Urgent reform needed to restore trust in UK constitution, warn think tanks September 19, 2023 An urgent reset is required in order to restore trust in the UK’s constitution, two top think tanks have warned. Faith in Britain’s political system has been shaken after a “tumultuous” string of events — from the Brexit process, the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis — a report by the Institute for [...]
Tobias Ellwood resigns as Commons defence committee chairman September 13, 2023 Tobias Ellwood has quit as defence committee chairman ahead of an expected vote of no confidence, he has confirmed. In a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, the MP wrote: “It is with deep regret that I have tendered my resignation as chairman of the defence committee. “It has been a huge privilege to lead [...]
Rishi Sunak now as unpopular as Boris Johnson, poll finds September 11, 2023 Rishi Sunak is now as unpopular as Boris Johnson when he left office, polling of the public has revealed. The Prime Minister has scored his lowest ever favourability rating with almost 70 per cent of Brits revealing that they don’t rate him – making his popularity levels as poor as those of his former boss [...]
Westminster’s alleged spy for China says he is ‘completely innocent’ September 11, 2023 The parliamentary researcher arrested on suspicion of being a spy for China has insisted he is “completely innocent”. The man said he had spent his career highlighting the “challenge and threats presented by the Chinese Communist Party”. The arrest under the Official Secrets Act led to the Prime Minister confronting Chinese premier Li Qiang at [...]
UK ‘flying blind’ on soaring levels of fraud which has quadrupled since pandemic September 8, 2023 The government is “flying blind” on its exposure to fraud, which has quadrupled since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, MPs have said. The cross-party Public Accounts Committee (PAC) also said that while most of the £21bn of taxpayers’ money lost to fraud during the pandemic is unlikely to be recovered, the government should be [...]
Chris Pincher: Former Tory whip resigns as MP triggering third by-election for Sunak September 7, 2023 Conservative MP Chris Pincher has resigned as an MP triggering a third by-election for Rishi Sunak’s government to fight. The Tory MP and former deputy chief whip announced his resignation this morning after he lost his appeal against an eight-week suspension from Parliament over groping allegations. In a statement he said: “I have said already [...]
MPs criticise government for ‘dragging feet’ over Economic Crime Bill September 5, 2023 MPs have criticised the government for “dragging its feet” over the Economic Crime Bill, after a string of measures aiming to toughen up dirty money protections were voted against or watered down. Peers had passed a series of amendments to the legislation aimed at fighting back against economic crime, fraud and illicit wealth prior to [...]
UK solar projects risk being ‘tainted’ by Uyghur forced labour, government told September 5, 2023 UK solar energy projects could be at risk of being “tainted” by forced Uyghur labour due to large-scale human rights abuses taking place in China, the government has been warned. Foreign Affairs Select Committee chair Alicia Kearns has tabled an amendment to the Energy Bill – which MPs are set to debate today – calling [...]
Darren Jones: Keir Starmer moves rising star to Labour’s shadow treasury team September 4, 2023 Labour MP Darren Jones has been appointed shadow chief secretary to the treasury, in Sir Keir Starmer’s reshuffle of his top team. Jones made headlines and viral TikToks as he clashed with Royal Mail, Amazon and P&O bosses in his role as business and trade select committee (BTC) chairman. He will now serve alongside shadow [...]
Gavin Williamson told to apologise for bullying Chief Whip over Queen’s funeral tickets September 4, 2023 Sir Gavin Williamson should apologise to MPs for bullying a Conservative colleague after he was not allocated tickets to the late Queen’s funeral, Parliament’s watchdog has said. He was forced to quit as a Cabinet Office minister just days into Rishi Sunak’s premiership last year over a series of expletive-laden messages to former chief whip [...]