Sunak’s £10 billion rescue plan today will include money off energy bills and a potential council tax rebate
“Every household in the country will get extra money taken off their energy bills this autumn under a new cost of living support package to be unveiled by Rishi Sunak on Thursday. The Chancellor is set to announce an increase to the £200 saving unveiled earlier in the year and scrap plans to make people pay back the amount over the coming years. To fund the move, he will announce an oil and gas windfall tax that will see the amount companies pay linked to how much they invest. The multi-billion pound package is also expected to include new “targeted” support for the poorest households, possibly through Universal Credit or extra help for pensioners. Boris Johnson and Mr Sunak hammered out the agreement after talks earlier this week as they faced growing pressure from voters and Tory MPs to act.” – The Daily Telegraph
- The Chancellor will announce a windfall tax on energy firms – The Guardian
- Sunak’s measures expected to top £10 billion and to target the most vulnerable – The Financial Times
- Johnson mocked over an ‘inevitable U-turn’ on windfall tax – The Scotsman
- Tackling the root cause of energy bills could help us all on inflation – Kitty Ussher, The Financial Times
>Today:
- ToryDiary: Five questions about Sunak’s statement today
>Yesterday:
- Andy Cook in Comment: How Sunak can best boost Universal Credit to east the cost of living crisis
Partygate 1) Sue Gray report: Civil servants vomited and had drunken fights during lockdown
“Partygate investigator Sue Gray lifted the lid on boozy lockdown antics at No10 — as her long-awaited report told of vomiting aides, drunken fights and karaoke bashes. New pictures showed the PM raising a can of beer next to cheap Tesco sarnies at a rather bleak birthday party in June 2020 — for which he got a £50 fine. Cabinet Secretary Simon Case is seen laughing alongside him but mysteriously avoided a penalty. The dossier, published after six months of allegations and 126 fines, contained nine photos of bashes in total, and Ms Gray ruled “many should not have happened”… Ms Gray discovered Downing Street chiefs boasted “we got away with it” after 200 Government staffers were invited to a “bring your own booze” party by the PM’s right-hand man Martin Reynolds in May 2020. Reynolds, dubbed “Party Marty”, ignored concerns of other worried aides.” – The Sun
- Met on the spot after top civil servant spared fine – The Times
- Cummings slapped down after Gray finds ‘no evidence’ he voiced fears over garden party – The Daily Mail
- Case refuses to resign – The Daily Telegraph
- Mandarins who organised parties escape discipline – The Times
- No 10 official saw parts of Sue Gray’s report a day earlier – The Times
- ‘Wine-time Fridays’ in Whitehall expose the clannish culture coming from the top – The Financial Times
- ‘Failure of leadership’: what the papers say – The Guardian
>Editorial:
- The Gray report sets out a litany of cynicism and illegality that brings shame on Johnson – Editorial, The Times
- After the damp squib, time to turn the page – Editorial, The Daily Mail
- ‘Humbled’ Prime Minister’s full-focus required on crisis-hit UK – Editorial, Daily Express
- Partygate report reveals a prime minister unfit to lead – Editorial, The Financial Times
- Johnson must put Partygate behind him and help our readers through the cost of living crisis – Editorial, The Sun
>Yesterday:
- ToryDiary: Gray’s report and Johnson’s future. Gulliver begins to break free of the cords that bind him.
- MPs Etc: Link to Sue Gray’s report “into alleged gatherings on Government property during Covid restrictions”
Partygate 2) Johnson: The report has “vindicated” me over party claims
“A defiant Boris Johnson claims he has been “vindicated” over lockdown parties in Whitehall, despite a damning report that laid bare a culture of rule-breaking in Downing Street. Sue Gray, a senior civil servant, revealed that the prime minister’s most senior aides were involved in the planning of parties that involved drunkenness, fighting, karaoke and vomiting. Her report said there had been “multiple examples of a lack of respect and poor treatment” of cleaning and security staff who tried to raise concerns. She condemned “failures of leadership” at the heart of government, for which there was “no excuse”, and said Johnson must bear responsibility. The prime minister said he was “appalled by some of the behaviour” outlined in the report and apologised for the rule-breaking, adding that he was “humbled” by months of revelations about the affair.” – The Times
- The Prime Minister accepts ‘full responsibility’ for Partygate – The Financial Times
- Johnson insists it was his ‘duty’ to attend Downing Street parties and officials’ farewells – The Daily Mail
- The Prime Minister sought to ‘banish the ghost of Partygate’ with an apology tour – The I
- Johnson apologies to No 10 cleaners and tells ‘disrespectful’ staff to do the same – The Daily Telegraph
- 59% of public think he should quit, but only 7% think he will, poll finds – The I
- MPs’ staff tell the Prime Minister that abuse is treated as ‘mere gossip’ in parliament – The Guardian
- Starmer attacks Johnson over Partygate, despite facing his own Beergate investigation – The Daily Mail
- The Prime Minister aims to shift the focus – The Financial Times
- Johnson seeks to oust Lady Scotland from Commonwealth role – The Guardian
>Comment and Sketches:
- Bland and a damp squib: Times writers’ verdicts on the Gray report – The Times
- Johnson has turned Downing St into a wine-stained, vomit-strewn disgrace – Angela Rayner, Daily Express
- Even Sue Gray’s scathing verdict is little threat to this prime minister – Robert Shrimsley, The Financial Times
- No 10’s arrogant, drunken and irresponsible hooligans shame Britain but Boris must stay to fight the cost of living crisis – Trevor Kavanagh, The Sun
- He trudged on, a husky hunched in a blizzard – Quentin Letts, The Times
- Sorry, there’ll be no hangin’ today. Release the prisoner! – Henry Deedes, The Daily Mail
>Yesterday:
- Video: WATCH – Johnson: “I have been as surprised and disappointed as anyone else in the revelations that have unfolded”
- Video: WATCH – “The public need to know that not all politicians are the same” – Starmer
- Video: WATCH – The Prime Minister: “Downing Street and the Cabinet Office together have hundreds of rooms”
Partygate 3) ‘We’ve been burned before’: Tory plotters are reported to be ‘laying low’
“Nothing appears to have been coordinated on the day that many had earmarked for making their final decision on the prime minister’s future, the day of the publication of Sue Gray’s report. But MPs keeping close tally said they believed at least three more letters had been given to Sir Graham Brady, the chair of the Tory 1922 Committee, asking for a vote of no confidence. Multiple MPs who spoke to the Guardian said Johnson’s future was not secure. “I think this is the day it really hit home to some of my colleagues that we are on the brink of losing the next election,” said one former minister. “If we lose Wakefield badly I think that will prove this guy is not a winner any more. We are losing trust with the public and we will need to make some very tough decision in the coming months. We cannot make [those decisions] with any support or authority without that trust.” – The Guardian
- Sturdy calls on Johnson to resign – The Yorkshire Post
- Tory MPs suspect cover-up over ‘Abba party’ in Johnson’s flat – The Guardian
- Johnson should resign as Prime Minister when the war in Ukraine is over, says Ross – The Scotsman
>Yesterday:
Truss: Putin must be defeated, not appeased
“Liz Truss will on Thursday warn against appeasing Vladimir Putin and tell Western allies there can be no backsliding in ensuring Russia is defeated in its war against Ukraine. The Foreign Secretary will demand more weapons for Kyiv and more sanctions against Moscow in a speech to Bosnia and Herzegovina armed forces in Sarajevo’s Army Hall. “Russia’s aggression cannot be appeased. It must be met with strength,” Ms Truss will say, “We must not allow a prolonged and increasingly painful conflict to develop in Ukraine.” She will say the West must “learn the lessons of history” after Russia’s president had pocketed concessions before his invasions of Georgia, the Crimea and Donbas. Ms Truss will say: “We must be relentless in ensuring Ukraine prevails through military aid and sanctions. We can’t take our foot off the accelerator now.”” – The Daily Telegraph
- Learning the right lessons from Afghanistan – Editorial, The Daily Telegraph
- Kissinger’s cynicism is music to Putin’s ears – David Aaronovitch, The Times
Javid rethinking ME after young relative’s battles
“The health secretary has spoken of a young relative’s battle with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) as he promised a new approach to the debilitating illness. Sajid Javid said that the health service had failed in its attitude towards treatment of the illness but pledged to lead a cross-government initiative on ME. This would involve healthcare, education and the benefits system, while placing a new emphasis on research into the poorly understood condition. He will convene a panel next month with researchers from around the world in an effort to encourage new treatments. Speaking at the launch of Rethinking ME, an all-party parliamentary group report, the health secretary disclosed that a close family member had been struggling with the chronic illness for six years.” – The Times
Kwarteng to review Chinese takeover of semiconductor plant
“The UK government will review the acquisition of the country’s largest semiconductor plant by a Chinese company in a significant shift in approach to foreign takeovers. Kwasi Kwarteng, the business secretary, said on Wednesday the takeover last year of Newport Wafer Fab by Nexperia — a Dutch subsidiary of Chinese company Wingtech — would face a review under the new National Security and Investment (NSI) Act. “We welcome overseas investment, but it must not threaten Britain’s national security,” Kwarteng said. The NSI Act, which came into force on January 4 this year, allows greater scrutiny of foreign takeovers of companies in sensitive industries. Kwarteng’s intervention comes at a time of deteriorating relations between China and the west.” – The Financial Times
Civil servants vow to bring airports, ports, and courts to a grinding halt with nationwide strike
“Civil servants last night vowed to bring airports, ports and courts to a grinding halt in a nationwide pay strike. Militant trade union bosses rejected a two per cent pay offer from the Government, which lags behind inflation. The 55,000-strong Public and Commercial Services Union voted at its national conference in Brighton to formally ballot its members across the entire public sector. It risks further passport chaos and DVLA delays. PCS boss Mark Serwotka said strikes would show civil servants were not “bowler-hatted grandees in Whitehall”. He said they were people who feel there “is now no alternative”. He added: “We’re prepared to stand up and fight to get better.” It comes after the RMT railway union voted in favour of a nationwide strike that will cripple the rail network.” – The Sun
- Summer rail strike could see travel chaos and supply chain problems lasting into next year – The I
- We need Thatcher’s iron will to defeat the union militants – Leo McKinstry, Daily Express
Heath: Tory Britain faces extinction at the hands of a radical hard-Left alliance
“Wake up, Tory loyalists, for time has almost run out to save the Conservative Party from its drift into incompetent, unprincipled oblivion, and prevent the nightmare of a hard-left Government. If a general election were held tomorrow, Boris Johnson’s Tories would be toast, the thrashing more severe even than that meted out to their Australian counterparts last weekend. In candid, private moments, Conservative MPs, in northern as well as southern seats, will admit to being shaken at the scale of their constituents’ fury, even before the cost of living crisis runs its course. By 2024, in the absence of a seismic change to the Government’s performance and style, impoverished swing voters will surely find a “time for change after 14 years in office” message all too irresistible.” – The Daily Telegraph
News in Brief:
- Boris Johnson’s guilt – Editorial, The Spectator
- How Britain’s failure to reckon with global forces led to a cost-of-living crisis – John Gray, The New Statesman
- How America went berserk – Bari Weiss, UnHerd
- The servile relationship: why do we put up with American nonsense about Ireland? – Henry Hill, Cap X
- Time to decolonise British political discourse – Ed West, Wrong Side of History