“Rishi Sunak and his ministers are set to embark on a wave of diplomacy this week in an attempt to contain the fallout from the Hamas attack on Israel. James Cleverly, the foreign secretary, said it was imperative that the tensions did not expand into an “enduring, extended, painful regional conflict” and that Hamas wanted a “war between the Muslim world and the wider world”. He urged Israel to show “restraint” and said he had received assurances that it would stick to international law. He also said it was not an “unreasonable estimate” to say that more than ten Britons had been killed or taken hostage by Hamas. Three charter flights a day have been arranged to evacuate British citizens…Sunak will make a statement in parliament on Monday after a visit to a Jewish community…” – The Times
Editorial and Comment:
>Today:
“Suella Braverman has warned protesters who “mock the murder of Jewish people” that “the police are coming for you”. The Home Secretary tweeted her support for the police’s handling of the pro-Palestine protests in London and in cities across Britain on Saturday, which led to clashes and at least 15 arrests. Some 30,000 people attended a march through central London, where chants included “from the river, to the sea, Palestine must be free”. Photographs showed some wearing pictures of paragliders, in an echo of the tactics used by Hamas to infiltrate Israeli territory last weekend to massacre 1,300 people. Pictures of the demonstration through central London show two women, one wearing red and the other wearing black, with a picture of a paraglider…” – The Daily Telegraph
Editorial and Comment:
“As if a possible conflict between the US and China over Taiwan, plus the reality of a brutal war in Europe between Russia and Ukraine, were not enough, we now have to contemplate various ghastly events in the wake of the recent shocking attacks on Israel. Besides such human suffering and loss, economic matters pale into relative insignificance. But there could be serious economic and financial consequences and they deserve some attention. After the attacks, energy prices initially moved higher, though only modestly. But if there were a general Middle East conflagration involving Iran, then energy prices could go much higher…Any further sharp rise in energy prices now would threaten to reignite inflation and hence delay the fall in interest rates and bond yields…” – The Daily Telegraph
“Rishi Sunak this week faces two by-elections in once-safe Conservative seats, crucial tests of the political mood in Britain after a party conference season which he hoped would reset his premiership. His immediate focus is the crisis in the Middle East: the prime minister has so far given a full-throated defence of Israel’s right to defend itself and he will brief MPs on Monday. On Sunday he met King Abdullah of Jordan to discuss regional stability. But the domestic Tory focus is on Tamworth in the West Midlands and the seat of Mid Bedfordshire, 50 miles north of London…Labour strategists claim that both seats are “winnable but tough”, noting that overturning a 19,634 Tory majority in Tamworth and 24,664 in Mid Beds would normally be considered an almost impossible feat.” – The Financial Times
“Rishi Sunak must bring back plans to scrap European Union rules that are blocking the construction of 100,000 new homes, senior Tory MPs have demanded. Leading backbenchers are urging the Prime Minister to include legislation to abolish obstructive Brussels red tape in next month’s King’s Speech. Their call comes after Labour blocked the Government’s proposals to scrap “nutrient neutrality” requirements and turbocharge housebuilding. Sir Brandon Lewis and Sir Simon Clarke – both former Cabinet ministers – and MP Miriam Cates have backed a report by Policy Exchange. In it, the three parliamentarians urged Mr Sunak to take the fight to Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, by adopting more Right-wing policies ahead of the next election.” – The Daily Telegraph
>Today:
“Pop-up prison cells, deporting foreign criminals and making low-level offenders clean graffiti will be at the centre of a new plan to overhaul sentencing and ease prison overcrowding. Alex Chalk, the justice secretary, is expected to tell parliament today it is key that serious violent offenders are put behind bars, but short sentences only create hardened criminals who could be better punished in the community. However, he faces warnings that “there is no room left at the inn” after The Times revealed last week that prisons in England and Wales were full. Chalk will present a “programme of reform” in which he is expected to set out how judges can sentence low-level criminals to community work such as cleaning up neighbourhoods, scrubbing graffiti or planting new forests.” – The Times
“Suella Braverman is planning to increase the salary threshold for skilled migrant workers in a bid to cut arrivals. The Home Secretary wants it raised from the £26,200 currently needed before a visa is issued. An announcement may come before official immigration figures are released next month. A Home Office source said: “Our points-based system hasn’t really operated in a way that we promised in our manifesto. The Prime Minister accepts that net migration is too high. He has been working closely with the Home Office on it.” Migration hit 606,000 in May, figures showed, largely down to arrivals from Ukraine and Hong Kong under special schemes. A further crackdown could also see dependants of unskilled workers, including seasonal staff, prevented from settling.” – The Sun
“Liz Truss is set to challenge Jeremy Hunt with an alternative budget that would rail against “conventional thinking”. The Growth Commission, the think tank set up by the former prime minister, will release a report a week before the chancellor delivers his autumn statement on November 22. Called The Growth Budget, it is expected to propose policy on corporation tax, income tax and national insurance — including how the “tourism tax” could be dropped by bringing back VAT-free shopping. It will also look at public sector spending, management and productivity, and regulatory reforms. Truss called for tax cuts to “make Britain grow again” at the Conservative Party conference this month. She called on Hunt to cut corporation tax…and to slash government spending.” – The Times
>Yesterday:
“Sir Keir Starmer is poised to perform another about-turn by watering down his pledge to abolish the House of Lords within five years. The Labour leader has promised to axe the upper chamber – which he has branded “indefensible” and establish a new elected body. He had committed to do so within his first five years in office, but is now set to delay any reforms until after he has seen out his first term. Sir Keir will instead look at tweaking the system to cap the number of peers and beef up the body that scrutinises the suitability of appointees. Sources close to the Labour leader said he wanted to focus on other legislative priorities straight after taking office…As recently as June, his official spokesman was insisting that the party was still committed to abolishing the Lords…” – The Daily Telegraph
“Humza Yousaf has told SNP activists to concentrate on increasing support for independence after agreeing to a compromise strategy to try to force Scotland out of the UK. In what is the party’s fourth position on how to achieve secession, the first minister agreed to “begin immediate negotiations with the UK government to give democratic effect to Scotland becoming an independent country” if the party wins the majority of seats at the general election. In doing so he rejected Nicola Sturgeon’s plan for a de facto referendum, which would have seen more than half of the popular vote taken as a mandate for independence. Yousaf had managed to win round some previous critics of the party leadership…by backing down on a series of issues before the key vote…” – The Times