UK politics live: Robert Jenrick promises to make Jacob Rees-Mogg Tory chairman if elected leader
Jenrick said Rees-Mogg’s appointment would be needed to ‘truly reform and democratise’ the party
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Robert Jenrick has promised to make Jacob Rees-Mogg Tory party chairman if he wins the Conservative Party leadership election.
Mr Jenrick on Sunday said he would appoint the Boris Johnson loyalist despite him losing his seat in the July election.
“One of my first acts as leader would be to appoint him as chairman of the party so we can truly reform and democratise our party,” Mr Jenrick said.
“Together we will empower members and restore the respect that has been so sorely lacking in recent years,” he added.
Meanwhile, the owner of P&O ferries will attend a key investment summit after Sir Keir Starmer distanced himself from comments by a minister who called the firm a “cowboy operator”.
After efforts by Downing Street to smooth relations, it is understood that DP World will now attend Monday’s gathering, despite the row over Louise Haigh’s comments about the firm.
It comes as scores of Labour MPs have urged Rachel Reeves to embrace spending tens of billions more on ailing public services ahead of the budget.
Jenrick to make Rees-Mogg Tory party chairman
Robert Jenrick has promised to make Jacob Rees-Mogg Tory party chairman if he wins the Conservative Party leadership election.
Mr Jenrick on Sunday said he would appoint the Boris Johnson loyalist despite him losing his seat in the July election.
“One of my first acts as leader would be to appoint him as chairman of the party so we can truly reform and democratise our party,” Mr Jenrick said.
“Together we will empower members and restore the respect that has been so sorely lacking in recent years,” he added.
Starmer ‘should be paid £300,000'
Phones4U founder John Caudwell has said he thinks Sir Keir Starmer should be paid around £300,000.
Mr Caudwell, who is a former major Tory donor but backed Labour at this year’s general election, called for the Prime Minister and government ministers to be paid “fairly” and to set legally enforceable rules to prevent them from taking any other paid roles.
The billionaire told the PA news agency: “Prime Ministers are expected to represent Britain on the world stage and so they should receive a salary that matches the responsibility that comes with the job. Paying them £300,000 sounds about right to me.”
Sir Keir is paid around £167,000 from his MP and Prime Minister’s salaries.
Mr Caudwell also said it is time to reform rules for gifts and non-parliamentary financial interests as the Government has faced a growing row about senior Labour MPs accepting gifts, including free clothes from party donor Lord Waheed Alli.
Union boss warns Starmer’s attacks on Haigh ‘unacceptable
Union boss warns Starmers attacks on Haigh ‘unacceptable’ in P&O investment row
Exclusive: Allies of transport secretary Louise Haigh are rallying to her support after Keir Starmer appeared to criticise her following the decision of P&O Ferry’s owner to cancel plans for £1bn investment in the UK
P&O boss will attend investment summit after Starmer’s rebuke to minister over ‘cowboy’ comment
P&O boss will attend investment summit after Starmer’s rebuke to minister
After efforts by Downing Street to smooth relations, DP World will attend Monday’s gathering, which is thought to be key to attracting investment in the UK
Robert Jenrick smiles as he is confronted over £1bn property approval for Tory donor Richard Desmond
Government ‘had conversation’ with DP World
The Government had to “have a conversation” with DP World to secure its investment after a row over the Transport Secretary’s call to boycott P&O Ferries.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the investment, which was reportedly put in jeopardy by scathing criticism of the ferry operator, was going ahead.
Dubai-based DP World, which owns P&O, also said it is attending an investment summit after getting “the clarity we need” from the Government.
Mr Reynolds was asked on Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips how close the Government came to losing DP World’s planned £1 billion investment.
Jonathan Reynolds says P&O Ferries is not a rogue operator and should not be boycotted
70 Labour MPs urge Rachel Reeves to commit to billion-pound spend ahead of budget
Scores of Labour MPs have urged Rachel Reeves to embrace spending tens of billions more on ailing public services ahead of the budget.
A group of 70 supportive Labour MPs have written to Reeves urging her to commit to a major rewriting of fiscal rules that would allow tens of billions to be poured into schools, hospitals and transport links.
The letter from the Labour Growth Group warns Reeves that Labour must not repeat mistakes by ducking the “tough choices required to unlock investment” and encourage growth.
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