“Rishi Sunak says he is working with allies to secure “pauses” in the Israel-Hamas war to allow vital aid into Gaza. But the Prime Minister rejected calls for a ceasefire as he fears it would only benefit the Palestinian terror group. He told MPs a “safer environment” was needed so vital supplies of food, water and medicine could be provided to the strip and the safe passage out of British nationals could be secured. At Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Sunak said the “first and most important principle” was that Israel had the right to defend itself under international law following the October 7 terror attack that left 1,400 Israelis dead… Time-limited breaks have been discussed at the United Nations as a way of ensuring aid reaches innocent Palestinians in Gaza.” – Daily Express
Comment:
>Today:
>Yesterday: Daniel Hannan’s column: In Gaza, there are no good answers to the vital question – ‘And then what?’
“The boss of the BBC got a pummelling from ministers and Tory MPs last night over coverage of small boats and Hamas. Director General Tim Davie tried to quell anger by hailing a new review into the BBC’s coverage of migration, but was heckled in a stormy closed-door meeting. He was invited to address the Conservative’s powerful 1922 Committee, but the meeting quickly turned into an intense grilling. Cabinet Minister Robert Jenrick told him he had “never been so disappointed” and the Jewish community were turning against the BBC. His demand that the Beeb start using the word terrorists was rebuffed – prompting a heckle from Tory MP Jill Mortimer, who demanded to know if Davie “believed they are terrorists?”” – The Sun
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: The implications of escalation in the Middle East for the economy
“Sir Keir Starmer has failed to heal the rift within his party over the Israel and Gaza conflict and is said to have “made matters worse” after comments that left Muslim voters feeling “gaslit” and “betrayed”. Starmer and Angela Rayner, his deputy, spoke to about 12 Muslim MPs and peers on Wednesday to calm tensions inflamed by an interview in which Starmer appeared to say Israel had the right to cut off power and water to Gaza. The Labour leader has since clarified that he was referring to Israel’s right to defend itself, but the widely shared clip – detailed below and described as “toxic” by one MP – has prompted thousands of emails from Muslim voters, councillor resignations and public letters from those still representing the party.” – The Times
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Comment:
Editorial:
>Yesterday: James Johnson’s column: Some like to say America is broken. But over the last two weeks, its politics has put ours to shame.
“Rishi Sunak is expected to say that the government must be “honest” about the risks posed by artificial intelligence as an official report warns that it could pose an “existential threat”. The prime minister believes that while there are significant opportunities from AI, it also “brings new dangers and fears”. A government paper on AI, written with the support of 50 experts, says that by 2025 it could be used to commit fraud and mount cyberattacks. It suggests that by then it will have the potential to “enhance terrorist capabilities” in developing weapons, planning attacks and producing propaganda. The range of more severe risks that could emerge by 2030 includes “mass disinformation”, an “unemployment crisis” as AI takes low-skilled jobs, and the use of the technology to help terrorists develop biological weapons.” – The Times
Comment:
“Rishi Sunak has dropped the biggest hint yet that the General Election will be next October – as he pleaded for 52 more weeks to get the job done. In a video to mark one year in office on his social media accounts, the PM said he wants another year in office as there is “still work to be done.” No10 also released a picture of Rishi working at his desk, with a slice of cake and a £25 half-pint mug by the designer Emma Bridgewater featuring five red Labradors. The 46-second video, published on the Downing Street YouTube channel, offered a rapid run through of Mr Sunak’s policy priorities over the last 12 months. It asks viewers: “So what can a country achieve in 52 weeks? Watch this space.”” – The Sun
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: Andrew Gimson’s PMQs sketch: White-haired Sunak has a touch of Douglas-Home
“The Conservatives may face another by-election after the Commons voted to suspend an MP who allegedly bullied and harassed a member of his staff. An investigation published this month found that Peter Bone exposed himself to a staff member who was “trapped” with him in a Madrid hotel room as part of a targeted campaign of bullying. The complainant at the centre of the case told the BBC it was a “horrid, brutal, dark experience that left me a broken shell of the young man I once was”. “His temper was often explosive. I described it as like a pendulum,” he said, adding that Bone’s behaviour was “relentless”. The MP has said the allegations are “false and untrue” and “without foundation”.” – The Times
More MPs:
“The government’s emergency measures to free up prison places will reduce deterrents for foreign nationals to commit crime in the UK, ministers have been warned. Alex Chalk, the justice secretary, announced changes to the law to allow foreign criminals to be deported within 18 months of the end of their sentence. At present, they only qualify within 12 months. The move means that foreign prisoners will be freed earlier than their British counterparts because they are no longer imprisoned after deportation. A Lords committee scrutinising the change in the law, which will come into effect from January, suggested that the move could lead to an increase in crime committed by foreign criminals due to the punishment being softened.” – The Times
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Comment:
“A mission to promote UK luxury firms in Japan was questioned yesterday by critics of a shopping tax on visitors to Britain. Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch is in Tokyo with high-end British retailers hoping to boost their exports. But the trip comes after more than 400 business leaders called for the return of VAT-free shopping for overseas tourists. Burberry and Harrods were among big names to sign a letter to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt demanding the perk be restored. Their pleas have been echoed in a prominent Mail campaign. Anda Rowland, of the Savile Row tailor Anderson & Sheppard, said promoting luxury businesses on the international stage was ‘all very well’ but ‘this is no good when at home they are implementing the most self-defeating policy in terms of the tourist tax’.” – Daily Mail
>Yesterday: Sam Bidwell in Comment: How the UK can better compete with Chinese influence in Nigeria
“UK ministers did not consult Network Rail before unveiling a £36bn set of proposed transport schemes to replace the northern leg of the HS2 high-speed line. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak set out the “Network North” plan at the Conservative party conference this month as a replacement for building the second phase of HS2. The government billed it as the most ambitious plan ever drawn up for transport in the north of England. But ministers did not speak to the public body responsible for rail infrastructure before Sunak’s announcement, according to several people familiar with the matter. Network Rail owns and operates the UK rail network. It is responsible for upgrading current railway lines and the longer-term planning for shaping future investment decisions.” – FT
>Yesterday: Tony Lodge in Comment: Time is running out for Conservative rail reform
“Matt Hancock, the former health secretary turned reality TV personality, has resigned as director of the charity he launched last month. Hancock announced the Accessible Learning Foundation (Alf) on TikTok, saying that he was “really excited” to be starting “my dyslexia charity”. He added: “I’ve been working on this for ages… Really really really looking forward to this.” Records filed at Companies House last week show that he ended his role as the organisation’s sole director to be replaced by Sarah Dixon, who runs a property management company in London. The foundation is yet to register with the Charity Commission, the sector regulator, and has not appointed any trustees. It has raised £755 through an online donations page.” – The Times
“Lord Heseltine has admitted he ripped up England’s historic counties after taking a light aircraft flight across the country and redrawing lines on a map. As local government minister under Edward Heath in the early Seventies, Lord Heseltine used the bird’s-eye view provided by the trip to outline the boundaries of major conurbations that were gouged out of the traditional counties. Conurbations are groups of towns and cities that have merged with each other and are seen to have similar economic characteristics. Lord Heseltine said he simply “ticked local authorities in, out, in, out” on the basis of the single flight – a process he acknowledges would today be open to judicial review. As a result, Manchester and Liverpool were torn out of Lancashire, and Yorkshire’s ridings were abolished in 1974.” – Daily Telegraph
>Today: Local Government: Councils are failing to evict tenants involved in anti-social behaviour
“Unions have blasted the Bank of England and City regulators for an “obscene” decision to scrap a decade-old cap on bankers’ bonuses. The Bank said axing the restriction, which Britain inherited from the EU, would enable financial groups to re-structure pay faster and give them greater flexibility over their costs when dealing with downturns. The Financial Conduct Authority said scrapping the bonus cap would help the City compete for and attract top talent, as well as protect businesses by making more of bankers’ pay packets variable. However, TUC general secretary Paul Nowak claimed it showed the Government was keen to help the rich, rather than families struggling due to the inflationary squeeze on their finances.” – Daily Express
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: The Truss government revisited. Day Fifty.
“The former chief of NatWest twice breached data protection laws when she told a BBC journalist about the closure of Nigel Farage’s account, the data watchdog has ruled. Dame Alison Rose… told Simon Jack, the BBC’s business editor, personal details about Farage’s account with subsidiary Coutts when they sat next to each other at a dinner. She claimed that the former Ukip leader’s account had been closed because he had not met the wealth threshold. An internal report showed subsequently that the bank had decided to shut the account partly because “his publicly stated views were at odds with our position as an inclusive organisation”. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) ruled that Rose shared Farage’s personal data inappropriately and infringed his data protection rights.” – The Times