ANDREW PIERCE: Liz Truss’s Tories WON’T drink to Jeremy Hunt’s tax grab

Just hours after last week’s rather unremarkable King’s Speech, a group of 20 or so Tory MPs met to drown their sorrows.

They did so in Margaret Thatcher’s old haunt, the one-time home of Conservative Central Office — Smith Square — where the Iron Lady toasted all three of her general election victories. In kind, the MPs toasted Maggie in whisky, which was always her favourite tipple.

The MPs are all part of the Conservative Growth Group and their leader, former prime minister Liz Truss, was guest of honour. But they were not just there to reminisce about the 1980s — they had a serious agenda.

The 64 Tory MPs backing Truss’s group oppose any tax rises in next year’s Budget, the last before the next general election. Their campaign has long centred on income tax, personal allowances and corporation tax.

But in Smith Square, they agreed to add alcohol duty to their out-of-bounds list. And with good reason.

Duty went up on August 1 after the last Budget, and they fear Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will try to raise it again, disguised as a health measure. After last week’s meeting, he might have to think again. As one MP at the gathering told me: ‘Is Hunt thinking about what we’re drinking? He’d better be.’

The MPs are all part of the Conservative Growth Group and their leader, former prime minister Liz Truss , was guest of honour. But they were not just there to reminisce about the 1980s — they had a serious agenda (File Photo)

Why Corbynites are backing Keir

While Jeremy Corbyn may have been blocked from standing as a Labour candidate at the next general election, his supporters are still active.

Jon Lansman, a founder of the Corbyn-supporting group Momentum, told the New Statesman: ‘I will be canvassing for the Labour Party at the next election. There is no alternative on the Left to a Labour government. You can criticise it afterwards.’

So much for Sir Keir Starmer rooting out all the Corbynites from his party.

I-spy… Deep in conversation in Parliament’s Portcullis House, in full view of hundreds of MPs, stood Rishi Sunak’s parliamentary private secretary Craig Williams, the chief whip Simon Hart and his deputy Marcus Jones. I’m betting Home Secretary Suella Braverman was on the menu . . .

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will be in London this month for an investment conference. But I hear he will also be doing business with former chancellor George Osborne, chair of the British Museum.

Osborne’s desire to return the Elgin Marbles, which have graced the museum for more than 200 years, will likely be on the agenda. Expect a sharp riposte from Rishi Sunak and his predecessor Boris Johnson, who both say the sculptures should stay put.

The red Cross

Much spluttering in the Lords as senior Tory Lord Strathclyde attacked holier-than-thou Crossbenchers for consistently voting against the Government. Lord Strathclyde, a former Leader of the Upper House, is bang on. The Crossbenchers have long been sailing under the false flag of neutrality.

They’re now largely Left-leaning members of the Blob, and it was high time someone said so.

Labour whip’s Gaza dilemma

With more Labour resignations expected over Sir Keir Starmer’s refusal to call for a Gaza ceasefire, all eyes are on Holly Lynch, the party’s deputy chief whip.

The MP for Halifax, who has a slender 2,600 majority, will have the unenviable task of preventing Labour MPs from backing an SNP motion calling for a ceasefire, should it be put to a vote this week. She is duty-bound to follow the party line, but she’s also under huge local pressure to rebel, with one in eight of her constituents being Muslim. Will she put her majority first, or her frontbench career?

The MP for Halifax (pictured), who has a slender 2,600 majority, will have the unenviable task of preventing Labour MPs from backing an SNP motion calling for a ceasefire, should it be put to a vote this week

Source: Read Full Article