Newslinks for Wednesday 28th June 2023 | Conservative Home

Brexit helped improve medicine supplies ahead of Covid pandemic, Hancock tells inquiry

“Leaving the EU helped improve medicine supplies ahead of the pandemic, Matt Hancock has said. He claimed that no-deal planning had a major effect on stockpile levels at the height of the crisis. The ex-Health Secretary told the Covid-19 inquiry yesterday that medicines were within hours of running out for intensive care but supply chains were better prepared in 2019… He claimed that when Covid broke out, officials knew “more about the pharmaceutical supply chain in the UK than at any time in history”. During his testimony, he said he was “profoundly sorry” for every death caused by the pandemic.” – The Sun

• Britain must prepare for harder lockdowns, says former health secretary –  Daily Telegraph
• He admits pandemic plan was totally wrong… – The Times
• …and skewed towards disaster clear-up – FT

Editorial:

>Today: Peter Franklin’s column: Why we should care about how Covid started

Raab ‘rages’ as Bill of Rights is binned for good

“Dominic Raab hit out at Rishi Sunak after the government said it was scrapping the Bill of Rights. Alex Chalk KC, the justice secretary, on Tuesday officially buried the bill, the brainchild of Raab, who resigned in April after bullying allegations against him were upheld by an independent investigation. Chalk said the legislation had been shelved after “having carefully considered the government’s legislative programme in the round”. Ministers remained committed to “a human rights framework which is up to date and fit for purpose and works for the British people”.” – The Times

Crisis grows for Tory London mayoral hopeful following groping allegation

“Support was fading yesterday for Tory London mayoral hopeful Daniel Korski after he was accused of groping a top TV writer and producer in Downing Street. Mr Korski issued his second strong denial in as many days as he fought to salvage his campaign. But Tory education minister Robert Halfon reportedly ‘paused’ his support for the businessman and entrepreneur yesterday. And other senior Tories, including Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove and former Cabinet Minister Nadhim Zahawi, remained silent over whether they were still backing him…. Last night she confirmed she had made a formal complaint to the Cabinet Office.” – Daily Mail

• Korski ‘categorically denies’ allegations – The Sun
• Questions about selection and vetting – The Guardian
• Tories will not probe allegations against London mayoral candidate – FT
• It’s up to candidate to decide if he will quit, says rival – The Sun

Comment:

• Candidate is a hardcore Europhile whose wife worked for Harry and Meghan – Andrew Pierce, Daily Mail

Sunak pledges to honour the pension triple lock even if stubborn inflation means another bumper rise

“Rishi Sunak will honour the state pension triple lock even if stubborn inflation means another bumper rise, Downing Street said yesterday. No 10 said the Prime Minister was ‘committed’ to the system, which is designed to protect pensioners’ incomes. Economists have predicted that pensioners could be in line for a 7 per cent increase next year, following a 10.1 per cent rise this year. The scale of this year’s increase triggered a fierce Cabinet debate, with some ministers suggesting it was not sustainable to give pensioners an inflation-level increase while asking public sector workers to accept less.” – Daily Mail

• Prime Minister cannot relate to worry over the cost of living, Starmer claims – The Times

>Today: ToryDiary: Leadership polling is always volatile. But for now, Starmer appears more popular – or less unpopular – than Sunak.

>Yesterday: Frank Young in Comment: Reducing the demand for government 4) Families. What we can learn from Hungary.

 Hunt holds showdown with watchdogs to urge them to curb utility and food price hikes

“Jeremy Hunt will challenge watchdogs to help keep costs down for stricken Brits today. The Chancellor is meeting regulators from the energy, telecoms and water industries – as well as the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The summit in Downing Street comes amid concerns that some firms are exploiting rampant inflation to boost their profits. Alarm has also been raised that water companies want to hike prices by up to 40 per cent over the coming years, as they try to cope with sewage overflows and modernise the system… Rishi Sunak warned retailers about pricing ‘responsibly and fairly’, saying household weekly shopping bills had ‘gone up far too much in the past few months’.” – Daily Mail

• Chancellor blasts Bank of England boss for dismal inflation rate forecasts – The Sun
• Stealth tax hikes to cost an extra £4,200 for every household – Daily Mail

More:

• Projected windfall tax take from North Sea levy drops 40 per cent – FT

Ban on hybrid cars could be brought forward to meet climate targets

“Britain is less likely to meet its 2030 climate change goal than it was a year ago, according to government advisers who are “very worried” about ministers’ efforts to cut emissions. The Climate Change Committee said that inaction meant the country had lost its mantle of climate leadership and fallen behind the EU and US, who were pursuing bolder green plans. The independent group said the date for a ban on cars burning fossil fuels should be brought forward after evidence that emissions from plug-in hybrid cars were up to five times higher than thought. The committee also said the UK should rethink its approach to road building to tackle emissions.” – The Times

• Progress on climate change worryingly slow, advisers warn – FT
• Tories can’t keep offering same tax and net zero policies as Labour, warns Frost – Daily Telegraph

Comment:

• The perils of net zero coercion – Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, Daily Telegraph

Home Office 1) Taxpayer-funded legal aid hiked for small boat migrant cases to speed through removals

“Legal aid fees for small boat migrant cases will be hiked by 15 per cent to speed through more cases. Taxpayers will have to cough up more for leftie lawyers to defend asylum-seekers after the small boats bill comes into force. Ministers hope the extra cash bung will help get more lawyers to take up cases and plough through appeals. Anyone who comes here and gets their removal notice will be able to challenge it within eight days – and are entitled to free government-funded help to do so. Ministers will also remove the means test for removal matters – meaning anyone will be entitled to it.” – The Sun

• Home Office must process asylum claim every four minutes to clear backlog by January – The Guardian

Home Office 2) Braverman ally hints new Cabinet row about to erupt over ‘unbearable’ immigration figures

“Suella Braverman’s closest ally in Parliament has warned that the UK has failed to “take back control of its borders” since Brexit and warned that net immigration is now “unbearable”. In a Westminster Hall debate in the Commons former minister Sir John Hayes, the chairman of the powerful Common Sense Group of rightwing MPs, named 15 cities whose population equates to the total increase of population in Britain brought about by net migration in the last two decades. Sir John is known to be a close friend and ally of the Home Secretary who he mentored when she was first elected as an MP.” – Daily Express

• Facebook could become a safe haven for paedophiles, warns Home Secretary – Daily Telegraph

Britain will not let Spain take control of Gibraltar airport, Sunak vows

“Rishi Sunak launched into a ferocious defence of Gibraltar as Spain demand control of the territory’s airport. Downing Street waded into the on-going row today as talks over The Rock’s long-term future post-Brexit stalled. Negotiations are being held up as Madrid is demanding jurisdiction over the airport which is on a RAF base. The unacceptable demands are also being made for a change in the role of Spanish police would have there… Number 10 added that the details wouldn’t be discussed ahead of a snap election at the end of July. There is currently a temporary agreement between Spain and the UK which was struck after the UK left the European Union.” – The Sun

• The last Brexit deal? Gibraltar fears a hard border with Spain – FT

More:

• UK rejects claim that EU science programme talks are foundering – FT
• Brexit deal outrage after EU pulls rug from under UK over £82bn scheme – Daily Express
• Manufacturers warn Brexit is undermining their place in EU supply chains – FT
• Bonfire of EU laws finally confirmed as Remainer Lords ‘cave into Brexit bill’ – Daily Express

>Today: Sir John Redwood MP’s column: The Government has been too cautious in making the most of the freedoms of Brexit

Johnson ‘shows days of good chaps obeying rules are over’, says Pickles

“Boris Johnson’s failure to inform the appointments watchdog about his new Daily Mail column shows that the era of relying on “good chaps” to follow the rules is over and sanctions are needed, the head of the appointments committee has said. Lord Pickles, of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba), said that the former prime minister had committed a “clear and unambiguous” breach of the rules. He published email correspondence with Johnson showing that he submitted his application to Acoba only 30 minutes before his appointment was announced.” – The Times

• His Daily Mail column broke rules, vetting body warns – FT

More:

• Comeback hope quashed as Tories rule out his returning to his old seat – Daily Express
• How can Jenkin still stay silent after fellow MP says sorry for his wife’s lockdown drinks party? – Daily Mail

Patients face seven days of NHS chaos as senior doctors walk out

“Patients face the worst strike disruption in NHS history after consultants announced a walkout straight after one by junior doctors. The British Medical Association today said senior medics would stop work for 48 hours next month. The move had 86 per cent backing from those who voted. Covering seven days, the strikes are expected to result in the loss of hundreds of thousands of appointments and procedures. The announcement came after the Royal College of Nursing halted its own industrial action. Only 43 per cent of its members voted – well below the 50 per cent legal threshold.” – Daily Mail

• Doctors on £100,000 salaries to strike demanding 35pc pay rise – Daily Telegraph

Comment:

• The NHS’s 75th birthday is cause for despair, not celebration – Philip Johnston, Daily Telegraph

>Yesterday: ToryDiary: Our short-term politics will struggle to deliver the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan

Labour’s Brexit plans won’t break Northern Irish deadlock, says DUP

“Labour’s plan to renegotiate the Brexit trade deal would not break the political deadlock in Northern Ireland, the leader of the DUP has said. Sir Jeffrey Donaldson warned that, based on Sir Keir Starmer’s current proposals, his party would not end its 16-month boycott of the Stormont Assembly. His remarks mean there is a possibility that the Province may remain without a functioning government even after the next general election. The DUP walked out of power-sharing last February in protest at the Northern Ireland Protocol, which imposes checks between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.” – Daily Telegraph

>Yesterday: Sammy Wilson MP in Comment: Mutual Enforcement is the key to unlocking political deadlock in Northern Ireland