Chris Whiteside for the North

 

There is no such thing as a completely clean source of energy. But some are much less damaging to the planet than others. Gas is the least polluting fossil fuel. And gas from British sources is four times cleaner than imported gas . We can, must and will continue to make more and more use of the lowest-carbon sources such as renewables and nuclear power  - Britain has one of the best records in the world for reducing our carbon footprint over the last few decades - as of today the UK economy cannot operate with no oil or gas at all. So the Conservative government is going ahead with new oil and gas licences in the North Sea, because this is in the best interests of Great Britain, protecting 213,000 jobs, generating billions of pounds of national income and tax revenue which can be used to fund the NHS and social care, and ensuring that Britain is not dependent on Vladimir Putin for gas. It will also help keep the cost of gas and oil down, thereby reducing cost of living pressure on...

The Conservatives promised that every state school in England would have a defibrillator: last week it was confirmed that we have delivered on that our promise and now every state school in England does have a defibrillator , providing life-saving treatment to schools across the country as we deliver stronger, safer communities.  Having easy access to defibrillators in schools drastically increases the chances of pupils, teachers, and visitors surviving cardiac arrest. That is why the Conservative government invested £19 million of taxpayers' money to deliver defibrillators to all state-funded schools in England, including all primary, special and alternative provision schools. This promise has been delivered with the successful provision of over 20,000 defibrillators to almost 18,000 schools since January, boosting their numbers in communities across the country.  This milestone marks another step in delivering stronger, safer communities across the country, as we continue to...

 

  This week the government   launched England’s second Investment Zone in Liverpool , creating up to 4,000 new jobs and boosting investment as we continue to grow the economy.    Conservatives are determined to deliver on the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy, which means we must support British businesses, attract foreign investment, and create new jobs across the country.  That is why we launched England’s second Investment Zone in Liverpool this week, backed by £80 million of government funding. This is the first step in unlocking up to £320 million of private investment and creating 4,000 new, highly skilled jobs in Liverpool to make the city a pharmaceutical superpower.  This investment will level up Liverpool and the North West, and create thousands of new, highly skilled jobs as we continue to grow the economy. 

The government has   announced a new shipbuilding lending scheme to boost the UK’s coastal communities , creating hundreds of British jobs in our coastal towns and helping to grow the economy.  Shipbuilding is a fundamental part of the UK’s industrial power but we must support the sector to get ahead of the competition within the shipbuilding industry.  That is why the Conservatives are launching the Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee Scheme, as part of the £4 billion National Shipbuilding Strategy Refresh which contributes an annual £2.8 billion to the economy and supports 42,000 jobs. The Scheme will act as a guarantor for lenders purchasing UK-built ships, unlocking credit for maritime firms.   This will encourage more vessels to be built here in the UK, creating jobs and growing the economy in coastal areas such as Liverpool, Plymouth, Clydebank and Belfast. 

 

(For those who have not seen previous posts with this wonderful chorus here on the previous URL for this blog in which I explained that nickname, it has the same composer, title, and is another variation from the same hymn tune as the orchestral setting which Lloyds Bank used in their black horse adverts. But obviously, this one is not the black horse music.)

 

 

 

Both the performance of this piece which I posted yesterday evening, and this one, are so excellent I could not decide which one to run with.  So I decided to post the Bach society performance yesterday and this one today!

 

 

 

I wrote a post late last night calling on Alison Rose to resign as Chief Executive of NatWest following her admission that she was the source of the inaccurate story, and breach of confidentiality, about a customer which appeared on the BBC. This morning it was announced that she had indeed resigned in the early hours of the morning. It is completely irrelevant that the customer concerned was Nigel Farage, regardless of what you think of him. It would not have made any difference to my opinion if the customer concerned had been Rishi Sunak, Jeremy Corbyn, or someone in a minimum wage job or unemployed who most people have never previously heard of.  All customers and patients of banks or any other organisation which holds their private information have a right to have their privacy respected and breaches of that confidentiality should be treated very seriously indeed. We all know that any junior bank clerk who did to a bank customer what Alison Rose did would have been sacked on th...

The CEO of NatWest, Alison Rose, admits she was the source for the BBC story about Nigel Farage’s Coutts bank account which both NatWest and the BBC admit was misleading and for which they have apologised. She says it was a “serious error of judgment”. Too right it was! You do not have to like Nigel Farage or his politics to understand that for any bank to treat one of it's customers the way the NatWest group and Coutts have treated him is a most serious breach of trust. It's not just about Farage. If the banks were to get away with treating him the way they have now admitted they treated him, they can do the same to anyone, indeed they are more likely to do this to more vulnerable people who have less ability to hit back than he has. For the actual Chief Executive of the NatWest group to be involved in planting an inaccurate story about a customer - which incidentally would also amount to a breach of client confidentiality and quite possibly a breach of GDPR law - is completel...

Today the government announced a   new plan to crack down on illegal ads and influencer scams , protecting children and online consumers while supporting the legitimate advertising industry so it can create jobs and grow the economy. Advertising is a huge industry in which Britain is a world leader – but as online advertising grows, the rules governing it have not kept pace and need to be strengthened to protect consumers. That is why today, we are publishing new plans to shut down the scammers using online adverts to con people out of their cash and stop damaging and inappropriate products being targeted at children, by strengthening requirements on online advertising companies to shut down inappropriate or misleading adverts. These proposed new regulations will keep people safe online and stop scams while supporting and enhancing the legitimate advertising industry so it can continue to create jobs and grow the economy.

To build a future which combines energy security and protecting the environment, we need a mix of low carbon energy sources which includes both renewables and nuclear. So earlier this week  the government announced   plans to speed up preparations for the construction of Sizewell C with a £170 million investment , making good on the promises of Great British Nuclear which will lower energy bills, create jobs and grow the economy. The aim of Great British Nuclear to have up to a quarter of all the UK’s electricity coming from nuclear energy – a clean, safe, reliable, and abundant supply of homegrown energy and enough to power 24 million homes across the country. That is why we have confirmed a £170 million investment in Sizewell C, speeding up preparations for future construction as well as procuring key components and expanding the construction workforce so that building can get started as soon as possible. Sizewell C will support 10,000 jobs nationwide as well as providing cl...

 

Yesterday the government announced   plans to build new homes in our cities , protecting our precious greenbelt land by building the right homes where there is the most need and where there is local support, and growing the economy.  We cannot provide the homes people need by concreting over the countryside or sacrificing our precious greenbelt land – our housebuilding must be delivered in the heart of Britain’s great cities. That is why we are going to deliver on the Conservative manifesto commitment to build one million new homes by the end of this Parliament, by fast-tracking sites for brownfield development and delivering new infrastructure, backed by £550 million, redoubling efforts to deliver homes in places like London, Cambridge and Leeds, and streamlining planning processes to help homeowners extend their houses outwards and upwards. Labour’s plans to concrete over the countryside would lead to uncontrolled sprawl, in stark contrast to our plan to build the right home...

Yesterday's Harpsichord Concerto from Bach was an arrangement of a violin concerto by Vivaldi, but this one is original!

Today the Prime Minister announced plans  to build new homes in our cities, protecting our precious greenbelt land by building the right homes where there is the most need and where there is local support, and growing the economy.  We cannot provide the homes people need by concreting over the countryside or sacrificing our precious greenbelt land – our housebuilding must be delivered in the heart of Britain’s great cities. That is why the Conservatives will deliver on our manifesto commitment to build one million new homes by the end of this Parliament, by fast-tracking sites for brownfield development and delivering new infrastructure, backed by £550 million, redoubling efforts to deliver homes in places like London, Cambridge and Leeds, and streamlining planning processes to help homeowners extend their houses outwards and upwards. It would be an equal and opposite mistake to concrete over the countryside - which all too often appears to be Labour policy - and which would l...

Today's defence intelligence update is particularly concerning. I've always had some sympathy for the view of Vegetius, (See my quote of today, posted just before this post,)  up to a point . Nations who want peace are often wise to be prepared to defend themselves so as to deter anyone from attacking them. Of course, there does come a point when one has gone beyond preparing to defend oneself to preparing to attack others. A nation which trains all it's schoolchildren to operate combat drones should be watched very carefully by its neighbours, even if it does not have any previous record of invading them.

"Si vis pacem, para bellum." Vegetius The phrase "If you want peace, prepare for war" ( Si vis pacem, para bellum) is adapted from a statement made by Roman author Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus in his tract Dē Rē Mīlitārī (fourth or fifth century AD), in which the actual phrasing is Igitur quī dēsīderat pācem, præparet bellum ,  "Therefore let him who desires peace prepare for war."

 

  Also: Not sure I agree with his first twelve words, but he got the rest right. And was sacked for saying it. I hope for General Popov's sake that he is careful to check his food, drink and environment for poison and is staying away from windows on the upper floors of buildings!

This week the government announced plans to   introduce longer sentences for controlling ex-partners who murder following the end of a relationship , ensuring perpetrators of this heinous crime spend longer behind bars.   Too many women are murdered every year by those they should feel safest with. That is why the Conservative government is overhauling the law to better protect vulnerable women – creating a new aggravating factor for murder at the end of a relationship to ensure controlling ex-partners spend longer behind bars, whilst also introducing a mitigating factor for victims of abuse who kill their partners.  We are working tirelessly to tackle violence against women, and these reforms will ensure perpetrators spend longer behind bars for their heinous crimes.    

 

The Prime Minister has set out five priorities and the Conservative government continues to work towards achieving them. Halving inflation.   Inflation is at its lowest point since March 2022, down to 7.9 per cent, from 10.1 per cent at the beginning of the year.  Growing the economy.  This week Tata group announced they will invest over £4 billion in our automotive sector, creating 4,000 new jobs. Our £25 billion tax cut for business will continue to encourage more investment.  Reducing debt.  Funding our public services, without irresponsible borrowing, allowing us to meet out debt commitments.  Cut waiting lists.  There is much more to do, but two-year waits for treatment have been almost eliminated 18 month waits reduced by over 90 per cent since September 2021.  Stop the boats.  Against the Opposition’s best efforts we have enshrined our Stop the Boats Act into law, so if people come here illegally they will be detained and removed.

 “When you don’t listen to the voters, you don’t win elections” Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner  yesterday on Labour's failure to win the Uxbridge by election - though it is probably a good principle for all parties to bear in mind at all times.

 

Gutted that Claire Holmes, a great candidate who worked really hard, didn't manage to hold Selby & Ainsty.(Ditto Faye Purbrick in Somerton & Frome) Delighted that Steve Tucker did manage to hold Uxbridge. Astonished that it was that way round. I think there might be lessons there for both Conservative and Labour parties, but for now I'm going to bed - I should manage two hours sleep before I have to get up and go to work..

Conservative candidate Steve Tuckwell has been elected MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip. The vote shares in the parliamentary by-election result were CON: 45.2% (-7.5) LAB: 43.6% (+5.9) GRN: 2.9% (+0.6) REC: 2.3% (+2.3) Conservative HOLD. At the time of posting we do not have a result for Selby & Ainsty. The Lib/Dems won Somerton & Frome.

Polls have now closed in the three by-elections. Whatever anyone might think about the circumstances which led to this campaign, or to a political landscape which has been challenging, the effort which has been put in to these by-elections by the foot-soldiers, the ordinary members of the Conservative party has been magnificent. Labour has thrown it's efforts at Uxbridge and Selby, while the Lib/Dems have thrown all their efforts at Somerton and Frome, but the thin blue line of Conservative grassroots activists have put a huge effort into all three elections. Our three candidates, the staff drafted in to run the campaigns on the ground, and the ordinary members of the party who I have seen out on the doorstep again and again, are entitled to use the line which Joseph Addison wrote in a play,

Polls are open for another two hours, until 10pm this evening, in the three by-elections to pick new MPs for Selby and Ainsty, Somerton and Frome. and Uxbridge and South Ruislip. There are three excellent Conservative candidates, and I voted for Claire Holmes to be the  new MP for Selby & Ainsty and have been out today campaigning for her. Claire is a formidable Yorkshirewoman who would be a fantastic MP for this constituency. If you are in Selby and Ainsty, Somerton and Frome or Uxbridge and South Ruislip, I would encourage you to go to vote: these elections could well be very close. YOU WILL NEED PROOF OF IDENTITY TO VOTE Possible forms of ID are listed on the polling card and they include passports and driving licence. You can find out what forms of identification are acceptable on the Electoral Commission website by clicking on the link below: Accepted forms of photo ID | Electoral Commission

 "Our obsession with the trivial is symptomatic of an unhelpful pessimism, a reluctance to believe we are a country worth taking seriously. We no longer believe that our problems can be confronted, or that a British government minister might count as an important person. None of these things are true. Sometimes seriousness is a form of optimism. We could do with more of it." (Conclusion to an article in The Times today by James Marriott which you can read by following this link: We’re fiddling with trivia as the world burns (thetimes.co.uk) Hat tip to former North West MEP Sajjad Karim who drew my attention to the article.)

Polls are now open in the three by-elections - to pick new MPs for Selby and Ainsty, Somerton and Frome. and Uxbridge and South Ruislip. They will  be open until 10pm this evening. YOU WILL NEED PROOF OF ID TO VOTE Possible forms of ID are listed on the polling card. A passport or a driving licence are two of the accepted forms of ID. You can also find out what other forms of identification are acceptable on the Electoral Commission website by clicking on the link below: Accepted forms of photo ID | Electoral Commission

 

Polls open at 7am tomorrow in three by-elections - to pick new MPs for Selby and Ainsty, Somerton and Frome. and Uxbridge and South Ruislip. There are three excellent Conservative candidates, and I shall be voting for Claire Holmes to be the  new MP for Selby & Ainsty. Claire is a formidable Yorkshirewoman who would be a fantastic MP for this constituency. Polls are open until 10pm tomorrow. YOU WILL NEED PROOF OF ID TO VOTE Possible forms of ID are listed on the polling card and they include passports and drivers licence. You can find out what other forms of identification are acceptable on the Electoral Commission website by clicking on the link below: Accepted forms of photo ID | Electoral Commission

Out this evening campaigning for Claire Holmes, Conservative candidate in tomorrow's Selby & Ainsty by-election. Good to have something nice to relax to on our return home.

Today the latest figures confirm that inflation is down to 7.9 per cent, as the government continues to take action to deliver on the Prime Minister’s priority to halve inflation. The IMF confirmed that we have acted decisively to tackle inflation, and although there is more to do, it is good news that inflation stands at 7.9 per cent, down from just over 10 per cent at the beginning of the year.  We are taking action to drive down inflation – getting more people into work, cutting the price of energy, taking a responsible approach to the public finances, and supporting the Bank of England, while helping households with the cost of living by holding down bills through the Energy Price Guarantee and freezing fuel duty. This is alongside over £3,300 cost of living support this year and last. We will not hesitate in our resolve to support the Bank of England as it seeks to squeeze inflation out of our economy, while also providing targeted support with the cost of living. 

The government has today apologised for the treatment of LGBT veterans, following the publication of an independent review into the military’s pre-2000 ban on LGBT personnel.  Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak said: "The ban on LGBT people serving in our military until the year 2000 was an appalling failure of the British state – decades behind the law of this land. As today’s report makes clear, in that period many endured the most horrific sexual abuse and violence, homophobic bullying and harassment while bravely serving this country. Today, on behalf of the British state, I apologise, and I hope all those affected will be able to feel part of the proud veteran community that has done so much to keep our country safe." Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace said: "I am pleased that this review has shone a much needed light on a shameful and unacceptable historical chapter in our Armed Forces history. It is heart breaking that the very tolerance and values that we expected our soldi...

 

A safe and secure supply of affordable, clean energy is vital both to the functioning of a modern economy and to everyone's standard of living, as we have all learned the hard way during the current cost of living crisis. The best way to ensure our energy security is to have more than one source of clean energy - and to have sources of clean energy for which we are not dependent on hostile powers such as Vladimir Putin's Russia. Renewables are a huge part of this, but in Britain the sun has been known to be obscured by clouds and the wind does not always blow within the range of speeds at which wind turbines can use it for power! Nuclear power is a proven means of generating low-carbon baseload energy which is not dependent either on the weather or on potentially unreliable foreign powers. That's why is is essential that Nuclear is part of the mix. Nuclear power continues to be an important and proven source of reliable, clean energy, and as a result of the strong baseload ...

Today Grant Shapps MP   announced the opening of Great British Nuclear , rapidly expanding nuclear power across the country to boost energy security, cut bills and grow the economy. The government's aim is to have up to a quarter of all the UK’s electricity coming from nuclear energy – a clean, safe, reliable, and abundant supply of homegrown energy. That’s up to 24 gigawatts of electricity coming from nuclear, enough to power 24 million homes across the country. That is why from today companies can register their interest with Great British Nuclear to secure funding support to develop their products, harnessing billions of pounds of public and private sector investment in small modular reactors. We are also providing a grant funding package of £157 million to rapidly boosting our homegrown supply of nuclear and other clean, reliable, energy. This will not only boost our energy security, but will also create better-paid jobs across the county, drive down bills in the long-term, and...

"Conservative governments have been pioneers of nuclear power since Churchill’s built the world’s first nuclear power station in 1953. Today we’re continuing that legacy to grow the economy & build a new line of defence against energy warfare." Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP

Today, 17 July 2023, marks ten years since David Cameron's Conservative-led coalition government changed the law in England and Wales to extend marriage to same sex couples.   Marriage is hugely important institution in this country and the principles of long-term commitment and responsibility underpin and bind our society to make it stronger.  Today, we mark the tenth anniversary of the Marriage Act 2013 extended marriage to same sex couples. Since then, over 42,000 couples have got married with marriage and civil partnerships open to both same and opposite sex couples across the UK.  We are determined to build a society where everyone can live their lives as they wish, without fear of intimidation or discrimination for who you are or who you love.  Today's Conservative government is supporting the LGBT community by:  Marking ten years since the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 came into law, extending marriage to same sex couples. We do not believe in...

" Today I’m pleased to announce that we’re increasing school funding in England to the highest level in history In 2024-25, school funding will reach almost £60 billion, with per pupil funding at around £6,000 " (Gillian Keegan, Secretary of State for Education)

 

Britain has a world-leading University sector, but some degrees are better at equiping students for life than others. So today   the Prime Minister announced a crackdown on rip-off university degrees , protecting students from expensive degrees that do not give them the skills they need to thrive as we grow the economy.    We have world-leading universities in the UK but too many students are left worse off after taking a degree in the UK because their course failed to give them the skills they need to thrive as we grow the economy. That is why the government is limiting the number of students a university can recruit to courses with high drop-out rates, that don’t lead to good jobs and leave young people with poor pay and high debts. It is also being made easier to start apprenticeships and the cost of foundation degrees is being reduced from £9,250 to £5,760. Our universities sector is one of the best in the world but it is right that we constantly look for ways to impr...

The Lib/Dems appear to have gone AWOL from the Selby & Ainsty by-election - in a month's campaigning I have not seen a single Lib/Dem canvasser, and neither I nor anyone else I know has had a Lib/Dem leaflet. Perhaps most unusual of all, I've not seen a single one of those silly "winning here" diamond shaped posters. So, possibly spotting a gap in the market, the Labour campaign has nicked a Lib/Dem tactic. I've had a leaflet from the Labour candidate with a Lib/Dem style slogan "Labour surge ahead" and a Lib/Dem style bar chart with alleged canvass data which is suspiciously close to exactly what would be needed to show to support a Labour tactical squeeze message. Oh, what a surprise. We will find out on Thursday whether it works. Personally I suspect the electorate is wise to the tactic.

  "I have just formally signed the UK’s entry into CPTPP in Auckland, New Zealand 🤝 This will be a big boost for British businesses and open up huge opportunities and unparalleled access to a market of over 500 million people in the Indo-Pacific and beyond." (UK Trade Secretary  Kemi Badenoch )

This weekend the government   announced £105 million in new funding as part of our Turing Scheme , giving young people more opportunities to study or work abroad. £105 million in new taxpayer funding has been committed by the Conservative Government giving young people the opportunity to work or study in over 160 destinations across the world. As part of the Turing Scheme, disadvantaged students are set to take up two thirds of the study and work abroad opportunities available to UK students from September, thanks to the extra funding for universities, colleges, and schools. More applications were successful this year than ever before, with over 40,000 people across the UK getting the opportunity to gain new skills and experiences through studying or working abroad in the next academic year.

  The MoD also reports that, quote, "A war on healthcare is raging in Ukraine.  Since the beginning of the illegal invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces have deliberately targeted hospitals, healthcare facilities & healthcare workers, contrary to international humanitarian law."

 

"Not very competent and massively divisive"  This is how someone calling themselves "Northern Sense," in a post on the Whitehaven News website this evening, described the process by which Labour picked a parliamentary candidate for Copeland who will then stand for the new Whitehaven and Workington seat, thereby excluding members in a large part of the new seat from a vote in pick the parliamentary candidate they will be expected by their party to campaign and vote for. I will also give the full quote. Obviously I do not share the views that "Northern Sense" expresses about the national parties but I find it interesting that someone who has a totally different view to me about the national parties has extremely similar views about what the process by which local parties in West Cumbria are picking candidates to be the next MP. This was the full quote from "Northern Sense" - "Strange old world. At national level the Tory government is in meltd...

Cumbria Cricket League is crowdfunding to set up a new trophy in memory of my friend and county council colleague Arthur Lamb, who tragically died unexpectedly in his sleep in January this year at the age of 31. And a week after being launched, their campaign is already 91% of the way to raising the £1,500 target. You can donate by following the link below: Crowdfunding to Help fund a new Premiership Trophy in memory of Arthur Lamb. on JustGiving I knew Arthur as a brilliant political campaigner who was chairman of Copeland Conservatives at the time of the historic Conservative victory in the Copeland by-election, and as a doughty advocate for his community, whose achievements included leading the successful campaign to keep a full size tender at Frizington Fire Station. At the time of his death he was Chief Whip of the Conservatives on Cumbria County Council and a Deputy Chairman of Cumbria Conservatives. But Arthur packed more into his 31 years than many people do in a 70 year lifeti...

Chosen in the light of what the weather was like in Selby & Ainsty this morning - well done to all those who braved the rain (and hail) to campaign for Claire Holmes today.  And in spite of the rain and hail we had a good team out.

The government has announced that   South Yorkshire will become the UK’s first Investment Zone , creating up to 8,000 jobs and boosting investment as we work to grow the economy.  We are determined to deliver on the Prime Minister’s pledge of growing the economy, which means we must bring investment and create jobs across all of the UK. That is why the government announced this week that South Yorkshire will become the UK’s first Investment Zone, bringing industry and universities together to collaborate on innovative research projects, backed by more than £80 million of private investment from companies such as Boeing and helping to create more than 8,000 jobs by 2030.  This will help level up the region, creating jobs for local workers as we deliver on our pledge to grow the economy.

 

This week the government  published a major review of the future of women’s football , building on the legacy of the Lionesses’ historic victory in the Euro 2022.  The Lionesses’ amazing performance in the Euro's 2022 was an inspiration to women and girls in sport across the UK and represents a fantastic opportunity to build on that legacy for the future.  That is why we have published a major review of women’s football, led by former Lioness Karen Carney MBE, that recommends raising minimum standards across the game and calling for the Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship to become fully professional environments.  The future of women’s sport is brighter than ever and we will continue to back women and girls all the way as they develop their sporting careers, giving them greater opportunities for the future.  

 

  The government has accepted and will implement the recommendations of the Independent Pay Review bodies on public sector pay.  It is a fundamental priority to get inflation under control. So we must do everything we can to meet the Prime Minister’s pledge to halve inflation. That means making responsible decisions, even if they are difficult. If not, we risk making inflation worse.  We are rightly proud of our world-class public servants and that is why the government has today delivered one of the highest pay settlements in more than two decades, recognising the extraordinary cost of living pressures.  But we cannot live beyond our means and stoke inflation. It would be neither fair nor affordable to meet unsustainable demands for pay rises well into the double digits.  So we will stick to our word on public sector pay and the pay review bodies. But we must also stay the course with our fiscal plan, providing a fair deal that follows the recommendations of th...