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Sun, 1 October 2023

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Foreign Secretary Defends China Diplomacy Despite Criticism From MPs
Foreign affairs
Foreign Secretary Defends China Diplomacy Despite Criticism From MPs
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has defended his visit to China against criticism from MPs that the government's stance on China has been "incoherent", as he visits the country for the first time.
Anti-Tory Vote Split Could Hurt Labour And Lib Dems In Mid Bedfordshire By-election
Political parties
Anti-Tory Vote Split Could Hurt Labour And Lib Dems In Mid Bedfordshire By-election
The Conservatives could find that a split of the anti-Tory vote in the upcoming Mid Bedfordshire by-election leads to a victory for Rishi Sunak's beleaguered party, with both Labour and the Liberal Democrats planning to fight hard for Nadine Dorries' former seat.
Tory MPs Welcome Housebuilding Boost Despite Backlash Over Scrapping Environmental Rules
Environment
Tory MPs Welcome Housebuilding Boost Despite Backlash Over Scrapping Environmental Rules
Government has announced plans to ditch EU rules on nutrient neutrality in order to build 100,000 homes across the UK, prompting praise from MPs despite a backlash from opposition parties and environmental groups.
New Uxbridge MP Wants To Be The “Voice Of The People” And Stop ULEZ
Environment
New Uxbridge MP Wants To Be The “Voice Of The People” And Stop ULEZ
Steve Tuckwell, the newly elected MP for Boris Johnson’s former seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip, has said he wants to be the “voice of the people” and continue to push back against the expansion of the Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) scheme into outer London.
Summer Of 'Drift' Casts Doubt Over A DUP Return To Stormont
Brexit
Summer Of "Drift" Casts Doubt Over A DUP Return To Stormont
Westminster is gearing up for the return of parliament in just over a week, but the same cannot be said for the government in Northern Ireland, where the Democratic Unionist Party's ongoing protest is causing growing frustration in Downing Street.
Former Corbyn Strategist Says It's 'Magical Thinking' To Expect Keir Starmer To Be Radical In No.10
Political parties
Former Corbyn Strategist Says It's "Magical Thinking" To Expect Keir Starmer To Be Radical In No.10
Jeremy Corbyn's former chief strategist James Schneider has said he believes it is “the most silly type of magical thinking” to expect Labour leader Keir Starmer to become more radical if he enters Downing Street, as some have suggested he could.
Ministers Confident New Anti-Fraud Unit Saved Taxpayer 'Significant' Money
Economy
Ministers Confident New Anti-Fraud Unit Saved Taxpayer "Significant" Money
The government is confident that a unit set up twelve months ago to curb fraud in the public sector will be shown to have delivered major savings.
Party Accounts Show Labour Out-Earning Tories
Political parties
Party Accounts Show Labour Out-Earning Tories
The Labour Party has continued to raise more money than the Conservative Party, according to the most recent political party accounts released by independent watchdog the Electoral Commission.
Government Has Not Met Senior NHS Consultants For Five Months
Health
Government Has Not Met Senior NHS Consultants For Five Months
The Government has not met consultants from the British Medical Association (BMA) for five months, research by the Labour party has highlighted, as doctors begin 48 hours of industrial action on Thursday.
Millions Of GCSE Lessons Taught By Non-Specialist Teachers
Education
Millions Of GCSE Lessons Taught By Non-Specialist Teachers
GCSE pupils across the UK have had more than 75 million lessons taught by non-specialist teachers in the last two years, according to research carried out by the Liberal Democrats.
Benefit Claimants Say Sanctions Make It Harder To Find Work
Social affairs
Benefit Claimants Say Sanctions Make It Harder To Find Work
Exclusive: New research has found that the majority of people required to attend job centres to access benefits believe being hit with sanctions when they don't attend undermines their ability to find a good job.
Treasury Minister Vows To Simplify Taxes In A Bid To Boost Growth
Economy
Treasury Minister Vows To Simplify Taxes In A Bid To Boost Growth
Victoria Atkins, financial secretary to the Treasury, has issued a pledge to simplify taxes, underscoring government's efforts to boost the economy, insisting that doing so would "support growth" and make tax "fairer".
MPs Plan To Keep Pushing For Statutory Inquiry Into Lucy Letby Murders
Health
MPs Plan To Keep Pushing For Statutory Inquiry Into Lucy Letby Murders
A number of MPs remain steadfast in their insistence that a statutory inquiry should be held into the murder of seven babies by Lucy Letby, legally obliging witnesses to put what they knew about circumstances surrounding the case onto government record.
Government To 'Look At Law' To Force Murder Convicts To Attend Court
Home affairs
Government To "Look At Law" To Force Murder Convicts To Attend Court
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said that government has been looking at changing the law to ensure those convicted of "horrendous crimes" must attend court and face their victims, after serial killer Lucy Letby refused to attend her sentencing today.
Local Bank Closures Risk Excluding Vulnerable People From Financial Services, Says Labour Frontbencher
Communities
Local Bank Closures Risk Excluding Vulnerable People From Financial Services, Says Labour Frontbencher
A Labour shadow minister has said Britain cannot “just abandon cash” and must ensure people have access to in-person banking, as major banks are closing down scores of branches across the UK, including in her constituency in Wales.
British Art Scene Feels Brexit Bite
Culture
British Art Scene Feels Brexit Bite
The art industry is calling on ministers to reduce post-Brexit red tape that is leading to the cancellation of exhibitions and delays of over a month for pieces heading to Europe.
Military Warned To Urgently Adapt To Climate Change Threats
Environment
Military Warned To Urgently Adapt To Climate Change Threats
The Ministry of Defence must adapt its strategic resilience to cope with changing demands from climate change, a new defence committee report has warned.
Luciana Berger Says “Democracy Is Diminished” When MPs Are Made To Feel Unsafe
Political parties
Luciana Berger Says “Democracy Is Diminished” When MPs Are Made To Feel Unsafe
The former Labour MP Luciana Berger has said “our democracy is diminished” when people in politics are made to feel unsafe due to the online abuse that she and others have suffered.
Figures Suggest Government Back-To-Work Programme Is Costing £40,000 Per Success
Economy
Figures Suggest Government Back-To-Work Programme Is Costing £40,000 Per Success
Exclusive: The Prime Minister’s flagship back-to-work programme is estimated to cost over £40,000 per successful participant, PoliticsHome can reveal.
Labour MP Demands Investigation Into Multimillion-Pound Pensions Project Running 7 Years Late
Economy
Labour MP Demands Investigation Into Multimillion-Pound Pensions Project Running 7 Years Late
A Labour MP has asked the National Audit Office to investigate the delays to the government’s long-awaited Pensions Dashboard project, which has cost the taxpayer millions of pounds.
Economists Warn Inflation Target May Be Missed Despite Recent Fall
Economy
Economists Warn Inflation Target May Be Missed Despite Recent Fall
A high rate of core inflation has triggered warnings from economists of more interest rate hikes and of the government missing its inflation target, despite a recent overall consumer price index (CPI) inflation fall.
Keir Starmer Leans Towards Rejecting PM's New Departments In His Next Labour Reshuffle
Political parties
Keir Starmer Leans Towards Rejecting PM's New Departments In His Next Labour Reshuffle
Keir Starmer is not expected to mirror Rishi Sunak's re-organised government when he eventually reshuffles the shadow cabinet, PoliticsHome understands.
Give Local Areas More Control Over Their Spending, Says Leading Economic Think Tank
Social affairs
Give Local Areas More Control Over Their Spending, Says Leading Economic Think Tank
Providing local areas with more control over how they spend money handed out by government could help better ensure that cash is allocated where it is most needed, according to a new report.
Fire Brigades Union Yet To Hear From Government Over 'Potential Death Trap' Bibby Stockholm
Home affairs
Fire Brigades Union Yet To Hear From Government Over "Potential Death Trap" Bibby Stockholm
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has yet to meet with the government about the Bibby Stockholm barge, over a week after it demanded a discussion about the "potential death trap".
Labour MP Wants Party To Commit To Build 450,000 Homes A Year
Home affairs
Labour MP Wants Party To Commit To Build 450,000 Homes A Year
Labour MP Andrew Western, a self-styled YIMBY (yes in my back yard) champion in parliament, has said he would like to see his party commit to a mandatory target of building 450,000 homes a year in Government in order to tackle the UK's housing crisis.
Tory Moderates Are Gearing Up For A Major Comeback
Political parties
Tory Moderates Are Gearing Up For A Major Comeback
Conservative MPs in the moderate 'One Nation' group have agreed to up their game and re-assert their influence, as concern grows at the centre of the party that Rishi Sunak's lurch toward right-wing rhetoric and policy positions could do more harm than good at the ballot box.

Energy Industry Welcomes Green Energy Summit After 'Anxiety' Over Net Zero
Energy
Energy Industry Welcomes Green Energy Summit After "Anxiety" Over Net Zero
Energy industry figures have said the government's decision to host an energy sustainability conference in February is welcome after the government was warned that appearing to row back on net zero could jeopardise investment in UK energy.
Chris Bryant Wants To Resurrect Two Hundred Year Old Rule To Oust Nadine Dorries
Political parties
Chris Bryant Wants To Resurrect Two Hundred Year Old Rule To Oust Nadine Dorries
Chair of the Commons standards committee Chris Bryant has threatened to try to resurrect an arcane parliamentary rule to force Nadine Dorries out of parliament after the MP failed to formally resign, despite announcing her intention to do so in June.

Regional Tories Are Snubbing Parachuted MP Candidates In Favour Of 'Local Champions'
Political parties
Regional Tories Are Snubbing Parachuted MP Candidates In Favour Of "Local Champions"
The number of Conservative candidates who are from their area and have had experience in local Government has risen over the last few election cycles, with Tory associations appearing to prefer “local champions” to well-established names.
Tory MP Insists Leaving ECHR Has 'No Majority' Support In The Conservative Party
Political parties
Tory MP Insists Leaving ECHR Has "No Majority" Support In The Conservative Party
A Tory MP who leads the UK delegation to the Council of Europe has said there is "no majority" of support in the Conservative Party for pulling out of the European Convention Of Human Rights (ECHR) after immigration minister Robert Jenrick did not rule out such a move in order to achieve the UK's goals to end illegal Channel crossings.
Government Warned Bibby Stockholm Tackles 'Symptoms' Not 'Causes' Of Channel Crossings
Home affairs
Government Warned Bibby Stockholm Tackles "Symptoms" Not "Causes" Of Channel Crossings
The Government is facing criticism that its decision to start moving asylum seekers onto detention barge the Bibby Stockholm is tackling the “symptoms and not the causes” of the small boats crisis, which Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged to solve.
Lib Dems Calculate Newly Drawn Seats Could Boost Their Chances In Tory Targets
Political parties
Lib Dems Calculate Newly Drawn Seats Could Boost Their Chances In Tory Targets
Liberal Democrat campaigners are increasingly confident that newly redrawn constituency boundaries for the next election could give them a boost at the polls in some seats where they have already seen success in local elections.
Labour's Top Target Seats Are In Major NIMBY Strongholds
Home affairs
Labour's Top Target Seats Are In Major NIMBY Strongholds
New data seen by PoliticsHome shows Labour's target seats have a significant number of voters who are vehemently against more housebuilding in their area, leaving the party with a serious balancing act between winning marginal constituencies and keeping promises to solve the housing crisis.

Chris Bryant Wants Radical Reform Of Westminster's Standards Regime
Political parties
Chris Bryant Wants Radical Reform Of Westminster's Standards Regime
Labour MP Chris Bryant, the chair of the standards and privileges committee, has insisted that radical reform of parliament's processes must make it into his party's next manifesto.
Rishi Sunak's Net Zero 'Vibe Shift' Could Backfire At The Ballot Box
Environment
Rishi Sunak's Net Zero "Vibe Shift" Could Backfire At The Ballot Box
Rishi Sunak seems to have found a new dividing line with Labour on climate policy, but it's a high-risk strategy that could backfire if he is seen by voters to be uninterested in urgent environmental issues.
Tory Peer Says UK Has “Failed' To Learn Infectious Disease Lessons From Covid
Coronavirus
Tory Peer Says UK Has “Failed" To Learn Infectious Disease Lessons From Covid
Former public health minster Lord Bethell says he fears we haven’t “learned the lessons about infectious disease” from Covid-19 and health resources “are in worse shape” now than before the pandemic hit.