A bizarre readout from Cabinet emerged yesterday, reported by The Times on its front page this morning: “Sir Keir Starmer is demanding urgent action from cabinet ministers to avoid a repeat of last summer’s rioting after warnings from Downing Street officials that Britain is “fraying at the edges.” Certainly is…
Journalists were told Angela Rayner blamed a number of factors including “economic insecurity, the rapid pace of deindustrialisation, immigration and the impacts on local communities and public services, technological change and the amount of time people were spending online.” Nothing about the government’s own disastrous handling of Southport, migrant hotels and daily small boat crossings…
The briefing was gobbled up by clueless Westminster hacks and regurgitated as a deep social analysis of Britain’s problems. Liz Lloyd, Downing Street’s executive director of policy and delivery, is also said to have quipped: “Social cohesion is fraying at the edges, as services are unable to keep up with changes in time and migration.” They don’t get it…
On Cleverly’s first morning round back on the Tory front bench the new Shadow Housing Secretary has refused to back his party leader’s stated position on the ECHR. Who could have seen this coming?
Badenoch said at the beginning of June that she was “increasingly of the view” that the UK should leave the convention. Cleverly declined to back that on the Today Programme:
“Well, she’s commissioned a review by the Shadow Attorney General and it’s it’s right that we look at this… I completely understand her position on that… What I’m saying is she has commissioned a review and I’m going to wait to see… I’ve said what I believe.“
Pressed numerous times Cleverly repeated his previous claim that “leaving the European Convention on Human Rights will not necessarily be a silver bullet and we need to look at the wider implications… If the review sets out how we can make that work, then of course that becomes party policy. I will completely understand that and I will abide by that.”
Cleverly has been strident in his opposition to an ECHR withdrawal. Contrary lines already springing up in Badenoch’s reshuffled team…
Essex Police are due to hold a press conference this morning over their handling of the unrest in Epping, as public anger over migrant crime boils over. The Telegraph reports this morning that the force has now admitted they escorted around 40 pro-migrant activists from Stand Up to Racism to the Bell Hotel – used to house migrants – on 17 July. Up until that point, protests had remained peaceful. That changed when the activists – some masked – arrived and clashed with a crowd of 400 protesters. Locals have turned on the policing decisions…
Initially, Essex Police denied facilitating the group’s entry to the protest. Then they were shown video evidence. Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Hooper said:
“In terms of bringing people to the hotel, the police have a duty to facilitate free assembly. We would only ever take people away from protest if we felt there was an immediate threat to people or property, to free up police resources, to protect others, or to prevent additional violence.”
Another example of two-tier justice. A tinderbox…
The Badenoch reshuffle in full:
- James Cleverly: Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
- Kevin Hollinrake: Conservative Party Chairman.
- Matt Vickers: Deputy Chairman – continues as a Shadow Home Office minister.
- Neil O’Brien: Shadow Minister for Policy Renewal and Development.
- Alex Burghart: Still chairing the Policy Oversight Committee.
- Stuart Andrew: Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
- Nigel Huddleston: Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.
- Richard Holden: Shadow Secretary of State for Transport.
- Julia Lopez: Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology.
Demotions:
- Alan Mak: Formerly DSIT. Says he was offered another job but declined…
- Dominic Johnson: Formerly chairman – becomes Senior Treasurer. UPDATE: Johnson is actually Honorary Senior Treasurer. The initial Tory release was not in accordance with the current facts…
- Ed Argar: Formerly Health.
- Gareth Bacon: Formerly Transport – stays as Shadow Minister for London and gets Shadow Minister of State for Housing and Planning.
LOTO personnel changes:
- Henry Newman replaces Lee Rowley as Kemi Badenoch’s Chief of Staff. Newman will now run LOTO…
- Lee Rowley is leaving LOTO to private sector.
- Francis Maude in as ad-hoc advisor to LOTO.
CCHQ is saying tonight this is not the end to a shake-up across the Tory political operation. As Guido was first to reveal earlier this month, the appointments follow Lord Mark McInnes coming in as CEO of the Conservative Party. You’re either in front of Guido, or you are behind…
Insiders view the reshuffle as light-touch – most moves were predicted and trailed. The lack of promotions for the 2024 intake and standout Commons performers like Katie Lam and Nick Timothy has been noted widely by MPs and commentators alike. Key leadership candidate Rob Jenrick remains in the same post, there is no change of Shadow Chancellor, and multiple figures who were widely touted as certain exits from the Shadow Cabinet also remain in place…
As for the LOTO team, a shakeup was desperately needed. For what it’s worth, Maude is seen as a key Gove ally, and the appointment of his former SpAd Henry Newman relieves Lee Rowley of the high stakes post of Chief of Staff. Allies say these are important shifts in the leader’s office and will bring in experience, particularly in policy, which might quicken in pace under the new team…
As of tonight the Conservatives remain roughly a net of ten points behind Reform in most polls. The Tories have much bigger problems than who’s in the top team…
After Rayner moved into a grace and favour flat in Admiralty House the beds there were upgraded at an eye-watering cost. Red Queen size…
Despite the fact that – as Guido revealed – Rayner ordered her own civil servants to move furniture from her old flat on Vincent Square she acquired new bedding. Guido’s FoI unit has discovered that government-owned properties in the building were furnished with two new beds “to replace end of life existing beds” at a cost of £5,132.44 plus 20% VAT with an additional bill of £498.14 plus 20% VAT for installation. Total cost: £6,756.70. Hope they’re comfy…
The beds were purchased on 24 January and installed on 14 February. That is at a cost of £3,378.35 per bed. Woman of the people…
In a sign of the sloppiness of the Green Party operation over sixty private party documents are available online. If you know the right search term…
Green Party candidate statements for committees and elections alike are all available in documents stretching back years. The public documents include private instructions for party activists in elections and guidance on other matters. Examples include:
- ELECTION GUIDANCE – On polling day: Here are some activities that we need to AVOID:
- Cars or bikes with loudhailers that remind supporters of our opponents to vote
- Handing out leaflets at rail/tube stations
- Leafleting every house on polling day
- PARTY LEADER JOB AD 2016-17 – “Extensive experience of TV, radio and press work, Determination, toughness, resilience, selfconfidence. Tact and diplomacy under pressure.”
- WALES RECRUITMENT SCRIPT – Non-Target Candidate Recruitment Script and Guidance: Ask: “Just wondering how you are feeling about the Green Party at the moment?”
- “Wait for response and show sympathy with view”
- WELCOME GUIDE FOR LOCAL PARTY OFFICERS – Includes “scripts for calls, best practice for emails and guidance for meetings.”
The Greens have uploaded reams of draft material to the internet:
Guido is not publishing the links in order to protect any personal data – a step the Green Party could well learn from. The Greens have been contacted for comment. Seeing as there is a leadership election coming down the track with results on 2 September the party may want to get its house in order. Carla Denyer might want to have a word with the IT department before she goes…
Speaking to Adam Boulton on Times Radio about kicking the Golders Green suspect, Heidi Alexander said:
“I thought that if I was in the shoes of that police officer, then if I’m honest, given the situation, and the fact that he had a backpack on his back, and they were worried about whether that might go off, I could, if I was a police officer, frankly, I could see myself having taken similar action.”
