Rishi Sunak’s top aides advised against early election

Rishi Sunak’s top aides advised against early election. Isaac Levido and Michael Brooks warned ex-PM on 3 April voters ‘less likely to feel financially optimistic’

Rishi Sunak’s top aides advised him not to call an early election, warning him that voters would be less likely to feel “financially optimistic” in the summer and that Conservatives would not be able to “hit Labour hard with both fists”.

Isaac Levido, who directed the election campaign for the Conservative party, and Michael Brooks, a Tory strategist, issued the warning to the former prime minister in a blunt memo on 3 April, seven weeks before the election was called.

Rishi Sunak’s top aides advised against early election, memo reveals

“We need as much time as possible for economic metrics to improve and for voters to feel better off. An earlier election gives us less scope to communicate about economic progress, because voters are less likely to feel financially optimistic.”

Calling an election before the summer would remove “potential positive psychological effects of summer”, including those resulting from lower energy bills, holidays, better weather, the Euro 24 football tournament and even the Olympics, according to the memo.

The memo acknowledged there was a risk for the Conservatives that a late election “could leave us vulnerable to internal party division and other off-message distractions and policy challenges (eg strikes, increased Channel crossings)”.

Nine pets killed and 22 road accidents counted in fox cub-hunt season

Nine pets were killed and 22 road-traffic accidents were recorded by anti-fox hunting activists in the last three months.

Hunts and hounds also caused hundreds of cases of “hunt havoc” and at least 106 foxes were chased, according to a tally of reports by hunt opponents during fox cub hunting season, which ran from 1 August to 31 October.

Hunt havoc is when riders or hounds disturb or obstruct the public, such as hounds running loose on roads and disrupting traffic, running onto railway lines, chasing farm animals or attacking people’s cats and dogs.

The term also covers threatening behaviour; livestock worrying; damaging badger setts to dig up foxes or blocking them up to stop foxes from escaping and causing distress to the public.

The figures, compiled by the League Against Cruel Sports and seen by The Independent, show that monitors reported 127 cases of suspected illegal fox cub hunting and 315 cases of hunts wreaking havoc on rural communities in England and Wales during the three months.

They also said they saw 69 meets with evidence of illegal hunting and 46 cases of “threatening or irresponsible” behaviour by hunts.

The league said the figures were likely to be an underestimate because many hunt meets go unmonitored, but that the tallies indicated “the shocking scale” of fox-cub hunting, which continues despite the hunting ban that took effect in 2005.

Cases of hunt havoc, foxes being killed, road interference, trespass, worrying livestock, injury or abuse of horses or hounds and badger sett interference were all higher than last year, but the campaigners said this was likely to be because of greater monitoring and higher public awareness of illegal hunting.

This week a cross-party group of 18 MPs wrote an open letter to environment secretary Steve Reed asking for a series of legal loopholes to be addressed in law and for him to set out a timetable for action.

Cub-hunting is when hunts train hounds to kill foxes by targeting fox cubs, in preparation for the main fox hunting season.

Other cases documented included foxes being pursued by hounds or terriers being used to flush out a fox that had fled underground.

Gloucestershire, Dorset, Somerset, Nottinghamshire, Devon and Warwickshire are cub-hunting hot spots, the figures suggest.

Hunts say they follow scent trails laid in advance across the countryside to stay within the law.

But a League Against Cruel Sports spokesman said cases where hounds run on main roads show they are following a fox, not a trail.

John Petrie, of the league, said: “As we approach the 20th anniversary of the Hunting Act coming into force, these figures evidence why the law needs to be strengthened.

“Foxhunting is going on as it did before the ban and we need the government to act.”

Labour promised in its General election manifesto to end trail-hunting. But a report by the Action Against Foxhunting organisation warned such a ban would be ineffective because hunters would find other ways around the law.

A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: “This government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation – that is exactly what we will do. We will ban trail hunting that allows for the illegal hunting of foxes, deer, and hares.”

The British Hound Sports Association, the governing body for hunts, did not respond to a request to comment.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/fox-cub-hunting-hunt-havoc-pets-killed-b2643423.html

Ban to stop children from ever smoking a cigarette to be introduced in Parliament

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A ban to stop children from legally smoking tobacco when they become adults is set to be introduced in Parliament.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which aims to create the “first smoke-free generation”, will prevent anyone born after 1 January 2009 from legally smoking by gradually raising the age at which tobacco can be bought,

It is hoped the “historic” legislation could “save thousands of lives and protect the NHS”, according to ministers, and is set to be introduced in the House of Commons on Tuesday.

Indoor smoking ban powers could also be extended to some outdoor spaces, with children’s playgrounds, and outside schools and hospitals being considered.

Indoor smoking bans may also be extended to some outdoor spaces (Alamy/PA) (PA)

The Bill will introduce restrictions on vape advertising and sponsorship, as well as restricting flavours, displays and the packaging of e-cigarettes to reduce their appeal to children and young people.

Disposable vapes will be banned from 1 June 2025 under separate environmental legislation.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: ”Unless we act to help people stay healthy, the rising tide of ill health in our society threatens to overwhelm and bankrupt our NHS. Prevention is better than cure.

“This Government is taking bold action to create the first smoke-free generation, clamp down on kids getting hooked on nicotine through vapes, and protect children and vulnerable people from the harms of secondhand smoke.

“This historic legislation will save thousands of lives and protect the NHS. By building a healthy society, we will also help to build a healthy economy, with fewer people off work sick.”

A similar Bill was tabled by the previous government, but it was shelved as a result of the General election being called.

The proposals were later revived by the Labour Government in July.

In August, reports suggested ministers were considering banning smoking in some outdoor areas, such as beer gardens and outside stadiums, to improve public health.

Disposable vapes are set to be banned from June 2025 under separate legislation (Nick Ansell/PA) (PA Wire)

However, last month The Guardian reported that Downing Street is now blocking the move.

According to the Department of Health and Social Care, the number of cancers caused by smoking has increased by 17 per cent since 2003.

Dr Ian Walker, executive director of policy at Cancer Research UK, said: “Today is a significant step forward in the journey to creating a smoke-free UK.

“By increasing the age of sale of tobacco products and properly funding cessation services, the government can build a healthier future, prevent cancer, and protect people from a lifetime of deadly and costly addiction.

“We urge all MPs to prioritise the nation’s health by voting in favour of the Bill and ensuring that this historic legislation is implemented across the UK.”

Professor Sir Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England, welcomed the introduction of the Bill.

He said: “This is a major piece of legislation which if passed will have a positive and lasting impact on the health of the nation.

“A smoke-free country would prevent disease, disability and premature deaths for children born today and for people long into the future.

“Smoking causes harm across the life course from stillbirths, asthma in children, cancers, strokes and heart attacks to premature dementia.”

Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive at Action on Smoking (Ash), described the Bill as a “world-leading piece of legislation”.

She added: “It opens up an important debate about smoking and how long we are prepared to tolerate the incredible harms it does to our society.

“Over the last 50 years smoking has taken more than eight million lives in the UK. The health community and the public support the Government in this historic effort to phase out the sale of tobacco.

“Smoking will not steal the health and wealth of future generations.”

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/labour-smoking-ban-anti-vaping-bill-children-b2642193.html

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Rishi Sunak’s top aides advised against early election, memo reveals

Nine pets killed and 22 road accidents counted in fox cub-hunt season

Ban to stop children from ever smoking a cigarette to be introduced in Parliament

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