Rachel Reeves has hinted at her plans for a one-year rent freeze in the Commons:
“This Government have already taken action to reduce the cost of living and to bear down on inflation with the changes around energy prices, around fuel duty, prescription charges and rail fares, and I will do everything in my power and use every lever we have to bear down on the cost of living, including for people in the private rented sector.”
No10 said in a briefing to journalists today: “We have no plans to implement this.” And Bridget Phillipson said a rent freeze “is not the approach we are taking”…
That means soft-left Labour MPs will find Reeves has given them very little to chew on. If you don’t deny the claims then the market will go bananas…
The UAE’s state-run news agency WAM says the country will leave OPEC and OPEC+ on 1 May. The twelve (now eleven) country-cartel produced around 40% of global oil supply…
“This decision reflects the UAE’s long-term strategic and economic vision and evolving energy profile, including accelerated investment in domestic energy production, and reinforces its commitment to a responsible, reliable, and forward-looking role in global energy markets.”
The UAE usually accounts for 4% of global oil production. The country says it will ramp up production and the move to leave OPEC is in response to changing demand. Going it alone…
Starmer-loyalist backbencher John Slinger has been handed a plum trade envoy job. After he appeared constantly on the media to back up No10’s line on the Mandelson scandal…
A statement by Chris Bryant just now:
“The Secretary of State is pleased to appoint: The Hon Member for Rugby (John Slinger MP) as the United Kingdom’s Trade Envoy to the Republic of Korea. Today’s appointment means there are now 32 Trade Envoys focusing on 73 markets.”
The role is unpaid, though envoys have to commit to a minimum of two overseas trips per financial year to their assigned market on top of ad hoc UK-based engagements like hosting dignitaries and delegations. Travel and expenses for jollies are met by the taxpayer…
Slinger appeared on any channel who would take him to defend Starmer. He was also one of the few Labour MPs who shamefully asked, essentially verbatim, a question in Parliament distributed by Labour whips to ask of Starmer after the Mandelson files statement. Off to Korea with you…
Will end with a vote which Downing Street has taken the unprecedented step of three-line whipping. Not the done thing with Commons business…
The Tories are pleased it has got this far. A candidate in the local elections said: “The best outcome for us is that every single Labour MP votes to cover this up. Each and every MP that votes with the government will gift us another constituency that we can bury in leaflets over the next few weeks.” MPs who apparently want to replace Starmer won’t even vote to have his claims investigated in parliament…
The Number 10 spokesman this afternoon:
“Our position on the Chancellor remains. The Prime Minister has full confidence in the Chancellor…”
Rumours are swirling that Starmer is considering dumping her after the locals. Now the “full confidence” kiss of death has been delivered. Might be time for Reeves to refresh that LinkedIn CV again…
Tech Secretary Liz Kendall has announced that the government intends to develop a “hardware plan” to facilitate AI investment less than twenty days after OpenAI cancelled a multi-billion data centre project in Britain. Blaming Labour policies…
Kendall said in a speech at RUSI that the government would shift its policy to “back more British AI companies, especially in areas where we have real strengths” and work “more closely with our international partners, particularly other so-called middle power nations, including on setting the standards for how AI deployed.” ‘Middle powers’…
The Tech Secretary, who doesn’t use AI herself, said “the government will develop a UK AI hardware plan to secure Britain’s capability in chips and the semiconductor technologies that underpin the full AI hardware stack.” Another ‘plan’…
OpenAI paused its Stargate UK data centre project in the north-east on the 9th of this month, saying it would “move forward when the right conditions such as regulation and the cost of energy enable long-term infrastructure investment.” Kendall could start consulting on policies for her ‘plan’ by looking in the mirror…
Red Wall Labour backbencher Jonathan Brash told GB News that Starmer should resign:
“I’m completely fed up about it, and I think it’s got to the point now where I genuinely think that, as far as the Prime Minister is concerned, it’s not a case of if, it’s when.”