Newslinks for Monday 21st April

No10 vs trans plotters

“Sir Keir Starmer has refused to stop a plot by ministers to thwart last week’s Supreme Court ruling that trans women are not legally women. Labour ministers and MPs will this week meet to discuss how to promote trans rights in the wake of the landmark judgment. They are understood to be planning to take their demands to the equalities minister. The plot emerged in leaked WhatsApp messages from a group chat of Labour MPs, including ministers Sir Chris Bryant and Dame Angela Eagle.” – Daily Telegraph

• Police search for trans rights activists after statues defaced in Westminster – Evening Standard
• Home secretary calls damage to statues disgraceful – BBC
• Swinney faces new backlash over trans judgment – Daily Mail
• Trans NHS patients can access every women-only space in London – Daily Telegraph

Comment:

• Labour must not undermine the Supreme Court’s trans judgment – Telegraph View
• Keir Starmer needs to take a close look at any ministers who fail to grasp one reality – James Whale, Daily Express
• Trans row epitomised Looking Glass lunacy – Trevor Phillips, The Times
• The trans-rights movement’s howl of male rage – Brendan O’Neill, The Spectator

UK-US relationship: Ramping up sovereign munitions and Parliament blocking Trump

“Britain will dramatically increase its ability to produce explosives so it no longer needs to rely on the US and France for ammunition. Shipping containers will be erected at sites across the UK to produce RDX explosives, used in 155mm rounds for British Army guns and other weapons. BAE Systems, the UK defence company, is also looking to build three new sites to add “resilience” to the major project, in case one site comes under attack. The expansion of the production of sovereign munitions comes as British and European defence companies move away from buying American equipment amid concerns President Trump has made the US an unreliable partner.” – The Times

• MPs and peers try to block ‘liar’ Trump from parliament address – The Times
• Trump’s second state visit to UK to be disrupted by ‘even bigger’ protests – The Guardian
• Defence companies boast Trump-proof weapons are free of US parts – The Times

Comment:

• It is time to move away from reliance on US weapons – The Times view

> Today: David Gauke: Globalisation is far from dead. There’s a strong case in it’s favour and Conservatives should be making it

UK in race to opt out of WHO lockdown powers

“Britain has weeks to escape new powers allowing the World Health Organisation to recommend imposing lockdowns in future pandemics, a group of MPs and peers has warned. The UK must opt out of the WHO’s new international health regulations (IHRs) by July 19 to avoid the body co-ordinating the response to any future Covid-style pandemic. In a letter to the Foreign Office, 14 leading parliamentarians urge the Government to exercise Britain’s right to ignore amendments to the regulations before the looming deadline.” – Daily Telegraph

• WHO advice treated as gospel and they got it wrong, says Braverman – Daily Telegraph

Comment:

• Another pandemic is coming. This time we have to be ready – Suella Braverman, Daily Telegraph
• There was one upside to Covid: Many rediscovered Christianity – Tim Stanley, Daily Telegraph

Tory-land and Reform hopefuls

“Robert Jenrick has launched a grassroots charm offensive that has fuelled speculation of another Conservative leadership run. He appears at 15 Tory association dinners, fundraisers and other local events between March 12 and July 18, analysis by The Telegraph shows. Mr Jenrick is billed as the main speaker at all the events, which take him from Aldridge and Brownhills, in the West Midlands, to Altrincham, in Greater Manchester.” – Daily Telegraph

• Badenoch facing ‘nightmare’ local elections as Reform hopes to realign UK politics – The i
• Reform would be biggest party in hung parliament if election held today, new poll says – The Independent
• Defecting to Reform made me feel alive, says mayoral hopeful – The Times
• Nigel Farage defends allowing US chlorinated chicken into UK as part of trade deal – The Guardian
• Penny Mordaunt leads ‘Yimby’ demands to build more homes – Daily Telegraph

Comment:

• Nigel Farage facing make-or-break flashpoint for Reform UK – Duncan Barkes, Daily Express
• Reform UK may have just enough support to win hundreds of seats from Tories – Sir John Curtice, Daily Mirror
• Two-party politics is dying in Britain. Voters want more than just Labour and Tories – The Guardian

> Today:

Our survey: Members think the Party should be moving more quickly in developing policy

Gareth Lyon: We need something better than negative campaigning

News in brief:

• What really makes us British? – Sam Bidwell, The Critic
• Let’s be honest, the ever-rising minimum wage is hurting employment – Matthew Lesh, CityAM
• Farage shouldn’t take lessons from Liz Truss on the Blob – Tom Jones, Unherd
• The US-Iran nuclear talks are doomed to fail – Damien Phillips, The Spectator
• Could North Sea oil unlock a US trade deal? – Maximilian Hess, New Statesman