The Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England has cut interest rates to 4.5%. The third cut since last Summer…
Last month they were held at 4.75% following a cut from 5%. The markets had it at almost complete certainty that a cut was inbound…
The MPC voted 7-2 for a cut. Two members voted for half a point cut…
The government has been asked to produce a statement on the situation in Gaza in the Commons following Trump’s plan – further detail of which was added by Rubio last night. Anneliese Dodds hardened Labour’s stance from PMQs yesterday to specify their opposition to Trump’s Gaza idea:
“We would oppose Mr Speaker any effort to move Palestinians in Gaza to neighbouring Arab states against their will. There must be no forced displacement of Palestinian nor any reduction in the territory of the Gaza Strip. Palestinian civilians should be able to return to and rebuild their homes and their lives – that is a right guaranteed under international law.”
Dodds reiterated the appeal to the US administration:
“The US have played a critical role in negotiating the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas alongside Qatar and Egypt. As members may know the Prime Minister reiterated this in his call with President Trump. We must now work together to ensure the ceasefire is implemented in full and becomes permanent.”
Heading for a showdown with Trump here…
The battle between Labour’s pro-growth wing and the net zero zealots rumbles on. Last week, it was Heathrow expansion—when Rachel Reeves, desperate to prove her economic credentials, threw her weight behind a third runway. Ed Miliband and his eco-warrior allies weren’t happy then…
Now a fresh row deepens the divide in the party, as Reeves and Starmer are gearing up to give the green light to the UK’s two biggest offshore oil and gas projects—Rosebank and Jackdaw. The boss of energy giant Equinor has already warned Miliband that blocking these developments would wreck the UK’s reputation with investors. That’s not just hot air…
Miliband has in the past slammed the Rosebank licence as “climate vandalism”. Meanwhile, the Labour Growth Group—a group of mostly New Labour MPs pushing hard on housing and infrastructure—are said to be against the oil developments. Some backbenchers are fuming, saying “This is a line in the sand for almost everyone in the PLP,” and “a breaking point for a lot of us” as more grumbles about U-turning on manifesto pledges sow deeper divides. If Reeves and Starmer override Ed again in pursuit of the almighty G-word, it could be his breaking point…
Bridget Phillipson met with headmistress extraordinaire and anti-woke warrior Katharine Birbalsingh this week as part of a charm offensive to soothe key academy players. Doesn’t look like it worked…
Birbalsingh has written again to the education secretary detailing her conclusions after the meeting. She says:
The Education Bill has caused no small number of problems for Labour and Bridget has earned herself negative briefings from Downing Street. This latest effort to smooth things over has made things worse. Bridget may be regretting spending her first months in office meeting with union bosses instead of teachers…
Read the full letter below:
Continue reading “Phillipson’s Charm Offensive With Birbalsingh Completely Backfires”
Rayner told Grenfell survivors and the bereaved last night that Grenfell Tower would be demolished. Many of them say they haven’t been informed or engaged with enough and are furious…
Survivor Emma O’Connor spoke to the Today Programme about how Rayner conducted the meeting:
“From my memory, from yesterday, it was: ‘I’ve made this decision. I’ll take questions now.’ So it went round, we had three questions at a time and then they would reply back to us, but they’re not answering questions like if the decision is reversible – to actually make sure that something can be erected at height, like to have a standing memorial.”
Despite persistent steer from presenter Anna Foster towards attacking the Tories the survivor focussed her anger on Rayner:
“You’ve had barely 16 people attend the other meetings that you’ve arranged and you’ve got more than 60% here so how did you come to that decision, but she never really answered how they’ve come to that decision.”
O’Connor went on to attack Reeves for promising deregulation at the same time. No one said politics was easy…
After nearly 100 days in LOTO—and weeks after reports that Kemi told her shadow cabinet there’d be no policies until 2027—the Tories have put something on the table. This comes just days after she told CCHQ staff to “pull their weight or leave,” leaving some “devastated” and complaining they had no policies to campaign on. Well, now they’ve got one…
Kemi has unveiled a new policy to make it harder for immigrants to stay in the UK. Under her plan, migrants would need to live in the UK for 10 years—double the current five—before applying for indefinite leave to remain. They’d also have to prove they’re “net contributors” to the economy. Kemi’s message? “Numbers matter, but culture matters more,” and citizenship is a “privilege, not a right.” Meanwhile, Reform continues to surge ahead of the official Opposition in the polls, their tough stance on migration pulling in disillusioned ex-Tories. Looks like the Tories are beginning to wake up…
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.”