“Teachers should not strike because they are in the top 10 per cent of earners in some parts of the country, the education secretary has said. Gillian Keegan suggested teachers should be satisfied with their salaries and with the £2 billion extra for schools promised in the autumn statement. She said teachers had every right to strike but hoped they would not. Ballots on industrial action for teachers and head teachers are expected to close in January… Analysis by The Times shows there are no regions where the starting or average salary of a teacher would put them in the top 10 per cent of earners. However, this does not rule out salaries being in that bracket in some local authority areas.” – The Times
More:
>Today: ToryDiary: For now, the public back the strikers. Yet Sunak may have time on his side.
“Morale in the UK military is suffering as ministers increasingly turn to the army to help fill civilian roles, including disruption caused by public sector strikes, according to official studies and serving personnel. This winter alone, more than 1,200 troops have been told to cancel their holiday plans to cover for striking ambulance drivers and Border Force staff. The disillusionment in the military was epitomised by the change in tone in recent weeks by the head of Britain’s armed forces. A week ago, when asked how the military viewed the wave of public sector strikes, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin told the Royal United Services Institute think-tank: “I don’t want to go there. I don’t want the UK armed forces to be commenting on unions and industrial action and strikes.”” – FT
“Suella Braverman hasn’t ruled out housing migrants on cruise ships as part of a major crackdown on small boats. The Home Secretary told a committee of peers this morning all options are on the table for reducing migrant accommodation costs. Taxpayers are currently footing the £5m-a-day bill for hotels where illegal migrants wait months for their asylum claims to be processed. The government wants to move migrants to holiday parks and student halls to lower the financial burden. And today Ms Braverman confirmed cruise ships are also being considered as an accommodation option… The comments come as the High Court ruled on Monday that government plans to deport migrants to Rwanda is legal.” – The Sun
More:
>Today:
>Yesterday: Yuan Yi Zhu in Think Tanks: How the Government could prevent charities turning the courts into a political battlefield
“Dominic Raab is contemplating exempting journalists from a new data protection code amid warnings it could threaten Press freedom. A source close to the Justice Secretary said he would ‘consider the arguments’ for an exemption after editors warned that the code ‘undermines the very basis of journalism’. The editors of the Daily Mail, The Times and The Daily Telegraph wrote to ministers this week urging them to take action to protect the free Press. In a joint letter, they warned that the draft code – which will have to be taken into account by the courts – would damage journalism and turn the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) into a statutory regulator for the Press.” – Daily Mail
>Yesterday: Emily Carver’s column: Clarkson’s column is no excuse for politicians to start dictating what papers may print
“The UK government has committed to provide up to £4.5bn to fund the takeover of the collapsed energy company Bulb by its rival Octopus. Bulb spent more than a year in a state-handled administration and its 1.5 million customers transferred to Octopus on Tuesday night. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said the cost could be up to £4.5bn to fund Bulb’s operations under Octopus ownership until the end of March, depending on the movement of energy prices. The government said it would also provide the company with a cash injection and cover any compensation that may occur “as a result of Bulb’s actions prior to the transfer”.” – The Guardian
“The final vote on the Scottish government’s long-awaited changes to simplify how someone can legally change gender has been delayed until Thursday after two days of fraught, chaotic and sometimes emotional debate among MSPs. With discussion of more than 150 amendments continuing late into Wednesday night, the decision was taken by Holyrood business managers to reschedule the crunch vote for Thursday afternoon rather than have the session run on into the early hours. This follows two days of marathon sittings, punctuated by angry protests from the public gallery, lengthy suspensions to consider parliamentary procedure and growing frustration at delaying tactics from the Scottish Conservatives…” – The Guardian
More:
“Sadiq Khan’s expansion of London’s Ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) will “crucify” small businesses, MPs have warned. Mr Khan, the Mayor of London, has announced plans to expand Ulez in August next year to cover almost all of the area inside the M25. Motorists whose cars were produced before 2005 will be hit with a charge of £12.50 for entering the city, leading to fears of a “financial wall” between the capital and the rest of the country. Kwasi Kwarteng, the former chancellor, revealed on Wednesday that he had sent a letter to Mr Khan urging him not to expand the zone.” – Daily Telegraph
“Tom Watson used his maiden speech in the House of Lords to formally apologise for his role in promoting false child sex abuse claims. MPs and campaigners fought for the former deputy leader of the Labour party to be blocked from getting a peerage as they blamed him for “destroying” lives by championing allegations made by the fantasist Carl Beech. Beech, known as “Nick”, made claims that there was a VIP paedophile ring operating in Westminster, which were investigated by police and eventually found to have no basis. The independent inquiry into child sexual abuse dismissed Watson’s “sensational allegations” of a Westminster paedophile conspiracy…” – The Times
“Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has poured cold water on Labour’s plans to abolish the House of Lords and replace it with an elected upper chamber. The senior Labour MP is expected to remain silent on party political matters but does occasionally comment on constitutional issues. During an appearance on LBC, he was asked about Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer’s plans to axe the House of Lords… Sir Lindsay was then asked about the “problem of the cronies” and people who have been nominated to the House of Lords because they have donated substantial sums of money to a particular political party.” – Daily Telegraph