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Tom Scotson

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Bullying Complaints In Ministry Of Defence Soar Over Four Years
Defence
Bullying Complaints In Ministry Of Defence Soar Over Four Years
Bullying complaints made by civilian workers in the Ministry of Defence (MoD) have surged over four years, according to new data released by ministers.
Cross Party Alliance Claims Whitehall Is Resisting Proscribing IRGC As A Terrorist Group
Foreign affairs
Cross Party Alliance Claims Whitehall Is Resisting Proscribing IRGC As A Terrorist Group
A number of MPs from across the House of Commons have claimed there is institutional resistance from Whitehall to proscribe the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist group, a year after reports suggested a move could be considered.
Labour MP Says Leasehold System Is Trapping People In Homes They Can't Sell
Home affairs
Labour MP Says Leasehold System Is Trapping People In Homes They Can't Sell
Labour MP Barry Gardiner has put forward an amendment to the Leasehold and Freehold Bill to reform service charges and remove another income stream for freeholders, as he continues to campaign for the abolition of the leasehold system.
Pro-Development Tories Are Desperate To Convince NIMBYs New Houses Would Be 'Popular' In Their Patch
Home affairs
Pro-Development Tories Are Desperate To Convince NIMBYs New Houses Would Be "Popular" In Their Patch
A number of Conservative MPs who believe new housing should be a top priority are looking to persuade NIMBY MPs that housebuilding can be "popular" in their area, as the issue continues to bitterly divide the Tories ahead of the next election.
Contentious Ground Rents Could Cling On In New Leasehold Bill
Home affairs
Contentious Ground Rents Could Cling On In New Leasehold Bill
Leasehold campaigners are concerned the Leasehold and Freehold Bill will not cap ground rents to peppercorn rates, a measure that would significantly ease the financial burden on leaseholders. 
Cross Party Alliance Calls For IRGC To Be Proscribed As Terrorist Group
Defence
Cross Party Alliance Calls For IRGC To Be Proscribed As Terrorist Group
A cross-party group of MPs has reiterated calls for the government to designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation, a year after suggestions such a move could be considered.
Transition Talks Between Opposition And Civil Service Should Start Immediately, Says New Report
Home affairs
Transition Talks Between Opposition And Civil Service Should Start Immediately, Says New Report
Transition talks between the Civil Service and opposition party should begin in January if Keir Starmer’s Labour is ready to govern the country effectively, a new Institute for Government (IfG) report has warned.
Hopes Rise For Spring Reform Of “Feudal” Leasehold System, But Legal Concerns Remain
Home affairs
Hopes Rise For Spring Reform Of “Feudal” Leasehold System, But Legal Concerns Remain
Parliamentarians and campaigners are hopeful the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill, which seeks to tackle “inequality” in the housing market, could be put into law early next year, after it faced little opposition in the House of Commons.
WhatsApp Could Be The “Secret Battleground” In The Next General Election
Political parties
By Tom Scotson
WhatsApp Could Be The “Secret Battleground” In The Next General Election
WhatsApp is set to play a major part in 2024’s UK general election, with political strategists and parties already preparing to use the ubiquitous messaging app to organise their supporters and target campaigning.
Conservative Growth Group Is Working To 'Unite The Right'
Economy
By Tom Scotson
Conservative Growth Group Is Working To "Unite The Right"
Leading figures in the Conservative Growth Group (CGG), a free market-favouring faction within the Tory Party, will place a renewed focus on uniting MPs on the right to increase pressure on the Government and bolster support for its ideas ahead of the election.
Pagers, BlackBerrys And The PM's Email: Westminster Has Long Grappled With New Technology
Home affairs
By Tom Scotson
Pagers, BlackBerrys And The PM's Email: Westminster Has Long Grappled With New Technology
Senior Government’s use of WhatsApp to discuss high level decisions, and all the associated accountability issues, has been a major talking point of 2023.
Government Reduces Salary Thresholds For Foreign Spouses
Home affairs
By Tom Scotson
Government Reduces Salary Thresholds For Foreign Spouses
The Government has watered down on its plans to increase salary thresholds for foreign spouse visas, cutting the newly proposed fee by almost £10,000.
European Super League Ruling Puts Pressure On UK To Move On New Football Regulator
Culture
By Tom Scotson
European Super League Ruling Puts Pressure On UK To Move On New Football Regulator
Football campaigners and MPs have called for the Football Governance Bill, which would introduce an independent football regulator, to be introduced early next year after the decision to block the European Super League was found to be unlawful.
David Cameron Says 'Heat And Anger' Between UK And EU Has Gone Since Brexit
Foreign affairs
By Tom Scotson
David Cameron Says "Heat And Anger" Between UK And EU Has Gone Since Brexit
Foreign Secretary David Cameron has said the "heat and anger" in the UK's relationship with the EU has disappeared since Brexit.
Rwanda Bill Scrapes Through Commons After Rishi Sunak Swerves Major Defeat
Home affairs
By Tom Scotson
Rwanda Bill Scrapes Through Commons After Rishi Sunak Swerves Major Defeat
The government's contentious Rwanda Bill has scraped through the House of Commons despite threats of a major rebellion from the right of the Tory party.
ERG Alliance Claims New Rwanda Bill Should Be 'Pulled'
Home affairs
By Tom Scotson
ERG Alliance Claims New Rwanda Bill Should Be "Pulled"
The ERG Alliance has claimed the Government will be "best advised to pull" the Rwanda Bill, after the group claimed it offered a "partial" and "incomplete" solution to tackle illegal migration.
Tories Are Divided Over Whether Rishi Sunak Is “Finished” Ahead Of Rwanda Vote
Home affairs
By Tom Scotson
Tories Are Divided Over Whether Rishi Sunak Is “Finished” Ahead Of Rwanda Vote
Conservative MPs are split between believing Rwanda is the Government's only option to "stop the boats", and thinking the Prime Minister is “finished” ahead of Rishi Sunak's crunch vote on his emergency legislation to cut illegal migration.
Tory MPs and Housing Industry Leaders Clash Over Leasehold Reform
Home affairs
Tory MPs and Housing Industry Leaders Clash Over Leasehold Reform
A number of Conservative MPs and housing industry leaders have clashed over a key part of the upcoming Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill, after the Government promised to tackle "unfair" ground rents faced by leaseholders.
Tory MPs Back Sir Elton John's Call For Ban On Conversion Therapy
Home affairs
Tory MPs Back Sir Elton John's Call For Ban On Conversion Therapy
Tory MPs have backed Sir Elton John's call for a ban on conversion therapy after he expressed his disappointment that the Government had failed to outlaw the practice.
Civil Liberties Campaigners Warn Digital Pound Could Be 'Detrimental' To Privacy
Economy
By Tom Scotson
Civil Liberties Campaigners Warn Digital Pound Could Be "Detrimental" To Privacy
Big Brother Watch, a leading civil liberties campaign group, has published a report arguing that a new digital pound could be “detrimental to people’s privacy” and worry Government could use it to track people’s spending habits.
What To Expect In The New Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill
Political parties
What To Expect In The New Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill
A Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill will be brought forward in Parliament on Monday afternoon, as campaigners and MPs gear up to widen the Bill’s scope and make it more radical.
David Cameron Appointed Foreign Secretary In Shock Move
Foreign affairs
By Tom Scotson
David Cameron Appointed Foreign Secretary In Shock Move
Rishi Sunak has appointed David Cameron as foreign secretary after the prime minister embarked on a major cabinet reshuffle.
Confidence Grows That Football Regulator Can Be In Place Within A Year
Culture
Confidence Grows That Football Regulator Can Be In Place Within A Year
Football campaigners and MPs are confident a new football regulator could be made law in a year’s time, after a proposed Football Governance Bill to reform the Game was announced in the King’s Speech on Tuesday.
Football, Crime And Energy At The Centre Of Final King's Speech Before Election
Parliament
Football, Crime And Energy At The Centre Of Final King's Speech Before Election
The King’s Speech was read out by Charles III on Tuesday which set out the Government's priorities for the year ahead.
What To Expect On Government Leasehold Reform
Home affairs
What To Expect On Government Leasehold Reform
A Leasehold Bill is widely expected to be included in the King’s Speech on Tuesday, and campaigners are pushing the Government to reform the system.
Government Has Already Started Hiring For Senior Football Regulator Role
Culture
Government Has Already Started Hiring For Senior Football Regulator Role
A senior role in the Civil Service to kickstart an independent football regulator has already closed its application process, as a Bill to reform the sport is widely expected to be included in the King's Speech next week.
Senior Civil Servant Warned Government Had No Plan For Covid-19 And Could 'Kill Thousands'
Health
Senior Civil Servant Warned Government Had No Plan For Covid-19 And Could "Kill Thousands"
Helen MacNamara, the former Deputy Cabinet Secretary, has told the Covid inquiry she was extremely concerned the Government did not have an adequate plan to deal with Covid-19 prior to a nationwide lockdown called in March 2020.
Keir Starmer Continues To Rule Out Israel-Gaza Ceasefire Arguing It Would Enable Hamas
Defence
Keir Starmer Continues To Rule Out Israel-Gaza Ceasefire Arguing It Would Enable Hamas
Labour leader Keir Starmer has continued to insist a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is not the "correct position now" arguing that doing so would benefit Hamas and impact efforts to push for a two-state solution in the Middle East.
Football Campaigners Want New Independent Regulator To Be Given 'Teeth'
Culture
Football Campaigners Want New Independent Regulator To Be Given "Teeth"
Grassroots campaigners have argued a new football regulator must be given “teeth” to hold clubs to account, following reports that a new independent body could be included in the King's Speech.
Conservative MP Robert Courts Elected As Chair Of Defence Committee
Defence
By Tom Scotson
Conservative MP Robert Courts Elected As Chair Of Defence Committee
Conservative MP Robert Courts has been elected as Chair of the Defence Select Committee after Tobias Ellwood resigned over praising the Taliban.
Defence Secretary Agrees To Let Serving Personnel Give Evidence On Poor Housing
Defence
By Tom Scotson
Defence Secretary Agrees To Let Serving Personnel Give Evidence On Poor Housing
The Conservative chair of the defence sub-committee has welcomed Defence Secretary Grant Shapps’s decision to allow serving personnel to give evidence about living in poor quality accommodation.
Government To Push Ahead With Rental Reforms Despite Backlash From Tory MPs
Political parties
Government To Push Ahead With Rental Reforms Despite Backlash From Tory MPs
The Renters' Reform Bill passed its second reading on Monday, despite mounting opposition from Conservative MPs against the reforms and Levelling-up Secretary Michael Gove.
Liberal Democrats Could Focus On Fewer Seats After Stalled By-Election Winning Streak
Political parties
By Tom Scotson
Liberal Democrats Could Focus On Fewer Seats After Stalled By-Election Winning Streak
The Liberal Democrats may have to “concentrate their efforts” and target fewer seats at the next election, after the party failed to win in Mid-Bedfordshire and came a distant third in Tamworth.
MP Says UK Opening Israel-Gaza Refugee Programme Would Show West Had 'Failed'
Foreign affairs
By Tom Scotson
MP Says UK Opening Israel-Gaza Refugee Programme Would Show West Had "Failed"
Conservative chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee Alicia Kearns has said that a new Israel-Palestine refugee programme would show the West had "failed" in preventing people being displaced by conflict in the region.

Senior Conservatives Urge Government To Proscribe Iran's IRGC As Terrorists
Defence
Senior Conservatives Urge Government To Proscribe Iran's IRGC As Terrorists
The Government is under growing pressure from its own MPs to proscribe the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation following the recent terror attack in Israel.
Defence Secretary Refuses To Say Whether Gaza Evacuation Order Breaks International Law
Foreign affairs
By Tom Scotson
Defence Secretary Refuses To Say Whether Gaza Evacuation Order Breaks International Law
Grant Shapps, the Defence Secretary, has refused to say whether Israel is breaking international law by giving Palestinian civilians 24 hours to leave Northern Gaza.