Mark Harper, the new transportation secretary, was the voice of the government on air this morning. He said the government remained committed to HS2 but hinted it was looking at costs that could be cut. He told Sky News: We return to the 2019 manifesto, looking at the commitments we made. We are committed to making sure we can bring high speed trains to Leeds. What we’re doing in my department, and I’ve been told, is we’re looking at all the options available to do that. I will consider all options for doing this in the light of the decisions we make in the Autumn Statement. Harper also said his department was still considering whether or not to move forward with developing more smart highways. He told LBC: I have looked very carefully at the concerns that people have, the very comprehensive report that the transport select committee did. You will know my predecessor, but one has stopped opening new smart highways until the department has gathered data over a significant period of time about their operation, about their safety record, so then we can make some decisions in the light of all that of elements , and this position remains so. This information will be gathered and then we will be able to make decisions in due course about whether or not to develop any more of these highways. Ed Balls, the former secretary of state for children and former shadow chancellor, is the perfect example of a politician who used reality TV to boost his popularity and reputation. But he was on Strictly, not I’m a Celebrity, and only after he stood down as an MP. He said Matt Hancock made a mistake joining the jungle show. Bales explained: I personally wish him luck. But I think he’s a complete jerk to do that. Because I think it’s the wrong place to do it, the wrong time and the wrong schedule. Doing it as a sitting MP just brings up all these questions. He has lost the whip, [Rishi] Sunak, the prime minister, is clearly furious, his constituents will take up arms. He has been paid to do this while also going to the jungle. I mean, look, to be fair, Boris Johnson was on a Caribbean beach two weeks ago and he’s a sitting MP. But you know, that’s a different thing. Secondly, this is the guy who was the health secretary during the pandemic, we didn’t have the research yet. And so it just brings back so much pain and suffering to so many people and it’s not something you can ignore until we go through that investigative process.
Hundreds moved from Manston migrant center amid overcrowding
Hundreds of migrants have been turned away from an immigration center in Kent amid concerns it had become dangerously overcrowded, PA Media reports. The full story is here. Robert Jenrick, the immigration minister, posted about the situation in Manston last night. Manston Update: Thanks to the hard work and professionalism of Home Office and Border Force staff, military personnel and our contractors, we have made good progress. The number of migrants has decreased significantly today and we expect them to do so again tomorrow.1/2 — Robert Jenrick (@RobertJenrick) November 1, 2022 Unless we receive an unexpectedly high number of migrants in small boats in the coming days, numbers will drop significantly this week. It is imperative that the site returns to a sustainable operating model and we are doing everything we can to ensure this happens quickly. 2/2 — Robert Jenrick (@RobertJenrick) November 1, 2022
Hancock suggests all MPs try reality TV and says he’ll use I’m a Celebrity to raise awareness of dyslexia
Good morning. Matt Hancock, the former health secretary, has written an article for the Sun defending his decision to take part in I’m a Celebrity and one claim he makes is that his participation in the program is justified because, under Rishi Sunak, the government is now ‘stable’, meaning that parliament and the nation can now get by for three weeks without having to have Matt Hancock on hand. When I was first approached to join — while flattered and naturally curious — it didn’t take me long to turn down the opportunity because of the instability the government was facing at the time. Now, however, the government is stable. Rishi Sunak is off to a great start and I know he has what it takes to be a great PM. While this argument is obviously easy to use, Hancock has a point. The very fact that his descent into reality TV was headline news for most of yesterday suggests that the Tory crisis/psychodrama is over (at least for now) and politics is getting a little more normal. Hancock yesterday removed the Conservative whip after announcing he was to take unauthorized leave from parliament to join the program in Australia, and a Tory colleague described him as an “absolute lunatic”. In his article in the Sun today Hancock defends his decision saying he is going into the jungle to raise awareness of dyslexia and suggesting more MPs should do the same. He says: Some may think I’ve lost my marbles or had one too many drinks, trading the comfortable surroundings of Westminster and West Suffolk for the extremes of the Australian outback, going where there will be few creature comforts, not enough food and a load of physical tasks involving snakes, spiders and many other creepy crawlies. While there will undoubtedly be those who think I shouldn’t go, I think it’s a great opportunity to speak directly to people who aren’t always interested in politics, even if they are very interested in how our country works. It is our job as politicians to go where the people are — not to sit in ivory towers in Westminster… It’s clear as day that politicians like me need to go where the people are — especially those who are politically disengaged. We need to wake up and embrace popular culture. And describing the message he wants to get across, Hancock says: While most people will know me as Health Secretary during the pandemic, what you probably won’t know is that I am dyslexic and have campaigned for better recognition and support for dyslexic children… By talking about dyslexia on prime-time TV, I hope not only to increase support for my Dyslexia Screening and Teacher Training Bill (which receives its second reading in Parliament just days after I’m A Celebrity . . .), but I aim to help the public better understand this very common condition, which affects around one in ten people. Good luck with that, as they say. When George Galloway decided to join Big Brother, he said he would use the show to discuss issues such as poverty and racism, but all he remembers is pretending to be a cat. It would be nice to think that it makes time for some dyslexia awareness among penis-chewing animals, but the producers may have other ideas. Here is the agenda for the day. 9.35am: Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England, speaks at a King’s Fund conference. Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, is speaking at the same event at 1.30pm. 12pm: Rishi Sunak takes on Keir Starmer at PMQs. 2.30pm: Robert Jenrick, the immigration minister, gives evidence to the Women’s and Communities’ Equalities Committee on equality in the asylum process. 2.30pm: Ben Wallace, the defense secretary, is giving evidence to the Commons defense committee on relations with the US and NATO. I’m trying to follow the comments below the line (BTL) but it’s impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, include “Andrew” somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I try to answer questions and if they’re of general interest I’ll post the question and answer above the line (ATL), though I can’t promise I’ll do it for everyone. If you want to get my attention quickly, it’s probably best to use Twitter. I’m on @AndrewSparrow. Alternatively you can email me at [email protected] Updated at 09:26 GMT
