The NEU is on the second day of its annual conference in Brighton. Yesterday delegates voted to abolish Ofsted…
This morning members have voted through a motion on “combatting the rise of the far right.” Here we go…
Motion 20 says the union members oppose “all forms of racism, fascism and far-right extremism” including “the divisive politics promoted by Reform UK.” The motion additionally says anti-racist and ‘anti-fascist’ teaching materials will be created for distribution to teacher members as well as “literature making the case against the far right.” We don’t need no thought control…
Farage and Jenrick are in Heathrow to discuss holiday costs. Air Passenger Duty is a cash cow for the government…
Farage announces Air Passenger Duty will be targeted by Reform. Some facts about that tax:
UPDATE: Jenrick announces Reform would scrap Air Passenger Duty for short-haul family flights in its first Budget.
The British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) Supreme Court has ruled that Chagossians hold a lawful Right of Abode in the Chagos Archipelago. In a huge blow to Starmer…
The eviction notices are quashed. This causes issues for the treaty signed but not ratified with Mauritius, which operates on the assumption that there is no resident population on the island. Newsflash – there is…
Cornwall Insights usually produces accurate forecasts for future energy price rises. This morning they say:
“Forecasts for July now sit at £1,929 per year for a typical dual‑fuel household. While predictions have dipped slightly in the past few days – £44 since 19 March – the forecast still represents a rise of £288 or 18% percent on the April 2026 level of £1,641.
Should high gas, power and oil prices continue, the effects will go beyond household bills. Inflationary pressure and rising project costs could start to weigh on investment decisions and slow the pace of new infrastructure, although the full extent of these knock-on effects will take time to become clear.”
Starmer is meanwhile hosting another COBRA meeting today. Still no action plan from the government…
Polling from More in Common released overnight:
Do you think that the following is true or false? Morgan McSweeney faked the theft of his phone in order to hide the messages between him and Peter Mandelson.
Definitely true
Probably true
Probably false
Definitely false
| 2024 vote | Def. true | Prob. true | Total true | Prob. false | Def. false |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 15% | 59% | 74% | 22% | 4% |
| Conservative | 22% | 58% | 80% | 17% | 3% |
| Labour | 15% | 55% | 70% | 24% | 5% |
| Lib Dem | 18% | 56% | 74% | 25% | 2% |
| Reform UK | 27% | 56% | 83% | 12% | 4% |
| Green Party | 15% | 67% | 82% | 15% | 3% |
Source: More in Common, March 2026
They’re not buying it…
Chief Secretary to the Treasury James Murray has said he “can’t quite believe” the British Medical Association’s decision to strike after even Labour handed junior doctors the highest pay rises in the public sector for two years in a row. Old lessons about the unions are being relearnt…
The BMA continues to demand ridiculous “full pay restoration” equivalent to a 26% pay rise and has organised six days of strikes from April 7 to April 13. Starmer has written in the Times to threaten the withdrawal of a deal offer from the government if the union does not back down within two days…
The union has not consulted its members formally on strikes. Murray told Sky News this morning:
“I think the decision to go on strike is reckless. Um, to be honest, I can’t quite believe that the BMA leadership are doing this that they’ve got a, you know, a really good offer on the table, a really decent offer that will improve working lives for resident doctors. And they’re doing this without even putting the offer to resident doctors themselves to take a decision on. Um, and it will harm resident doctors, you know, as well as as harming, of course, the NHS and patients. Um, so I think it’s the wrong thing to do and I would, you know, really urge them to reconsider and think again.”
This is what happens when you let the incompetents in the union-backed party into government, by the way…
Speaking at his speech on how to achieve “progressive capitalism” Wes Streeting fired a dig and Andy Burnham:
“Bond markets are not bond villains and fiscal rules matter.”