“George Osborne strengthened his power base yesterday as a string of key allies took one step closer to the Cabinet. Six of the Chancellor’s protégés were promoted in a ministerial reshuffle that will help to broaden his reach across Government…The biggest rising star of the reshuffle is Sajid Javid, a former aide to Mr Osborne, who becomes Financial Secretary to the Treasury only three years after his election to Westminster. Mr Javid, a state school-educated former banker…is expected to reach the Cabinet before the next election” – The Times (£)
> Today:
> Yesterday: The reshuffle – summary
“A Liberal Democrat MP who believes that the government scientist David Kelly may have been killed by the State was made a Home Office minister yesterday, in the most unlikely move of the reshuffle. The promotion of Norman Baker, 56, who had been a junior Transport Minister, was part of a Lib Dem reshuffle that surprised and dismayed senior figures in the party. Michael Moore, 48, the Lib Dem Scottish Secretary, also became the only Cabinet casualty in a sign of a major rethink of the party’s campaign against Scottish independence” – The Times (£)
> Today: Stephen Tall: You might not believe it, but some people like the Lib Dems’ message on Europe
“Ed Miliband has strengthened his grip on Labour with a purge of older Blairite ministers and the promotion of a new, more loyal generation to his top team…It was Mr Miliband’s ruthless reshaping of his team that was the most significant of the three reshuffles. Liam Byrne and Stephen Twigg lost their seats at the Shadow Cabinet while Jim Murphy was demoted to international development as the Labour leader rewarded the young, female and the loyal” – The Times (£)
> Yesterday: Labour reshuffle: Len McCluskey and Ed Balls say “Jump!”, Miliband asks “How high?
“David Cameron will declare that he is helping first-time home buyers who ‘haven’t got rich parents’ as he defies the sceptics and launches a £12 billion plan to boost home ownership today. The start of the controversial scheme, known as Help To Buy II, comes as MPs on the Treasury Select Committee warned that it might lift house prices and push property ownership further out of reach. Royal Bank of Scotland, which is part state-owned, said it would be the first to take part in the scheme” – The Times (£)
“Vince Cable has hit back at Labour claims that Royal Mail is being sold too cheaply, warning that ‘irresponsible’ allegations the shares are undervalued could damage investors.The business secretary wrote to Chuka Umunna, his Labour opposite number, saying: ‘You should consider the risk that you may be influencing the decisions of retail investors…it is dangerous to imply that there is an easy bargain to be made’” – Financial Times
“The UK is at its greatest risk of a winter power blackout in half a decade, National Grid warned yesterday. In the latest threat to the country’s energy security, the network operator forecast that the margin of electricity reserves – the safety buffer of spare capacity between supply and demand – will fall to five per cent this winter, almost halved from last year and the lowest since 2008” – City AM
“Plans on how to regulate the press industry have been delayed until later this month after a difficult meeting of the key players rejected the regulatory plans proposed by the industry but also could not agree whether to back the royal charter passed by parliament. The privy council is due to meet on Wednesday and will reject the industry version of the charter. Campaigners for victims of press intrusion believed the meeting of the privy council would then seal the royal charter proposed by parliament at the same meeting. However, it is understood David Cameron dug in his heels and told his Liberal Democrat partners that it would be better to delay a decision until later in the month” – Guardian