Newslinks for Thursday 16th Jan 2025 | Conservative Home

Kemi Badenoch targets mistakes by Conservative PMs in first major speech of 2025

“Kemi Badenoch has launched a stinging attack on the “mistakes” made by her predecessors over Brexit, net zero and immigration. In a bid to underline her message that the Conservatives are “under new leadership”, the Tory leader will …distance herself from the likes of Boris Johnson and Theresa May, Badenoch and criticise her predecessors, …the former business secretary will say: “The public will never trust politicians unless we can accept our mistakes. I will acknowledge the Conservative Party made mistakes. We announced that we would leave the European Union before we had a plan for growth outside the EU. We made it the law that we would deliver net zero carbon emissions by 2050. And only then did we start thinking about how we would do that. We announced that we would lower immigration, but immigration kept going up. And she added: “These mistakes were made because we told people what they wanted to hear first and then tried to work it out later. That is going to stop under my leadership. If we are going to turn our country around, we’re going to have to say some things that aren’t easy to hear.””  – The i

• New Row. Kemi Badenoch slams Sir Keir Starmer for not having plan for government as she aims to rebuild trust in Tories – The Sun
• Badenoch slams three mistakes made by Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak – Daily Express
• Tories made 2050 net zero pledge without a plan, Badenoch to admit – Daily Telegraph
• ‘Why are Brits paying to surrender something that’s already ours?’: Kemi Badenoch skewers Keir Starmer over £9bn cost of ‘dud’ Chagos Islands deal – as Mauritius continues to hold out on handover – Daily Mail
• UK deal to hand Chagos Islands to Mauritius is in new doubt – The Times

COMMENT

The only reason to support Keir Starmer has just been utterly destroyed – The Telegraph

Six months in and Labour already feels like a fag-end government, epitomised by a Chagos deal that may end up the worst in our history – Bob Seely Daily Mail

Does Kemi Badenoch have a plan? – Spectator

TODAY on ConHome

Science fiction offers insights towards political futures. So go boldly where no one’s gone before

Sir Keir Starmer faces fresh criticism over Tulip Saddiq and her ministerial replacements

“Sir Keir Starmer faces controversy as his new City minister is accused of a conflict of interest over past China lobbying. Downing Street yesterday refused to say if Emma Reynolds will have a say on China policy – despite her past as a lobbyist pushing for softer rules on Beijing cash. The Tories have piled on pressure, calling out the PM for failing to crack down on the “revolving door” of lobbyists moving between government and big business.Ms Reynolds was handed the powerful Treasury role after Tulip Siddiq quit over a corruption probe linked to her family in Bangladesh. She was previously a bigwig at TheCityUK, a banking lobby group that fought against tougher checks on Chinese businesses. The MP for Wycombe even pushed for China to avoid being placed under strict “enhanced tier” scrutiny, arguing it could harm investment, according to Bloomberg.” – The Sun

• New City minister’s stance on China comes under scrutiny – The Times
• China’s ‘spy base’ London embassy ‘threatens vital communication cables’ – The i
• Triple lock in danger as Starmer appoints pensions minister who wanted to ‘abolish’ it – Daily Express
• I’d work with Tulip Siddiq again, says minister – The Times

COMMENT

The Tulip Siddiq corruption row tells you all you need to know about Keir Starmer and co’s view on sleaze – Rod Liddle The Sun

Why did Keir Starmer handle the Tulip Siddiq furore so badly? – Spectator

Reeves is trapped in a nightmare of her own making – Robert Jenrick Daily Telegraph

TODAY on ConHome

Risible Reeves’ China visit shows why aligning with US on China would be a useful bone to throw to Trump

Gaza ceasefire announced after 15 months of war

“Israel and Hamas have agreed a ceasefire to halt the 15-month war in Gaza and free the remaining hostages, mediators said, raising hopes of an end to a devastating conflict that has shaken the Middle East and the world beyond. But, despite celebrations erupting across the region, the office of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that some details still had to be finalised as of Wednesday night. The multiphase agreement, due to take effect on Sunday, a day before Donald Trump returns to office as US president, was announced by Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin al-Thani. However, he noted that the parties still had to give final approval.The agreement offers hope of a halt — and potentially an end — to a brutal war that has become the deadliest chapter in the decades-long history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict” – FT

• Hamas and Israel have agreed Gaza ceasefire deal, Qatari PM says – Guardian
• Biden and Trump both claim credit for Gaza ceasefire – Daily Telegraph
• Get them Home. Trump says Hamas & Israel have finally agreed deal to release Oct 7 hostages as ceasefire set to begin in days – The Sun
• Israel and Hamas ‘agree on ceasefire in Gaza and hostage release deal’, mediators claim: Benjamin Netanyahu speaks out on final details – Daily Mail
• Trump helped secure a Gaza ceasefire deal. Can it last? – FT

Continued unease over plans that could allow Gerry Adams to get taxpayer ‘compensation’

“The Attorney General is facing mounting questions over his links to Gerry Adams and whether he had a role in the compensation decision involving the former Sinn Fein leader. Sir Keir Starmer is set to repeal Troubles legislation, sections of which would have denied Mr Adams and some 400 other Republicans taxpayer-funded payouts over their detention in prison in the 1970s for suspected involvement in terrorism. On Wednesday, Lord Hermer defended his right to have represented the former Sinn Fein leader in a separate damages claim by IRA bomb victims but refused to say how Mr Adams paid him for the case. He refused to say whether he was involved in the compensation decision, which has been made on human rights grounds. Sir Keir, who brought his friend into his Cabinet when Emily Thornberry had been expected to get the role, is already under fire over Labour’s handling of the economy and the corruption scandal surrounding Tulip Siddiq.” – Daily Telegraph

• Fury as ex-Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams in line for payout for being held during The Troubles under new Labour law – The Sun
• Troubles compensation reversal ‘could lead to deluge of claims’ – The Times

COMMENT

Being anti-British seems to come easy to Keir – so forgive me if I wait to see if he’ll stop compensation to Gerry Adams – Leo McKinstry The Sun

Starmer’s revolting betrayal will never be forgiven – Daily Telegraph

TODAY on ConHome

Labour’s new plan to block compensation for Adams is unlawful

Conservatives warn Ed Miliband’s ‘boiler tax’  will pile pressure on the public

“Heat pumps may never be cheaper than gas boilers, Ed Miliband has said. The Energy Secretary made the comments as Labour snuck a boiler tax through Parliament with minimal scrutiny on Wednesday, despite warnings the move will push up prices. Under the scheme, which will come into force in April, boiler manufacturers will be fined if they fail to sell enough heat pumps, which companies have warned will force them to increase the price of installing a new gas boiler by as much as £120. When asked to confirm whether the Government would abandon the proposed 2035 ban on new gas boilers at a parliamentary committee, he said: ‘We can say to people you need to get a heat pump, not a gas boiler, potentially, at some point in the future. But I’m very wary of saying we’re going to stop people having gas boilers at a point when we can’t guarantee heat pumps are going to be cheaper for people.’” – Daily Telegraph

• Ed Miliband’s hated ‘boiler tax’ to heap costs on families, Tories warn – Daily Express

Councils line up to opt out of May local elections ahead of Labour’s council shake up

“More than half of councils due to hold elections in May have asked to postpone them, it was revealed today.  Leaders from 18 authorities in England want delays after Labour announced the biggest overhaul of local government in decades – despite fury at people being deprived of votes. Ministers are proposing to abolish two-tier council areas as part of moves to create more powerful mayors. Some 21 county councils and 10 unitary authorities were slated to stage elections on May 1. But the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said it has received requests from 16 counties and two unitary authorities for a delay until 2026.” – Daily Mail

• List of councils ‘denying democracy’ by asking to postpone May elections – Daily Express

NEWS in BRIEF

The state is standing in young people’s way – Harry Phibbs CapX

This Israel-Hamas agreement defines an ‘uneasy peace’ – Spectator

The sinister absurdity of Westminster City Council – The Critic

Britain’s post-imperial delusion. We can no longer rely on our American Cousins – Unherd