Traces of a suspected class A drug were found at a government grace-and-favour home after parties attended by political allies of Liz Truss, the Guardian has been told.

Anna Isaac www.theguardian.com 

The white powder was discovered at the Chevening estate last summer in the days before Truss won the Tory leadership contest and became prime minister, according to sources.

A member of staff claimed they tested the powder using a swab which changes colour when it comes into contact with cocaine, and it indicated the drug was present.

Possession of cocaine is a criminal offence which can lead to imprisonment for up to seven years, or an unlimited fine.

In July, the government launched a new crackdown on casual drug users, saying their passports could be confiscated.

Separate sources have described finding similar deposits in the offices at No 10 Downing Street after two lockdown parties held when Boris Johnson was prime minister.

Staff working at Chevening claim on two occasions they found traces of white powder on a side-table in a games room with a snooker table, after nights where Truss was known to have entertained guests at the Kent country house, a retreat for foreign secretaries.

Truss, then foreign secretary, hosted a gathering at the 17th-century Grade I-listed home during the weekend of 19-21 August as her leadership campaign was in full swing. Another gathering took place during the weekend of 2-4 September. A range of political allies were in attendance for both weekends.

Chevening is a grace-and-favour home set in 3,000 acres. Use of the 115-room mansion is traditionally granted to the foreign secretary, and its upkeep is funded by a trust established by an act of parliament.

An insider said cocaine was widely used across Whitehall and the parliamentary estate, and claimed that some of Truss’s political allies used it.

There is no suggestion that Truss or Johnson themselves used the drug or that they would have been aware if drugs were used or present. The Guardian has not been told who was responsible for the alleged deposits of white powder.

Truss lasted just 45 days as prime minister. The mini-budget presented by her then chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, in late September sent UK government bond markets into freefall and forced the Bank of England to spend billions of pounds buying government debt to protect market stability.

Separately, sources who worked in No 10 during Johnson’s tenure claimed white powder residue was found after two parties held at the office complex despite Covid-19 restrictions.

Johnson is understood not to have been at either party.

White powder residue was found the morning after a party at No 10 on the eve of Prince Philip’s funeral on 17 April 2021, sources said.

The Guardian has been told that cleaning staff found deposits of white powder in bathrooms and on a table in No 10 offices. Small plastic bags were said to have been discovered near the table on the floor next to the bin, together with tissues stained with spots of blood, and vomit.

Sources also said there was evidence of a smudged line of powder and a discarded Boots Advantage card on the same table. It is not known who the card belonged to.

Revelations about that party, held just hours before the Queen had to mourn alone at her husband’s funeral because of social distancing rules, caused outrage. They included reports that a suitcase of wine was wheeled to Downing Street and that a garden swing for the prime minister’s son was broken.

Traces of white powder and small plastic bags were also found on 19 December 2020, the morning after a Christmas party, in the bathrooms at No 10’s office complex, according to sources.

Staff suspected the material was likely to be traces of drugs as it was found amid wider evidence of partying including bottles, empty cans, and food wrappers.

A separate source with knowledge of the parties claimed they were aware of drug-taking at both events.

A senior civil servant, Sue Gray, was tasked with producing a report into lockdown-busting parties in No 10 and across Whitehall. There was no mention of drug-taking in her report.

The Guardian’s revelations come after evidence of cocaine use in toilets next to Johnson’s then parliamentary office and several other locations across the parliamentary estate was reported last year.

Johnson’s government put forward a drugs strategy that proposed that middle-class drug users could have their passports and driving licences confiscated, in order to “interfere” with their lives.

During her brief tenure as prime minister, Truss’s spokesperson said that “cracking down on illegal drugs” was a priority.

The Guardian put a series of questions to Truss about the claims regarding Chevening. She declined to comment in detail.

A spokesperson for her said in a one-line statement: “This is categorically untrue.”

After publication, her spokesperson added: “If there were evidence that this alleged activity had occurred during her use of Chevening, Ms Truss would have expected to have been informed and for the relevant authorities to have properly investigated the matter. As it is, the Guardian has produced no evidence to support these spurious claims.”

The Foreign Office declined to comment on the allegations about activities at Chevening.

A spokesperson for Boris Johnson said: “Boris Johnson is surprised by these allegations since he has not previously been made aware of any suggestions of drug use in 10 Downing Street and as far as he is aware no such claims were made to Sue Gray or to any other investigators.

“It was a feature of Mr Johnson’s premiership that he strongly campaigned against drug use, especially middle-class drug use. His government made huge investments in tougher policing to help roll up county lines drugs gangs, which cause so much misery. He repeatedly called for harsher punishments for the use and distribution of class A drugs.”

A spokesperson for No 10 said: “The Guardian has provided no evidence to support these claims. If there were substantive claims, we would expect these to be reported to the police.

“There was an independent investigation into the nature of the gatherings under a previous administration – and its findings were published. That information was also handed to the Metropolitan Police Service who conducted their own investigation at the time.”

Who worked so hard to reduce our local “Community” Hospitals? -Owl

www.bbc.co.uk  (Extract)

In a letter addressed to hospital bosses, NHS chiefs in England have called for patients who complete emergency medical care to be moved out of emergency departments.

This may involve the creation of “observation areas” and additional beds elsewhere in the hospital, Sir David Sloman, NHS England’s chief operating officer, wrote in the letter co-signed by national medical director for England Professor Sir Stephen Powis and chief nursing officer for England Dame Ruth May.

The aim is to free up beds to make it easier to move people through A&E and allow paramedics to get more quickly back on the road.

Some outpatient appointments could also be cut back to allow senior medical staff to be redeployed to emergency departments. But NHS chiefs say “every effort” should be made to maintain urgent cancer diagnostics or cancer treatment, with rescheduling to be considered as a last resort.

Measures should be put in place to ensure that patients arriving at hospitals in ambulances are handed over to A&E in less than 15 minutes, they said.

Ambulance handover delays in England have hit a new high, according to recent NHS data. Last week, one in six patients waited for more than an hour to be passed on to A&E teams.

And NHS Providers’ interim chief executive Saffron Cordery said reducing handover delays would be “incredibly difficult to implement” because of factors including staff absences and rising flu admissions.

Ms Cordery said: “We understand why ambulance staff have voted for industrial action but it’s vital that the government and unions talk urgently to find a way to prevent this and further strikes from happening.”

The letter sent to NHS trusts and Integrated Care Boards said bosses should create and co-ordinate plans on how to handle strike days by 19 December.

Could we be entering a pre-election phase? 

Owl recalls some history:

The Environment Agency (EA) declared in 2015 that there is a ‘risk to life’ of the children attending the hub and that it must be rebuilt outside of the flood zone.

However, a  £3.5million bid to the Priority Schools Building Programme was rejected in the same year. (From this post)

Also Owl remembers that, in 2016, Hugo Swire banned Claire Wright from a meeting between him and the Chief Exec of the Environment Agency at the school (in Claire’s constituency) to discuss the flooding. She was excluded so as to “keep the meeting very small and focused”! (See here)

Read on with this in mind – owl

‘Local hero’ headteacher’s retirement gift – East Devon pupils to get new school free from the fear of floodwater

Becca Gliddon eastdevonnews.co.uk

Flood-hit Tipton St John Primary School, in East Devon, is to be replaced and built on a fresh site, the Department for Education has confirmed.

The new school for the village comes after successful campaigning by East Devon MP Simon Jupp, prompted by the current site repeatedly flooding, which the Environment Agency and government previously warned could pose a ‘risk to life’.

The next step will be to find a suitable location to build the new school, and set plans in motion to apply for permission to start construction work.

Colin Butler, Tipton St John Primary School executive headteacher, spoke of his ‘relief’ on hearing the news that his staff and pupils would soon be free from the dangers of floodwater.

He said the positive outcome had been the result of ‘many years’ of work, thanks to a ‘huge team effort’.

Mr Butler said: “This is wonderful news for the school and its long-term future.

“The children of Tipton and the surrounding area deserve a school building which is fit for purpose and provides a first class 21st century education.

“It is such a relief to know that staff and pupils will never need to worry for the safety of all every time there is heavy rain.

“We have been working for many years to find a deliverable solution in locating the school out of the flood-prone site.

“We are delighted that Tipton St John C of E Primary School has been included in the School Rebuilding Programme.

“It has been a huge team effort and I would like to thank everyone that has been part of the journey in securing a positive future for Tipton St John Primary School.”

Previous flooding next to Tipton St John Primary School. Image: Devon County Council

Simon Jupp, MP for East Devon, said: “This is fantastic news and I’d like to thank everyone involved, particularly Devon County Council, the Diocese of Exeter, and Tipton St John’s headteacher Colin Butler, who retires this week.

“Colin is a local hero for all of his efforts to ensure children will finally get a new state-of-the-art school to replace Tipton St John Primary School.

“Pupil safety must be paramount as plans are developed to find the best site for the new school.”

Mr Jupp said he was ‘really pleased’ the Government had recognised the need to invest in education in East Devon, building a new school ‘to help meet growing local demand for school places’.

He said: “I’ll continue to work closely with the community as the plans develop.”

The current school site in Tipton St John has seen multiple incidents of flooding over the years.

The Environment Agency and Department for Education have previously warned of a risk to life.

Devon County Councillor Jessica Bailey (Independent, Otter Valley) said she had witnessed how the school had been forced to come up with an escape plan for pupils – safeguarding children as young as four from being swept away by floodwater.

She said: “It always seemed absurd to me that despite the established ‘risk to life’ from flooding, time and time again Tipton St John school was overlooked in previous funding rounds.”

She added: “I saw myself first-hand the risks of flooding in October 2021 when after heavy rain the school was surrounded by lakes of water – and water was lapping at the doors of the buildings.

“I have witnessed children as young as four and five practising their escape drill with a rope across the road to prevent children being swept away in the rising waters.”

Cllr Jess Bailey is seen here in the flooded playground. Photo: Jess Bailey.

The new state-of-the-art school, at a site yet to be decided, will help meet growing local demand for school places.

Cllr John Hart, Devon County Council leader, said: “I am delighted with the news today that this school is finally going to be rebuilt.

“It is long overdue and I pay tribute to all those involved in this project.

“I want to give a special thank you to Simon Jupp, the Member of Parliament for East Devon, for all of his hard work.

“He has lobbied tirelessly for this project since becoming the MP for the area, it is a great result for the school, staff, children and local community.”

• Additional reporting: Local Democracy Reporter, Rob Kershaw.

A support message to women worldwide was spotted in the sand on Exmouth beach when a faith group raised awareness of female hate crime.

Becca Gliddon eastdevonnews.co.uk

Swimmers from Exmouth Quakers braved freezing temperatures for a dip in the sea on Saturday (December 10) in a bid to raise awareness to end femicide, and violence against women across the world.

Show of support: Exmouth Quakers and members of Fear Less raise awareness of female hate crime. Photo: Devon and Cornwall Police.

The campaigners left their message in huge letters in the sand, spelling out #unacceptable.

The message won the support of the police in East Devon, who are working to stop violence against women.

Inspector Antonia Weeks, Exmouth sector, said: “We would like to congratulate those who turned out in the cold at Exmouth beach to support this important cause.

“Devon and Cornwall Police is working hard to reduce violence against women and girls – and local partners such as domestic abuse charities are key to helping us make a difference.”

Devon and Cornwall Police said the faith group was joined by members of Fear Less, a charity supporting women and children escaping domestic violence and abuse in Devon and across the South West.

The two groups went into the cold sea together, then warmed up over hot drinks and cake served on the beach.

The police said the Exmouth Quakers and Fear Less were supporting 16 Days of Action against Gender-Based Violence, an annual international campaign running from November 25 until December 10.

At a time when some town/parish councils struggle to find councillors, it is encouraging to see a local community keen to get involved in local democratic decision making. – Owl

Colyford is to get its own parish council to reflect its separate identity from Colyton. 

Philippa Davies www.midweekherald.co.uk 

Colyford Parish Council will legally come into being on April 1 2023 and seven parish councillors will be elected in May. 

The move, which was agreed at the authority’s full council meeting on Wednesday, December 7, will also see the number of Colyton Parish Council members reduced from 13 to 11. 

The new council is being set up after the Colyford Village Residents’ Association asked East Devon District Council to carry out a community governance review, which is the process for creating, merging or abolishing parishes.

A petition signed by 249 people said: “The community of Colyford has thus clearly expressed their wish for a village council to be set up, and this should be given considerable weight. We have shown that Colyford has its own identity and sense of place, and that community cohesion will be enhanced by having its own village council. We have shown that a village council for Colyford will be effective and convenient, and will provide strong and accountable local government and community leadership. We therefore respectfully request that EDDC exercise their powers under the Act and undertake a Community Governance Review and recommend the formation of a village council for Colyford.” 

Two statutory consultations were held this year prior to the boundary being drawn up for the new parish council. 

Councillor Sarah Jackson, EDDC’s portfolio holder for democracy, transparency and communications, said: “It is evident from the recent consultation that the residents of Colyford feel a sense of identity separate from that of Colyton, and a clear desire to be self-governed via the formation of a new parish council, and so I am pleased to see this decision which enables the communities of both Colyford and Colyton to move forward with complete autonomy.  

“I sincerely hope that both parish councils will work collaboratively where the need arises in the best interests of all of their residents. 

 “I’d like to thank everyone who took part in the consultations and governance review. I look forward to seeing the new parish councillors elected in May.” 

Why have the Conservatives got it in for people who work for a living? Why is Rishi Sunak so determined to force workers to accept increases of only 4 or 5 per cent – which with inflation at 11 per cent amounts to a serious pay cut – while pensioners and claimants will get inflation-matching rises next April?

Martin Shaw, Chair, East Devon Alliance www.exmouthjournal.co.uk

I’m old enough to remember when we clapped our hands each week for key workers. I even remember Mr Sunak joining in. How come that it’s now these very workers who must pay the price of the economic mess that the government has got us into?

They say that giving workers proper pay rises will keep push up inflation still further. But the government itself has just massively stoked inflation by raising electricity and gas prices by 27 per cent on 1st October, with 20 per cent more to come on 1st April. So why can’t workers have 10 per cent like everyone else, to keep pace with prices?

The government also says there is no more money left. But they’re still letting the ‘non-doms’ off their share of tax, they’ve just handed the banks a big tax rebate, and they’ve barely touched the energy firms’ huge windfall profits. Tory chair Nadim Zahawi even had the gall to say that workers are playing into the hands of Vladimir Putin, although it’s the Conservatives who’ve long flirted with Russian oligarchs.

Like everyone else, including I’m quite sure the workers themselves, I’d like to avoid the looming strikes. But fair-minded people will recognise that nurses, ambulance workers, teachers, post and railway workers have a right to take action, faced with huge price hikes and after a decade of austerity has eroded their living standards. It’s the government which needs to start listening, not only to their legitimate claims, but to the widespread support which they have from the general public.

The evidence, however, is that Mr Sunak only listens to his own MPs. Last week he ended his government’s block on onshore wind farms, a cheap and quickly built source of electricity, because enough Tory backbenchers had finally recognised the need for more renewables. But no sooner had he done that than he caved into other backbenchers who wanted a carbon-emitting coal mine in Cumbria. The UK’s green reputation is in tatters.

Sunak also gave into backbenchers over the government’s dictatorial housing targets for local councils. I’ve long opposed this system because it forces councils to allow developments of large detached houses in unsuitable semi-rural locations while doing little, if anything, to provide housing for rent on sustainable brownfield sites.

Although details are still to be confirmed, this shift should allow EDDC to revise the new Local Plan which is currently under consultation. Since even the government now accepts that community consent should be required for new developments, I hope that councillors will look again at some of the greenfield sites currently earmarked for housing.

The problem with Sunak’s U-turns is that there is no joined-up policy behind them. Wind farms are now allowed, but a large-scale programme to insulate homes and develop renewable energy, in ways that fit with the local environment in each area, is still nowhere to be seen. Housebuilding targets are no longer binding, but the problems caused by empty properties and second homes have barely been touched and there is no concerted campaign to provide the social housing which is the No. 1 need in Devon and across the country.

Will any Tory MPs now pick up these challenges, or have the guts to support workers’ legitimate pay demands? Don’t hold your breath – we seem set for two more years of drift and damage before we can finally remove this administration.

The scale of the increase varies by region. The number of beds occupied by Covid patients in the south-west rose from 466 to 726, a 56% increase.

Nicola Davis www.theguardian.com 

The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 in England has risen 22% in a week, the latest figures reveal.

There were 6,720 people in hospital with the virus on 14 December, up from 5,501 on 7 December, according to data released by NHS England.

The number of mechanical ventilation beds occupied by confirmed Covid patients rose from 129 to 150 over the same period.

The scale of the increase varies by region. The number of beds occupied by Covid patients in the south-west rose from 466 to 726, a 56% increase.

Prof David Strain of the University of Exeter Medical School, said most of those primarily being treated for Covid were eligible for an autumn booster vaccination but had not yet had the jab. “The hospitalisations are going up but there is also the knock on effect on staff,” he said.

Hospital admissions involving people with Covid have also risen. There were 5,250 in the seven days to 14 December, a 28% rise from the 4,113 in the previous week.

Some patients in hospital with Covid are likely to have been admitted for a different reason, but further data from NHS England reveals that the number of people primarily being treated for Covid in acute trusts increased by 17% between 6 and 13 December from 5,096 to 5,982.

The data chimes with figures from the Office for National Statistics that suggests Covid infection levels are on the rise in England again, with 1.73%, or 1 in 60, people in the community estimated to have the virus in the week ending 26 November, up from 1.60% the previous week.

The rise comes as the NHS is experiencing unprecedented industrial action, with nurses at many hospitals striking on 15 and 20 December and ambulance staff on 21 and 28 December.

Prof Mark Woolhouse, an expert on infectious diseases at Edinburgh University, said that while Covid cases were rising, the increase was “nothing like as explosive” as this time last year when the Omicron variant arrived, and that the obvious public health advice was to avoid others if you have symptoms of a cold.

“Some people are choosing to wear masks, which do offer some protection, particularly the medical grade variety. Some may choose to test themselves before meeting up with others, particularly others in the vulnerable category,” he said.

“So there is a lot we can do to reduce the risk to ourselves and those around us if we choose, with having the booster vaccination when offered at the top of the list.”

Strong support for the Conservatives in seaside towns has collapsed, new research has found, as Rishi Sunak was warned of a “red wave” on the coast.

Adam Forrest www.independent.co.uk

A new study by YouGov and the Fabian Society revealed a major slump in Tory support since 51 per cent of voters in “sea wall” seats backed Boris Johnson’s party in 2019.

Support for Rishi Sunak’s party is now on just 32 per cent – a 19-point fall – with Labour now ahead in seaside seats on 38 per cent.

“The tide has turned in the Tory-dominated sea wall,” said The Fabian Society’s Ben Cooper – who said Sir Keir Starmer should be aiming to make sure “a red wave becomes a tsunami” at the general election.

Researchers looked at a group of 108 coastal constituencies in England and Wales, with deprivation often higher than the national average and many voters saying they felt “left behind” by Westminster.

Despite Mr Johnson’s success in capitalising on the resentment, a clear majority of voters in coastal towns now believe the Tory party “does not understand people in their local area nor share their values”, according to Mr Cooper.

The senior researcher said Labour now has a 22-point lead in 54 especially important seaside seats – 24 which they must hold and 30 identified as winnable marginals.

“Labour is now on the path towards a broad national mandate at the next election. Coastal towns are often overlooked, but they will be a key part of Labour’s election-winning coalition,” he said.

Warning against complacency, Mr Cooper added: “Labour still has to work hard to secure the votes of key coastal towns at the next election.”

The demographics of sea-wall constituencies still pose a major challenge to Labour. They have a larger proportion of voters over 55 and non-graduates – voters who have moved away from the party in recent elections.

The Fabians said the party should appeal to financial security, stability and family to appeal to voters in the seaside constituencies, many of which voted by a large majority to leave the EU during the Brexit referendum.

Many people in coastal towns told pollsters that their area is now worse off on the affordability of housing and opportunities for young people, as well as healthcare and access to public transport.

“Labour needs a unifying, ‘one nation’ platform and must address specific concerns in coastal towns,” said Mr Cooper. “The good news is, it can do that without losing ground in other marginal seats across the country.”

The findings come as a major study by Savanta and Electoral Calculus forecast that Labour would win 482 seats and the Tories just 69, a massive 314-seat majority.

The Tories would lose all seats north of Lincolnshire – including Mr Sunak’s own Richmond constituency in Yorkshire – if current polling was replicated at the election.

Labour is up three on 48 per cent, the Tories down five on 28 per cent, and the Lib Dems up one at 11 per cent, the latest Savanta voting intention survey found.

It would mean the Tories facing an almost total wipeout in red-wall seats in the north of England and Midlands, while losing plenty of blue-wall seats in the south to the Lib Dems, according to detailed analysis of new poll findings.

East Devon District Council is calling for a postponement of the new photographic ID rules due to come into force in next May’s local elections. 

Philippa Davies www.exmouthjournal.co.uk

A motion opposing the introduction of photographic voter ID was carried at the full council meeting on Wednesday, December 7. 

The motion was tabled by Cllr Jess Bailey (Independent, West Hill and Aylesbeare), who described the new rules as ‘a sledgehammer to crack a non-existent nut’. She said despite millions of people going to the polls across England, Scotland and Wales in 2021, there was only one single case of ‘impersonation’.  

Cllr Bailey said the real reason behind the new rules was about ‘creating an uneven playing field designed to make it easier for Conservative candidates to win, whether in local elections or national elections’. 

Her motion, seconded by Cllr Joe Whibley (Independent, Exmouth Town) said the new rules would have the effect of ‘suppressing voter participation in the democratic process’ and would be particularly detrimental for younger voters. The acceptable forms of ID would include a passport, driving licence, biometric Immigration document, and various bus passes and travel documents issued to the over 60s. 

The motion said the voter ID requirement would also place a considerable burden on the officers presiding over the elections, and push up costs at a time when council budgets are under unprecedented pressure. 

The council agreed to ask the Local Government Association (LGA) and the District Councils Network (DCN) to raise its concerns with the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and ask for voter ID not to be introduced ahead of the May elections. 

There was cross party support for the motion, although Conservatives Cllr Philip Skinner and Cllr Bruce de Sarum both voted against it. 

The LGA is already calling for the introduction of voter ID to be postponed. A spokesperson said: “While we accept that voter ID has now been legislated for, electoral administrators and returning officers should be given the appropriate time, resource, clarity and detailed guidance to implement any changes to the electoral process without risking access to the vote. 

“We support the Gould Principle whereby electoral law should not be changed within six months of an election that the change would impact.” 

Owl, with a bit of help from a million others, participated in Monday’s Nation Grid “demand flexibility service” request to reduce demand between 5pm and 7pm.

As a result, two old coal fired power generating stations that had been put on stand-by did not need to be brought on-line to meet the predicted demand peak, nor was there any need for power cuts.

Britons save £3m by using power-hungry appliances at quieter times

Alex Lawson www.theguardian.com 

Britons have saved almost £3m by using tumble dryers and other power-hungry devices at quieter times, under a scheme that aims to reduce the strain on electricity networks, National Grid has said.

The electricity system operator (ESO) launched an initiative last month to incentivise consumers and businesses to reduce their energy use, by running appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers and tumble dryers before or after particular designated periods when demand was expected to be heavy.

National Grid said on Wednesday the “demand flexibility service” had delivered more than 780 megawatt (MW) hours of demand reduction, and £2.8m in savings over five test periods since the scheme launched last month.

More than 1m households and firms had signed up to participate, it said. Customers are normally given 24 hours notice to shift their power usage from a peak period – typically 4pm to 7pm. Savings are passed on via energy suppliers to customers who have signed up.

Craig Dyke, the head of national control at the ESO, said: “Delivering the first of the demand flexibility service test events is a major milestone in the evolution of consumer flexibility in the UK. This service successfully proves that consumers up and down the country are standing by to get involved in flexibility solutions.”

Separately, gas and power prices fell on Wednesday in signs that the strain on the UK and Europe’s energy supplies was easing despite the icy weather.

A marked increase in nuclear output from power stations in France and hydroelectric power in southern Europe has lifted pressure on electricity supplies across northern Europe.

The UK price for gas for delivery on Thursday fell 4% at 332p a therm, while month-ahead prices were down 5.6% at 322p a therm.

The price of power, which reached a record £675 a megawatt-hour on the Epex Spot SE exchange this week, fell to £353 in a volatile market. Power prices for delivery on Thursday fell nearly 7% in Germany and about 5% in France.

Power prices had soared as the freezing weather forced Britons to increase their heating use, pushing up demand for energy despite high bills.

The cold weather combined with a period of low wind, reducing the production of Britain’s windfarms to close to zero. Emergency power units at Drax in North Yorkshire were put on standby on Monday but ultimately not used.

Live data from ESOon Wednesday showed wind accounting for 27% of electricity generation, behind gas with 47% and ahead of nuclear at 13%.

Separately, French nuclear output has ramped up in recent days and is expected to improve through the week as four more nuclear reactors, which were out of action for maintenance, are due to return.

There have been concerns over power shortages this winter in the UK and Europe amid the fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, the improving weather and resilience of the system so far has brought some encouragement.

Analysts at RBC investment bank said: “Despite this grim scenario for the week, we could see that the electricity system is coping relatively well with the situation, albeit power prices suffered a significant increase.

“Despite the increase in gas demand on cold weather and low wind resource, we could see how gas storage levels are doing better even this week on any single day v the same day last year.”

The rise in prices will have increased the cost of the government’s energy price guarantee scheme, which aims to cushion the blow of rising wholesale costs.

The energy regulator is pushing for a cap on how much power stations can charge National Grid for backup electricity. Ofgem wants to tighten rules to prevent “excessive” profits and intends to publish proposals early next year, the Daily Telegraph reports.

The Grid spent more than £27m paying power stations to crank up supplies at short notice on Monday.

Boris Johnson has made more than £1m from giving speeches since leaving No 10, parliamentary records show.

Is he building a “war chest” to fund a personal comeback? – Owl

BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

The former prime minister was paid £754,000 for three speeches in America, India and Portugal last month, according to the latest register of MPs’ interests.

It comes on top of £276,000 he made from a speech in October.

The records also show he and his family have continued to receive accommodation from Tory donor Lord Bamford.

Mr Johnson registered a further £3,500 in accommodation from the JCB boss and his wife Carole for November and December.

That was in addition to the £37,000 for accommodation he had previously registered from the couple since leaving office in September.

A previous entry specified it covered the cost of hiring a marquee, portable toilets, waiting staff, flowers, a South African BBQ and an ice cream van.

According to the latest update to the register, Mr Johnson was paid £277,723 by New York-based investment banking firm Centerview Partners for a speech on 9 November.

He then received £261,652 from the Hindustan Times for a speech on 17 November, and £215,275 from Portuguese TV station Televisao Independente for a speech on 23 November during the CNN Global Summit in Lisbon.

Mr Johnson was replaced as prime minister by Liz Truss in September, after his resignation in June.

His downfall followed a mass revolt by ministers over controversies including his handling of sexual misconduct allegations against former deputy chief whip Chris Pincher.

Mr Johnson faced criticism for being too slow to suspend Mr Pincher from the parliamentary party, following allegations he had groped two men in a private members’ club.

Mr Pincher stepped down from his government job in July, when he apologised for drinking “far too much” and embarrassing “myself and other people”.

The MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip attempted a surprise comeback in October, when he emerged as a possible replacement for Ms Truss after she resigned.

But he later ruled himself out of the leadership race, saying it was not possible to govern effectively without a united party.

There had been suggestions Mr Johnson would stand down from Parliament after he was ousted as prime minister but he has told his local Conservative Party he will stand again as an MP at the next general election.

The East Devon highways and traffic orders committee has voted for a planning application to be made for the route between Mosshayne Lane and Cranbrook, and to start acquiring the land needed.

Ollie Heptinstall, Local Democracy Reporter eastdevonnews.co.uk

The 1.5 km off-road walking/cycling route from Cranbrook’s Station Road will connect to the proposed Clyst Valley Trail and become part of the Exeter cycle network that connects Cranbrook to the city centre.

The proposed Mosshayne to Cranbrook cycle link. Image: DCC.

In a report, the council was told the existing shared-use path along the London Road B3174 is “inadequate for the expected demand and not compliant with current guidance, nor suitable for all users.”

The report added that “significant growth” between Cranbrook and the M5 will “increase traffic volumes on the B3174, making the current route unattractive for people to use to access employment, education or leisure opportunities.”

The new route will provide an “attractive and direct alternative link away from traffic between Exeter and the Exeter and East Devon Enterprise Zone (Cranbrook, SkyPark), enabling short to medium distance journeys to be converted to active travel.”

Councillor Sara Randall-Johnson (Conservative, Broadclyst) asked whether cyclists and pedestrians could be separated along the trail, but she was told the council had decided against this as it would mean the trail would have to be five metres wide – “too intrusive to this particular area.”

An officer added: “With our shared space signing campaign and other methods we need to make sure that we encourage people to behave properly when they’re on bikes but also people walking with dogs etc.”

Cllr Randall-Johnson later said that she didn’t think the width of 3.5 metres is enough, given the increasing size of Cranbrook. “This is not a rural area any more. This is very much an urban area and we should be planning for it.”

Cllr Phil Twiss (Conservative, Feniton) supported the proposal, saying he was encouraged to use his e-bike due to Exeter being “basically a large car park after you go under the M5 bridge.”

He also asked for cyclists to be involved in preparing the detailed plan for the route.

Devon County Council intends to submit a planning application next winter. Subject to approval and funding, construction could start in the financial year 2024/25.

Government about to announce abandoning the principle of a legal target for river health, and postponing a deadline for agricultural run-off reduction by three years (from 2037 to 2040). 

On sewage discharge: “investment in the infrastructure that makes such discharges unnecessary is the answer, and rules must be toughened to force the industry’s mostly foreign owners to take the necessary steps”.

As Owl reported in the past few days, South West Water is making a major investment in the Budleigh area, not to increase sewage treatment capacity, but to renew the sewer overflow into the sea at the Otter Head.

Why are Budleigh residents getting hammered daily?

Campers please don’t all flush at once.

Delaying pollution controls will only lead to harm

Editorial www.theguardian.com 

England’s rivers are in a shocking, filthy state, with every single one failing the last set of quality tests carried out in 2019 under EU rules. This is bad for biodiversity, above all the fish, mammals such as otters, and other species that live in rivers. And it is bad for people, to whom the depletion of nature poses an increasingly grave global threat. There could be no good time for the UK government to announce that it is abandoning the principle of a legal target for river health, and postponing a deadline for agricultural run-off reduction by three years (from 2037 to 2040). It is difficult to imagine a worse moment for such an announcement than the final week of a crucial UN biodiversity conference (Cop15) in Montreal.

Yet this is the decision that is expected to be made by the environment secretary, Thérèse Coffey, in the next few days. And while some farmers may welcome the further license to pollute waterways that they are likely to be granted, others, along with civil society groups and naturalists, will oppose what amounts to environmental negligence. The Conservatives’ atrocious record in office over the past 12 years with regard to water has recently come under sharpened scrutiny. Any further weakening of regulation can only strengthen the sense that a vital natural resource has been catastrophically mismanaged – while the companies that control it have been enabled to enrich themselves, and their investors.

Sewage dumped by water companies is the main cause of pollution off England’s coasts – including popular beaches and protected areas. Investment in the infrastructure that makes such discharges unnecessary is the answer, and rules must be toughened to force the industry’s mostly foreign owners to take the necessary steps. Ofwat, which regulates the private water companies, is a key player here. Its record of inaction led the Liberal Democrat environment spokesman, Tim Farron, to describe it as a “powerless accomplice”. But ministers are also to blame for the cuts to Environment Agency budgets that led to fewer and weaker water quality checks.

Agriculture, and particularly animal waste known as slurry, is the main source of inland water pollution. It affects nearly two-thirds of rivers, while the water sector supplying homes affects half. This problem requires a different solution, involving changes to land management and use. Challenging though this may be, putting it off will only make matters worse, especially since droughts and other extreme weather are expected to exacerbate the difficulties. The message from scientists is that the environmental crisis could not be more urgent, and wealthy countries like the UK should lead the way with policies geared towards sustainability.

The government has already missed its own target date for the new regulations, which was at the end of October. It remains to be seen what – if anything – the recently created post-Brexit watchdog, the Office for Environmental Protection, is going to do about this. But the overall situation is clear. Having promised that Brexit would usher in a new era of environmental regulation tailored for the UK, ministers are failing dismally to live up to their own prospectus.

Ministers have been accused of writing a “blank cheque” for Boris Johnson’s legal bills, as it emerged taxpayer-funded support was being extended to help defend him against claims he misled parliament over Partygate.

Aubrey Allegretti www.theguardian.com 

With just days left until a contract expires with the law firm Peters and Peters, which Johnson and the government have relied on to disparage an investigation by the privileges committee, the Guardian has learned the Cabinet Office intends to renew it.

The extension could be for up to six months given the investigation’s slow progress and was likely to be signed off without a new tender process, sources said.

Peters and Peters was given the four-month contract, worth nearly £130,000, in August. David Pannick, an advocate and king’s counsel, was instructed on the firm’s behalf.

The life peer has since sought to discredit the investigation by claiming MPs on the cross-party committee had adopted a “fundamentally flawed approach” and that their interpretation of whether any misleading was deliberate would have a “chilling effect” on future statements by ministers.

Johnson himself has protested his innocence, and is said to believe it is unclear what the committee is investigating.

The Peters and Peters contract expires on 16 December, but sources confirmed it would be extended to help Johnson and the government while the privileges committee inquiry continued.

They said procurement rules meant that because the same service was being requested, the government would not need to re-tender the contract.

The Cabinet Office declined to say whether more money would be spent on the extended contract, or if the legal advice would continue to be provided within the existing budget.

Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, said Rishi Sunak had “serious questions to answer” about whether more taxpayer cash would be spent defending Johnson during a cost of living crisis.

“Families up and down the country who are struggling to make ends meet will rightly be outraged at this sickening waste of their money,” she told the Guardian.

Rayner said despite Sunak’s pledge to restore integrity and accountability to government, he was “already failing to stop the rot in Downing Street” and pointed out that the government had still not appointed an ethics adviser.

Oral evidence sessions, which were meant to begin by the end of November, were now not likely to begin until mid-January.

Johnson himself would be called to give evidence, and was said to have requested he be accompanied at the hearing by a legal team – something a source close to him denied.

Because the privileges committee is in control of the timetable for witness sessions, requests for follow-up evidence and the writing of its final report, the contract extension could be for up to six months.

While delays to the inquiry were caused by the death of the queen and wrangling over the addition of a new member to the committee, the government was also accused of delaying things by refusing to hand over, or heavily redacting, key documents.

Chris Bryant, a Labour MP and chair of the standards committee, suggested Johnson could afford to pay his own legal bills and highlighted the money the former prime minister has made since leaving office, including a speech for which he charged £276,130.

“The government seems to have issued a blank cheque to Boris Johnson at a time when public finances are meant to be tight,” Bryant said. “Frankly, Boris Johnson can afford his own legal representation.”

Ministers have previously said public money is being used to defend Johnson, even though he is no longer a member of the government, because the inquiry “has potential implications for all future statements by ministers of the crown in current and future administrations”.

Adam Afriyie says he will not quit as Conservative MP after bankruptcy order

“Not content with bankrupting the country, Tory MPs are now being declared bankrupt themselves.” (Labour spokesperson)

Jessica Elgot  www.theguardian.com 

The Conservative MP Adam Afriyie has said he will not quit as an MP after being made bankrupt by a court ruling, which found he owed about £1.7m.

Afriyie was pursued by creditors including HMRC for £1m in unpaid tax and Barclays Bank. He asked for more time to sell the family home in order to pay his debts. But the judge ruled Afriyie had had long enough to make arrangements and ordered bankruptcy.

Under parliamentary rules, sitting MPs who are declared bankrupt do not have to step aside unless a more severe bankruptcy restrictions order is made against them, which can be imposed if the bankrupt refuses to cooperate with the process or is suspected of hiding assets.

In a statement, the Windsor MP said he would stand down at the next election but not trigger a byelection. “This has been ongoing for many years following business failures some time ago. I am ultimately responsible for some of the bank borrowing through personal guarantee. I’ve been trying to sell our home and downsize for some time, but it’s a tough market,” he said.

“It is a stressful time and it’ll be tough for a while, but I’m far from the only person in a difficult position, and I will continue to do my best to support my constituents until the next general election when I’ll be standing down.”

The order was made against Afriyie at an online hearing in the insolvency and companies court on Tuesday by Judge Nicholas Briggs.

Labour sources said they were likely to make the case that it is untenable for a sitting MP to owe so much to HMRC.

A party spokesperson said: “Not content with bankrupting the country, Tory MPs are now being declared bankrupt themselves.”

The Liberal Democrat deputy leader, Daisy Cooper, said: “Adam Afriyie should do the decent thing and stand down. The drama about his tax affairs has been going on for too long and local people deserve a hardworking MP focussed on the job. In the middle of a health and cost of living crisis, this is no time for an absent MP.”

The judge was told Afriyie owed about £1m to HMRC and about £700,000 to Barclays and concluded he would not allow more time for Afriyie to sell the property.

“It seems to me there is no evidence of there being any reasonable prospects of paying debts in full,” he said.

Barrister Fiona Whiteside, who represented Barclays, said the bank had “lost patience”, and added: “We have seen no credible evidence that the property will be sold any time soon.”

Afriyie, who has said he will stand down at the next election, was previously a successful entrepreneur after setting up the IT firm Connect Support Services and then co-founding the political information provider DeHavilland. Shortly after he was first elected in 2005, that business, of which he owned 72%, was sold to the publishing giant Emap with his share worth £13m.

He paid £4m for a house in his Windsor constituency in 2008, according to Land Registry records. Connect Support Services went into insolvency in 2017 and it was reported at the time that it had racked up £1.7m of debts with HMRC, which is the lead creditor in Afriyie’s forthcoming bankruptcy case.

Afriyie announced his intention to stand down at the next election over the summer, during the Conservative leadership election. He said: “With Brexit concluded and the fourth leadership election under way, I feel that now it the right time for a new MP to represent our constituency and continue to protect and promote our beautiful area in the years ahead.

“There is no greater honour than to serve your country and your constituents, and I will diligently continue to perform my duties until the next election.”

The poll shows that the Conservative Party would be likely wiped out in much of the north of England, with the model suggesting that the party would not hold a single seat north of Lincolnshire, while also losing all of the seats in London, and conceding many seats in the South West to Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

Tories reduced to 69 seats, Jupp loses his! – Owl

[For explanation of MRP – see footnote.]

savanta.com

This latest MRP model reflects the position now, of two parties experiencing widely differing electoral fortunes.

• MRP Voting Intention: Labour 48% (+3); Conservative 28% (-5); Lib Dem 11% (+1); Reform UK 4% (+1); Green 3% (-1); change from Savanta MRP poll in September
• MRP seat forecast: Labour 482 (+280); Con 69 (-296); SNP 55 (+7); LD 21 (+10); Plaid Cymru 4 (=); Green 1 (=); Labour majority of 314; change from GE 2019 results
• Model suggests the Conservatives would lose all seats in the north of England, including Rishi Sunak’s Richmond constituency 

Labour would return to the House of Commons with a 314 seat majority if an election were tomorrow, according to the latest MRP nowcast from Savanta.

The poll, Savanta’s first MRP since Labour conference and conducted in conjunction with Electoral Calculus, gives Labour a 20pt voting intention lead which, when converted to seats would more than double the number of MPs they currently have in Westminster.

The poll shows that the Conservative Party would be likely wiped out in much of the north of England, with the model suggesting that the party would not hold a single seat north of Lincolnshire, while also losing all of the seats in London, and conceding many seats in the South West to Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

The SNP gain an extra seven seats according to the model, leaving them with all bar four of Scotland’s 59 Westminster constituencies, while the Liberal Democrats would increase their parliamentary representation to their highest level since 2010, including gaining Dominic Raab’s Esher and Walton seat.

Commenting on the findings, Chris Hopkins, Political Research Director at Savanta, says,

“Last time we published an MRP model, I spoke of both the potential and precarious nature of the 56-seat majority and 12pt lead the poll gave the Labour Party during their conference. Even the most optimistic Labour supporter would not have foreseen what was to come, such was the subsequent Conservative collapse, and therefore this latest MRP model reflects the position now, of two parties experiencing widely differing electoral fortunes.”

“But we must still express caution. Many seats going to Labour in this model, including a few that could be deemed ‘Red Wall’, still indicate a 40% or higher chance of remaining Conservative, and while that would have little impact on the overall election result, it does show that if Rishi Sunak can keep narrowing that Labour lead, point-by-point, the actual results come 2024 could look very different to this nowcast model.”

Commenting on the findings, Martin Baxter, Founder and CEO of Electoral Calculus, says,

“This is an interesting poll, because it is the first MRP we have done since the Conservatives slid so far behind Labour, and therefore we have very little to compare it with. MRP results are different to applying uniform national swing (UNS) to the 2019 General Election baseline. The UNS prediction would give the Conservatives about 24 more seats than this model.”

“Previous elections suggests that MRP is usually more accurate than UNS predictions, but we are in uncharted electoral waters and uncertainty is higher than usual.”

Savanta interviewed 6,237 GB adults aged 18+ online from 2-5 December 2022. Data were compiled in a multi-regression and poststratification (MRP) model by Electoral Calculus. Savanta is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.

MRP stands for “multi-level regression and post-stratification”, it is a statistical technique. Usually, pollsters conduct research on a sample of people and try to ensure that their sample is representative of the whole population.

In MRP, you carry out a large nationwide poll, but it isn’t so important that the sample is representative of the whole population. You record lots of other data about the people who respond and use that to devise a mathematical model of how various groups of people are likely to vote.

Then you can make granular predictions by assuming that people in a certain demographic bracket in one area – university-educated single men in their 30s, say – have similar preferences to people in the same bracket in another area. The validity or otherwise of these assumptions is key. (Abridged from New Scientist www.newscientist.com) 

“There’s a huge need for more affordable housing across the district. The current waiting list has over 4700 individuals and families on it. To put that into context, EDDC only has around 4300 properties and this is decreasing year on year due to the Right to Buy (RTB). We have had 70 requests for RTB so far this year.”

[Councils are prohibited from keeping all of the money from Right to Buy (RTB) sales. The rules over retaining and spending receipts are complex and frequently revised.

In addition RTB homes have to be sold at a discount.This discount was increased substantially in 2012. Since this increase the Local Government Association (LGA) has calculated that in total £6bn has been given out in discounts.

The net effect is that local authorities have only been able to replace around a third of homes sold since 2012, which in turn means that they are struggling to provide housing for homeless and vulnerable families. – Owl. Source: www.localgov.co.uk ]

Unusually, the Exmouth Journal does not identify the author of the “opinion” article below.

Owl has discovered that it is Cllr. Dan Ledger: portfolio holder “Sustainable Homes and Communities”, chair of Housing Task and Finish Forum and of the Poverty Working Panel.

The ‘desperate’ need for more affordable homes in East Devon

www.exmouthjournal.co.uk 

So what are the plans for increasing affordable home numbers across the district? 

The vast majority of the district’s affordable homes come through planning obligations on developers. For East Devon, the local plan stipulates that 25% of all major application homes should be affordable. Most of these homes end up in the ownership of housing associations where the tenures are split depending on localised housing needs. This delivers between 150-350 new affordable homes each year. It’s great for areas seeing large growth but where little housing is planned there aren’t enough affordable homes coming through. 

One of my first major acts at EDDC, when I joined in 2019, was putting forward a motion to rescope our dormant housing company. A task and finish forum (a small working group of councillors) was set up, working alongside officers, on how we could ensure EDDC started developing social homes again. We met with other local authorities, found out what had worked, and what hadn’t, and looked at an array of delivery models. From the TAFF, we have created a new council service called the Housing Task Force. 

The aim is to deliver truly affordable, secure and sustainable homes for the residents of East Devon who need them most. As part of this year’s budget, £500k was allocated to staff and initially fund the set up of a housing task force for two years. The sites will be a mixture of open market acquisitions and the redevelopment of under-utilised areas of council-owned assets. I am glad to announce we have several sites that are currently going through viability testing to build a pipeline of new social homes.

The first site of 25 units will be delivered late next year in Honiton, subject to planning. These new homes will be fully developed by outside contractor ZEDPods. ZEDpods produce modular buildings that are zero carbon, come with air source heating and solar panels as standard and have 70-year warranties on a lot of the home’s components. The homes will not only be highly energy efficient and reduce fuel poverty for our residents, but they will also reduce overall maintenance costs over time. This will allow further money to be put into improving our housing stock or increasing the number of homes we have under Council ownership. 

If you wish to see what the new homes could look like ZEDPods will be installing a temporary unit in the car park at Blackdown House, our Honiton Council Offices, early in the new year. 

The added stock will allow for strategic decisions to be made with our existing housing stock. We can look to dispose of or redevelop some of our homes that would struggle with retrofitting measures to make them more energy efficient. The government has set a requirement of all homes being D or higher by 2025 or they will be unable to be relet, this is why I’m so glad the Task Force has come around when it has. 

It won’t happen overnight but we will introduce a comprehensive renewed asset maintenance plan which will lead to better homes for our residents. We will increase affordable housing numbers, improve our existing stock, reduce the Council’s ongoing maintenance costs, reduce residents’ utility costs and start to tackle the issue of residents who have grown up in the area not being able to continue to live here due to unaffordable housing costs. 

The plan is there, we just need to deliver it now. I’m looking forward to the journey ahead. “

East Devon District Council response to Housing Ombudsman report

An East Devon District Council (EDDC) spokesperson said:

“The total number of Housing Ombudsman complaints for the period 2021/22 was five and in four of those cases we let our tenants down – details of which can be openly found on EDDC’s website – having been reported to our Cabinet. We accept the Ombudsman’s findings and continue to take a learning approach to all outcomes. We recognise where the areas of improvement are for us, two key areas being improved communication with residents as well as improved record keeping. Both issues have been impacted by high levels of vacancies we have experienced in the housing team. We are reassured to note that the vast majority of housing complaints received (97%) during 2021/22 were resolved locally, indicating that our internal complaint procedure is working effectively in providing resolution and remedy for our residents at the earliest possible stage. That said, any finding of maladministration by the ombudsman is something that we need to learn from”.

eastdevon.gov.uk