[ad_1]
‘When the going gets tough, the Truss gets going’, says Tory party chair
Liz Truss has ruled out launching an energy-saving public information campaign, despite warnings of rolling blackouts hitting the UK if gas imports fall short this winter.
Business secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg is believed to have backed a £15m campaign encouraging people to save energy this winter, but the Times reports that the idea was blocked by No 10 as the prime minister is “ideologically opposed” to such an approach, which she deems too interventionist.
The campaign was described as “light touch” and recommended measures designed to help people save up to £300 a year, including lowering the temperature of boilers, turning off radiators in empty rooms and advising people to turn off the heating when they go out.
The newspaper quoted a government source describing the campaign as a “no-brainer” and said No 10 had made a “stupid decision”.
It comes after Ms Truss attended her first meeting of the European Political Community in Prague where she said she wanted to work with “our neighbours” on issues including energy costs and rising inflation.
Liz Truss ‘wrong person for the job’ of prime minister say Brian Cox
Actor Brian Cox says he does not trust prime minister Liz Truss and that she is “the wrong person for the job”.
The screen veteran and Succession star said he also did not believe the UK public trusted Ms Truss, and described the recent Conservative Party conference as “an absolute fiasco”.
Speaking during the Thursday night episode of BBC Question Time, he told audiences that he “ain’t a fan” of Ms Truss and that trust in her leadership has been “singularly absent”.
My colleague Tom Murray reports:
Brian Cox and Piers Morgan rip into Liz Truss on Question Time
‘She’s the wrong person for the job,’ ‘Succession’ star asserted
Namita Singh7 October 2022 06:13
Rees-Mogg: New oil and gas licensing will boost UK economy and energy security
A new licensing round for oil and gas exploration will boost both the UK’s economy and energy security, business and energy secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg has insisted.
The UK government minister spoke out as the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) began the 33rd round of offshore licences.
Licences are being made available for sectors of the North Sea – known as blocks – with the NSTA estimating that over 100 may be granted.
Speaking ahead of the process getting under way on Friday, Mr Rees-Mogg said: “Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine means it is now more important than ever that we make the most of sovereign energy resources, strengthening our energy security now and into the future.
“Ensuring our energy independence means exploiting the full potential of our North Sea assets to boost domestic production – recognising that producing gas in the UK has a lower carbon footprint than importing from abroad.”
Rees-Mogg: New oil and gas licensing will boost UK economy and energy security
Energy Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg spoke as the North Sea Transition Authority began its latest round of licensing for offshore oil and gas.
Namita Singh7 October 2022 06:03
Families with disables children ‘struggling to survive’ in cost-of-living crisis
Families raising disabled or seriously ill children are “struggling to survive” due to the scale of the cost-of-living crisis, a charity said.
A survey by Family Fund of 4,264 families with a disabled child found that nine in 10 are struggling or falling behind on their regular household bills and many are forgoing living essentials, such as food and heating as well as basic household equipment, such as washing machines and fridges, to try to make ends meet.
More than half of parents and carers (54 per cent) report skipping or cutting the size of their meals, a 9 per cent increase since September last year, and 13 per cent say they have had to cut back on items that are essential for their disabled children.
Families with disabled children ‘struggling to survive’ in cost-of-living crisis
A survey by Family Fund of 4,264 families with a disabled child found that nine in 10 are struggling or falling behind on their regular bills.
Namita Singh7 October 2022 06:02
We will work closely in bid to resolve NI Protocol impasse, says UK and Ireland
The UK and Ireland have insisted they will work closely to try and resolve the impasse over the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Foreign secretary James Cleverly met his Irish counterpart Simon Coveney in London yesterday, with the pair expressing warm words and a desire for close cooperation on issues including the protocol.
The first bilateral meeting between the UK and Ireland since Liz Truss became UK prime minister will be followed on Friday by the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference.
It will be co-chaired by Mr Coveney and Northern Ireland secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.While agreement on changes linked to the protocol remain to be negotiated, the UK, Ireland and the EU have made a noticeable effort in recent days to express a desire for action.
But the arrangements have created trade barriers on goods being shipped from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
The protocol was agreed by the UK and EU as part of the Withdrawal Agreement and sought to avoid a hard border with Ireland post-Brexit.
Mr Coveney, writing on Twitter, said: “My pleasure to host UK foreign secretary James Cleverly at the Irish Embassy London for a working dinner.
“James & I discussed Brexit, the protocol, the war in Ukraine as well as our shared work at the UN Security Council. We agreed to work closely together on all.”
Mr Cleverly wrote: “As our closest neighbour, I am committed to working with Ireland on important issues including energy security and fixing the problems with the Northern Ireland Protocol.”
Namita Singh7 October 2022 06:01
Nadhim Zahawi says sorry for mini-Budget turmoil
Nadhim Zahawi apologised on Question Time last night for the economic turmoil that followed the government’s mini-Budget.
The chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster was forced to make the apology after clashing with Talk TV presenter Piers Morgan on Thursday night.
The pair appeared on the political panel show, along with Succession actor Brian Cox, farmer Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones and Labour MP Lisa Nandy.
It comes after the pound plummeted in value against the dollar following chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s mini-Budget announcement of a raft of tax cuts, including scrapping the 45p rate of income tax for higher earners.
Nadhim Zahawi says sorry for mini budget turmoil on Question Time
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster was forced to make the apology after clashing with Talk TV presenter Piers Morgan on Thursday night.
Namita Singh7 October 2022 05:43
Liz Truss rules out launching energy-saving public information campaign
Liz Truss has ruled out launching an energy-saving public information campaign, amid warnings planned blackouts could hit the UK if power plants cannot get enough gas to keep running.
Business secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg is believed to have backed a £15m campaign this winter, with the Times reporting the idea was blocked by No 10.
It added the campaign was seen as “light touch” and included measures designed to help people save up to £300 a year, including lowering the temperature of boilers, turning off radiators in empty rooms and advising people to turn off the heating when they go out.
Read more in this report:
Ministers rule out energy-saving campaign despite potential blackout warning
Prime Minister Liz Truss is reported to be ‘ideologically opposed’ to a campaign advising people how to reduce energy consumption.
Namita Singh7 October 2022 05:42
Welcome to The Independent’s UK politics blog for Friday, 7 October 2022, where we provide the latest from everything that’s buzzing in Westminster.
Namita Singh7 October 2022 04:51
[ad_2]
Source link
