Clouds gather for Rishi Sunak as cabinet meets at away day
WORLD 28 January 2023 - 04:05
The prime minister has his cabinet gathered for a mammoth away day at his country retreat Chequers earlier on January 26.
As well as the weekly cabinet meeting, ministers were due to discuss their priorities in a "political cabinet", BBC reports.
Political cabinet involves discussion of strategy - more political officials attend and it's not minuted like official government business.
It's the first since Rishi Sunak took office.
But as ministers discuss how to turn around a significant poll deficit, there are clouds over the government, with more than one member of the cabinet under investigation over their conduct.
The Guardian is reporting that Dominic Raab is facing complaints from at least 24 people.
We already knew he was facing a bullying probe. The BBC has not verified the Guardian's new figure - but a source close to the process told us they believe it is correct. The government says it won't give a running commentary.
Mr Raab told the BBC at the weekend: "I am confident I have behaved professionally throughout and of course the government takes a zero tolerance on bullying."
Nadhim Zahawi - the Conservative Party chairman embroiled in a row over his taxes - was due to attend today's meeting.
He will have no formal role in the agenda - despite the political focus ahead of May's local elections.
It would normally be expected that the chairman would be front and centre in political messaging, particularly in the run up to an election.
But some Conservatives are concerned about the impact the row over his financial affairs is having on the party and government.
Ministers have suggested publicly he will be sacked or have to resign if the PM's ethics adviser finds he has not followed the ministerial code.
There are also questions over whether Mr Sunak should have known more about Mr Zahawi's situation - and the fact he paid a penalty to end a tax dispute - before defending him at Prime Minister's Questions last week.
Sources close to the prime minister say he wants to follow the process and let the ethics adviser look into what happened. But Mr Sunak has also said questions need to be answered and even suggested it would be politically expedient to sack him.
While Mr Sunak has calmed his party after a tumultuous 2022, the PM is finding it hard to escape some of the rows over propriety and standards.
That is a political headache; even if some relate to a period before Mr Sunak became prime minister, the PM has made cleaning up his party's image a key priority.
He will be judged on whether he delivers the high bar of integrity and professionalism he promised on the steps of Downing Street.
At Chequers, Downing Street said ministers would be focused on the five priority areas set out in Mr Sunak's new year's speech, including tackling price rises, growing the economy, cutting NHS waiting lists and stopping small boats crossing the Channel.
The political cabinet meeting was also due to have a presentation from the Conservative strategy guru, Isaac Levido, one of the masterminds of the party's election victory in 2019.
He is back playing a central role in getting Mr Sunak ready for the next general election, which many in Westminster expect in the latter half of next year.
But Mr Levido may have his work cut out in the coming months, with polls suggesting Labour have a considerable lead over the Conservatives.
That and the questions over conduct are the backdrop to today's away day. Oh to be a fly on the wall.
Caliber.Az
1
|
Iran re-evaluating its ties with Azerbaijan, Armenia Baku - more important, honest partner than Yerevan
25 April 2024 - 12:00
|
2
|
Armenia returns four villages to Azerbaijan, paving the way for peace in the South Caucasus Landmark accord
23 April 2024 - 09:14
|
3
|
"Peoples of South Caucasus should resolve their differences independently" Foreign analysts on Caliber.Az
24 April 2024 - 17:40
|
4
|
Mark Rutte seeks Türkiye's backing for new job A new pair of hands
24 April 2024 - 16:55
|
5
|
Armenian PM's Moscow visit sparks speculation on bilateral relations Dilemma between East, West
23 April 2024 - 11:19
|
Türkiye bases its relations with African countries on win-win principle: Parliament speaker
26 April 2024 - 20:53
ICJ concludes public hearings on 'Azerbaijan v. Armenia' case, proceeds to evidence verification
26 April 2024 - 20:45
Turkic parliament committee chairmen tour Khankendi & Shusha in Azerbaijan
26 April 2024 - 20:39
ByteDance prefers TikTok shutdown in US over sale
26 April 2024 - 20:39
Health Ministry: Over 50 Palestinians killed in Gaza as Israeli onslaught continues
26 April 2024 - 20:26
Azerbaijani president meets German FM in Berlin, discusses COP29 & peace agenda
26 April 2024 - 20:22
Russia, Ukraine hand over bodies of dead soldiers
26 April 2024 - 20:11
Political analyst: Armenian leadership hostile towards Russia
26 April 2024 - 19:56
Israeli civilian fatally injured in anti-tank missile strike near Lebanon border
VIDEO26 April 2024 - 19:41
Turkish court sentences Syrian woman to life in prison for bombing in Istanbul in 2022
26 April 2024 - 19:26
Azerbaijani, Kazakh military specialists convene for bilateral co-op discussions
26 April 2024 - 19:16
Armenia, Italy agree on military-technical cooperation
26 April 2024 - 19:11
Kazakhstan hosting meeting of defence ministers of SCO member states
26 April 2024 - 18:56
Azerbaijan, Armenia install 28 markers as border clarification works reach 35% completion
26 April 2024 - 18:50
UK’s ministry: Russian forces accelerating advance west of Ukraine’s Avdiivka
26 April 2024 - 18:41
Kazakh military delegation explores Azerbaijan's defense capabilities during visit
26 April 2024 - 18:35
France, Germany push on with 2040 joint tank project
26 April 2024 - 18:26
Political analyst: Demarcation of border with Azerbaijan meets Armenia’s vital interests
26 April 2024 - 18:11
Palestinian Resistance factions fighting against Israeli forces across besieged Gaza Strip
26 April 2024 - 17:56
US Central Command conducts humanitarian airdrops into Gaza
26 April 2024 - 17:41
Azerbaijan unveils programme of sixth World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue in Baku
26 April 2024 - 17:26
Azerbaijan's energy offer signals path to normalization with Armenia
Amid geopolitical shifts26 April 2024 - 17:24
Spain to send Patriot missiles to Ukraine
26 April 2024 - 17:11
Russia's oil revenues grow despite Western sanctions
Bill of the war26 April 2024 - 17:05
US, China spar over bilateral, global issues
26 April 2024 - 16:56
Kyrgyzstan's school-building gesture in Karabakh signals deeper ties with Azerbaijan
26 April 2024 - 16:41
Armenian PM vows to tackle existential challenges
We will address this issue26 April 2024 - 16:30
Azerbaijani police find explosive devices, ammunition in Khojavend
PHOTO26 April 2024 - 16:28
IAEA: Situation at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant remains unpredictable
26 April 2024 - 16:13
US Mojave proves its unmatched versatility in unprecedented live-fire demo
26 April 2024 - 15:58
From energy cooperation to investment expansion
Baku, Budapest forge stronger business ties26 April 2024 - 15:45
Russian operation to seize Chasiv Yar offers most immediate prospects for significant advances
ISW analysts’ opinion26 April 2024 - 15:43
Turkish president to meet with US counterpart at White House in May
26 April 2024 - 15:28
Sweden to move ahead with sending troops to Latvia as part of NATO forces
26 April 2024 - 15:13
Armenian, Serbian FMs discuss regional issues
26 April 2024 - 14:58
COP29 leadership team, Spanish minister discuss Presidency’s Plan
26 April 2024 - 14:43
NATO Secretary General warns West against dependence on China
26 April 2024 - 14:28
Azerbaijani President attended High Level Segment of 15th Petersberg Climate Dialogue
VIDEO26 April 2024 - 14:19
Joint Turkish-Russian Monitoring Centre in Azerbaijan’s Aghdam ceases its activity
26 April 2024 - 14:13
All-Belarusian People's Assembly adopts new military doctrine, security concept
26 April 2024 - 13:58