Steve Brine: Ministers have seized the chance to finally end the HIV epidemic
When so many are cynical about politicians, it was brilliant to see Conservative colleagues committing the Government to decisive action.
When so many are cynical about politicians, it was brilliant to see Conservative colleagues committing the Government to decisive action.
Wallace is well up, Gove down, and Patel much the same in the wake of that bullying report – and Johnson and Hancock just outside negative ratings.
McDonnell wanted a state-run pharmaceutical industry. So now we will never know how it would got on with producing Covid vaccines.
From medical prognoses through doctors’ assessments to non-existent codes of practice, the proposal lacks reliable safeguards.
While retail still has its place, trying to maintain its presence on the high street through artificial advantage is clearly no longer viable.
The Department of Education confirmed GCSEs and A Levels will go ahead in England for 2021, albeit with measures to help students affected by Covid.
It should remain a basic principle that no Government commits British troops into a conflict zone before a full statement in the Commons.
Surely they have seen enough zombie films to know that pumping yet more bullets into a zombie doesn’t work. Fresh tactics, not ‘more powers’, are needed.
56 per cent of these voters were persuaded by the Conservatives’ pledge to “Get Brexit done”, compared to 34 per cent of other Tory voters.
Further details enclosed.
An FOBT stake reduction from £100 to £2 per spin was the right thing to do, with a positive impact on gambling treatment services.
The levelling up agenda depends upon nation-wide digital inclusivity. If we give up on this, we will be trying to deliver it with one hand held behind our back.
That’s a comfortable majority. But almost three in ten do not – a significant minority. Thirteen per cent don’t know.
We deceived ourselves into thinking that as China grew richer, its political system would become more democratic.
They have been handed a raw deal during the course of the pandemic. Investing in them is an investment in our future.
Councils should only enter into the investment world if they know what they’re doing. They must remember that public money is at serious risk.
The President-elect’s closest circle of advisers seem to be selected on the basis of trust and experience.
In this crucial time, we must continue to provide investment and leadership in this area, which is what British voters want.
Austerity era cuts have turned parts of the country outside the great cities into ‘deserts’, with no readily accessible support for millions of residents.
Starmer, accused of being a total abstainer, drew blood by recalling how the PM had once run away to Afghanistan.
The Prime Minister fields questions from all sides about the practical and ethical issues surrounding the rollout.
As an old European Conservatives and Reformists hand, our columnist has centre-right connections in the EU, Europe, America – and worldwide.
“Brexit talks are heading for a showdown between Boris Johnson and Emmanuel Macron this weekend with the prospect of an EU deal now dependent on French access to fish in British waters. The two leaders are at odds over the right to fish in British waters with senior Downing Street sources unsure as to whether the French president might “torpedo” the proposed Brexit deal at the last possible moment. They fear he may be tempted to scupper a compromise fishing deal ahead of the French presidential election in 2022. There had been growing hopes that a deal was about to be agreed but the British delegation was taken aback after the EU made a series of “destabilising” last-minute new demands on fishing and other issues. “Our hopes of any movement on Friday are pretty much gone now,” said one UK source, with Monday now set as the unofficial deadline for a deal by Downing Street.” – Daily Telegraph
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>Yesterday: John Healey MP in Comment: Ministers have a democratic duty to explain the role of British combat troops in Mali
“Sir Keir Starmer faces the prospect of significant unrest over his plans for Labour to vote in favour of a Brexit deal. At least one shadow cabinet member and several shadow ministers will consider resigning if Labour backs a government free trade agreement with the EU. Sir Keir is leaning heavily towards whipping in favour of a deal if ministers strike one but his top team is divided on the merits of such a move. Up to a dozen shadow cabinet ministers believe the party should abstain and wash its hands of the consequences of a hard Brexit. Anneliese Dodds, the shadow chancellor, is thought to be among those in favour of abstaining. She is a former MEP who represents the pro-Remain seat of Oxford East. Emily Thornberry, shadow international trade secretary, David Lammy, shadow justice secretary, Bridget Phillipson, shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, Marsha de Cordova, shadow equalities secretary, and Ian Murray, shadow Scotland secretary, have reservations about backing the deal.” – The Times
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“What makes the situation even more problematic is that these countries want to maintain their fishing fleets, so the idea of paying people to transition out of the industry is not a runner. Ironically, in the event of no-deal, there would be no EU access to British territorial waters at all. The problem is these countries tend to think that if squeezed hard enough the British will move, or that no access and blaming the British is more appealing that dipping their hands in the fish guts of a compromise. One of the things that makes fishing so difficult an issue is that it is one of, if not, Britain’s strongest cards. The EU knows that and so has tried to neutralise it. The initial suggestion was for a 50-year transition for fishing, which would have been longer than our EU membership. Only a week ago the EU was suggesting that a deal would see it relinquish less than 20 per cent of what it catches in our waters.” – The Times
“NHS front-line staff will no longer be prioritised for the coronavirus vaccine, amid confusion over the number of doses that will arrive by the end of the year. Chris Hopson, the chief executive of NHS Providers, said that an initial 800,000 doses “could be the only batch we receive for some time”. This is despite the UK originally expecting 10 million shots by the end of the year, and the chief commercial officer of the vaccine creator BioNTech Sean Marett saying on Wednesday that the UK was likely to get at least five million doses by the New Year. NHS staff were to be first in line for the jabs after it was deemed too difficult to get the vaccine to care homes, which were originally at the top of a priority list set out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).” – Daily Telegraph
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>Yesterday: Henry Hill’s Red, White, and Blue column: Another week that shows unionists need new weapons against Sturgeon’s revenant SNP
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