Category Archives: Conservatives

I’ve kissed a Tory and I’m not ashamed, Keir Starmer reveals

Posted on by

Labour leader says he is not tribal, has broken the ‘never kiss a Tory rule’ and has many Conservative friends

Keir Starmer has tried to reveal a little more about himself, confessing that he has broken the “never kiss a Tory rule” and that he is not ashamed.

The Labour party leader said he was “not tribal” when it came to personal relationships and politics because he entered the political scene relatively late in life. Speaking to Times Radio, he suggested only people in the political bubble were focused on maintaining division.

Continue reading...

Labour lambasts autumn statement but Tory dissent is muted

Posted on by

Shadow chancellor attacks ‘crisis made in Downing Street’ but there are few signs of anger on Tory benches

Jeremy Hunt has seemingly escaped public pushback from fellow Conservative MPs over his tax-raising autumn statement, but he was lambasted by Labour for trying to blame global factors for a crisis sparked by Liz Truss’s mini-budget.

While there had been mutterings of dissent in advance at the idea of Hunt trashing Truss’s embrace of tax cuts, in the lengthy Commons debate after his statement there were only a few fairly muted quibbles.

Continue reading...

Millions of UK households to pay more for energy from April

Posted on by

Jeremy Hunt expected to use autumn statement to announce rise in household energy price cap to as much as £3,100

Millions of UK households will pay more for their energy from next April under plans to cut the generosity of the government’s gas and electricity support scheme expected to be announced by Jeremy Hunt on Thursday.

The chancellor is likely to use his autumn statement to say the need to save money and reduce state borrowing will require the household energy price cap to rise from £2,500 to an expected £3,000 to £3,100.

Continue reading...

Rural areas will be asked to house more asylum seekers, minister suggests

Posted on by

Robert Jenrick says accommodation being sought in ‘much broader range of local authorities’

Rural areas will be asked to accept more people seeking asylum, a minister has suggested, as the government faced criticism from Conservative MPs for placing migrants in their constituencies.

Robert Jenrick, the immigration minister, said small towns and the countryside may be asked to house more people crossing the Channel in small boats “as long as numbers are so high”.

Continue reading...

Rishi Sunak calls China ‘systemic challenge’, in sign of softer UK stance

Posted on by

PM’s remarks at G20 summit suggest shift away from Liz Truss pledge to redesignate Beijing as a ‘threat’

Rishi Sunak has rowed back from officially recategorising China as a “threat”, saying he views the country as a “systemic challenge”, despite concerted pressure from Conservative MPs.

The prime minister’s remarks are likely to draw ire from the large group of China sceptics on the Conservative backbenches, including former leader Iain Duncan Smith and others such as Alicia Kearns, who chairs the foreign affairs select committee.

Continue reading...

Dominic Raab was warned about his behaviour by top Foreign Office official

Posted on by

Exclusive: fresh claims that Simon McDonald relayed staff complaints to Raab when he was foreign secretary

Dominic Raab was warned about his behaviour towards officials during his time as foreign secretary by the department’s top civil servant, who then informally reported his concerns to the Cabinet Office’s propriety and ethics team.

The Guardian understands that Simon McDonald, the then permanent secretary at the Foreign Office, spoke to Raab on several occasions during his tenure about how he treated staff in his private office and during meetings.

Continue reading...

Tory MPs balk at ‘patronising’ bid to rebrand culture funding

Posted on by

Revolt over ‘levelling up’ label on Arts Council cash for established institutions, while projects for disadvantaged children are cut

A Tory revolt has emerged over “patronising” claims that funding for established cultural institutions contributes to the government’s levelling up pledge, amid concerns from ministers and MPs that “real levelling up” projects for the underprivileged have been slashed.

Rishi Sunak is expected to be confronted this week over the issue during prime minister’s questions.

Continue reading...

MoJ staff offered ‘route out’ amid concerns over Dominic Raab behaviour

Posted on by

Exclusive: Some civil servants may have still been traumatised by his previous stint there, sources say

Senior civil servants at the Ministry of Justice were offered “respite or a route out” of the department when Dominic Raab was reappointed last month, amid concerns that some were still traumatised by his behaviour during a previous stint there.

Several sources told the Guardian that about 15 members of staff from the justice secretary’s private office were taken into a room where departmental officials acknowledged they may be anxious about his behaviour and gave them the option of moving roles.

Continue reading...

Truss allies challenge Kwarteng’s claim he tried to slow down tax cuts

Posted on by

One backer of ex-PM says ‘that wasn’t what was going on’, as Jeremy Hunt also appears to dispute version of events

Kwasi Kwarteng’s claims that he tried to get Liz Truss to slow down her financial plans have been challenged by her allies.

In his first interview since he was sacked as chancellor by Truss, Kwarteng said he had told the then prime minister to be more cautious with their £45bn programme of tax cuts.

Continue reading...

UK set for new wave of strikes as civil servants and train drivers vote for action – politics live

Posted on by

Around 100,000 civil servants, working in multiple government agencies, have voted to strike in a dispute over pay, pensions and jobs.

According to Pat Leahy, political editor of the Irish Times, the Irish government is doubtful about the prospect of a breakthrough in the coming weeks in the talks on the Northern Ireland protocol.

In his Sky News interview Chris Heaton-Harris, the Northern Ireland secretary, also suggested that large number of politicians in parliament are voting for Matt Hancock to perform “grim” tasks on I’m A Celebrity. My colleague Aubrey Allegretti has the story here.

Continue reading...

Sunak faces scrutiny over whether he knew of Gavin Williamson bully claims

Posted on by

Source claims PM was given ‘general description’ of alleged incident but gave Williamson a job anyway

Rishi Sunak is facing scrutiny over whether he knew about Gavin Williamson’s alleged bullying of a senior civil servant whom he told to “cut your throat” before reappointing him to government.

Two sources claimed the prime minister had been alerted to Williamson’s “credible and substantiated bad behaviour” while defence secretary when he drew up his cabinet.

Continue reading...

Sunak sharpens knives of his detractors with handling of Williamson scandal

Posted on by

With No 10 seemingly one step behind events, prime minister cultivated his reputation for poor political judgment

On the steps of Downing Street just two weeks ago, Rishi Sunak sought to draw a line under both of his recent predecessors’ chaotic administrations, vowing that his would be one of “integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level”.

But on Tuesday the prime minister’s promises – already shaken by his appointment of Suella Braverman as home secretary six days after she was sacked by Liz Truss, and his failure to fill the long-vacant ethics adviser role – took yet another battering as Gavin Williamson, the twice-sacked Cabinet Office minister, left the government under a dark cloud.

Continue reading...

Gavin Williamson announces resignation but ‘refutes the characterisation’ of claims against him – as it happened

Posted on by

Former deputy chief whip Anne Milton tells Channel 4 Williamson used ‘leverage’ and threats against MPs

Sima Kotecha, Newsnight’s UK editor, has spoken to Tory MPs who are not surprised about the allegations about Sir Gavin Williamson being a bully.

Ian Murray, the shadow Scottish secretary, has said that if Alistair Jack, the Scottish secretary, was confident about defending his record at an election, he would not be getting ready to accept a peerage. Referring to today’s Times story (see 10.55am), Murray said:

We cannot comment on speculation about peerages. Alister Jack is absolutely committed to representing his constituents and working with the prime minister to continue to deliver for people in Scotland.

Continue reading...

Gavin Williamson: his gaffes, scandals and controversies

Posted on by

Some of the worst moments of the Conservative politician who has been sacked from cabinet after allegations over his conduct

Gavin Williamson has resigned as a minister after a string of allegations, including that he told a senior civil servant to “slit your throat”.

It is not the first time he has lost a government job, however. Since taking up his first ministerial role in 2017, Williamson has been dogged by scandals and controversies. Here is a reminder of his worst moments:

Continue reading...

Gavin Williamson resigns after chief whip messages scandal

Posted on by

Former defence and education secretary had been brought back to government last month by Rishi Sunak

Gavin Williamson has resigned as a minister after messages emerged in which he berated the former Conservative chief whip for not ensuring he was invited to the Queen’s funeral.

Williamson, who was sacked as defence secretary by Theresa May for leaking confidential information, and by Boris Johnson after a disastrous two-year stint as education secretary, was brought back to government last month by Rishi Sunak as a Cabinet Office minister.

Continue reading...

Sunak in quandary over fate of ‘dark arts’ practitioner Williamson

Posted on by

Analysis: Some Tory MPs are not buying excuse PM is waiting for inquiries into minister to conclude before taking decision

Rishi Sunak’s appointment of Suella Braverman as home secretary showed he is not afraid to make controversial appointments to placate politically useful colleagues.

Now the heat is on Gavin Williamson, the prime minister is fighting on two fronts.

Continue reading...

Macron and Sunak ‘bromance’ signals intent to reset Franco-British ties

Posted on by

Clear wish in Paris to thaw relations that plummeted to their worst state in decades under Boris Johnson

When Emmanuel Macron rushed to hug the new UK prime minister at their first meeting in Egypt this week, some called it a “bromance”.

Even though the French president’s hands-on embrace of world leaders is almost always called a “bromance” – from Justin Trudeau to Mohammed bin Salman and Donald Trump (a relationship which eventually soured), Macron and Rishi Sunak’s grinning and back-slapping stood out as symbolic.

Continue reading...

China criticises British minister’s visit to Taiwan for trade talks

Posted on by

Beijing ‘resolutely opposes’ official exchanges between Taipei and UK government, says foreign ministry

• UK politics live – latest news updates

China has criticised the British government for sending the trade minister Greg Hands to Taiwan and said the UK must cease “sending the wrong signals” to pro-independence forces on the self-ruled island that Beijing regards as its territory.

Hands began a two-day visit to Taipei on Monday, during which he is scheduled to meet the democracy’s president, Tsai Ing-wen, and co-host the 25th annual UK-Taiwan trade talks.

Continue reading...

Gavin Williamson has Sunak’s ‘full confidence’, says No10, as Starmer calls for him to be sacked – UK politics live

Posted on by

Prime minister’s judgment called into question after making Williamson minister again

Keir Starmer has said Gavin Williamson should be sacked, because he is “not fit” be a government minister.

But, speaking to journalists this morning, the Labour leader focused his criticism on Rishi Sunak for giving Williamson a job as a minister without portfolio in the Cabinet Office, with the right to attend cabinet.

It is so disappointing that yet again we’re having a discussion about the prime minister’s judgment, this time in relation to Gavin Williamson. He’s clearly got people around the cabinet table who are not fit to be there. That is because he was so weak and wanted to avoid an election within his own party and I think the only way out of this, because these debates are going to go on, because of the weak position the prime minister is in, I think we should say to the public, they should have a choice - do you want to carry on with this chaos or do you want the stability of a Labour government? That’s why I think there is such a powerful case for a general election.

I think that the prime minister has got people who are clearly not fit for the job around the cabinet table. Gavin Williamson has got history when it comes to breaches of security and leaking, etc. He is clearly not suitable, but the central focus really here is on the prime minister, to ask the question why has he put these people around the cabinet.

Continue reading...

Rishi Sunak under pressure over Gavin Williamson texts

Posted on by

PM said to have been informed of the complaint against Williamson before giving him a cabinet role

Rishi Sunak is facing further questions over his political judgment after it emerged he was made aware of a complaint by the former chief whip against his political ally Gavin Williamson before appointing him.

The Guardian understands some cabinet ministers and ex-ministers were aware of hostile messages to Wendy Morton. The texts were revealed over the weekend to include angry remonstrations about not being invited to the Queen’s funeral and warnings that “there is a price for everything”.

Continue reading...