Starmer under growing pressure from Badenoch over China spy case controversy
“Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir Starmer to appear before Parliament to explain the Government’s role in the collapse of the China spies case. The Tory leader has written to the Prime Minister to demand he or a senior minister address the Commons ‘as a matter of urgency’ instead of jetting off to the Middle East. Sir Keir’s Government will face scrutiny over the abandoned prosecution as MPs return to Westminster after recess today and Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle is expected to grant an Urgent Question to the Conservatives on the China spy scandal. Meanwhile former Tory leader and China hawk Sir Iain Duncan Smith is understood to have asked for an emergency parliamentary debate which would pile yet more pressure on Labour. In a letter to the Prime Minister today, Mrs Badenoch said: ‘Your Government’s account of what has happened has changed repeatedly…The public and Parliament deserve answers and transparency.’” – Daily Mail
- Badenoch demands PM address ‘unanswered’ China spy case questions – BBC News
- China ‘assured’ of super-embassy planning progress under Labour – The Times
- Britain at risk of falling into Chinese debt trap – Daily Telegraph
Comment:
- Starmer’s China appeasement must end – Robert Jenrick, Daily Telegraph
- Chinese spygate case is most serious scandal Starmer has faced in office – here’s why it could be what finishes him off – Rod Liddle, The Sun
- We must confront the outrageous truth. A shadowy cabal of men is running Britain – and the Prime Minister is not one of them – Dan Hodges, Daily Mail
> Yesterday: “China is a threat. It is an adversary. It is an enemy. End of story.” – Patel
Badenoch channels Thatcher in stamp duty scrap as ‘Chance to Buy’
“Tory leader Kemi Badenoch today channels her idol Margaret Thatcher by calling her pledge to scrap stamp duty the “Chance to Buy”. She likened her plan to the former PM’s “Right to Buy” scheme, which let council tenants purchase their homes at a discount. Today marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Mrs Thatcher, Britain’s first female PM. Writing in The Sun, Ms Badenoch described stamp duty as “one of the worst taxes”. She called it a “trap” keeping “young people in their parents’ spare bedroom and pensioners in homes too big for them”. Scrapping it would save £15,000 on a £500,000 home, rising to £43,750 on a £1million property.” – The Sun
- Badenoch bounce! Kemi sees poll ratings surge as she is rewarded for bold Tory conference vow on stamp duty – Daily Mail
- Nigel Farage to abandon Reform manifesto’s big plans for tax cuts – The Times
- Rachel Reeves could impose a surprise ‘one off’ tax on wealth in Budget next month – Daily Mail
- Reeves warns the rich will ‘contribute more’ as Budget tax squeeze looms – CityAM
Comment:
- We will scrap stamp duty – no one should be penalised for buying their dream home – Kemi Badenoch, The Sun
- Tax-and-spend policy is a choice – and the wrong one – Mel Stride, Daily Telegraph
- I have seen the three graphs that will chill Badenoch to her core – Kamal Ahmed, Daily Telegraph
- Starmer and Reeves could fix the economy, but they’ll have to admit they’re in charge of it – Matthew Lynn, Daily Telegraph
> Today: Alexander Bowen: The Conservatives have promised to abolish stamp duty. Ok, simplify VAT next
Kevin Hollinrake: Conference gave us back our confidence, now it’s time for every Conservative to share our message
Trump in Israel for hostages return ahead of Egypt peace summit
“Hamas released the first group of living hostages from Gaza this morning under a deal with Israel to end the two-year war. Seven captives have now crossed into Israel 737 days after they were taken on October 7, 2023. Gali and Ziv Berman, 28 and 27, Matan Angrest, 22, Alon Ohel, 24, Omri Miran, 47, Eitan Mor, 25, and Guy Gilboa-Dallal, 23, will be transferred to a military base to be reunited with their families and then flown to hospital. Families and friends of hostages broke out into wild cheers as Israeli television channels announced they had been released. There was no immediate word on the hostages’ health. Some of the hostages have been seen video calling their families. Nimrod Cohen, who is due to be released later, appeared on his mother’s screen looking emaciated, but smiling, dressed in a fake military uniform. A second group is set to be released at 10am local time (8am BST) in the first phase of a US-brokered peace deal that will see 20 surviving hostages and the bodies of 28 more exchanged for 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Donald Trump landed in Israel this morning while the hostage release was still underway. The US president will meet with families of hostages and speak at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, before travelling to Egypt for a peace summit.” – Daily Telegraph
- Trump says ‘war is over’ in Gaza as he flies to Israel for release of hostages – BBC News
- Weakened Hamas clashes with rival clan – BBC News
- Trump’s Gaza plan hinges on security force yet to take shape – Financial Times
- Blair set to join Trump and Starmer at peace summit ahead of major role in Gaza – The i
- Families’ unbearable wait for Israeli hostages is at an end – The Times
Comment:
- Trump has done well, but past tragedies cast a pall over this peace – Con Coughlin, Daily Telegraph
- Trump’s ally used 1 word to describe Keir Starmer’s government and he’s spot on – Giles Sheldrick, Daily Express
- Trump has engineered the Middle East’s most promising opening for peace in decades – Tobias Ellwood, Daily Express
News in brief:
- Why Margaret still matters – Fred de Fossard, The Critic
- Britain owes everything to the woman who saved it from socialism – Rainer Zitelmann, CityAM
- Can Gaza ceasefire inspire deal in Ukraine? – Bethany Elliott, Unherd
- Move over shy Tories – it’s all about shy Reformers now – Robert Taylor, The Spectator
