Ministers are attempting to close ranks around Reeves this morning. Can only last so long…
Starmer said of Reeves to the BBC last night: “She and I work together, we think together… We jointly worked on the spending review … In the past, there have been examples — I won’t give any specifics — of chancellors and prime ministers who weren’t in lockstep. We’re in lockstep.” Starmer refused to back her at PMQs before his spokesman scrambled to assure her for the entire parliament straight after…
This morning health secretary Wes Streeting said on LBC Reeves will “bounce back“:
“I’ve been in touch with her. I’ve not spoken to her. I know the prime minister spoke to her straight after prime minister’s questions. But you know Rachel, she is a tough cookie. She’ll bounce back. I think what makes Rachel different to a lot of people who will be listening this morning is that you know everyone will identify with when things are going on in your life and you go to work, you don’t just leave your problems at the door, they stay with you. I think what makes Rachel and all of us different is that when we’re not just at work, we’re often on show.”
Asked whether Reeves should have been in the chamber at all Streeting said: “Well, I’m sure she’ll be asking herself that very question. But I do know that she’s tough. She’s resilient. She will bounce back.” Easier to be bounced into a reshuffle…
Jonathan Reynolds has fumbled Labour’s announcement of a new parental leave review. After the government yesterday recycled a months-old nurseries announcement…
On LBC Reynolds could not name the statutory rate of paternity pay “my oldest is ten, I’m not sure what the statutory rate is any more… it’s not generous compared with other places.“ The trade secretary also failed to name what rate he thinks it should be…
Labour says it will look at statutory leave and pay in its “landmark review.” Nick Ferrari asked whether Reynolds regrets not knowing the current rate and Reynolds said: “I should to be honest, I must apologise to you.” It is £187.18 per week…
He added: “When I come on your show I never try to con you when you catch me out, so we’ll accept that one.” Can’t even announce a review properly…
Economic Secretary to the Treasury Emma Reynolds has had a car crash interview on LBC when attempting to discuss Labour’s increased road infrastructure announcement this morning. Reynolds said “Dartmouth Tunnel” instead of “Dartford Tunnel” and failed to answer where the Lower Thames Crossing, which Labour says will get £590 million from a new £1 billion “structures fund,” will start and end. Gravesend, Tilbury…
Reynolds said she had a “very early morning.” When she rattled off some press release lines on the Thames Crossing Nick Ferrari said: “It’s almost as if you were reading from a piece of paper there isn’t it?” He asked her how much the crossing would cost – “quite a lot of money” was the answer. After Nick pressed harder Reynolds said “several billion pounds.” Actual answer: £10 billion. “Is there any point continuing this conversation” replied Ferrari…
The pair then argued about Reynolds being unable to say when any progress would be made on Hammersmith Bridge because she isn’t “a transport minister.” Reynolds couldn’t say if that bridge would even be one of the 3,000 to receive boosted funding from Labour’s new fund. Bring back Tulip…
James O’Brien has been discussing the Trump administration on his show today. LBC notes that he “draws a parallel between JD Vance and Joseph Goebbels.” Here we go…
“Most of the people who’ve been whining about the West for years because they don’t like foreigners have actually ushered in precisely the thing they claimed they didn’t want – the destruction of the West in its traditional form. I think it might have been Goebbels: “Accuse others of what you yourself will do.” So in in the arena most obviously of shutting down freedom of speech the idea that JD Vance can accuse us having problems with free speech while students in the United States are literally being snatched from the streets and locked up for writing editorials in student newspapers is is frankly extraordinary.”
Godwin’s law in full effect there – though Starmer’s Chagos chum Philippe Sands pipped O’Brien to the post. O’Brien has also been seriously struggling with yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling on the Equality Act. Co-conspirators will be full of sympathy…
Tax minister James Murray subjected LBC listeners to a torturous four-minute interview with Nick Ferrari thanks to his inability to answer basic questions on the government’s decision to ‘abolish’ the Payment Systems Regulator. Labour announced last night the PSR’s functions will be moved to the Financial Conduct Authority…
Murray couldn’t say when asked how many people work at the small regulator (165). He couldn’t say what would happen to its employees: “That’s going to be looked at over the summer in terms of the detail” through a consultation. There is no suggestion that companies will no longer have to pay fees towards a payment regulator – last year the PSR collected £27.3 million from firms. So the ‘abolition’ just means companies interacting with a different email address and no money saved…
Meanwhile Labour’s other big red tape announcement this week is the hike of the £1,000 tax return threshold for trading income to £3,000 – but only by 2029. If the threshold had increased in line with inflation since its imposition in 2017 it would already be £1,310…
Murray claimed he hadn’t “seen” Tory research showing a whopping 27 new quangos have been founded since Labour came to power including the ‘Tree Planting Taskforce’ – co-conspirators can browse the rest below. The trick to deregulation is to abolish more quangos than you found…
See the rest of the new quangos below:
Continue reading “Tax Minister Fails to Answer Basic Questions on Payment Quango ‘Abolition’”
Last night the LBC team came first place at the glitzy Premier League-sponsored ‘Ultimate News Quiz’ event compèred by Gary Lineker and Martha Kearney. Jolly James O’Brien lifted the trophy cup…
This morning on LBC a bandaged O’Brien explained he “managed to skid on some ice on the way to work this morning and fell off my bike” after his “extraordinary victory.” How to be Up-Right coming out soon?
O’Brien struggled to find words at times during his show, for example when elucidating the former Marine Corps career of Vice President J.D. Vance for listeners. Guido, who enjoyed his commute this morning in the six degree London sunshine, offers commiserations to O’Brien for his inopportune accident and hopes the wound heals soon…
Former leader of the SNP in Westminster Ian Blackford told Times Radio why he believes Nicola Sturgeon’s claim that she spent no time in the kitchen and therefore didn’t see any of her husband’s purchases:
“She doesn’t have a passion for cooking.”
