Boris Johnson cannot deny that he offered the best job to Carrie Symonds
Crucial by-elections in the Conservative stronghold of Tiverton and Honiton are “neck and neck,” according to the Liberal Democrats.
As voters prepare to go to the polls on Thursday in two by-elections, Sir Ed Davey suggested his party “could be on the verge of a historic victory”.
The second ballot will be held in Wakefield, which is a seat on the “red wall” that Sir Keir Starmer hopes to regain for Labor after it fell to the Conservatives in the 2019 elections for the first time since the constituency was created on 1932.
Conservative MPs told The Independent that a double partial election defeat would be a “disaster” for the assaulted Boris Johnson, who narrowly survived a censure vote a fortnight ago.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, meanwhile, has been accused of presenting a “trick” of Brexit, a quarterly dashboard of reformed EU laws, which “will do nothing to address the real challenges facing the public.” today”.
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“What a thrilling time to be here in Rwanda”
Boris Johnson has been kindly exchanging with Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
As previously reported, the Prime Minister is attending a summit of Commonwealth leaders in Kigali.
Johnson drove to Mr. Kagame’s office and then climbed the red-carpeted stairs to meet the Rwandan leader.
At the top, the two men met with a relaxed handshake.
Boris Johnson (left) and his wife Carrie Johnson get off a plane before traveling to the president’s office
(POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
They then went to the President’s meeting room where they sat in white armchairs in front of a Union flag and a Rwandan flag.
Mr Johnson said: “How are you? Very good to see you. What an exciting time to be here in Rwanda. Congratulations on taking over as President of the Office. It will be absolutely fantastic.”
Kagame said, “It’s a pleasure. Thank you.”
The media was then asked to leave the room.
Matt Mathers23 June 2022 09:45
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Truss – Putin is starving
Vladimir Putin is “arming hunger,” the foreign secretary said as criticizing the Russian blockade of Ukraine’s grain.
Liz Truss was speaking at a press conference with her Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in Ankara.
He said the UK and Turkey were working “closely together”, in particular to get the “grain out of Ukraine”.
“(Vladimir) Putin is starving. He is using food security as an insensitive tool of war. He has blocked Ukrainian ports and is stopping the export of 20 million tons of grain worldwide, so the world is being rescued, “he said. .
“I am here in Turkey to discuss the plan to extract the grain, with the support of the United Nations. We are clear that merchant ships must have a safe passage to be able to leave Ukrainian ports and that Ukrainian ports are They must protect Russia from Russian attacks.
“We support the UN talks, but Russia cannot be allowed to delay and prevail. It is urgent that action be taken in the next month before the new harvest. And we are determined to work with our allies to achieve this. ho “.
Our policy correspondent Ashley Cowburn has the full report:
Matt Mathers23 June 2022 09:06
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Rwanda was preparing to accept “thousands” of asylum seekers
Rwanda is “ready to take in thousands” of asylum seekers deported from the UK, a Kigali government spokeswoman said.
Yolande Makolo made the comments last night on ITV’s Peston show.
When asked how much the UK government will pay Rwanda for asylum seekers, he added: “These figures are still being worked out.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has landed in the last hours in Kigali, visiting for a summit of Commonwealth leaders alongside Prince Charles.
Matt Mathers23 June 2022 08:50
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Martin Lewis says he was fired from the House of Lords because he was “honest” in the interview
Consumer expert Martin Lewis has revealed that he was turned down after applying to be a member of the House of Lords.
Mr Lewis, founder and chairman of MoneySavingExpert.com, said he believed his bid for a nobility between banks was rejected because he was “honest” about the limited time he could devote to the role.
In an interview with the BBC’s Political Thinking podcast, Lewis expressed his desire for “a more consensual and cooperative policy”.
Mr Lewis has become increasingly vocal in recent months on behalf of economically-expanding consumers and households, amid rising inflation and a cost-of-living crisis, writes Dominic McGrath.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain June 23, 2022 8:22 AM
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Public debt hit a record high in May as inflation rose
Government debt stood at about 14 billion pounds higher than expected last month, as rising inflation pushed interest rates to a record high in May. according to official figures.
The National Statistics Office (ONS) said the government loan was £ 4 billion less than in May last year, but it was still the third highest loan in May since the start of the monthly records in 1993 and £ 8.5 billion more than in May 2019, before the pandemic. hit.
The data revealed that rising inflation levels sent interest payments on government debt to a record £ 7.6 billion, £ 3.1 billion more than a year earlier.
The ONS said the increase in UK debt interest payments is due to the recent rise in the measure of retail price index (RPI) inflation, which determines payments for gilts linked to the index.
So far this year, debt interest payments have risen to £ 14.1 billion, up £ 4.7 billion year-on-year, the ONS said.
June figures are expected to show the worst impact of inflation on public debt interest payments, with the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecast of £ 19.7 billion, the largest registered, by far.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain June 23, 2022 8:07 AM
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Six Brexit problems six years after the EU referendum
Six years have passed since the 2016 EU referendum and Brexit has been delivered. But not everything is necessary well.
A survey conducted by Savanta ComRes in October found that only 36% believe the project has been a success, and 52% consider it a failure, writes Jon Stone.
These are six of the most important lasting problems that Brexit has caused to commemorate the six years of the great vote.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain June 23, 2022 7:51 AM
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Voting is open in by-elections
Voting has opened in Tiverton, Honiton and Wakefield for crucial by-elections that could see the Conservatives uprooted from the cities.
The competition in Tiverton and Honiton is “neck and neck,” according to the Liberal Democrats, who point to a major political upheaval in Devon’s seat.
Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer hopes to reclaim Wakefield for Labor after it fell to the Conservatives in 2019 for the first time since 1932.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain June 23, 2022 7:28 AM
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According to research, Brexit has left “lasting scars” on EU citizens living in the UK
Six years after the EU referendum, Brexit has left “lasting scars” on European citizens living in the UK, according to a new study.
Two-thirds of EU and EEA citizens living in the UK who took part in the survey said Brexit had “significantly, and above all, negatively affected their feelings about Britain”, said researchers from the UK. University of Birmingham and the University of Lancaster.
And many of the 364 respondents said Brexit had driven them to reconsider their future in the UK and undermined their confidence in British institutions and politicians.
Our political editor Andrew Woodcock reports:
Maryam Zakir-Hussain June 23, 2022 7:17 AM
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Labor MP resigns after “sustained campaign of misogynistic abuse”
A Labor MP is stepping down after suffering “a sustained campaign of harassment and misogynistic abuse”.
Apsana Begum, a Poplar and Limehouse MP, posted a statement on Twitter on Wednesday night in which she said she attended the hospital on June 12 and was subsequently discharged from her GP.
He said: “During my time as a Member of Parliament, I have been subjected to a sustained campaign of misogynistic abuse and harassment.
“As a survivor of domestic abuse, it has been especially painful and difficult. This abusive campaign has had a significant effect on my mental and physical health.”
Ms Begum, who was part of the 2019 MPs, added that her staff and office will remain open to help people in her constituency in East London while she is ill.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar23 June 2022 06:24
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Suspended Conservative MP faces new investigation into “paid advocacy”
David Warburton, who was suspended by conservatives on charges of sexual harassment and cocaine use, faces a new Commonwealth investigation.
Warburton was disciplined by his party and is already being investigated by the Independent Complaints and Complaints System of Parliament (ICGS), it is understood.
Now Somerton and Frome’s MP is also being investigated by the parliamentary standards commissioner over whether he broke MPs’ code of conduct in three respects.
They are “paid advocacy”, not declaring an interest and on rules on the declaration of “gifts, benefits and hospitality”.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar23 June 2022 06:10