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Hello there, I'm Matt Mathers, and welcome to The Independent's Inside Politics newsletter. Thousands of Britons are facing travel chaos at airports as they try to get away for the half-term holidays, with some even missing flights. There is also no escape for Boris Johnson from questions about his leadership as more Tory MPs call on him to quit. |
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Inside the bubble Our chief politics commentator John Rentoul on what to look out for today: Parliament not sitting, but if you want the government business for the day… The Culture secretary Nadine Dorries will announce the winner of the City of Culture 2025 which will benefit from investment, job creation and tourism. Minister for corporate responsibility Lord Callanan will set out how the government will revamp the UK's corporate reporting and audit regime to reduce the risk of sudden big company collapses, safeguard jobs and reinforce the UK's reputation as a world-leading destination for investment. |
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There is little respite for Boris Johnson this half-term as questions about his premiership continue and the trickle of Tory MPs calling for him to quit in the wake of Sue Gray's Partygate report begins to resemble more of a stream. Could that stream turn into a river that threatens to sweep the prime minister away? Four more Conservative MPs decided enough was enough yesterday and declared no confidence in Johnson. Among them was Jeremy Wright, who served as attorney general in the Theresa May and David Cameron governments. Wright is not a recognised rebel and his stinging criticism of Johnson's leadership will trouble Downing Street and is worth reading in full. His statement, along with resignation calls from Elliot Colburn and Nicki Aiken, both of whom entered the Commons in 2019, confirm two things: there is momentum back in the stalled revolt against Johnson and the Tories calling for his head now go well beyond the usual suspects. How many Conservatives have called on the PM to go? The exact number depends on where you read, but it is now in the high 20s. Not all the MPs who have publicly called for Johnson to walk have said that they have submitted letters of no confidence to Sir Graham Brady, chair of the 1992 Committee. That makes it harder for No 10 to organise and means we don't know exactly how many have gone in, although some MPs say it is between 35 and 40. Allies of Johnson are insisting that we have been up this hill before only to be marched back down it again. But much of the reporting in recent days suggests that a vote is imminent, with some suggesting that the 54 letters could already be in and that Brady is waiting until next week to announce it so as not to steal the Queen's thunder over the Jubilee weekend. Some 180 MPs would need to vote against Johnson in a confidence ballot to remove him –that is a high bar. But comments from ex-ministers, some of whom have not called for Johnson to quit, suggest that there is uncertainty even among those supportive of the PM over whether he can survive. Johnson's leadership woes feature prominently in several other major outlets this morning. The Guardian also has an interesting line saying that Johnson's recent lurch to the right is adding to the calls for him to be ousted. No 10 began the week by announcing a review of imperial measurements. Brady might soon have to start weighing the no confidence letters in pounds and ounces. |
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There was another bleak update on the cost of living crisis yesterday as Office for National Statistic figures showed that the price of some budget shopping items has risen by 50 per cent in recent months. Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the cheapest pasta rose by 50 per cent in the 12 months to April, while the average price of bread, minced beef, rice and crisps increased by more than 15 per cent. The update comes just days after Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, announced a series of measures aimed at tackling rising bills and was criticised for not providing enough help to those on benefits. Charities say the increase will result in more of the poorest families turning to food banks and the Labour Party warned of a cost of living "tsunami". Jonathan Ashworth, shadow secretary of state for work and pensions, said: "Prices are soaring while struggling families are cutting back or even turning to food banks."Tory MPs last month cut universal credit in real terms after slashing it by £20 a week last year. This is a cost of living tsunami caused by years of Tory economic mismanagement." |
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On the record "If leadership is in part about setting the right tone for the organisation you lead, the tone represented by the routine disregard for the spirit, and often the letter, of the Covid rules which Sue Gray describes betrayed at best a casual and at worst a contemptuous attitude to the sacrifices made and distress felt by the many who observed rigorously both spirit and letter of those rules. I find it impossible to accept that the prime minister does not bear some personal responsibility for that tone." Jeremy Wright, the Tory MP for Kenilworth & Southam and a former attorney general, questions PM's leadership in a statement on his website. |
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From the Twitterati "Whether Boris Johnson would lose it [confidence vote] is another matter – maths still in his favour. But striking how many Tory MPs are not publicly backing him, even if they're not yet sacking him. The Wakefield/ Tiverton by-elections could be big moment (if no vote before then)." Daily Mirror politics editor Pippa Crerar on prospect of a no confidence vote. |
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