“Joe Biden and Donald Trump led tributes to Jimmy Carter after his death at the age of 100 brought to a close a remarkable life beginning as a peanut farmer in a small town in Georgia. Carter, the 39th president of the United States, died peacefully on Sunday surrounded by family at his home in Plains, Georgia, the charitable organisation he founded with his late wife. He was the longest-living US president and after his only term ended in 1981, Carter dedicated his life to philanthropy, winning a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. He spent his final months receiving hospice care in Plains, which is home to about 600 people, where he was born and lived most of his life. Carter’s last public appearance was in November 2023 at the funeral service for Rosalynn, his wife of 77 years…” – The Times
“The vast majority of Labour MPs are to the left of Sir Keir Starmer, the first detailed assessment of the new parliament has shown. The centre of gravity of Labour’s 411 MPs was far closer to backbenchers who have criticised the prime minister over issues such as cuts to winter fuel payments and refusing compensation to Waspi women. It suggested that Starmer will come under sustained pressure for more left-wing policies in the years ahead. Kemi Badenoch, however, was significantly to the right of most Tory MPs and detailed analysis showed that economically she was closer to Nigel Farage, with whom she has spent the past few days feuding, than the bulk of her own backbenchers. The findings emerged from the most rigorous attempt yet to classify MPs on a left-right spectrum…” – The Times
“The national curriculum is set to be made more “diverse” under Labour plans. Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, has begun a review to “refresh” what is taught in schools, pledging to “breathe new life into our outdated curriculum”. The new curriculum will be compulsory in all state schools, including academies that were previously free to opt out. The Telegraph can reveal that the Department for Education’s terms of reference for the overhaul explicitly say that the department (DfE) aims to create a curriculum that reflects the “diversities of our society” and help produce young people who “appreciate the diversity” of Britain. This newspaper has also seen suggestions for changes to the curriculum that have been submitted to the review by unions…” – The Daily Telegraph
“Ministers have been warned that efforts to save the NHS and grow the economy will fail unless they tackle the housing crisis, as a damning report reveals millions of people are living in substandard homes that risk worsening their health. In total, 4.5 million people aged 50 or above with an existing health condition in England are living in poor-quality housing with one or more problems such as rising damp, rot or decay that may be making them even sicker, the Centre for Ageing Better analysis found. Of those, 1.7 million are aged 70 or over. Keir Starmer has promised to reduce NHS waiting times and make the UK the fastest-growing major economy by the end of Labour’s first term in government.” – The Guardian
“Dozens of MPs who supported legalising assisted dying could withdraw their backing after concerns over the role of medical practitioners and the risk of coercion. The Bill passed through its second reading in the House of Commons by 55 votes in November, when a committee of MPs was established to scrutinise the legislation. The legislation proposes allowing terminally ill adults with less than six months to live to get medical assistance to end their lives, if two doctors and a High Court judge agree. But MPs across the political divide who previously voted for the Bill are demanding that it be amended to ban doctors from suggesting assisted dying to terminally ill patients. The Guardian reported that one MP said they believed that the majority the Bill received…will be eroded…” – The Daily Telegraph
“Nigel Farage says that Kemi Badenoch has driven thousands of Conservative activists to Reform, claiming his party is signing up 6,000 members a day thanks to his row with the Tory leader. Reform UK said that its membership had passed 150,000, with the pace of recruits accelerating after Badenoch accused it of “fakery” for claiming it had surpassed the Conservatives. The row took a turn on Sunday when the Reform leader accused his Tory counterpart of attempting to get him “taken off air” by GB News. Conservative sources have denied that Badenoch asked the right-wing channel to reduce the prominence given to Farage during a meeting with executives before Christmas. The struggles of Sir Keir Starmer’s government have energised Reform…” – The Times
>Today:
>Yesterday:
“Taylor Swift was accused of “ghosting” a senior Liberal Democrat who tried to arrange a meeting and spent £1,000 of taxpayers’ money on a specially designed tartan guitar strap for the singer. Robert Aldridge, the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, attempted to set up a photocall with Swift when she performed in the city last summer at three sell-out concerts at Murrayfield. He wanted to hand over a “civic gift” hamper containing £1,200 of products, including two specially commissioned tartan guitar straps that cost the public purse up to £500 each. In an accompanying letter, Mr Aldridge suggested that she use one of the straps for her guitar during her concerts in the Scottish capital. His officials wanted the singer to sign the other strap and return it for a charity auction.” – The Daily Telegraph