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Tom Scotson

New Pressure Group Wants Reformed Bank of England To Stop Creating 'Unlimited New Money'
Economy
By Tom Scotson
New Pressure Group Wants Reformed Bank of England To Stop Creating "Unlimited New Money"
A group of peers, think tanks and economic experts are set to launch a new parliamentary group focused on pressuring government to overhaul the Bank of England's current powers, including its ability to print money and buy bonds through Quantitative Easing (QE).
Government Loses Legal Challenge To Avoid Handing Over Boris Johnson's Covid WhatsApps
Coronavirus
Government Loses Legal Challenge To Avoid Handing Over Boris Johnson's Covid WhatsApps
The Cabinet Office has lost a legal challenge to allow them to withhold Boris Johnson's unredacted WhatsApp messages from the Covid inquiry, after it previously claimed they were "unambiguously irrelevant".
Rishi Sunak Pledges To 'Train, Retain And Reform' NHS Workforce In Major New Plan
Health
By Tom Scotson
Rishi Sunak Pledges To "Train, Retain And Reform" NHS Workforce In Major New Plan
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has promised to "train, retain and reform" the NHS workforce as he launched a long-awaited plan to tackle severe staff shortages in the health service.
Excess Savings Could Fuel Price Rises Despite Government's Plan To Halve Inflation
Economy
By Tom Scotson
Excess Savings Could Fuel Price Rises Despite Government's Plan To Halve Inflation
Savings built up during the pandemic are at risk of being drip fed into the economy and exacerbating price rises despite the Government's pledge to halve inflation, economic experts have warned.
Boris Johnson Allies 'Undermined' Privileges Committee, Report Concludes
Political parties
By Tom Scotson
Boris Johnson Allies "Undermined" Privileges Committee, Report Concludes
The Privileges Committee has concluded that Tory MPs among Boris Johnson's most loyal supporters, including Jacob Rees Mogg and Nadine Dorries, "undermined" their investigation into whether the former prime minister misled parliament over partygate.
Matt Hancock Is 'Profoundly Sorry' For Each Death Caused By Covid On His Watch
Coronavirus
Matt Hancock Is "Profoundly Sorry" For Each Death Caused By Covid On His Watch
Former health secretary Matt Hancock has told the Covid Inquiry he is "deeply sorry" for each Covid death that occurred in the UK during the pandemic.
James Cleverly Says 'Cracks Are Emerging' In Russian Support For War
Defence
By Tom Scotson
James Cleverly Says "Cracks Are Emerging" In Russian Support For War
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has told the House of Commons that "cracks are emerging" for Russians' support for the war in Ukraine, after the Vladimir Putin was "exposed" by an attempted coup by paramilitary organisation Wagner.
Jeremy Hunt Promises Struggling Mortgage Holders Will Not Be Punished
Economy
By Tom Scotson
Jeremy Hunt Promises Struggling Mortgage Holders Will Not Be Punished
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has agreed with banks that struggling mortgage holders will not be punished if they need extra support from lenders in the current economic climate.
Jeremy Hunt Insists On 'Watertight' Resolve As Bank Of England Raises Interest Rates
Political parties
By Tom Scotson
Jeremy Hunt Insists On "Watertight" Resolve As Bank Of England Raises Interest Rates
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has backed the Bank of England's decision to raise interest rates to five percent in an effort to tackle inflation. "The lesson from other countries is that if you stick to your guns, you bring inflation down," he said.

Government Planned To Let A Pandemic Spread Like 'Wildfire'
Political parties
By Tom Scotson
Government Planned To Let A Pandemic Spread Like "Wildfire"
Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt has told the Covid inquiry there was a shared “assumption” across Western Europe that the only way to deal with a future pandemic was to let it rip through the population like “wildfire”.
MPs Defend 'Integrity' Of Institutions In Boris Johnson Partygate Debate
Political parties
By Tom Scotson
MPs Defend "Integrity" Of Institutions In Boris Johnson Partygate Debate
Penny Mordaunt, the leader of the House of Commons, has defended the report by the Privileges Committee that concluded Boris Johnson misled parliament over partygate, which she said helped protect the "integrity" of Britain's institutions.
By-Elections In Two Conservative Seats To Be Held On 20th July
Political parties
By Tom Scotson
By-Elections In Two Conservative Seats To Be Held On 20th July
By-elections will take place in two Conservative-held seats on 20th July, after former prime minister Boris Johnson and his ardent loyalist Nigel Adams resigned from Parliament last week.
Sir Elton John Is Set To Visit Parliament
Culture
By Tom Scotson
Sir Elton John Is Set To Visit Parliament
Exclusive: Sir Elton John is set to visit Parliament in November to raise awareness for HIV and AIDS, PoliticsHome understands.
Nadine Dorries Quits As Tory MP Triggering By-Election
Political parties
By Tom Scotson
Nadine Dorries Quits As Tory MP Triggering By-Election
Nadine Dorries, the former culture secretary and Boris Johnson loyalist, has announced she will quit as a Conservative MP with immediate effect, leaving Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his faltering party with a by-election on his hands.
Labour Shadow Minister Bambos Charalambous Suspended Over Conduct Allegations
Political parties
By Tom Scotson
Labour Shadow Minister Bambos Charalambous Suspended Over Conduct Allegations
Shadow minister Bambos Charalambous has been administratively suspended from the Labour party pending investigation following a complaint about his conduct.
Labour MP Says Ben Houchen Peerage Would be 'Two Fingers Up' To Teeside
Political parties
By Tom Scotson
Labour MP Says Ben Houchen Peerage Would be "Two Fingers Up" To Teeside
A Labour MP from the Northeast has accused the Conservatives of "putting two fingers up to the people of Teeside" over reports that Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen could be in line for a peerage in Boris Johnson's honours list, despite allegations of cronyism and wasting public money.
Village Halls Told To Prepare For Terror Attacks Under “Well-Meaning” New Law
Home affairs
By Tom Scotson
Village Halls Told To Prepare For Terror Attacks Under “Well-Meaning” New Law
Village halls and small venues will be among organisations expected to prepare for the possibility of a terror attack under new anti-terror legislation, which concerned campaigners have described as “well-meaning” but “overblown”.
Restless Shadow Ministers Want Keir Starmer To Shake Up Labour's Top Team
Political parties
Restless Shadow Ministers Want Keir Starmer To Shake Up Labour's Top Team
Members of Labour's shadow ministerial team are restless to see Keir Starmer shake up his top team and are urging him to be more “ruthless” in his appointments.

University Towns Face Huge Economic Hit From Student Visa Curbs
Education
By Tom Scotson
University Towns Face Huge Economic Hit From Student Visa Curbs
Changes to international student visa rules that restrict foreign students from bringing family members to the UK could hit the economy of university towns across the UK, local leaders have warned.
Tory MP Believes Banning No-Fault Evictions Could Increase Homelessness
Home affairs
By Tom Scotson
Tory MP Believes Banning No-Fault Evictions Could Increase Homelessness
A landmark Government reform to the rental sector that aims to outlaw no-fault evictions is beginning to make a number of Conservatives nervous, with one MP suggesting it could actually increase homelessness.
How Government Hopes To Overhaul Renters' Rights
Social affairs
By Tom Scotson
How Government Hopes To Overhaul Renters' Rights
Government has announced a “once in a generation” Renters' Reform Bill which they say will revolutionise the private rental market. In recent years the sector has been inundated with people paying high prices on precarious contracts as a result of the housing crisis.
Labour MPs Are Impatient For Michael Gove's Rental Reforms
Political parties
By Tom Scotson
Labour MPs Are Impatient For Michael Gove's Rental Reforms
Senior Labour MPs have urged Levelling-up Secretary Michael Gove to push through the Renters’ Reform Bill despite a backlash from Tory backbenchers.
Tories Are Torn Between The NIMBY Faithful And Voters Who Are Desperate For Houses
Political parties
By Tom Scotson
Tories Are Torn Between The NIMBY Faithful And Voters Who Are Desperate For Houses
The Conservative party has found itself at a crossroads on housebuilding, and whichever way they turn they risk alienating voters.

Tories Blame Too Much Housebuilding For Local Election Losses
Political parties
By Tom Scotson
Tories Blame Too Much Housebuilding For Local Election Losses
Conservative MPs and council leaders are concerned that a belief they are building too many houses has cost them support in last week's local elections, despite urgent calls for increased development to tackle the housing crisis.
Conservatives Lose Councils In Senior Tory MPs' Patches 
Political parties
By Tom Scotson
Conservatives Lose Councils In Senior Tory MPs' Patches 
Liberal Democrats have made headway in councils represented by senior Tories including two former Prime Ministers, an acting Cabinet Minister, and a former Party Chair who was sacked by Rishi Sunak.
Local Elections Are Liberal Democrats' Time To Shine
Political parties
By Tom Scotson
Local Elections Are Liberal Democrats' Time To Shine
Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey hailed his party’s “ground breaking” night after delivering a “hammer blow” to the Conservatives in the local elections, polls which in recent years have delivered a significant windfall of seats for the party.
'Terrible' Night For Tories With Major Local Election Losses
Political parties
By Tom Scotson
"Terrible" Night For Tories With Major Local Election Losses
The Conservative Party is on course to lose hundreds of seats after early local election results paint a "terrible" picture for the party.
Government Warned Help To Buy Boost Would Push House Prices Even Higher
Economy
By Tom Scotson
Government Warned Help To Buy Boost Would Push House Prices Even Higher
Reports that Help to Buy could be revived by government to enable more first time buyers have been met with concern by MPs and experts that a return of the scheme would actually push prices higher and fail to address affordability.
Government Pauses Inquiry Into Sue Gray Labour Talks
Political parties
By Tom Scotson
Government Pauses Inquiry Into Sue Gray Labour Talks
The Cabinet Office has put an inquiry into circumstances surrounding veteran civil servant Sue Gray's departure on hold pending an update from the government’s appointments watchdog, Acoba.

What You Need To Know About Government's Gambling Crackdown
Social affairs
By Tom Scotson
What You Need To Know About Government's Gambling Crackdown
The Government has proposed a once in a generation white paper to clean up the gambling sector.
BBC Chair Broke Rules In Boris Johnson Loan Row – Here's What You Need To Know
Culture
By Tom Scotson
BBC Chair Broke Rules In Boris Johnson Loan Row – Here's What You Need To Know
Richard Sharp has resigned from his role of BBC Chair after an independent report concluded he was found to have broken the Governance Code over his relationship to former prime minister Boris Johnson's finances.
BBC Chair Richard Sharp Has Resigned Over Boris Johnson Loan Inquiry
Home affairs
By Tom Scotson
BBC Chair Richard Sharp Has Resigned Over Boris Johnson Loan Inquiry
BBC Chairman Richard Sharp has resigned after it was found he had breached the code on public appointments as a result of his involvement in helping secure an £800,000 loan to Boris Johnson. 
Government Eases Stance On Detaining Children In Illegal Migration Bill
Home affairs
By Tom Scotson
Government Eases Stance On Detaining Children In Illegal Migration Bill
Immigration minister Robert Jenrick has confirmed the Government would make some concessions on child refugees and safe routes in its flagship Illegal Migration Bill, following pressure from backbench MPs.
Growing Calls For 'Flexibility' On Child Migrant Rights As Sudan Crisis Escalates
Foreign affairs
By Tom Scotson
Growing Calls For "Flexibility" On Child Migrant Rights As Sudan Crisis Escalates
The Government is under mounting pressure over rights for child migrants after Conservative MPs and human rights bodies suggested children fleeing Sudan could face deportation under a new UK law.
Oliver Dowden Replaces Dominic Raab As Deputy Prime Minister In Mini Cabinet Reshuffle
Political parties
By Tom Scotson
Oliver Dowden Replaces Dominic Raab As Deputy Prime Minister In Mini Cabinet Reshuffle
Oliver Dowden will become deputy prime minister while Alex Chalk will take on the role of justice secretary in a mini reshuffle of Rishi Sunak's cabinet triggered by Dominic Raab's resignation over bullying allegations.
Tory MPs Have 'Lots Of Sympathy' For Dominic Raab After Bullying Report Resignation
Political parties
By Tom Scotson
Tory MPs Have "Lots Of Sympathy" For Dominic Raab After Bullying Report Resignation
Conservative MPs have expressed “lots of sympathy” for Dominic Raab, after the former Justice Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister resigned from Government over bullying allegations.