Newslinks for Sunday 30th April 2023 | Conservative Home

Sunak 1) Cold calling ‘to be banned’ under the Government’s plan to target scammers

“Cold calls offering financial products will be banned under government plans aimed at stopping fraudsters from tricking people into buying fake investments. Rishi Sunak said the move was needed to “prevent fraudsters from infiltrating their way into people’s lives”. The aim is to extend a current ban on cold calls relating to pension products to cover calls selling any financial product… Ministers hope that, once in force, people receiving a call offering them these products – such as sham cryptocurrency schemes or types of insurance – will know that it must be a scam, helping to prevent people from falling victim to fraudsters. The proposals will form part of a fraud strategy that will be outlined by Mr Sunak and Ms Braverman this week.” – The Sunday Telegraph

Sunak 2) He ‘sidelines the Cabinet Secretary’ after Sharp row

“Even as Richard Sharp was announcing his resignation as BBC chairman he was insisting he had done nothing wrong… The same cannot be said for Simon Case, the cabinet secretary. He has spoken to the media through his Whitehall interlocutors, but never accounted for his failure to take notes or bring anybody else to the meeting with Sharp in December 2020 when the pair discussed Johnson’s financial predicament…Case finds himself with few public defenders. Once described as “omnipresent” in Downing Street he has been marginalised by Sunak. Several sources said he was no longer attending all key meetings and the prime minister preferred to deal directly with officials from relevant departments.” – The Sunday Times

• Anti-Semitism row erupts as Guardian under fire over ‘vile’ cartoon of the former BBC chairman – The Sunday Telegraph
• BBC needs new rules for chair in wake of Sharp affair, says Dimbleby – The Observer
• Sharp’s downfall must spell the end of the chumocracy – Editorial, The Sunday Times
• Sharp and Johnson are minnows in a sea of corruption – Matthew Syed, The Sunday Times

Sunak 3) He vows to ‘stop eco-loons’ ruining ‘summer of celebration’ amid fears they could target coronation

“Rishi Sunak today vows to protect Brits from “selfish saboteurs” in the eco mob amid fears they will target the Coronation. The PM promised a “no nonsense approach” to stop groups such as Just Stop Oil and Animal Rising ruining the UK’s “glorious summer of celebration”. And he savaged “Sir Softie” Keir Starmer for “siding with the disrupters” over hardworking Britons. The PM spoke to The Sun on Sunday amid warnings eco fanatics could try to lie in front of King Charles’ horse-drawn carriage on Coronation Day… He slammed ­unelected Labour peers for trying to block new rules criminalising slow-walking… Sir Keir’s team denies he backs the eco rebels and that he is soft on crime. Thousands of police and soldiers will line the streets of central London at the Coronation…” – The Sun on Sunday

• Police must get a grip of ruthless eco-fanatic saboteurs rather than aiding them – Editorial, The Sun on Sunday

Sunak 4) Labour ‘extend poll lead’ over the Conservatives as the Prime Minister’s party ‘loses public trust on big decisions’ ahead of local elections

“Labour have increased their lead over the Tories to an 18 point margin, according to a new poll. The poll by Opinium put Labour on 44 per cent, an increase of two points compared to a fortnight ago. The Conservative Party dropped two points to 26 per cent. According to the poll, 20 per cent of those who voted Conservative in 2019 are currently planning to switch their vote directly to Labour. It bucks a trend of recent polls that have suggested Rishi Sunak’s Tories are closing the gap on Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party. It will make dispiriting reading for Mr Sunak, who is just days away from his first national election since becoming Prime Minister, with voters across large parts of England going to the polls for local elections on Thursday.” – The Sunday Telegraph

• Labour has 18-point lead on Tories – The Observer
• Starmer prepares for his moment of truth in ‘battle for the blue wall’ – Tim Shipman, The Sunday Times

Sunak 5) Trans pupils ‘will be barred’ from competing against kids of opposite biological sex in PE lessons

“Trans pupils should be barred from competitive PE lessons with children of the opposite biological sex, the Government is to say. The guidance is to protect girls’ safety at school and ensure they can compete fairly in sport. Schools will also have to tell parents if their children want to change their gender, wear ­different uniforms, or start using different pronouns. Those who identify as trans should also be barred from using toilets and changing rooms set up for the opposite sex, the advice will say. Government insiders said it was unfair for biological boys who identify as girls to take part in competitive school sport against biological girls…Rishi Sunak will release the guidelines within weeks.” – The Sun on Sunday

• Parents must be told what schools teach on sex and gender – it’s their right – Lottie Moore, The Sun on Sunday

Cleverly: Dealing with China is ‘not a comfortable chit chat over tea and biscuits’

“James Cleverly has said his meetings with Chinese officials are not a “comfortable chit chat over tea and biscuits”, as he defended himself against calls for the Government to take a tougher line against Xi Jinping. The Foreign Secretary told The Telegraph that he had raised human rights issues and the sanctioning of British MPs “whenever” he had spoken to Chinese ministers and said to cut off the regime “would not be a show of strength”. Mr Cleverly has faced criticism from Tory MPs, including his former boss Liz Truss, for refusing to reclassify China as a “threat” in response to the premier’s aggressive foreign policy and abuse of Uyghur Muslims… Earlier this month, Ms Truss…accused leaders of “appeasing” the country in the face of…threats to Taiwan.” – The Sunday Telegraph

• As with Germany in the 1930s, appeasing China now increases the risk of global conflict – Robert Tombs, The Sunday Telegraph

Barclay accuses militant union of risking patient safety as nurses prepare to strike from 8PM tonight

“The Health Secretary has accused a militant union of risking patient safety as nurses prepare to strike from 8pm tonight. Steve Barclay said it was ‘hugely regrettable’ that some patients will not receive care over the bank holiday weekend. Royal College of Nursing (RCN) members will walk out until 11.59pm tomorrow. ‘I echo fears from NHS leaders on the impact on patient safety,’ Mr Barclay writes… He adds: ‘There will be disruption… The NHS will be doing everything possible to mitigate this and will prioritise resources to protect emergency treatment, critical care, neonatal care, and trauma.’ Most of the 14 NHS unions are set to back the Government’s 5 per cent pay deal this week, but the RCN and Unite are still prepared to continue walkouts.” – The Mail on Sunday

• Union activists plot coordinated strikes across hospitals and schools to force country into lockdown – The Sun on Sunday
• Naïve unions battle clueless politicians – Editorial, The Sunday Times
• Nurses dispute is getting dark – we need your support – Pat Cullen, Sunday Express

DeSantis: I back Badenoch in her war on wokery

“It was his first visit to London, and Ron DeSantis wasn’t disappointed. The governor of Florida felt immediately comfortable in Britain, the birthplace of the philosophical principles that he holds dear. “If you are an American and you really believe and appreciate America’s core values, it doesn’t matter your ethnicity, when you come here it’s like a second home,” DeSantis, Donald Trump’s main rival for the Republican nomination for the presidential race of 2024, told me on Friday during his whirlwind trip to the UK… On his trip to Britain, he met James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, and Kemi Badenoch, the Business and Trade Secretary who is also in charge of Equalities. His discussion with the latter included her war on woke, which he enthusiastically supports.” – The Sunday Telegraph

• Will eating pudding with his fingers see the Florida Governor deserted? – The Sunday Times
• Britain can learn from Florida’s economic success – Editorial, The Sunday Telegraph
• Harris and DeSantis to blame for a senile man’s wizened finger being on America’s nuclear button – Steve Hilton, The Mail on Sunday

>Today:

Chalk pledges crackdown on terror inmates to prevent radicalisation

“Terrorist prisoners will be banned from key roles in religious services – such as leading the call to prayer or delivering sermons – under restrictions designed to prevent inmates being radicalised. The crackdown aims to stop extremists gaining positions of authority in jail and spreading their ideologies. Hate preacher Anjem Choudary was jailed for five-and-a-half years in 2016 for urging Muslims to support Islamic State. He was moved to a specialist secure unit after refusing to stop preaching his extreme views while behind bars. Action will also be taken to stop extremists hiding and distributing their texts. Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Alex Chalk said the new changes ‘will better protect our staff, other prisoners and the public.’” – Sunday Express

Jack is ‘standing guard’ over the Stone of Destiny to make sure ‘nationalists don’t steal it again’

“The Scottish Secretary of State is ‘standing guard’ over the Stone of Destiny in London to make sure ‘nationalists don’t steal it again’, Tories have been told. Government minister Alister Jack addressed the Scottish Conservatives’ conference via video, with junior Scotland Office minister John Lamont appearing on stage to explain why his boss could not be there. He told delegates at the conference that Mr Jack had been ‘unavoidably detained in London standing guard over the Stone of Scone ahead of its central role in the King’s coronation next week’… The Stone of Destiny, also known as the Stone of Scone, was transported from its usual home in Edinburgh Castle to London earlier this week, where it will be used in the King’s coronation next weekend.” – The Mail on Sunday

Blame Home Office incompetence for small boats fiasco, says Neill

“Home Office incompetence is to blame for the small boats crisis, a senior Tory MP has said. Sir Bob Neill, chairman of the House of Commons justice select committee, said he did not think the Illegal Migration Bill would curb the crossings because “it’s the administrative failures of the Home Office that are to blame”. Last week, Suella Braverman’s Bill aimed at stopping the boats cleared the Commons. The Home Secretary’s legislation is expected to face significant resistance in the House of Lords. However, if enacted in its current form, it would give ministers powers to detain nearly all migrants who arrive in the UK illegally and swiftly remove them to their home country or a third nation such as Rwanda.” – The Sunday Telegraph

Robert Colville: Britain’s legal migration numbers matter more than small boats

“Between June 2021 and June 2022 net migration hit a record 504,000 people — roughly 1.1 million long-term arrivals, set against 560,000 departures. We don’t yet have the next set of figures, covering 2022 as a whole. But we already know, from the Home Office’s visa statistics, that the number coming in has increased to more than 1.3 million. Part of this is down to the issuing of roughly 210,000 visas under the Ukraine scheme. But the main driver is a huge post-pandemic surge in the numbers arriving to work and study, which rose from 239,000 and 435,000 in 2021 to 423,000 and 626,000 in 2022. Both are record highs, by a very long way. What has also changed is where these arrivals are coming from. Over the past couple of years migration from the EU has been basically flat.” – The Sunday Times

 Starmer pledges return of house building targets in ‘war on NIMBYs’

“Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to bring back housing targets as he declared war on Nimbys. The Labour leader vowed to ramp up housebuilding to help “hard working young Brits and make their dream of home ownership a reality”…Rishi Sunak ditched compulsory house-building targets for local areas after Tory MPs threatened to rebel…Labour said they would reverse Mr Sunak’s “weak and reckless” planning changes by reintroducing the targets. The party has set a goal of achieving 70 per cent home ownership…promising a package of reforms to the planning system to get more houses built, including giving first time buyers “first dibs” on new houses in their area and stopping foreign buyers buying up swathes of new housing developments.” – The Sunday Telegraph

• He promises to be ‘bolder than Blair’ on public service reform – The Observer
• Labour accepts £1.5 million from ‘eco-warrior millionaire’ bankrolling Just Stop Oil – The Sun on Sunday
• The Labour leader’s ‘mask will be torn away’ after Graygate probe – Dan Hodges, The Mail on Sunday

Election watchdog ‘poised to impose’ own auditors on SNP

“The UK’s elections watchdog may impose its own auditors on the SNP to probe its finances amid mounting fears that the party will miss legal deadlines to produce verified accounts. The Sunday Telegraph understands that internal discussions have already taken place at the Electoral Commission about how it would take the unprecedented step, which is all allowed for under British law but has never happened before. The SNP has said it is still searching for auditors, after the previous firm resigned…The absence of an auditor was kept from senior party figures, and the SNP’s ruling National Executive Committee, for several months. However, experts warned that the party is now viewed as a “spectacularly risky” client…” – The Sunday Telegraph

News in Brief:

• Is Musk a genius or a dud? – Simon Hunt, The Spectator 
• Can Britain learn from Erdogan’s mercurial statesmanship? – Aris Rousinnos, UnHerd 
• Belief and the Blob – Poppy Coburn, The Critic 
• Here comes India – Noah Smith, Noahpinion 
• Sunak’s best man: can Forsyth help save the Conservatives? – Freddie Hayward, The New Statesman