Rishi has led, and EU’s now following
RISHI Sunak has faced relentless left-wing hysteria in the UK over his Rwanda plan.
So it is telling that EU countries now agree that only a serious deterrent will end the spiralling migration crisis.
That Greece, Denmark, Austria, Italy and even Germany are openly discussing a Rwanda-style scheme for the EU is a vindication of the PM’s tough stance.
Rishi now has a critical few months to force through the Rwanda plan in this country.
If he gets the go-ahead in the courts, he will finally have the chance to destroy the evil people-smugglers’ business model.
Labour’s lack of a credible alternative, except to cynically disparage the Government at every turn, has never been clearer.
Rishi must also come out fighting on the economy if he is to turn round his party’s fortunes.
His pledge that Brits should not be hammered by “hairshirt” green policies is a good start.
And a lucrative trade deal with a rapidly expanding India would be a huge post-Brexit bonus.
But hard-pressed voters need to hear soon how he plans to cut taxes and put money back in their pockets.
Battle of pittance
A GOVERNMENT’S first duty must be the defence of its people and borders.
So the warning that RAF fighter jets would struggle to shield the UK in an all-out war is truly chilling.
In recent years, Top Brass have favoured a small number of costly, high-tech jets.
But the report by MPs says the quantity of combat planes has now been so pared back by cuts that Britain would be left “dangerously exposed”.
The Ukraine war has awoken the West to the dangers that still threaten Europe.
Yet our once-proud fighter fleet has been reduced by two thirds and is smaller than that of France, Germany and Italy.
The much-admired outgoing Defence Secretary Ben Wallace left office with a rallying call for greater defence spending.
It is imperative that his successor Grant Shapps fights for every penny.
Ferr-air-o Rocher
IT IS a move that will surely provoke heated debate in ambassadors’ receptions up and down the land.
Supermarkets hit by an avalanche of shoplifting have resorted to putting empty boxes of gold-wrapped Ferrero Rocher chocs on shelves to bamboozle the thieves.
To misquote the famed advert, for shoplifters it’s now a case of: “Monsieur, with these Rocher you’re really foiling us!”
