In this week's Who's To Who's Not, come for the political analysis and stay for the terrible Oasis puns.
Soaring high – Sir Lindsay Hoyle
There was a bitter mood in Parliament this week as Westminster grappled with the fallout from the DPP’s decision not to prosecute two men accused of spying for China.
Speaker Lindsay Hoyle was incandescent when the decision was announced a few weeks ago and as Parliament returns after conference recess, the Speaker wasted no time in granting two Urgent Questions on practically the same subject. WTWN senses the opposition were very much pushing at an open door here.
Unsurprisingly, Tory China hawks were fuming at the implications for national security and were determined to hold the government to account. Kemi Badenoch went for Starmer on the issue at PMQs and whilst surprises can be useful at the weekly session, there would have been insurrection on the Tory benches if Kemi hadn’t focused on the China spy case.
This is clearly an important national security issue, as well as an important matter for parliamentary integrity. And both the Tories and the Speaker were right to pursue the issue.
But this being Westminster, politics comes into the equation. Not only is the government vulnerable, but it is also a means for the Tories to generate some lesser-spotted unity on an important subject. For Labour, they must be careful to balance their national security duties with their objective of generating economic growth, including from Chinese investment, or else there could be further political implications.
Middle – Rachel Reeves
Rachel Reeves all but confirmed the worst-kept secret in Westminster: there will be tax rises at next month’s budget. It’s a pitch-rolling time!
Following the government’s prominent use of the term ‘fiscal black hole’ last summer, the language seems to have entered the political lexicon. But now the term is being used to attack Labour rather than the Tories. With the OBR still crunching final numbers, the Chancellor will be hoping for a little kindness to help her demonstrate how she will balance the books.
One way or another, Reeves will stick to her fiscal rules because her political credibility and the country’s economic credibility depend upon it. But to do so, some taxes will need to rise and whilst that will probably satisfy the bond markets in the short term, there isn’t endless patience.
And the structural challenges for the government remain: restless backbenchers demanding additional spending on public services, debt interest topping £100 billion per year, and anger from business groups that higher taxes are stunting the economic growth that is integral to the government’s political strategy. Something’s gotta give.
Sinking quickly – Zarah Sultana
More trouble in paradise for the nascent leaders of ‘Your Party’ as co-founder/destructor-in-chief Zarah Sultana admitted that her and Jezza fight like the Gallagher Brothers but like Oasis, they are now back together. Whatever.
Whilst Sultana and Corbyn continue to establish the foundations for their new party/tear each other to shreds, they are in danger of getting left behind by the Green Party. Some might say that new leader Zack Polanski has been having an immediate impact by being omnipresent on the airwaves and is clearly determined to seize the far-left vote.
Sultana and Corbyn may end up looking back in anger if they don’t seize the initiative by properly launching their new party. Otherwise, there is a real risk that it might not live forever. The Labour government will be hoping that there isn’t room in the British political system for two hard-left national parties and they end up splitting the vote to the benefit of Labour. D’you know what I mean?