Category: News Story

STORY

The death of Derek Draper, the former political advisor during the Blair administration, has been announced. Kate Garraway, Draper’s wife, said in a statement:

“I’m sad to have to tell you all that my darling husband Derek has passed away. As some of you may know he has been critically ill following a cardiac arrest in early December which, because of the damage inflicted by Covid in March 2020, led to further complications. Derek was surrounded by his family in his final days and I was by his side holding his hand throughout the last long hours and when he passed. I have so much more to say, and of course I will do so in due course, but for now I just want to thank all the medical teams who fought so hard to save him and to make his final moments as comfortable and dignified as possible. Sending so much love and thanks to all of you who have so generously given our family so much support. Rest gently and peacefully now Derek, my love, I was so lucky to have you in my life.”

STORY

Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, has said that it is his “working assumption” that the General Election will take place in the second half of 2024. Speaking to journalists in Mansfield, he said:

“My working assumption is we’ll have a general election in the second half of this year and in the meantime I’ve got lots that I want to get on with. I want to keep going, managing the economy well and cutting people’s taxes. But I also want to keep tackling illegal migration. So, I’ve got lots to get on with and I’m determined to keep delivering for the British people.”

STORY

Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Opposition, has made a keynote speech in which he has set out more of the Labour Party’s plans for the General Election which will likely be held in 2024. Talking of the state of British politics at the moment, the Labour leader said:

“Everyone agrees we are in a huge mess. Services on their knees, an economy that doesn’t work for working people even when it grows, let alone now when it stagnates like right now. Everyone agrees as well – that it’s been like this for a while. That Britain needs change, wants change, is crying out for change. And yet, trust in politics is now so low, so degraded, that nobody believes you can make a difference anymore. Also, that after the sex scandals, the expenses scandals, the waste scandals, the contracts for friends, even in a crisis like the pandemic, some people have looked at us and concluded we’re all just in it for ourselves. A nation that is so exhausted, tired, despairing even, that they’ve given up on hope. A national mood which, if we aren’t successful with our Project Hope, the Tories will subtly seek to exploit.”

He said that he had a new plan for the country:

“I promise a new plan with new priorities, five national missions that will sweep away the era of Tory division, a plan for the long-term.

With higher growth, a reformed planning system no longer blocking the homes, infrastructure and investment we need.

Safer streets, more police in your town, cracking down on anti-social behaviour.

Cheaper bills, with GB Energy, a new public company, using clean British power not foreign oil and gas.

More opportunities for your children, new technical excellence colleges training our kids in the skills they need and businesses want.

Better mental health support in schools, expert teachers in every classroom, paid for – by removing tax breaks on private schools.

And our NHS back on its feet, with a plan to cut the waiting lists, paid for by removing the non-dom tax status. Two million more appointments every year in an NHS clearing the backlog, seven days a week.

And written through this new plan, I also promise this: a total overhaul in how we approach the economy and government.”

RESOURCES

Keir Starmer’s Speech

STORY

HM Treasury has confirmed that the next budget will be held on 6 March 2024, which is likely to be the last before the next General Election. The Office for Budget Responsibility has said that it will also publish economic reports on the same day, with some commentators suggesting that tax cuts in the budget are likely.

STORY

The former Conservative MP Peter Bone has lost his seat following a recall petition in his constituency of Wellingborough.

RESOURCES

NEWS STORY : Peter Bone to Face Recall Petition

STORY

Michelle Mone, who admitted in an interview broadcast yesterday by the BBC that she lied about her involvement with PPE Medpro, has faced a series of attacks from politicians from across the political spectrum today. Rishi Sunak said:

“The government takes these things incredibly seriously, which is why we’re pursuing legal action against the company concerned in these matters.”

Mone condemned Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, for wanting an investigation into the matter and the lies told to the media, posting on Twitter:

“What is Rishi Sunak talking about? I was honest with the Cabinet Office, the Government and the NHS in my dealings with them. They all knew about my involvement from the very beginning.”

Mone, who is under pressure to quit the House of Lords over her personal conduct, misled and threatened the Guardian newspaper who investigated her links to PPE Medpro.

STORY

The Government has agreed to a £250 million funding package for TFL and has pledged to support the capital’s transport infrastructure as part of a longer term funding agreement. Mark Harper, the Secretary of State for Transport, said in the Commons today:

“The government has today agreed a capital settlement which provides a further £250 million of funding, which will enable TfL to continue to deliver its current capital programme and its committed major capital projects – including the delivery of the Piccadilly Line upgrade phase 1. This not only provides benefits to Londoners, but it provides benefits for the rest of the country – the Piccadilly Line upgrade on its own is expected to support an estimated 700 skilled jobs with a further estimated 250 jobs created in construction and up to 1,700 indirectly in the supply chain.”

He added:

“The current longer-term settlement will end in March 2024, and I continue to encourage TfL to modernise and to become a modern, effective, efficient and financially stable operator. Government support has enabled TfL to be on track to being financially sustainable and this capital settlement therefore requires TfL to demonstrate to government that it is financially sustainable at the end of March 2024, and it will provide to government in July 2024 its plan demonstrating how it will maintain and strengthen its financial sustainability from the financial year 2024 to 2025.”

RESOURCES

TFL

STORY

Martin Callanan, Baron Callanan, a Conservative Minister, has called for the disgraced Peer Michelle Mone to not return to the House of Lords. Mone admitted in a BBC interview to willingly and knowingly lying to the media over a business deal which made her family tens of millions of pounds. Callanan said:

“I watched the interview yesterday. I think she should have declared her involvement in that in the House of Lords register, and there is guidance available for that.”

He added:

“I would hope that she would not be coming back to the House of Lords.”

The Government is currently in legal action against PPE Medpro for the poor quality PPE equipment.

RESOURCES

Michelle Mone Admits Lying to Media

STORY

Baroness Mone has admitted to lying about her involvement with PPE Medpro and threatening the Guardian newspaper with legal action when they sought the truth. The Peer, who is on a leave of absence from the House of Lords following the accusations, said in an interview with Laura Kuenssberg that:

“Hindsight is a wonderful thing, I wasn’t trying to pull the wool over anyone’s eyes and I regret and I am sorry for not saying straight out that I am involved.”

Mone admitted that her family had made millions of pounds in profits from the deal which she sought to hide from the media. The Government is currently taking legal action against PPE Medpro for poor quality PPE equipment and the National Crime Agency are continuing their investigations into Baroness Mone’s involvement. Baroness Mone is also under investigation by the House of Lords authorities for failing to register an interest as is required by the rules of the House.

The Guardian newspaper, who had led investigations into the conduct of Baroness Mone, wrote:

“The former Conservative peer Michelle Mone and her husband, Doug Barrowman, have acknowledged for the first time that he made multimillion pound profits from two PPE deals during the Covid pandemic. Mone also acknowledged for the first time that, as revealed by the Guardian last year, Barrowman then transferred money from those profits to a trust, the Keristal Trust, set up for the benefit of Mone and her three adult children. The couple said Barrowman’s children were also beneficiaries of the trust.”

Mone is not expected to return any of the money and has yet to announce whether she intends to stand down from the House of Lords.

STORY

Scott Benton, the MP for Blackpool South, is facing a 35-day suspension from the House of Commons following an investigation by the Commons Standard Committee. Following a sting by undercover journalists, Benton suggested behaviour which gave the impression of making personal advantage in breach of the rules of the House.

Daniel Greenberg, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, said in the report:

“In accordance with paragraph 43 of the Procedural Protocol, I consider that Mr Benton has breached Rule 11 of the Code as his actions during a meeting on 7 March 2023 were such as would cause (and as it happens have caused) significant damage to the reputation and integrity of the House of Commons as a whole, and of its Members generally.”

Benton said in a letter to the Commissioner:

I would like to take this opportunity to apologise profusely, as I have throughout this investigation, for giving an inaccurate description to the fictitious company and I have since met with the Registrar to discuss the recent changes to the Code which govern this area. I would also like to apologise for the fact that this issue is having to take up your time. As a new Member of the House, elected in 2019, this meeting is the only occasion on which I have been approached in this manner and I was somewhat taken by surprise and caught ‘on the hop’ during the meeting by the nature of the fictitious company’s questions. It was a mistake, during the meeting, not to be clearer about what MPs couldn’t do, referencing the Code as appropriate. It is the honour of my life to serve my constituents in Parliament and I sincerely regret and apologise for this incident.”

A vote will now take place in the House of Commons and if MPs agreed with the proposed 35-day suspension then a recall petition would be issued which could lead to a by-election in Blackpool South. Benton was suspended from the Conservative Party earlier in the year after the allegations came to light.

RESOURCES

Text of Report (in .pdf format)

Speeches by Scott Benton