Inside Politics: Kwarteng in fresh talks with industry amid energy crisis

Business secretary to meet leaders about soaring prices after being slapped down by Treasury over solutions to crisis, writes Matt Mathers

(PA)

The Tory conference is well and truly over, the party has finished, and Boris Johnson is back in the office on holiday as Britain grapples with an energy crisis. Allies of the prime minister say he has had a tough time of late and needs a break, while critics suggest it is irresponsible for him to jet off in the middle of a crisis. It didn’t take long for the infighting to begin after he’d left. Kwasi Kwarteng is embroiled in a war of words with the Treasury over how to deal with soaring energy prices. Elsewhere, Sajid Javid is increasingly concerned about the effects of long Covid on the NHS and wider economy, and the UK and EU are on course for a fresh row over the Northern Ireland protocol.

Inside the bubble

Parliament is in recess until 18 October.