“The Conservatives risk losing the next general election and becoming the “party of nimbyism” after dropping housebuilding targets, MPs have warned. The government has been criticised by Tory backbenchers on WhatsApp and faced accusations of “short-termism” after Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, said he would reinstate the targets if his party won the next election. Rishi Sunak dropped compulsory housebuilding targets for local areas in December after Tory MPs threatened to rebel against his Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill.” – The Times
Sketches:
Comment:
>Today:
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: Andrew Gimson’s PMQs sketch: Sunak and Flynn gang up on Starmer
“Rishi Sunak said the Conservatives will lose seats at the local elections because of the “box set drama” that engulfed the party during the premierships of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss. The Prime Minister said the party should be prepared for tough results, saying that “good councillors” will lose their seats because of “all that has happened over the past year”. His comments, at an event hosted by the Onward think-tank, came the night before local elections in most of England, at which the Conservatives are expected to make large losses. The Tories are projected to lose as many as 1,000 of the 8,000 seats being contested at 230 councils.” – Daily Telegraph
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“A Home Office plan to house more than 500 people seeking asylum on a giant barge in Dorset is facing serious reservations from the local police commissioner and council leader, both of whom are Conservatives. Councillors have told the Guardian that the department has failed to adequately respond to dozens of detailed questions about plans to place a barge containing 506 male asylum seekers in Portland Port from next month. They are demanding to know the security provisions to keep asylum seekers safe from attacks; the background checks on those who will be housed on the barge; the health and waste provisions for those living on the barge; and are demanding extra resources to pay for local services.” – The Guardian
“Former Cabinet minister Theresa Villiers today launched a bid to hand the Government new powers to scrap London mayor Sadiq Khan’s ‘anti-car policies’. The Chipping Barnet MP introduced a Ten-Minute Rule Bill to the House of Commons this afternoon seeking to give ministers the ability to overturn the expansion of the capital’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). Mr Khan’s proposal to expand ULEZ to the whole of the London from late August – which will see a £12.50 daily fee for vehicles not meeting minimum requirements – has been met with widespread opposition. Ms Villiers’ Bill looks to amend the 1999 Greater London Authority Act so Transport Secretary Mark Harper can review and overturn decisions made by the capital’s mayor relating to transport and air quality…” – Daily Mail
>Today: Stephen Booth’s column: Post-Brexit regulation. Do we really want our ministers and top officials prioritising what to do with EU product standards for washing machines?
“Boris Johnson’s political future could be decided within weeks by a group of MPs investigating claims he misled parliament over Partygate, the Guardian has been told. After holding off from doing anything that could be seen to influence the local elections or overshadowing King Charles’s coronation, the privileges committee is preparing to bring its inquiry into the former prime minister to a close. Sources said that 23 and 24 May had been pencilled in to try to finalise a report that will rule on whether Johnson misled MPs about his knowledge of law-breaking parties in Downing Street during Covid… The hope is that the more than year-long inquiry can move to its last stage before the Commons goes into recess on 25 May.” – The Guardian
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“UK elections remain at risk from interference by hostile states after the government voted down a move to close loopholes on foreign donations to parties, campaigners have warned. The chair of parliament’s security committee was among those who backed an amendment to the national security bill that would have obliged political parties to carry out due diligence on the true source of donations from companies and individuals. The amendment was sponsored by three members of the House of Lords including the former director general of MI5, Jonathan Evans.” – The Guardian
>Yesterday: Tristram C Llewellyn Jones in Comment: Why Conservatives must defeat the latest push to register home-educating families
“Sir Keir Starmer was mocked yesterday for his “Nick Clegg moment” after his U-turn on tuition fees. The Labour leader was slammed for abandoning a pledge to abolish higher education costs. SNP leader Stephen Flynn pointed to the ex-Lib Dem leader for breaking an election pledge to vote against a rise in university fees costing his party in the 2015 election. The Scottish National Party leader said: “In 2010, David Cameron convinced Nick Clegg to drop his pledge on university tuition fees. Does the PM intend to take the credit for convincing the leader of the Labour Party to do likewise?” The exchange took place in a bruising Prime Minister’s Question Time ahead of the local elections today.” – The Sun
“Labour wants Sue Gray in place as chief of staff to begin access talks with the civil service after the summer. Sir Keir Starmer’s team want to begin preparatory talks with officials at least nine months before the election next year and are increasingly hopeful of having the former civil servant ready to lead them. Starmer has said he is confident Gray broke no rules and the party has dismissed a government investigation into the circumstances of her departure from the civil service as a “vendetta”. Downing Street said on Wednesday that it was “obviously disappointing” that Gray had chosen not to co-operate with the Cabinet Office inquiry.” – The Times
>Yesterday: Left Watch: The curious incident of Gray, Starmer, and the Cabinet Office inquiry
“The Scottish National party has appointed a new auditor, raising hopes in Scotland’s ruling party that it can avert a significant loss of public funding by filing its financial accounts on time. The pro-independence SNP said on Wednesday that AMS Accountants, which is based in Manchester, would audit the main party and its group of MPs in Westminster. Humza Yousaf, SNP leader and Scotland’s first minister, said he was “relieved” the party had managed to find new auditors in view of the “looming deadlines” it faced to file its accounts.” – FT
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