“A “macho” culture in Downing Street harmed the UK’s response to the Covid pandemic, a top official from the time has said. Former deputy cabinet secretary Helen MacNamara told the Covid inquiry a “toxic” environment affected decision-making during the crisis. She said that female experts were ignored, and women were “looked over”. She also accused Boris Johnson of failing to tackle “misogynistic language” used by Dominic Cummings.” – BBC
“The inquiry should be asking: did the benefits of lockdowns outweigh the costs?…The important thing is to learn which actions really were mistakes, why they were made, and how we can avoid repeating them. It will be a dereliction of duty if this inquiry spends its time indulging its confirmation biases or pearl-clutching. Much more of it, and the Government should just wind the whole thing up and put something in its place that can actually do the job.” – David Frost, Daily Telegraph
>Today: Columnist Emily Carver: The Covid Inquiry asks so many questions, but not a vital one – at least so far. Namely, was lockdown worth it?
“Wales’ Covid “firebreak” lockdown in October 2020 was the “correct decision”, according to Boris Johnson’s former communications chief. Lee Cain told the UK Covid Inquiry that the Welsh government was right to impose the “decisive” and “politically advantageous” three-week action. During it people were told to stay at home and pubs, restaurants, hotels and non-essential shops had to shut.” – BBC
“Elon Musk has said that AI is “one of the biggest threats” to humanity as he urged Britain to establish a “third-party referee” that could regulate companies developing the technology. The latest intervention by the world’s richest man came as the United States set out its vision for the global regulation of AI, striking a markedly different tone to the British government’s focus on existential risks.” – The Times
“Silly” pronoun arguments are distracting from core problems, Kemi Badenoch has said. Speaking at the conference of the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship, she warned that the West is in danger of being distracted from big issues like the rise of China by “silly things like pronouns”. Ministers were wrong to allow “activist groups” like Stonewall to set the rules on gender for so long, Ms Badenoch has admitted.” – Daily Telegraph
>Yesterday: Andrew Gimson’s conference sketch: Christian conservatives declare their faith in a better, kinder, wiser politics
“The Welsh Secretary has branded its Labour-run NHS ‘absolutely shambolic’ after his elderly father-in-law was forced to wait for almost 27 hours to be admitted to a local hospital after suffering a serious fall. David TC Davies said 72-year-old Joe, a retired farmer, endured a ‘shameful and scandalous’ series of delays after injuring his back when he slipped backwards down a flight of garden steps at the MP’s constituency home in Monmouth. The accident left him unable to sit upright or stand, and he was only discovered by the family after dragging himself indoors by his hands.” – Daily Mail
>Yesterday: Leo Huseyin on Comment: Recent NHS scandals show we need a better way of holding the service to account
“Sadiq Khan was criticised by the Chief Rabbi on Wednesday over his “irresponsible” demands for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Sir Ephraim Mirvis told the Mayor of London his plan for a truce would only act as a “stepping stone to yet more Hamas terrorist brutality”. He issued the warning after the pair met at City Hall to discuss the conflict and the impact recent protests have had on the Jewish community.” – Daily Telegraph
>Today: ToryDiary: We need to overhaul how this country polices extremism – but a few new directives aren’t going to cut it
“Shadow Labour ministers who defy Sir Keir Starmer and call for a ceasefire in Gaza will not automatically lose their jobs but will be dealt with on a “case-by-case” basis, senior party figures have said. On Wednesday Afzal Khan, the shadow minister for exports, became the first member of the Labour frontbench to contradict Starmer since he set out the party’s official opposition to a ceasefire in Gaza the previous day.” – The Times
“Britain’s most senior police officer has publicly accused the Attorney-General’s Office (AGO) of stalling the prosecution of two women accused of supporting Hamas. The Metropolitan Police arrested the women on Monday on suspicion of inviting support for a proscribed terrorist organisation…Sir Mark Rowley, the Metropolitan Police commissioner, described their actions as “ghastly” and “definitely across the line, in my view.” – The Times
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: Liverpool Street stayed open yesterday. But if demonstrators had shut it, would the police have cleared them out?
“One in 10 county councils in England is facing effective bankruptcy – putting vital services at risk, local government leaders have warned. In September Birmingham City Council was forced to slash spending after declaring itself effectively bankrupt. More local authorities fear they could be next, according to a survey by the County Councils Network.” – BBC
> Today: Meirion Jenkins on Local Government: Labour sought to hide their mismanagement in Birmingham with a culture of secrecy
“The international plan for a global minimum tax on multinational firms – under the OECD’s so-called Pillar 2 – is destructive for both the US and the UK. We have been among the most outspoken members of our respective legislatures on this flawed policy, but the OECD and many countries continue to pursue a global minimum tax in an effort to pad their coffers with US and UK tax revenues. Unfortunately, our leaders are insistent on pressing ahead, and decisions they have made behind closed doors at the OECD have left us in a position where we now face an absurd attack on both our countries’ tax sovereignty.” – Priti Patel and Ron Estes, Daily Telegraph
News in brief