Chris Whiteside's Blog

"In 2019, it was hard enough trying to convince my constituents that Labour wasn’t antisemitic. In the next election, when they inevitably ask whether Labour is sexist, I’m not sure I’ll be able to do the same." (Labour MP Rosie Duffield , in an article on the Unherd website, which you can read in full by clicking on the link below: The Labour Party has a woman problem - UnHerd )

Today saw the start of the largest ever defibrillator rollout programme in England, delivering on the Conservative government's commitment to ensure every school has a device by the end of this academic year, providing pupils and staff with access to lifesaving first-aid equipment. The government is committed to making sure that every school in England has a defibrillator by the end of this academic year, as part of helping schools teaching first aid and CPR. That is why we are today delivering new defibrillators to the first of 18,000 state funded schools that will receive 20,000 new devices this year, including extra defibrillators at sports facilities, as part of the largest ever defibrillator rollout programme in England. The new devices will save lives and give pupils, parents, and teachers peace of mind, while providing the tools schools’ need to keep pupils safe.

David Carrick's crimes were a disaster for his victims, for the police service in general, and for the thousands of honest, decent men and women in the police service who would never dream of abusing their positions the way he did. So y esterday, the government  strengthened requirements for police vetting   and launched reviews of all police officers and vetting standards, keeping people safe by rooting out misogynistic and predatory behaviour in the police. David Carrick’s sickening crimes are a stain on the police and he should never have been allowed to remain as an officer for so long – vetting and standards must be strengthened so this can never happen again. That is why yesterday, the Home Secretary asked the College of Policing to make the legal requirements for police vetting stricter and clearer, alongside reviews by every police force of their officers and staff to root out anyone unfit to serve that may have slipped through the net – as well as bringing forward the...

 

Today, the Conservative government   awarded a share of £2.1 billion of taxpayer's money to over 100 local communities as part of the second round of the Levelling Up Fund , supporting projects that will create jobs and boost economic growth across the country. One of the Prime Minister’s top priorities is growing the economy, to create better-paid jobs and spread opportunity right across the country. This provides the foundations upon which to build stronger communities and safer streets. Levelling up remains central to these missions. We are spending taxpayer's money, but by generating growth throughout the whole country we will get a return for that money and everyone will ultimately benefit.  We are already delivering on this promise – with greater investment in local areas, boosting growth, creating jobs, improving local transport links, and reinvigorating our towns and high streets. We’ve announced devolution deals for regions across the UK, and confirmed two new Green F...

"The whole country is shocked and appalled by the case of David Carrick.   The abuse of power is truly sickening, and our thoughts are with his victims.  The police must address the failings in this case, restore public confidence and ensure the safety of women and girls." (Prime Minister Rishi Sunak )

 

 Very touched by this tweet from the Swedish foreign ministry today: "Each year, on 17 January, we honour the memory of Raoul Wallenberg. The Swedish diplomat saved tens of thousands of Jews from the Holocaust. Join us in lighting a candle today for Raoul, his humanitarian deeds and human solidarity!" I will indeed be lighting a candle this evening in honour of a great man. Wallenberg was arrested by the Soviet intelligence agency SMERSH on 17th January 1945, and never heard from again. Twelve years later the Soviet authorities claimed that he had died of a heart attack in the KGB's Lubyanka prison in 1947.  However, in the post-Soviet era, the Russian Federation government investigated what had really happened, and concluded that Wallenberg had been executed by the Soviets and that he and his driver were "victims of political repression."   This, of course, took place during the period when most of the people running Russia were keen to distance themselves from...

News ONS figures out this week include the welcome news that   a record number of people are in work .   Even in the face of global economic challenges the UK labour market remains resilient, and Conservatives are determined to support families across the country by delivering on our promise to halve inflation and reduce debt. That is why today we welcome the news that a record number of people are in work – with ONS figures showing that the number of employees on the payroll is now 888,000 above pre-Covid levels. This news that more people across the country is good news for those people and their families and because it will help us all get back to long-term growth, which will ultimately make possible higher wages, and better living standards for everyone.

  "The real danger is not that computers will begin to think like men, but that men will begin to think like computers." ( Sydney J Harris ) (The image above is "Always on my mind" by Tito Salomoni, which was associated with this Sydney Harris quote in a book of the artist's paintings) 

On Saturday the UK government   announced that a range of polluting single-use plastics will be banned from October 2023 , cutting plastic waste and protecting our environment. England uses 2.7 billion items of single-use cutlery and 721 million single-use plates every year but only 10 per cent of these items are recycled, damaging our environment.  That is why the UK government is introducing a wide-ranging ban on single-use plastic plates, trays, bowls, cutlery, balloon sticks, and certain types of polystyrene cups and food containers following a consultation which saw 95 per cent of respondents back the reforms. This applies to England but similar measures have been introduced by the devolved administrations.  Having already banned microbeads and restricted the use of straws and carrier bags the impact on the environment of single-use plastics is being reduced across the UK to protect our planet.

Britain is not just sending tanks and weapons to Ukraine, important though this is. Today the UK government  announced   new medical support for Ukraine - including bandages, crutches, and wheelchairs for those injured in Russian attacks   – as we continue to support the Ukrainian people in their fight against Putin.  Putin’s brutal bombardment of civilians and infrastructure across Ukraine is continuing to have a massive human cost, with the Ukrainian people paying the price. That is why today Britain has announced that we will provide new medical support to Ukraine - including 70 pallets of bandages, crutches, wheelchairs, as well as new equipment for damaged medical facilities such as tents, beds, and gowns. This latest donation will help to ensure that medics on the frontline can continue to provide life-saving medical support to those caught in the conflict.

There is a point in warfare where the difference between causing civilian deaths through incompetence, through negligence, or deliberate murder fades into insignificance. Russia has reached that point when using missiles designed to hit ships and known to have accuracy issues against land targets against inland civilian infrastructure. A regime waging an aggressive war which fires such missiles at a civilian power grid, only to hit instead a block of flats and kill forty innocent men, women and children, has just as much blood on its hands as a regime which orders or allows its soldiers to tie civilians' hands behind their backs and then callously shoot them. Of course, Russia has done that too in Bucha and elsewhere. Here is today's defence intelligence summary from the MoD.

 

 

 

"All of our knowledge has its origins in our perceptions" ( Leonardo Da Vinci ) The image above is "Building a Rainbow" by Tito Salomoni, which was associated with this quote by Leonardo in a collection of paintings by this artist. 

 

The   Prime Minister has signed a historic defence agreement with Japan , accelerating and deepening our defence cooperation and driving innovation to create highly skilled jobs in the UK.  In this increasingly competitive world, it is more important than ever that democratic societies continue to stand shoulder to shoulder as we navigate the unprecedented global challenges of our time. That is why yesterday, we signed a Reciprocal Access Agreement with Japan, rapidly accelerating our defence and security cooperation by allowing the UK to deploy forces in Japan so we can plan and deliver larger and more complex military exercises and deployments. This landmark agreement cements our commitment to the Indo-Pacific and underlines our joint efforts to bolster economic security, accelerate our defence cooperation, and drive innovation that creates highly skilled jobs.

The government has unveiled the locations of two new Green Freeports in Scotland, reinforcing our commitment to level up all corners of our United Kingdom.  Delivering freeports across our United Kingdom is a cornerstone of our commitment to levelling up communities and drive economic growth.  That is why the government has announced two new Green Freeports in the Firth of Forth and Cromarty Firth backed by £52 million in UK Government funding, helping to level up Scotland and create over 75,000 new, high-skilled jobs.  These two Green Freeports will create exciting new jobs, boost business and unleash fresh opportunities for investment in local areas and beyond. 

As mentioned in the previous post, I met PM Rishi Sunak last week and one of the things we discussed was the question of the UK sending Main Battle Tanks to Ukraine. The PM gave me a very positive reply on this, and it has now been confirmed that Britain will indeed be sending 14 Challenger II Main Battle Tanks, with logistic support, enough to equip a squadron in the Ukrainian army.  Britain will also be sending more mobile artillery: about 30 AS90s 155mm self-propelled guns. The nations of the free world should do much more to provide Ukraine with heavy weapons to defend itself, this should not be the end but it is at least a start.  I know that a number of other European nations including Poland and France are in favour of sending more heavy tanks such as Leopard IIs and I hope that Britain's decision to send Challengers will help encourage Germany both to agree to let Poland and other allies send their own Leopards and to send some themselves.

Last week the Prime Minister made time to meet the "Senior Volunteers" of the Conservative party - the National Convention officers and the regional chairman. He gave us a brief address and then made time to come and speak to all of us individually. I already had a high opinion of Rishi Sunak, but I thought he was on great form. I have been around long enough to have seen every Conservative leader since Margaret Thatcher working a room, (I was a student when I saw Maggie doing it.) You don't get to be leader of a major political party unless you are good at it, I think in terms of ability to listen and be seen to listen, to Rishi was up there with the very best. I asked him about sending Main Battle Tanks to Ukraine and the need for further increases in the number of Medical School places to train more doctors (both of which I strongly support.) He gave very positive responses to both questions and, of course, it has since been announced that Britain will indeed be sendin...

" Well, well, well. Usual suspects in being among   Ukraine’s best friends in need -   Britain and   Poland. Thank you guys. By being ready to provide us with Western battle tanks, you’re making a big step forward in bringing this damned war to an end." ( Illia Pomonarenko , defence reporter of the Kiev Independent, on Twitter)

  The goverment has promised  £10 million to deliver 29 new breast cancer screening units and other upgrades , speeding up diagnosis and treatment so more people can get checked for cancer, closer to home. Catching cancer early saves lives. Last year 100,000 people were diagnosed with cancer at stages one and two. This is the highest proportion on record but we want to do better still. That is why the Conservative government has promised an extra £10 million of taxpayers' money to deliver 29 new breast cancer screening units, 58 remote access upgrades and nearly 70 life-saving service upgrades to speed up diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. These new units and upgrades will mean more people get checked for cancer, closer to home - helping us catch cancer earlier so we can get people on the path to early treatment and save lives.