Sunak promises ‘gear shift’ in taxation to tackle poll slump…
“Rishi Sunak has vowed to control spending to pave the ground for tax cuts next year as the Conservatives prepare for a tough re-election battle after years in government when the tax burden has increased to a record high. “Our priority, going forward, is to control spending and welfare so that we can cut taxes,” the prime minister said in an interview with The Spectator magazine as polling showed his popularity falling to its lowest level to date… Sunak is facing the toughest stretch of his 14-month premiership as a YouGov poll on Wednesday showed his popularity had slipped to the same level as Boris Johnson’s at the time of his resignation last year. The prime minister this week had a net favourability score of -49 according to the poll, representing a 10-point drop from late November.” – FT
- Critics are taking glass half-empty approach, he says – Daily Telegraph
- Prime Minister savaged in brutal PMQs takedown – The Sun
- There’s ‘nothing tetchy’ about me, Tory leader insists as his popularity falls – The Times
- 2019 Conservative voters prefer Farage to Sunak – Daily Mail
- Tories are in worse position than when I was leader, says Johnson – Daily Telegraph
Comment:
- Farage is back to strike the fear of God into the Tories – Jonathan Saxty, Daily Express
>Today: Emily Carver’s column: With the clock ticking as the next election approaches, why not throw the kitchen sink at boosting growth?
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: Andrew Gimson’s PMQs sketch: Starmer couldn’t wipe the grin off Sunak’s face
…as he ‘cements Meloni bond’ with visit to Right-wing convention in Rome
“Rishi Sunak will visit Rome on Saturday to meet Giorgia Meloni and attend a Right-wing political convention. The two prime ministers have struck up a rapport since they took office last year, and Mr Sunak has accepted an invitation to attend a political festival called Atreju 2023. The event is organised by Ms Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party and has in the past attracted hard-Right figures such as Steve Bannon, the former Trump adviser, and Viktor Orban, the president of Hungary. This year it has been thrown open to a broader range of politicians including Edi Rama, the socialist premier of Albania. Santiago Abascal, the leader of Spain’s Right-wing Vox party, will also be a guest.” – Daily Telegraph
- Elon Musk is among other speakers at the political gathering – The Times
>Today:
ToryDiary: The Middle East. As America after 9/11, so Israel after 7/10.
Rwanda 1) One Nation Tories aim to amend Rwanda bill to comply with international law
“The One Nation group of centrist Tories is considering tabling amendments to Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda bill to protect the controversial legislation against breaches of international law. Conservative MPs on the party’s moderate wing are concerned the government could cave in to demands from the right to harden the bill to avoid them voting it down in the new year. Former justice secretary Robert Buckland, a member of the One Nation group, is considering tabling an amendment of his own to make the bill legally more safe so it is compatible with the European convention on human rights, the Guardian can reveal. He denied that such an amendment would “wreck” the bill, saying he wanted the prime minister’s Rwanda plan to succeed.” – The Guardian
- Sunak attempts to calm tensions within fractured Tory party as factions exert pressure – FT
More:
- More than 150 mostly Albanian asylum seekers have disappeared since June – Daily Mail
- Tiny amount of small boat migrants returned as eye-watering cost of barge revealed – The Sun
- Just 1,182 removed from the UK since 2020 – Daily Mail
- Asylum seeker centre fights break out almost every night between different nationalities – Daily Mail
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: Andrew Gimson’s Commons sketch: The total abstainers fail to spoil Sunak’s evening
Rwanda 2) Cates claims Sunak has indicated he is ‘open to negotiations’ on the scheme
“A Tory rebel has denied being “duped” by the Prime Minister as she insisted he could still make changes to his Rwanda plan. Miriam Cates, one of the key founding members of the right-wing New Conservative group, said she had been assured by Rishi Sunak that he was “open to negotiations” on changes to the bill. Members of the group, along with the other so-called “five-families” Conservative groups, had threatened to vote against the Rwanda bill in parliament, warning that they did not believe it would be strong enough to discourage small boat crossings into the UK. She added that she had been assured by the PM that his lawyers were “open to negotiations” on the scheme – and shot down accusations of being “duped” by him.” – Daily Express
- Braverman slams Bill as it ‘will not stop the boats’ – Daily Express
Comment:
- A Christmas truce for Sunak, but the Right will be itching for a fight in the New Year – Jason Groves, Daily Mail
- Badfellas: a Tory drama that has run its course – Iain Martin, The Times
>Yesterday:
Rwanda 3) Robert Shrimsley: Rwanda fight is really a battle for control of the Conservatives
“Sunak’s rebels don’t so much want the win as the issue. A failure to control both legal and clandestine immigration is their battering ram for the takeover of the party. Their purism will also help build their narrative of any defeat — that Sunak is a tax-raising globalist afraid to stand up to the liberal elite by pulling the UK out of the ECHR. Rebellion is a win-win. Either they force Sunak on to their territory or they get to blame his “moderation” for defeat. This story will help browbeat future leadership contenders into committing to withdrawal from the ECHR — the logical next step for Leave ideologues for whom Brexit will never be done.” – FT
- Sunak’s hope has become Keir Starmer’s fear – Tom Harris, Daily Telegraph
- Are strong borders and lower immigration too much to ask? – Matthew Goodwin, The Sun
- Obsession with Rwanda is out of all proportion to the effect it will actually have – Stephen Glover, Daily Mail
Constitutional comment:
- It’s a Trojan horse to facilitate quitting European Court of Human Rights – Nando Sigona, Daily Express
- Britain needs rescuing from the Tory cult of immaculate sovereignty – Rafael Behr, The Guardian
- We may be headed for an unprecedented constitutional crisis – Mark Elliott, Daily Telegraph
>Yesterday:
Foreign students who flunk their degrees could be denied visas, suggests Cleverly
“Foreign students who flunk their degrees here could be denied visas. Home Office advisers yesterday floated the idea of graduates needing a “certain grade” in order to stay in the country. And Home Secretary James Cleverly has tasked the Migration Advisory Committee to review the route used by nearly 100,000 students to find work after their studies… It followed confusion over whether the new £38,700 salary rule for migrants would apply to those already here. Legal migration minister Tom Pursglove said the increased family visa threshold would not be applied retrospectively. Prof Bell said it would only have a minimal impact on net migration. But he said the Government’s package last week was likely to slash annual arrivals by 300,000.” – The Sun
- Post-study visa scheme fuels low-wage migration, experts warn – FT
>Yesterday: Matt Goodwin’s column: My polling suggests that immigration could be a powerful springboard for a Farage comeback
Gove to ease housebuilding targets for councils in England
“Michael Gove will next week announce a relaxation of housing targets for local authorities in England, which developers worry will mean far fewer homes being built amid a housing crisis. The housing secretary will outline the government’s new planning system and sources briefed on the plans said they would confirm he was giving councils far more freedom to set lower housing targets. Gove is also expected to allow authorities to allocate less land to future development if local officials can argue that more development would damage the character of an area or require building on greenbelt land. Gove first said he intended to make the planning changes a year ago after heavy lobbying from Conservative backbenchers, and especially Theresa Villiers, whom some critics have called the “nimby queen”.” – Daily Mail
- Conservatives continue to empower selfish opponents of the new homes Britain desperately needs – The Times
>Yesterday: Rafe Fletcher in Comment: Experience overseas shows it is not inevitable that young voters abandon the right
Badenoch says single-sex spaces must be protected because predators outnumber trans people…
“The government is having to move to protect single-sex spaces because there are “more people who are predators than there are people who are trans”, Kemi Badenoch has said. Badenoch, the women and equalities minister, said that “for many years, many transgender people were living their lives peacefully, nobody had an issue”… Badenoch also said the inclusion of transgender people in the government’s promised conversion therapy ban was holding up the legislation, which did not appear in the King’s Speech. The ban was first promised by Theresa May’s government in 2018, before it was downgraded to exclude transgender people by Boris Johnson.” – The Times
- Top Tory reported to police over ‘man with wig’ trans row vows to keep speaking up for women’s rights – Daily Mail
More:
- We Tories know what a woman is and will keep on saying so – Rachel Maclean MP, Daily Mail
…as she condemns London plague study after MP calls it ‘woke archaeology’…
“A new front has emerged in the culture war as Kemi Badenoch, the equalities minister, condemned an academic study an MP described as “woke archaeology” that examined whether ethnicity was a risk factor with medieval plague. Badenoch said the research into 14th-century London risked damaging trust in modern health services and that she had written to the Museum of London, where the lead author of the study in question works. During equalities questions in the Commons, Philip Hollobone, a Conservative MP cited the study, asking Badenoch… to “ensure that such sensationalist research findings and woke archaeology have no impact at all on current health and pandemic policy”. “I do agree,” Badenoch replied. “I am not even sure whether we can call it just sensationalist or woke.”” – The Guardian
- Badenoch’s velvet façade slips and her steely core emerges – Madeline Grant, Daily Telegraph
…and hails £868bn exports bonanza
“Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch has said the Government’s “export success stories” are allowing Brexit Britain’s trade to boom. Official figures have revealed an eight per cent hike in overseas trading with sales hitting £868 billion in a year. Ms Badenoch said the £62 billion total year-on-year increase in current prices has proved the Brexit naysayers are wrong… The records released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show the yearly increase at £62 billion though once it is adjusted for inflation and excluding precious metals if falls to £14 billion. UK services exports are at record levels and up more than six per cent, adjusted for inflation, in the year to October 2023, according to the ONS.” – Daily Express
- UK willing to legislate on post-Brexit trade arrangements for Northern Ireland – FT
- New ‘not for EU’ labels on supermarket food explained as farmers slam Brexit deal – Daily Express
Davis steps in to stop attack on rough sleeper
“David Davis put his former SAS reservist skills to the test this week when he intervened to stop an attack on a rough sleeper near parliament after the Rwanda vote. The 74-year-old Tory MP was on his way home on Tuesday night after voting in favour of the legislation to deem Rwanda a safe country for migrants when he saw two men “kicking seven bells” out of a rough sleeper. The attackers beat the man to the ground and repeatedly kicked him in the head, a witness told the Evening Standard. Davis intervened, fought them off and then took the victim, named Gareth, to the safety of his Westminster flat. Gareth slept on his sofa and Davis took him to A&E in the morning. “He was still bleeding,” Davis said. “It’s fortunately nothing permanent other than a few scars, I think.”” – The Times
Lineker tweets may have breached BBC guidelines, says new boss
“The incoming chairman of the BBC has said that Gary Lineker appeared to breach its social media guidelines this week when he ridiculed MPs including Grant Shapps. Samir Shah said that during an interview with cross-party politicians for his pre-appointment scrutiny hearing concerns were raised about a series of messages sent by the Match of the Day host. “The more recent tweets in which he identified two politicians does, on the face of it, seem to breach those guidelines,” said Shah. “I’m not sure how egregious it is but it does and I imagine the BBC is looking into it that and considering its response.” … Shah said that in his role as chairman it would be his responsibility to ensure that the guidelines, which were introduced in September following a review, are fit for purpose.” – The Times
- Shapps ‘blasts’ host in impartiality row – Daily Express
- Match of the Day star sparked new clash over Rwanda – Daily Mail
Editorial:
- He must quit if he cannot comply with the BBC’s impartiality rules – The Times
Johnson’s ethics adviser investigated by watchdog
“Boris Johnson’s former ethics adviser has been placed under investigation by the House of Lords standards watchdog. Lord Geidt, who also served as private secretary to the late Queen for a decade, is alleged to have broken parliamentary rules banning peers from providing parliamentary advice or services. Under the code of conduct, peers are not allowed to accept payment or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services. Geidt was contacted for comment. A source close to him said: “He has complied with the rules at all times and I am confident the inquiry will show this.” The crossbench peer helped set up a new firm on November 6, according to Companies House records.” – The Times
Drakeford resigns as first minister of Wales…
“Mark Drakeford, the first minister of Wales, has announced his resignation. Drakeford, 69, who has led the Welsh parliament for five years, told the Senedd on Wednesday that he would stand down with immediate effect, saying the “time has now come.” A leadership contest to find his successor will now be held. His resignation comes a day after he launched an inquiry into one of his government’s ministers. Drakeford said it had been a “great privilege” to serve as the party’s leader in Wales… Drakeford said he was confident the process to find his successor would be concluded by the end of the spring term in March. He added: “That would enable the name of the winner of that contest to be put to the Senedd before the Easter recess.” Sir Keir Starmer said Mark Drakeford was a “true titan” of Welsh and Labour politics.” – The Times
Comment:
- Lockdown zealot who leaves Wales in an abysmal state – Andrew Pierce, Daily Mail
- Steady operator thrust into the spotlight by Covid – Steven Morris, The Guardian
Editorial:
- If Drakeford’s Wales is the blueprint for a Labour government, God help Britain – The Sun
…amidst reports of ‘tensions with Starmer’
“Mr Drakeford’s exit follows tensions with Labour’s national leader Sir Keir Starmer, who recently admitted to ‘challenges’ in his relationship with the Welsh administration in Cardiff. Sir Keir has also attempted to backtrack from a past claim that Mr Drakeford’s Welsh Government would be a ‘blueprint for what Labour can do across the UK’. The Labour leader today hailed Mr Drakeford as a ‘titan’ of Welsh politics, but Sir Keir’s spokesman wouldn’t say whether he was sad to see the First Minister go… As the pandemic eased, Mr Drakeford saw a slide in his approval ratings among Welsh voters as he was confronted by various crises in public services.” – Daily Mail
- Did Labour leader squeeze out first minister for damaging Labour? – Daily Mail
More Labour:
- Former Siemens chief to lead new Labour rail review – FT
Bankrupt Birmingham council applies to raise council tax to help plug £300m hole in finances
“Birmingham City Council will apply for permission to raise council tax by more than 5 per cent to help plug a predicted £300 million hole in its finances. Europe’s largest local authority is essentially bankrupt after it admitted it had an estimated £760 million equal pay liability which is believed to be growing by millions every month. The Labour-run council is under pressure as it faces a looming January 7 deadline to reveal how it will raise the funds, and may now increase taxes above the ‘referendum limit’ – the amount councils in England can put up the levy without consulting residents first. The council has faced anger from residents who have criticised its spending on projects such as the Commonwealth Games, with one north Birmingham local calling it a ‘vanity project’ and saying ‘it’s no wonder the council has gone bankrupt’.” – Daily Mail
- Specialist school bills council nearly £2.5m for accommodation, care, and teaching of a disabled child – Daily Mail
>Today: Shaun Bailey AM in Local Government: The Mayor of London must face up to the challenge of the AI revolution
News in Brief:
- Labour won’t learn from Drakeford’s failures – Henry Hill, UnHerd
- The Tory right is at war with reality – David Gauke, New Statesman
- Cop’s pledge to move away from fossil fuels is a farce – Ross Clark, The Spectator
- Why Singaporean healthcare works – Tim Worstall, The Critic
- Cameron is right to rein in Yousaf – Henry Hill, CapX
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