“Rishi Sunak on Thursday insisted that the latest allocation of “levelling-up” funding would benefit the UK’s neediest areas, after criticism that too many grants had been directed to affluent parts of the country. The prime minister said during a visit to Morecambe in Lancashire, which is to receive £50mn funding for a northern version of Cornwall’s successful Eden Project, that north-west England was receiving most funding on a per-capita basis…On Thursday the government announced the second phase of its levelling-up fund…The policy was a key plank of the 2019 Conservative manifesto’s promise to support economically struggling towns and cities. However…large sums had been allocated to some areas with…low levels of deprivation.” – The Financial Times
>Today:
“Police are ‘looking into’ Rishi Sunak not wearing a seatbelt in his official car while recording a video for his Instagram earlier today. The Prime Minister acknowledged the ‘error of judgment’ after a now-removed clip appeared to show Mr Sunak in the back of a moving car without a seatbelt on. Lancashire police said they were aware of matter and are making inquiries. The law states that car users must wear a seatbelt if one is fitted in their seat, with only a few exceptions. A fine of up to £500 can be issued if someone does not wear a seatbelt. A Downing Street spokesman said this afternoon: ‘That was a brief error of judgment. The Prime Minister removed his seatbelt to film a short clip.’” – The Daily Mail
“Rishi Sunak suggested that only “idiots” fail to understand why he does not immediately cut taxes to boost the economy. The Prime Minister insisted he does want to reduce taxation, but argued that the Covid pandemic and Russia’s war in Ukraine mean he cannot do so yet. “You’re not idiots, you know what’s happened,” he told an audience in Morecambe, Lancashire. His remark sparked a backlash among Tory MPs and business leaders, who said tax cuts were needed to give the economy a boost. It emerged on Thursday that thousands of council tax payers will pay average rates of more than £2,400 from April… A Telegraph analysis has found that more than three quarters of districts are set to charge average Band D bills of more than £2,000.” – The Daily Telegraph
“Jeremy Hunt wants to extend the 5p cut in the price of petrol and diesel for another year if the economic outlook improves, having accepted that there is a “strong precedent” for freezing fuel duty. The Times has been told that the chancellor is minded to extend the reduction in his spring budget should the public finances allow, amid concerns that imposing additional costs on motorists would be “politically toxic”. He is also facing pressure to freeze fuel duty for another year, in line with Tory policy since 2011. However, the decision on whether to push ahead with the two measures — which would cost £6 billion between them — is dependent on inflation falling and economic growth recovering.” – The Times
“UK chancellor Jeremy Hunt has warned Conservative MPs not to expect tax cuts in his March Budget, but Tory strategists are earmarking…next year as the moment for a pre-election giveaway. Some Conservatives want to start reducing taxes now, but Hunt told MPs this week that it would be irresponsible to do so in his March Budget at a time of high inflation, according to people briefed on the discussions. “The situation in March will be much the same as at the Autumn Statement in November,” said one government insider. Hunt used that fiscal event to cut public spending and raise taxes to fill a £55bn fiscal hole. The chancellor has told colleagues he hopes…tight fiscal constraints could allow him to hit his targets with room to spare.” – The Financial Times
“Britain is mounting a charm offensive to unlock German resistance to sending hundreds of tanks to Ukraine. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace will meet German officials tomorrow morning to try to persuade them to let Nato states send Leopard 2s to the front lines of the war against Russia. Despite intense pressure, Berlin has stubbornly refused to let countries that use the German-made tanks donate them to Kyiv. Even the UK’s pledge to donate 14 Challenger 2 tanks has not convinced the Germans to budge. Fractures appeared in the Nato alliance today as Poland threatened to donate its Leopards without Berlin’s approval. The issue will top the agenda when defence ministers, including Mr Wallace, meet at the Ramstein US military base…tomorrow.” – The Daily Mail
>Today:
“The defence secretary has been accused of giving the green light to illegal foxhunting on Ministry of Defence land after ending an agreement to help monitors ensure meets are complying with the law. Ben Wallace sent a letter to the League Against Cruel Sports last month in which he terminated a memorandum of understanding under which the MoD let the charity know where hunts were operating on its land. He cited “security concerns as well the behaviour of protesters and their attire, which is intimidating to other users”. The memorandum, which had been in place since 2009 and was updated in 2020, allowed monitors — often former police officers employed by the league — to observe the hunt.” – The Times
“Business Secretary Grant Shapps set out plans yesterday to create a ‘Silicon Valley with a British edge’. The aim will be to produce a global giant company with the stature of Google, Amazon or Apple in the UK. Mr Shapps told an audience of UK business leaders at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos that he wanted to help innovative businesses not only to develop in Britain but also to stay and grow into world beaters. He said there was no lack of innovation but that the UK ‘must do better’ in converting ‘start-ups to scale-ups’, adding: ‘I want to inspire scale-up Britain.’ He hopes to launch the quest for growth with a ‘scale-up summit’ of tech and finance figures who have previously helped fledgling firms expand across the world.” – The Daily Mail
“Business Secretary Grant Shapps blasted US President Joe Biden’s multi-billion green subsidies package – just 24 hours after Number 10 hit out at the White House over anti-strike laws. The Cabinet Minister warned the £350 billion scheme aiming for major investment into America could see a “dangerous” slide to protectionism if changes weren’t made…The warning comes after the EU, Canada and South Korea raised concerns that the scheme, which includes tax credits for eco technologies, is in breach of world trade rules… International Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch has already written to the US government saying the move will “harm multiple economies across the world”.” – The Sun
“HMRC is under pressure to reveal whether Tory chairman Nadhim Zahawi paid a penalty to the taxman after he reportedly agreed to hand over millions of pounds. His spokesman has not denied reports at the weekend that Mr Zahawi had accepted the need for a tax payment after scrutiny of his family’s financial affairs. Angela Rayner, the Labour deputy leader, has written to HMRC seeking clarity on what took place by asking a dozen questions. A copy of the letter has been seen by The Telegraph. Many of the questions relate to whether a financial penalty was incurred by Mr Zahawi. Ms Rayner also asked when HMRC first communicated with Mr Zahawi about tax issues.” – The Daily Telegraph
“The UK government will not rush to call new elections in Northern Ireland despite a legal deadline to form a power-sharing executive passing, as London and Brussels work to resolve a long-running dispute over post-Brexit trade rules. The region has been in political limbo since elections in May last year, with the Democratic Unionist party boycotting the Stormont assembly and executive to demand changes to the so-called Northern Ireland Protocol. Thursday marked the last day for an executive to be formed before Chris Heaton-Harris, UK secretary of state for Northern Ireland, faced a legal obligation to call fresh polls to be held within 12 weeks. That deadline had itself been delayed from October last year.” – The Financial Times
“Brits are set to get up to 20p back when they recycle their old cans and bottles under a landmark new green scheme, The Sun can reveal.In a huge win for our Show Some Bottle campaign, ministers will today announce the new deposit return scheme will come into law by 2025. Millions will be encouraged to get cash back every time they use reverse vending machines to stop their recycling ending up being burned in landfill or chucked away. Ministers hope it will take millions of bits of rubbish out of Britain’s lakes, rivers and beaches and clean up our environment. Consumers will get a cash reward as a sweetener to help encourage them to recycle more – with ministers aiming to reach an 85 per cent recycling rate within three years.” – The Sun
“George Eustice has warned Rishi Sunak against “letting other nations boss us about”, warning that the “sovereignty we fought so hard for” could be under threat. Mr Eustice, the former farming minister, said that the UK needs to be careful when negotiating trade deals in order to avoid losing “control” over our own regulations. He advised the UK Government to be especially careful when it comes to joining major trade blocks such as the CPTPP, as countries could “get together” to “force us to change some of our regulations”…. But he praised Kemi Badenoch and Rishi Sunak, saying they are “adopting a much more hard-headed and pragmatic approach to trade deals” than Ms Truss.” – Daily Express
“The parliamentary researcher who was caught in the eye of a social media storm today after a Tory MP tweeted out her salary details is an alumna of an £33,000-a-year private school whose father served with distinction in the Armed forces. Blunt-talking backbencher Lee Anderson MP was left facing a House of Commons probe after he shared an image of Katy Colthup, one of his parliamentary staffers, on his Twitter feed today and championed the fact she didn’t need to use a food bank despite earning less than £30,000 a year. Ms Colthup, who read politics at the University of Nottingham, previously attended the fee-paying St Peter’s School in York, where tuition starts at £11,310 per term for boarding pupils.” – The Daily Mail
“Train operating companies have made their “best and final offer” to the biggest rail workers’ union in an attempt to resolve their dispute over pay, jobs and conditions. The Rail Delivery Group, which represents the companies, said that the “fair offer” to the Rail, Maritime and Transport union included a minimum pay rise of 5 per cent for last year and 4 per cent for this year — an increase of one percentage point on the previous offer. It promised that there would be no compulsory redundancies until the end of December next year, eight months later than the previous offer. Rises would be backdated to last year. The biggest change is the removal of the contentious issue of expanding driver-only operation from the latest offer.” – The Times
“The political obituaries were flooding in all day. Jacinda Ardern, it seemed, was just too good for this grubby political world. “A true global leader,” said Sir Keir Starmer. Her difference to the world was “immeasurable”, said Justin Trudeau. And how apt that New Zealand’s prime minister…was not defiled by losing an election but had the grace to bow out, saying she is emotionally exhausted. In so doing, she began her final act: the Assumption of St Jacinda, a world leader now showing the world how to say goodbye. That’s one way of putting it. Another is to say that her popularity was tanking and she had decided she’d probably lose the general election this autumn. But rather than let voters pass verdict on her zero-Covid policy, she bolted.” – The Daily Telegraph
“Keir Starmer has indicated the Metropolitan police might need to change its name as part of a much-needed “root and branch” review in the wake of the David Carrick case. The Labour leader likened the scale of change needed within the force to the policing reforms in Northern Ireland which took place after the Good Friday agreement. The Royal Ulster Constabulary was eventually replaced by the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Starmer said the crimes committed by the serial rapist Carrick, a Met firearms officer, were “jaw-droppingly shocking”, but highlighted that there had been a number of scandals within the force prior to this… The Carrick case followed a series of damaging scandals for the Met…” – The Guardian
“Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to stop investing in new British oil and gas fields if Labour wins the next election. In a major departure from current government policy, the Labour leader ruled out new investment in North Sea fossil fuels…Addressing business leaders and policymakers at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Sir Keir called on countries to form a “clean power alliance” to rival the Opec group of oil exporting countries. Sir Keir claimed an alliance would help bring down energy bills and stressed that Labour’s energy plan did not involve fossil fuels. Sir Keir also criticised Rishi Sunak’s absence in Switzerland, describing his own attendance….as a “statement of intent” that Britain would be “open for business” under Labour.” – The Daily Telegraph
“Sadiq Khan was today accused of pricing Londoners out of the capital after unveiling controversial plans to hike transport and council tax amid the cost-of-living crisis. The Mayor of London piled fresh misery on Londoners yesterday after revealing proposals to hike Transport for London fares by nearly six percent from March and council tax bills by £38.55 a year to fund more PCSOs. The latest blow to household finances, amid a cost-of-living crisis that has already stretched budgets, comes as a bitter legal battle brews over Mr Khan’s contentious bid to expand the Ultra Low Emission Zone. London boroughs have continued their open revolt against the mayor’s policies after four suburbs said they would challenge the ULEZ expansion…” – The Daily Mail
“Labour MPs have been blasted for sharing a platform with a transgender activist who was previously jailed for attempted murder and kidnap. Three of the party’s Left-wingers appeared at a trans rights protest next to Sarah Jane Baker, who served 30 years behind bars. During the demonstration outside Downing Street, the activist told the crowd she had been ‘in prison because I was violent’ but now wanted to get into Parliament and invite everyone ‘round’ to take drugs. The MPs were also present when the activists struck up an offensive chant about their party leader Sir Keir Starmer. Last night the MPs insisted they did not know who Ms Baker was and did not hear nor endorse her comments.” – The Daily Mail
“Scotland has called on the UK government to revoke an order blocking Edinburgh’s new gender reform legislation, suggesting that Edinburgh is seeking to avoid a legal fight that would delay its implementation. A constitutional clash broke out on Monday between Scotland’s first minister and London when Scottish secretary Alister Jack said he would invoke Section 35 of the Scotland Act to stop the legislation on the grounds that it clashed with UK-wide equality law. In December, Scottish ministers voted to pass the gender recognition bill, which lowers the age at which people can legally change their gender from 18 to 16 and removed the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria.” – The Financial Times
>Yesterday: