Thérèse Coffey says infrastructure such as super sewers ‘could add hundreds to people’s bills’ – UK politics live | Politics

Lisa O’Carroll

Some reaction to Lisa O’Carroll’s story about the opening of negotiations between the UK and EU over rejoining the Horizon Europe science and research programme (see 15:41).

The Royal Society has warmly welcomed the start of talks between the UK and the EU to get Britain back into the flagship €80bn Horizon Europe flagship research programme.

It follows a meeting in Brussels between science secretary Michelle Donelan and European innovation commissioner Mariya Ivanoca Gabriel to end a two year lockout after the Brexit row over Northern Ireland.

Sir Adrian Smith, President of the Royal Society, said, “The new start, at last, to hopefully final negotiations on the UK’s association to the EU’s research programmes, is good news for science and innovation and for the UK’s long-term prosperity and wellbeing.

“The government has repeatedly said that association is the preferred outcome, and I am delighted that the secretary of state in the newly created Department of Science, Innovation and Technology is so clearly committed to making it a reality. We wish her well and look forward to both sides working towards a deal as quickly as possible.”

Labour has maintained a 23-point lead over the Conservative party in the latest opinion polls, with two-thirds of Britons wanting a change of government at the next election.

This comes from a new survey, conducted by Ipsos Mori. There’s a few findings of note, which is worth a quick run through.

The overall voting intention has Labour with a substantial lead. Sir Keir Starmer’s party is on 49% (-2) compared with the Conservatives on 26% (+1), Liberal Democrats 11% (+2), Green Party 6% (+1) and others on 8% (-1).

This is an adjusted value. Those giving a clear voting intention only gave Labour a 17 point lead, of 46% compared with the Tories on 29%.

The IpsosMori political monitor poll shows that 65% of people want a change at the next election, and 69% believe the Conservative party has done a poor job.

Polling found that Rishi Sunak’s approval ratings have increased by 2% since January, up to 29%, but the prime minister still has a net unpopularity of -16%. This is calculated when those with a unfavourable view are taken by those with a “favourable” opinion.

His opponent Keir Starmer scores 2% better.

It also revealed that only 15% are satisfied with the way the government is running the country.

A majority think that the economic situation in the UK will continue to worsen over the next twelve months

Lisa O’Carroll

The UK is developing contingency plans for a “bold alternative” to the EU Horizon Europe programme as it open negotiations to get membership of the flagship €80bn science research programme.

The science secretary, Michelle Donelan, was in Brussels on Tuesday for “introductory” talks on access to the programme the UK has been locked out, of in a tit-for-tat row over the Northern Ireland protocol.

But the UK indicated it will play hardball over the price of re-entry.

The financial formula for associate membership, which is open to non-EU countries, was calculated on the basis of a 2020-27 programme of which two years and three months already elapsed.

In a statement, the government said it had been “developing plans for a bold alternative in case the terms of association with Horizon Europe are not in the UK’s interest.”

“These will be published in the coming days and we will engage with and seek input from researchers and business to develop these proposals further,” it added.

The UK was locked out of Horizon Europe in 2021 when suspended the trading arrangements for Northern Ireland it had just agreed.

The door reopened 10 days ago when Rishi Sunak formally agreed the replacement protocols, under the Windsor framework.

Scientists and MPs have pleaded for reentry to Horizon Europe arguing it is vital to regain the UK’s leading role in pan-European medical, engineering, and other research programmes.

Helena Horton

Here’s Helena Horton’s full dispatch from the London Wetland Centre in Barnes this morning, where the environment secretary unveiled the government’s latest plans to tackle the problem of sewage in rivers and the sea.

Thérèse Coffey has admitted she cannot end the sewage scandal, in what critics are calling a “complete abdication of duty”.

Launching her department’s cleaner water plan at the London Wetland Centre in Barnes in the south of the capital, the environment secretary said upgrading the sewage network to stop spills could add hundreds of pounds each to people’s bills.

She said: “While London and the Thames may have space for its new supersewer, wider upgrades of the sewer network lead to destructive works on our streets and put hundreds of pounds on people’s bills. There’s no way we can stop pollution overnight. If there were, I would do it without hesitation.”

Coffey took a veiled swipe at the Labour party, which has vowed to “end the Tory sewage scandal”, by saying that those who say they could end the problem are “either detached from reality or being definitively dishonest with the public”.

Her plan has been criticised for including measures such as a ban on plastic in wet wipes that were announced years ago. Meanwhile, critics say they cannot see the tough new actions needed to tackle the crisis.

The environment secretary recently faced calls by campaigners and political parties to resign for “not caring” about the sewage scandal, and the Conservative party is concerned that anger over local pollution issues may cost seats in the upcoming local elections. Coffey was recently named the least popular cabinet minister – by some margin – among Tory voters in a Conservative Home poll.

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The science and technology secretary, Michelle Donelan, has said that the UK will commit to joining the EU’s Horizon research programme as an associate member only on “the right terms”, ahead of her trip to Brussels to meet with the EU’s research and innovation commissioner, Mariya Gabriel.

The UK hopes that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s new deal on the Northern Ireland protocol will mark a step towards British participation in the €100bn (£88.6bn) scheme, which funds scientific research across the EU.

The government is developing plans for a post-Brexit alternative in case negotiations with the EU fail, which will be published in the coming days, according to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

Speaking to reporters on the Eurostar ahead of the meeting, Donelan said:

I am determined to ensure our world-class scientists have the very best platform on which to continue their work, with research that transforms the way we live and work, not just here in the UK, but around the world.

I look forward to this introductory meeting with the EU and discussing possible future association with Horizon Europe. But we can only do so on the right terms, and I’m in Brussels today to ensure there is understanding of that on both sides, while taking forward these discussions in a constructive and respectful way.

There has never been a more important time for our scientists to do world-leading work with the best and the brightest so I look forward to a really productive day.

The UK’s associate membership of Horizon was foreseen in the post-Brexit trade deal, but has remained in limbo as the dispute over trading arrangements for Northern Ireland dragged on.

However, the UK-EU deal to fix issues with the Northern Ireland protocol in February led the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, to say work on an association agreement could begin “immediately”.

Sunak, who has pledged to turn the UK into a science and technology “superpower” by the end of the decade, has been under growing pressure from the science and research sectors to get the UK access to Horizon.

Helena Horton

At a question and answer session with journalists, Thérèse Coffey said “I believe our drinking water to be safe” after being questioned about levels of dangerous “forever chemicals” – which are at higher limits in the UK than the US.

When asked if she would swim in a local river in her constituency she said “I am not a strong swimmer” but said she has been in her local river before.

Despite saying the British public needs to drastically reduce its water usage, the environment secretary failed to give any ways she personally reduces her usage, other than having a water meter which once alerted her of a leak.

The water minister, Rebecca Pow, piped up to say she has not one, not two, but three water butts.

Asked by the Guardian for her response to Surfers Against Sewage, the Liberal Democrats and Greenpeace calling for her to resign due to lack of action on water, Coffey said her plan for water would be “delivering across the country”.

The Lib Dem MP Sarah Olney, who represents Richmond Park, which includes the Barnes wetland centre, has called for Coffey to resign.

Nadine Dorries’ TalkTV interview with former prime minister Boris Johnson did not break any broadcasting impartiality rules, a regulator has ruled.

In a report published on Monday night, Ofcom said that the show was a “non-news” programme and therefore did not break rules that says news shows cannot be presented by a politician, and provided enough context.

In its summary, it said that 40 complaints had been received about the interview in February between one of Johnson’s biggest public cheerleaders, his one-time culture secretary Nadine Dorries, and her former boss.

In the pre-recorded interview Dorries, who will step down from her Mid Bedfordshire seat at the next general election, discussed the pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and his time as prime minister with Johnson.

Ofcom said that because of Johnson’s recent departure, the show on TalkTV needed to have impartiality, but it was a current affairs programme rather than a news show – which means different rules apply – and that a politician hosting it is within the rules.

The regulator announced on Monday that it is investigating a show on GB News which was hosted by husband and wife MP pair Philip Davies and Esther McVey where they interviewed their parliamentary colleague, the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt.

Investigators found that there was enough “limited” challenge from Dorries to preserve impartiality, and a subsequent discussion with journalist Charlotte Ivers, thinktank head Sebastian Payne and former Labour adviser Scarlett MccGwire gave enough balance and challenge to the show’s narrative.

Young people could be disfranchised in the local elections next month because of inadequate attempts by the government to make them aware of new voter ID rules, according to the Electoral Reform Society.

The new policy means people must be registered to vote and take a form of photo ID to the polling station on 4 May.

There has been bemusement and concern raised over a discrepancy in the types of ID that are allowed.

Passport or driving licence are valid for everyone but some types of photo ID, including some travelcards for young people, will not be accepted. However for older voters, bus passes and Oyster cards are allowed.

Anyone without the correct identification needs to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate by 25 April.

Campaign groups the Electoral Reform Society and Unlock Democracy have warned as many as two million people in Britain do not currently have the right form of ID.

Willie Sullivan, senior director at the Electoral Reform Society, told PA Media: “Allowing bus passes and Oyster cards for older voters but refusing to accept the same forms of ID for young people means that these new rules could disproportionately shut out younger voters from the ballot box.

“If the government wants to improve our elections it should be finding ways to encourage voter engagement – especially amongst young people who typically turn out less at election time. Instead, these new laws will do just the opposite.”

The government has argued the policy was introduced to prevent voter impersonation. There is no evidence of large-scale electoral fraud over the past five years, according to the Electoral Commission.

Between 2018 and 2022, there were nine convictions relating to electoral fraud and six police cautions issued, its figures show.

Downing Street acknowledged on Monday that the rules were aimed at preventing “potential” wrongdoing, rather than dealing with any widespread existing issue.

It insisted that only a “very small proportion” of young voters lack the necessary ID to cast their ballot.

“This is to guard against the potential for wrongdoing in this area or voter impersonation,” the prime minister’s official spokesperson said.

Helena Horton

David Black, who chairs the water regulator, Ofwat, has suggested that water company bosses’ pay should be linked to performance.

Speaking at Thérèse Coffey’s water plan launch, he said the reputation of water companies has been “damaged” by “executive pay and dividends not linked to performance”.

He also said that while the public want companies to deliver for the environment, they also want low bills, and celebrated the announcement about faster roll out of smart meters for water use.

Thérèse Coffey says building infrastructure such as super sewers could be too costly

Helena Horton

Thérèse Coffey is announcing the government’s plan for water pollution at the Barnes Wetland Centre. It has been criticised for mostly containing already- announced policies and not going far enough to tackle England’s sewage scandal.

But she has defended the Conservative party’s record and said there is no way to end pollution as quickly as campaigners ask.

She told the audience of journalists, NGOs and water companies: “There is no way you can stop pollution overnight. If there were I would do it just as quickly without hesitation.”

She said that building more infrastructure such as super sewers could add “hundreds to people’s bills” and took a veiled jibe at Labour, who have promised to “end the sewage scandal.”

The environment secretary said those who say they can end the discharges more quickly are “either detached from reality or being definitively dishonest with the public.”

In more lighthearted news, water minister Rebecca Pow will be upset as she asked Coffey to be speedy with her remarks so she could see the Barnes otters being fed at 11.

Unfortunately Coffey was almost half an hour late, and the otters have now been fed.

Jason Rodrigues

This is a nice find from the Guardian archives after the death of Nigel Lawson, a chancellor under Margaret Thatcher during the 1980s. He was often referred to by political commentators at the time as one of the “big beasts” of her cabinets.

Promoted by Thatcher to lead the Treasury in 1983, he cut income tax, promoted share ownership and pushed down government debt. He resigned in 1989, after falling out with her over Europe.

In 1983, the Guardian reported on the newly appointed chancellor’s determination to significantly reduce UK public spending, getting the cabinet to agree to a hefty £5bn cut despite ‘vigorous protests’ from some ministers.

Teachers vote for strikes this summer

Richard Adams

More school strikes are likely in England this summer and autumn, after delegates at the National Education Union’s annual conference in Harrogate voted for three days of strikes to take place in late June or early July and a reballot of members next month to authorise further industrial action from September.

The new strikes are timed to come after the end of A-level and GCSE exams, to avoid disruption for students.

The NEU is already committed to holding two days of teacher strikes, on Thursday 27 April and Tuesday 2 May, after its members decisively rejected the government’s pay offer.

The Association of School and College Leaders, which represents many secondary school head teachers in England, has also rejected the government’s offer. Its ballot of members found that 87% voted against the offer. The ASCL executive is expected to ballot its members on strike action after Easter.