It’s been a quieter political month with lots of publicity for the Government’s small boats plan. Ben Wallace continues his reign at the top of the ratings.
Universal Support was always meant to sit alongside Universal Credit, specifically focused on helping written-off groups. But it was cut by an impecunious Treasury.
Sunak’s rating is still lamentable and Hunt remains in negative ratings, but Sturgeon’s fall and Zelensky’s visit made last month’s political background less unfavourable.
The Scottish Secretary, understated in his public utterances, “often makes the wittiest interjections in Cabinet discussions”.
So does Raab. Our top three are unchanged – and Alister Jack’s rating is up slightly, taking him to sixth place.
The Defence Secretary stays top, and he, Kemi Badenoch and James Cleverly remain the only three Cabinet members to score above 50 points in both November’s and this Christmas survey.
The average score is the lowest recently, though not by all that much – a natural extension of the panel’s verdict yesterday on the Government’s economic policy.
Wallace is top again. Badenoch and Cleverly score well. Sunak wins a respectable rating. And Williamson is in negative territory.
Some Tory members would see such a development as nothing less than an establishment coup: as a conspiracy of bad actors working together to win revenge for Brexit.
“You would want to take your cabinet with you, and you would want to discuss it with them,” he says.
Yesterday, he bent the passage of time – by giving the Commons the chance to carry out a Covid reckoning before the inquiry is up and running.
We need to focus on policies which will stimulate growth, benefit the many, and not breach the basic principles of fair taxation.
We knew that even the prospect of one would widen and deepen debate on Coronavirus policy – which was essential.
The OBR’s horrid forecasts of an output implosion and soaring unemployment will do nothing to quell Tory resistance to tougher Covid tiers.
The quest of Mel Stride and the Treasury Select Committee for sight of its elusive quarry contines.
Universal Support was always meant to sit alongside Universal Credit, specifically focused on helping written-off groups. But it was cut by an impecunious Treasury.