'Labour majority will be gone by Easter!' Tories mock Starmer after rebellion

Sitting in the Commons is ‘not a hobby’, MP says in second jobs ban debate

Sitting in the House of Commons is “not a hobby”, a politician has warned, while another described MPs as the “crucible to our nation’s democracy”.

They made their comments while debating a Government-backed plan to ban MPs from taking second jobs giving advice on public policy and current affairs.

Commons Leader Lucy Powell warned the existing rules contain “loopholes allowing a member to use their privileged position and knowledge for personal gain”.

She told the Commons: “This may encourage not only a potential conflict of interest, but a conflict of attention too, with too much of a member’s time and energy spent on things other than constituency or parliamentary business.

“This new parliament offers a chance to turn the page, after the sorry and sordid record of the last. We face a crisis in trust in politics, politicians and Parliament.

“As we know, it’s a great privilege to sit in this house. To be an MP represents an opportunity to change the country for the better and underpinning that privilege is a set of solemn responsibilities.

“Chief among these is the responsibility we all have to embody the highest standards of public service.”

Majority of Brits back keeping 1p and 2p coins in circulation after Treasury decision not to order new minting

With the Treasury provoking a minor scare by not ordering a new minting of 1ps and 2ps, Britons support keeping coppers in circulation by 50% to 38%https://t.co/Lqe1wMRFgx pic.twitter.com/RKfOfwqECk

— YouGov (@YouGov) July 24, 2024

Green MP calls for electronic voting system in Parliament

Parliament should get rid of the voting lobbies and move to a fully electronic voting system, a Green Party MP has argued.

Ellie Chowns said it was “extraordinary” that the House of Commons continues to rely on MPs physically casting their vote and urged the Government to modernise the system.

According to the North Herefordshire MP, a single vote in the Commons could save a combined total of 150 hours of “wasted” MP time.

Speaking in the Commons, Ms Chowns said: “It’s extraordinary to me that we do not have electronic voting, we have a semi-system.

“While I’ve been here I’ve participated in five votes and that’s taken at least an hour and a quarter.

“If you added each of those votes, it adds up to basically a month’s worth of MP time, it is an utter waste of time, totally unproductive. We could be getting through far more.

“So, let’s get rid of the voting lobbies, we could double the size, physical size, of the chamber if you got rid of the voting lobbies, that’s a genuine, practical suggestion.”

New frontrunner emerges in Tory leadership race, poll reveals

A new frontrunner has emerged in the Conservative Party leadership contest, a new poll has revealed.

The survey by Conservative Post, a group that advocates for greater democracy in the Tory Party, asked members to pick their top two choices for leader from a list of candidates that have indicated they will run.

The poll of 14,000 members, the largest yet, found the top choice secured more than double the first choice votes of any other candidate in the first five hours of the poll being launched on the Conservative Post site.

SEE THE FULL POLL RESULT HERE

Yvette Cooper 'deeply concerned' over Manchester Airport incident

Yvette Cooper has expressed "deep concern" amid an investigation into footage of a police officer appearing to kick a man at Manchester Airport.

The Home Secretary said it is “extremely important” that the probe is able to happen “swiftly” and “thoroughly”.

A police spokesperson confirmed an officer had been suspended after the incident.

Footage shared on social media appeared to show a Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officer kick and stamp on the head of a man who was lying face down on the floor, with a woman kneeling beside him.

The video, said to have been filmed at Manchester Airport’s terminal two on Tuesday, also appeared to show the officer strike a second man.

Police said three of their officers had been assaulted, including a female Pc who suffered a broken nose, and four men were arrested.

In a statement on Thursday morning, a force spokesman said: “Following a thorough review of further information that has become available in relation to an incident at Manchester Airport on Tuesday evening, Greater Manchester Police has suspended a police officer from all duties.

“A referral has now been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) for a full independent investigation.

“We understand the deep concerns that have been widely raised with us, and will continue to meet and discuss these feelings with Greater Manchester residents and elected representatives, whilst this independent investigation takes place.”

Reform and SNP MPs criticise ‘unfair’ committees in call for more representation

MPs from smaller parties including the SNP and Reform UK have criticised “unfair” committee selection and called for greater representation.

On Thursday the Government proposed a motion to establish a modernisation committee that would consider reforms to House of Commons procedures, standards, and working practices.

The Leader of the House of Commons Lucy Powell said the modernisation committee would “bring a more strategic lens” to implementing the recommendations of existing committees.

SNP MP Kirsty Blackman proposed an amendment to the motion that would require one member from each party to be represented on the 14-person committee, which went unselected by the Speaker.

During the debate, Blackman said: “Given the breakdown that committees are likely to fall in, does (Ms Powell) understand that only three parties will be represented on that committee and it would be possible to flex it slightly and still keep it relatively small, but have voices from more than just three parties?”

Powell replied that the make-up “is an unfortunate case of the mathematics of how these things are considered across all select committees” but sought to assure Blackman that she would “commit to there being regular and meaningful engagement with any and all parties represented in this house.”

Reform UK MP Lee Anderson intervened to say: “This for me seems a little bit unfair.

“We have a political party represented in this House that got over four million votes at the last election and we will have no representation whatsoever on the committees.

“Yet we’ve got a party (the Liberal Democrats), they’ve got three and a half million votes that will have plenty of representation on the committees, does the Leader think that’s fair?”

Powell responded: “The House is considered in terms of its members not in terms of the popular vote, and that is a consequence of those formulas which are long-standing and have brought about effective representation on many select committees.”

The Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice kept the pressure on Powell, telling her: “[Anderson] has just made a very good case and asked you a specific question. Is it fair?

“And by your lack of reply, I implicitly agree. It’s not fair.

“And you have it in your power to change this in the matter of fairness and listening to smaller parties and I think constituents all over the country, if you don’t agree with that, will find that absolutely astonishing.”

The Leader of the House said: “What is fair is that this House is made up of members of Parliament who are elected by their constituency and then subsequent subcommittees, if you like select committees, of this House are then made up a proportion of those members of this House, that is what is fair, and that has always been the case.

“It could be the case that as an incoming Government with a really clear mandate to change and to rebuild trust in politics and restore respect in Parliament and with a very large majority in this House, we could have proceeded without trying to take the House with us, without setting up a committee, by just by bringing forward on a diktat basis, various motions to take this forward.

“I absolutely did not want to take that approach.”

Proposed changes to second jobs for MPs would 'close loopholes'

Commons leader Lucy Powell said. "Under current arrangements, members must not provide or agree to provide paid parliamentary advice.

"They must also not undertake services as a parliamentary strategist, advisor or consultant. This rule prohibits members from advising outside organisations or persons on, for example, how they may lobby or otherwise influence the work of parliament in return for payments.

"However, the guide to the rules contains exemptions. These exemptions mean that advice on public policy and current affairs, and advice in general terms about how Parliament works are not considered parliamentary advice."

She added: "This motion puts an end to the exemptions. It sends a clear signal to the public that an MPs first priority is to their constituents and to the country."

Thousands of prisoners to be released early after MPs approve legislation 

MPs voted 323 to 81, majority 242, in favour of approving legislation designed to allow thousands of prisoners to be released earlier than planned.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood told MPs that the prison population remains “within a few hundred places of collapse” and the Government will continue to monitor it closely in the coming weeks.

The legislation reduces the amount of time prisoners must spend in jail before they are automatically released from half of their sentence to 40 per cent.

The move, which does not apply to those convicted of sex offences, terrorism, domestic abuse or some violent offences, is expected to result in 5,500 offenders being released in September and October.

Starmer claims Labour finding 'more mess' by the day

Sir Keir Starmer said the “hard graft of rebuilding this country has truly started” as he gave a speech to launch GB Energy.

Labour promised during the election campaign to set up a UK-owned green energy company.

Making the announcement, Starmer also accused the previous government of leaving a “rot of short-sightedness and self-service” for Labour to clear up.

Giving a speech in Runcorn, Cheshire, the Prime Minister said “every day” his administration is finding “more mess” that the Tories left behind.

“The hard graft of rebuilding this country has well and truly started, and it is vital that we begin immediately because the last government dropped the ball,” he said.

“They left us the worst inheritance since the Second World War, and every day – every day – we’re finding more mess that they’ve left for us to clear up.

“The rot of short-sightedness and self-service that has weakened the foundations of our country.”

Labour warned over 'fearless' rebel MPs

Liberal Democrat spokesperson Wera Hobhouse has quizzed Commons Leader Lucy Powell about the seven-member rebellion which the Government faced over the two-child cap on benefits.

Hobhouse told the House: “Her Government should take advice from one of my Bath constituency’s most famous residents Mary Shelley and her creation Frankenstein’s monster – ‘beware; for I’m fearless, and therefore powerful’. I expect the Prime Minister hopes that new group of independent MPs he has created will not become such a monster.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer suspended the whip from seven Labour MPs who voted in favour of scrapping the two-child benefit cap, which the Government has not yet planned to do.

Powell replied: “It’s absolutely right that those elected on a manifesto to bring that King’s Speech in should vote for it overwhelmingly and they did in Parliament this week, and I’m incredibly proud of the huge numbers of people who supported that King’s Speech programme.

“On child poverty, these issues have been raised a number of times in recent weeks. This Labour Government – as any Labour government – is absolutely committed to tackling child poverty, and not just the symptoms of child poverty, but the root causes of child poverty.”

Rail re-nationalisation to be fast-tracked confirms Lucy Powell

Government legislation designed to help nationalise the UK’s railways will be fast-tracked through the House of Commons.

Commons Leader Lucy Powell said the Passenger Railway Services Public Ownership Bill will undergo its committee stage and remaining stages on September 3.

The Bill, which was included in the King’s Speech, is due to be debated for the first time at second reading on July 29.

Powell added the Budget Responsibility Bill, due to be debated at second reading on July 30, will also complete its remaining stages in the Commons on September 4.

The Great British Energy Bill will receive its second reading on September 5, Powell said in the weekly business statement.

Tory leadership race up to three as Robert Jenrick confirms he's running

Robert Jenrick is throwing his hat into the ring to become next Tory leader.

The former Home Office minister’s campaign manager, Danny Kruger MP, will this morning submit his nomination to Bob Blackman.

The form includes Jenrick’s proposer, seconder, and eight supporting MPs.
Kruger said: “To have any path back to government we must win back those voters we have lost, across the board but particularly to Reform. At the same time we have to bring our party together, united behind one set of coherent Conservative principles.

“The British people need to be convinced that we are the most responsible and competent party of government for us to have any chance of winning in 2029, especially when we know Labour are set to fail on so many important issues for our country.

“Rob Jenrick will do that. He has the energy, temperament and policy agenda to take on our rivals and lead us back to power in five years.”

Tugendhat vows action on international organisations 'not in UK interests'

Tory leadership candidate Tom Tugendhat told GB News he is willing to leave any international organisation he believes is failing to stand up for British interests.

He made the comments after saying he ready to leave the ECHR in order to get the country's migration crisis under control.

The Tonbridge MP said: "I've been very, very clear. I am prepared to make any decision that will keep the British people safe.

"Just look at the last five years where we haven't delivered.

"I am prepared to leave the ECHR, or indeed any other institution that does not serve the interests of the British people."

Read the full story HERE

Sadiq Khan hails Ulez expansion after pollution levels drop

Sadiq Khan has claimed a major victory in London as levels of air pollution in the capital have dropped by more than 10 per cent.

The lower emission levels in the city were aided by the expansion of the Ulez scheme which extended across Greater London last August.

According to a new report from City Hall, nitrogen oxide emissions from cars dropped by 13 per cent since last August, while van emissions fell seven per cent.

Read the full story HERE

Great British Energy announces first major policy

Great British Energy, is to partner with the monarchy’s property firm to help speed up the building of offshore wind farms.

The Crown Estate owns the vast majority of Britain’s seabed, stretching up to 12 nautical miles from the mainland, and leases parts of it to wind farm operators.

The Government said on Thursday that GB Energy will help develop future offshore wind projects, as part of its push to hasten the UK’s transition to renewable energy.

It is also designed to reduce the UK’s reliance on energy imported from other countries by generating more of its own electricity.

New poll shows Reform UK third most popular with under 30s

More under-30s voted for Reform UK than the Conservatives at the general election. A YouGov poll of 35,000 voters suggested that 9.5 per cent of 18 to 30-year-olds supported Nigel Farage’s party and eight per cent voted Tory.

According to The Guardian, Nigel Farage's posts have "garnered more interactions per video than Jeremy Corbyn, Labour's Zarah Sultana and the Greens' Carla Denyer put together."

The Greens won almost 18 per cent of voters aged 30 and under, up from six per cent in 2015.

Tugendhat says he believes he can lead the Tories to an election victory

The Tory leadership contender was asked on BBC Breakfast if he believed he could win an election as leader of the Conservative Party in five years’ time.

He said: "Yes, it is possible to do that. You’ve got to restore trust. You’ve got to demonstrate delivery and you’ve got to be able to listen to the British people to make sure you understand where the challenges are.

"But you can look at what Keir Starmer achieved, frankly, he went from his worst electoral result to his best in five years.

"We can do the same but we need to be united. We need to regain the trust of the British people and we need to be ready to deliver."