“Patients suffering from any of seven common conditions will no longer need to see a GP to get treatment under plans by Rishi Sunak to free up millions of family doctor appointments. On Tuesday, the Prime Minister will announce that up to seven million patients a year suffering from conditions such as sore throat, earache and shingles will be able to get prescriptions directly from pharmacies without a GP appointment. The move to reduce GP waiting lists and end the “8 am scramble” for appointments is part of a relaunch by Mr Sunak to revive Tory fortunes following the party’s heavy losses at the local elections.” – Daily Telegraph
“The recent reforms to pension rules will help encourage GPs to continue working rather than retire early by freeing about 8,900 of them from annual tax charges on their pension pots. We will cut bureaucracy by reducing unnecessary targets, improving communication between GPs and hospitals, and stopping GPs from being asked to do non-GP work, such as prescribing fit notes. This will save about £37,000 of resources per practice and allow GPs to spend more time caring for patients not paperwork. Primary care has long been one of the most dynamic and innovative parts of the NHS and these measures are being introduced in that spirit.” – Steve Barclay, The Times
“Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer will tell his senior shadow ministers there is “more work to be done” after last week’s strong local election results. He will say the “hardest part lies ahead” and Labour must show it can form a “big reforming government”. Labour gained more than 500 councillors in last week’s elections, while the Conservatives lost more than 1,000. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will also meet with his Cabinet on Tuesday for the first time since the results. Sir Keir is due to meet with leaders of all 22 councils which were won by the party. They have been tasked with drawing up “emergency cost of living plans” within their first 100 days, as well as reviewing local housing and development policies.” – BBC
>Today:
“Rail passengers face more disruption this week when two transport unions launch a new wave of strikes in a long-running dispute with the train operators and government. Drivers’ union Aslef will bring large parts of the network to a standstill when its members stage a one-day strike on Friday, May 12. The RMT union will walk out for 24 hours on Saturday. The strikes will be the first nationwide walkouts since early February, and have dashed hopes for an imminent deal to end a bitter dispute that has dragged on for almost a year. Aslef plans to hold further one-day walkouts on May 31 and June 3.” – Financial Times
“Tory MPs have accused the government of “prostrating” itself before China as it holds talks over renewing business ties with Hong Kong. Lord Johnson of Lainston will meet senior officials to discuss increasing trade when he makes the first visit to Hong Kong by a minister since China cracked down on civil rights in the former British territory. Senior Tory MPs said the visit was “not a good look”, especially after the attendance of Han Zheng, the Chinese vice-president, at the coronation. Han oversaw a crackdown on freedom in Hong Kong. Sir Iain Duncan Smith, a former Conservative leader, told Politico: “Why is it that we are about to prostrate ourselves in front of a government that treats us like dirt?” – The Times
“The Metropolitan Police expressed regret last night that six protesters from the Republic anti-monarchy group were arrested before the coronation. In a lengthy statement, the force said that during a vehicle search officers found placards and items “they had reasonable grounds to believe could be used as lock-on devices”. The Met added that the investigation team had now fully examined the items and reviewed the “full circumstances of the arrest”, leading to the six protesters having their bail cancelled and no further action being taken.” – The Times
“Boris Johnson ‘squared up’ to Charles after he branded the Government’s Rwanda scheme ‘appalling’, it was claimed last night. In an extraordinary clash last year, the ex-PM allegedly rounded on the then Prince of Wales and warned him against interfering in politics…In a bombshell revelation in a new podcast called Unprecedented, for Global Player, No 10’s former director of communications Guto Harri says the then PM told him he ‘went in quite hard’ against the future King over his decision to wade into the highly sensitive political matter.” – Daily Mail
“The SNP would insist on unpicking Brexit as its price for supporting Labour in a hung parliament. The Scottish Nationalists claim they will pull the strings if Sir Keir Starmer falls short of an overall majority at next year’s General Election.Their EU Accession spokesman Alyn Smith said: “The SNP could hold the balance of power. “We’d use our influence to undo Brexit as far as possible and demand the UK has a close relationship with the EU.” – The Sun
“Starmer’s purpose with this rather complacent interpretation was to steer debate away from the looming nightmare of Labour becoming the largest party but without a majority — an outcome more in line with Thursday’s results. That would leave every government decision dependent on the whims of some combination of the SNP, Liberal Democrats and Labour’s far left, and he does not want voters to contemplate that deeply unattractive prospect. If his poll lead continues to narrow, this scenario will receive steadily more attention.” – William Hague, The Times
“The PM is trapped in a zero-sum game where any attempt to court one group of voters with a targeted gesture risks alienating the other. Sending asylum seekers off to central Africa may prove roaringly popular in the Red Wall, but the prospect is unleashing paroxysms of disgust at the dinner parties of home-working centre-Right professionals. A new round of flashy net zero projects may help the likes of Dominic Raab cling on in Surrey’s virtuous millionaire enclaves, but Workington Man can only bristle with indignation at Whitehall’s breathy utopianism as he struggles to feed the gas meter.” – Sherelle Jacobs, Daily Telegraph
>Today: ToryDiary: Can National Conservatism adapt from America to Britain?
“Nigel Farage has spoken of his frustration – and asked if “the whole thing is rigged” – after a TV awards website crashed shortly after he revealed he had been shortlisted for News Presenter of the Year. The former UKIP leader, who now presents his own show, Farage, on GB News, took to his Twitter account to encourage fans to persevere in casting votes in order to help him bag the prestigious Television and Radio Industries Club gong. The ceremony, which celebrates the ‘great and the good’ of the industry, takes place on June 27.” – Daily Express
“Ukrainian officials say air defences downed 15 Russian cruise missiles which were launched overnight against the capital, Kyiv. No casualties were reported from the attack, according to Serhiy Popko, a senior Kyiv military official. He said he believed the missiles had been launched from four bombers flying from the Caspian sea region.” – BBC