Michael Ellis has clocked in an early contender for picture of the day, as the Cabinet announced they’ve gifted a music box to the Queen for her Platinum Jubilee. The announcement – accompanied with snaps of Michael Ellis showing it off to the Cabinet like an excited child at Christmas – sets out the box was handmade entirely in Britain, plays Handel’s Messiah when opened, and is Downing Street staircase yellow on the outside with portraits of the country’s post-1952 PMs. The inside lid features each cabinet minister’s name.
A Downing Street spokesperson has said the gift was organised – quelle surprise – by Parliament’s royal fan boy Michael Ellis, who’s also been in charge of fundraising for Parliament’s Jubilee gift. Guido has confirmed every member of the Cabinet stumped up a whopping £200 per head, meaning the 31-strong contributors paid some £6,200 for the gift. Guido’s sure Her Majesty will use it every day…
Some classic politician heckling from Sam Coates this lunchtime as the Cabinet arrived for their meeting in Stoke. All gave traditional evasive responses to Coates’s question about the latest swathe of No. 10 fines. Though Oliver Dowden wins first prize…
The latest ConservativeHome cabinet poll is out and team Wallace will be delighted to see not only does he remain the most popular Cabinet member among the grassroots, he’s now opened up a 19 point lead. The PM’s No. 10 revamp has clearly gone down well as Stephen Barclay’s shot up to second place. Truss has dropped by 8.4 points to fifth place. There are now no negative rated members, with Boris shooting up over 34 points from -17.3% to 17.3%…
Commenting more candidly on reports that he voiced opposition to the National Insurance rise in Cabinet last week, Jacob Rees-Mogg has told the Moggcast that while upholding collective responsibility, “it must be right that ministers can, in cabinet, discuss the important issues of the day”:
“And that the whole point of Cabinet is that it disagrees, and then comes to a conclusion that everyone is bound by. If we just turned up like a lot of nodding dolls or whatever they are and agreed with whatever was put in front of us what would be the point of it? It becomes a completely formulaic symbolic opperation”
Asked if he’d resign over opposition to the National Insurance rise, Jacob flatly said “I’m fully supportive of the Prime Minister”. Hmm…
Following yesterday’s three-hour Cabinet meeting that decided nothing, details are now emerging of who opposed and supported the SAGE-desired lockdown. The Times and Telegraph have the most comprehensive write-ups, reporting Rishi, Steve Barclay and Grant Shapps were those leading the sceptics’ charge. The Times reports Jacob Rees-Mogg had a prolonged argument with Vallance about their modelling, telling Boris to trust the people rather than the scientists. Truss, Kwarteng, Alister Jack, Nadhim Zahawi and Nigel Adams are all also reportedly sceptical about the threat of Omicron…
On the other side of the divide backing restrictions, according to The Telegraph, are (unsurprisingly) Javid and Gove; Nadine Dorries and Chief secretary to the Treasury Simon Clarke. We can only presume the PM also errs towards this group. There’s set to be one more Cabinet before Christmas day that could still decide to recall MPs before New Year. The one Cabinet meeting it could be acceptable to have wine and cheese at…
“I’m just thinking about delivery, and you know I’ve seen a few delivery rooms. I’ve probably as many delivery rooms as anybody in this room with the possible exception of Jacob! And delivery usually involves a super human effort by at least one person in that room!”
Whoever came up with the seating plan thought it a good idea to put Truss next to Raab…
