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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

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailSir Keir Starmer has 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. The Labour leader attacked Rishi Sunak’s party for “waging war” on organisations such as the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), the National Trust and the Trussell Trust, saying “their rhetoric has helped demonise them”.Sir Keir said that, instead of looking to charities as a model to inspire the country, the Tories “seem set on sabotaging civil society to save their own skins”. In a rare foray into the issue of so-called culture wars, he called for a “reset” of the government’s relationship with the charity sector.It came as culture secretary Lucy Frazer took to the airwaves to launch a fresh attack on the BBC, which she accused of being biased “on occasion”. In the speech, in which he set out plans to work with the sector if Labour wins power later this year, Sir Keir also said civil society will be essential to the party’s plans for government.Starmer said the Tories’ have embarked on a ‘McCarthyite’ anti-woke purge of UK institutions “If we are privileged to be elected to serve this year, we will work with you on our mission for a decade of national renewal,” he told the Civil Society Summit in central London on Monday.Taking aim at Mr Sunak’s party, he added: “They’ve got themselves so tangled up in culture wars of their own making, that instead of working with the RNLI, an organisation the late Queen was patron of for 70 years, to find real solutions to stop the small boats. Their rhetoric has helped demonise them.“Instead of working with the National Trust so more people can learn about – and celebrate – our culture and our history, they’ve managed to demean their work.”The Queen was patron of the RNLI He went on: “In its desperation to cling onto power at all costs, the Tory Party is undertaking a kind of weird McCarthyism, trying to find woke agendas in the very civic institutions they once regarded with respect.“Let me tell you. Waging a war on the proud spirit of service in this country isn’t leadership. It’s desperate. It’s divisive. It’s damaging.”The term McCarthyism originates from the anti-Communist witch-hunt against the left led by senator Joseph R McCarthy in 1950’s America and is now shorthand all the world over for political purge.Senior Tories have accused the National Trust of going “woke” for looking at how its properties have links to slavery and colonialism. Sir Keir said the Tories going to war with the National Trust was “what happens when politics of self-preservation prevail over commitment to service”.Sir Keir, whose Labour Party is riding high in opinion polls, also blamed the Conservatives’ approach to small boats crossing the channel for a rise in hostility toward the RNLI, saying the Tories have helped “demonise” the charity. His speech was also the first time a party leader had set out a vision for the charity sector since David Cameron set out his vision for the “big society”. The idea was meant to see Britons turn away from officials, local authorities and the government for solutions to their problems.Instead people were to support themselves and their communities, easing the burden on the state.Sir Keir said it was a “great idea in principle”, but said “when austerity kicked in, we ended up with the poor society”.“Now we need a new vision for a new era,” he added.The Labour leader also went on to attack the Conservatives for engaging in “sticking-plaster politics” since coming to power in 2010, citing Storm Isha and recent floods as an example of the damaging impact of short-term decision making.He said: “They’ve just put sticking plasters on problems, which have masked the problem for a short period of time only to come off, usually exposing an even bigger problem.“We’ve got to get ahead of the storms and put the resilience in place… there is a strong preventative theme running through everything we want to do.”Mr Sunak claimed Sir Keir’s speech was an attempt to distract from his record as Labour leader.He told broadcasters he had not seen the speech but “it does sound to me like a distraction from the fact that Keir Starmer, who has been leader of the opposition for four years, can’t actually say what he would do differently to run this country”. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster email European Union foreign ministers argued Monday that the creation of a Palestinian state is the only credible way to achieve peace in the Middle East, and they expressed concern about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s clear rejection of the idea.“The declarations of Benjamin Netanyahu are worrying. There will be a need for a Palestinian state with security guarantees for all,” French Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Sejourne told reporters in Brussels, where the EU ministers met to discuss the war in Gaza.Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz and Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, also were in Belgium’s capital for the discussion. The issue of Gaza’s future also has set Israel in opposition to the United States and its Arab allies as they work to mediate an end to the fighting in the besieged Palestinian territory.The Palestinian death toll from the war between Israel and Hamas surpassed 25,000, the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza reported. Israel said Sunday that another of the hostages taken during the Oct. 7 attack that triggered the war had died.The EU is the world’s top provider of aid to the Palestinians, but holds little leverage over Israel, despite being its biggest trading partner. The 27 member countries are also deeply divided in their approach. But as the death toll in Gaza mounts, so do calls for a halt to the fighting.“Gaza is in a situation of extreme urgency. There is a risk of famine. There is a risk of epidemics. The violence must stop,” said Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib, whose country holds the EU’s rotating presidency.“We demand an immediate cease-fire, the release of the hostages, the respect of international law, (and) a return to the peace process, which must lead to the creation of two states living in peace side by side,” Lahbib said, describing a two-state solution as “the only way to establish peace in a durable way in the region.”Israel appears far from achieving its goals of crushing Hamas and freeing the more than 100 remaining hostages. But Netanyahu rejects Palestinian statehood and appears to want open-ended military control over Gaza. The dispute over the territory’s future — coming as the war still rages with no end in sight — pits the EU, the United States and their Arab allies against Israel and poses a major obstacle to any plans for postwar governance or reconstruction in Gaza.The EU invited the foreign ministers of Israel, the Palestinians, Egypt, Jordan and a representative of the Arab League to take part in Monday’s talks. The ministers from Israel and the Palestinians were not due to meet each other.The European ministers want to hear what other plans Israel might have.“Which are the other solutions they have in mind?,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who chaired the meeting, asked. “To make all the Palestinians leave? To kill off them?”Borrell condemned what he described as the atrocities committed by Hamas during its unprecedented Oct. 7 attacks in southern Israel. Referring to the Israeli military action, he said: “They are seeding the hate for generations.”“Peace and stability cannot be built only by military means,” he said.Spain has pushed for a peace conference to discuss what might happen once the fighting is over. A future meeting in Brussels is in the works, but the timing remains unclear. The plan has the backing of some EU member countries, but others say it can only happen with Israel’s support.“If Israel is not (at) the table, there is no use to have peace conferences,” Luxembourg Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel said. He said that after recent discussions with Israel officials, it was clear to him that the country won’t be ready as long as it believes that Hamas still poses a danger.Arriving at the meeting, Israel’s Katz refused to respond when asked about the possibility of Palestinian statehood. Holding up pictures of Israeli hostages, Katz said he had come to seek support for Israel’s campaign to dismantle Hamas.“We have to bring back our security. Our brave soldiers are fighting in very hard conditions,” he told reporters. The Israeli government’s aims, Katz said, are clear: “to bring back our hostages and restore security for the citizens of Israel.” More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailSenior Conservative have backed a radical plan being considered by Rishi Sunak’s government to guarantee mortgages requiring only 1 per cent deposits.Tory MPs largely welcomed the idea of a scheme to boost 99 per cent mortgages, after The Independent first revealed the March Budget proposal aimed at first-time buyers.Economists and housing experts warned that such a scheme – aimed at helping young people onto the property ladder – would create “massive risk” for taxpayers and would push up prices.They argued that boosting demand without fixing the shortage of housing was a “high-stakes gamble” that could fuel “yet another house price bubble”.But Tories from both the left and right wings of the party are excited by the plan. Former cabinet minister Robert Buckland said: “A bold idea like this is very welcome.”Mr Buckland said the problem of overheating the market could be avoided “by ensuring that mortgages are easily available for new homes built by modern methods of construction”.The leading Tory moderate said the government should combine “an increase in speed of supply of housing with easier to access mortgages, in order to avoid excessive house price inflation”.Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s team considering scheme to boost home ownership Shaun Bailey, one of the red-wall MPs pushing the government to boost housebuilding to win back young voters, said it was a “positive” idea and his initial assessment was “favourable”.The Tory MP for West Bromwich West said young constituents “struggle to transition from paying high rents to affording a mortgage due to hefty deposits”, adding: “Overcoming this hurdle would be beneficial – it’s crucial to help young people step onto the property ladder.”Former Tory minister John Redwood: “I’m keen to support any proposal to boost home ownership, as long as its suitable people and you assess affordability and credit status.”The senior right-winger said the benefits outweighed the risks. “A young person starting off with a decent job, why shouldn’t they borrow [at 99 per cent] – taking a 99 per cent mortgage is perfectly sensible because you will get pay rises,” said Mr Redwood.Government sources have said a Treasury-backed scheme to help first-time buyers get 99 per cent loan to value (LTV) mortgages is one of the big ideas being discussed for chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Budget on 6 March.House prices have pushed ‘generation rent’ away from ownership dream Bright Blue – the centre-right think tank which has been pushing the government address the needs of young voters in “generation rent” – also welcomed the idea.“We need bold demand-side and supply-side measures to improve the affordability of home ownership,” said executive chair Ryan Shorthouse.“The size of the deposit is the biggest barrier for prospective first-time buyers. It is right that the government looks to guarantee mortgages to the extent that the upfront deposit which is required is significantly smaller.”“Frankly, there are much bigger causes of house price inflation than government subsidy for first-time buyers,” Mr Shorthouse added.Housing secretary Michael Gove has said homeownership offer will come in election year But mortgage brokers were among those sounding the alarm on the proposed scheme. Peter Stamford at The Mortgage Uni said the “sting in the tail” would be the higher interest rates that come with low deposits.“There is also a risk it could once again cause the property market to overheat, driving prices up further. It’s a high-stakes gamble and could potentially fuel yet another house price bubble,” the expert warned.And Riz Malik, director at R3 Mortgages, said with house prices so high, affording monthly payments would remain a barrier for many young buyers.“However, for a government that looks set to be massacred at the general election, desperate times call for desperate measures,” he said.Torsten Bell, chief executive of the Resolution Foundation, said the low-deposit proposal would “permanently raise home ownership rates” – but warned that it would also mean the government “taking a massive chunk of house price risk”.“The last 15 years have taught us recessions are now VERY expensive for the state – causing huge increases in national debt,” the top economist posted on X – making clear the plan would “take even more risk onto the public sector balance sheet”.Mr Sunak’s party is struggling to win support among younger adults. Only 10 per cent of voters under the age of 50 intend to vote for the Tories, the latest YouGov poll has found.Housing secretary Michael Gove last month hinted the government were exploring ways to boost home ownership – saying the party would “definitely” have a new offer for prospective buyers before the general election.“We have been asking the question, how can we ensure that people with decent incomes who are finding it difficult because of the scale of deposit required can get on to the housing ladder?” he told The Times.“I don’t want to pre-empt anything … but it’s about looking at some of the rigidities in the mortgage market which they haven’t got in other jurisdictions.” More