Newslink for Thursday 9 February 2023

Military 1) UK ready to supply Ukraine with long-range missiles

“Rishi Sunak is set to send long-range missiles to Ukraine in a move that could mark a major escalation in British lethal aid to Kiev. The prime minister said Britain hoped to lead the world by authorizing the supply of weapons that could keep Russian territory within range. President Zelensky said the missiles were needed to break Ukraine out of a “stalemate” and “destroy its airbase deep in the occupied territory to make the villain completely retreat from our country.” Missiles under discussion include the Harpoon anti-ship missile, which has a maximum range of 150 miles, and the Stormshadow air-to-surface cruise missile, which has a range of 250 miles.” – The Times

• Sunak hints Britain may soon declare Wagner group a terrorist organization – Daily Mail
• Zelensky praises Johnson for backing Ukraine ‘from first to second’ – The Sun

Editorial:

>Yesterday: ToryDiary: Andrew Gimson’s PMQs sketch: Zelensky makes a brilliant plea for fighter jets on a bright winter’s day

Military 2) Britain is set to resume payments for the army’s troubled armored vehicle programme

“The Ministry of Defense is set to resume payments to the US defense agency responsible for the British Army’s troubled Ajax armored vehicles, in the strongest signal yet that it is committed to the long-delayed programme. General Dynamics, which was awarded a £5.5 billion contract to supply 589 vehicles in 2014, has not been paid for the past two years as the government investigates serious noise and vibration problems during trials that damaged the hearing of some crews. After a health and safety review of Ajax identified “serious failures” in the UK’s defense procurement culture, the MoD last year commissioned Clive Sheldon Casey to conduct an independent inquiry into what went wrong with the programme.” -FT

>Yesterday: Events: Join us for the Conservative Home Defense and Security Conference

Party chairman says English local elections will be ‘difficult’…

The new Conservative Party chair, Greg Hands, said this year’s local elections in England would be tough but the Tories were “in good shape overall”, with Lee Anderson of “great integrity” serving as his deputy. Hands also said his party would have a “really good story to tell” in next year’s general election. But he struggled to defend the controversial comments Anderson made as a prominent backbencher… During a Commons speech in May, Anderson said people in the UK should eat food. Advised to use banks because they “can’t cook properly” and “can’t budget.” – The Guardian

• Hands says the party has 18 months to turn things around – The Sun
• SNP ‘will overtake Tories in Westminster election’ – Daily Telegraph

…as his deputy approves the execution

“The Conservative Party’s new deputy chairman has backed the death penalty for its money-saving potential and “100 per cent success rate” in deterring re-offending, as he vowed to continue to counter critics with outspoken views. Lee Anderson stressed that he had his own life experience. was able to criticize people’s benefits from while wealthy southern Tories were “too scared”, arguing that comments deemed offensive in Westminster were common knowledge in his red wall constituency. Tuesday’s reshuffle of ex-coal miner and Labor Party official Greg Hands, the Remain-supporting West The London MP, who is the party chairman, was appointed as a counterweight.” – The Times

Reducing energy use by 15 percent, the new net zero category to request households

“Households and businesses will be pushed to reduce their energy consumption by 15 percent by the newly-created Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. Rishi Sunak made the targets to be achieved by 2030 one of the department’s six priorities set out in Tuesday’s Whitehall shake-up. This could translate into more advertising campaigns urging Britons to turn off their boilers or turn off radiators in empty rooms. That could mean more Treasury support for improving insulation in homes and offices – an area where Mr Sunak showed some reluctance as chancellor, according to sources at the time. – The Daily Telegraph

• Coffee singles out water company for sewage spill – The Times

Braverman has promised ‘major reform’ of the UK’s counter-radicalisation scheme

“Home Secretary Suella Braverman said she would shake up the UK’s anti-radicalisation policy, called Prevent, after a review found it was “out of kilter” with counter-terrorism measures and focused too much on far-right ideology. . Independent Review on Wednesday After publication, Braverman said he would adopt its 34 recommendations “wholeheartedly,” promising “major reforms” to “understand the threats we face and the ideology they’re based on.” The report’s author, William Shawcross, is a journalist and public figure. The commissioner of appointments, praised counter-radicalisation programs for saving lives. But criticized what he called “double standards when dealing with right-wing extremism and Islamism…” – FT

• Convictions of people smugglers halved despite increase in small boat crossings – The Sun
• Brussels braces for Brexit showdown with UK over Home Office blunder – Daily Express

Gove’s plans for more grants rein in the leveling of Treasury spending

“Michael Gove’s government department has been banned from spending money on new capital projects without Treasury approval amid concerns about how well public money is being managed. Insiders indicated that Gove’s speech in Manchester on January 25 fueled fears of rogue spending as he announced plans to fund a new round of local grants in the northern counties. It was also claimed that Gove’s pledge in the same speech to pay £30 million to improve poor quality housing, after a two-year-old boy died of mold in his family’s flat in Rochdale, sparked outrage among Treasury officials. . The Treasury has denied this.” – Guardian

>Yesterday:

Johnson earned £5m in the five months since resigning

“Boris Johnson has announced an upfront payment of around £2.5m for speaking events. According to the Register of Financial Interests of MPs, the former prime minister paid as an advance to speak through the Harry Walker Agency on January 3. Johnson had already announced just £1.8 million for speeches since leaving Downing Street in September. Including the £510,000 advance for his memoirs, this brings Johnson’s income in the five months since he ceased to be prime minister to just under £5 million. Former Prime Minister Lord Bamford also announced free use of accommodation provided by Conservative donor and JCB chairman and his wife Carol, founder of Daylesford Organic. – The Times

Brexit 1) Badenoch signs historic UK-Italy export deal in Rome

“Kemi Badenoch has signed a historic UK-Italy export deal in Rome. The new Business and Trade Secretary has welcomed the first Post-Partnership of its kind between the UK and any EU country, which will boost green technology and science by billions. It will cut the red tape that prevents businesses from selling to Italy and help make it easier for businesses to operate there, adding to the already $43 billion in trade between the two countries. The UK’s life sciences, carbon capture and other green tech sectors are set to rise from the deal… He will fly to Mexico today as Britain closes in on two deals there.” – The Sun

• He heads to Mexico to secure two huge ‘post-Brexit wins’ – Daily Express

Brexit 2) Labor wants to give Parliament the final say on repealing EU law

“Labour has launched an effort to stop swaths of EU laws that “accidentally” automatically disappear from the UK statute book at the end of the year, in a fresh challenge to Sage Sunak’s flagship Brexit law. The main opposition party said its “sovereignty amendment” would give parliament the final say on repealing EU laws, which include consumer and environmental protection and workplace rights. Labour’s amendments to the EU law bill retained by the government could win cross-party support in the House of Lords, forcing Prime Minister Sunak to mobilize her MPs to defend legislation that has been criticized by business groups and some Tory MPs. -ft

• Supreme Court rules Northern Ireland’s Brexit deal illegal – The Times

More labor:

• Starmer promises to make it easier for people to change their gender – Daily Mail

>Yesterday: Poppy Coburn comments: Labor’s race equality bill will bring patron-client politics to Britain

Brief news:

• Why I think the Tories are done – James Austin, moderate
• Who will look after the children? – Ellen Pasternak, Critic
• Why resistance fails, and how to fix it – Dean Godson, The Spectator
• How much damage will the trans right row cause to the SNP? – Tom Harris, CapX
• How much does smoking cost in Britain? – Christopher Snowdon, Substack