View from Westminster
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Tuesday, January 30, 2024 |
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Breakthrough in Northern Ireland no 94 |
Once again, the UK government and its ministers have achieved the impossible and secured a deal in Northern Ireland that could unite the main parties representing most of the people there. Tony Blair did it in 1998, and then again in 2007. Rishi Sunak did the "impossible" bit last year, when he persuaded the EU to rewrite the post-Brexit Northern Ireland protocol, which everyone said he couldn't. It still didn't impress the DUP sufficiently to being them back into government. Now Chris Heaton-Harris, Northern Ireland secretary, has done a bit more "impossible" and Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the DUP leader, has persuaded his party to take office again. It is a great achievement, for which Sunak, Heaton-Harris and Sir Jeffrey deserve much credit, but I fear that they won't get it. |
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Who was health secretary when smoking in enclosed public spaces was banned in England in 2007? |
Answer at the bottom of today's email |
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| Foreign secretary suggests bringing forward formal UK recognition of Palestine to help make two-state solution 'irreversible' |
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| Any tax cuts would be 'very challenging to achieve' with Britain's ageing population and mounting debt |
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| The former justice secretary said provisions in the legislation to declare Rwanda safe are 'very dangerous' |
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What else you need to know today |
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Do the Tories have the most to lose from rail strikes? |
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The public seem more inclined to blame the government than the trade unions... Read more |
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Tomorrow inside the Westminster bubble |
Our political commentator Andrew Grice on what to look out for |
Devolution day. Prime Minister's Questions at noon will no doubt feature the deal to restore power-sharing devolved government in Northern Ireland after almost two years, now that the DUP has decided to return. A command paper and ministerial statement on the DUP's deal with the government are expected.
The Commons will sit at 11.30am for questions on Wales. Tata's decision to close its two blast furnaces in Port Talbot will come up. The loss of up to 2,500 jobs will also be examined by the Welsh affairs select committee, which will take evidence from Tata bosses at 9.30am, and from Welsh and UK government ministers at 2.15pm.
James Cleverly will be questioned by the Home Affairs Committee, including about immigration, from 9.30am.
A big moment in the Covid inquiry, when Nicola Sturgeon gives evidence in Edinburgh from 10am.
Post-Brexit checks on imports of plants, meats and other animal products from the EU, which have been delayed five times, will finally take effect. |
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"Sir Keir Starmer's team are currently interesting because they are judged to be close to power, rather than being close to power because they are judged to be interesting" |
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"Ramfeezlement" is a 19th-century word for the disorder caused by trying to do something when you're tired – English Dialect Dictionary, 1904, via Haggard Hawks |
Quiz answer: John Reid, who had just taken over from Patricia Hewitt, who was responsible for the legislation |
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