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Politics latest news: Nadine Dorries quits as MP ahead of Boris Johnson honours list

Nadine Dorries, the former culture secretary, is pictured in Downing Street in July 2022 - Tolga Akmen /Shutterstock
Nadine Dorries, the former culture secretary, is pictured in Downing Street in July 2022 - Tolga Akmen /Shutterstock

Nadine Dorries has announced that she is standing down as a Tory MP with immediate effect.

The former culture secretary tweeted: “I have today informed the chief whip that I am standing down as the MP for Mid Bedfordshire, with immediate effect.

“It has been an honour to serve as the MP for such a wonderful constituency but it is now time for someone younger to take the reins.”

The decision to stand down means there will be a by-election in the constituency.

Ms Dorries has been widely tipped to receive a peerage in Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list.

You can follow the latest updates below. 


04:00 PM

That is all for today...

Thank you for joining me for today’s politics live blog.

I will be back on Monday morning.


03:49 PM

Nadine Dorries quits as Tory MP

Nadine Dorries has announced that she is standing down as a Tory MP with immediate effect.

The former culture secretary tweeted: “I have today informed the chief whip that I am standing down as the MP for Mid Bedfordshire, with immediate effect.

“It has been an honour to serve as the MP for such a wonderful constituency but it is now time for someone younger to take the reins.”

The decision to stand down means there will be a by-election in the constituency.


03:35 PM

Sunak insists Tories can win general election if they are focused and united

Rishi Sunak said he “totally rejected that pessimism” that suggests the migrant Channel crossings crisis cannot be solved.

He said the Government was “already showing that deterrence works” and “with grip and determination we can get on top of this problem”.

Turning to the general election, the Prime Minister told the Northern Research Group conference in Doncaster: “If we can keep our focus and our unity I promise you we can and we will win.”

Mr Sunak claimed a Labour government would be a “disaster for Britain and for the north and we owe it to the country to not let that happen”.


03:28 PM

Sunak says Tories must show voters 'we are worthy of their trust'

Rishi Sunak said he wanted to deliver a “fair deal for the north” of England as he addressed the Northern Research Group conference in Doncaster.

The Prime Minister said the Government wanted to help boost towns that are “too often forgotten”.

Mr Sunak said he understood that “things aren’t easy right now” for many families as he highlighted the Government’s cost of living support.

He said he had told his Cabinet to “focus relentlessly on delivery”, including in the north of England, as he said “many voters here lent us their vote” at the 2019 general election.

He said the Conservative Party must “show them that we are worthy of their trust and support by delivering for them”.


03:24 PM

North of England 'at the heart of' Government's plan for energy security, says Sunak

Rishi Sunak said that yesterday he was “talking to President Biden about how we ensure not just our national security but also our economic security” and that on his flight back from Washington DC he had reflected on the role the north of England will play on the latter.

Addressing the Northern Research Group conference in Doncaster this afternoon, Mr Sunak said that improving economic security will be “dependent on the north”.

He said the north of England is “at the heart of our plan for energy security” and “a stronger north means a stronger Britain”.


02:30 PM

Shadow minister suspended by Labour after formal complaint made against him

A shadow minister has been suspended from the Labour Party pending investigation after a formal complaint was made against him.

Bambos Charalambous, a shadow Foreign Office minister and the MP for Enfield Southgate, has been administratively suspended from Labour which means he has also lost the Labour whip in the Commons.

He will now sit as an independent MP while the investigation takes place. He has also stepped down from his frontbench role.

Mr Charalambous tweeted: “I am aware that there is an allegation that requires investigation by the Labour Party.

“It is right and proper that process is allowed to take place. I will cooperate fully and play my full part. It is not appropriate to say anything further at this time.”


02:16 PM

Caroline Lucas: Labour make 'big pledges but resile from them as soon as there's opposition'

Caroline Lucas said shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves has “fallen at the first hurdle” and caved to opposition over Labour’s green prosperity plan.

The Green Party MP told BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme: “I’m afraid it just does feed into a narrative that we keep seeing from Labour, that they make big pledges and then they resile from them as soon as there’s any opposition.”

She added: “Investing in the climate actually is the fiscally responsible thing to do.”


01:29 PM

Labour's U-turns and broken pledges

Labour’s U-turn on its flagship green investment plan is the latest in a string of broken promises from Sir Keir Starmer.

It will undermine confidence in the Opposition leader’s commitment to his principles as he seeks to capitalise on Tory turbulence and transform a double digit lead in the polls into success at the next election.

The Telegraph has taken a look at some of the pledges Labour has thrown on the scrapheap and you can read the full piece here.


12:44 PM

Greenpeace UK warns Labour making 'huge mistake' by delaying green investment

Greenpeace UK has criticised Labour for moving away from its pledge to spend £28billion every year on green investment.

The organisation tweeted: “Any delay on green investment would be a HUGE mistake.

“It’s bad economics to say we can’t afford it when it pays for itself, boosts the economy, lowers bills and tackles the climate crisis. Labour: don’t let this go.”


12:40 PM

No10: Windfall tax change made to 'safeguard thousands of jobs'

The Government’s plan to suspend the windfall tax on oil and gas companies if energy prices fall (see the post below at 10.22) is to “safeguard thousands of jobs”, Downing Street said.

A No10 spokesman told journalists: “You’ll remember that the energy profits levy was introduced last year to respond to exceptionally high prices that meant that oil and gas companies were benefiting from extraordinary profits.

“To protect domestic energy supply and safeguard thousands of jobs reliant on that sector, we’ve introduced the energy security investment mechanism, and that means that if oil and gas prices consistently fall back to normal levels before March 2028, which is when it would end anyway, the energy profits levy would be switched off.”


12:26 PM

Rishi Sunak hails 'unprecedented economic partnership' between UK and US


11:45 AM

Labour not 'firing up the imagination' of voters, says George Osborne

The Labour Party believes it has a “good chance” to win the next general election but it has not “fired up the imagination” of voters, George Osborne said.

The Tory former chancellor suggested all is not lost for the Conservative Party and Labour’s poll lead could be overhauled.

He told a Northern Research Group conference in Doncaster: “Why not be the bold, imaginative people? If you look at this general election it is clearly going to be a very competitive general election... but what is also true and I am more neutral as an outsider now, I am not an MP anymore, I am not a minister anymore, but I am a member of the Conservative Party, it is clearly true that Labour think they are in with a good chance.

“But it is also clearly true that they do not at the moment fire up the imagination of the British public with a load of interesting, exciting policies.”


11:32 AM

George Osborne: Tory MPs 'should stop blaming others if we don’t get things right'

George Osborne said Tory MPs “should stop blaming others if we don’t get things right” as he said the Conservative Party has been in power for 13 years.

The former chancellor told a Northern Research Group conference in Doncaster this morning: “There are some Conservatives who sort of blame the ‘blob’ and the civil servants and the Establishment. We have been in office since 2010. We are in charge of our country’s destiny and we should stop blaming others if we don’t get things right.

“Government is about making things happen and it is not enough to just give a speech or have an idea. Successful politicians are the ones who can take ideas and turn them into practical things that happen on the ground which is why I am an admirer of Rishi Sunak because he takes the job of prime minister seriously and he takes a good idea and he works hard to actually make it happen on the ground.”

He added: “I am not a believer that there is innumerable obstacles to things happening.”


11:26 AM

George Osborne 'more encouraged' now by Tory leadership than at any point since 2016

George Osborne, the Tory former chancellor, said he is “more encouraged” about the Conservative Party’s leadership now than he has been at any point since 2016.

He said that prime ministers and chancellors must have a good working relationship in order to get things done.

Mr Osborne told a Northern Research Group conference in Doncaster this morning: “It is really good that you have got Jeremy Hunt and Rishi Sunak working together now and that unlocks government.

“I think I am more encouraged about the Conservative Party’s fortunes, I am more encouraged about the Conservative Party’s leadership than I have been at any point since I left office in 2016.”


10:58 AM

Lib Dems accuse Government of 'energy tax failure'

Sir Ed Davey has accused the Tories of an “energy tax failure” after the Government announced the windfall tax on the excess profits of oil and gas firms will be suspended if energy prices fall (see the post below at 10.22).

The leader of the Liberal Democrats said: “The families and businesses still suffering so much from high energy bills will not forget the failure of the Conservatives to tax the windfall profits of the oil and gas companies properly.

“This out of touch Government has shown yet again that it doesn’t care about people struggling just to get by, or the small business clinging on.

“This energy tax failure ranks as one of Rishi Sunak’s biggest personal failures as Chancellor and Prime Minister.”


10:32 AM

Sunak expected to address Northern Research Group of Tory MPs at conference in Doncaster

Rishi Sunak is expected to address a conference of Conservatives in the north of England later today, as senior Tories seek signs of Government commitment to levelling up pledges.

The Prime Minister, fresh from his meeting with US President Joe Biden in Washington DC, is expected in Doncaster this afternoon for the Northern Research Group conference.

Senior Conservatives, including former party chair Sir Jake Berry, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan and former chancellor George Osborne, are among those attending the gathering.


10:22 AM

Windfall tax to be suspended if energy prices fall

Jeremy Hunt has introduced a price floor for the windfall tax on oil and gas producers, softening the levy after heeding warnings of a jobs bloodbath in the North Sea.

The Chancellor said the windfall tax, which is currently set at 75pc, would be suspended if Brent crude oil prices fall below a certain level for a sustained period of time.

The changes confirm a report in The Telegraph overnight, which revealed Treasury officials were discussing a floor for the tax, and follow intense lobbying by the industry.

You can read the full story here.


10:02 AM

SNP accuse Labour of 'latest in a long line of broken promises'

Labour’s decision to scrap its pledge to spend £28billion every year on green investment is the “latest in a long line of broken promises”, the SNP’s leader in Westminster said.

Stephen Flynn said: “This is the latest in a long line of broken promises from the pro-Brexit Labour Party - and one that could have very real and damaging consequences for Scotland’s green energy potential.

“The Tories have trashed the UK economy with Brexit, cuts and their failure to properly invest in renewable energy - but rather than change, the Labour Party is offering more of the same.

“The best way to secure economic growth is to properly invest in the renewables gold rush and rejoin the EU - the Labour Party has now turned its back on both and it will be ordinary families who pay the price as the UK economy falls behind and the cost of living soars.”


09:40 AM

Tory chairman Greg Hands: Labour's main economic policy is 'in tatters'

Greg Hands, the chairman of the Conservative Party, said Labour’s main economic policy was “in tatters” after the announcement by Rachel Reeves this morning (see the post below at 08.39).

Mr Hands said: “Keir Starmer’s main economic policy is in tatters, after even he and Rachel Reeves realised it would lead to disaster.

“It doesn’t matter if they try and pretend otherwise, Labour’s plan remains to stick £28 billion of borrowing on the government credit card which will lead to higher inflation and higher interest rates.

“The Conservatives are taking immediate action to fix the problems families are facing, while putting in place the long-term solutions to build a stronger and more innovative economy that will guarantee a better future for the next generation.”


09:38 AM

Ed Miliband insists Labour still 'determined' to deliver green investment plan

Ed Miliband, the shadow climate and net zero secretary, said a Labour government would want to be spending £28billion on green investment by the second half of its first term in power “at the latest”.

He tweeted: “Rachel, Keir and I are determined to deliver our Green Prosperity Plan, ramping up to £28bn a year in investment in the second half of the parliament at the latest. This plan will transform Britain to cut bills, create jobs, and lead on climate.”


09:15 AM

Labour 'would spend £28bn a year on green investment by second half of first term in power'

A Labour government would achieve spending of £28billion a year on green investment by the second half of its first term in power, Rachel Reeves said this morning.

Asked if the £28billion figure would be hit eventually by a Labour government after the party dropped the pledge to spend that from its first year, the shadow chancellor said: “Yes. We will get to the £28billion, it will be in the second half of the first parliament but we will get to that £28billion and that is what is needed to secure those jobs and those investment.

“The reason I am confident is that I am confident that our plans built on the fiscal rules but our growth plans… can get the growth that we need, get that money in so that we can deliver this green prosperity plan, the jobs, the security, and the lower the bills that come from it.”


09:09 AM

Shadow chancellor blames Tories for Labour U-turn on green investment

Rachel Reeves defended Labour’s decision to scrap its £28billion green investment pledge as she attempted to blame it on the Tories.

The shadow chancellor told the BBC: “The truth is I didn’t foresee what the Conservatives would do to our economy. Maybe that is foolish of me but I did not envisage the mini-Budget that crashed our economy, pushed up interest rates in this way.

“And so I am not going to give you a number when I don’t know what more damage the Conservatives are going to do.”


09:05 AM

Rachel Reeves unable to say how much Labour would spend on green investment in first year in power

Rachel Reeves was unable to say how much Labour would invest in green industries in its first year in power after scrapping a pledge to spend £28billion every year.

The shadow chancellor told the BBC: “Well, there is still going to be another two fiscal statements from the Government before the next general election. That is the most likely scenario and so we will set out all of our numbers that are consistent with those fiscal rules as we get closer to the election.

“Who knows what more damage the Conservatives are going to do to our economy in the next year or so.”

Asked if the investment in year one of a Labour government could be as low as zero, Ms Reeves said: “That would not be the scale of our ambition. We are more ambitious than that.”


09:00 AM

Rachel Reeves suggests Labour scrapped green investment pledge to avoid repeat of mini-Budget chaos

Rachel Reeves suggested Labour had watered down its pledge to spend £28billion a year on green investment to avoid a repeat of the economic chaos which surrounded the Government’s mini-Budget back in October last year when the financial markets were spooked by the prospect of a big surge in government borrowing to pay for tax cuts.

The £28billion which Labour pledged to spend every year was due to be paid for through increased government borrowing.

Ms Reeves told the BBC: “We saw what happened just last year when the Conservatives embarked on this mini-Budget of a load of unfunded commitments that it crashed the markets and has resulted in that Tory mortgage penalty that we are all paying.

“So we will ramp up to the £28billion investmnent in the opportunities, the industries of the future and to reduce bills and to secure our economic security. We will ramp up to that.”


08:39 AM

Labour scraps plan to spend £28billion every year on green technology and jobs

Rachel Reeves has announced that Labour has scrapped its flagship plan to spend £28billion a year on green jobs and technology.

The shadow chancellor said the party would instead look to “ramp up” spending every year as she blamed the about-turn on the Tories who she claimed had “crashed our economy”.

She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The other thing that has happened in last two years is the Tories have crashed our economy, and as a result interest rates have gone up 12 times, inflation is now at 8.7 per cent and I’ve always said that our fiscal rules are non-negotiable.

“Economic stability, financial stability, always has to come first and it will do with Labour. That’s why it’s important to ramp up and phase up our plans to get to the investment we need to secure these jobs so that it is also consistent with those fiscal rules to get debt down as a share of GDP and to balance day-to-day spending.”

Ms Reeves said the £28billion figure previously set out by Labour would be a target to work towards rather than the amount initially allocated.


08:25 AM

PM: 'Entirely reasonable' for US voters to ask if all Nato nations are 'doing their bit'

Rishi Sunak said it was “entirely reasonable” for people in the US to ask if all Nato nations are “doing their bit” on defence spending and helping Ukraine.

The Prime Minister said he believed it was “reasonable and right” that Nato countries are expected to spend two per cent of GDP on defence.

The comments, made during an interview with CNN in Washington DC just before the Prime Minister flew back to the UK last night, will be viewed as an attempt by Mr Sunak to win over some US politicians who have doubts over the scale of support being offered to Kyiv.

The Prime Minister said he had spoken to both Democrats and Republicans during his visit and he believed there was “strong support” for Ukraine.

He said: “I think there is an acknowledgement, as I said, that the values that we are fighting for are universal, they are values that America has always stood up for, which is democracy, freedom, the rule of law.

“But I think it is entirely reasonable for people to ask is everybody doing their bit? I am proud to say the UK is.

“Behind the US we are the next largest contributor to the effort to support Ukraine and more broadly when it comes to defence spending we are one of the few countries that invest two per cent of our GDP in defence, that is a Nato commitment that we have made, that we have adhered to.

“I think it is reasonable and right that we expect other countries in the Nato alliance to increase defence spending up to those levels and that is something that I speak to other leaders about as well.”


08:18 AM

Rishi Sunak: World is 'lucky' to have Joe Biden as US President as China poses growing challenge

Rishi Sunak said the world is “lucky” that Joe Biden is US President at a time when China poses a growing challenge.

The Prime Minister said there are “few leaders” who have as much experience as Mr Biden does in dealing with Chinese President Xi Jinping and that experience is “particularly valuable to me as someone who is newer to this”.

Mr Sunak made the comments to CNN just before flying back to the UK after his two-day visit to Washington DC.

He was asked what generational differences there may be between him and Mr Biden given that he is 43-years-old while the US President is 80.

The premier replied: “It is hard for me to say, commenting on the outside. I find that President Biden’s experience is incredibly helpful particularly on issues like China. I think there are few leaders anywhere who have spent as much time talking to President Xi as President Biden has over the years.

“At a time where China poses the particular challenge that it does, I think we are lucky to have President Biden’s perspective on President Xi.

“I have found that particularly valuable to me as someone who is newer to this. As I said, I think the relationship that he and I have is delivering real benefits for our people in America and the UK.”