“The US is calling on Britain to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as terrorists in the wake of Tehran’s “complicity” in Hamas’s massacre of 1,400 people in Israel. Joe Biden’s administration is publicly urging its allies to “designate the IRGC as a terrorist organisation” over the Iranian state security body’s link to terror across the globe. A Whitehall source said some senior US officials had been privately encouraging their UK counterparts to proscribe the body, which has been banned in the US since 2019. Matthew Miller, the US State Department’s official spokesman, said: “We absolutely think that other countries should designate the IRGC as a terrorist organisation.”… The public remarks, will add to growing pressure within Britain to proscribe the IRGC…” – The Sunday Telegraph
“Sir Keir Starmer is facing vitriolic attack from within Labour over his support for Israel – with one prominent figure accusing the party leader of ‘enabling a war crime’. He angered the party’s pro-Palestinian faction by saying Israel ‘does have that right’ to withhold power and water from Palestinian civilians, though ‘everything should be done within international law’. The backlash has been so great that Labour insiders claim Sir Keir has ordered a seat-by-seat analysis to assess if it could have an impact on chances of winning the election. Fatima Said, a National Executive Member of the Labour Muslim Network who was parliamentary staff member for Jeremy Corbyn when he was party leader, posted that she assumed the Gaza hospital blast was an attack by Israel.” – The Mail on Sunday
“We support, absolutely, Israel’s right to defend itself against this murderous enemy. More than a right, it has a duty to its citizens to restore the country’s security and bring the hostages home. That is what I told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog when I met them this week – being clear this must be done in line with international humanitarian law and taking every possible step to avoid harming civilians. Palestinian people in Gaza are suffering terribly at the moment, with the casualty numbers climbing constantly. They are the victims of Hamas too, who use the innocent as human shields. The terrorists murder Israeli children, then run and hide behind Palestinian children. Leaders in the region…must come together and find routes back to peace…” – The Sunday Telegraph
“The question now haunting Tory MPs is whether Sunak can repeat the trick and make a positive contribution to winning the next election. While the prime minister found his feet on the world stage, deftly negotiating a diplomatic and strategic minefield, the stage seemed to be collapsing under him at home…Immediately after the summer recess, two small groups of disgruntled Conservative MPs — one from the moderate wing of the party and another made up of Johnson’s allies — began approaching colleagues asking for their support to topple Sunak, predicting that losing the two by-elections would tip the balance against him…While a full-blown coup is unlikely, former ministers and backbenchers are gearing up to press for tax cuts…” – The Sunday Times
>Today:
“Plans to ban trans and gay conversion therapy will be kicked into the long grass amid a mass revolt by furious Tory MPs. Rishi Sunak is not putting the proposed Bill in his King’s Speech – which sets out the laws for the next year – next month. It comes as The Sun on Sunday can reveal that over 40 Tory MPs have signed a letter to the PM demanding he dump plans for the new law. The Bill would have banned institutions from offering conversion ‘therapy’ claiming to be able to stop people being gay or trans. But the MPs warn it could also end up inadvertently criminalising mums, dads and teachers just for telling their kids they should not change genders…The PM will kick the can down the road by publishing a draft Bill which he will consult MPs on – known as pre legislative scrutiny.” – The Sun on Sunday
“Jeremy Hunt is drawing up a package of support to help first-time buyers get on to the property ladder ahead of the autumn statement next month. Options being considered include extending the government’s mortgage guarantee scheme and creating a new type of individual savings account (Isa) targeted at people looking to build up a deposit to buy their first home. It comes amid growing concern that thousands of first-time buyers, as well as homeowners whose cheap fixed-rate mortgage deals are set to expire, will struggle with affordability checks should rates remain high throughout next year. The Bank of England’s interest rate is 5.25 per cent at present, compared with a historic low of 0.1 per cent from March 2020 until December 2021.” – The Sunday Times
“MPs who own rental properties will be among a flood of landlords leaving the market if Rishi Sunak pushes ahead with an “unconservative” policy to ban no-fault evictions, Conservative rebels have claimed. The Government is trying to defuse a revolt over its Renters Reform Bill by encouraging potential rebels to skip the vote on Monday or otherwise abstain, the Telegraph has learnt. Drawn up by Michael Gove. the the Levelling Up Secretary, the Renters Reform Bill aims to protect renters by getting rid of Section 21 evictions, which allow private landlords to repossess their properties without having to establish fault on the part of the tenant. However, the Bill has angered a large number of Tory MPs, who see it as anti-landlord…” – The Sunday Telegraph
“As preparations for a new production of La traviata go, it was far from ideal. On Wednesday members of the English National Opera orchestra met union representatives to discuss cuts that would make many of them redundant. As the meeting broke up, the musicians trudged into their rehearsal room and tried to evoke the salons of 19th-century Paris…“The future looks very bleak,” one said. The English National Opera (ENO) has been rocked by announcements of cuts and the resignation of Martyn Brabbins, the music director, in protest last weekend…Under the plans, dozens of orchestra and chorus posts would be abolished…Dorries attacked the council, an organisation that she said is “not fit for purpose” and led by “cultural terrorists”, for how it has treated the ENO.” – The Sunday Times
“Sir Bobby Charlton, one of Britain’s most gifted footballers who helped England win the 1966 World Cup, has died. Widely considered as one of the greatest players of all time, the attacking midfielder who spent much of his career at Manchester United died aged 86 surrounded by his family. He had been diagnosed with dementia three years earlier. In a statement, his wife Lady Norma and two daughters, Suzanne and Andrea, said: “It is with great sadness that we share the news that Sir Bobby passed peacefully in the early hours of Saturday morning. He was surrounded by his family.”…Royalty, football stars and politicians yesterday paid tribute to a sportsman who was celebrated for his talent as much as his courteous and gentlemanly manner.” – The Sunday Telegraph
“Labour will hand drivers cash to buy electric vehicles under plans being considered to help the party stick to a 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars. Officials are examining ways to tie subsidies and interest-free loans to British jobs and manufacturing amid fears that cheap Chinese models will start flooding the market in order to help Britain meet its net zero target. It is understood that Labour prepared a package of financial incentives designed to help motorists switch to electric vehicles to be unveiled at its party conference in Liverpool which took place earlier this month. One proposal at an advanced stage included a universal cash subsidy worth around £1,500 to help people who want to buy an electric car to fund a deposit.”