Ethan Harries

Education Policy Specialist & Former Parliamentary Chief of Staff || All views are my own - just here for the gossip!

[Ethan Harries @HarriesEthan]

@LNRailway @LNRailway - looks like all but one LNR service between Euston and Nuneaton (Crewe) is running this afternoon. Is ticket acceptance in place with Avanti?

[Dan Hitchens @ddhitchens]

I’d missed these noteworthy comments from Tory chief whip Rebecca Harris:

“I was the Government Whip in charge of Private Members Bills for 7 years and I can categorically state this system is not designed to deal with legislation of this importance and magnitude.

“This Bill alters the foundations of our NHS, the relationships between doctors, their patients and their families and would leave much of the actual practical implementation to Ministers, codes of practice and regulations years in the future with little Parliamentary oversight.”

[Ethan Harries @HarriesEthan]

@askesure Please can you explain to me why my renewal quote is double last year’s premium? Same car, no claims?!

[James Heale @JAHeale]

Babe wake up the new parliamentary Christmas jumper has just dropped

[Politics UK @PolitlcsUK]

🚨 NEW: The Government has named the Civil Service AI assistant as Humphrey, after the ‘Yes, Minister’ character

[@BBCNews]

[Kate Ferguson @kateferguson4]

EXCL: Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson is under pressure from No10 over schools academy reforms.

No10 said to be shocked by scale of the backlash to the Bill.

No10 deny a rift. But Govt insiders says Bridget is "in the dog house"

https://t.co/R21sNooUJI

[Ethan Harries @HarriesEthan]

@LNRailway @AvantiWestCoast Is Avanti ticket acceptance in place all day?

[Ethan Harries @HarriesEthan]

@christiancalgie This is what Christmas is all about… @hornby! Many happy childhood memories of my Flying Scotsman!

[Ethan Harries @HarriesEthan]

@LNRailway Highly convenient when the network is in a mess - trains out of Euston cancelled or only going as far as Rugby.

[Jack Rankin MP 🇬🇧 @jackmrankin]

This week the House of Commons has decided:

(1) Adults are not able to make an informed decision to smoke cigarettes

(2) Adults are able to make an informed decision on ending human lives

Reasonable people can disagree, but please make that make sense. 🤯

[David Cameron @David_Cameron]

I am deeply saddened and disappointed that the new Labour Government has decided to close down National Citizen Service, @NCS.

I began pilots for NCS in opposition, to help build bridges across social divides. Young people from different backgrounds, different areas of the country, different ethnicities, faiths and sexualities would mix and work together – sometimes for the first time. In doing so, they were taken outside their normal comfort zones and had to work together, planning and delivering projects for their communities and learning vital practical and life skills along the way.

In government, we set up the full-scale programme, with cross-party support. It was the Big Society in action – a fantastic example of the positive and inspirational role young people can play in our modern, vibrant society. Lifelong friendships were built; resilience and self-confidence were nurtured; volunteering was encouraged; young people gained the creativity and soft skills needed to get on in life – and all could, and did, take part, ensuring that the opportunities offered were not the preserve of a privileged few. It was a programme that did a huge amount for social cohesion. Young people from BME backgrounds were particularly well-represented.

Since then, over one million young people have benefitted from the NCS experience. Indeed, it is a proud achievement and I still regularly get stopped in the street by parents who tell me what a positive difference NCS has made in the lives of their children; or by young people who have enjoyed taking part. The results speak for themselves, with an approval rating of over 90 per cent.

Much like young people, organisations need to grow, evolve and adapt to new challenges and changing times. NCS has constantly adapted to meet the times, not least during the pandemic, which impacted young people in such a devastating way. NCS has never been more vital, empowering our young people to be united in their diversity, with the skills to get on in life and the compassion to support each other.

But rather than be supported to become properly embedded in the fabric of our country and benefit generations to come, Labour are closing NCS for good. It is a deeply backward and regrettable step.

[Christopher Hope📝 @christopherhope]

BREAKING

Mel Stride has been appointed Shadow Chancellor and Dame Priti Patel has been appointed Shadow Foreign Secretary.
Senior Tory sources say both are experienced MPs, were candidates in the recent leadership contest, and represent different wings of the Conservative Party - demonstrating Kemi Badenoch’s desire to unite the party.
More now at @GBNEWS.

[Ethan Harries @HarriesEthan]

@TheSun and @RtHonRobHalfon - his fuel duty legacy lives on despite no longer being in the House. 🚗⛽️💵

[James Heale @JAHeale]

Fuel duty frozen for another year. Budgets come, Chancellors go but The Sun wins again.

[Tom Harwood @tomhfh]

Three take home facts:

Taxes up 📈
Borrowing up 📈
Growth down📉

#Budget2024

[Pippa Crerar @PippaCrerar]

NEW: The centrist Tory Reform Group refuses to endorse either Kemi Badenoch or Robert Jenrick in leadership race.

"Unfortunately, we have been consistently disappointed by the lack of engagement from the two candidates chosen by MPs.

"Both have used rhetoric and focused on issues which are far and away from the party at its best, let alone the One Nation values we cherish and uphold."

[Ethan Harries @HarriesEthan]

Deeply saddened to hear of the death of Mr Ratan Tata GBE - an inspirational business leader.

[Hugo Gye @HugoGye]

From Blair's new book

[Peter Apps @PeteApps]

If a 21yo rents a single room in London at today's rate, they will have put more than £100,000 into their landlords bank account by the time they reach their 30th birthday.

This is why young people don't have mortgage deposits or pension plans. We are other peoples'.

[James Cleverly🇬🇧 @JamesCleverly]

Watch Live: My speech to Conservative Party Conference
https://t.co/bibDF0TXm1

[Politics UK @PolitlcsUK]

🚨 NEW: GB News will host a debate between the final 2 Tory leadership candidates on October 17th

[@GuidoFawkes]