about investigations,” the statement said.The statement comes as Boris Johnson is facing an investigation by the Commons Privileges Committee into whether he misled Parliament over lockdown parties in Whitehall.Maryam Zakir-Hussain27 May 2022 15:301653661097Breaking: Changes announced by Boris Johnson mean ministers no longer expected to resign for misbehaviourGovernment ministers will no longer be expected automatically to resign or be sacked if they breach their code of conduct, under changes announced by Boris Johnson.Andrew Woodcock, our political editor, reports:Maryam Zakir-Hussain27 May 2022 15:181653660995Opinion: The impact of Rishi Sunak’s ‘mini Budget’ has been ruined by Partygate“Rishi Sunak’s “not an emergency Budget” was more significant than expected, both economically and politically. Ignore the claims the timing had nothing to do with Partygate; of course it did. At various points, I was told the cost-of-living package would come in August, then July, then June.“Boris Johnson had every reason to change the music on the day after Sue Gray’s final report. Ofgem, the energy regulator, provided some cover by predicting the hike in domestic bills in October, but Johnson would surely have insisted on a diversion even without it,” writes Andrew Grice. Maryam Zakir-Hussain27 May 2022 15:161653660188‘Rough justice’: Sunak hands wealthy pensioners £850 while poor families lose out, analysis showsRishi Sunak’s energy bills support will hand wealthy pensioners £850 that they may not need while low-income families miss out, new analysis has shown.The think tank said that the biggest winners are wealthy pensioners while larger families will see their bills rises most steeply but still receive the same flat-rate paynment.My colleague Ben Chapman has more:Maryam Zakir-Hussain27 May 2022 15:031653659408Tiverton and Honiton by-election: Tory candidate ‘told not to speak to media because of fear of partygate questions’The Conservative candidate for the upcoming Tiverton and Honiton by-election has been ordered not to speak to the media by senior party officials because they fear she will be asked about partygate, insiders say.Parish councillor Helen Hurford has been selected to fight the seat after former Tory MP Neil Parish resigned following revelations that he had twice watched pornography in parliament.But the former headteacher is said to have been told not to speak to press – because CCHQ think she will struggle to deal with questions about Boris Johnson’s lockdown lawbreaking.Colin Drury has more details:Maryam Zakir-Hussain27 May 2022 14:501653658508Carers ‘facing £200 cut to income’ after being left out from Rishi Sunak’s cost-of-living packageWith the carer’s allowance increasing by just 3.1 per cent from £67.60 a week to £69.70, rocketing inflation means claimants are taking a combined hit of £193m this year, after inflation of 9 per cent is taken into account, the party said.Our political editor Andrew Woodcock reports:Maryam Zakir-Hussain27 May 2022 14:351653657635Boris Johnson has said his situation is “different” to Rishi Sunak after the chancellor confirmed he would be donating his £400 energy bill rebate to charity.As part of the emergency cost-of-living package, the chancellor announced each household will get the £400 energy discount that will be partly funded by a £5 billion windfall tax on oil and gas giants.Mr Sunak, who last week appeared on The Sunday Times Rich List with his wife Akshata Murty for the first time with their joint £730 million fortune, was questioned about what would happen to his £400 grant.He told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “I’m sure you will join me in giving that money to charity.”But when questioned if he would be following suit and donating his grant money, the Prime Minister said it works differently for him.He told reporters during a visit to Stockton-on-Tees: “I think my arrangements are different because I live in a Government flat.“But I think it’s important that people should recognise these payments will not necessarily cover the increased costs fully.“We can’t cover every single cost that people are going to pay, we’ve got to be realistic about that.“However, they will go a long way towards helping people.”Maryam Zakir-Hussain27 May 2022 14:201653656708Martin Lewis hits back at claims he’s ‘sold out’ over Rishi Sunak cost of living planMartin Lewis has said he just tries to “call it straight” as he hit back at critics who accused him of being a “sell out” after praising Rishi Sunak‘s package of measures to help with the cost of living crisis.The Money Saving Expert has in recent months been highly critical of the chancellor and the government more broadly for not doing enough to help people with rising fuel, food and energy bills.But Mr Lewis said on Thursday that he welcomed the series of measures announced by the chancellor in parliament earlier in the day, which included a £400 cut to energy bills for every household in the UK, Matt Mathers writes. Maryam Zakir-Hussain27 May 2022 14:051653655821All the cost of living help available and how to get it including £400 energy bill discountThe British chancellor announced a host of new measures this week following criticism the government wasn’t doing enough. My colleague Zoe Tidman has a list of all that is available at the moment to help easy the financial burden:Maryam Zakir-Hussain27 May 2022 13:50 More

Britain is signing its first trade “memorandum” with Indiana, in an apparent signal that a post-Brexit deal with the entire United States is out of reach.Ministers are hailing the tie-up with the 17th-largest state by population size as “a major milestone” from which businesses will “start reaping the rewards”.Talks are underway with around 20 other states and the Department for International Trade expects around eight “memorandum of understandings” to be agreed soon.However, the announcement did not include any concrete changes that would flow from the first results of what the department calls its “state level strategy”.It would “look to improve procurement processes and strengthen academic and research ties” and “support our talented professionals with provisions on diversity”, the department said.The memorandum would be “paving the way for professional qualifications to be recognised”, a media release said.The new strategy is being pursued after Joe Biden made it clear that a US-UK free trade agreement is off the table, even before the latest bust-up over London’s plans to tear up the Northern Ireland protocol.It was promised as a major prize from Brexit, campaigners lashing out at Barack Obama when he warned – in 2016 – that a deal would take a decade to achieve.Meanwhile, the UK is losing 3.5 per cent of its GDP from leaving the EU single market and customs union, the Bank of England warned this month.Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the trade secretary, said: “Our ambitious agreement with Indiana will help deliver value to UK businesses and support our areas of shared interest, such as levelling up.“This is Global Britain in action, making innovative deals on the world stage – and will help UK companies grow faster, innovate more and support jobs and economic growth.”But the energy company bp America was more cautious in its description of what it called “the strengthening relationship between the United Kingdom and Indiana”.Nick Thomas-Symonds, Labour’s shadow trade secretary, said the government was on course for “another broken promise”, having promised a US trade deal by the end of 2022.“Ministers should also be honest with exporters – and the British public – that state-level deals are no substitute for the completed US-UK trade deal they were promised.”Naomi Smith, chief executive of the internationalist campaign group Best for Britain, called it “a feeble consolation prize for the Brexiter’s most fabled US trade deal, which is now indefinitely on ice”.And Sarah Olney, the Liberal Democrat trade spokesperson, said: “Boris Johnson can’t pull the wool over anyone’s eyes – being left to negotiate with one state at a time with his tail between his legs.” More

A popular Conservative Party website has run prominent Labour adverts urging the Tories to drop Boris Johnson after the Partygate scandal. Readers of Conservative Home , a news and analysis blog popular with grassroots members, were on Thursday met with a wall of advertisements attacking the prime minister following the damning Sue Gray report which detailed parties at Downing Street during a nationwide lockdown. The advert featured a medic wearing protective eyeware and a mask, and asks: “Look into her eyes and tell her you still support Boris Johnson.”It is unclear if the editors of Conservative Home were aware in advance the adverts would be running, but the site’s chief executive, Mark Wallace, appeared unfazed.He tweeted: “Even the @UKLabour Party agrees that advertising on @ConHome is the best way to reach the most influential political audiences. “Adverts (from all sorts of clients) help to make our top-flight independent journalism possible.”The adverts led some to suggest that Labour was effectively funding its political opponents, although Mr Wallace noted his site was independent of the Conservative Party. The Labour stunt comes as the backlash continued on Thursday against Mr Johnson following the damaging revelations of the Partygate controversy.Four Tories have gone public with their demands that Mr Johnson resign since the publication of the report which laid bare the extent of raucous behaviour in No 10 at a time when millions were forced to cut off contact with loved ones during coronavirus lockdowns.Former minister Stephen Hammond and fellow MPs David Simmonds and John Baron spoke out on Thursday, following Julian Sturdy who called for Mr Johnson’s exit on Wednesday.Mr Hammond said he “cannot and will not defend the indefensible” and indicated he had sent a letter of no confidence to the Tory backbench 1922 Committee.“All I can do as a backbencher is speak out and submit a letter,” he said.Conservative Home is independent of Conservative Party but describes itself as championing “the interests of grassroots Tory members” and says that it argues for a “broad conservatism”.The Independent has contacted Labour for further comment. More

Rishi Sunak has said the energy market must be “urgently” reformed to ensure households are not hit by huge price rises in the future, though he warned any changes would take time to be implemented. The chancellor was asked by Money Saving Expert’s Martin Lewis why the UK doesn’t adopt a similar policy to other European countries in limiting the energy price cap rise.In France, for example, the energy price cap for 2022 was lifted by just 4 per cent. In the UK, the energy price cap increased by 12 per cent in October 2021 and 54 per cent in April 2022.The April increase is equivalent to £700 for “typical” levels of dual fuel consumption paid by direct debit, and consumers are braced for the energy price cap to rise by more than £800 to £2,800 in October as the squeeze on living standards continues.Mr Lewis suggested Mr Sunak could regulate to stop energy companies imposing astronomical increases in bills, by imposing a limit on how much energy bills can rise.The chancellor replied: “We do have an independent regulator who does exactly that, and we do have a price cap. Many other countries didn’t have a price cap.”Mr Sunak went on to committ to reforming the energy market, acknowledging it was not “working as well as we want it to work”.He said: “With regard to electricity generation, we have said that we will reform the market in a similar way to what some of the other European countries have done. That will take a bit of time which is why I said today I am urgently looking at the best way to do that in advance of reforms happening.” He added: “I am actually sympathetic to the idea that that market isn’t working as well as we want it to work. These people providing electricity are getting to sell that electricity at the very high prices of natural gas, not the cost of what it costs them to produce the electricity. “That isn’t ideal, we want to see how we can fix that. That’s what some other countries have done.”Earlier on Thursday during his cost-of-living statement in the Commons, Mr Sunak said: “The price electricity generators are paid is linked not to the costs they incur in providing that electricity but rather to the price of natural gas – which is extraordinarily high right now.“Other countries like France, Italy, Spain and Greece have already taken measures to correct this.“As set out in the Energy Security Strategy, we are consulting with the power generation sector and investors to drive forward energy market reforms and ensure that the price paid for electricity is more reflective of the costs of production.“Those reforms will take time to implement.“So, in the meantime, we are urgently evaluating the scale of these extraordinary profits and the appropriate steps to take.” More