Angela Rayner has listed her Corbynite boyfriend Sam Tarry on her list of ministerial interests: “The minister’s partner is a public affairs consultant and advises the Night Time Industry Association.” Tarry, who also accompanied Rayner on a holiday to Lord Alli’s New York penthouse, is working for the nightclub lobby…
Concurrently Rayner’s housing department says it is working on late-night licensing in London specifically: “The government will work with the Greater London Authority to review strategic licensing powers and explore a pilot scheme, providing the Mayor of London with new powers over strategic licensing. The government and the Greater London Authority will work closely with local stakeholders to design the pilot scheme.” Rather close to home…
On that front Tory Kevin Hollinrake asked if Rayner had recused herself from “matters relating to licensing in the hospitality sector” and got a stonewall response: “All ministers are recused from policy decisions where there are competing interests. The Deputy Prime Minister has declared her interests in the usual way.” A non-answer, which could well unravel…
Andy Haldane, Burnham’s recent adviser on the economy who has not taken up a No10 job, told Andrew Marr on LBC:
“The market now suspects that this is a traditional tax-and-spend socialist government with better TikTok videos…
imposing windfall taxes on oil & gas or on banks or upping capital gains tax would […] repeat the mistake that Rachel made […] The Achilles heel, the fiscal Achilles heel of this government thus far has been its unwillingness and/or inability to cut public spending.”