DUP blocks NI government as election call looms - BBC

Niall Carson/PA

By Mark Simpson and Chris Andrews

BBC News NI

Northern Ireland's politicians have failed in last-ditch efforts to restore devolved government ahead of a legal deadline to call an assembly election.

The parties met on Thursday but failed to elect a Speaker, or the first and deputy first ministers.

The NI secretary is set to call a poll if no executive is in place by Friday.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is blocking the restoration of power-sharing in its protest against post-Brexit trading arrangements.

Unionist politicians argue the Northern Ireland Protocol undermines Northern Ireland's position in the UK.

It keeps Northern Ireland aligned with some EU trade rules to ensure goods can move freely across the Irish land border.

'Failure of leadership'

Assembly members met at Stormont as Sinn Féin, which won the largest number of seats in the last assembly election in May, called for the DUP to end its protest.

The DUP has refused to nominate ministers to the executive and denounced the assembly meeting as a "flawed and failed attempt" to restore power-sharing.

The prime minister has urged the DUP to return to Stormont, with an official spokesman saying "the people of Northern Ireland deserve a fully functioning and locally elected executive which can respond to the issues facing the communities there".

Charles McQuillan

The executive is made up of ministers from the largest parties, and is designed to ensure unionists and nationalists govern together.

Before a heated debate at Stormont on Thursday, Speaker Alex Maskey said: "If the assembly is unable to elect a speaker and deputy speakers, it cannot proceed to do any of the other business, including the appointment of ministers."

The election of a new Speaker is required before an executive can be appointed but attempts to elect the Social Democratic and Labour Party's (SDLP) Patsy McGlone and Ulster Unionist Party's (UUP) Mike Nesbitt both failed.

It is the fourth time the assembly has met and failed to elect a Speaker since May's election.

Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O'Neill, who is entitled to the first minister position after her party won the most seats in May's election, accused DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson of a "failure of leadership".

She said that if power-sharing could not be restored, there should be a "joint approach" between London and Dublin.

The Northern Ireland Office has ruled this out and said "joint authority is not being considered".

Charles McQuillan

There is no indication the deadlock will be broken before Friday's 00:01 BST deadline - 24 weeks since the assembly first met following May's election.

If the deadline is missed, Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris must call for an assembly election to be held within 12 weeks. The most likely date for a poll is 15 December.

Ministers have been in post, but with only limited powers, since the DUP withdrew from the executive in February.

This is because the DUP, which is the largest unionist party at Stormont, has also blocked the election of an assembly Speaker as part of its anti-protocol protests.

What happens if midnight's deadline is missed?

If political deadlock cannot be broken before 00:01 on Friday, Northern Ireland's secretary of state must call an election "as soon as is practicable" - to be held within 12 weeks.

Chris Heaton-Harris, who has been in office since 6 September, has consistently said he will call one, rather than try to delay it or avoid it with fresh legislation at Westminster.

So, as of midnight, Stormont's caretaker ministers will be removed from office and senior civil servants will be in charge.

The assembly - which has been meeting only for special recalls since May's election - would also be dissolved.

A pre-Christmas election would partly fill the void, but there is a risk it could make things worse rather than better.

Positions could harden during campaigning and, if there was a very low turnout, the validity of the result could be questioned.

As the DUP has said it will continue its protest against the NI Protocol, the election is unlikely in itself to break the stalemate.

So Northern Ireland could be set for further cycles of negotiations, up to 24 weeks, and future elections, until a resolution is found or the law is changed.

Read more: Q&A: Is Northern Ireland going back to the polls?

Alliance Party leader Naomi Long, who leaves her position as justice minister, said she was "ashamed to be part of this circus yet again".

"We know that elections in Northern Ireland do not solve problems, they deepen the crisis," she added.

Matthew O'Toole, of the SDLP, said the assembly session was "depressing and shameful" and "felt like a wake for power-sharing".

UUP leader Doug Beattie said the assembly recall was "farcical" and protocol issues needed to be sorted out to restore the executive.

His party colleague Robin Swann, the outgoing health minister, said he was disgusted, frustrated and angry at the political impasse.

"I'm angry that politics has actually got in the way of making the progress that our patients require," he continued.

Irish Tánaiste (deputy prime minister) Leo Varadkar described the situation as regrettable, urging all parties, particularly the DUP, to "honour their mandate".

Read more: Stormont crisis explained

• NI politicians return to Stormont to elect Speaker
• Who is NI Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris?
• A simple guide to the Northern Ireland Protocol
• Brexit and Northern Ireland: What does each side want?

Protocol conundrum

In May's assembly election, Sinn Féin became the first nationalist party to win the most number of seats at Stormont. The DUP came second, with Alliance party returning with the third largest number of seats.

The result cemented a majority for assembly members who accept the protocol.

Sinn Féin, the Alliance Party and the SDLP are all in favour of the protocol remaining, although they accept some changes need made to the way it operates.

Unionist parties - the DUP, the UUP and Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) - say the protocol undermines Northern Ireland's place in the UK and is contrary to the spirit of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, the peace deal which set up the power sharing arrangements in Northern Ireland.

Recent research conducted by Queen's University suggests the majority (65%) of those polled in Northern Ireland wanted an executive to be formed regardless of what happened on the protocol.

The LucidTalk poll was based on weighted sample of 1,499 responses from 7-10 October, with a margin of error of 2.3%.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and European Commission's Maros Sefcovic held a call on Thursday about EU-UK talks on the protocol.

The EU accepts it causes difficulties for many businesses, and technical-level talks on how to fix problems are expected to continue even in the event of fresh elections.

That's a change from earlier in the year, when negotiations were paused ahead of May's assembly poll.

People close to the current talks say the mood is better between the two sides than it was back then.

However, there are also warnings that it's entirely possible, because of remaining differences between Brussels and London, that discussions could eventually run out of road.

Are you a Northern Ireland business owner being impacted by the political limbo? How would an election affect you? Share your experiences.

• Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk
• WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803
• Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay
• Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiN2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3VrLW5vcnRoZXJuLWlyZWxhbmQtNjM0MDMzNznSATtodHRwczovL3d3dy5iYmMuY28udWsvbmV3cy91ay1ub3J0aGVybi1pcmVsYW5kLTYzNDAzMzc5LmFtcA?oc=5

2022-10-27 17:24:53Z
1627073303

Headless body trial: Woman guilty of murdering and decapitating friend - BBC

Jonathan Goldberg

A woman has been found guilty of murdering and decapitating her friend in order to inherit her estate.

Jemma Mitchell, 38, killed Mee Kuen Chong, 67, in north-west London in June 2021, before putting her body into a suitcase and dumping it in Devon.

Ms Chong's headless remains were found by holidaymakers in Salcombe, 200 miles from her home in Wembley.

Mitchell forged a will in Ms Chong's name in an attempt to gain money for renovating her house.

Ms Chong, who was also known as Deborah, had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and struggled with her mental health, the trial at the Old Bailey heard.

Met Police

She had initially offered to invest £200,000 for renovations at Mitchell's property, also in north-west London, but changed her mind.

• The cold-hearted killer who decapitated her friend

Shortly afterwards, she went missing before her remains were discovered 16 days later.

A radiologist who examined Ms Chong's injuries told the court it was likely she had been hit over the head with a weapon.

Detectives who searched Mitchell's house found Ms Chong's personal and financial documents, and a will that had been created on Mitchell's computer after Ms Chong's death.

Mitchell had named herself and her mother as the beneficiaries of Ms Chong's estate, valued at about £700,000.

After the verdict, Judge Richard Marks praised the police team for their "excellent and extremely thorough investigative work".

Mitchell, who was convicted after the jury deliberated for about eight hours, will be sentenced on Friday.

Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hellobbclondon@bbc.co.uk

Related Internet Links

• HM Courts & Tribunals Service - GOV.UK

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiNWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3VrLWVuZ2xhbmQtbG9uZG9uLTYzMzk5NTEx0gE5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmJjLmNvLnVrL25ld3MvdWstZW5nbGFuZC1sb25kb24tNjMzOTk1MTEuYW1w?oc=5

2022-10-27 10:43:39Z
1629061872

Labour tells MP Nadia Whittome to delete Rishi Sunak tweet - BBC

UK Parliament

By Dan Martin and Hugh Casswell

BBC News

Labour has ordered MP Nadia Whittome to delete a tweet saying Rishi Sunak becoming prime minister "isn't a win for Asian representation".

The Nottingham East MP posted after Mr Sunak was this week confirmed by Conservative MPs as the UK's first British Asian prime minister.

Her tweet triggered heavy criticism and was later deleted.

A spokesman for Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has now confirmed she was instructed to remove it.

Getty Images

She had tweeted to say Mr Sunak was a multimillionaire who had, as chancellor, cut taxes on banks while living standards dropped in the UK and added: "Black, white or Asian: if you work for a living, he is not on your side".

Sir Keir's spokesman stressed that Rishi Sunak becoming the first British Asian prime minister was a "great thing" and something the country "should be proud of".

A spokesperson for Ms Whittome told the BBC she would not apologise for the tweet and had not been asked to do so by the party.

Labour has confirmed it is not expecting her to apologise and it is understood the party now considers the matter closed.

In a statement Ms Whittome's office said: "Like Rishi Sunak, Ms Whittome is second-generation British Indian.

"Ms Whittome was pointing to Rishi Sunak's record as chancellor to demonstrate that effective political representation of British Asian communities - and the interests of all working people - is about far more than the ethnicity of the prime minister.

"Following a discussion with the Labour whips, it was agreed that Ms Whittome would delete the tweet."

Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk.

Related Internet Links

• UK Parliament

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiPmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3VrLWVuZ2xhbmQtbm90dGluZ2hhbXNoaXJlLTYzNDA1MzA30gFCaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmJjLmNvLnVrL25ld3MvdWstZW5nbGFuZC1ub3R0aW5naGFtc2hpcmUtNjM0MDUzMDcuYW1w?oc=5

2022-10-26 17:48:06Z
1621221509

Rishi Sunak brings back fracking ban in first PMQs - BBC

This video can not be played

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

By Becky Morton

BBC political reporter

The ban on shale gas fracking in England has been restored by new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in his first PMQs.

His predecessor Liz Truss had lifted the ban on the controversial process where there was local consent.

In his first full day in the job, Mr Sunak also defended reappointing Suella Braverman as home secretary just days after she quit over data breaches.

During Prime Minister's Questions he would not commit to increasing benefits in line with prices.

However, Mr Sunak said he would continue to "protect the most vulnerable".

His spokesman also refused to comment on whether the state pension would rise with inflation ahead of a statement by the chancellor next month.

Jeremy Hunt is now due to set out the government's plans for tax and spending on 17 November, after delaying the announcement by more than two weeks.

• Fact-checking Rishi Sunak's first PMQs
• Who is in Rishi Sunak's cabinet?

Ms Truss announced her decision to lift the ban on fracking, which involves drilling into the earth to recover gas from shale rock, in September. With energy bills rising, she argued fracking could boost the UK's gas supplies.

But the move provoked a backlash from many Conservative MPs because of concerns about earth tremors linked to fracking.

The controversial process was halted in 2019 following opposition from environmental groups and local communities.

Labour and other opposition parties are also against the return of fracking.

Asked by Green MP Caroline Lucas if he would restore the moratorium on fracking pledged in the Conservatives' 2019 manifesto, Mr Sunak said: "I have already said I stand by the manifesto on that."

The Tories' general election manifesto said the party would not support fracking unless the science showed "categorically" that it could be carried out safely.

The PM's official spokesman later confirmed Mr Sunak was committed to this promise.

The last few weeks saw the near-total junking of Liz Truss's programme for government.

Today at Rishi Sunak's first PMQs, it felt like the last remaining remnants of her ideas were lobbed in the skip.

So her flirtation with fracking in England is junked, with the PM restoring a 2019 "moratorium" on drilling for shale gas.

It was also strongly hinted that the government will raise those benefits that don't automatically go up with prices in line with the rate of inflation.

Liz Truss was tempted to put them up in line with average earnings instead.

So what about pensions? Will they go up in line with spiralling prices too?

The prime minister's official spokesman was less categorical about that, but the importance of the manifesto was repeatedly referenced.

Read more from Chris.

Mr Sunak has previously expressed support for fracking. Just a week ago he voted against a Labour motion to ban the practice.

Asked during a Tory leadership debate with Ms Truss in July whether he would support fracking, he replied: "Yes, if local communities support it."

Labour's shadow climate and net zero secretary Ed Miliband said: "Whatever their latest position, the truth is that the Tories have shown that they cannot be trusted on the issue of fracking. The only way to guarantee that fracking will be banned for good is to elect a Labour government."

The move was welcomed by environmental groups, with Friends of the Earth describing it as a "fantastic victory for common sense".

Sam Hall, director of the Conservative Environment Network, said: "[Fracking] is unpopular, and few communities would approve fracking projects locally, meaning little or no gas would be extracted, despite the high political cost.

"Instead, the government should focus on building more cheap and popular renewables, including onshore wind and solar where there is local support."

Getty Images

Chaos surrounding a vote on fracking, brought by Labour last week, contributed to Ms Truss's swift downfall, just 44 days after she took office.

The evening before her resignation, there were accusations of Tory MPs being bullied and manhandled during the vote.

Ministers denied physical force had been used to persuade colleagues to vote with the government.

The government ultimately won the vote with a majority of 96, but 40 Tories did not take part.

The Scottish and Welsh governments continue to oppose fracking, and say they will not use their powers to grant drilling licences.

In the past consent to begin fracking has been given only for two sites in Lancashire, neither of which are now in operation.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiLWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jb20vbmV3cy91ay1wb2xpdGljcy02MzQwMjc3N9IBMWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jb20vbmV3cy91ay1wb2xpdGljcy02MzQwMjc3Ny5hbXA?oc=5

2022-10-26 20:07:43Z
1607172991

Rishi Sunak commits to Ukraine … but Kyiv still dreams of Boris Johnson - POLITICO Europe

Press play to listen to this article

LONDON and KYIV — Britain is on its third prime minister of 2022 — but Rishi Sunak insists nothing has changed in his country’s undying support for Ukraine.

In his first address to the nation as U.K. prime minister Tuesday, Sunak pledged to place “economic stability” at the heart of his new government’s agenda and warned of “difficult decisions” ahead on spending.

But in a bid to reassure a Kyiv still pining for its departed ally Boris Johnson — as well as to shore up pro-defense Tory MPs — Sunak firmly committed to supporting the British armed forces and said the “terrible” war in Ukraine “must be seen successfully to its conclusion.”

His decision Tuesday evening to reinstate Ben Wallace and James Cleverly — both ex-military men — as defense and foreign secretary respectively was designed as a clear signal he will maintain continuity in Britain’s approach to global affairs. Neither man backed Sunak in his successful leadership bid, but Wallace in particular has impressed NATO allies with his clear-sighted approach to the war on Europe’s eastern border.

You may like

Tellingly, Sunak’s first call with a foreign leader was with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Tuesday night, to tell him that the U.K.’s support will remain “as strong as ever under his premiership,” according to a readout from Downing Street. Zelenskyy in turn said the conversation had been “excellent,” signaling the U.K.’s “full support in the face of Russian aggression.”

The new prime minister, however, is yet to set out his plans for Britain’s defense budget, with next week’s all-important fiscal statement likely to signal the start of a long program of spending cuts as he tries to restore confidence in the U.K. public finances.

Sunak had already signed off one boost to U.K. defense spending before he resigned as Johnson’s chancellor in July. But throughout the summer he refused to endorse his leadership rival Liz Truss’ pledge to further up the budget, to 3 percent of GDP by 2030 — a figure endorsed by Wallace — arguing he did not want to set “arbitrary targets.” Tory MPs who pressed him again this week to commit to the 3 percent target said he refused to do so.

“That shows he’s going to put what, in his mind, is the security of the country’s finances before building up the armed forces — at a moment of war in Europe and looming tensions in the Pacific,” said Ben Judah, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council think tank.

Speculation around the defense budget has fueled whispers of concern in Kyiv, where senior officials are publicly calling for closer ties with Britain.

Earlier in the year allies of Johnson — at the height of a feud between the two men — pushed rumors that Sunak was less committed to the war than his former boss. In April the Sunday Times suggested Sunak believed a deal would one day have to be done with Russian President Vladimir Putin — though Sunak has never made any such suggestion in public.

Zelenskyy congratulated Sunak on Tuesday, and said he was “ready to continue strengthening the Ukrainian-British strategic partnership together.”

Privately, however, the mood is less upbeat. A bizarre meme expressing support for Boris Johnson’s return as prime minister appeared on the Ukrainian government’s official Twitter account after Truss resigned last week — before being swiftly deleted.

 Tellingly, Rishi Sunak’s first call with a foreign leader was with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy | Alexey Furman/Getty Images

And a source close to the Ukrainian government lamented that Sunak has said “virtually nothing about defending Europe except that there will be budget cuts in national defense [compared with Truss’ long-term plans].”

A Baltic ambassador to the U.K. said it was “important” for the region to see Sunak sticking to the 3 percent target, and warned “his credentials are not in foreign policy and defense.” Sunak’s immediate predecessors in Downing Street, Truss and Johnson, had both served as foreign secretary before entering No. 10.

Other European allies are already resigned to a scaling-back of the boost to the U.K. defense budget, but do not believe the rise of Sunak will see Britain actively change course.

“Given the fact that the [U.K.] economic situation is so bad, all sectors will probably have to play their part [in spending cuts],” an EU diplomat said. “But there’s no split in the [Conservative] party when it comes to the fundamentals of how to act in Ukraine.”

Britain’s approach to Russia and China will be set out in a refresh of the government’s Integrated Review of security, defense and foreign policy, initiated by Truss, which looks set to continue under Sunak’s leadership.

The new prime minister, who cut his teeth as a hedge fund manager at the City of London before his career in politics, “is very much going to bring a Treasury mindset toward foreign policy into the office of prime minister,” Judah predicted, adding the few times Sunak has expressed views on international affairs have always been “through an economic lens.”

“He’s not very interested in foreign policy,” he added. “He’s interested in the economy, finances, Britain’s ability to be kind of a start-up nation … and stabilising the markets at a difficult time.”

Sunak could yet travel to Kyiv for his first foreign trip as PM, having expressed an interest in doing so last summer in a bid to show he would not deviate from the direction set by Johnson and Truss.

Dreaming of BoJo

In Ukraine, however, it is Sunak’s former boss — and deadly rival — Johnson whose departure as prime minister is still lamented far and wide. His brief, abortive attempt at a comeback last week further disappointed fans.

“Johnson simply cannot fail to be loved by Ukrainians,” said 33-year-old Mykhailo Mykhailov, the owner of the newly opened ‘Boris Johnson’ pub in the western city of Lutsk.

“He’s extravagant. He rides a bike, drinks beer, throws parties. The British don’t like this, but we [Ukrainians] see the overall picture. It appeals to Ukrainian youth. He’s a dude that we can relate to.”

In Ukraine, Boris Johnson’s departure as U.K. prime minister is still lamented far and wide | Pool photo by Toby Melville via Getty Images

Mykhailov, a refugee from eastern Ukraine, has decorated the walls of his pub with numerous portraits of the former British PM.

“Also Johnson impresses older people,” he added. “That he was not afraid to come to Ukraine, that he supports us very much. And we love those who are with us.”

Ukraine’s former Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin attributed Johnson’s popularity among millions of Ukrainians to the fact that former British premier “did not make any sophisticated calculations, but consistently went forward [in his support for Ukraine] … both politically and emotionally.”

“He didn’t act like a typical Western politician — cautious, prudent, with deliberate wording,” Klimkin added. “He is not perceived by Ukrainians as a typical Western politician. He is perceived as a friend of Ukraine.”

The dateline of this article has been corrected.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiVGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnBvbGl0aWNvLmV1L2FydGljbGUvcmlzaGktc3VuYWstY29tbWl0LXVrcmFpbmUta3lpdi1kcmVhbS1ib3Jpcy1qb2huc29uL9IBWGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnBvbGl0aWNvLmV1L2FydGljbGUvcmlzaGktc3VuYWstY29tbWl0LXVrcmFpbmUta3lpdi1kcmVhbS1ib3Jpcy1qb2huc29uL2FtcC8?oc=5

2022-10-26 02:15:00Z
CAIiEP8jHR___l444ihegtO1mKkqMwgEKioIACIQcjJaSOXDHqsfBBX2KL7ggyoUCAoiEHIyWkjlwx6rHwQV9ii-4IMw-8XbBg

Backlash to Braverman builds as foreign secretary defends her re-appointment - Sky News

James Cleverly has defended the re-appointment of Suella Braverman as home secretary, saying she has "a very clear agenda" that the prime minister wants to see delivered.

Ms Braverman resigned from the role seven days ago, having breached the ministerial code by sending secure information from her private email, and left with scathing remarks about Liz Truss's government.

But she was hired back by new PM Rishi Sunak yesterday as he chose a number of familiar faces to make up his cabinet.

Politics live updates: Sunak's first PMQs at noon as Braverman backlash grows

Labour attacked the move, accusing Mr Sunak of "putting party before country" by appointing Ms Braverman to win over the right wing of his party.

But Mr Cleverly said she had "very, very clear ideas about how we improve the performance of the Home Office" and had apologised for the mistakes of the past.

"Suella made a mistake," he told Sky News. "She has said herself that she made a mistake. She's apologised for that mistake and she stood down at the time.

More on Suella Braverman

Related Topics:

"She has shown a willingness to take responsibility for what happened - but ultimately [the PM] has decided that he wants to see the agenda that she has set out, that very important crime fighting agenda, back in the heart of government."

Image: Suella Braverman was brought back into her old role by new prime minister Rishi Sunak.

Ms Braverman has made a name for herself in parliament with her strong views on the so-called culture wars, recently attacking the "Guardian-reading, tofu-eating wokerati" .

Advertisement

And she holds firm positions on policy, especially around cutting new migration and her unwavering support for the Rwanda deportation scheme.

Labour's shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper pointed to Mr Sunak's speech outside 10 Downing Street after becoming prime minister, saying his government would have "integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level".

"Yet he has just appointed Suella Braverman to be home secretary again a week after she resigned for breaches of the ministerial code, security lapses, sending sensitive government information through unauthorised personal channels, and following weeks of non-stop public disagreements with other cabinet ministers," she added.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

1:10

Labour's Yvette Cooper criticises Rishi Sunak's appointment of Suella Braverman to home secretary, describing it as a

"Our national security and public safety are too important for this kind of chaos. We don't just need a new cabinet, we need a general election and a fresh start with Labour."

Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael⁩ also claimed Ms Braverman's appointment "makes a mockery of Rishi Sunak's claims to be bringing integrity to Number 10".

He called for an independent inquiry into the hiring, adding: "A home secretary who broke the rules is not fit for a Home Office which keeps the rules."

Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts

Meanwhile, questions remain over whether the new prime minister will go ahead with the planned economic statement on Halloween, organised in response to the market turmoil caused by Ms Truss's tax-slashing mini-budget last month.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, who has stayed in post at the Treasury, reversed most of her policies when he came into his role just over a week ago.

But the Commons statement set for 31 October is due to provide longer term plans to fill the fiscal blackhole the government has been left with after Ms Truss's short tenure, along with a much anticipated forecast from the Office for Budget Responsibility - something that was missing from the mini-budget.

One Treasury source told Sky News' political editor Beth Rigby it was "very possible" it will be delayed.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

2:10

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt reversed the majority of Liz Truss's policies after she appointed him last week.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly told Sky News this morning he had not had "specific confirmation of dates" and Mr Sunak will "want to take some time to work on the detail" alongside his chancellor.

But he added: "We know it needs to come soon. We know people want certainty.

"We know people want a clear idea of the government's plans [but] whether it happens exactly on that day, I'm not able to confirm."

Labour's shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson said she was "surprised and alarmed" that the Halloween statement could be delayed, and said it showed "never-ending chaos... at the heart of government".

"We don't yet fully know the scale of the damage that the Conservatives have cause to our economy," she told Sky News. "We've seen all this chaos and we do need to see those forecasts... as soon as possible.

"Big decisions not being taken and it creates massive problems for our country... that are not being addressed."

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMicGh0dHBzOi8vbmV3cy5za3kuY29tL3N0b3J5L2JhY2tsYXNoLXRvLWJyYXZlcm1hbi1idWlsZHMtYXMtZm9yZWlnbi1zZWNyZXRhcnktZGVmZW5kcy1oZXItcmUtYXBwb2ludG1lbnQtMTI3MzA0NzHSAXRodHRwczovL25ld3Muc2t5LmNvbS9zdG9yeS9hbXAvYmFja2xhc2gtdG8tYnJhdmVybWFuLWJ1aWxkcy1hcy1mb3JlaWduLXNlY3JldGFyeS1kZWZlbmRzLWhlci1yZS1hcHBvaW50bWVudC0xMjczMDQ3MQ?oc=5

2022-10-26 07:14:40Z
CBMicGh0dHBzOi8vbmV3cy5za3kuY29tL3N0b3J5L2JhY2tsYXNoLXRvLWJyYXZlcm1hbi1idWlsZHMtYXMtZm9yZWlnbi1zZWNyZXRhcnktZGVmZW5kcy1oZXItcmUtYXBwb2ludG1lbnQtMTI3MzA0NzHSAXRodHRwczovL25ld3Muc2t5LmNvbS9zdG9yeS9hbXAvYmFja2xhc2gtdG8tYnJhdmVybWFuLWJ1aWxkcy1hcy1mb3JlaWduLXNlY3JldGFyeS1kZWZlbmRzLWhlci1yZS1hcHBvaW50bWVudC0xMjczMDQ3MQ