The world has changed since, post-Brexit, “Global Britain” set itself to “pivot” from sclerotic Europe towards booming Asia. Always a fanciful idea that disregarded Asian realities, it has now become farcical. Neither China nor India are proving the easy pickings on which “buccaneering” Britain could ride to economic success, denied through being tied to the “corpse” of an EU economy allegedly shackled by regulation and tax. Brexiter ambitions are turning to ashes. Instead, there is China, run by an ever more openly dictatorial and militarily ambitious communist government. Its economy is…
Tag: Conservatives
Rishi Sunak faces grilling from MPs over economy, global issues and strategy – UK politics live
<gu-island name="KeyEventsCarousel" priority="feature" deferuntil="visible" props="{"keyEvents":[{"id":"6602cce18f08e9df71ad729a","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":" Q: Is there more we can do to protect children from the dangers of mobile phones? ","elementId":"8afe8cc0-42ad-4239-8929-1f506c931cfd"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":" Sunak says, as a parent, he is particularly interested in this. He says the government has published guidance on this. ","elementId":"837b819d-8b3b-4620-808b-fc95d2a23ea1"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":" The Online Safety Act is law, but it needs to be implemented, he says. He says it should make a difference. ","elementId":"f5cc1e65-a8dd-4676-90ee-288bdcab9f24"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":" He says he is thinking more broadly about this question. People have made suggestions. He has spoken to parents like Molly Russell’s father and Brianna…
Government urged to end its ‘naivety on China’ as Dowden to brief MPs on Beijing’s role in cyber-attacks – UK politics live
From 45m ago Government urged to end its ‘naivety on China’ as Dowden to brief MPs on Beijing’s role in cyber-attacks Good morning. Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer are both far away from Westminster this morning. Sunak is in Barrow-in-Furness, promoting a £200m investment in nuclear submarines, and Starmer is on Anglesey, promoting Labour’s plans for offshore wind. In London it looks as if the deputy prime minister, Oliver Dowden, will be grabbing the headlines. He is making a statement to MPs about Chinese cyber-attacks on the UK and, as…
David Cameron to have first meeting with Chinese foreign minister
David Cameron is expected to meet his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, this weekend for the first time since becoming British foreign secretary. The Foreign Office has pencilled in a meeting between Cameron and Wang at the Munich security conference, according to two government sources. It would be the first time Cameron has met a Chinese minister since his surprise appointment to Rishi Sunak’s cabinet in November last year. Cameron has come under pressure over his links to China since becoming foreign secretary, and he faces calls to raise human rights…
Reports PM privately thinks Rwanda plan won’t work are why costs must be published, Yvette Cooper says – UK politics live
From 30m ago Yvette Cooper says reports saying Sunak privately thinks Rwanda plan won’t work show why full costs must be published In the Commons MPs have just voted on the Labour motion criticising the government’s record on dentistry. It was defeated. Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, is opening the next debate on the “humble address” motion that, if passed, would oblige the government to publish confidential documents about the cost of the Rwanda programme. The text of the motion is here. Cooper says it is particularly important for…
Sunak branded ‘inaction man’ at PMQs as Starmer attacks record on schools, prisons and China – as it happened
From 19h ago Sunak branded ‘inaction man’ at PMQs as Starmer attacks his record on schools, prisons and China Here is the PA Media story on PMQs. Rishi Sunak has been branded “inaction man” by the Labour leader, Keir Starmer, as the government grapples with crumbling schools, Chinese espionage, and a prisoner on the run. Starmer urged the prime minister to call a general election, as he accused the government of failing to heed warnings which led to a series of crises for ministers over the last week. But Sunak…
Tory party ‘acted swiftly’ to block would-be MPs after MI5 warnings
The Conservative party “acted swiftly” to block two potential parliamentary candidates from standing, after warnings from MI5 that they could be spying for China, a government minister has said. The health minister Maria Caulfield was speaking after it was revealed that the Tories dropped two potential candidates to become MPs after MI5 warned they had links to China’s United Front Work Department, a body charged with influencing global policy and opinion. The Times reported that concerns were raised over the pair separately in 2021 and 2022. They were subsequently blocked…
Badenoch says it would be mistake to call China a ‘foe’ as spy suspect arrest revives Tory calls to toughen approach – UK politics live
Good morning. One of the many aspects of politics that has changed dramatically over the past decade is the way the government views China. David Cameron came to power determined to establish warm relations with Beijing, but in recent years relations have deteriorated considerably and a Conservative government that views China with considerable suspicion is being urged by some of its hawkish backbenchers to go much further, and to treat it as a hostile opponent. The revelation yesterday that a parliamentary researcher linked to the Conservative has been arrested on…
Cleverly’s humiliating China visit was the perfect symbol of isolated, ill-led ‘global Britain’ | Simon Tisdall
Like a proselytising lay minister naively intent on calming troubled waters, foreign secretary James Cleverly flew into Beijing this week on a whinge and a prayer. The whinge comprised a long list of British grievances ranging from China’s attitude to Ukraine and Hong Kong to its spying on UK officials and sanctions on MPs. Cleverly’s prayer was that his hosts would not realise that, when it comes to pursuing a coherent China policy based on deliberate, principled choices backed by political will and economic muscle, rudderless Britain is all at…
James Cleverly says he has ‘raised human rights’ in conversations with China amid criticism from Tories – UK politics live
From 54m ago Cleverly meets China’s vice-president amid criticism of Beijing by British MPs Good morning and welcome to the UK politics live blog. We start with news that the British foreign secretary, James Cleverly, has met China’s vice-president, Han Zheng, during the first visit to Beijing by a UK foreign secretary in five years. During the meeting, Cleverly said it was important the two governments continued with regular face-to-face meetings to avoid misunderstandings. He also said it was important to address the challenges and differences of opinion that all…