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...Starmer told the BBC last week that the Conservatives’ idea that “70,000 job losses in the civil service plus some R&D” would pay for the increase in defence spending “doesn’t stack up”....
...Sir Simon Clarke, a former cabinet minister on the right of the Tory party, said: “In a dangerous world, we need to set out with greater conviction and clarity how we’d get to 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence...
...He added that the party beat the Tories in 16 out of 25 wards in Sunderland....
...“We have got inner city wards where he [Yakoob] has picked up 70 per cent of the vote, that has put Richard’s chances in peril . . . in wards with lots of Muslim residents pretty much all of them are lost...
...The Labour party has called the result in the new East Midlands mayoralty, saying that its candidate Claire Ward had beaten the Tories’ Ben Bradley “comfortably”....
...Early analysis by the Financial Times of one-third of results in England showed Labour experienced a slight boost in vote share in council wards where Reform stood a candidate, while the Tories suffered...
...In Sunderland City Council the rightwing populist Reform UK party — which stood in all wards — pushed the Tories into third in 16 of 25 seats up for election....
...“Most of our MPs thought he’d already left parliament.” The Conservatives are confident of winning the seat at the next election, which is regarded as one of the safest in the country....
...But it’s very interesting at the ward level, that’s not the case at all. They picked up an SNP ward last week on a 10 per cent swing....
...opinions borne-out by the fact that the first batches of 300 sold out within a few hours, and that the Bel Canto was awarded the “petite aiguille” prize for affordable watches at last November’s Grand Prix d’...
...The following morning, when the bright orange lacquer front doors had yet to arrive, Burch placed space heaters by the entrance to ward off the winter chill. She was nervous....
...A joke about Angela Rayner’s tax affairs sent the Tory benches into braying ecstasy. It was so exciting that Theresa May nearly smiled....
...I’d be happy to come by the Commons and talk about them if it would be helpful. WhatsApp to WesPeter: Tuesday at 4? Great....
...Labour overturned sizeable Tory majorities in the other two contests in Wellingborough and Kingswood, while the populist Reform party, which poses a threat to the Tories from the right, secured more than...
...So it shows, I think, that they fear that the Tory brand is quite toxic. Jim, any red wall seat that you’d like to flag?...
...He’d survive, but he’d be seriously weakened.”...
...One Labour shadow cabinet member said: “You’d expect them to stick to the economy, given that the Budget was last week. Instead of which they are playing straight into the hands of Reform.”...
...When asked if he’d run for election next year, he replied: “Never say never.”...
...I’d go so far as to say it’s more chaotic than it was when Boris Johnson was there and that’s saying something,” the former minister added....
...He urged the party to return Hester’s donation, saying: “Ideally, you’d want to pay it back” but acknowledged that some of the funds may have already been spent....
...You know, the Tories would spend, let’s say, £7bn abolishing inheritance tax. That’s £7bn we’d spend on nurses in the NHS. I mean it’s a ready-made election leaflet for you there....
...“He essentially said that he’d introduced one of the biggest tax cuts in history and nobody had noticed,” said one MP at the meeting....
...“We’d have been crazy to have a May election,” said one cabinet minister. But Sunak’s decision is a gamble on things getting better. What if he is wrong?...
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