Johnson warns COP26 deal ‘hangs in the balance’
“Boris Johnson today warned that a COP26 deal to keep global warming in check “hangs in the balance” and begged world leaders to pull out “all the stops” to get one. The PM made a last-ditch dash to Glasgow to try and urge chiefs to seal an agreement – but warned it may have to go into “extra time”. The PM warned tired negotiators that progress wouldn’t be easy, despite a huge push forwards. He insisted “we have moved the ball a long way down the pitch” but warned they were now “stuck in a bit of a rolling maul”. With just hours to go before the summit wraps on Friday night, he called on leaders to bridge the gap rapidly on plans to cut greenhouse gases before it’s too late.” – The Sun
- UK opts out of Danish alliance to end oil and gas – The Times
- US-China deal on emissions welcomed by global figures and climate experts – The Guardian
>Yesterday: Liam Fox MP in Comment: The free market is not the problem in climate change, but it can be the solution
Tory anger as chief whip admits he approved Cox’s proxy vote
“Boris Johnson’s chief whip admitted yesterday that he approved Sir Geoffrey Cox’s decision to vote by proxy in the House of Commons while he was working as a lawyer in the Caribbean. Mark Spencer is facing fresh anger from Conservative MPs amid questions about the work done outside parliament by Cox and other senior figures. It emerged this week that in May Cox used absentee voting rules introduced as a public health measure during the coronavirus pandemic to vote from the British Virgin Islands (BVI), where he was conducting legal work in an inquiry ordered by the Foreign Office. In a defiant statement Cox, a former attorney-general, said this was an arrangement signed off by Spencer, the government chief whip. “He consulted the chief whip specifically on this issue and was advised that it was appropriate,” the statement said.” – The Times
- MP ‘rents out taxpayer-funded home’ – The Sun
- Cox denies breaking rules after using MP office to do legal work – Daily Mail
- Labour demands probe into Cox’s use of Commons office – FT
>Yesterday: Daniel Hannan’s column: Proposals to restrict MPs’ outside work run up against the same problem. What are good and bad jobs?
MPs will get chance to ‘unpick’ Johnson’s bid to save Paterson from suspension next week
“Boris Johnson is not ready to apologise for his botched handling of the Owen Paterson scandal, No 10 indicated yesterday. A spokesman repeatedly ducked questions about whether the PM is sorry for triggering the row that led to a flood of sleaze allegations. But MPs will next week be invited to ‘unpick’ the PM’s bid to save the ex-environment secretary from suspension over an ‘egregious’ breach of lobbying rules. They will be asked to vote to scrap a planned committee which was meant to draw up new conduct rules. Party whips had pushed through that change by 250 votes to 232 – but more than 50 Tory MPs rebelled and the plan was abandoned the next day following a public outcry.” – Daily Mail
- Prime Minister denies Britain is corrupt but isn’t sorry – The Times
- Tory vice-chairman quits after becoming ‘hacked off’ with defending Government – Daily Telegraph
More:
- Starmer paid thousands for legal work as second job – The Times
- Speaker hits out at ex-MPs’ Commons passes – Daily Mail
- Ex-defence minister did not reveal aerospace job – The Times
- Bryant: the Labour former priest trying to clean up Parliament – FT
- Cairns took job at Covid firm weeks before £75m contract – The Times
>Today: Interview: Tobias Ellwood: Johnson lacks “serious expertise, people with political acumen, over in the Number 10 machine”
Iain Martin: Anxious Tories can smell decay in the air
“The system broke last week. Having been made fools of by the prime minister over the Paterson vote, Tory MPs are on high alert. “I’ve spoken to three groups of colleagues who are saying they now want to check everything,” an MP says. This could catch on, points out a veteran Tory MP who is appalled by how weak parliament has become when scrutinising the executive. The breakdown of trust has all manner of implications for the stability or otherwise of the government and its pursuit of policy. A majority of 80 should be more than enough for just about anything, but only if the parliamentary and party machine is working well and the economy is humming. Margaret Thatcher discovered this when she was removed in 1990 despite having won a majority of 102 three years earlier.” – The Times
- A scoundrel he may be, but Johnson is well placed to ride out this crisis – Martin Kettle, The Guardian
- Let’s ban MPs from consultant lobbying – Paul Bristow MP, The Times
- Sleaze shambles holds warning for Johnson’s next Brexit battle – Robert Shrimsley, FT
- Britain is only clean if it clings to the rules – David Aaronovitch, The Times
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: Can it ever be right to take ‘Mosley money’?
Over-65s without Covid boosters could be banned from public spaces, suggests Javid
“Sajid Javid has said he cannot rule out the possibility that over-65s who have not had a Covid booster jab could be barred from taking trains or entering restaurants at some point. Mr Javid’s comments came during a Sky News interview on Wednesday when he was asked to react to the introduction of such a policy in France. The Health Secretary said the Government was not looking at the idea “yet” but declined to rule out that it would ever be adopted. A Downing Street source later said the policy was not being actively pursued but added that the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic meant few potential measures could be ruled out. The comments come amid a tussle between ministers and Tory backbenchers about the possibility of bringing in Covid passports.” – Daily Telegraph
- Social care in England set to suffer as Covid jab deadline for workers looms – FT
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: Forcing doctors to work in deprived places – and the intellectual collapse of levelling up
Brexit minister tells EU to ‘stay calm’ over Northern Ireland threats
“UK Brexit minister Lord David Frost has called on Brussels to “stay calm and keep things in proportion” if the UK goes ahead with threats to suspend parts of the Brexit deal for Northern Ireland. The UK is seeking to rewrite the agreement’s protocol for Northern Ireland, which left the region in the EU’s single market for goods in order to prevent the return of a north-south trade border on the island of Ireland. The two sides have been in a stand-off for months over post-Brexit trade rules for the region, with the UK threatening to trigger Article 16, the safeguard clause either side can use if they believe the arrangement has caused “serious economic, societal or environmental difficulties” or the “diversion of trade”.” – FT
- The Tory frontbencher addressed peers in the House of Lords today – Daily Mail
- Biden backs Brussels on Protocol – Daily Express
Patel backs police investigation of LSE protest against Israeli ambassador
“Priti Patel, the UK home secretary, has given support to a police investigation of protests outside the London School of Economics on Tuesday night that led to the Israeli ambassador being led away at speed with heavy police protection after addressing a meeting with students. A large group of protesters gathered outside the building at which Tzipi Hotovely spoke. Video from the scene showed security guards rushing Hotovely, who was clutching a bouquet of flowers, into a vehicle, while others tried to fend off a group of jeering and booing activists, who chanted, “Shame on you!” At least one protester tried to rush towards her. Patel tweeted that she was “disgusted” by the treatment of the Israeli ambassador, and that antisemitism had no place in Britain…” – The Guardian
- ‘I will NOT be silenced’: Israel envoy who was barracked by hard-left student mob brands them ‘shameful’ – Daily Mail
>Today: ToryDiary: To deliver on prisoner rehabilitation, Raab needs the same as every other Minister. A little help from Downing Street.
Dressing-down for MPs ‘who got drunk’ on flight to visit troops
“Three MPs have been accused by the defence secretary of “disrespecting” the armed forces by getting drunk on a flight to visit troops in Gibraltar. Ben Wallace is writing to Labour and the SNP to express his “disappointment” about the behaviour of the MPs, who he said had “put military personnel in a difficult position”. A Labour MP, whom The Times is not naming, was said to have been “incapacitated through drink” to the point where she had to be helped from the airport in a wheelchair, according to a report circulated in the Ministry of Defence. She was taken to her hotel and was unable to attend a “welcome event” put on for the MPs by the military. It is understood that she was returning to the UK today — two days early — after speaking to Labour whips.” – The Times
- Wallace said the conduct risked ‘undermining respect’ – Daily Mail
- Labour MP needed a wheelchair after ‘drinking heavily’ on flight to visit troops – Daily Telegraph
News in Brief:
- Putting muscle behind the Union – Henry Hill, The Critic
- Johnson’s style of government isn’t working for him – or his country – Fraser Nelson, The Spectator
- A ban on second jobs would mean a poorer politics – Henry Hill, CapX
- What the poppy really means – Mary Harrington, UnHerd