Downing Street is refusing to dismiss the possibility of a future ban on Virtual Private Networks. Asked in today’s Lobby briefing if the government would rule out restricting the use of VPNs for children or anyone else at any point in the future, Number 10’s official spokesman said the government have “no plans to go beyond that“… but nonetheless said they would “keep under review what is necessary to keep children safe online“. The coy sort of language that leaves the door wide open to plans that do in fact go beyond that in the future…
As Guido has reported, Labour has previously supported moves to crack down on VPNs when the Online Safety Act was first going through parliament. Here’s what prominent backbench MP Sarah Champion said at the time:
“My new clause 54 would require the Secretary of State to publish, within six months of the Bill’s passage, a report on the effect of VPN use on Ofcom’s ability to enforce the requirements under clause 112. If VPNs cause significant issues, the Government must identify those issues and find solutions, rather than avoiding difficult problems.”
The party front bench subsequently backed Champion’s mission. VPN use has skyrocketed since the Online Safety Act was implemented, and the campaign to ban them is already whirring into motion. Of course if even Beijing can’t ban VPNs, it would be less than pointless for Whitehall to try. Evidence has never stopped the blob before…
Downing Street has created four brand new “digital roles” to beef up its content creation team in efforts to boost Starmer’s image. Alice Hodgson, Head of Digital Communications at No10, posted on LinkedIn this morning:
“We’re looking for creative leaders and makers with big ideas to join the team behind the Prime Minister’s and 10 Downing Street’s digital channels. If you’re passionate about storytelling, visuals, and creating content that reaches millions, this is your chance.”
Starmer is on the lookout for a Chief Videographer, Senior Content Producer, Video Editor and Photo Editor with salaries which total £210,766. The Chief Videographer will be expected to “create and commission compelling hero moments for the Prime Minister that showcase leadership, humanity and delivery” as well as staying “across digital and content trends.” Guido is not convinced Keir Starmer is the man people have in mind when the Bonnie Tyler track comes on…
The hard left think tank IPPR has continued its infiltration of Downing Street. Talk about the revolving door…
The Health Service Journal and Bloomberg report that Tom Kibasi – who worked on Starmer’s leadership campaign – has been brought into No10 to work with Morgan McSweeney on “a specific strategy project for several months.” Grasping at straws…
Guido revealed in February that Kibasi – who used to head up the IPPR – was appointed by DHSC to work on NHS policy. That hasn’t lasted and he will now attempt to shore up Downing Street’s strategy ahead of Conference and the October Omnishambles budget. He has a history of support for gargantuan tax hikes by taxing capital gains and dividends at income tax rates…
Kibasi joins the other IPPR head honchos in Downing Street, the majority of whom are working on policy. Judge a Prime Minister’s policy direction by the company he keeps…
In the final humiliation for Baroness Gray of Tottenham the government has finally been forced to confirm that Sacked Sue did not in fact get a severance package. Despite her best efforts…
Labour repeatedly refused to say whether she did or not when asked in written parliamentary questions and so on, claiming “it is not appropriate to comment on individuals.“ They’ve now been forced into it after an Information Commissioner’s Office review…
312 days after her sacking the Cabinet Office has confirmed: “the requirements for the issue of a severance payment under paragraph 18 were not met. Ms Gray was therefore not eligible, nor paid a severance payment.” Guido reported at the time that Gray was fighting for a large one – Pat McFadden wrongly claimed she would be entitled to severance. As Guido also pointed out it would have to be approved by Starmer himself…
No ‘envoy’ job, no payout, just a peerage. Poor thing…
Guido hears Number 10’s first ever ‘influencer reception’ for TikTok stars was a total dud. Having finally realised the legacy media is in a death spiral, Downing Street crammed 90 or so online creators into the Number 10 garden last night in an effort to “go where people are” as part of the government’s new comms strategy. There was, of course, a panel discussion on ‘authenticity’…
According to Guido’s moles, it didn’t go to plan: the authenticity lecture was “poorly received”, several guests left early, and Starmer himself vanished after about ten minutes, leaving Ed Miliband to pick up the slack. There was a general sense of confusion over the purpose of the event, other than to snap a selfie with the PM while he was still there. Lefties are complaining that their invites were lost in the post, so it looks like ideological conformity was also a prerequisite to getting through the door. Even the food was “terrible”. Apparently they went a bit “overboard” on the vegan options…
Starmer did at least acknowledge the slow demise of the legacy media, saying the benefit of influencers over the dead tree press is that the legacy media “talk about things people don’t care about”, while influencers “talk about things that are relevant to people’s everyday lives”. He also assured (or warned) the guests – many of whom were glued to their phones throughout the speech – that this reception wouldn’t be their last. Better upgrade the catering next time…
As the Lords rises for recess today to wind down parliament for the summer the Downing Street operation has a big task ahead to repair and reform itself. It’s a dirty job but someone will have to do it…
A Downing Street source tells Guido fatigue has set in and is “starting to show.” Unforced errors and mistakes have left Starmer exposed and he will now have to “resolve the problems with the policy unit” which has been beset with problems, is often blamed for failures due to chaotic management. Hence Bloomberg reporting this week that Starmer is asking to hear about policy earlier in the pipeline…
Without a wide shake-up to the private office that smoothes procedures an insider source tells Guido Starmer will need “a heavyweight official in No10 who can sort things for him in the way the private office can’t at the moment... they need to work well with Morgan, Powell and the Cabinet Secretary.” No10 dysfunction is usually treated with these kinds of workarounds and they don’t usually work…
Alistair Campbell confidant the former Blairite No10 director of communications Tim Allan has been mooted for that role as a new “permanent secretary for communications.” A Downing Street source tells Guido if Allan is appointed strategic communications boss James Lyons “will be pissed off.” Loggerheads on the way – not a quiet recess for some…
Kemi Badenoch at the 1922-ConHome bash last night:
“I did praise [Burnham] for his stamina, it was amazing. All I had to do was sit back and lie there. I didn’t have to do anything at all…”