Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss ‘saying nothing’ to sort out value of residing disaster, Labour MP says
Boris Johnson has refused to rule out making a political comeback as soon as he’s changed in No 10 Downing Street by both Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak.
The prime minister spoke to broadcasters earlier whereas selling a gigabit broadband roll out in north Dorset.
“I think on the whole people in this country are more interested in their gigabit broadband than they are in the fate of this or that politician,” he said when asked about potential return.
Since Mr Johnson announced that he was resigning as Tory leader and PM there has been speculation that he could try to make a “Trump-style” return to the frontline.
Earlier, critics said Ms Truss’s plan to drill for more North Sea oil and gas “is not the answer” to the cost of living crisis.
The foreign secretary and favourite to replace Mr Johnson is reportedly poised to approve a series of drilling licences if she enters No 10 Downing Street next week.
Broadband roll out will ship ‘prosperity and growth for decades to come’
Boris Johnson said the “driving out” of gigabit broadband across the countryside “will deliver the basic fundamentals for prosperity and growth for decades to come”.
He said: “What we’re looking at here is the effort of companies up and down the country, but particularly here is North Dorset where what they’re doing is putting in gigabit broadband at an incredible pace and they’re doing it with government support.”
He added: “When I first became prime minister only 7 per cent of the premises in this country had gigabit broadband, that’s now up to 70 per cent. If you put it into remote rural communities what you’re going to do is level up.
“If you give people opportunities they wouldn’t have had…the ability to connect in a way that was completely unimaginable and that enables businesses to thrive and prosper in remote areas. It means people can stay where they grew up, they don’t have to go to live in towns or cities and it is absolutely transformational.”
He added: “What we’re seeing now is the driving out of gigabit communications across the countryside and that will deliver the basic fundamentals for prosperity and growth for decades to come.”
Matt Mathers30 August 2022 14:49
Johnson refuses to rule out return to frontline politics
Boris Johnson refused to rule out a political comeback as he faced his final few days in No 10.
On a visit to Dorset he refused to be drawn on his plans after he is replaced as prime minister by Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak next week.
Asked if he would rule out a comeback, he told reporters: “I think on the whole people in this country are more interested in their gigabit broadband than they are in the fate of this or that politician.”
Mr Johnson’s demise was ultimately triggered by the row after former deputy chief whip Chris Pincher’s was accused of inappropriate behaviour.
Asked if he had regrets about the way allegations of misconduct had been dealt with, Mr Johnson said: “All those things have to be handled carefully and sensitively and we have processes for dealing with them, and people who have complaints should raise them in the normal way.”
Matt Mathers30 August 2022 14:27
Boris Johnson-backing Tory donor will pull funds unless ‘corrupt’ management guidelines change
A major donor to the Conservatives has threatened to pull funding unless the party overhauls its leadership rules – calling the process “corrupt”.
Peter Cruddas, a leading Boris Johnson ally who had pushed for him to be on the ballot this summer, called for major changes to stop future Tory prime ministers being removed in the same way.
Our politics correspondent Adam Forrest reports:
Boris Johnson-backing Tory donor will pull funds unless ‘corrupt’ rules change
Peter Cruddas wants 1922 Committee stripped of powers and Tory members get more say
Matt Mathers30 August 2022 14:21
Andy Burnham clashes with Keir Starmer over Labour picket line policy
Andy Burnham has criticised Labour leader Keir Starmer’s policy of discouraging party frontbenchers from joining striking workers at picket lines.
The Labour mayor of Greater Manchester said he would join Mick Lynch – leader of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) – on a picket line.
Our politics correspondent Adam Forrest reports:
Andy Burnham clashes with Keir Starmer over picket line policy
Labour mayor says he would consider running for leader ‘one day’
Matt Mathers30 August 2022 13:55
Labour lead reduced to 8 per cent – poll
Labour’s leader over the Conservatives has been reduced to 8 per cent, according to a poll.
YouGov’s latest survey has the governing party on 31 per cent, with Labour on 39 per cent.
The Lib Dems aee Greens are unchanged on 11 per cent and 7 per cent respectively.
Matt Mathers30 August 2022 13:35
I have three friends working in very different jobs – but their experiences summarise the state of the nation
‘It’s going so much worse than you think!’ is seemingly our national motto at the moment, writes Marie Le Conte.
Read Marie’s full piece here:
Three friends in different jobs – the state of the nation laid bare | Marie Le Conte
‘It’s going so much worse than you think!’ is seemingly our national motto at the moment, writes Marie Le Conte
Matt Mathers30 August 2022 13:20
The government should go further than it thinks in helping with energy bills
Former chancellor Alistair Darling has some advice from the 2008 financial crisis that may prove useful, writes Chris Stevenson
Read Chris’s full piece below:
Analysis: The government should go further than it thinks with energy bill help
Former chancellor Alistair Darling has some advice from the 2008 financial crisis that may prove useful, writes Chris Stevenson
Matt Mathers30 August 2022 13:00
Liz Truss’s energy plans will be disastrous for our bills and the planet
Truss will oversee the greatest transfer of wealth in history, from UK families to oil and gas executives she used to work for, writes Donnachadh McCarthy
Read Donnachadh’s full piece here:
Opinion: Liz Truss’s energy plans will be disastrous for our bills and the planet
Truss will oversee the greatest transfer of wealth in history, from UK families to oil and gas executives she used to work for, writes Donnachadh McCarthy
Matt Mathers30 August 2022 12:30
Birmingham will provide ‘warm banks’
Birmingham has become the latest council announcing measures to provide or highlight so-called “warm banks” – by pledging to “map out spaces across the city where people can go to keep warm”, Adam Forrest, our politics correspondent, reports.
Councillor John Cotton, cabinet member at the Labour-run local authority, said: “Whether that’s local community centres, places of worship or libraries, we want to help people to find places where they will be welcomed, free of charge.”
He added: “It should not be the case that people cannot afford to keep their homes warm, but that is the reality that we are facing here in Birmingham.”
Matt Mathers30 August 2022 12:08
Greenpeace – Truss plan on oil and gas will have ‘no impact on bills’
Greenpeace has warned new drilling oil and gas could take 25 years to pump out and “haven’t any actual impression on power payments”, while exacerbating climate change.
Tory leadership frontrunner has pledged to grant new permits if she wins the contest to replace Boris Johnson as prime minister.
Greenpeace UK’s chief scientist Dr Doug Parr said: “Unleashing a North Sea drilling frenzy is not a plan to assist invoice payers however a present to the fossil gas giants already making billions from this disaster.
“New oil and gas could take a quarter of a century to pump out, will be eventually sold at global prices, and have no real impact on energy bills, yet still fuel the climate crisis.
“Our fuel dependence is what received us into this mess and doubling down on it will not get us out of it. New renewables are 9 instances cheaper than fuel. Turbo-charging renewables and fixing our energy-wasting houses by investing in insulation is the quickest option to scale back our fuel dependence and convey power payments beneath management.”
“If Liz Truss actually desires to assist cash-strapped households, she ought to usher in an power invoice freeze alongside further monetary assist for the poorest households, partly funded by correctly taxing the astronomical earnings of oil and fuel corporations.”
Matt Mathers30 August 2022 11:44
Source: www.impartial.co.uk