UK Politics

Britain under Tories is ‘longest episode of Eastenders ever,’ says Keir Starmer Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailLabour leader Sir Keir Starmer has claimed Rishi Sunak is being “bullied” by his own MPs and he used PMQs to mock the prime minister after a fresh Tory civil war erupted.Sir Keir said that Mr Sunak was “endlessly” fighting with his own party and that the more “they slag him off behind his back, the louder they cheer in here”.It comes after Liz Truss ally Sir Simon Clarke claimed that the Conservative Party could face “extinction” unless the prime minister resigns.Sir Simon, who served in the Treasury under Mr Sunak, made the intervention in the Daily Telegraph to urge his colleagues to sack the PM ahead of the looming general election, arguing that he “has sadly gone from asset to anchor”.Tory MPs have rounded on Sir Simon’s attempted coup, branding his move against Mr Sunak as “foolish” and “facile” – while another called him a “self-indulgent tosser”. A senior Conservative MP told The Independent that Sir Simon was “flying a kite that’s already broken” and that they did not expect fellow right-wingers to join his rebellion.Show latest update 1706107143Simon Clarke ‘wasting everyone’s time’, says Sunak allySenior Sunak allies said Sir Simon Clarke’s push against the PM had already fizzled out, with no-one new on the right calling for Sunak to be replaced, reports Political Correspondent Adam Forrest.One senior figure told The Independent: “Clarke is wasting everyone’s time. It’s going nowhere.” Another called Sir Simon was an “outlier”, saying they were confident he was not be followed by other MPs on the right.Adam Forrest, Political Correspondent24 January 2024 14:391706106023No 10: Simon Clarke is ‘one MP’No 10 described Sir Simon as “one MP” who was “in a different place to some other MPs”, reports Politics and Whitehall Editor Kate Devlin.However, Downing Street would not be drawn on whether or not they thought he was a ‘lone wolf’.But they said his intervention would not “distract us” Mr Sunak from getting on with “what matters to people”.Kate Devlin, Politics and Whitehall Editor24 January 2024 14:201706104823Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer trade personal insults during bruising PMQsRishi Sunak is being “bullied” by Tory MPs as they take part in the “longest episode of EastEnders ever put to film”, according to Sir Keir Starmer.The Prime Minister countered by branding Labour leader Sir Keir a “human weathervane” and attacked his work as a lawyer as the pair traded personal insults in the House of Commons.Mr Sunak arrived in the chamber to loud cheers from his MPs, just hours after former Cabinet minister Sir Simon Clarke called for him to be replaced as leader to avoid a Conservative “massacre” at the general election.Richard Wheeler reports:Tara Cobham24 January 2024 14:001706103623Sir Simon is ‘in a different place to other MPs and won’t distract us’, says Downing StSir Simon Clarke is “in a different place to some other MPs” and his intervention “won’t distract us from getting on with what matters to people”, Downing Street said.The Prime Minister’s press secretary said: “The PM is just focused on the job, getting on with the key priorities that he’s set out for the country and that’s where he’s spending his time at the moment.”Asked whether Rishi Sunak would be talking with Sir Simon in the wake of his Telegraph op-ed, she said she would “never get into conversations between the Prime Minister and colleagues.”Number 10 insisted the Conservatives are united on the “big issues” such as lowering tax where it is responsible to do so, describing Sir Simon as a “known critic.”Asked whether Mr Sunak was worried about a wider revolt, she said: This is one MP. All I would say is Simon Clarke has set out his view in a paper today.“We recognise that he’s in a different place to some other MPs that have come out today. He’s entitled to his view but that won’t distract us from getting on with what matters to people.”Tara Cobham24 January 2024 13:401706102316No 10 refuses to deny Sunak has plans to bring back Anderson as Tory deputy chairDowning Street has refused to deny Rishi Sunak has plans to bring Lee Anderson back as Tory deputy chairman, saying Number 10 has a “lot of time” for him despite his resignation over the Rwanda Bill.Asked whether the prime minister would consider giving Mr Anderson his job back after he reportedly voiced regret over his abstention, Mr Sunak’s press secretary said it was “the PM’s prerogative to choose and when” who gets which jobs.“I think we can say that we have a lot of time for Lee. He made it clear that he had concerns but actually he really supports getting this deterrent up and running so it’s good to see him talking about that today,” she said.Mr Anderson and Brendan Clarke-Smith both quit as Conservative Party deputy chairs after siding with right-wing Tory MPs in backing the rebel amendments to Mr Sunak’s Rwanda bill. More

Sir Keir Starmer has said Britain under the Tories is the “longest episode of EastEnders ever.” Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, 24 January, the Labour leader said: “Safely ensconced in Westminster they get down to the real business of fighting each other to death. The country forced to endure their division and chaos, the longest episode of Eastenders ever put to film.”It comes as the Conservatives faced more party infighting this week with a senior Tory calling for Rishi Sunak’s resignation. More

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the worldSign up to our free Morning Headlines emailThe UK’s communications watchdog has outlined two options for changes to letter deliveries as part of a review expected to save Royal Mail hundreds of millions of pounds.Ofcom said the two “primary options” could include letters being delivered to households and businesses five or even three times a week, or the slow down of deliveries across three or more days.The first move could save the company between £100m and £650m and the second between £150m and £650m, according to the regulator.It comes after Rishi Sunak, which would have to approve any changes, appeared to rule out Royal Mail being allowed to scrap Saturday deliveries.But Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes said that changes to the postal system could be required as the number of letters being sent each year has halved since 2011, while people are getting many more parcels than they used to.Ofcom presented two options for either cutting frequency or speed of postal deliveries Currently, Royal Mail has an obligation to deliver letters six days a week to all 32 million addresses in the UK for the price of a stamp, no matter where the letters are going.Royal Mail, which recorded a £419 million loss in its previous financial year, said the current service requirement is “simply not sustainable”.Dame Melanie said: “Postal workers are part of the fabric of our society and are critical to communities up and down the country. But we’re sending half as many letters as we did in 2011, and receiving many more parcels.“The universal service hasn’t changed since then, it’s getting out of date and will become unsustainable if we don’t take action.“So we’ve set out options for reform so there can be a national discussion about the future of universal post. In the meantime, we’re making sure prices will remain affordable by capping the price of second class stamps.”Ofcom said Royal Mail could cut the frequency or speed of deliveries as part of a cost cutting exercise Mr Sunak’s official spokesman said the PM’s “strong view is that Saturday deliveries provide flexibility” and “would not countenance” seeing Saturday deliveries scrapped.The postal minister Kevin Hollinrake reiterated on Wednesday that government remained committed to a six-day service from Royal Mail – calling a Saturday delivery “sacrosanct”.Neither the minister, nor No 10, have said whether they would be prepared to legislate to keep a Saturday delivery.Mr Hollinrake told Times Radio: “The prime minister has been very clear on this, six-day delivery is really important for many people in this country, many of our citizens- but also for many of our businesses.”The Tory minister also said that nationalising Royal Mail would not be a “good option”. He said the “one advantage” of it remaining in private hands is “the amount of investments going in”.The Liberal Democrats’ Treasury spokeswoman Sarah Olney said the idea of a thre-day delivery “feels like a slap in the face”, adding: “Regular deliveries are what the country has come to expect.”The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) warned that cutting the six-day delivery service could “cause real disruption to our economy”.And the Communication Workers Union (CWU) said a three-day delivery service would “destroy” Royal Mail.CWU general secretary Dave Ward said: “We are not resistant to change, but we will not sign up to a three-day universal service obligation, which would destroy Royal Mail as we know and would impact thousands of jobs.”The Post Office, which was spun off when Royal Mail when the latter was privatised in 2012, said many people and businesses “depend on a reliable letter service”.Under fire over the Horizon IT scandal, a Post Office spokesman said there must be a “national debate” around how consumers need a parcel and letter delivery service to work for them in the 2020s. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailLocal authorities in England are set to receive an emergency bailout from Rishi Sunak’s government following warnings that many councils are close to bankruptcy.A ministerial statement due to be made this afternoon will confirm upper tier councils will be handed an additional £500m for children’s and adult social care.Communities secretary Michael Gove is also expected to announce lower tier districts will receive a funding boost of approximately £30 to £40m.A senior council source said an 11th hour change to local finance settlement was unusual – but could stave off the immediate threat of bankruptcy faced in many areas.The move comes after a group of 40 Tory MPs – including Priti Patel and Robert Jenrick – put Mr Sunak under pressure to boost the £64bn funding settlement for on-the-brink councils ahead of this year’s general election.Dozens of backbenchers 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 as voters go to the polls.The group – which also included leading ‘One Nation’ Tory moderate Damian Green – say they were “exceptionally concerned” about the crisis in local government and were “disappointed” it had not be addressed at chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s autumn statement.Sunak and his communities secretary Michael Gove under pressure from Tory MPs Ben Bradley, the Tory MP for Mansfield and leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, had urged Mr Sunak and Mr Gove to provide extra cash. “There’s no point cutting national taxes just to see everybody’s council tax go up by the maximum,” he said.Mr Hunt could consider using some of the fiscal headroom – which predictions have put as high as £10bn – to cave to their demands for more council cash as he prepares for his 6 March Budget.While welcoming the extra cash, council chiefs believe that the new, last-minute extra £500m will only prevent a financial crisis in the short term. Finance bosses at seven councils have issued at least one section 114 notice – effectively declaring themselves bankrupt – since 2020, with three doing so last year.In December Nottingham City Council became the latest to issue a section 114 notice, saying it was set to overspend by £23m in 2023-24.But almost one in five council leaders think it is likely that they will need to issue a section 114 notice this year, according to a survey by the Local Government Association (LGA).The emergency notices are an acknowledgment that the local authority cannot balance its books as required by law and lead to a freeze on non-essential spending on services.Mr Gove’s Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said the £64bn pledged was a real-terms increase of 6.5 per cent for councils on average.However, the total spending power available to councils includes council tax increases, meaning residents pay more for everyday services.District council leaders also held an emergency meeting in Westminster on Tuesday to urge the government to rethink the settlement due to the rising costs of tacking homelessness.A group of local authorities said Mr Gove’s funding settlement disproportionately benefits richer areas and fail to take into account a range of growing demand pressures.Sigoma – which represents 47 urban councils in some of the most deprived areas in England – said it was set before the full emergence of severe problems such as workforce pressures and spiralling costs in a “broken” children’s social care market. More

Rishi Sunak sent his “best wishes” to King Charles III and the Princess of Wales regarding their health.His Majesty is preparing to undergo treatment for an enlarged prostate this week, and Kate has spent a week in hospital being cared for as she recovers from abdominal surgery.The 42-year-old princess is expected to remain hospitalised for between 10 and 14 days in total.Charles, 75, has returned to Sandringham ready to undergo treatment after flying back from Scotland with the Queen on Friday (19 January).He received his diagnosis on Wednesday having had a check-up after experiencing symptoms. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailWatch as Rishi Sunak faces Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, 24 January, after a senior Tory called for his resignation.Sir Simon Clarke, who served in the Treasury while the now-prime minister was chancellor, said that Mr Sunak “is leading the Conservatives into an election where [they] will be massacred”.“If we change the leader to a prime minister who shares the instincts of the majority and is willing to lead the country in the right direction, we will recover strongly in 2024,” the MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland wrote in the Telegraph.Other senior Tories have warned against more damaging infighting before the public go to the polls this year.Home secretary James Cleverly said it would be “foolish” to have further dissent within the party, arguing that it would leave the door open to Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour party.Former defence secretary Ben Wallace echoed Mr Cleverly in dismissing Sir Simon’s call to oust Mr Sunak.“Division and another PM would lead to the certain loss of power,” he said. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailJeremy Hunt’s economic forecasts last year were based on “questionable assumptions” and beyond “a work of fiction”, the public finance watchdog has warned.Richard Hughes, chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility, made the scathing intervention at the House of Lords economic affairs committee yesterday, warning the chancellor had left himself a “tiny” margin for error against the UK government’s debt-reduction rules.Mr Hughes said that policymaking could be improved if chancellors gave themselves a larger margin for error, warning that the current projected headroom “is very small relative to the forecast errors inherent in any forecasting process, including ours”.He said that the £13bn budget headroom forecast in November for the autumn statement was vulnerable to changing assumptions on interest rates and data revisions.Mr Hughes also said that he was disappointed that he was asked to provide a forecast to be published alongside Jeremy Hunt’s autumn statement back in November without being given any information about Whitehall departmental budgets, apart from a headline figure that showed them having fallen over five years.Office for Budget Responsibility provide a forecast to assist the Chancellor in his upcoming budget He told the Committee that the OBR’s forecasts were based on “questionable assumptions” and that some people called his projections “a work of fiction”.He said November’s estimates were “a tiny number compared to the risks you face” and that historically, UK governments have tended to go “very close to the wire” when it came to fiscal rules.The headroom figure is a measure of how much budgetary margin Hunt has to meet his target of reducing the ratio of government debt to GDP in five years’ time, and is vital for determining the extent to which the government can cut taxes or increase public spending.Fresh speculation around the prospect of tax giveaways has been high this week, as both Mr Hunt and Rishi Sunak have stoked up expectations that government may have use the expected headroom for tax cuts.Last week at the World Economic Forum conference in Davos, Switzerland, Mr Hunt hinted heavily that more tax cuts are on the way, saying that tax cuts would be “very pro-growth”.Mr Hunt hinted at the prospect of tax cuts during his visit to Davos last week Official figures released on Friday showed that Hunt may have as much as £20bn spare in his March budget, based on higher-than-expected tax receipts and lower inflation and reductions in interest rates.The government is expected to use this windfall to commit to tax cuts rather than large increases of public spending, in order to satiate demands from the right of the Conservative party and stoke favour with the public in the run up to a general election.The Treasury said: “While we have doubled our headroom since March, from £6.5 billion to £13 billion, it remains low by historical standards and can be wiped out by changing economic conditions.” It added: “That’s why we must stick to our plan to reduce debt by growing the economy and being responsible with spending.” More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailDavid Cameron will meet Israeli and Palestinian leaders during a visit to the Middle East in a bid to ease the “desperate” situation in Gaza. The foreign secretary will hold talks with Benjamin Netanyahu in which he will raise concerns about the high number of civilian casualties and call for more and faster action to get life-saving aid into the besieged enclave. He is also expected to press the need for water, fuel and electricity to be restored as he calls for an “urgent humanitarian pause” . And he will reiterate demands that Hamas agree to release of all hostages and give up control of Gaza, as well as hold talks with Qatar and Turkey. He will arrive in the Middle East as tensions run high, following deadliest day for Israeli forces of the Gaza war. President Netanyahu is also facing increasing pressure over his leadership and his handling of the war effort. Rishi Sunak has resisted calls to back an immediate ceasefire, arguing for ‘humanitarian pauses’ to allow politicians to build a cessation in the fighting that can last. Foreign Secretary David Cameron said: “No-one wants to see this conflict go on a moment longer than necessary. An immediate pause is now necessary to get aid in and hostages out. The situation is desperate. “This week I am in the Middle East working with partners to help build a plan to move from that pause to a sustainable, permanent ceasefire without a return to hostilities. “Such a plan would require Hamas to agree to the release of all hostages, Hamas to no longer be in charge of Gaza launching rocket attacks at Israel, and an agreement in place for the Palestinian Authority to return to Gaza in order to provide governance and services and, increasingly, security.” Twenty-four people were killed on Monday in the deadliest day for Israeli forces in its three-month war against Hamas, as Palestinian casualties also continue to climb. During his visit Lord Cameron will travel to Israel, the occupied Palestinian territories, as well as Qatar and Turkey, both key players in the region. In Israel, the Foreign Secretary will also speak to the Israeli foreign minister as he calls for more crossing points for aid to be opened for longer. Foreign secretary Lord Cameron (James Manning/PA)He will also meet President Abbas from the Palestinian Authority to highlight the UK’s long-term support for a two-state solution. In Qatar, he is expected to hold talks on efforts to secure the safe release of hostages, pressing the cases of British and dual nationals. The war has displaced an estimated 85 per cent of Gaza’s population and left more than 25,000 Palestinians dead, according to health officials in the Hamas-run territory.The United Nations and international aid agencies also warn the fighting has caused a humanitarian disaster, with a quarter of Gaza’s 2.3 million people facing starvation. More