NHS 1) Sunak “may consider one-off payment” to end nurses’ strike
“Rishi Sunak has opened the door to a pay deal for striking nurses when ministers meet health unions for talks on Monday after signalling for the first time a willingness to address demands for more help with the cost of living. The Guardian understands ministers are prepared to look at a “one-off” payment to health workers, possibly in the form of a hardship payment to get them through this winter. Downing Street and the Treasury were accused of blocking such an offer last month. The government has consistently ruled out reopening the pay settlement for 2022-23, amid concerns the cost would be carried over to future years and that other sectors would demand the same, but the prime minister has raised expectations he is willing to look at alternative help for struggling nurses in England.” – The Guardian
- Health unions warn of fresh strikes unless this year’s pay offer boosted – Financial Times
- Public face of junior doctors’ strike is the daughter of Corbyn-backing activists – The Times
- Crisis is a natural state for the NHS – Leader, Daily Telegraph
- Thousands of doctors are quitting to work in Australia – The Times
- Public believe SNP are running public services poorly, poll suggests – The Scotsman
- New technology can reduce the need for hospital beds – Paul Baldwin, Daily Express
>Today: Rishi Sunak on Comment: As Parliament returns, let’s come together as a party – and show that it’s Conservatives who deliver.
>Yesterday:
NHS 2) £250 million to be spent on thousands of extra care home beds to speed up the discharge of patients
“Ministers will spend up to £250 million buying thousands of extra care home beds to speed up the discharge of hospital patients and reduce the strain on hospitals. Some £50m of the added investment is capital funding to upgrade and expand hospitals including new ambulance hubs and facilities for patients about to be discharged. However, the cash injection has been described as “quick fix” by the head of Age UK who said it will do nothing to solve long-term problems in social care. Around 13,000 people who are fit to be discharged occupy hospital beds in England, leaving trusts operating at around two-thirds capacity during its busiest time.” – The i
NHS 3) PM says his healthcare arrangements are “a personal choice”
“Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has repeatedly refused to say whether he uses private healthcare, insisting it is “not really relevant”. Mr Sunak told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme that his healthcare was “a personal choice”. Nursing union leader Pat Cullen said the PM “needed to come clean as a public servant”. And when asked the same question, shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said he did not use private healthcare. In the interview, Laura Kuenssberg suggested there was huge public interest in Mr Sunak’s decisions and that former Conservative prime minister Margaret Thatcher was open about her choice to use a private GP.” – BBC
- There are no easy answers – Laura Kuenssberg, BBC
NHS 4) Starmer backs use of private sector
“Sir Keir Starmer has defended backing the use of the private sector to cut NHS waiting lists, despite his leadership pledge to “end outsourcing”. Yesterday he promoted research carried out by the Labour Party that shows 230,000 patients could be moved off waiting lists each year if private care were used more effectively. Labour has also advocated a bigger role for pharmacies to do procedures such as vaccinations to take the pressure off hospitals and GPs.” – The Times
- Labour would ban cigarette sales to stamp out smoking, says Streeting – Daily Telegraph
- Lammy’s £200,000 pay from second jobs just ‘part of the political process’ claims Starmer – Daily Telegraph
>Yesterday:
Timothy: The Labour leader will say anything to get into power
“The broken promise is not limited to the health service…It may be tempting for Conservatives and swing voters to find this reassuring, to conclude that the Labour leader is ridding himself of Left-wing policies and forcing his party to the so-called “centre ground”. But it would be rash to rush to such a conclusion. For if Starmer was prepared to mislead his electorate before he became Labour leader, why would he not do the same with the wider electorate as he attempts to become prime minister? The abandoned policies are too numerous, the handbrake turns too sharp, the excuses too often contradictory, for any other explanation. Starmer used to say, after the Brexit referendum, that membership of the single market was a red line for him. Now he says the same, but his position has flipped by 180 degrees: first he said Britain had to be in the single market; now he says that would be unacceptable.” – Nick Timothy, Daily Telegraph
- Starmer may be channelling Blair, but his policies are a gift to the far-Left – Janet Daley, Daily Telegraph
Tory MPs propose free energy for people living near wind farms
“Communities living near new onshore wind turbines and solar farms should be given 100 per cent discounts on their energy bills, Tory MPs have said. The 1922 backbench committee on business, energy and industrial strategy has recommended a tiered system to provide an incentive and compensate people for renewable energy facilities. It says all new onshore wind farms and solar farms should be subject to a local referendum.” – The Times
Allies insist talk of Johnson comeback “fanciful”
“Some of Boris Johnson’s closest allies in parliament have given up hope of him returning as prime minister, dismissing his chances of a comeback as “fanciful”. One MP, a close supporter who served in Johnson’s cabinet, said it would be impossible for him to return before the next election without destroying the party electorally. Speculation about Johnson returning as Tory leader has grown over the past week. Nadine Dorries, the former culture secretary and his most senior cheerleader, claimed in The Mail on Sunday that the Conservatives would “die” if he did not lead the party into the next election.” – The Times
>Today: ToryDiary: There’s no evidence that Tory activists want Johnson back in Downing Street – and quite a bit to the contrary
Thousands of Bolsonaro supporters storm the Brazilian Congress
“Police regained control of Brazil’s main government complex on Sunday evening after thousands of supporters of rightwing former president Jair Bolsonaro stormed the Congress, supreme court and presidential palace. Social media footage earlier showed crowds vandalising the interiors of the three institutions in Brasília in scenes reminiscent of the US Capitol invasion two years ago by supporters of ex-president Donald Trump. Clad in the yellow and green of the Brazilian flag, the protesters called for a military coup d’état, demanding that the election victory of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva be overturned and the leftwing leader imprisoned. Police said 300 people were arrested.” – Financial Times
- Lula vows to punish rioters – BBC
Prince Harry denies ever accusing the Royal Family of racism
“Prince Harry has sensationally denied ever accusing the Royal Family of being racist. Millions of ITV viewers were stunned to see Harry distance himself from incendiary comments made on US telly to Oprah Winfrey in 2021. Then he and Meghan sensationally claimed that an unnamed royal had concerns over the colour of baby Archie’s skin. Meghan even suggested he may not be made a prince amid “conversations” about how dark he would be. But in a dramatic U-turn, Harry told pal Tom Bradby in his 90-minute interview they never made a racism accusation.” – The Sun
Sinn Fein MP earned £162,500 for work outside Westminster
“Northern Ireland MPs have raked in more than £209,000 in outside earnings during this Parliament — with more than three-quarters of this going to Sinn Fein’s John Finucane. It has led to criticism from the DUP, who said Mr Finucane is “taking home more than many Tory Lords, knights and big business owners that Sinn Fein claim to rail against”.” – Belfast Telegraph
Lawson: Tighter rules on gambling are needed
“It is seldom mentioned in this context, but I wonder to what extent the rising use of foodbanks, tied to genuine financial distress, is linked to the issue of ‘problem gambling’, as well as poverty. Since the deeply misguided decision by the Blair/Brown administration in 2005 to ‘liberalise’ the gambling industry, this has been a social disaster in the making, most damaging to the poorest families with which the Labour Party has always claimed a special affinity.” – Dominic Lawson, Daily Mail
News in brief
- The Westminster Accounts. A searchable database of political donations and MPs financial interests – Tortoise Media
- The chart that will decide Rishi Sunak’s fate – Patrick O’Flynn, The Spectator
- It is most important the government does not settle the rail dispute with more subsidy for little or no improvement – John Redwood
- A lie amid history – Charlotte Gill, The Critic
- You have to go back to the days of David Cameron to find a government willing to mention marriage – Frank Young, CapX