The lawyer brought in by Reeves to ‘fix’ the planning system has made a series of pro-red tape claims. Blocker brought in…
The Treasury briefed to the FT last night that Catherine Howard – EDF’s old top lawyer – will “advise on the next phase of the government’s planning reforms… after Reeves expressed frustration with the slow progress of key infrastructure schemes.” A new planning law is in the works. The whole point is to cut planning restrictions…
Howard’s public LinkedIn profile is full of support for eco-activists campaigning against Part 3 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which contains crucial provisions to streamline environmental regulations. Curbing environmental blocks is a small first step in meaningful planning reform…
Howard also opposes the replacement of highly restrictive “assessment duties” in the bill:
“We can’t legislate to remove assessment duties […] if the Government is thinking of legislating to the effect that “where a Delivery Plan is in place no assessment of the topics covered by that Delivery Plan is to be required” that would go much further and amount to the law decreeing matters of fact.”
She has also said it is impossible to reform hated Habitat Regulations:
“Some combination of Options 1, 2 and 3 would give the Secretary of State the ability to override habitat impacts based on bigger priorities. However, for reasons I explain below, this would be likely to put us in breach of a number of international treaties, as well as The Trade and Cooperation Agreement (“TCA”) entered into by the UK and the European Union in April 2021 to govern post Brexit relations. […]It is difficult to envisage any meaningful changes to the Habitats Regulations (along the lines of Option 1, 2 or 3) which would not be interpreted as a “weakening” or “reduction” in the level of environmental protection, and one which would fail to maintain a level playing field.”
Dr Lawrence Newport, who runs the Looking for Growth campaign, tells Guido:
“On the day we find out that the UK economy did not grow throughout the entirety of July, the government has now appointed a Vegetable Lobby blocker to a prominent position in the Treasury. If this government is serious on growth they need to act on it – that means radical ideas, not more status quo mindsets and supporters of decline.”
The Vegetable Lobby won’t save Reeves. What’s tomato with her anyway?
Starmer has backed Morgan McSweeney. At the Lobby briefing of political journalists, his spokesman was asked if the PM still had full confidence in his chief of staff:
“Of course. The Prime Minister has confidence in his top team, and they’re getting on with the important work of this government.”
Confidence not shared by everyone in Downing Street…
While ministers are out defending Mandelson’s time as ambassador Jon Sopel has been pontificating with Emily Maitlis about how terrible the Mandelson scandal is. Not what he was saying before…
Back in December when Mandelson was appointed Sopel wrote in the Independent that he was “probably perfect for the job” and appointing him was a “very smart move.” Sopel’s praise is almost as damaging for someone’s longevity as a statement of full confidence from Starmer…
He went on about how great Mandy is: “Mandelson is clever, feline and tough – and when he wants to be, seductively charming. He already has a great contacts book and will have the ear of the prime minister.“ The contacts book…
Sopel said: “Yes he has his faults, but he’s bloody good and a class act.” Maybe the News Agents needs an extra host…
The Assisted Dying Bill is being debated in the Lords today for its Second Reading. A record 190 peers have signed up to speak over the two-day debate…
Baroness May is leading the opposition, warning the “Assisted Suicide Bill” will be used as “a cover up for mistakes made in hospital” and sends the message that “some lives are less worth living than others.” She told peers:
“I do not believe that these safeguards in this bill will prevent people from being pressured to end their lives sometimes for the benefit of others. In default of a coroner’s report, there is a danger that this could be used as a cover up. A cover up for mistakes made in hospital or for perhaps a hospital illness, infection which has led to an increased likelihood of death. It is an assisted suicide bill. But this bill effectively says suicide is okay.”
The debate will continue next Friday. If the Bill is defeated in a Lords vote – unlikely, but possible – it would fall entirely and have to start afresh in the next Parliament. Labour’s vast majority being used to drive through a major piece of legislation with no electoral mandate here…
Europeans who purchase a pair of Apple’s swanky new AirPods Pro 3 next week will be in for a disappointment: Apple is blocking the headphones’ flagship live translation feature across the EU. Brussels’ red tape has caused such a headache that Apple has decided it’s easier to just switch off the feature entirely…
The tech giant has previously argued that the EU’s Digital Markets Act, which is supposedly designed to ‘boost competition’, would “force us to compromise the integrity of our products in ways that risk user privacy and data security”. Provisions within the Act require Apple to make certain parts of its tech function with competitors’ devices. Countries free from the EU’s regulatory manacles – like the UK, for instance – won’t have to worry. You’d think fancy new tech that automatically translates German into French, or Spanish into Italian, would be useful in Europe…
The new minister responsible for driving the Employment Rights Bill through the Commons is a former longtime union official. It gets worse…
On 30 July 2024 employment rights minister Kate Dearden added that she was a “board member of Unions21” to her register of interests. She was still registered as board member on 1 September. The week she was appointed to government…
Unions21 is an organisation which claims to offer advice and training for the union sector, describing itself as a “inclusive and collaborative space where unions and trade union centres are welcomed regardless of size or sector.” A report edited by the organisations director described its role: “Unions 21 exists to support unions to increase their influence, impact and effectiveness within the world of work. We will do this by working with unions, supporters and stakeholders to create an open space for research, innovation and activity to assist unions to secure a better life for working people.” A pressure group…
The group is also headquartered in Century House on Borough High Street, a prominent union building home to the NAHT and FDA unions among others. Cosy…
Dearden will have had to resign from the board to resolve an apparent conflict of interest when entering government. From ‘increasing the influence of unions’ to stewarding the Employment Rights Bill…
Lucy Powell on LBC, asked by Tom Swarbrick for her reaction to Labour MP Samantha Niblett’s call for a ‘summer of sex’ debate in Parliament: “I personally don’t own any sex toys, but each to their own… I’m not really sure that’s the right place for it, no.”