Boris Johnson will use the Queen's Speech in an attempt to secure his leadership following a bruising set of local elections that saw the Tories lose control of key authorities and suffer a net loss of almost 400 councillors.
The speech on Tuesday setting out the UK government's priorities would focus on the economy, health and national security, UK Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said, as he urged Tory MPs to rally round the prime minister.
Mr Zahawi insisted the prime minister who delivered 2019's general election landslide remained an electoral asset to the Tories despite issues in No 10 and Westminster being blamed for the local defeats inflicted on the party.
MORE ON LOCAL ELECTIONS 2022
The loss of Wandsworth and Westminster councils in London to Labour after decades of Tory control and significant defeats to the Liberal Democrats in southern heartlands such as Woking could persuade more MPs to submit letters of no-confidence in the prime minister.
The “partygate” row, which has seen Mr Johnson and Rishi Sunak fined for breaching coronavirus laws, and scandals involving MPs Neil Parish and Imran Ahmad Khan, as well as the cost-of-living crisis, all contributed to a difficult set of results for the prime minister.
“People don't like to vote for split parties, for teams that are divided,” said Mr Zahawi.
“We are strongest when we are united, we've got a Queen's Speech next week where we will demonstrate to the nation that the second half of this parliament is all about dealing with repairing the economy, recovering from Covid, the backlog of the NHS and national security — here at home, safer streets — and, of course, abroad.
“All of these things we have a plan for.
“We are stronger when we are united and that would be my message to all my colleagues.”
He told Sky News Mr Johnson “absolutely” remained an electoral asset: “Boris cuts through in places like Nuneaton, places like Newcastle-under-Lyme, other parts of the country as well — Harrow in London.”
Harrow provided a rare bright spot in the capital, with the Tories taking the authority from Labour, while the Conservative majority increased in Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Partygate prominent in electorate's minds
But Aaron Bell, MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme, said the “partygate” row had come up on some doorsteps in the Staffordshire council and the issues around Mr Johnson's leadership had to be brought to a head.
Mr Bell, who has already submitted a letter of no confidence in Mr Johnson, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: “It's not really up to me, it's up to my colleagues and I'm sure when we get back to Westminster there will be a discussion about that.
“What I do think is it needs to be brought to a head sooner rather than later because I don't think we can continue having this hanging over the party for many more months to come, with the Metropolitan Police and Sue Gray and then the Privileges Committee.”
Scotland Yard is still looking at parties in Downing Street and Whitehall, with the publication of senior civil servant Sue Gray's report awaiting the conclusion of the police inquiry.
An analysis for the BBC by elections expert Professor Sir John Curtice calculated that if the whole country had been voting, Labour would have gained 35 per cent of the vote — five points before the Tories on 30 per cent — the party's biggest lead in local elections for a decade.
After 196 out of the 200 councils had declared full results, the Tories had lost 12 authorities and 398 seats, Labour had gained eight councils and 264 councillors, and the Liberal Democrats had gained five councils and 189 councillors.
Labour is facing its own difficulties, however, after police announced a probe into whether leader Sir Keir Starmer broke lockdown rules last year.
Shadow cabinet minister Jo Stevens said the election results showed the party is ready for government.
“What the results this week have shown is that we have regained the trust of the British public,” she told Times Radio.
“For example, taking control of Barnet Council in London, which has a substantial Jewish population, demonstrates both to our party and to the country at large that Labour has changed under the leadership of Keir Starmer in the last two years and that we are ready for government.”
Sinn Fein marks historic victory
In Scotland, the Tories slipped into third place as the SNP increased its tally of councillors by 22 to 453, while Scottish Labour was able to capitalise on the collapse of Conservative support to come second.
In Wales, the Tories lost control of their only council, Monmouthshire, with Labour, the Lib Dems and Plaid Cymru all gaining seats across the nation.
In Northern Ireland, Sinn Fein scored a historic victory in the Assembly election. Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill now has the right to provide the First Minister of an entity that it does not believe should exist. The party has 27 seats.
Mary Lou McDonald, president and leader of the party, told TalkTV she believed a border poll would be “possible within a five-year time frame”.
But issues around the Northern Ireland Protocol could derail attempts to form an administration, with the DUP threatening to refuse to join an executive until action is taken to address problems with the post-Brexit deal.
Votes are counted in Northern Ireland — in pictures
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Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg
Real Madrid (2) v Bayern Munich (1)
Where: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
When: 10.45pm, Tuesday
Watch Live: beIN Sports HD
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Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
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Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
How to play the stock market recovery in 2021?
If you are looking to build your long-term wealth in 2021 and beyond, the stock market is still the best place to do it as equities powered on despite the pandemic.
Investing in individual stocks is not for everyone and most private investors should stick to mutual funds and ETFs, but there are some thrilling opportunities for those who understand the risks.
Peter Garnry, head of equity strategy at Saxo Bank, says the 20 best-performing US and European stocks have delivered an average return year-to-date of 148 per cent, measured in local currency terms.
Online marketplace Etsy was the best performer with a return of 330.6 per cent, followed by communications software company Sinch (315.4 per cent), online supermarket HelloFresh (232.8 per cent) and fuel cells specialist NEL (191.7 per cent).
Mr Garnry says digital companies benefited from the lockdown, while green energy firms flew as efforts to combat climate change were ramped up, helped in part by the European Union’s green deal.
Electric car company Tesla would be on the list if it had been part of the S&P 500 Index, but it only joined on December 21. “Tesla has become one of the most valuable companies in the world this year as demand for electric vehicles has grown dramatically,” Mr Garnry says.
By contrast, the 20 worst-performing European stocks fell 54 per cent on average, with European banks hit by the economic fallout from the pandemic, while cruise liners and airline stocks suffered due to travel restrictions.
As demand for energy fell, the oil and gas industry had a tough year, too.
Mr Garnry says the biggest story this year was the “absolute crunch” in so-called value stocks, companies that trade at low valuations compared to their earnings and growth potential.
He says they are “heavily tilted towards financials, miners, energy, utilities and industrials, which have all been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic”. “The last year saw these cheap stocks become cheaper and expensive stocks have become more expensive.”
This has triggered excited talk about the “great value rotation” but Mr Garnry remains sceptical. “We need to see a breakout of interest rates combined with higher inflation before we join the crowd.”
Always remember that past performance is not a guarantee of future returns. Last year’s winners often turn out to be this year’s losers, and vice-versa.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
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Zimbabwe v UAE, ODI series
All matches at the Harare Sports Club:
1st ODI, Wednesday, April 10
2nd ODI, Friday, April 12
3rd ODI, Sunday, April 14
4th ODI, Tuesday, April 16
UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
List of alleged parties
May 15 2020: PM and Carrie attend 'work meeting' with at
least 17 staff members
May 20 2020: PM and Carrie attend 'bring your own booze'
party
Nov 27 2020: PM gives speech at leaving do for his staff
Dec 10 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary
Gavin Williamson
Dec 13 2020: PM and Carrie throw a flat party
Dec 14 2020: London mayor candidate Shaun Bailey holds staff party at Conservative
Party headquarters
Dec 15 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
Dec 18 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Huddersfield Town permanent signings:
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- Aaron Mooy (midfielder): signed from Manchester City for £7.7m
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- Scott Malone (defender): signed from Fulham for £3.3m
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Points about the fast fashion industry Celine Hajjar wants everyone to know
- Fast fashion is responsible for up to 10 per cent of global carbon emissions
- Fast fashion is responsible for 24 per cent of the world's insecticides
- Synthetic fibres that make up the average garment can take hundreds of years to biodegrade
- Fast fashion labour workers make 80 per cent less than the required salary to live
- 27 million fast fashion workers worldwide suffer from work-related illnesses and diseases
- Hundreds of thousands of fast fashion labourers work without rights or protection and 80 per cent of them are women
