6:30 am, January 16, 2024
Sunak bids to see off Tory rebellion over Rwanda Bill in Commons showdown
Rishi Sunak is braced for a Commons showdown over his flagship Rwanda plan, with his authority dealt a blow by the vow of two Tory deputy chairmen to join a rebellion.
The prime minister is under pressure from both sides of his party over the legislation aimed at reviving the stalled plan to deport some asylum seekers to the east African nation.
He is battling to quell Tory dissent as more than 60 right-wing MPs have backed amendments seeking to beef up the Safety of Rwanda Bill, which returns to the House of Commons on Tuesday for six hours of debate and voting. But any attempt by Sunak to placate them would be opposed by more moderate Tories, who want to ensure international law is respected.
Post Office and Fujitsu bosses face grilling by MPs on Horizon scandal
The bosses of the Post Office and Fujitsu and the former subpostmaster who has led the campaign for justice in the Horizon scandal are to be questioned by MPs on Tuesday.
The Commons’ Business and Trade Committee will examine what more can be done to deliver compensation for victims of what has been labelled one of the worst miscarriages of justice in British history.
Nick Read, chief executive of the Post Office, and Paul Patterson, Europe director at Fujitsu, are both due to appear.
Train drivers to stage fresh strikes over pay
Train drivers are to stage a series of fresh strikes and an overtime ban in their long-running dispute over pay, causing more travel chaos for passengers.
Members of Aslef will take part in a rolling programme of one-day strikes from January 30 to February 5 and ban overtime for nine days from January 29.
The union said it wanted to put pressure on ‘intransigent’ train operating companies as well as the ‘tone-deaf Tory government’ to give train drivers their first pay rise in almost five years.
UK will ‘back words with actions’ in Red Sea, says Sunak as attacks continue
Rishi Sunak has warned that the government remains ‘prepared to back our words with actions’, as missile attacks continued in the Red Sea despite last week’s air strikes against Houthi rebels.
The prime minister’s statement in the Commons came shortly after a missile struck a US-owned ship off the coast of Yemen.
Facing questions from MPs, Sunak declined to comment on the possibility of further strikes against the Houthis but insisted the military action would not escalate the situation in the region.
Tory MPs told to ignore dire polling amid warnings of election wipeout
Tory MPs have been told by the party’s elections guru to ignore dire polling aimed at ‘undermining this government’ and warned that ‘divided parties fail’.
Isaac Levido told a meeting on Monday of the 1922 committee of backbenchers that those behind the survey appeared to be ‘throwing in the towel’ and more interested in the next party leadership contest than winning the general election.
It followed a major opinion poll, reported by the Telegraph, that predicted doom for prime minister Rishi Sunak, with the Tories on course for a 1997-style wipeout.
Monday Car Dealer headlines you might have missed
- Motability results show substantial drop in profit for charity scheme in 2023
- Motor trade legal firm cleared of wrongdoing after investigation by SRA
- G3 Vehicle Auctions grows footprint thanks to influx of used cars
- Bolton car dealer slams police as investigation ended into yobs who caused £50,000 of damage
- Jaguar Land Rover confirms departure of design boss Massimo Frascella
- Renault rebounds: French firm was the second fastest-growing brand in 2023
Trump wins Iowa caucuses at the outset of the Republican presidential campaign
Donald Trump has won the Iowa caucuses, a crucial victory at the outset of the Republican primary that reinforces the former president’s bond with his party’s voters.
The success comes despite his extraordinary legal challenges which could complicate his bid to return to the White House.
The results are just the first in what will be a months-long effort for Trump to secure the Republican nomination for a third consecutive time.
Fuel retailers to be forced to share price change data within 30 minutes
Fuel retailers will be forced to share information on price changes within half an hour under government plans to make it easier for drivers to find the cheapest petrol and diesel.
This freely available data will enable tech companies to develop new price comparison tools, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) said.
These systems, part of a so-called PumpWatch scheme, are expected to be accessible on mobile apps, websites, online maps, journey planning tools and in-car devices. The move, which is being consulted on, could save drivers 3p per litre on fuel by helping them find the lowest prices in their area, according to the DESNZ.
Land Rover first delivered to King Charles is heading to auction
A Land Rover Discovery first used by King Charles and Queen Camilla is heading to auction.
The Discovery 3 still features original modifications made for royal use, including flashing alternative headlights and fog lights, along with front and rear strobe lights. The SUV now has a mileage of 117,500 miles, though is said to be ‘beautifully presented’ and comes with a full service history.
It’s going under the hammer on March 23 with Classic Car Auctions (CCA) at its sale coinciding with the Classic Car and Restoration Show at the NEC exhibition centre in Birmingham.
Weather
A cold day in store with thick cloud, and spells of rain, sleet and snow spreading eastwards. The south will see wintry sunshine, but it won’t be mild – highs of five or six degrees in southern parts, and around one to two degrees in the north and Scotland.
A very cold night for Scotland and the far north of England with temperatures set to fall to minus seven. Cloudier and milder in the Midlands and south of England – around minus one is expected.
