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Rishi Sunak Clings On As Tory MPs Lose The Plot (Again)

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If a Hollywood scriptwriter came up with the storyline, it would be instantly dismissed as too far-fetched.

Even House of Cards, the seminal tale of political intrigue at the heart of power – written by a Tory peer, incidentally – did not go this far.

Incredibly, there is a growing number within the Conservative Party who believe that installing the fourth prime minister of this parliament is a desirable state of affairs.

The alternative, the anti-Rishi Sunak plotters believe, is to stand back and watch as Keir Starmer sweeps to power with a Tony Blair-style Commons majority.

Simon Clarke, the former cabinet minister and a man who backed both Boris Johnson and Liz Truss to the hilt, spoke for many Conservatives this week when he said the PM must be ousted to prevent the party being “massacred” at the general election.

The Middlesborough South and East Cleveland MP, who was Sunak’s number 2 at the Treasury in Johnson’s government, told the BBC: “No one likes the guy who’s shouting ‘iceberg’. But I suspect that people will be even less happy if we hit the iceberg. And we are on course to do that.”

The backlash against Clarke by Tory MPs was swift and brutal, but that does not mean he is a lone wolf. The plotters, who include right-wing peer Lord Frost, believe time is on their side.

Upcoming by-elections in Wellingborough and Kingswood are not expected to go well for the Conservatives, with May’s local elections across England and Wales also set to be a bloodbath for the party.

Faced with such stark evidence of Sunak’s electoral toxicity, the plotters believe, enough Tory MPs would be willing to take the radical step of ditching yet another leader in order to potentially save their seats at the general election.

The anti-Sunak faction were bolstered by a mega-poll last week which suggested Labour are on course for a landslide.

The survey of 14,000 people by YouGov was commissioned by yet another Tory grouping, the Conservative Britain Alliance, paid for by persons unknown. We do know, however, that one of those involved was Will Dry, Sunak’s former pollster.

He quit No.10 before Christmas and this week said the Tories are “heading for the most almighty of defeats” with his former boss at the helm.

The smart money at Westminster is still on Sunak somehow keeping the Tory show on the road until his preferred election date of November 14, not least because his enemies can’t agree on who out of Kemi Badenoch, Suella Braverman, Penny Mordaunt and Rob Jenrick should replace him.

One Conservative insider told HuffPost UK: “Tory leaders are always vulnerable – never dismiss the sheer lunacy of some MPs.

“However, I think most will take the view that Rishi is the PM we have and we have to fight hard to retain as many seats as we can. To change leader again isn’t going to shift the polls by magic, if anything it will anger the electorate even more. It’s simply pie in the sky stuff to think otherwise.

“And no one can decide which person is really the answer – each faction has its own ‘favourite’ and is busy telling all the other factions they are wrong. Hardly coherent or joined up, is it?”

Sunak may well end up being saved by the sheer ineptitude of his opponents.

“To nick a phrase from Blackadder – a war hasn’t been fought this badly since Olaf the Hairy, high chief of all the vikings, accidentally ordered 80,000 battle helmets with the horns on the inside,” one source said.

A senior MP described the attempts to oust Sunak as “more plop than plot”, while others it is all really about positioning for the leadership race which will follow a thumping Tory election defeat.

Labour, meanwhile, are happy to hold the jackets on the sidelines as the Conservative civil war continues.

Intriguingly, some around Starmer remain convinced that Sunak will end up calling a May election – a contest which, on current polling numbers, Labour would win easily.

“The longer this farce goes on, the more obvious it is that the country needs change,” said one senior Labour source.

“There’s obviously no complacency, but we are ready for whenever he calls it.”

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Martin Lewis Issues Warning For Those Planning A Summer Holiday

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If you’re planning on going on a summer break abroad this year, Martin Lewis’s team have issued a warning for you.

The team has warned that not only should you check that your passport doesn’t need to be renewed but also that it’s valid for the country you’re visiting. This is because many countries have laws for how long you can have left on the passport in order to visit and how old the passport is. Since Brexit, this includes some EU countries, too.

The expert added, “If you fall foul of these, you could be refused entry – we’ve heard one story of a family’s four-year-old girl being refused entry to Turkey because she had less than two months left on her passport.”

The EU encompasses Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

If you renewed your 10-year passport early, ensure that you’re still in the valid period as extra months may have been added at the beginning of the passport’s validity, meaning that your passport may be technically over 10 years old and excluded from some travel destinations.

However, if you’re travelling to Ireland, it’s not quite as strict. Ireland is part of the common travel area with the UK and a passport isn’t required from British nationals travelling from the UK. However, as immigration officers check the identification of people arriving by flight and may ask for proof of nationality. Money Saving Expert recommends taking your passport anyway and ensuring it’s valid for the entire stay.

For information on the specific country you’re visiting, the government has an online tool which tells you the latest information on travelling and entry requirements

The only website to use to apply for a passport is the Gov.uk website. On there, you can get your first passport, renew an old one or get one for your child. You can also apply by paper at the Post Office.

Renewing a passport can take three weeks and Money Saving Expert urges that travellers apply early to avoid disappointment.

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Austin Butler Reveals The 1 Blockbuster He Walked Away From For Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

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In 2019, the Oscar nominee appeared as “Manson Family” member and murderer Tex Watson in Quentin Tarantino’s hit movie.

However, around the same time, he’d been invited to do a screen test for the Top Gun sequel Maverick, but People has reported he told the Happy Sad Confused podcast he opted for Once Upon A Time In Hollywood as he’d long wanted to work with Quentin Tarantino.

“I’d already met with him, so I did that,” he explained.

As it turns out, this was probably the right call, as Variety reports that the Top Gun team were unsure whether Austin was old enough to play the role of Rooster, which ultimately went to Miles Teller.

It wasn’t all in vain, though, as the Top Gun casting process ultimately led to him landing the part of Elvis Presley in the 2022 musical biopic.

However, Austin has revealed there was one obstacle he had to overcome before filming began – his still-prevalent Elvis Presley voice that he picked up while making the hit Baz Luhrmann film.

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‘Down The Drain’: £9.9 Billion Spent On Covid PPE Written Off By Government

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Nearly £10 billion-worth of personal protective equipment (PPE) bought by the NHS during the pandemic has been written off by the government.

The staggering sum was revealed in the Department of Health and Social Care’s annual report.

Labour has accused Rishi Sunak, who was chancellor at the time, of “throwing away taxpayers’ money as if it were confetti”

According to the annual report, the government spent £13.6bn on PPE.

Since then “the department has written down the value of its PPE inventory by £9.9 billion because it was unusable or its market price had fallen since it was purchased during the pandemic.”

Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said: “As chancellor, Rishi Sunak threw away taxpayers’ money as if it were confetti and has failed to get our money back. Sunak’s carelessness has cost our country dear.

“Never again can the Conservatives claim to be the careful stewards of the public finances.”

He said Labour would appoint a “Covid corruption commissioner” if it wins the election “to chase down those who ripped off the British taxpayer”.

Lib Dem health spokesperson Daisy Cooper said: “This is a sickening level of waste. Billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money has been poured down the drain because of this Conservative government’s incompetence.

“To rub salt in the wound, some of this money was wasted on dodgy contracts with Conservative cronies, the vast majority of which has still not been recovered.

“The health secretary should come to parliament and explain how so much taxpayers’ money was frittered away and what is being done to get it back.”

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Huge Blow For Rishi Sunak As NHS Consultants Reject Government Pay Offer

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NHS consultants have narrowly voted to reject the government’s latest pay offer.

In a huge blow to Rishi Sunak, the British Medical Association announced that 51% of its members who took part in a ballot had turned it down.

The BMA said: “The result demonstrates that consultants still have considerable concerns about the offer.”

Under the offer, the majority of consultants would have received a 12.8% rise, with others receiving a minimum of 6%.

“From the feedback members have given us it was clear that they thought it did not go far enough and as a result they did not have confidence that pay would be restored over future years,” the BMA said.

The government is already involved in a long-running dispute with junior doctors.

Shadow heath secretary Wes Streeting said: “Last week, Rishi Sunak was bragging that NHS doctors had accepted his pay offer. This vote shows he was trying to pull the wool over the public’s eyes.

“The NHS is in the second year of strikes. They have cost patients more than one million cancelled operations and appointments, and cost taxpayers £2 billion.

“It is long past time Rishi Sunak took personal responsibility and took charge of negotiations himself. The prime minister cannot continue to wash his hands of the crisis in the NHS.”

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No, The UK’s Not Going To War With Russia. Here’s What The Conscription Chat Is About

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Worries about conscription have crept up the news agenda this week after a British Army chief warned that the armed services are currently too small.

The UK is not at war right now – but could conscription be a real possibility in the near future?

Why are we talking about conscription?

General Sir Patrick Sanders, chief of general staff, said on Wednesday that the UK would need to “train and equip” a citizen army.

The Army is currently on track to have around 72,500 fully trained soldiers by 2025 – down from over 800,000 in 1952.

Speaking to the International Armoured Vehicles conference in Twickenham on Wednesday, Sanders suggested that the UK should expand its forces to 120,000 within three years.

However, even that would not be “enough”, according to Sanders.

“Ukraine brutally illustrates that regular armies start wars; citizen armies win them,” Sanders said.

The chief also noted that he personally is not in favour of conscription, but suggested UK volunteers could sign up for any land wars.

He called on the government to think about how it would mobilise the UK if there was a war – particularly if the UK ends up in war with Russia.

What’s going on between the UK and Russia?

The UK, along with the rest of Nato, has been supporting Ukraine ever since Russia invaded its European neighbour in 2022.

It has been funding Kyiv, and sending it equipment but stopped short of actually fighting against Russia.

However, Moscow has publicly lashed out at the UK – along with the rest of the West – for supporting Ukraine throughout the war, and has falsely claimed the West started it by expanding Nato membership eastwards.

Defence secretary Grant Shapps also made an ominous warning recently, saying: “If our armed forces are not strong enough to deter future aggression from Moscow or Beijing, it will not be a small war to contend with but a major one.”

He said conflict is expected internationally in the next five years, and said he wants the UK to spend more GDP on defence.

President of the UN General Assembly Dennis Francis suggested that the idea of a third world war was not “beyond the realm of possibility” this week.

Top Nato military official, Admiral Rob Bauer, also said that civilians should be ready for an all-out war with Russia in the next two decades.

He said: “We have to realise it’s not a given that we are in peace. And that’s why we [Nato] are preparing for a conflict with Russia.”

Britain's Chief of the General Staff, General Patrick Sanders (L)talks with Britain's Defence Secretary Grant Shapps during a visit to STANTA training camp in eastern England
Britain’s Chief of the General Staff, General Patrick Sanders (L)talks with Britain’s Defence Secretary Grant Shapps during a visit to STANTA training camp in eastern England

ALASTAIR GRANT via Getty Images

So, could conscription be announced?

No, Rishi Sunak’s official spokesman has promised that military service will remain voluntary.

The spokesperson also dismissed speculation over whether the UK would be strong enough to fight Russia.

He said: “I think these kinds of hypothetical scenarios, talking about a conflict, are not helpful and I don’t think it’s right to engage with them.”

The Telegraph reported that No.10 supposedly did not want Sanders’ comments to go public.

Has the UK had conscription before?

Mandatory military conscription was unveiled during World War 1, in 1916, for men aged between 18 and 41.

Within months, it was extended to include married men, and in 1918, the upper age limit was increased to 51.

The only exemptions were for single parents, those in exempt professions (like clergymen and teachers) or those deemed “medically unfit” .

Even though the war was over by 1920, it was extended to help the government manage parts of the British Empire.

It was brought back in 1939 when World War 2 broke out. Initially, it was just limited conscription and applied to single men between 20 and 22, but by September that year, it was extended to all men between 18 and 41 who had registered to serve.

This time it included more exemptions like baking, farming, medicine, coal mining and engineering.

In 1941, Parliament widened the scope of conscription. All unmarried women and childless widows between 20 and 30 were liable to call-up.

Then there was the National Service Act of 1947, which introduced peacetime conscription. Men between 17 and 21 had to serve for 18 months, and were put on the reserve list for four years.

The service time increased to two years in 1950 due to the Korean War, but time on the reserve list was taken down to 18 months.

During both wars, there were “conscientious objectors”, who refused to serve. They had to explain their argument in front of a tribunal – if approved, they would be put in a non-combatant role. many were jailed , though.

Between 1949, and 1963, the last time the National Serviceman was demobilised, more than two million had been conscripted into the Armed Services.

What could conscription look like in the UK now, hypothetically?

Anyone suffering from senses deprivation – like hearing or sight loss – is not permitted to join the Army now, so they could be exempt.

Neurological conditions, skin conditions, psychiatric and cardiovascular issues are another obstacle, as are bone or joint problems.

Women may also be drafted in to serve on the frontline, as they have been allowed to serve in all combat positions since 2018.

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Keir Starmer Accuses Tories Of ‘Salting The Ground’ By Spending Billions On Tax Cuts

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Keir Starmer has accused the Tories of planning to spend billions of pounds on tax cuts so there is no money left for an incoming Labour government.

He said Jeremy Hunt and Rishi Sunak want to “salt the ground” in the upcoming Budget, where the chancellor is expected to dramatically slash the tax burden.

The Labour leader said that showed the Conservatives were “not acting in the national interest, they’re acting in party interest”.

His comments come amid mounting speculation the Treasury could have up to £20 billion more than expected available for pre-election giveaways.

Hunt cut 2% off the rate of National Insurance at last year’s autumn statement, and is considering further reductions in the Budget on March 6.

However, several opinion polls have suggested that voters would rather see the money spent on improving public services than tax cuts.

Starmer said: “It’s very obvious that they are trying to salt the ground. So they’re not acting in the national interest, they’re acting in party interest.

“They briefed the autumn financial statement out as a series of traps for Keir Starmer and the Labour Party. That means they have totally neglected the national interest, they’re not even pretending that they’re making decisions in the best interests of the country.

“They’re making decisions in the best interests, as they see it, of the Tory Party and their best chance of creating divides into the election. That’s why we’re in this mess.”

Starmer said public service were “in a much worse position” than they were when the Tories came to power in 2014.

He said: “There’s a basic rule in politics as far as I’m concerned, which is whichever party you are, if you leave your country worse than when you found it, that is unforgivable and that’s the position we’re in at the moment.”

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Tories Heading For An Electoral ‘Iceberg’ Under Rishi Sunak, Says Simon Clarke

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The Tories are heading towards an electoral “iceberg” unless Rishi Sunak is dumped as leader, Simon Clarke has warned.

The former cabinet minister – who last night called for the prime minister to be ousted by his MPs – said the Conservatives are heading for “a shattering defeat” unless they change course.

His comments, in an interview with the BBC, is a further challenge to Sunak’s authority as he struggles to turn around his party’s fortunes.

In an article in today’s Daily Telegraph, Clarke said the Tories were “meekly sleepwalking towards an avoidable annihilation” with Sunak at the helm.

That led to a furious backlash from senior Conservatives, including former ministers David Davis, Liam Fox and Priti Patel.

But Clarke told the BBC he was undeterred and re-iterated his desire to see Sunak booted out of No.10 before the general election.

He said: “I’ve incurred some pretty hostile comments from a number of people and look, you know, in every since I’m a big guy, I can take that and I totally respect the strong views that something like this evokes, right.

“No one likes the guy who’s shouting ‘iceberg’. But I suspect that people will be even less happy if we hit the iceberg. And we are on course to do that.”

The former Treasury secretary added: “I want a Conservative government that delivers for communities like mine and for our country. And I really worry that we are on course for a shattering defeat.”

Clarke said it was “a moment of decision for the Conservative Party” and pointed out that the opinion polls had got even worse for the Tories under Sunak.

“There is really compelling evidence that we are on course for what I would say is an avoidable catastrophe,” he said.

“I think there is a very real risk that because we’re not connecting with the British public because, frankly, the prime minister is not listening to the things that the public really wants us to address, in particular on migration, that we end up with a very serious election defeat and then a decade of decline or more under Keir Starmer.”

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Paloma Diamond Fans Can’t Wait For Her To Win An Oscar. But The Thing Is, She Doesn’t Exist

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If you’re on TikTok at all, you might recognise the name Paloma Diamond. The character is the creation of New Zealand TikToker Julian Sewell, who has been posing as Diamond ever since October last year.

In a TikTok that currently has over 19 million views, Sewell aped the Academy Awards with a flawless parody called “Every Best Actress Award Intro”. In it, an announcer introduces five fictional actresses and their (impeccably named) non-existent films, including Paloma Diamond.

The hilarious TikTok went viral, spawning countless write-ups around the world, and has caused Sewell’s following to surge across various platforms.

In an interviewer with Sunday Magazine via The Post, Sewell commented that he didn’t mean to create a new cinematic universe, but is happy with the response he’s gotten so far.

“I [get] an influx of really kind and supportive messages from people I’ve never met before, saying ‘oh my god you make my day,’ or ‘I was having an awful day until I saw your video and it made me laugh’ – and that’s all that matters.”

Since his first video, Sewell’s best actress characters have developed their own currency online, with users across Instagram, X and TikTok all desperate to see more from the likes of Lorelai Lynch and Taylor Witherfork.

But none are more sought after than Diamond, who Sewell has really run with, posting parodies of the Meryl Streep-esque performer taking part in Vogue’s 73 Questions and The Hollywood Reporter’s Actress Roundtable series.

One of the ongoing gags in the Paloma Diamond universe is the fact that the “actress” has been nominated for an Oscar 18 times, but has never won one. Well, as of 2024, Diamond has another nomination, and fans are keen to see her finally take home the coveted award.

Here’s how some X users have reacted online to Diamond’s nomination…

Here’s hoping Diamond gets her much-deserved flowers at this year’s ceremony on 10 March.

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Simon Clarke Calls On Rishi Sunak To Be Ousted As Prime Minister

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Simon Clarke has called on Rishi Sunak to be ousted as prime minister.

The former cabinet minister said the Tories “will be massacred” if Sunak leads them into the general election.

Clarke – a close ally of former PMs Boris Johnson and Liz Truss – is the first Conservative MP to break ranks and call for Sunak to go.

His dramatic intervention comes after a succession of opinion polls since Christmas showed Labour’s already-huge lead over the Tories getting even bigger.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Clarke said: “I know many MPs are afraid another change of leader would look ridiculous.

“But what could be more ridiculous than meekly sleepwalking towards an avoidable annihilation because we were not willing to listen to what the public are telling us so clearly?”

He added: “We have a clear choice. Stick with Rishi Sunak, take the inevitable electoral consequences, and give the Left a blank cheque to change Britain as they see fit.

“Or we can change leader, and give our country and party a fighting chance.”

Clarke was one of 11 Tory rebels who last week voted against Sunak’s flagship Rwanda bill, saying it would not work.

A Conservative Party spokesperson told The Sun: “This is a self-indulgent attempt to undermine the government at a critical moment for the country.

“He may claim to be helping the party but the only person he is doing any favours for is Sir Keir Starmer.”

Senior Tory MPs rallied round Sunak in the wake of Clarke’s criticism.

Former Brexit secretary David David said: “This is getting silly. The party and the country are sick and tired of MPs putting their own leadership ambitions ahead of the UK’s best interests.”

Former defence secretary Liam Fox said: “This is not the time for self indulgence and tribalism in the party.

“Those who have an agenda to destabilise the government in an election year should understand the consequences. Having been on the front bench for all 13 years in opposition, it is a miserable place. Be warned.”

Meanwhile, ex-home secretary Priti Patel said: “At this critical time for our country, with challenges at home and abroad, our party must focus on the people we serve and deliver for the country.

“Engaging in facile and divisive self indulgence only serves our opponents, it’s time to unite and get on with the job.”

Clarke’s comments come just a week after No.10 election guru Isaac Levido told Tory MPs to unite or lose the next election.

Speaking at a meeting of the backbench 1922 committeem, he said: “Let me be clear. Divided parties fail. It’s time to get serious – I am fighting to win this election, and I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t believe it was possible. We all need to be be fighting to win this election.”

Pat McFadden, Labour’s national campaign co-ordinator, said: “Labour will focus on serving the British people whilst the Tories form another circular firing squad.

“There are many good reasons for getting rid of this clapped out Conservative government and liberating the British people from endless bouts of Tory infighting is certainly one of them.”

Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “It is utterly ludicrous that the Conservative Party is even discussing installing a fourth prime minister without even giving voters a say.

“The Conservatives are once again fighting like rats in a sack while families face soaring bills and an NHS crisis.

“People are sick and tired of this never ending Conservative Party soap opera. It’s time for Rishi Sunak to give voters the chance to put an end to this farce and call a general election.”

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