Essential kit in the deep blue sea includes one of these. – Owl

Jeremy Hunt, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Thérèse Coffey are among 10 cabinet ministers who face losing their seats, according to a poll which found the Conservatives are on course for a general election wipeout.

Thomas Kingsley www.independent.co.uk

The poll by Opinium, using the MRP method to estimate constituency-level results, projected a 1997-style landslide for Labour, with the party winning 411 seats.

The research, commisioned by the Trades Union Congress (TUC), indicated the Conservatives would lose 219 seats to end up on 137, with the Liberal Democrats on 39 seats and SNP on 37. It projected a vote share for Labour of 43 per cent, with the Conservatives on 28 per cent, the Lib Dems on 13 per cent, Greens on 7 per cent, and SNP on 4 per cent.

Those results would be the Tory party’s worst election performance since 1906, when it secured 156 seats.

The poll was carried out with more than 10,000 adults from 26 to 30 September – two weeks before Liz Truss scrapped large parts of her mini-Budget and sacked her chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng. Polling since then suggests her government has sunk further in popularity.

Among those whose seats were projected to be lost by the Tories were the new chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, Simon Clarke, the levelling-up secretary, Jacob Rees-Mogg, the business secretary, Thérèse Coffey, the health secretary and deputy prime minister, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the transport secretary, Chloe Smith, the work and pensions secretary, Alok Sharma, the Cop26 president, Jake Berry, the Tory party chair, and Robert Buckland, the Wales secretary.

Boris Johnson, the former prime minister, is also on course to lose his seat, according to the poll, and the Conservatives would lose all 45 out of 45 so-called red wall seats in the north of England.

The poll also asked voters about their support for EU-derived workers’ rights, such as paid leave and limits on working times, which are under threat from the Conservatives’ legislation scrapping laws and regulations that originated in Brussels.

Overall, 71 per cent of voters support retaining EU-derived workers’ rights such as holiday pay, safe limits on working times and rest breaks. They received overwhelming backing even in the seats of Mr Rees-Mogg, where 72 per cent supported them, and Liz Truss, where there was a backing of 63 per cent.

Head of political polling at Opinium Chris Curtis said: “Voters are convinced that the Conservatives are on the side of the wealthy rather than workers. If they want to avoid a wipeout at the next election they need to turn this around. One way they could do this is reverse their position on workers’ rights.”

Ms Truss has already watered down her leadership campaign pledge to scrap all remaining EU laws by the end of 2023 – allowing some to remain in place until 2026.

A new bill will aim to axe up to 1,500 items of so-called retained law – on workers’ rights, the environment, data privacy, road standards and much more – in just 15 months’ time.

But the government has given itself a get-out clause, after warnings that the accelerated timetable was a recipe for “chaos” and further damaging disruption for business.

A statement from Jacob Rees-Mogg, the business secretary, said: “The bill includes an extension mechanism for the sunset of specified pieces of retained EU law until 2026.”

In contrast, in July, as she campaigned for the Tory leadership, Ms Truss sought to outflank her rival Rishi Sunak by pledging “to scrap all EU regulation by the end of 2023”.

Nevertheless, huge concerns remain over the bonfire of EU laws – even on a slower timetable – because it will be carried out through regulations, behind MPs’ backs.

A former government lawyer warned “human review” of decisions made by computer algorithms will be quietly axed, risking a repeat of the 2020 “A-levels fiasco”.

Tearing up protections could also come at a price, if divergence triggers disputes under the Brexit trade deal – potentially allowing Brussels to curb access to EU markets for British firms.

Responsibility for the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill remains with Mr Rees-Mogg – who once suggested cutting EU safety standards to levels in India – after his switch from the Cabinet Office to the business department.

Liverpool Council’s house building company – which once promised to build 10,000 new homes across the city – is to be liquidated after developing just 18 properties.

A Case Study – Owl

Liam Thorp www.liverpoolecho.co.uk

In early 2018, Liverpool Council announced the launch of a flagship new housing company that it said would ‘radically reshape Liverpool’s housing market.’

In a major launch, then Mayor Joe Anderson said the new ‘ Foundations’ company would deliver 10,000 properties across the city, fuelled by an estimated £500m investment programme. There would be a focus on building homes for foster families, the elderly, people with disabilities and the homeless as part of an ‘ethical’ housing company.

Since that point, Foundations has built and taken ownership of just 18 properties – none of them at social rent – and will now be wound down.

The launch of Foundations was a big deal for the council. Mayor Anderson described it at the time as the most exciting policy of his time in office. The announcement garnered national headlines and was seen as a radical and forward thinking approach to tackling the housing crisis in the city.

An impressive team was put in place to lead the company, with former Liverpool Councillor and Housing cabinet member Frank Hont as Chairman.

Other board members included Andrea Titterington former chief executive of Regenda and chartered surveyors boss Maggi Howard.

Mark Kitts, the council’s Assistant Director for Regeneration was installed as Chief Executive while company records show that his boss, the now suspended Nick Kavanagh, was also a director of the company for a short period.

Other experienced staff were recruited for areas like business development and finance. Following its inception, the first big announcement regarding new homes came in March 2018.

The council announced that the first phase of Foundations would see £50m spent on building 500 houses within an 18 month time period. But around a year later another major council announcement would change the direction that the local authority’s housing plans would go in.

In May 2019, the city council announced that it was to start building council homes for the first time in 30 years. Mayor Anderson said this had become possible after weeks of negotiations with central government had ended with an agreement to wipe off hundreds of millions of pounds of debt that had kept the city’s Housing Revenue Account locked for many years.

So Foundations was no longer the big story for the council as it could now start looking at building its own homes directly – rather than through a separate company.

In July 2020 the council announced a new strategic housing delivery team that would bring forward a viable portfolio of sites for development in a bid to contribute to the city’s need to develop 30,000 new homes. It was around this time that four staff members from Foundations left their employment on the basis of a settlement agreement.

In a press announcement in July 2020, the council said Foundations would continue to operate as a stock holding company owned by the city council and would retain its existing responsibilities as an operational landlord for properties it had already built.

The release also stated that Frank Hont would remain as the chairman of Foundations – although company records show that he resigned just two months later on September 30. He wasn’t the only one.

Board members Andrea Titterington and Margaret Gilkes resigned on the same day, while Darrell Mercer left his position at the end of December and Angela Forshaw resigned from her role on the board on January 31. Former senior council officers Nick Kavanagh and Mark Kitts have also previously resigned from the company.

Currently, the only director of foundations remaining is Andrew Buck. But that won’t be for long.

A report to next week’s council cabinet is recommending the closure of the council’s wholly owned housing company, Liverpool Foundation Homes Limited, with councillors set to agree that it is placed into voluntary liquidation.

If agreed by the cabinet next week, Foundations will market and dispose of its assets to all registered providers of social housing on their current tenure as rent to buy products.

Over the past 18 months, Foundations’ operations have been wound down with all employees leaving or returning to the City Council in April 2021. Following a review, Foundations will now look to dispose of the properties in its portfolio to a registered provider of social housing. Current tenants will be able to remain in the properties with their existing arrangements safeguarded.

Once assets have been transferred, Foundations will enter into voluntary liquidation. The cabinet report states: “Closing the company will reduce the burden it places on the city council in terms of costs and administration, allowing officers to dedicate their time towards delivering a housing strategy which enables housing development in the city.”

“Once this has been done, the company will need to be closed. This will need to be undertaken by way of liquidation which is the formal manner in which Foundations’ affairs are wound down and the company is ultimately dissolved.”

Once a liquidator is appointed, they will take over the management of the company with the aim of winding down the business and dissolving the company.

The report states that council officers have started a “detailed lessons learnt exercise” to assess whether the Foundations venture “represented value for money alongside other options the council could have pursed in respect of the building and managing of housing.”

As far as the council’s opposition leader is concerned, it was a waste of time and money. Cllr Richard Kemp said: “The news that the Labour Cabinet in Liverpool has finally drawn the line on Joe Anderson’s house building ambitions comes as no surprise. Labour’s dream of changing the housing market in the city by building 10,000 new homes has finally been laid to rest with the final tally being 18 new homes which are owned by its Foundations Company. Each of those houses cost us £45,000 in administrative costs alone.”

Councillor Sarah Doyle, Liverpool Council’s Cabinet Member for Development and Housing, said: “Liverpool City Council has been reviewing all of the companies it has established over the years to examine their role and function and to consider whether they are delivering best value for the taxpayer. Foundations was established to deliver thousands of new homes across the city, but it has become apparent that this is no longer a viable proposition.

“A small number of properties are currently under the management of Foundations and these tenancies and properties will now be transferred following a tender exercise.

“The city council has recently endorsed the Local Plan which sets out a new vision to attract investment for new housing and provide the guidelines to ensure developers build quality, sustainable homes.

“Various workstreams are underway to unlock priority housing sites and ensure delivery of decent, affordable homes in partnership with our local housing associations. As Cabinet member I regularly chair a meeting whereby council officers meet with Registered Providers to work through key issues such, homelessness, neighbourhood investment and priority sites.

“These meetings are proving to be really productive. Registered Providers are also supporting our community-led housing programme and have collectively set aside funding to support Breaking Ground, a community led housing hub.

“Officers and members are currently engaged in drafting a new housing strategy to help underpin that ambition. And we are assembling a housing team to implement our plans.”

The former Conservative leader of Plymouth City Council has been suspended by his own group following “several serious and different complaints and allegations” it has been revealed tonight.

Local Tory turmoil – Owl

Carl Eve www.plymouthherald.co.uk

In reply, Cllr Nick Kelly has claimed that the local Tory party had “deemed that I am not fit to represent the party at the next local election in May 2023.”

Nick Kelly was ousted as leader of the council in March this year following a vote of no confidence which was instigated by Labour councillors, but backed by three Independents – all ex-Conservative councillors. He had initially become leader of the council after the Conservative group won the largest number of seats in the May 2021 elections.

However, following several suspensions and resignations, the Tories ended up on a knife-edge with the same number of councillors as the Labour group. Following his removal, Conservative councillors voted for Cllr Richard Bingley to take over the role as leader not just of the group, but of the entire council.

Cllr Kelly’s brief tenure had become mired in controversy over allegations he made inappropriate comments following the murder of Bobbi-Anne McLeod. As a result he was suspended from the group as an inquiry was held. However, following the resignation of one of his colleagues from the Conservative group to become an Independent – leading to the Conservative and Labour holding the same number of seats – his suspension was suddenly lifted, granting the Tories a majority again.

Cllr Kelly has since contested that his comments were “insensitive and arrogant” and has claimed his words were used out of context by parts of the media, leading him to later announce during his final speech as leader of the council that there was “legal action being taken on the Bobbi-Anne McLeod comments”.

His departure saw some Conservatives quit the group, with Plympton Erle councillor and former Lord Mayor Terri Beer, accuse the new leader’s regime of bullying. She went on to claim that Cllr Kelly was “mentally tortured” some some Tory group members.

This came as recordings Tory council leader Richard Bingley’s foul-mouthed attack on colleagues was leaked to the public. In the recordings – understood to have been made weeks before the no-confidence vote – he described his predecessor as a “weak, two-faced git” telling the caller “he won’t be leader in May [2022]”.

Tonight, a spokesperson for the Plymouth Conservative Group stated: “Following several serious and different complaints and allegations made formally to our Group Executive team, we can confirm that Councillor Nick Kelly (Compton Ward) has been suspended from Plymouth City Council Conservative Group, pending all necessary investigations.

“A further formal statement will be made by our Group Executive following the conclusion of these investigations.”

On his Facebook page tonight Cllr Nick Kelly wrote to the residents and businesses of Compton ward, stating: “I wish to inform you that following an Approvals Panel selection today, I am extremely disappointed that the local Conservative Party have deemed that I am not fit to represent the party at the next local election in May 2023.

“I shall continue to work diligently for your benefit , as I have, since being first elected as a City Councillor in 2015. Thank you for your past and continued support.

“I am devastated by this decision, as it has been a huge honour to represent my home city as a Councillor, Deputy Lord Mayor and Leader over the past seven years. I shall issue a further statement in due course.”

Tonight, Cllr Beer took to Twitter to claim: “I have never seen such bullying that Cllr Nick Kelly has endured. It’s been terrible.”

From a Correspondent:

In 1984, our new King Charles III was the heir apparent, the Prince of Wales, when he openly attacked British architects and  denounced modern British architecture, in his Hampton Court speech, by trashing the proposed design of the extension to the National Gallery with the famous quote:- 

“ . . . . what is proposed is like a monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend.” 

This prompted a great national debate and made many architects think again. 

“For far too long”, said the prince, “it seems to me, some planners and architects have consistently ignored the feelings and wishes of the mass of ordinary people in this country … To be concerned about the way people live, about the environment they inhabit and the kind of community that is created by that environment, should surely be one of the prime requirements of a really good architect.”  

He continued, “For a long time I have felt strongly about the wanton destruction which has taken place in this country in the name of progress; about the sheer unadulterated ugliness and mediocrity of public and commercial buildings, and of housing estates, not to mention the dreariness and heartlessness of so much urban planning.” 

He advised that 1984 was the time and place to sacrifice some profit, if need be, for generosity of vision, for elegance, for dignity; for buildings which would raise our spirits and our faith in commercial enterprise. He spoke of the need to produce buildings of beauty that “lift our spirits”. . . and commented “We should build legacies, not blots, on our landscape.”  

Fast forward four decades and his c-word (‘carbuncle’) continues to be as relevant to outraged local residents, where they have now been confronted with an East Devon District Council Planners’ recommendation to their Planning Committee for Clyst St Mary’s own 2022 carbuncle – namely 40 four-storey apartments in Winslade Park (Application 21/2217/MRES due for a decision on 25^th October 2022 at 10.00 hrs via Zoom).  

Only last month, the Guardian again made reference to the 1984 Prince of Wales’ carbuncle speech and concluded:- 

“In the face of a wilfully retrograde Tory cabinet, bent on burning fossil fuels, lining developers’ pockets and deregulating the planning system, the presence of a climate-conscious, conservation-minded, planning-literate king may turn out to be the unlikely voice of sanity we never knew we needed.” 

In 2022 will those past, noble intentions of today’s King Charles III be a match for the UK’s profit-driven system? 

Clyst St Mary still holds on to the hope that our Sovereign’s words and ideals will reverberate in this small corner of East Devon to encourage elected decision makers to recommend that these developers and architects lance this carbuncle and replace it with a more fitting design for an East Devon historic, rural village?  

“Long Live King Charles III!” 

[One for the conspiracy theorists].

The decoded tweets from “Control” over the past two weeks reveal Operation “Existential Disruption” and blow the cover of “Agent Liz”. [Nom de guerre: “la girouette de fer“]

Two weeks ago she is warned suspicions are rising:

Last Thursday contingency plans are brought forward to extricate her to a safe house, as and when: