Conservatives face ‘judgment day’ on sewage disaster as Labour forces Commons vote – UK politics dwell | Politics

The rocketing value of vitality payments help and hovering debt curiosity noticed UK authorities borrowing soar by greater than £18bn within the 12 months to March, PA Media studies. PA says:

The Workplace for Nationwide Statistics (ONS) mentioned the general public sector borrowed £139.2bn up to now monetary 12 months – the fourth highest since information started and £18.1bn greater than in 2021-22, in accordance with official figures.

However the determine was decrease than the £152.4bn predicted final month by Britain’s fiscal watchdog, the Workplace for Price range Accountability (OBR).

This comes regardless of the federal government forking out £41.2bn over the previous six months to help households and companies with vitality prices.

Sky-high inflation additionally pushed debt curiosity funds on public sector debt to £106.6bn – 47% increased than the earlier 12 months as painful rises in retail costs index inflation have elevated the curiosity payable on index-linked gilts.

Commenting on the most recent borrowing figures, Jeremy Hunt, the chancellor, mentioned:

These numbers mirror the inevitable penalties of borrowing eye-watering sums to assist households and companies by a pandemic and [Vladimir] Putin’s vitality disaster.”

We stepped as much as help the British economic system within the face of two world shocks, however we can’t borrow ceaselessly.

We now have a transparent plan to get debt falling, which can cut back the monetary stress we cross on to our youngsters and grandchildren.

James Cleverly, the international secretary, has introduced that the federal government is evacuating British nationals from Sudan.

Patrick Wintour and Dan Sabbagh have the story right here.

And there may be extra protection on our Sudan dwell weblog.

Good morning. Water high quality was once a distinct segment concern for environmentalists, moderately than a mainstream political situation. However that has modified lately, as folks have change into more and more offended about water corporations persevering with to permit sewage to be discharged into rivers. At the moment Labour will search to take advantage of that by difficult Tory MPs to vote down a invoice that may do one thing about it.

At the moment has been put aside for opposition day debates – Commons debates on a Labour movement. Usually these are used for declarative motions (“This home believes that the federal government is garbage …” and so forth) and the federal government usually tells its MPs to abstain, as a result of nothing occurs if the movement passes. However more and more Labour is utilizing these slots to debate procedural motions, that may have an impact if handed, and the federal government can’t ignore these with out consequence.

Utilizing a way utilized by MPs decided to cease a no-deal Brexit earlier than the 2019 election, Labour has tabled a movement at the moment that may permit it to take management of Commons enterprise someday subsequent month to cross a water high quality (sewage discharge) invoice. My colleague Peter Walker has written about it right here. As he factors out, the final time Labour tried this, to create time for a invoice to ban new fracking, the Tory dissent this created was instrumental in ending off the Liz Truss premiership.

Nobody expects at the moment’s debate to have fairly the identical influence, however Labour is assuming that Tory MPs will vote in opposition to, and that will probably be in a position to enter the ultimate days of the native elections campaigning saying the Conservatives have voted down a transfer to cease sewage being discharged into rivers.

Jim McMahon, the shadow setting secretary, mentioned:

It’s clear that now we have a Tory authorities that has run out of concepts, solely regurgitating outdated bulletins that do nothing to finish sewage dumping. That’s the reason Labour has introduced ahead laws to wash up our water system.

At the moment, Tory MPs have a chance to help Labour’s water high quality invoice which can put an finish to sewage dumping as soon as and for all. Their constituents will likely be watching to see if they’ll put the most effective pursuits of our nation earlier than their social gathering.

The Lib Dems are supporting Labour and Tim Farron, the Lib Dem setting spokesperson, mentioned:

This vote will likely be judgment day for Conservative MPs on the sewage disaster plaguing our coastlines and rivers.

Conservative MPs have spent the previous 12 months blocking robust new legal guidelines on water corporations. They’re attempting to take the British public for fools with robust discuss and no motion.

Communities throughout the nation have had sufficient of Conservative MPs who would moderately defend water corporations over their native setting.

There’s a lot else on too. Right here is the agenda for the day.

9.30am: Rishi Sunak chairs cupboard.

9.45am: Chris Philp, the policing minister, offers proof to the Commons dwelling affairs committee on policing.

10.05am: Keir Starmer offers an interview to ITV’s This Morning.

11.30am: Downing Road holds a foyer briefing.

11.30am: Steve Barclay, the well being secretary, takes questions within the Commons.

12pm: Robert Jenrick, the immigration minister, offers a speech to the Coverage Trade thinktank.

After 12.30pm: MPs debate a Labour movement that may permit the social gathering to regulate Commons enterprise on Tuesday 2 Could to cross a invoice to restrict sewage discharges into rivers.

2pm: Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, offers proof to the Commons defence committee.

2.30pm: Chris Heaton-Harris, the Northern Eire secretary, offers proof to the Northern Eire affairs committee.

If you wish to contact me, do strive the brand new “ship us a message” characteristic. You’ll see it slightly below the byline – on the left of the display screen, in case you are studying on a PC or a laptop computer. (It’s not out there on the app but.) That is for individuals who wish to message me immediately. I discover it very helpful when folks message to level out errors (even typos – no mistake is simply too small to appropriate). Typically I discover your questions very fascinating too. I can’t promise to answer to all of them, however I’ll attempt to reply to as many as I can, both within the feedback beneath the road, privately (for those who depart an e-mail handle and that appears extra applicable), or in the primary weblog, if I feel it’s a matter of extensive curiosity.