Newslinks for Friday 12th April 2024 | Conservative Home

Starmer pledges to back the nuclear deterrent…

“Keir Starmer today promises a ‘triple lock’ on the UK’s crucial nuclear deterrent. Writing exclusively in this newspaper, the Labour leader vows that his ‘changed’ party will ‘never shut its eyes to the threats our country faces’. In a major shift from the Jeremy Corbyn years, he says Labour is now ‘utterly committed to our nation’s defences’. Sir Keir describes his belief in Nato and the UK’s nuclear deterrent as ‘unshakeable’ – and says national security always comes first under his leadership. He will today become the first Labour leader in three decades to visit the Barrow-in-Furness shipyard where the next generation of ballistic missile submarines are being built. The Dreadnought-class subs, set to replace the Vanguard fleet in the early 2030s, will be capable of launching Trident 2 D5 nuclear missiles.” – Daily Mail

• My commitment to the UK’s nuclear deterrent is… Unshakeable. Absolute. Total – Keir Starmer, Daily Mail
• Starmer stands firm on UK’s deterrent – Leader, Daily Mail
• I welcome this bold stance. But will the rest of his party? – Stephen Glover, Daily Mail
• Labour to launch twin strategy for closer UK-EU relations if it wins power – Financial Times

>Today: Columnist Sarah Ingham: Britain’s allies are preparing for war – but we are not yet serious about doing the same

…and aims to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP

“A Labour government would aim to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP “as soon as resources allow”, Sir Keir Starmer has said. The Labour leader also told the i newspaper he would conduct a strategic review of defence and security “to be clear what the priorities are”. Sir Keir’s aim matches that of Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, who has also said he wants defence spending to rise to 2.5%. It currently stands at 2.1% of GDP.” – BBC

• Interview with Keir Starmer – The i
• Ministerial authority entrenched by the current administration gives Labour an opportunity – John McTernan, Financial Times

Cartlidge: We will take procurement decisions that will bolster our capabilities and protect our operational independence

“Last month The Telegraph editorial stated that Britain needed to reshape Defence procurement. I agree. And as a consequence of comprehensive reforms to Defence procurement that I initiated and came into force this week, this increased pace and agility will not be a one-off. It will be the norm in all future procurement programmes. Our new Integrated Procurement Model is a response to a more dangerous world and the lessons we’ve learned from Ukraine and previous acquisition programmes. Our overriding objective is to create and procure the newest and best capabilities for our Forces as quickly as we can. I’ve put targets in place to deliver battle winning capabilities in years rather than decades, helping us stay ahead of adversaries, bolster our supply chains, and strengthen our Defence sector.” – James Cartlidge MP, Minister of State for Defence Procurement – Daily Telegraph

Economy returns to growth

“Monthly real gross domestic product (GDP) is estimated to have grown by 0.1 percent in February 2024, following a revised growth of 0.3 percent in January 2024. This could signal the likelihood of economic growth in the first quarter of 2024, potentially bringing an end to the recession. According to the latest data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS), the production side of the economy was strong, contributing the most to the UK’s overall growth as output from the sector rose 1.1 percent in February, compared to a 0.3 percent fall in January.” – Daily Express

NHS waiting lists fall

“The NHS waiting list fell for the fifth month in a row – but only after thousands were excluded from the data. The list fell by 36,100 to 7.54 million as of the end of February, but only because people waiting for an appointment in a community service were not counted. These 36,100 people, including those waiting for appointments with physiotherapists, mental health specialists and podiatrists, face some of the longest waits of all. NHS officials said they were removed because they are recorded separately as part of waiting lists for community health services, which mainly attend to people in their homes.” – Daily Telegraph

• Tens of thousands of doctors planning to move abroad, NHS warned – The Times

Cameron heads to Brussels for post-Brexit Gibraltar talks

“Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron is travelling to Brussels on Friday for negotiations over Gibraltar and its post-Brexit relationship with the EU. Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares and European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič will also attend the talks. The sides are likely to discuss how to manage Gibraltar’s border. However, the meeting is not expected to result in a final agreement.” – BBC

• Trump and Cameron discussed favourite Scottish golf courses – Harry Cole, The Sun

Johnson attacks proposed smoking ban as ‘absolutely nuts’

“Boris Johnson has blasted Rishi Sunak’s smoking ban as ”absolutely nuts” – and gave him a kicking on defence spending…Speaking at a conservative event in Canadian capital Ottawa, Mr Johnson joined the chorus of opposition as he slammed “some of the things that we are doing… in the name of conservatism”. He said: “We are, on the whole, in favour of freedom and it is that single Anglo-Saxon idea of freedom that I think unites conservatives, or should unite conservatives. And when I look at some of the things that we are doing now, or that are being done in the name of conservatism, I think they are absolutely nuts.” Mr Johnson added: “When the party of Winston Churchill wants to ban cigars, donnez-moi un break as they say in Quebec, it’s just mad.” – The Sun

Labour worried about losing “progressive” voters

“Labour risks losing in a number of its target seats as previously loyal progressive voters turn away from the party, senior party figures and polling experts have warned. Experts said Keir Starmer’s party could struggle to win as many as a dozen of its key targets, and could even lose two of the seats it now holds, as a result of alienating some Muslims and younger progressive voters angered by its stance on Gaza and the climate crisis. Polls have suggested the party is on track to win a landslide victory at this year’s general election. But if the margins narrow significantly, some Labour insiders fear the desertion of parts of the party’s core vote could prove to be the difference between a hung parliament and an outright majority.” – The Guardian

>Today: ToryDiary: Our survey. Two thirds of Conservative members think CCHQ is wrong to be targeting Labour seats.

Use TikTok to combat misinformation, MPs tell government

“The government needs a TikTok strategy to help combat misinformation directed at young people, MPs have said. Members of the cross-party culture, media and sport committee said the government needed to adapt to new apps and platforms that appeal to young people who are increasingly turning away from traditional sources of news.” – The Guardian

• WhatsApp ‘puts profits first’ as it cuts minimum age limit to 13 – The Times
• WhatsApp self-harm groups left parents ‘terrified’ – BBC

Hope of lower interest rates “fade”

“Rishi Sunak’s hopes of going into a general election on the back of lower taxes and cheaper mortgages suffered a blow on Thursday as traders scaled back expectations of interest rate cuts in 2024. Conservative officials admitted that unexpectedly high inflation data in the US on Wednesday was “concerning” and could have a knock-on effect for the UK economy and the party’s election strategy.” – Financial Times

Bindel: End the trans scandal

“Teachers who have allowed (or even encouraged) children to socially transition should lose their jobs – especially when they have also failed to inform parents that their child is presenting as the opposite sex. These young people will be irreversibly harmed by trusted adults feeding them the fiction that they can change sex. Trans charities should be stripped of all public funding, as should any other organisation pushing the fiction that puberty blockers are harmless. Therapists claiming children denied access to puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones are at risk of suicide should have the sword of Damocles over their heads. Their professional body should remove their licences. Any doctor administering those drugs to children (NHS or private) should be struck off.” – Julie Bindel, Daily Telegraph

• Health Secretary Victoria Atkins accuses Labour of fuelling intimidation on trans issues – Daily Mail
• Well done, JK Rowling. Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe don’t deserve your forgiveness – Judith Woods, Daily Telegraph
• At last, the tide may be turning against trans lunacy – Leo McKinstry, Daily Express
• JK Rowling slams Mermaids in wake of Cass report for ‘total, shameless lies’ – Daily Mail

>Yesterday: Rafe Fletcher on Comment: Fixing the birth gap means helping parents see a better future together

Sunak: We are going to make this the best country to be a veteran

“We need to recognise that many of our veterans are still young – ready to take on a new challenge and second career. We have put a focus on helping veterans into good jobs. But today we’re going further. Those who have served in uniform are the best of us – and that doesn’t change when they swap the uniform for a suit or a hard hat. So I’m determined that we will help these incredible men and women to thrive and contribute in civilian life. Put simply, we must serve them as well as they have served us.” – Rishi Sunak, The Sun

• PM pledges £2.1 million to give veterans high-flying jobs – The Sun
• A noble plan – Leader, The Sun

Police have yet to ask Rayner’s neighbours about house sale

“More than a dozen of Angela Rayner’s former neighbours have yet to be contacted by police who are reviewing a decision not to investigate claims that she broke electoral law. Labour’s deputy leader was reported to Greater Manchester police over allegations she gave false information about where she was living between 2010 and 2015.” – The Times

• Rayner’s tax riddle is clouding the campaign – Patrick Maguire, The Times
• Starmer dithering in Rayner tax row – Leader, Daily Telegraph

Other political news

• Donelan’s libel bills cost taxpayers £34,000 – BBC
• Number of migrants sent to Rwanda could be limited by shortage of lawyers – Daily Telegraph
• ‘Gang of consultants in cover-up at Sussex hospital’ – The Times
• Met Police knew about Westminster ‘honeytrap’ messages last year – BBC
• Biden ‘stealing’ Trump policies over US border – Daily Telegraph
• Reform UK ‘mortified’ after sacking dead candidate for being inactive – The Times
• Labour’s planned bus reforms are ‘financially illiterate’ – Daily Mail
• Tory MP Nick Fletcher appears to back Reform UK’s Lee Anderson in election – BBC
• Hate crime call handlers given script defending Humza Yousaf – Daily Telegraph
• Two point fall in Labour’s poll lead – Daily Express
• Secret letters that show Iran’s £200m payments to Hamas – The Times

Nelson: Truss was right about the OBR

“The OBR’s grip on the British government deserves to be exposed, they say – but they tend not to say so in public. Truss does so, at some length. This can all sound fatally boring but so much of what happens in Britain is now decided by such models. We were mandated to “stay home” after Neil Ferguson’s model claimed (wrongly) that a Wuhan-style lockdown would cut Covid deaths to under 20,000. During lockdown, students were given exam grades by computer models, which assumed no pupil would or could stray too far from their school average. The OBR has become a super-modeller, set to work on everything from immigration to house prices. Any significant spending plan by ministers is sent for its assessment. Reforms tend to live or die by its verdict.” – Fraser Nelson, Daily Telegraph

News in brief

• Have Scottish politicians read the Cass Review? – Stephen Daisley, The Spectator
• Punishing non-doms is class war populism – Harry Phibbs, CapX
• Reeves new tax panel wants higher taxes – Guido Fawkes
• When people are free to make a lot of money from new businesses, everybody wins – Tim Worstall, The Critic
• Why Sunak is struggling as Prime Minister – David Gauke, New Statesman