Culture Secretary says Queen’s funeral was ‘taxpayers’ money well spent’
Joe Biden will confront Liz Truss over her plans to break the Northern Ireland protocol at their meeting in New York today.
The White House said the US president will tell the prime minister to ensure there is “no threat” to the Irish peace process from the flashpoint legislation to rewrite the deal Brexit.
Biden earlier signaled a break with Mrs Truss on a different front, attacking the “trickle-down economy” as the prime minister prepares to announce a wave of tax-cutting policies in line with the theory scorned by the president.
In an interview ahead of a United Nations summit where she will meet Mr Biden, the prime minister admitted her tax plan would initially benefit the wealthy more than the rest of society, although she insisted it was not unfair .
The prime minister also revealed she does not expect to negotiate a trade deal with the US for years, despite claims by Brexit campaigners in her party that a deal would be reached after Britain leaves the EU.
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UK ready to ‘re-engage’, says Macron after Truss talks
Downing Street said Liz Truss and French President Emmanuel Macron did not discuss unauthorized Channel crossings or the Northern Ireland Protocol.
After their meeting in New York, the prime minister’s official spokesman stressed that Rwanda’s stalled politics is the “long-term solution” to the crossings.
Mrs Truss had tried to strike a conciliatory tone ahead of the talks, although she declined to say whether she thinks Mr Macron is a “friend or foe”.
Macron himself said his first face-to-face talks with Mrs Truss covered a wide range of topics, including Ukraine and European issues.
“Now I believe in evidence, in results,” he said, adding: “There is a willingness to re-engage, to move forward and to show that we are allies and friends in a complex world.”
Truss and Macron today at the UN in New York
(PA)
Liam James20 September 2022 19:17
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‘Ridiculous’ to suggest Biden attacks Truss economic policy, No 10 says
Downing Street has said it would be “ridiculous” to suggest US President Joe Biden’s criticism of the trickle down economy was aimed at Liz Truss.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “Any suggestion that this is in any way a direct criticism of UK policy would be ridiculous. No two countries’ economies are structured in the same way, each has unique challenges.”
Mr Biden previously tweeted: “I’m sick and tired of trickle down economics. It’s never worked,” referring to the theory that cutting taxes on business and the rich will create growth and benefit the poor in the long run: a theory that Truss must put to the test with his planned cut in corporation tax.
The president’s message came hours before his meeting with Ms Truss and reflected a stark difference between the two leaders.
Liam James20 September 2022 19:01
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Joe Biden to confront Liz Truss over plans to tear up Northern Ireland Protocol
Joe Biden will confront Liz Truss over her plans to tear up the Northern Ireland Protocol at their meeting in the US, after clashing with her over economic policy (writes Rob Merrick).
The White House said the US president will tell the prime minister to ensure there is “no threat” to the Irish peace process from the flashpoint legislation to rewrite the deal Brexit.
“The President will communicate his strong view that the Good Friday Agreement, which is the touchstone of peace and stability in Northern Ireland, must be protected,” he said.
Mr Biden would urge Ms Truss and the EU to show “courage” to resolve the dispute, which threatens to reopen decades-old wounds, said Jake Sullivan, the White House’s national security adviser.
It is imperative that “there is no threat to the fundamental principles of the Good Friday Agreement, and he will speak to her in detail about that in the conversation,” he said.
Joe Biden to confront Liz Truss over plans to tear up Northern Ireland Protocol
The president of the United States does not want “any threat to the Good Friday agreement” and “will talk to her in detail about this.”
Liam James20 September 2022 18:42
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Peer publications: Downing Street announces more ministerial appointments
Downing Street has announced the appointment of several colleagues to government posts.
Baroness Neville-Rolfe has been appointed Cabinet Minister. Lord Sharpe of Epsom becomes junior minister at the Home Office. Baroness Scott de Bybrook goes to the Department for Leveling, Housing and Communities and Lord Kamall to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
Peers remaining in place are: Defense Minister Baroness Goldie, Justice Minister Lord Bellamy, Business Minister Lord Callanan, Education Minister Baroness Barran, Transport Minister Baroness Vere de Norbiton, Northern Ireland Minister Lord Caine, Solicitor General for Scotland Lord Stewart of Dirleton and Deputy Leader of the Lords Earl Howe.
Most government departments have a ministerial peer assigned to represent them in the House of Lords. Fellows generally hold junior ministerial jobs.
Liam James20 September 2022 18:21
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Truss and Macron agree proposal to reduce energy bills
Liz Truss and Emmanuel Macron agreed to better co-operation on energy policies to reduce costs for consumers, Downing Street said.
A Number 10 spokesman said: “The Prime Minister and President Macron stressed the importance of working together to end dependence on Russian energy and strengthen energy security.
“We must continue to show Putin that his economic blackmail on energy and food supplies will not succeed.
“Leaders agreed to improve cooperation between the UK and France on energy to reduce market volatility and lower costs for households.”
Mrs Truss earlier sought to reassure a public fearful of rising bills by saying Britain’s energy supply is resilient and the government has no plans to introduce rationing over the winter.
Meanwhile, Macron has called for a 10% reduction in energy consumption in the coming months, while the EU has asked member states to reduce consumption this winter.
The account of the pair’s meeting at the UN in New York made no reference to them discussing the Northern Ireland Protocol or unauthorized Channel crossings, two key issues in the UK’s relationship with its neighbor .
Liam James September 20, 2022 6:04 p.m
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Stephen Graham to star in TV drama about MP horror plot
The true story behind a neo-Nazi plot to kill a British MP has been turned into a TV drama starring Stephen Graham.
The Walk In, which premieres on ITV on October 3, chronicles the murderous plan of jailed, peofish National Action member Jack Renshaw, and how he was thwarted by anti-fascist campaign group Hope not hate.
Rosie Cooper, the target of the plot, revealed she was standing down as West Lancashire MP hours before the new show was announced.
Ms Cooper alluded to the impact of the incident in her statement where she said: “The events I have faced over the last few years are well documented and have certainly taken their toll.”
You can read our contemporary coverage of the foiled plot here:
Neo-Nazi pedophile who plotted to murder Labor MP with machete jailed for life
A terrorist gave the Hitler salute in court as he was led to the cells
Liam James20 September 2022 17:34
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Liz Truss backs No 10 boss caught up in FBI bribery probe
Liz Truss has offered her support to No 10 chief of staff Mark Fullbrook after he was interviewed by the FBI as part of an investigation into an alleged bribery plot.
The prime minister’s closest adviser has been questioned as a witness in an investigation by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) and the FBI, it was learned on Sunday.
Asked whether Mrs Truss stood by Mr Fullbrook “100 per cent”, a Downing Street spokesman said: “Yes… She has his full support.”
Asked why he did not join Mrs Truss on her trip to the US for the UN conference, the spokesman said: “It is not usual for chiefs of staff to stay in Downing Street”, and adding that Mr Fullbrook would “oversee” the government’s work.
Liz Truss backs No 10 chief of staff caught up in FBI bribery probe
Mark Fullbrook has the Prime Minister’s ‘full support’, No 10 says after witness interview details emerge
Liam James September 20, 2022 5:18 p.m
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Liz Truss wants closer ties with allies than Boris Johnson
Liz Truss said she wants to build closer ties with allies than Boris Johnson as the security threat worsens.
The prime minister said she did not want to compare herself to her predecessors, but suggested that changing times called for stronger ties.
Asked about her difference with Johnson in an interview with BBC News in the 102nd floor observatory of the Empire State Building, Mrs Truss said: “Well, I will be my own prime minister and I would not compare myself to any predecessor.
“And the times we are in are different from the times in which the predecessors have passed. We are entering a new era.
“It is a more insecure time. We are facing an increasingly aggressive Russia, an assertive China. We need to work more closely with our allies and we also need to grow Britain’s economy so that we have this security for all our citizens.”
Mrs Truss will meet leaders of allied nations including Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron in New York.
The former has made his ideological differences with Ms Truss clear, while the Prime Minister insulted the latter during the Tory leadership campaign.
Liam James September 20, 2022 5:01 p.m
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Kwarteng’s Mini-Budget Branded “The Growth Plan”
Kwasi Kwarteng’s mini-budget announcement has been called ‘The Growth Plan’, a Treasury tweet revealed.
The Chancellor and Liz Truss prepare to set out their tax-cutting approach to governance in a statement from Mr. Kwarteng in the Commons on Friday.
It is expected to eliminate planned increases in corporate tax and…