Guido hears Telegraph leader writer Sam Ashworth-Hayes is joining Reform as part of its beefed-up policy team. James Orr is going on a hiring spree…
Ashworth-Hayes’ blueprint for Reform is revealed in his Telegraph columns. From last October:
“There are steps Reform can take to boost growth without irritating its base – liberalising planning in London and other cities over the heads of local councils, pursuing cheap energy among others…
Reform’s challenge is to find a way to sell benefits reforms to its base as part of a package: shielding its voters as much as possible, but where necessary cutting spending and trusting the migration and culture narratives to carry the day. It’s a hard sell, but not an impossible one.”
It’ll soon be his job to sell it…
Starmer said to Robert Peston this afternoon:
“I’m fed up with the fact that families across the country see their bills go up and down on energy businesses bills go up and down on energy because of the actions of Putin or Trump across the world.”