UK

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailThe UK is to launch a £300 million drive to push Vladimir Putin further out of the global energy market though an investment in high-tech nuclear fuel. Ministers will vow to end what they say is Russia’s reign as the only commercial producer of a type of enriched uranium needed for the next generation of reactors. It comes as the world prepares for the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine next month. The UK has warned Russia that if casualties continue at their current rate it will have lost over half a million personnel in the conflict by the end of 2024.The war also triggered a shock in the world’s energy markets leading the government to rethink Britain’s energy security.Energy secretary Claire Coutinho said ministers would not allow Putin to “hold us to ransom on nuclear fuel. “Britain gave the world its first operational nuclear power plant, and now we will be the first nation in Europe outside of Russia to produce advanced nuclear fuel,” she said. “This will be critical for energy security at home and abroad and builds on Britain’s historic competitive advantages.” The government says the plans will help build new supplies of affordable and clean domestic power. It will involve a £300 million investment in high-assay low enriched uranium (HALEU).The programme will provide jobs and investment in the north west of England, as part of plans to deliver quarter of the UK’s electricity needs through nuclear power by 2050. Another £10 million will be used to develop the skills and sites needed to produce other advanced nuclear fuels in the UK.Ministers argue the move will help mean the transition to ‘net zero’ does not mean higher prices for consumers. The UK has agreed with other G7 nuclear partners to reduce global dependence on Russian fuel. On Saturday the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said that the average daily number of Russian casualties in Ukraine rose by almost 300 during the course of last year. “If the numbers continue at the current rate over the next year, Russia will have lost over half a million personnel in Ukraine,” it added. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailRishi Sunak has warned he will curb benefits and government spending to help fund tax cuts.In a new interview, the prime minister said his priority was cutting taxes, but that would result in “difficult decisions” having to be made on public spending, without going into specifics. His comments came after he revealed earlier this week he was aiming for an election in the second half of this year, having ruled out going to the polls in 2025. Rishi Sunak has said he will cut benefits and government spending to fund tax cutsThe prime minister told The Sunday Telegraph: “When I say that I want to keep cutting taxes, that’s what we’re going to deliver. We’re going to do that responsibly. That requires difficult decisions on public spending. It requires difficult decisions to control welfare. Those, I believe, are the right things to do for our country. “I want to control public spending, I want to control welfare, which we’re doing and because we’re doing that, and because we’re being disciplined with borrowing and our debt, we’re going to be in a position to cut taxes.“I want to keep cutting people’s taxes. There’s no way we can do that unless we restrain the growth in the public sector and government spending.”Sir Kier Starmer is currently on course to win power, commanding an 18-point leadThe Tories used last year’s autumn statement to unveil a two per cent cut to National Insurance in a bid to boost the party’s fortunes, which chancellor Jeremy Hunt said will save the average worker £450 a year. The cut came into effect from Saturday but changes to other taxes, including the freezing of tax thresholds under Mr Sunak as chancellor, mean the tax burden facing households is still rising.The Resolution Foundation has said anybody earning under £26,000 will be worse off, with the tax cut benefiting those earning £50,000 a year the most. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has said a worker earning the average salary of £35,000 would be £440 worse off by 2028 and overall, the tax burden is still on course to be the highest since the Second World War.Mr Sunak is reportedly considering scrapping inheritance tax in the March Budget, as he scrambles to appeal to voters ahead of next year’s general election. Opinion polls have for two years consistently given Labour a double-digit lead over the Conservatives, who have churned through three prime ministers in 18 months amid a stuttering economy and frequent scandals. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailRishi Sunak faces a growing battle over his flagship Rwanda legislation after his former immigration minister threatened to lead a parliamentary revolt to try to toughen the bill. Robert Jenrick warned that if the prime minister did not strengthen the new emergency laws then he would lay amendments next week to ensure they were “sufficiently robust”.Mr Jenrick dramatically quit the government last month saying the Rwanda legislation would not work – just hours after former home secretary Suella Braverman told Mr Sunak he faced electoral ‘oblivion’ over the issue.Mr Jenrick revealed his plan to Sky News as Mr Sunak was accused of “conning” the public over the controversial Rwanda deal after leaked documents suggested he harboured significant doubts about the scheme – and argued for it to be scaled back – while he was chancellor. Mr Sunak was unsure the plan to deport asylum seekers would achieve its ultimate goal, to deter channel crossings, a month before it was unveiled by then prime minster Boris Johnson. He was concerned about the cost of sending asylum seekers to the Africa country and wanted to limit the numbers, according to the documents seen by the BBC The prime minister faces a battle this month to get new emergency legislation through the Commons, after the Supreme Court ruled his Rwanda plan unlawful. Losing the vote could imperil the future of the scheme and even Mr Sunak’s leadership, as Tory MPs pile pressure on Mr Sunak to fulfil his pledge to voters to stop the boat ahead of a looming general election. Mr Sunak committed to keeping the Rwanda plan as he fought to win the leadership contest to replace Mr Johnson as Tory leader. Asked about the leaked reports, Mr Jenrick told Sky News: “I know the prime minister very well and I believe that he does see the urgent need to control our borders to get the Rwanda plan up and running – because that’s such a critical element to stopping the small boat crossings.”But it is important that we get that right.”And as I said last year, I don’t think that the bill that’s going through parliament is sufficient – if we say we’re going to do whatever it takes, we have to do whatever it takes and that means strengthening that bill.”I hope that he will strengthen the bill that’s coming through parliament.” He added: “And I’ve been very clear that if he doesn’t do that, then I will lay amendments to the bill next week to make sure that it is the piece of legislation that is necessary that is sufficiently robust to do the job that the British public expect.” Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the papers shows the Rwanda plan was a “total con” and “how incredibly weak Rishi Sunak is”.“He knew costs were extortionate (and) resisted as Chancellor. But he’s now so weak he’s writing £400m cheques to Rwanda for no one to be sent,” she said.She accused the government of “continually going for gimmicks rather than ever getting a grip.”When he was chancellor Mr Sunak wanted to reduce the numbers the scheme would send to Rwanda, from 1,500 in the first year to 500, and from 5,000 to 3,000 in the two years after that, according to the documents seen by the BBC. He is also described as believing the “deterrent won’t work” and that he felt “hotels are cheaper” than reception centres to house migrants. In a sign of the tactics used over the Rwanda policy No 10 suggested Mr Sunak should be told to consider his “popularity with the base” if he was reluctant to sign up. David Campbell Bannerman, the chair of the Conservative Democratic Organisation, questioned if Mr Sunak had sought to “sabotage” the Rwanda plan “right from the start?” “These papers suggest Treasury undermined plan by cutting resources for it,” he tweeted. A government source said: that as Chancellor, Mr Sunak had funded the Rwanda scheme and then went on to “put it at the heart of his 10-point plan the month after becoming PM”. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailJeremy Hunt has said buying a first home in Britain today is a “real struggle” after the boss of NatWest claimed it was “not that difficult”. Sir Howard Davies said that people would “have to save more”, but suggested the system had simply reverted to how it “used” to be. Housing campaigners criticised his claim while shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves branded Sir Howard “out of touch”.Asked about the comment, Mr Hunt pointed to much higher mortgages rates compared to 18 months ago. “We know that makes it a real struggle for people trying to buy their first home,” he said. He insisted the way to deal with the problem was to continue to focus on cutting inflation. Defending his comments, Sir Howard said: “You have to save and that is the way it always used to be.”But he later sought to clarify his remarks, saying his claim was meant to reflect easier mortgage access.He said: “Given recent rate movements by lenders there are some early green shoots in mortgage pricing and while funding remains strong, my comment was meant to reflect that in this context access to mortgages is less difficult than it has been.“I fully realise it did not come across in that way for listeners and as I said on the programme, I do recognise how difficult it is for people buying a home and I did not intend to underplay the serious challenges they face.”Mr Hunt made his comments in an interview on the BBC’s Today programme designed to highlight his National Insurance cut, announced in the Autumn Statement, which comes into effect today. He also again hinted at cutting taxes in the Budget, if the economic picture allows. Asked about is comment that inheritance tax is “pernicious” he said: “I think lots of taxes are pernicious”. And he urged the public “don’t bet against the British economy – we have actually done far better than everyone said”. Despite the struggles of recent years “we can now look forward to things getting better”, he added. The chancellor also said he “profoundly” disagrees with Chris Skidmore after the former net zero tsar announced he was quitting the Conservatives and Parliament over the Government’s stance on oil and gas .Mr Hunt said: “It is very sad to lose a respected colleague like Chris Skidmore, so I should start by saying that – I worked closely with him when I became Chancellor on climate change issues.”But I do profoundly disagree with the reasons that he gave for resigning.”The independent panel for climate change (the Climate Change Committee) that we have in this country are very clear that even when we reach net zero in 2050, we will still get a significant proportion of our energy from fossil fuels. And domestic oil and gas is four times cleaner than imported oil and gas.”Asked whether he viewed Mr Skidmore as a “rat leaving a sinking ship”, Mr Hunt said: “No, I think he is just wrong on that issue. He feels very passionate about that… But the point is, I think he is wrong on North Sea oil and gas.”When you have the problems in the Red Sea (with international cargo ships being attacked by Iran-backed Houthi rebels), it is very important for energy security that we have domestic sources of that kind of energy as we go into transition.” More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailRishi Sunak was unsure the government’s scheme to send migrants to Rwanda would stop channel crossings when he was chancellor, according to documents.The BBC said it had seen No 10 papers from March 2022, a month before the plan was announced by then prime minister Boris Johnson, which showed that Mr Sunak was not convinced of the plan’s effectiveness.Mr Sunak, who became prime minister in October 2022, has made the Rwanda plan one of his top priorities despite a string of delays due to legal challenges.The documents suggest Mr Sunak felt “hotels are cheaper” than reception centres to house migrants and that he was also concerned about the cost of sending asylum seekers to Africa and wanted to limit the numbers.The BBC said the documents revealed the “chancellor wants to pursue smaller volumes initially” with 500 flown to Rwanda in the first year of the scheme, instead of the proposed 1,500.They say he then proposed “3,000 instead of 5,000 in years two and three”.He is described as believing the “deterrent won’t work”.The documents, which say No 10 suggested Mr Sunak needed to “consider his popularity with the base” over the Rwanda plan, said the then chancellor was reluctant to fund “Greek-style reception centres” at a cost of £3.5 million a day to house migrants in favour of hotels.Mr Sunak has pledged to continue with the plan for migrant flights to Rwanda, despite a ruling by the UK Supreme Court that it was unlawful, while the BBC said a source close to the prime minister said he was “always fully behind the principle of the scheme” but need to ensure money was “appropriately spent” in his role as chancellor.Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper told the BBC: “The prime minister knew the plan was incredibly costly and wouldn’t work, and resisted it while he was chancellor.“But he is so weak he has now agreed to write cheques to Rwanda for £400 million without sending a single person there in a desperate attempt to shore up his leadership.”Mr Sunak reiterated his support for the Rwanda plan on Tuesday, saying: “I am focused on delivering on my commitment to stop the boats and get flights off the ground to Rwanda.” More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailKeir Starmer has backed a change in the law on assisted dying as he indicated MPs could vote on the issue if he becomes prime minister. The Labour leader said he was an “advocate” for reform and warned the current law was not working. Childline founder Dame Esther Rantzen, who is suffering from stage four lung cancer, sparked a fresh debate on the issue last month when she revealed she had joined the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland.Sir Keir said: “I am an advocate of a change to the law. Obviously that change has to be very carefully crafted.”He added: “It shouldn’t really be for the prosecutor to try and make the law work when it doesn’t really. It’d be better for parliament to actually change the law.”He also said the “best route” was probably through a private member’s bill, brought by a backbench MP. He added: “And yes, I would be open to making time for that (as prime minister).”Asked if he wold vote to change the law, Sir Keir said he would “subject to it being the right change”.He also backed calls for a “free vote”, meaning MPs would not be whipped along party lines and would instead vote with their consciences. A similar bill was used to bring in abortion in the 1960s. Earlier this week a former Labour minister called on the party’s leader to hold a vote if he becomes prime minister. Dame Joan Ruddock urged action as she revealed she came close to smothering her husband with a pillow as he died an agonising death from cancer. She said that she had gone so far as to get “the pillow ready” and anticipated a “struggle”. The former head of CND also said she had cursed herself for not using his liquid morphine while he was still able to swallow it.She is now appealing for assisted dying to be made legal.She told the Independent: Dame Joan said: “There should be a vote in the Commons and it should be a free vote. Around 80 per cent of people support assisted dying. MPs should take note of that. That is what the country wants and they should do what the country wants.”She added: “I think there will be a vote in the Commons before Keir becomes PM. But if there is not one before the general election then certainly I would urge Keir Starmer to allow … a free vote on the issue.” More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailA Labour government may not be able to cut personal taxes for two years without healthier economic growth, Keir Starmer has suggested.The Labour leader said on Friday he wanted to “lower the tax burden on working people” – but could not repeat Liz Truss’ mistake of unfunded promises.It opens up a dividing line with Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives, after the PM pledged to offer more personal tax cuts in the run-up to the 2024 general election.“I do want to see a lower tax burden on working people … I do want to do that,” Sir Keir told an LBC radio phone-in – saying the way to cut taxes was to “grow the economy”.“What I’m not going to do is make unfunded, unaffordable promised that I can’t keep. That’s what Liz Truss did … The economy crashed and people are still paying the price.”Speaking to Sky News on Thursday, Sir Keir refused to say if he would want to cut taxes within his first two years in office.“Of course, I want working people to pay less tax, to have less of a burden. But we’ve got to get our economy working. And I think everybody understands that,” Starmer told the broadcaster.And the Labour leader told reporters that “the first lever that we look for is the growth lever”, adding: “Before we even get to the question of tax, we’ve got to deal with the economy.”Keir Starmer says he wants to get tax burden down on LBC phone-in It comes as Labour made the audacious move of taking out anti-government tax adverts on the ConservativeHome website – the “bible” for the Tory grassroots.Labour’s “Rishi’s raw deal” posters highlight that for every £10 paid in tax they will only be getting £2 back because of frozen thresholds.Meanwhile, Sir Keir gave his strongest signal yet that he will get behind the legalisation of assisted dying if he becomes prime minister.“I totally feel that we ought to actually change the law … Obviously that change has to be very carefully crafted,” he told the LBC phone-in – before saying would be “open to making time” for a free vote in parliament.Asked if he would like personally vote to allow assisted dying, Sir Keir said he would back it “subject to it being the right change”.Sir Keir also conceded his planned £28bn-a-year green energy investment could shrink depending on economic conditions – saying it remained only a “confident ambition” and would be subject to strict fiscal rules.The Labour leader told LBC that the green spending will be “ramped up” in second half of parliament – but “in the end the fiscal rule comes first”. He added: “The world can change … It’s a confident ambition.”Sir Keir said criticised health secretary Victoria Atkins for demanding that junior doctor strikes called off before entering talks. “I would just say, get in the room and get on with it,” said the Labour leader.And the Labour leader said that UK police should be willing to examine any allegations made against Prince Andrew.The Duke of York has been reported to the police by the campaign group Republic after allegations of sexual assault resurfaced in unsealed court documents relating to Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew has denied any wrong doing.Asked if police should investigate, Sir Keir said: “Wherever there’s a complaint made, it’s inevitable that it should be looked at. We have to start with the victims here, and look at what allegations have been made.”He added: “I’ve seen the headlines on this, not the detail, but frankly whoever it is, where there are allegations, credible allegations made, then of course they should be looked at.”On Thursday Sir Keir claimed Mr Sunak was trying to “squat” at No 10 for as long as possible, after the PM rejected a spring election and said he wanted to wait until the second half of the year. More