BEST FOR BRITAIN'S
WEEKEND WIRE

Dear John 

Someone out there owes us £10, because our prediction of a Cabinet resignation this week came true! Let’s look into the rest of the week’s comings and goings to see how long the rest of the lot can hang on.

Gav’s gone

The Sunak cabinet has notched its first resignation in disgrace, and it’s a shame it had to happen to one of Westminster’s most upstanding characters. 

Gavin Williamson resigned on Tuesday. His time in Cabinet began circling the drain over the weekend, when reports of his saltily-worded texts to Wendy Morton led to a formal complaint.

As his history of threatening behaviour splashed across the front pages, Williamson’s directive to an unnamed MoD official to “slit your own throat” proved the final blow. Citing the reported host of MPs prepared to make their own complaints, he magnanimously declared that he had become a “distraction” from the business at hand and resigned. What a guy!

The unkindest cuts

As the Treasury scrambles to cough up tens of billions to fill the Tories’ ready-dug deficit, trickling warnings from the Chancellor have promised a new age of austerity.

Despite warnings that UK public services need at least £43 billion per year to save them from breaking point, next week’s fiscal statement is likely to include punishing cuts to transport, policing and child care.

With a planned reduction in public spending growth from 3.7% to as low as 1% from 2025, the UK could soon see street lights darken at night and libraries and recycling centres close. That’s if this government can hold onto the keys to Downing Street.  

Recession Hunt

Next week’s fiscal statement comes on the back of news that the UK economy contracted by 0.2% last quarter. Another contraction over the final quarter of the year will mean that the UK has officially entered a recession.

Despite the global economic slowdown, the UK has set itself apart yet again: its economy is the only one in the G7 which was smaller than it was pre-pandemic. What possible special circumstance could cause that?

With warnings that this recession could be the longest in a century, lasting until 2024, the outlook looks a bit Dickensian for the UK. The Tories have attempted to pony up excuses, from blaming global factors (okay, fair enough) to claiming the Queen’s death had dampened consumer spending (okay, Kwasi). The lead economist at the Confederation of British Industry was less than impressed, warning them that their planned austerity measures could exacerbate economic sluggishness.

Strikes a’plenty

If 1978-79 had a Winter of Discontent, 2022 is shaping up to be the Year of Flaming-Hot Rage.

This week saw industrial action on both mainline and London Underground services, bringing the capital to a halt. More rail strikes are set for later in the month. Workers in the civil service have also had enough. Over 100,000 of them voted to walk out this week, as the Government dallies on threats to cut over 90,000 jobs throughout the civil service.

The strikes have also come to the NHS, with the Royal College of Nursing Wednesday voting for their first ever nationwide walk out. Over 300,000 nurses are expected to participate.

Kherson withdrawal

In a major victory for the ongoing Ukrainian counteroffensive, Russia this week completed a withdrawal of forces from the city of Kherson. 

As they retreated across the Dnieper, Russia lost control of the only Ukrainian regional capital their troops had managed to capture during the war. Their defence minister cited a need for reinforcements for beleaguered Russian forces elsewhere on the front and supply line difficulties.

Ukrainian officials downplayed the significance of the withdrawal, cautioning that it could be a trap and emphasising their ongoing effort to retake more of the region. Still, it represents a huge blow for Putin in one of the regions annexed by Russia in September’s sham referenda.

Kwasi has his say

Emerging from the lettuce weeds Thursday evening was Kwasi Kwarteng, giving his first major interview following his brief, mystifying, disastrous, insert-inadequate-adjective-here tenure as Chancellor.

The gist? It wasn’t my fault. Amid reports that the two are no longer speaking, Kwarteng told Talk TV that he (along with every economist not employed by the Daily Mail) had warned Truss against the tax-slashing bonanza in the mini budget, branding it “mad” and far too jarring for the UK economy. 

Hindsight, ever 20/20, has vindicated his alleged warning. If he is to be believed, Kwarteng did make one correct prediction: he claims to have told Truss that the mini-budget measures would see her booted out of office within two months. At least she got to resign in Buckingham Palace; Kwarteng got the sack via Twitter.

US election surprise

The US midterm elections were held on Tuesday, and Joe Biden’s governing Democratic Party pulled off an unexpectedly strong showing, defying predictions of a Republican ‘red wave’. Listen back to Best for Britain’s immediate analysis featuring yours truly here.

As West Coast states continue counting ballots, as of Friday, the Democrats looked set to retain control of the Senate, while the House of Representatives looks likely to go to the Republicans by the thinnest of margins. The Democrats also saw success beyond the federal level, winning several key state governorships and passing abortion protections and legalising marijuana in both red and blue states across the country. 

Catching extra attention was the dismal performance of Donald Trump’s endorsees, who lost key races in Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Hampshire, and beyond. With his expected nomination rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, cruising to re-election, many GOP grandees have begun openly calling for Trump to step aside, Rupert Murdoch included.

Since we’re not Gavin Williamson, we won’t command you to have a good weekend–that’s your decision. We can only provide suggestions–we’ll be enjoying some schadenfreude, trying to navigate around the Tories’ transport maze, and taking some well-deserved rest. See you on the flip side.

Tommy Gillespie
Press Officer, Best for Britain

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