Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh, who backed imposing VAT on private schools, telling the News Agents podcast why she sends her children to private school:
“If the question you’re asking me is do I believe that parents should have a choice to send their kids to independent school? I do. Parents can do that for a whole host of reasons. Because it’s a good school, because their kids have special educational needs, because they want schools that are geared towards sports and arts.
That is okay. I don’t think that precludes me or anyone else who holds that belief from being part of the Labour team or the Labour family.”
She goes on to say “the government is not going to cross-subsidise parents sending their children to independent schools“. Which is the usual spell Labour MPs try to cast when in this situation. Can someone please explain the difference between a tax exemption and a subsidy to the secretary of state…
Justice minister Jake Richards travelled to the US from Sunday 12th July to Thursday 16th July. At a cost of a whopping £34,230…
Richards met the Governor of Missouri and visited Chicago to “support conversations at the Obama Presidential Center on opportunities for young men and boys.” The breakdown of costs is as follows:
- Flights. £24,257.77 (including internal flights)
- Accommodation. £3,287.99
- Ground transport. £3,800.00
- Subsistence and hospitality. £2,688.34
- Security costs, where disclosable. n/a
- Any other expenditure incurred by the Ministry. £195.90
Richards, who is Youth Justice and Sentencing minister, travelled with his Private Secretary, the MoJ’s Head of Youth Sentencing and Remand Policy, a Videographer/Photographer, and an ‘International Engagement Adviser’. Not many photos came out of the trip – must have been a nice jolly…
The MoJ has refused to release the itinerary of Richards’ trip. At least he caught a break to watch the World Cup which happened to be going on at the same time…
Entries in the comments…
Pakistan has ignored Ed Miliband’s pleas to take back Rochdale rape gang ringleader Shabir Ahmed on the grounds that there are no laws or bilateral mechanisms to allow it. Since he renounced his Pakistani citizenship, Pakistan is insisting he is Britain’s problem. He costs the taxpayer thousands in surveillance and accommodation each year…
Ahmed was released from prison last month after serving only 14 years of his 22-year sentence for 30 child rape offences. According to the Telegraph, Pakistan previously demanded the UK handed over dissidents operating in Britain as a condition for his return. A monster who should never have been released in the first place.
The Tories are giving it both barrels to John Healey over his decision to shift the goalposts on the government’s defence spending target. Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge said today:
“With Russia ramping up its threats every day, the world has only got more dangerous since John Healey resigned two months ago, saying Labour’s current plan for 2.7 per cent on Defence would leave Britain ‘less safe’.
He urged Starmer to go to 3 per cent by 2030. Given he is now the Chancellor, it is extraordinary that he is backtracking on the very pledge which sealed the fate of the last PM and opened the door of Number 10 to Andy Burnham.
For over a year we have urged the government to go to 3 per cent by 2030, and Kemi repeatedly offered to work with Starmer to deliver it. He refused and paid the price – Burnham needs to do what Starmer could not and make the difficult decisions to fund 3 per cent.
Russia doesn’t work to Treasury timetables, and we can’t wait for a spending review to keep Britain safe.”
Robert Jenrick also laid into Healey’s claims that Burnham’s premiership is “continuity” Labour. Silly season is almost over. Healey is about to discover being Chancellor entails more than just ranking pub grub on TikTok…
An NEC source is calling it “a victory for the moderates”…
CLP Section
- Catherine Ardnold
- Jessica Barnard
- Angela Davies
- Gemma Bolton
- Jane Thomas
- Kerry Postlewhite
- Abdi Duale
- Andrew Achilleos
- Peter Mason
Elected Unopposed
Treasurer: Ruth Brady
BAME Representative: Carol Sewell
Disabled Representative: Emily Pomroy-Smith
Youth Representative
Elsie Greenwood – 2,421 (elected) Caspar Chatham – 930
Welsh Representative
Ann Jones – 1,943 (elected) Michael Antoniw – 1,828
Local Government Division (2 elected)
Claire Holland – 1,084 (elected) Peter Wheeler – 851 (elected) Jamie Green – 487 Elizabeth Dennis – 482
Lee Anderson, speaking to The Sun’s Tom Scotson, reveals the wokest thing he’s ever done: “I once had a vegetarian thought, about becoming a vegetarian. That was quickly dismissed when I had a bacon sandwich…”
