Last week, around 20% of courts were not sitting, with over 13% this week also sitting unused on average each day.
Victims are being forced to suffer, cases collapse and justice delayed.
Labour should take onboard the internal and external opposition to its justice reforms, and put forward a new Bill focused on utilising Court capacity which would garner cross party support.
📈Today, 4 June 2026, 83 out of the 532 Crown courtrooms in England & Wales will not be sitting.
That's 16% of them. #courtstats#CS04062026 https://t.co/OBi7XQV0Lo
🚨 WATCH: Nigel Farage is repeatedly heckled by MPs as he calls on Keir Starmer to end "two-tier policing"
Starmer: "His response has been to appeal for rage. That’s his response to a father who lost his son & asked for this not to happen... it shows exactly who he is"
#PMQs
More taxes mean increased complexity for businesses, as well as more resources and money spent complying with them, in turn negatively impacting growth. Additionally, a complex tax system is more vulnerable to exploitation by individuals and companies.
Streamlining the tax system should be a priority as it could raise the same level of revenue whilst importantly fostering growth
Great piece by @FraserNelson in today’s Times. This sentence in particular stood out:
“Left or right, nationalist or unionist, populist or centrist: all know that the welfare state needs to go back to what it was originally built upon. That is: support should be a bridge back into life, not a destination.”
Fraser deserves huge credit for championing this issue over many years, and I hope Alan Milburn’s interim report encourages all parties to begin focusing on a unified approach to welfare reform and tackling the NEETs crisis over the summer.
Interesting point! Welfare reform is needed, but it will not solely fix the NEET issue.
The solution must also focus on ensuring there are enough jobs, and that involves fostering a pro-growth environment throughout the country 📈
This is most striking figure from Millburn Review. They estimate that around half of the 18-24 population who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) are not claiming any benefits. This limits how effective reforms to the benefit system can be in cutting NEET rates.
The responsibility for social care provision should be transferred to Westminster.
Local Councils would then be freed up to focus on the core priorities of local communities 👇
✅ Economic support & regeneration 📈
✅ Local infrastructure & transport 🚌
✅ Support programs 👨🏫
✅ Housing 🏡
'Nationally, about 78% of local authority revenue funding goes on social care.'
On our podcast on local government, @HelenMiller_IFS is joined by Aileen Murphie to discuss where most local authority revenue funding goes.
🎧️ Listen here: https://t.co/aOrXuxCclJ
This is a step in the right direction, but the funding must be used to create below degree level apprenticeships.
In 2015 degree level apprenticeships accounted for 4% of apprenticeships, now they account for over 17% and their growth has been at the expense of intermediate level courses which have decreased.
This shift is reducing the opportunity for non-degree level further education and is contributing to the rising levels of youth unemployment.
Finding an apprenticeship can be tougher than “getting into Oxford or Cambridge”, a Government minister has claimed.
Minister highlights obstacles for young people as she promises £600m to create 60,000 new places 👇
https://t.co/qUR32VJNi9
This individual's behaviour was abhorrent, vulgar and far below what we should consider acceptable for a modern British society.
Farage endorsing and encouraging it highlights the type of society he wants. One built on anger and hatred towards those you disagree with.
🚨What does One Nation Conservatism look like in 2026?
At ONCN, we’ve been working hard on a new Declaration of Values document to chart a path forward and set out what One Nation Conservatism means in modern politics
Keep your eyes peeled for updates as we near the release
Young people must have a full range of options for when they leave school so that they are able to choose an option based on what is best for them, not just on what is available.
The apprenticeship system is key, but it has become a mess and needs fixing through focusing on👇
1️⃣ Increasing the number of apprenticeships, with a goal to get back to pre-2017 levels
2️⃣ Reverse the trend towards degree level apprenticeships so they are a real alternative to university
As @BobBlackman highlights, our welfare system should be supporting the unemployed to develop the skills employers actually want and need, otherwise we are setting them up to fail and risk trapping them in the system
Welfare needs reforming, but we need a serious, support-led approach that empowers individuals to move off welfare permanently
Charles Moore is right: the Conservatives will not beat Reform by becoming louder, angrier or less serious.
The opportunity is elsewhere.
A centre-ground politics that is practical, pro-growth and prepared to make hard choices.
Radical where needed. Credible enough to govern.
https://t.co/f1TQER6g2E