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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

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

A Tory minister said the “trans debate” is a “contested political issue and shouldn’t be taught as fact” as a report suggested education secretary Gillian Keegan will announce plans to prevent children from being taught they can change their gender identity until they are aged 13.Schools will be told not to teach children any sex education until year 5, when pupils are aged nine, the Times reported.Measures will rule out any explicit conversations about sex until they are aged 13, the newspaper said.Responding to the report on Wednesday, 15 May, policing minister Chris Philp added said he does not want children to be “exposed to inappropriate, sexual material at school.” More

Grant Shapps has claimed the UK is experiencing a “golden age” of shipbuilding, with up to 28 Royal Navy vessels either being constructed or planned.The defence secretary confirmed that up to six multi-role support ships (MRSS) – designed to deliver commandos onto coastlines around the world to conduct special operations – would be built.New drone-carrying ships for the Royal Marines will draw on lessons learned from the Ukraine war and the Houthi attacks on vessels in the Red Sea.Meanwhile, Type 23 frigates HMS Argyll and HMS Westminster will be retired. More

Grant Shapps was pressed on whether the up to six ships the government has pledged to build are from a Conservative pledge two years ago.The defence secretary has claimed the UK was experiencing a “golden age” of shipbuilding, with “up to” 28 Royal Navy vessels either being constructed or planned.When questioned if the vessels are “the same ones the government pledged to build two years ago”, Mr Shapps said: “Yes, we’ve signalled that we’d want to build new ships for our commandos. And that’s something we’ve said all along. What’s changed is we’re now able to do it because we’ve increased our defense spending.” More

Esther McVey has defended her role as the “minister for common sense” – an unofficial title bestowed after her appointment to the Cabinet Office in Rishi Sunak’s reshuffle – in a speech quoting Aristotle on Monday, 13 May.The Conservative MP for Tatton referenced the Greek philosopher in a speech at the right-wing Centre for Policy Studies think tank as she announced there would be no more spending on external equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) contracts without an explicit sign-off from a minister.”Aristotle thought common sense helped us form coherent thoughts and make rational decisions. It’s as important [as] a sense of sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell,” Ms McVey said. More

Rishi Sunak ruled out a January election in a speech on Monday, 12 May, after the Conservatives suffered blows in local and regional elections earlier this month.In a pre-election pitch to voters, the prime minister said: “At some point in the second half of this year, we will all go to the polls… I remain confident that my party can prevail, not because of our record alone, but because we will be the only party really talking about the future.”It came as the Tories dropped behind Labour in the polls.Mr Sunak has previously declined to rule out an election in July, repeatedly saying his “working assumption” is that it would be later this year. More