John Redwood (Wokingham) (Con):
It would be better to get inflation down by expanding supply, rather than hitting mortgage holders again to get them to spend less. Can we have an urgent statement, before the summer recess, from the Government on measures to expand our domestic output of food, oil and gas, and industrial products with suitable incentives and facilitations?
Penny Mordaunt, Leader of the House:
I thank my right hon. Friend for that very helpful suggestion. He will know that, as Treasury questions are not until after the summer recess, he will have no opportunity to raise it there, so I will make sure that the Chancellor has heard his suggestion. I know that that will be welcomed by many Members across the House.
July 8, 2023
A very important and large question, one on which I’d expect a full policy statement with a well thought through plan for each topic. But, on recent reply experience, I’m not expecting anything useful from the Treasury. If there are no policies and plans, then where is the governance?
Government in name only?
July 8, 2023
The plan of the Treasury and of the Bank appears to be to make us all so poor that we clamour to go back into the EU, and vote for a proper socialist government.
July 8, 2023
SEEMS SO. But we have had 13 years of real socialism under Cameron, May, Boris, SunakâŠ
July 8, 2023
LORD Offord – Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Exports was talking complete drivel energy and net zero on Any Questions. Net zero will certainly export jobs and whole industries – is that what he means by exports?
July 8, 2023
An interesting article in âThe Spectatorâ with the the headline â Have the Tories given up?â :-
â No wonder then that Labour has a favourite new attack line used successively in PMQs by Keir Starmer last week and Angela Rayner while deputising for him this week: âTheyâve given up.â
Itâs brilliant in its simplicity and potentially devastating in its effect on Tory morale and public opinion. If it becomes conventional wisdom that the Tories are goners, know they are goners and lack even the spirit to make a fight of the next election then this will very quickly turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy.â
It goes on to reference our host, who continues to fight the good fight even if others waiver :-
â So what is to be done? Is the answer to this going to be the same one that was given when John Redwood confronted a previous cohort of Conservative parliamentarians with his slogan âno change, no chanceâ during his leadership challenge of 1995: âOK then, weâll choose no chanceâ? â
July 8, 2023
+1
July 8, 2023
Why should this purely be the Treasury responding? There are many different government departments that could contribute to improving productivity: e.g. DEFRA manages farming and the legislation governing that which could be reduced or altered in discussion with farmers to increase production and lower costs. The Department for Business and Trade could be looking at ways to support small businesses, not merely large ones (the current small business guidance focuses on government contracts worth ÂŁ5M+, not corner shops or true small businesses).
And just about all of them could do with tightening their belts a bit, since the taxpayer has already had to.
July 8, 2023
We might have been slightly optimistic had her response had been something like âthe Prime Minister and Chancellor are grateful for these proposals, which are consistent with others he and other colleagues have put forward. All are being actively evaluated with a view to prompt implementation, and the Prime Minister will be making a statement shortly on how each will be taken forward in the coming monthsâ.
July 8, 2023
What proposals? Mr Redwood calls for “suitable incentives and facilitations”. What does that mean? Nothing at all. I am sure the government would welcome concrete proposals, but being told it should adopt “suitable incentives and facilitations” is just waffle.
Reply As set out regularly on this website. read more, complain less.
July 8, 2023
Nope, they don’t care. They are just seat warming and collecting salaries and expenses until the GE.
July 8, 2023
“He will know that, as Treasury questions are not until after the summer recess, he will have no opportunity to raise it there..”
Why won’t you have an opportunity?
Reply I have raised it in several ways. She was just pointing out there is no Treasury Question session before recess.
PS Writing and publishing this blog is âraising itâ
July 8, 2023
I like Penny….she is solid and sensible.
July 8, 2023
Extra ordinary that with the country in deep s***t we have to wait until at least early September for anything to happen.
âIce flow. What ice flow?â
July 8, 2023
Good morning.
Well it’s nice of her to pass on the message.
Could have done without the patronising bit at the end though.
July 8, 2023
I read the remark as meaning ‘ there are still some MPs with brains and freedom of will left in here’ – but sadly few and far between.
July 8, 2023
We need a food, energy, and housing plan. As with all, government is still in the muddle through stage and likely to stay there until its demise.
July 8, 2023
Do we not alredy have plenty of plans, agric? A bit of leaving it to the free market without overtaxation would be better.
July 8, 2023
Please do let us know if you hear from the Chancellor on this before September.
Maybe he is too busy thinking up new ways to raise our taxes.
July 8, 2023
Thanks for reminding him John,
But does the Chancellor really need reminding of this simple fact, if he does no wonder we are in the brown stuff.
July 8, 2023
Oh dear…and such a united EU and member countries.
The Dutch government has collapsed because of a disagreement between coalition parties over asylum policies, Prime Minster Mark Rutte has said. The four parties were unable to find agreement in crisis talks chaired by Mr Rutte on Friday. The government was set up a year and a half ago but the parties have been opposed on migration for some time. Local media reported fresh elections would likely be held in November.
Mr Rutte’s conservative VVD party had been trying to limit the flow of asylum seekers, following a row last year about overcrowded migration centres. His plans were opposed by his junior coalition partners.
July 8, 2023
Another ‘kick it into the long grass answer’. Don’t MP’s have any sense of urgency at all? Seems like ‘I’m all right Jack, push off until the Treasury gets round to giving a non answer yet again’. Thank God MP’s only run the government, daily a less and less important job apparently, procedure more important than country and holidays come first. – if they ran supermarkets we’d all be starving. Useless, the lot of them.
July 8, 2023
Ah yes! The plebs are there 365 days a year some work shift work but our betters the professional classes, big bosses, including politicians usually take the summer months off starting july and August, lucky blighters, they believe that theirs is a god-given right and comes out of a sense of entitlement so the lesson is don’t ever find yourself in need of a professional in summer time or more importantly don’t ever get seriously ill around the end of July – because the consultants who matter will all be away until September the earliest.
July 9, 2023
I really wouldn’t ascribe ‘professional’ to politicians. It is the one job where you don’t need any qualifications other than to blather, get top money, expenses and pensions. Amateurs is what most of them are. Look at the Cabinet. If you were an employer would you employ any of them? That’s why we are in a state.
July 10, 2023
not even smart enough to be the ‘used car salesman’?
July 8, 2023
‘A soft answer turneth away wrath’?
July 8, 2023
If the Treasury read SJRâs diary they would know what to do in good time. Then they wouldnât need to answer questions to explain what they hadnât done and rush to think about what they should have been doing so much earlier.
July 8, 2023
âWealthier households should pay more for BBC, says Richard Sharp
The ex-chairman thinks the licence fee is ‘regressive’.â
Just ditch the licence fee and have fair competition between this dire, left wing, woke, climate alarmist, remoaner, pro net harm vaccine coercion, propaganda outfit. Let people pay if they want this drivel.
Sharp is yet another anti-competitive PPE dope!
July 8, 2023
LL,
In your eagerness to mention PPE yet again, you omit the key point.
Sharp is effectively proposing to raise funds from those who have decided to dispense with a TV licence altogether, because they choose to no longer watch live TV.
Sharp would just tax them – whether they watch TV or not. To rub salt into the wound, he would make high earners pay more.
All justified with the tired old excuse that the BBC is worth it, even if those who donât watch it think otherwise.
July 8, 2023
Indeed.
July 9, 2023
Peter
Correct. The BBC is trying to insulate itself from market forces. ie People do not want to pay to watch its crap !
July 8, 2023
So the Government cannot be questioned or answer those that are put to it by Democratically Elected representatives. This Government and Parliament is trying to ban thoughts and criterium because it has no answer to its own ineptitude.
Elsewhere, the Dutch Government has collapse as a result of it not being able to grip with asylum seekers.
The UK needs an equivalent BBB(Farmers-Citizen Movement) Party as shown in Holland. Just think a Political Party that puts it Country and its people ahead of political self gratification and ego.
July 8, 2023
Suitable incentives
That will include of course the taxpayer giving people with anxieties and stress upto ÂŁ40k to purchase a new car to enable them to get out and about.
We were told that cycling and walking was good for easing stress. Bikes are a cheaper option or is it another part of the NZ scam.
All these vehicles will be electric so the number of new EVs will help figures to prove that the plans are working as they would appear to be getting more popular. To add insult to injury you can bet there will be no restrictions on what vehicle you can purchase such as only British made or assembled cars.
Article in the Telegraph on line yesterday.
July 8, 2023
Sir John,
I feel that another change in leadership is all but inevitable now, if polling trends continue. I suspect that leader will be Penny Mordaunt. I hope that you will have the opportunity to work significantly on developing the policy programme for the incoming leader.
July 8, 2023
I think you’re right, Simon. Back in March she made known her qualification for the job: she has attended the WEF in Davos.
Actually she made quite a good speech: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/trust-in-britain
July 8, 2023
Why cannot they do something using applied common sense?
It makes sense that all charities and institutions in receipt of tax breaks and funding can only purchase British made or assembled goods and materials.
If the MoD lease vehicles as it is more cost effective then lease only British manufactured vehicles. I am sure the soldiers do not worry one jot if where the crew bus originates from as long as it saves them using their legs or own vehicles and fuel.
For general transportation duties it should not pose a problem. The lease companies if they want the contract have to have a fleet of Bitish built or assembled vehicles.
July 8, 2023
Administration procedures of the House should be overlooked when the matter and urgency of the state of our economy are concerned . This matter should not be put off ; it should be top of the agenda . I commend Sir John for his question and I trust he – and others like him , will continue to push .
July 8, 2023
The BofE wants to lay the foundations for a return to the EU. Cost inflation is due to the over powerful green doomsday cultists.
July 8, 2023
Don’t worry Javelin there’s not a snowballs chance in hell that they would ever accept us back in the EU. The most we can expect now is limited access via the tradesmans entrance – same as tapping on the side window.
July 8, 2023
Sir John,
Just keep hammering away. If you keep stating the obvious then one day it might sink in. There are far too many unchallenged voices pushing the green agenda. If they had their way this country would be a lot poorer, and would increasingly be pushed around by outside, unelected bodies.
As for the summer recess, considering the state of the country two weeks should be more than sufficient.
July 8, 2023
We need to start investing in home grown businesses. I always check a products origin before purchasing, hoping to be able to source items made in the U.K., but this is becoming increasingly difficult.
July 9, 2023
Finding the origin of goods is increasingly difficult and we are being deceived. As I mentioned a while ago, I bought a Chinese made washing machine inadvertently because I could not find out its origin until after it was installed, which I would never have done had I known. Before the EU, origin statement was a requirement.
July 8, 2023
Off topic.
Sir John our NATO partner, the USA, has transferred cluster munitions to its proxy, Ukraine. It has thus committed a war crime, breaching the Oslo Agreement which prohibits âthe use, transfer and accumulation of cluster munitionsâ
That means of course that we, by association, have committed a war crime.
As the desperate NATO have been pushed to this action because they are out of ammo and have no means of manufacturing more, should we not bring an end to this war before the western neo-cons, in their desperation, detonate a nuclear device?
July 8, 2023
Time for UK to bring in sanctions against USA.
How about telling them to vacate some of their UK bases, for a start ?
July 10, 2023
we could stop importing wood chips and oil, pharma products, electronics?
July 8, 2023
Not that I’m defending them, Lynn, but I think you’ll find the US hasn’t signed up to the Oslo agreement. It’s only a war crime if Washington says it is, in their view.
Of course you are right, and an end to this war must be found. I wish we had the influence to make it happen, but unfortunately the EU and US are determined to fight on to the last Ukrainian.
July 8, 2023
I have just watched Psaki in 2022 confirming that âdeploying cluster bombs is a war crimeâ. She was the Presidentâs spokeswoman. She was responding to the proposal that the Russians might use cluster bombs.
I see the PM has confirmed that âstate sector pay rises are affordableâ. But of course tax cuts (aka private sector pay rises) are not.
Some Tory!
July 8, 2023
I have just listened to Biden. The USA is not a signatory to the Oslo Agreement and the US cluster-bombs are âsafeâ.
So thatâs OK then. Is the U.K. a signatory to the Oslo Agreement being shoulder to shoulder with the USA in this conflict?
July 9, 2023
Yesterday, Rishi said he did not support this. Whether he will bring this up today with Biden, we’ll never know. Never would have happened, neither would Russia have invaded Ukraine had Trump been in power.
July 10, 2023
Zelensky pointed out today that Ukraine had been shelling and was âat warâ with Donbass throughout Trumpâs Presidency – he did nothing to stop it.
July 10, 2023
perfectly safe, unless you are anywhere near where they fall!
July 8, 2023
Stopping the boats?
Friday saw the highest number of migrants arriving in the UK after crossing the Channel in a single day so far this year. Some 686 migrants made the dangerous journey, according to Home Office figures.
The previous daily high for 2023 was recorded on 11 June, when 549 people made the trip.
The latest crossings take the provisional total for this year to 12,119.
12.28
July 9, 2023
MT- As a reminder these ILLEGALS are not here to work as many appear to think.
The pre -cursor is France.
July 9, 2023
Yesterday the BBC was saying numbers are still down on last year, conveniently forgetting the weather conditions in the Channel in the winter and spring which saw weeks go by without any coming over. Now we are about to catch up.
July 8, 2023
It seems Ms Mordaunt is on side as well as many MPs. A pity that the Chancellor is under the control of the Treasury who are determined to prove their way is the only way. But will they ever admit the failure? Not according to the Sir Humphrey bible – ‘never admit you were wrong as that is for the plebs’.
July 8, 2023
“He will know that, as Treasury questions are not until after the summer recess, he will have no opportunity to raise it there, so I will make sure that the Chancellor has heard his suggestion.”
What does that mean? No chance of raising it before the summer recess. No chance of raising it afterwards because that is time for Treasury questions. So when is it the appropriate time – never?
How do you keep going, Sir John? Talk about shovelling stuff up hill.
July 8, 2023
Sorry off topic…
“Wealthier might have to pay more for BBC – ex-chairman Richard Sharp”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-66140890
Is he suggesting that even those that don’t watch the BBC should pay this tax…what planet is he on?
My suggestion:
1. BBC licence if retained should only cover BBC broadcasts, not ALL live broadcasts whether they be over air or streaming.
2. BBC should encrypt its pay channels like every other broadcaster has the potential of doing.
I don’t see why I should pay to watch SKY or Talk TV or GB News all of which have adverts as ALL of the licence fee goes to the BBC.
This needs to change…
July 9, 2023
This is about guaranteeing their revenue streams as more and more people, like me, choose to opt out and not pay the tax.
July 8, 2023
Penny Mordaunt’s reply seems to indicate to me that she has a great deal of sympathy with your suggestions.
She can’t say so publically, of course, as she is committed to Cabinet Collective Responsibility.
July 8, 2023
Still is the unspoken word,the word unheard.
July 8, 2023
Hello Sir John,
I fear you are pissing into the wind! If Sunak cannot motivate & enthuse his MPs, what chance has he of motivating & enthusing the nation to vote conservative?
If Sunak cannot see the damage he is doing, then what use is he as PM?
It appears he has not an original thought in his brain! Energy security & Food security should be a basic requirement of any government. Cheap, reliable energy is the basis for a successful modern economy. When will conservative MPs wake up & decide to be a Conservative Party & government? A PM & Chancellor with no vision, stuck in the treasury group mindset, are taking us nowhere fast!
July 9, 2023
KfL – Pissing into the wind sums it up very succinctly and I also relate the comment to the Wind Farms.
July 10, 2023
A PM with not the slightest empathy with the ordinary citizen, who happens to be voters….
It is not going to end well, unless you have a ÂŁbillionaire in the family?
July 8, 2023
The Guardian reports today that Mr Eustace, a Conservative MP who started out in politics representing UKIP, has proposed that labour shortages in lower-paid employments are so bad that the government should offer the European Union unrestricted access to the UK labour force for under-35s on two-year visas. What do participants on this site make of that? I vividly recall from the 2016 referendum that the Leave campaign were concerned that Turkey would very shortly be welcomed into the Union as a Member State, and that its large population of young people would become entitled to live and work in the UK. How can we explain what seems to be a complete U-turn on the part of Mr Eustace? Does he no longer believe that Turkey is likely to be welcomed as a member State?