Inside Politics: Calls for ‘David’s law’ and eco heating plan branded ‘inadequate’

Calls for crackdown on social media firms in wake of MP killing and campaigners say Heat and Building Strategy doesn’t go far enough, writes Matt Mathers

(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Southend will be granted city status in a fitting tribute to Sir David Amess, the Conservative MP killed during a constituency surgery last week. Elsewhere, the government today publishes a number of climate strategies as it seeks to get its climate agenda back on track. But the PM’s green credentials will come under scrutiny after the company behind a power plant accused of being Britain’s biggest carbon emitter is set to be highlighted by Johnson as an example of the “best of UK innovation and green technology”. Elsewhere, ministers are increasingly concerned about a difficult winter ahead as Covid cases rise.

Inside the bubble

Cabinet meets in the morning. The House of Commons is back to normal business: questions to Sajid Javid, health secretary; a motion on the renewal of temporary coronavirus powers; and a debate on a subject chosen by Labour. Boris Johnson and other ministers will make the case for investing in the UK at the Global Investment Summit. The government’s Net Zero Strategy and Heat and Buildings Strategy will be published. Busy day in Commons committees, including the first appearance by Amanda Pritchard, new chief exec of NHS England.

Coming up:

– Professor Neil Ferguson of Imperial College London on BBC Radio 4 Today at 7.50am

– Trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan also on Today at 8.10am

Daily Briefing

TRIBUTES: MPs paid their respects to Sir David Amess in the Commons yesterday with a series of warm tributes to the much-liked and highly regarded Conservative MP, who was stabbed to death at a constituency surgery last week. During his address, Boris Johnson announced that the Queen had agreed to grant Southend city status in a tribute to the Southend West MP, who had campaigned tirelessly on the cause throughout his time in parliament. “He never once witnessed any achievement by any resident of Southend that could not somehow be cited in his bid to secure city status for that distinguished town,” Johnson told the Commons. “I am happy to announce that Her Majesty has agreed that Southend will be accorded the city status it so clearly deserved.”Since his death on Friday, many MPs and ministers have recalled Sir David’s efforts and energy in ceaselessly campaigning for the Essex town on the Thames estuary to be designated a city.

STOP THE HATE: The issue of MPs’ safety in the wake of Sir David’s killing is still very much a live one. Priti Patel, the home secretary, has ordered a review of security which is due to conclude in the coming days. Calls are growing for the government to take a harder line on social media companies and the anonymity they offer to those who target elected officials with abuse, adding to what has been described as a toxic political environment in the UK. Mark Francois, the Conservative MP for Rayleigh and Wickford, is among those calling on the PM to end the long delay to the Online Harms Bill, which would fine tech companies for failing to remove harmful content. Francois called for the bill to be renamed David’s law in memory of his former colleague. “I suggest that, if we want to ensure that our colleague didn’t die in vain, we collectively all of us pick up the baton, regardless of our party and take the forthcoming Online Harms Bill and toughen it up markedly,” he said. “So let’s put, if I may be so presumptuous, David’s law onto the statute book”. Labour says it would back removing online anonymity but that provisions must be made for campaigns and whistleblowers.

‘INADEQUATE’: With less than two weeks to go before the start of the vital Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow, the government today sets out several green strategies aimed at tackling climate change. But Johnson might want to get his own house in order before publishing any more grand plans, after it emerged the company behind a power plant accused of being Britain’s biggest carbon emitter is set to be highlighted by the PM as an example of the “best of UK innovation and green technology”. The Heat and Buildings Strategy has been published and has already been branded “inadequate” and “not a very good start” by environmentalists. Just 90,000 of the UK’s 22 million gas-heated households will benefit from £5,000 grants to replace their boilers with green heat pumps – assistance which will not even cover the costs of the 0.4 per cent of households who benefit.

LONG WINTER AHEAD: Ministers are increasingly concerned about a difficult winter ahead after Covid cases hit nearly 50,000 yesterday – the highest number in months. There is also growing worry among health officials over the number of people taking up booster jabs. Some 5 million people are at a greater risk of catching Covid as they have yet to receive their injection, experts have warned. Under government guidance, those aged over 50 and vulnerable groups who were double vaccinated at least six months ago are eligible for a third dose, but there are fears that poor communications around the programme and logistical complications could be hindering uptake.

VIP CONTRACTS: The government has been ordered to reveal the names of all the companies in a special “VIP lane” for contracts handed out during the Covid crisis. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has told the health department it must disclose the names of the companies fast-tracked to supply personal protective equipment (PPE) during the pandemic. The government has been accused of cronyism after it emerged that firms linked to the Conservative Party were given access to a High Priority Lane – dubbed the “VIP lane” by campaigners. The ICO said the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) had “failed to comply” with Freedom of Information rules by refusing to release the names of the 47 firms given priority. The department has been given 35 days to hand over the information to the Good Law Project – which has accused ministers of “sleazy pandemic procurement” – following the group’s request for details.

On the record

“He was appalled by what he called the vile misogynistic abuse which female MPs had to endure online and he told me very recently that he wanted something done about it. I suggest that, if we want to ensure that our colleague didn’t die in vain, we collectively all of us pick up the baton, regardless of our party and take the forthcoming Online Harms Bill and toughen it up markedly. So let’s put, if I may be so presumptuous, David’s law onto the statute book”.

Conservative MP Mark Francois calls for Online Harms Bill to be put on the statute book in wake of Sir David’s murder.

From the Twitterati

“Incredibly moving tributes to Sir David Amess by Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer. Mood is sombre, but the warmth across the Commons benches is unlike anything I’ve seen. Overwhelmingly, there’s sense of loss for one of the most liked and respected MPs by all parliamentarians.”

Financial Times Whitehall correspondent Sebastian Payne comments on MPs’ tributes.

Essential reading

• Sean O’Grady, The Independent: Rayner’s ‘scum’ comment was provocative – but not connected to the tragic killing of Sir David Amess
• Layla Moran, The Independent: If we are to create a kinder political landscape, we need to connect more, not less
• Simon Heffer, UnHerd: The making of Essex man
• George Eaton, The New Statesman: How redistributive was New Labour?

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