Lords under fire over rising expenses bill as peers claim more than average worker’s salary

The House of Lords has faced criticism after it emerged that a soaring expenses bill meant peers received tax-free payments worth more than the average British worker’s salary.
Peers’ expenses and daily attendance allowance claims rocketed to £23m in the year to last March, an increase of 29 per cent on the previous year, according to The Sunday Times.
The average tax-free bill was £30,827, which is higher than the median salary of an ordinary British worker, while 31 members of the Lords claimed more than the take-home pay of an MP.
 

Johnson ‘privately agreed to sell off Channel 4’, Tory MPs claim

Boris Johnson has confirmed he is planning to sell off Channel 4, senior Tory MPs have claimed.
The prime minister believes that privatising the publicly-owned broadcaster is a “great idea”, according to a report in the Sunday Express.
His alleged remarks come in the wake of a series of rows between Downing Street and Channel 4 over its coverage of the election campaign.
 

Johnson’s government set to spend more than Labour under Blair, says think tank

The newly appointed chancellor is poised to use his Budget to boost spending to higher levels than under Tony Blair’s government, according to a new think tank report.

Rishi Sunak is likely to use his Budget on 11 March to boost spending to 40 per cent of GDP, a figure higher than at any point Mr Blair’s tenure, the report said. 

 

Business leaders urge PM to avoid red tape as UK draws trade battle lines

Business leaders have urged Boris Johnson to avoid heaping misery on firms with post-Brexit red tape as the UK draws battle lines for trade talks with Brussels.
As the government prepares to spell out its demands this week, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) appealed to the government to limit bureaucracy for firms that are already fearful of a no-deal exit at the end of the year.
Senior ministers are expected to sign off on the UK’s negotiating blueprint on Tuesday, which will underline the prime minister’s desire for a Canada-style trade deal with limited tariffs on goods.
 

Voting opens in Labour leadership contest

Labour will begin sending ballots to its half a million membership, registered supporters and affiliated supporters across the country as voting opens today. It is likely a large proportion of members have already made up their minds – given the race to succeed Jeremy Corbyn has already been going on longer than the entire general election campaign.
Ballots will be sent out by email, so members can theoretically vote online almost instantaneously. It is likely a significant proportion will do so. For those who don’t, expect a flurry of voting closer to the deadline of 2 April.
But for the three remaining candidates – Sir Keir Starmer, Lisa Nandy and Rebecca Long-Bailey – the coming days will be crucial in winning the support of the undecided and wavering voters, or those unsure who to mark as their second preference.  

 

‘Misogyny’ in briefings against Patel, says former cabinet minister

Tory former Cabinet minister Theresa Villiers said there was an element of misogyny in the briefings, telling BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I’m sick of spiteful briefings against women in high public office.
“It happens again and again and I don’t believe these allegations against Priti Patel.
“I think she’s a highly effective Home Secretary and I think whoever is making these briefings should stop it because I think they are unfair and they are damaging.”

An ally of the home secretary told The Times she was “absolutely livid” at the leaks while a former cabinet minster defended Ms Patel, insisting there was an element of sexism in the briefings against her.

The security services were dragged into the row when the Sunday Times reported officials alleging intelligence chiefs do “not trust” her and have decided to share less intelligence with her.