Newlinks for Thursday 24th April 2025

April 24, 2025

Labour leap at Jenrick comments over possible future coalition with Tories

“Robert Jenrick has pledged to unite the right against Sir Keir Starmer, telling a private meeting the Tories and Reform must not be fighting each other for votes at the next election. In comments that will be seen as opening the door for a pact with Nigel Farage, the shadow justice secretary said the “nightmare scenario” was the Conservatives going into the next election with the “two parties being disunited”. He said he wanted to “bring this coalition together” and try “one way or another” to make sure divisions between Reform and the Tories did not hand a second term in office to Starmer in the process. Jenrick’s comments, at a private meeting of Conservative students, were seized upon by Labour, which accused him of preparing to do “grubby deals with Reform behind the electorate’s back” – The Times

I have 45pc chance of becoming PM: On the doorsteps with Farage – Daily Telegraph
‘Voters hate us less than they used to’: The local Tories looking for a way back – The i
Tories set to lose half of council seats amid Reform surge – Daily Telegraph
Tory Merger. Robert Jenrick vows to ‘bring this coalition together’ to end Tory-Reform fight after polls put Farage’s party ahead – The Sun
Making plans for Nigel: tense Tories wonder whether Badenoch has what it takes to see off Reform – Guardian
Jenrick vows to unite Tories and Reform in leaked audio – Daily Telegraph
Inside the Runcorn by-election battle – that looks like Reform’s to lose – The i

Comment

Reform are beating Labour at their own game – Gawain Towler CapX
A fork in the road. Badenoch seems to think she can coast to victory because Labour are every bit as hapless – The Critic

Badenoch accuses Phillipson of lying about support for women’s rights

“Kemi Badenoch has accused Labour ministers of lying about their support for women’s rights. Ahead of her weekly clash with Sir Keir Starmer at Prime Minister’s Questions, the Tory leader hit out at Bridget Phillipson, the equalities minister, for previously saying that transgender women could use female lavatories. Mrs Badenoch said: “Yesterday, the Education Secretary claimed she’d always backed single-sex spaces for women. “She lied.” She added: “This is footage from last year where she says the exact opposite: that men should use women’s spaces if they have a certificate.” She posted a link to a Times Radio interview from 2024 in which Ms Phillipson suggested that transgender women who had gone through the formal gender recognition process could use ladies’ lavatories.” – Daily Telegraph

Rising panic for Keir Starmer. Is that Rosie Duffield I see before me? Nope – The Times
Moment Duffield caught on camera looking furious at Starmer– Daily Express
All the Harry Potter stars making money off projects celebrating the work of JK Rowling despite publicly criticising her – Daily Mail
Trans women won’t be able to use female-only NHS wards, minister clarifies – The i
What caused Keir Starmer’s U-turn on whether trans women are women? – The Times
Wake up call. Wes Streeting says trans women are ‘by definition’not women as Labour finally wakes up from years of woke dithering – The Sun
Keir Starmer avoids admitting he was wrong to say ‘trans women are women’ as he’s furiously accused of having ‘no balls’ by Kemi Badenoch at PMQs – Daily Mail

Overnight Russian attacks on Ukraine hours after peace talks fail to achieve progress

“At least nine people have been killed and more than 70 injured in Kyiv after Russia carried out one of the most devastating air attacks against Ukraine for months, with Kharkiv and other cities also targeted overnight. Waves of drones as well as ballistic and guided missiles struck the Ukrainian capital early on Thursday. There were explosions for much of the night, beginning about 1am local time, and the rattle of anti-aircraft fire as Ukrainian defences tried to shoot the missiles down. Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said rescuers were pulling survivors from under the rubble. The wounded included six children and a pregnant woman. A house, cars, and other buildings were set on fire, with extensive damage caused by falling debris in several districts, he said. “Russia has launched a massive combined strike on Kyiv,” Ukraine’s state emergency service said on Telegram” – Guardian

Zelensky slaps down Trump’s peace plan with 4-word statement as US issues ultimatum – Daily Express
Closing in. Trump says ‘I think we have a deal with Russia’ but slams Zelensky over peace talks as JD Vance issues final ultimatum. – The Sun
Trump blasts Zelensky for ‘harming peace negotiations’ and says ‘the man with no cards to play should get it done’ as he vows to end ‘this complete and total mess’ – Daily Mail
Trump accuses Zelenskyy of jeopardising imminent peace deal – Guardian
Donald Trump attacks Ukraine for not recognising Russian occupation of Crimea – FT

Reeves prepared to slash car and farm tariffs to seal US deal

“Rachel Reeves said on Wednesday that she wanted to see trade barriers between the UK and the US reduced as part of negotiations with the Trump administration. Ministers are understood to be willing to reduce long-standing UK import tariffs of 10 per cent on cars and 12 per cent on agricultural products. “I want to see tariff and non-tariff barriers reduced between the UK and the US,” Reeves said before a meeting (today) with Scott Bessent, President Trump’s most senior economic official. “I believe in free trade, but I also believe it needs to be fair trade … That’s where the US do have an important point around some of the global imbalances that have built up over decades that we do need to address.” She ruled out giving in to American demands to lower import standards on chlorinated chicken, hormone-treated beef and US-built trucks.” – The Times

Reeves opens door to cutting US car import tariffs in UK trade talks – FT
Rachel Reeves says US trip about more than ‘damage limitation’ as she signals UK could lower import levies on American cars in bid for trade deal with Donald Trump – Daily Mail
Rachel Reeves dashes hopes of early breakthrough in UK-US trade deal – Guardian
Rachel Reeves hints UK could make major concession to strike US trade deal – Daily Express
Reeves rules out chlorinated chicken in US trade deal – Daily Telegraph

>Today

At the IMF, Reeves needs growth in an unstable world economy. But she won’t pluck the obvious golden goose.

UK borrowing was £14.6bn more than expected in year to March

“The government borrowed £14.6 billion more than official forecasters expected last year, suggesting further tax rises or spending cuts from Rachel Reeves may be necessary to strengthen the public finances. In the financial year to March, the government borrowed £151.9 billion, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), up by £20.7 billion across the same 12-month period a year earlier. This was the third-highest borrowing in any financial year since records began in 1947, behind the pandemic in the year to 2021 and the global financial downturn in 2010. The estimate has not been adjusted for inflation.” – The Times