Newslinks for Friday 21st July 2023 | Conservative Home

The Conservatives cling on to Uxbridge and South Ruislip ‘amid ULEZ revolt’…

“Labour has failed to win Boris Johnson’s former seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip amid a revolt against Sadiq Khan’s ultra-low emissions scheme (Ulez). The Conservatives held the outer London constituency by 495 votes following a campaign which saw their candidate Steve Tuckwell focus predominantly on the costs of Mr Khan’s green scheme. It will pile pressure on Labour to rethink its support for the policy with Steve Reed, the shadow justice secretary, agreeing…that Ulez was to blame for the narrow defeat and promising to “listen” to disaffected Londoners… Boris Johnson has hailed a “fantastic” result from his Tory successor… The former MP, who triggered the by-election…and did not campaign…released a statement to the Telegraph this morning.” – The Daily Telegraph

• Labour ‘panic’ as ‘war on drivers’ crashes Uxbridge hopes – The Daily Mail
• Khan is biggest by-election loser – David Maddox, Daily Express

>Today:

…as they suffer heavy defeats to Labour in Selby and Ainsty and the Liberal Democrats in Somerton and Frome

“Rishi Sunak has suffered two bruising by-election defeats but was spared the embarrassment of a whitewash after the Conservatives clung on in Uxbridge & South Ruislip. Labour overturned a 20,137 majority in Selby & Ainsty, a result that would deliver a 1997-style landslide if replicated across the country. The Liberal Democrats comfortably took the seat of Somerton & Frome, winning by 11,008 votes… In Selby & Ainsty, Keir Mather, the 25-year old Labour candidate, will become the baby of the house after he won with a majority of 4,161 following a 23.7 per cent swing — almost double the 12 per cent swing needed by Labour to win a majority at the next election. It is the second biggest swing from Tory to Labour in parliamentary history.” – The Times

• Liberal Democrats overturn Tories’ 19,000 majority – The I
• Oxford-educated Mather becomes Labour’s newest MP but is immediately ‘blasted’ as an ‘identikit Starmer’ and an ‘Inbetweener’ – The Daily Mail
• Huge defeats suggests ‘Tories are losing grip’ – The I

>Today:

Sunak hits out at the European Union’s “regrettable choice of words” in Falklands row

“Downing Street has criticised the “regrettable” decision by the European Union to refer to the Falkland Islands as “Islas Malvinas”, while the islands’ representatives also condemned the move. Rishi Sunak’s official spokesman said the Prime Minister believed any suggestion that the Falklands islanders were not British would have been “entirely unacceptable”… The latest row over the naming of the islands, which were invaded by Argentina in 1982 and then liberated by British forces, centred on an official document released by the EU that mentioned “the question of sovereignty over the Islas Malvinas/Falkland Islands”. The former is the name Argentina has long claimed is the correct one for the islands, despite them being a British overseas territory…” – The Daily Telegraph

• Fear food costs could ‘hinder his inflation fight’ – The I
• EU is forced into ‘embarrassing climbdown’ after claiming sovereignty of islands is ‘disputed’ – The Daily Mail
• No, EU – the Falklands are British and want to stay that way – Josh Glancy, The Times

Firms who provide healthcare to get tax ‘super deduction’, under Hunt’s plans…

“Businesses will get money off their tax bill in return for providing healthcare to their employees under plans being drawn up by ministers. Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt is looking at introducing a “super-deduction” discount for firms that fund flu jabs and regular checkups for staff. The scheme would mean that the more money a company spent on the welfare of its employees, the less tax it would have to pay on its overall profits. Doctors and nurses retiring from the NHS will be encouraged to take jobs in the private sector so that there are enough medics to deliver the plan. It is part of a wider strategy drawn up by the Government to crack down on high levels of economic inactivity and get more Britons back to work.” – The Daily Telegraph

• Gas drilling will go ahead in Hunt’s Surrey constituency after locals lose High Court bid to block it – The Daily Mail
• Senior doctors in England demand higher pay offer to avert August strikes – The Financial Times
• NHS doctors are striking for higher pay and putting patients at risk despite salaries and pensions the vast majority can only dream of – Editorial, The Times

…as the Treasury ‘counts costs’ of payouts from ‘last summer’s political chaos’

“The cost of Britain’s recent political upheaval was revealed on Thursday when Treasury accounts showed the extent of severance payments made to ministers, advisers and officials in the wake of mass resignations and sackings last year. The Treasury revealed that hundreds of thousands of pounds was paid to ministers who left after the exit of former premiers Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, even though some returned to government…weeks later. Johnson received £18,660 as a severance payment after he was forced by parliamentary colleagues to step down as prime minister…His successor, Truss, and her chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, received £18,660 and £16,876 respectively in severance payments when their government collapsed…” – The Financial Times

• Truss ‘debacle’ cost taxpayer ‘£3 million’ in severance fees – The Times
• Civil servant sacked by Kwarteng after one day got £450,000 payout – The Daily Telegraph
• Why do we still reward politicians and civil servants so lavishly for failure, or worse? – Editorial, The Sun

Cleverly promises to protect ‘unfettered’ US operations at Deigo Garcia military base during talks to hand islands to Mauritius

“The British foreign secretary said Wednesday he had assured his U.S. counterpart that any deal to hand an Indian Ocean island chain to Mauritius would ensured that American military operations could continue at the base on Diego Garcia in an ‘unfettered’ way. London is negotiating the handover of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, allowing the return of islanders removed decades ago as part of a deal to set up the military base. Although the facility would remain under any deal, Republicans have warned that there would be nothing to prevent China setting up surveillance operations on a neighboring island. James Cleverly, the British foreign secretary, told DailyMail.com that he had promised…Antony Blinken that he understood the importance of the base.” – The Daily Mail

• Carry on Argentina with your pathetic efforts to intimidate you’ll fail like you always do – Robert Taylor, Daily Express

‘Fresh row’ between Patel and Braverman over asylum seekers

“Ex-home secretary Priti Patel has clashed with Suella Braverman over a new centre for asylum seekers. Ms Patel has raised a string of concerns with her successor about the Wethersfield site that opened last week, including inadequate medical screening before people arrive after an outbreak of scabies. The senior Tory has demanded to know the cost of supplying those staying there with cigarettes and vapes…She said significant changes have also been slipped through allowing migrants to be housed there for up to nine months. In two letters to the Home Secretary, Ms Patel demanded to know why the maximum six month limit for accommodating people at the site has been increased to nine months and some exemptions mean it could be even longer.” – Daily Express

• Remainers, Labour voters, old and young all back the Government’s migration policy, new poll says – The Sun

 Marks & Spencer boss ‘slams’ Gove’s “pathetic” Oxford Street decision

“The boss of Marks & Spencer has launched an angry attack on Michael Gove after the communities secretary refused permission for the retail giant to knock down and redevelop its flagship shop on London’s Oxford Street. Stuart Machin, the M&S chief executive, said the decision was “utterly pathetic” and meant the company will review its future on the country’s busiest shopping street. It was an act of “self-sabotage” by Gove that would have an effect on “the nation’s fragile economic recovery”, he said. The company’s plans to demolish the 1920s Art Deco store — Orchard House — and replace it and two neighbouring buildings with a ten-storey retail and office block was given planning permission by Westminster city council in 2021.” – The Times

Ellwood ‘faces no confidence motion’ after praising the Taliban

“Tobias Ellwood, the defence select committee chairman, is facing a no confidence motion after publishing a video in which he claimed Afghanistan has improved since the Taliban regained power. The Conservative former defence minister faced a backlash from members of his own committee after claiming security in Afghanistan has “vastly improved” and “corruption is down” since the fundamentalists returned in 2021. He has called for Britain to reopen its embassy in Kabul and follow the example of the EU, which re-established a physical presence in the territory last year. Mr Ellwood has since deleted his video report from Helmand province – which was praised as “positive” by the Taliban – from Twitter and expressed regret over its recording.” – The Daily Telegraph

Coutts owner apologies to Farage for ‘inappropriate’ claims

“The head of NatWest has apologised to Nigel Farage for its “deeply inappropriate comments” about him as the government cracks down on banks to protect freedom of expression. Dame Alison Rose, the NatWest chief executive, wrote to the former leader of the UK Independence Party (Ukip), stating that comments made in a 40-page dossier — compiled by Coutts, which is owned by NatWest — “do not reflect the view of the bank”. She claimed it was not the policy of the bank to “exit” a customer and reiterated that he could have a NatWest account, but stopped short of offering him his Coutts accounts back. Rose insisted she believed “very strongly” in freedom of expression, but Farage hit back and claimed her apology had been forced by the Treasury.” – The Times

• BBC under pressure to apologise to Farage over Coutts account report – The Daily Telegraph
• The head of the bank must explain to MPs why Farage was ‘debanked’ – Editorial, The Times
• NatWest still has questions to answer – Editorial, The Daily Telegraph
• NatWest boss’ grovelling apology over Coutts scandal is a victory – but more needs to be done – Nigel Farage, The Sun
• Farage affair is ‘a monumental PR disaster’ for exclusive bank Coutts – Rupert Neate, The Guardian
• Rose’s apology to Farage doesn’t go far enough – Ben Marlow, The Daily Telegraph
• ‘Anti-discrimination’ culture is ushering in a new totalitarianism – Melanie Phillips, The Times
• These virtue-signally companies aren’t sincere. They just want to avoid the wrath of the social media lynch mob – Richard Littlejohn, The Daily Mail
• Coutt’s treatment of Farage is disgraceful – too many firms have let woke extremism become their official creed – Leo McKinstry, The Sun

>Today:

‘Battle’ over two-child benefit cap looms at Labour policy event

“Keir Starmer faces battles over the two-child benefit cap and other flashpoints at a key Labour policy gathering this weekend where trade union delegates will cite new evidence of the mounting cost of living crisis facing their members. Discontent at all levels of the party over his resistance to pledging to scrap the cap if Labour wins power forms the backdrop to potentially stormy negotiations behind closed doors at the National Policy Forum (NPF). About 200 representatives from all major parts of Labour – including constituency parties, affiliated trade unions, socialist societies and MPs – will meet over two days in Nottingham as part of the process of shaping the party’s policy agenda. The left of the party…is petitioning delegates to push for the adoption of “bold” policies…” – The Guardian

• Why Starmer doesn’t dare tell us what he really thinks about inheritance tax – Sam Brodbeck, The Daily Telegraph

News in Brief:

• Stress Test: some cricket fans can’t cope with the Ashes – Mark Mason, The Spectator 
• Starmer won’t learn from history – Tom McTague, UnHerd 
• Why Truss was right – Catherine McBride, The Critic 
• ‘Preventative’ healthcare is just an excuse for meddling in people’s lives – Christopher Snowden, CapX 
• Politicians should never wear trainers – Kara Kennedy, The New Statesman