“Rishi Sunak has ignored demands from hawkish Tories to designate China as a strategic threat to the UK. In a key policy document, the Prime Minister instead pledged the UK would engage with Beijing and ‘leave room for open, constructive and predictable relations’. The Integrated Review Refresh 2023 provided an opportunity for Britain to condemn China’s threats to the international order in the strongest terms. The report recognised the fragmentation of the ‘global economic and trade order’ and stated China wants to support authoritarian regimes around the world.” – Daily Mail
More:
>Today: ToryDiary: The crunch China question. Should Britain turn to megaphone diplomacy and economic disengagement? Sunak believes not.
“The US, UK and Australia have unveiled a decades-long project to supply Canberra with nuclear-powered submarines, entering a historic partnership that binds the allies more tightly as they counter China in the Indo-Pacific. US President Joe Biden, Australia’s prime minister Anthony Albanese and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met in San Diego, California, on Monday to unveil the parameters of the submarine programme, with the USS Missouri, a Virginia-class submarine, in the background… Speaking alongside his Australian and British counterparts at Naval Base Point Loma, Biden said: “Aukus has one overriding objective — to enhance the stability in the Indo-Pacific amid rapidly shifting global dynamics”.” – FT
More:
>Today: Dr Liam Fox MP in Comment: In America, the bipartisan consensus on Ukraine stays strong. And Trump’s position is more ambiguous than it may seem.
“Jeremy Hunt will use his budget to raise the lifetime allowance for pension savings to a record level to encourage people to keep working. The chancellor will boost the allowance on tax-free pension savings on Wednesday from £1.07 million to £1.8 million, taking it to the joint highest level on record. Nearly two million people will benefit from the move as Hunt seeks to address concerns that allowances are driving doctors and other professionals into retirement. Increasing the allowance means that people could avoid paying as much as £180,000 in tax on their pension pots when they draw money.” – The Times
More:
>Today: David Willetts’ column: Pensions, infrastructure, Universal Credit, skills. Priorities for tomorrow’s Budget.
>Yesterday: Tom Waterhouse in Comment: The four key reasons most MPs think short-term, and how to change this
“The price of a bottle of wine is expected to rise by around 45p thanks to an alcohol tax raid to be announced in Wednesday’s Budget. Jeremy Hunt, the Chancellor, is set to confirm alcohol duties will rise with inflation from Aug 1 despite cost of living pressures, The Telegraph understands. At the same time, a new system for taxing alcohol will come into effect – with stronger drinks having higher duties. As a result of the measures, around 90 per cent of all still wines will be hit with a tax increase this summer, according to industry estimates – with the rises likely to be passed on to consumers in higher prices.” – Daily Telegraph
Comment:
>Today: Rachael Robathan in Local Government: The Labour leadership of Westminster Council increases their allowances by 45 per cent – while pushing up Council Tax
“Britain has had “too much” immigration, Suella Braverman declared last night as those crossing the Channel have “overwhelmed our asylum system”. The Home Secretary launched a full-throated defence of the PM’s flagship new policy – and vowed not to back down in the face of “slurs” from the left. She insisted the “compassionate and generous” British public were not “bigoted or xenophobic” to want to control the numbers of people coming here. Ms Braverman hit back against “grotesque slurs” from “out-of-touch lefties” who believe that “someone’s skin colour should dictate their political views”.” – The Sun
Sketches:
Comment:
“Tim Davie is under increasing pressure to resign today after he was accused of rolling over for Gary Lineker who has been assured he can still tweet about politics despite his posts plunging the BBC into a civil war. A major battle has broken out between staff and management over whether bosses were right to U-turn and then apologise to the Match of the Day star for taking him off the air over his Nazi slur. As some critics said the Lineker scandal will be the death knell for the licence fee, and Davie’s tenure for failing to get a grip on impartiality, one worker for the broadcaster said: ‘The BBC blinked first. You can feel the power draining away.'” – Daily Mail
>Yesterday:
“Seen managerially, his decision makes some sense. He had not bargained for a strike by BBC staff. Viewers naturally want their football back fast, and now they will get it. But strategically, his decision is disastrous. To the question, “Do BBC impartiality rules on using social media apply to famous, rich BBC presenters?”, Mr Davie’s implied answer is “No”. This fracas has raised another question, “Can you control your staff?” The answer is also “No”. Outsiders will wonder whether it really had to be this way.” – Daily Telegraph
Editorial:
“Rishi Sunak has promised not to pressure Conservative MPs into treating Boris Johnson lightly in the parliamentary inquiry into Downing Street parties. The former prime minister will appear before the privileges committee of MPs next week to deny accusations that he misled parliament when answering questions about lockdown rulebreaking in Downing Street. If the committee finds that Johnson committed contempt of parliament, he could be suspended as an MP, potentially triggering a by-election in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency.” – The Times
“Rishi Sunak has said that “as a parent” he wants schools to be upfront about what children are being taught about sex at school. The Prime Minister made the remarks while speaking to reporters on his government plane during a defence trip to San Diego to meet Joe Biden and Anthony Albanese, the Australian premier. He also said that his daughter getting her first phone last year had “brought home” to him the worries about what children might be accessing online. His comments come amid concerns over the material that children are being taught in school, including that there are 100 genders.” – Daily Telegraph
“Junior doctors’ leaders have blamed Steve Barclay for triggering their three-day strike this week by ignoring their concerns and being “dismissive” of their demands for improved pay. Hospitals in England functioned effectively on Monday, the first day of the stoppage, with consultants – senior doctors – covering work usually done by junior colleagues. Many thousands of trainee medics refused to work, forcing hospitals to cancel outpatient appointments and operations. The Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association… launched a strongly worded attack on the health secretary’s handling of the dispute, which has been increasingly likely since June last year.” – The Guardian
“Theresa May is writing a tell-all book about corruption at the heart of Government. The former prime minister is penning a new read on how public institutions “abuse their power rather than seek the truth” in a damning take on British politics. Publishers Headline said she would “pull no punches” as she lifts the lid on her time at the top of Government – including six years as Home Secretary. The book will reveal how “the powerful repeatedly chose to use their power not in the interests of the powerless but to serve themselves or to protect the organisation to which they belonged”, it says.” – The Sun
“Twice as many Scots think Humza Yousaf would be a bad first minister compared with those who think he would do a good job, a new poll has suggested. More than six of out 10 Scots polled also think Mr Yousaf is doing a bad job of running the crisis-hit NHS, according to the damning poll published as he said independence would be his top priority if he becomes first minister. The YouGov survey for Sky News found 44 per cent thought Mr Yousaf would be a bad first minister compared with only 22 per cent who said he would do a good job.” – Daily Telegraph
Comment:
>Yesterday: Douglas Ross MP in Comment: If Sturgeon’s would-be successors have no faith in her record, why should anyone else?