benedict

It's only unprecedented until it happens | Now muting people who are still banging on about Brexit | 🔃s & 💙s are NOT endorsements

[Tom Harwood @tomhfh]

BREAKING: Bearded Boris

[benedict @BENEDICT_W_B]

@agentgraves13 Aberdeenshire 🏌️⛳

[Diane Abbott @HackneyAbbott]

This is the clip of my interview.

[Politics Inside Out @PolInsideOut]

Former Education Secretary Gillian Keegan says MPs rather than party members should choose who leads political parties.

Gillian Keegan on @PolInsideOut speaking to @GloriaDePiero and @JonAshworth.

https://t.co/TnA4oPTbfN

[GB News @GBNEWS]

Sir Bob Blackman, the chairman of the 1922 committee exclusively tells GB News that the threshold to trigger a vote of no confidence has been secretly increased from 15pc to 33 pc of the Parliamentary party.

[Stuart Fraser @stu_fraser]

Djokovic v Alcaraz really highlighting the BBC’s Olympic rights limitations here. After showing the best first set of tennis this year, the only option to continue following the action is the website live text 😬 Thankfully there is a reliable stream of the match on Discovery+

[benedict @BENEDICT_W_B]

@notpiastri Which team?

[Sir Greg Hands @GregHands]

And the Government is convinced it will drive us forward into higher growth.

Let’s not be kidded by the Left that this is some kind of extremist neo-liberal experiment: taken as a whole, it deserves our support!

[Sir Greg Hands @GregHands]

So none of this is either revolutionary or wrong.

All of these measures have strong merits.

The question is perhaps more of timing, sequencing and politics.

But these measures are undoubtedly founded in mainstream Conservatism - many were even prefaced in the Coalition.

[Sir Greg Hands @GregHands]

Removing the Brussels-imposed bankers bonus cap - it was never motivated by the best interests of London & the UK.

Given we can regulate the sector much better after our UK reforms 2010-14, the cap creates perverse incentives & can go.

[Sir Greg Hands @GregHands]

But 40p is the rate is was under Labour for almost all of its 13 years.

So 40p is not a Revolution!

[Sir Greg Hands @GregHands]

Cutting the top rate of tax happened in 2012 under the Conservative/LibDem Coalition, from 50p to now 45p. Government revenue actually *rose* by £8bn.

George O argued it was needed for Britain to show it was open for business - & wanted it at 40p. Government compromised at 45p.

[Sir Greg Hands @GregHands]

Cut in the basic rate of tax to 19p.

Giving low & middle-earners back more of their own money has long been a Conservative cause and is popular.

And taxation is at or close to an historically high.

[Sir Greg Hands @GregHands]

Efficiency savings.

Govt spending has risen significantly since I left the Treasury in 2016 - much due to the Pandemic - and now is the time to pare back on overspending departments.

The size of the civil service fell 19% 2010-2016 - but is now back to the level seen in 2010!

[Sir Greg Hands @GregHands]

As a former Chief Secretary to the Treasury, there is nothing inherently revolutionary or wrong with what the Government is proposing on tax & budgets.

All of the measures have strong merits, and taken together, may well be what’s needed.

Taking the parts in turn:

[Boris Johnson @BorisJohnson]

Statement on the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (3/3)

[Boris Johnson @BorisJohnson]

Statement on the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (2/3)

[Boris Johnson @BorisJohnson]

Statement on the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (1/3)

[Rt Hon Michelle Donelan @michelledonelan]

I’ve worked with @nadhimzahawi in the Department for Education, and around the cabinet table over the last 10 months. I’m backing him to be our next Prime Minister because he gets things done and delivers just like he did as Vaccines Minister 💉