Political news

• Seamus Jennings on the Tory approach to the law – cartoon

  01-07-2022 21:03 via theguardian.com
  
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• Tory MP Chris Pincher loses whip over groping claims – as it happened

  01-07-2022 20:47 via theguardian.com
  
  Latest updates: former deputy chief whip suspended from party. This live blog is closed.Chris Pincher loses Conservative whip after misconduct claimsTimeline of Tory sleaze under Boris JohnsonInside the Carlton Club: Cad’s Corner and Mark Francois holding courtThis is an interesting thread from Keiran Pedley, pollster for Ipsos UK, on the Conservatives’ and Labour’s party image:This from Insider’s Cat Neilan on one Tory MP’s hot take on the Pincher story:Continue re
  
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• Boris Johnson in the mire again after digging in to save an ally

  01-07-2022 20:10 via theguardian.com
  
  Insiders boggle at ‘tone deaf’ response from PM and his team over Chris Pincher’s position as scandals keep comingBoris Johnson has spent much of his nearly three-year premiership determined not to bow to political pressure.Despite being a former journalist who knows the damage that days of bad headlines can do – particularly from normally friendly newspapers – the prime minister has repeatedly dug in and refused to fire colleagues. Continue reading...
  
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• Tory MP suspended from party over assault allegations

  01-07-2022 20:07 via ft.com
  Independent investigation launched into Chris Pincher in latest scandal to hit Boris Johnson’s government
  
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• Chris Pincher loses Tory whip over misconduct allegations

  01-07-2022 20:01 via theguardian.com
  
  Move comes after Conservative MP stood down as deputy chief whip after incident at private clubToday’s politics news – live updatesOne of Boris Johnson’s close allies, Chris Pincher, has been suspended as a Conservative MP and will be investigated by parliament’s complaints watchdog after allegations he drunkenly groped two men.Pincher, who resigned as deputy chief whip on Thursday, was reported to the independent complaints and grievance scheme, which looks into allegati
  
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• Behold London’s ‘landscraper’! Google’s new UK HQ – as long as the Shard is tall

  01-07-2022 18:59 via theguardian.com
  
  Tech giant’s King’s Cross HQ replete with pool, nap pods and rooftop exercise track marks its topping out phaseA lunchtime basketball game, a walk around the rooftop exercise trail or 40 winks in a “nap pod”: just some of the workplace perks that are a step closer for Google’s London employees in what will be their new home.The US tech firm celebrated the “topping out” of its new UK headquarters as the final beam was hoisted into place on Friday, marking
  
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• Chris Pincher: a ‘free man’ with a dislike of state intervention

  01-07-2022 18:06 via theguardian.com
  
  Tory MP was politicised by the miners’ strike, joined party in 1987 and was elected MP for Tamworth in 2010Today’s politics news – live updatesChris Pincher may well be taking consolation from what he has described as his favourite story – Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows – which, of course, involves a reckless character who needs the help of friends to save himself from himself.In the Wind in the Willows, Toad sees the error of his wild, excessive wa
  
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• Cads’ Corner and Mark Francois holding court: inside the Carlton Club

  01-07-2022 17:09 via theguardian.com
  
  Allegations against Christopher Pincher focus attention on £1,700-a-year Tory haunt in central LondonJust inside the grand entrance to the Carlton Club, the private members’ venue in central London where the Conservative MP Christopher Pincher is alleged to have groped two men, is an area known as Cads’ Corner.The club, which is closely tied to the Conservative party, boasts about this “inviting corner” that features a small cluster of chairs underneath a grand stai
  
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• The time has come to purge the rot from Scotland Yard

  01-07-2022 16:32 via ft.com
  The Metropolitan Police is overwhelmed, badly run and beset by scandal, and only radical reform will win back public trust
  
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• Fresh wave of strikes to hit transport and other services across UK

  01-07-2022 15:18 via theguardian.com
  
  Industrial action expected on buses and trains with airports and Post Office threatened with more disruptionA fresh wave of industrial action across British transport and services starts this weekend as bus workers in Merseyside went on strike, while other action is due on the rail network and threatened at airports and at post offices.The strike by Stagecoach drivers and other bus workers from Monday comes as Arriva bus drivers in West Yorkshire agreed to suspend strikes after a month of action
  
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• Scandal after scandal: timeline of Tory sleaze under Boris Johnson

  01-07-2022 15:04 via theguardian.com
  
  PM’s tenure has been characterised by disrepute, from lockdown breaches to serious sexual assaultsBoris Johnson’s premiership has been characterised by a string of scandals since he entered No 10 in 2019. From “Pestminster” to “Wallpapergate”, the prime minister has sought to ride out every storm during his two and a half years in charge. Here is a timeline of the sleaze so far: Continue reading...
  
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• New CBI president warns over tough two years of economic crisis

  01-07-2022 15:00 via ft.com
  Brian McBride says living standards will be set back by two years as businesses grapple with inflationary pressures
  
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• Sturgeon is unlikely to get her 2023 referendum, but be warned: the threat is not going away | Martin Kettle

  01-07-2022 14:53 via theguardian.com
  
  Until we have a vision of a less Anglocentric, more conciliatory Britain, nationalists will keep trying for independenceOn the face of things, now may not seem like an ideal time to be restarting the campaign for Scottish independence, as Nicola Sturgeon has done this week. Only one in five Scottish voters think a new referendum is a priority in the next two years, a YouGov poll found this week. For most Scots, independence trails in importance behind the NHS, the economy, education and the clim
  
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• No 10 denies PM knew of Chris Pincher misconduct claims before promotion

  01-07-2022 14:42 via theguardian.com
  
  Pincher resigned as deputy chief whip after reports he drunkenly groped two men at a private clubToday’s politics news – live updatesNo 10 has denied that Boris Johnson knew about any specific sexual misconduct claims against Chris Pincher before making him deputy chief whip, as the prime minister faces growing pressure to withdraw the whip from his ally for allegedly drunkenly groping two men.Johnson’s deputy official spokesperson said the prime minister was not aware of any a
  
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• Omicron variants drive surge in UK Covid-19 infections

  01-07-2022 14:07 via ft.com
  More than one in 30 people in the UK are now carrying the virus, according to the ONS
  
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• Omicron variants drive 34% jump in UK Covid-19 infections

  01-07-2022 14:07 via ft.com
  Scotland remains the nation hit hardest by the surge, according to the ONS
  
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• From big dog Johnson to 'big grope' Chris Pincher: another day in Westminster’s ‘normal’ workplace

  01-07-2022 14:01 via theguardian.com
  
  Of course the PM and his allies backed their disgraced deputy chief whip. Just two scandals? That hardly registers these daysBecause nothing is too on-the-nose for the current Conservative party, the intro of Chris Pincher’s latest drinking column featured Uncle Monty from Withnail and I. “That lubricious booby”, Pincher called Monty, in an article for the Critic magazine filed some time before he appeared to admit drunkenly groping two younger men on Wednesday night. I wonder
  
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• Scottish independence: yes activists regroup amid rows over strategy

  01-07-2022 13:58 via theguardian.com
  
  Grassroots groups prepare for action after second referendum date announced, but Scottish public remains divided“It’s good to finally have a date to work towards,” says Laura Moodie, as she contemplates the announcement this week by the first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, that the Scottish government intends to hold a second independence referendum on 19 October 2023.“It helps to galvanise effort and shift opinion.” Continue reading...
  
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• Johnson risks breakup of UK over Northern Ireland protocol, says Varadkar

  01-07-2022 13:52 via theguardian.com
  
  Ireland’s deputy PM accuses No 10 of making ‘shocking’ blunders with protocol billLeo Varadkar, Ireland’s deputy prime minister, has accused the British government of risking the break-up of the United Kingdom and making “shocking” blunders over Northern Ireland.Varadkar said Boris Johnson’s administration had been undemocratic and disrespectful and tacitly accused it of being dishonest and dishonourable. Continue reading...
  
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• Labour will never strike deal with SNP, Keir Starmer to pledge

  01-07-2022 12:30 via theguardian.com
  
  Exclusive: Party leader to rule out talks with nationalists in attempt to spike Tory ‘coalition of chaos’ attacksToday’s politics news – live updatesKeir Starmer will vow Labour will never deal with the Scottish National party and make it explicit his party would go into minority government rather than enter talks with nationalists, in a new effort to spike Conservative attacks on a “coalition of chaos”.The Labour leader is expected to ramp up his pledge that
  
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• What happened to us, the children of the 1960s? We have it all: we need to give some back | Polly Toynbee

  01-07-2022 12:11 via theguardian.com
  
  UK politics is in thrall to my postwar cohort. That’s to the country’s detrimentBad news arrives from the latest census. My generation has finally overtaken the young, with more over-65s than under-15s in England and Wales for the first time in history. We, the postwar demographic bulge, now dominate the financial and political landscape, and not in a good way. A country growing old that favours its ancients above its young for crude political gain threatens to be backward-looking, u
  
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• Fate of Tory MP who resigned as deputy chief whip hangs in balance

  01-07-2022 10:57 via ft.com
  Opposition Labour party calls for Chris Pincher to be expelled from Conservative party for allegedly groping two people
  
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• Can the Tories rewire their 2015 strategy in the next election?

  01-07-2022 10:30 via ft.com
  Plus, Chris Pincher quits — any further resignations may force a cabinet reshuffle sooner than the government would like
  
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• Striking workers are providing the opposition that Britain desperately needs | Andy Beckett

  01-07-2022 07:00 via theguardian.com
  
  The strikes are gaining momentum, and public opinion is behind them – could they transform our economic landscape?In Britain, more than in most democratic countries, going on strike is a risk. Your employer, the government, most of the media, much of the public and often the opposition parties are likely to be against you – or, at best, unsupportive. Your loss of income is unlikely to be made up by strike pay. Your behaviour on the picket line will be subject to what Tony Blair descr
  
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• Starmer allies reject claims leftwingers blocked from standing for Labour

  01-07-2022 07:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Party figures understood to have urged leader to rein in acolytes after candidates from left excluded from longlistsKeir Starmer’s allies have rejected claims he is acting to block “anyone to the left of Tony Blair” from standing for the party at the next general election, as his project of reshaping Labour moves to its next stage: parliamentary selections.Since the swing of more than 12% to Labour in last week’s Wakefield byelection raised the possibility of an outright
  
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• UK ministers clash with watchdog over shake-up of insurance rules

  01-07-2022 05:00 via ft.com
  Boris Johnson said to be ‘impatient’ with PRA regulator about caution on Solvency II overhaul
  
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• UK ministers clash with watchdog over insurance rules shake-up

  01-07-2022 05:00 via ft.com
  Boris Johnson said to be ‘impatient’ with PRA regulator about caution on Solvency II overhaul
  
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• Fuel-poor homes face taking £250 energy hit due to poor insulation

  01-07-2022 01:01 via theguardian.com
  
  Better insulation would save large sums for millions struggling with the cost of living, finds LGA reportPeople in “fuel-poor” households in England are facing annual bills about £250 higher than need be because of their poorly insulated homes, according to Local Government Association (LGA) research.The LGA has identified about 3 million households where better insulation would save large sums for people struggling with the rising cost of living. About £770m is wasted ea
  
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• Tory deputy chief whip stands down after admitting drunken behaviour

  30-06-2022 22:38 via ft.com
  Chris Pincher says in letter to PM he has ‘embarrassed myself and other people’
  
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• Postmasters caught up in IT scandal awarded £19.5mn compensation

  30-06-2022 22:38 via ft.com
  UK ministers allot interim payouts to those who brought legal action against Post Office
  
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• Boris Johnson faces tax questions after signalling defence budget rise

  30-06-2022 21:30 via theguardian.com
  
  PM says increase to 2.5% of GDP will be reached by end of decade as UK needs to adapt to more dangerous worldBoris Johnson has signalled a significant increase in the UK’s defence budget to 2.5% of GDP by the end of the decade, raising questions about his commitment to cutting taxes, as a Nato summit dominated by the Ukraine conflict drew to an end in Madrid.“We need to invest for the long term in vital capabilities like future combat air while simultaneously adapting to a more dange
  
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• Negative impact of Brexit is clear, claims EU

  30-06-2022 21:08 via ft.com
  Trade between two sides now involves more paperwork and checks, Maroš Šefčovič tells annual forum
  
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• Ben Jennings on trustees of Captain Sir Tom Moore foundation facing inquiry – cartoon

  30-06-2022 21:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Discover and buy more of Ben’s cartoons here Continue reading...
  
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• The Guardian view on policing in crisis: the Met needs a superhead | Editorial

  30-06-2022 19:44 via theguardian.com
  
  Six forces including London’s are now in special measures. But the government’s actions too should be scrutinisedThe daunting task awaiting the soon-to-be-appointed chief of the Metropolitan police just got harder. As of this week, the force has been placed under conditions known as “engage” – the term used by the police inspectorate (HMIC) for special measures. While the full details are not yet public, this means that the Met, along with five other forces includin
  
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• The signs are that Britain isn’t heading for a property crash | Phillip Inman

  30-06-2022 19:09 via theguardian.com
  
  It would be naive to rule out the possibility, but the evidence points to house prices dampening rather than tumblingNationwide says UK property price rises have slowed for the third consecutive month and most recently from 11.2% in May to 10.7% in June. The slowdown in growth can be traced to the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and an escalation of Britain’s cost of living crisis.Unsurprisingly, property owners ask whether a crash is on the horizon, especially now that the ec
  
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• Nicola Sturgeon appeals to SNP voters with risky referendum strategy

  30-06-2022 19:04 via ft.com
  Scotland’s first minister makes UK Supreme Court and next general election new battlegrounds for gaining independence
  
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• His suit a mess, his skin blotchy, Boris Johnson still thinks he’s a catch | John Crace

  30-06-2022 19:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Vladimir Putin might not fancy him much, but buoyed by his halfwit foreign secretary, the PM wound up some happy travels The timing couldn’t have been better. What better way to deal with two humiliating byelection defeats and a growing disaffection within the Tory party about his leadership than for Boris Johnson to spend a week abroad? A chance to forget. To let some of the heat die down. And to try to look worthwhile on a global stage. First at the Commonwealth heads of government meeti
  
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• Boris Johnson’s new ‘golden rule’: the bunker mentality

  30-06-2022 19:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Embattled PM embraces silence on party and personal matters after being branded delusional for third-term commentIt began last Sunday when Boris Johnson, newly arrived at the G7 summit in southern Germany, told ITV that his “golden rule” for politics – one not seemingly aired before – was that politicians should not talk about themselves, just their policies.The next day, talking to BBC News, the prime minister similarly dismissed all questions about domestic political tr
  
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• Boris Johnson says UK defence spending set to rise to 2.5% of GDP by end of decade – as it happened

  30-06-2022 18:47 via theguardian.com
  
  This live blog is closed.No 10 says it trusts privileges committee probe into PM will be fairSummary of Boris Johnson’s press conference after Nato summitTruss defends plans to cut British army by nearly 10,000 troopsTruss says west needs to ensure Taiwan can defend itself against ChinaBill of rights could damage human rights across Europe, says JCHR45% of Britons say Brexit has made daily life worse, poll suggestsAnd in another interview Liz Truss refused to endorse Boris Johnson’s
  
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• UK takes a pragmatic approach to medical regulation

  30-06-2022 18:01 via ft.com
  Plus, the opportunities and costs of going it alone and why the Tories don’t care about the future
  
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• Tories to reprise ‘coalition of chaos’ warning to defeat the Lib Dems

  30-06-2022 17:25 via ft.com
  Johnson intends to put the same stark choice to voters that worked for Cameron in 2015
  
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• Boris Johnson bets on reviving fears of a ‘coalition of chaos’

  30-06-2022 17:25 via ft.com
  To defeat the Lib Dems, PM intends to put the same stark choice to voters that worked for the Tories in 2015
  
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• UK political leaders need to beware Texan sharpshooter tendencies

  30-06-2022 16:44 via ft.com
  Everyone suffers if governments fail to use accurate and transparent data
  
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• Boris Johnson vows to raise UK military spending to 2.5% of GDP by end of decade

  30-06-2022 16:41 via ft.com
  Prime minister makes pledge as part of Nato response to threat from Russia
  
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• Record number of Britons to pay higher income tax rates after thresholds frozen

  30-06-2022 15:00 via ft.com
  HMRC figures show a 50% increase in those paying at least 40% in 2022-23 compared with 2019-20
  
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• Banning babies from parliament shows just how out of touch Westminster is | Stella Creasy

  30-06-2022 14:25 via theguardian.com
  
  If we want more women with children to become MPs, we need family-friendly policies for parents like me in the CommonsAs the Speaker welcomes cats into the chamber, last night his deputy criticised my parenting for bringing my toddler to the voting lobbies. She demanded I hand her over to her instead, despite being a stranger to my child. Such outward hostility towards making parliament family friendly does little to improve the perception that Westminster is out of touch with those it seeks to
  
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• Why the Tories don’t care about the future

  30-06-2022 12:00 via ft.com
  An ageing electorate has all but killed off the very notion of transformative change
  
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• UK trade performance falls to worst level on record in first quarter

  30-06-2022 11:59 via ft.com
  Official figures corroborate academic studies showing sharp drop in exports since Brexit
  
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• Is Boris Johnson to blame for my dad’s death? I hope the Covid inquiry will tell me | Hannah Brady

  30-06-2022 11:58 via theguardian.com
  
  The PM has been accused of trying to cover up mistakes in the pandemic. Now grieving families like mine will learn the truthIt’s been just over two years since Dad died. That’s two years of unprocessed grief shelved in the campaign for justice, but finally the public inquiry into the Covid-19 pandemic has been launched. For the bereaved, the news brings an enormous sense of relief. The process of learning lessons from the UK’s handling of the pandemic has at last been moved out
  
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• UK rhetoric on Russian money laundering not matched by action, MPs conclude

  30-06-2022 11:15 via ft.com
  Foreign affairs select committee criticises government’s ‘lack of willingness’ to legislate to stop illicit financial flows
  
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