The Defence Investment Plan is still being “finalised,” Downing Street has said just now. Clown government latest…
At the Lobby briefing of political journalists Starmer’s spokesman said: “Work to finalise the Defence Investment Plan continues at pace with the new Defence Secretary.” Still not ready…
The spokesman would not say if Dan Jarvis had approved the existing deal or asked for changes, saying only: “You wouldn’t expect me to get ahead of what the DIP will say, that will come in due course.” From Peter Kyle’s broadcast round we know that DBT is getting a cut…
Downing Street would not say if defence takes priority over welfare and added: “We’re increasing funding for defence and reforming the welfare system.” But without saving any money from the latter – the circus show goes on…
Footage of the new Defence Secretary this morning meeting Starmer and Richard Knighton, Chief of the Defence Staff. Putin quaking in his boots…
Dan Jarvis was previously Security Minister in the Home Office, he now gets the poisoned chalice job. Viewed as a double edged sword by military types…
The Home Office is appealing the High Court’s injunction preventing migrants from being housed at the Bell Hotel. Dan Jarvis told broadcasters the government remains committed to closing all asylum hotels, but wants it to be done in a “managed and ordered way, and that’s why we will appeal this decision.“ Scrap inbound…
Security minister Dan Jarvis failed to specify any alternative type of accommodation for asylum seekers after last night’s injunction. In a torturous sequence of questions and non-answers with Emma Barnett on the Today Programme Jarvis could only say a “range of options” were being looked at and that it would be “difficult.” Not too promising…
“The reality is there will be a range of different arrangements… no one thinks hotels are the appropriate setting… the appropriate setting will be a range of different arrangements.”
Jarvis could not specify what they would look like or name any, despite the government’s pledge to end asylum seeker hotel use by 2029. Barnett was having none of his attempts to say that the problem would be dealt with “upstream”…
Government sources say details would create a risk of violent protest from the far right – won’t wash. Councils are already eyeing up legal challenges à la Epping Forest. This is turning into a political impossibility…
Three years have passed since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with European leaders gathered in Kyiv to discuss the future of European security. Starmer’s expected to dial into the call hosted by Zelensky later this morning, before moving on to another call with other G7 leaders, including Trump. Meanwhile, Security Minister Dan Jarvis was sent out on the morning media rounds to emphasise Britain’s unwavering support for Ukraine, by refusing to rule out Russia rejoining the G7…
On Times Radio, Jarvis was pressed on whether the UK would back Russia joining the group. Jarvis responded:
“That will be a matter to be discussed with international allies. And that is a matter that no doubt will be considered at the point at which the conflict in Ukraine has been concluded. And we need to get to that point as quickly as we possibly can.”
No doubt Putin may welcome those discussions. Starmer himself is yet to comment on G7 accession for Russia…
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.”