Politics latest news: Rishi Sunak issues plea to Tory Brexiteers to back deal at crunch vote

Rishi Sunak has issued a plea to Tory Brexiteers to back his Windsor Framework Brexit deal when it is put to a crunch vote in the House of Commons next week.

Downing Street said the deal "resolves the fundamental issues" caused by the Northern Ireland Protocol and the Prime Minister would "very much encourage" MPs to support it.

Asked for Mr Sunak's message to potential rebels, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman said: "We believe this is the best deal for the people of Northern Ireland. It resolves the fundamental issues that we know the protocol was having on day-to-day lives. So we would very much encourage MPs to vote for the deal next week."

MPs will vote on the Windsor Framework on Wednesday and it is expected to easily clear the Commons because Labour has committed to backing the Government.

However, Mr Sunak will be keen to avoid a rebellion by Tory Brexiteers which could undermine his authority and take the shine off the framework he has agreed with the EU.

Reports have suggested that Downing Street now believes a maximum of 20 Tory MPs could rebel. The European Research Group of Tory Brexiteers is yet to deliver its final verdict on the PM's deal.

You can follow the latest updates below. 

04:00 PM

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03:26 PM

Joe Biden tells Leo Varadkar he 'very strongly supported' Rishi Sunak's Brexit deal

Joe Biden said he "very strongly" supported Rishi Sunak's Windsor Framework as the US President held talks with Leo Varadkar, the Irish Taoiseach, at the White House today.

Mr Biden welcomed Mr Varadkar to the Oval Office for talks to mark St Patrick's Day.

He said he had recently held discussions with Mr Sunak on the new Brexit deal on trading arrangements for Northern Ireland.

The US President said: "I very strongly supported the Windsor Framework, which I know you do too."

02:58 PM

Kamala Harris: New Brexit deal an 'essential step to ensure peace and progress'

US Vice President Kamala Harris has said the new EU/UK deal on post-Brexit trading arrangements for Northern Ireland is an "essential step" to ensure peace and progress in the region.

In an address at a breakfast event attended by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Ms Harris highlighted President Joe Biden’s support for the Windsor Framework.

She said Northern Ireland’s peace was hard-won and should be cherished.

The Vice President said the US administration viewed issues around Northern Ireland and the need to preserve the fundamentals of the Good Friday peace agreement "very seriously".

"As President Biden has said, the Windsor Framework is an essential step to ensure peace and progress, and to ensure that it is strengthened and preserved," she said.

02:43 PM

NHS pay deal will cost £4 billion

Downing Street said the new pay deal offered to striking health workers would cost an additional £4 billion.

A No10 spokesman said: "The non-consolidated element for 2022/23 is an additional investment of around £2.7 billion.

"The consolidated element for 2023/24 is an additional investment of around £1.3 billion."

02:29 PM

Sir Keir Starmer reaffirms pledge to reverse Jeremy Hunt's pension reforms

Sir Keir Starmer has reaffirmed his commitment to reversing Jeremy Hunt's decision to scrap the lifetime pension allowance despite a backlash over Labour's plan (you can read the story on the criticism of Labour's stance here).

Sir Keir tweeted:

02:06 PM

BBC licence fee could rise by £13 next year with the Government under pressure to intervene

The public faces a rise in the BBC licence fee of £13 next year, with the Government under pressure to cancel the increase.

The licence fee is due to rise in line with inflation in April 2024 after a two-year freeze, according to the Culture Department’s official policy.

The Telegraph can reveal that the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) this week forecast that the inflation figure used would be 8.2 per cent.

That would mean the BBC licence fee rising from £159 to £172, which would amount to the biggest increase in more than 20 years.

You can read the full story here.

01:15 PM

Downing Street rejects Chinese criticism of TikTon ban

Downing Street has rejected Chinese criticism of the decision to ban TikTok from Government phones after a security review, insisting it was a "prudent" measure.

A Chinese embassy spokesperson accused the Government of acting "based on its political motive rather than facts".

A spokesman for the Prime Minister said that the review "concluded a devices ban would be a prudent and proportionate step given the potential vulnerability of government data and risks around how sensitive information can be accessed and used".

The spokesman said: "Anyone who uses TikTok will know that it requires users to give permission for the app to access data stored on the device which is then collected by the company. So we think it’s a prudent step to not allow it on the government devices."

12:50 PM

Government will not change passport waiting time guidance despite strike action

Downing Street said ministers will work to "mitigate" the impact of strikes by Passport Office staff in the coming weeks, but there are no plans to change guidance on waiting times for passports ahead of the summer.

The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union has announced a five-week strike by its members in the Passport Office in an escalation of its long-running dispute with the Government over pay, pensions, jobs and conditions.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "There are no current plans to change the guidance that people should allow up to 10 weeks to get a passport.

"The Home Office will work hard to manage the impact of this strike action to ensure they can still provide the vital service to the British public as you would expect ahead of ahead of the summer where we fully acknowledge that many people will want to get away and enjoy the summer with their family. So we will do everything we can to mitigate the impact of the strikes."

12:28 PM

Downing Street: NHS pay deal will not impact frontline services

Downing Street has suggested the new NHS pay deal will be funded through a mix of cash found from existing health service "underspend" and some new money from the Treasury (see the post below at 10.05 for the background on the funding question).

No10 stressed that the pay deal will not have any impact on frontline services.

Asked where the money for NHS worker pay rises will come from, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman said: "You heard the Secretary of State for Health talking about this. He said that we will look at areas of underspend and discuss these things with the Treasury in the usual way.

"As you would expect, the Treasury and DHSC will now work together to resolve any new funding needs in the usual way. But we have been clear that this won’t impact on frontline services."

12:10 PM

No10 defends holding Brexit vote before DUP delivers verdict on Windsor Framework

Downing Street has defended the decision to hold a vote on Rishi Sunak's Windsor Framework before the DUP has delivered its verdict on the new Brexit deal.

Asked why the vote had been brought forward before the DUP has finished assessing the deal, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman said: "At the time that the vote happens MPs will have had over three weeks to look at the detail. The Government has been working with backbenchers and others to explain the content of the deal.

"We stand ready to answer any more questions that people have but we believe that this honours the PM’s commitment to ensure that MPs have the opportunity to vote on the new arrangements."

12:07 PM

Downing Street urges MPs to back Brexit deal at vote next week

Downing Street has issued a plea to MPs to back Rishi Sunak's new Brexit deal at a crunch vote next week.

Asked for the Prime Minister's message to potential rebels, the PM's Official Spokesman said: "We believe this is the best deal for the people of Northern Ireland.

"It resolves the fundamental issues that we know the protocol was having on day-to-day lives.

"So we would very much encourage MPs to vote for the deal next week."

11:34 AM

Chancellor responds to gloomy OECD report: UK has 'outperformed many forecasts' in the past

Jeremy Hunt said the UK economy had proven to be "more resilient than many expected" and had outperformed economic forecasts in the past as he responded to the OECD's gloomy new report on economic growth (see the post below at 11.07).

The Chancellor said: "The British economy has proven more resilient than many expected, outperforming many forecasts to be the fastest growing economy in the G7 last year, and is on track to avoid recession.

"Earlier this week I set out a plan to grow the economy by unleashing business investment and helping more people into work, alongside extending our significant energy bill support to help with rising prices, made possible by our windfall tax on energy profits."

11:27 AM

Rachel Reeves responds to OECD report on UK economic growth

11:22 AM

Trophy hunting import ban takes step closer to becoming law

Plans to ban trophy hunting imports to Britain have taken a big step towards becoming law after clearing the House of Commons.

The Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill received an unopposed third reading from MPs this morning and will now undergo further scrutiny in the House of Lords.

The Private Members' Bill brought forward by Tory MP Henry Smith has the support of the Government, effectively ensuring that it will eventually make it onto the statute book.

11:07 AM

UK only major economy except Russia to shrink this year, says OECD

The UK will be the only industrialised country except Russia to see its economy shrink in 2023, even as rising consumer confidence drives a "substantial" bounceback in activity this year, according to the OECD.

It expects the UK to shrink by 0.2 per cent this year. That represents an upgrade from the 0.4 per cent contraction it expected a few months ago, but it still leaves the UK at the bottom of the G7 league table, and well behind the US and Japan, which are expected to expand by 1.5 per cent and 1.4 per cent respectively.

You can follow the latest on the OECD report over on The Telegraph's business live blog here.

11:04 AM

Tory MP Steve Brine being investigated by standards watchdog

Steve Brine, a Tory MP and chairman of the Health Select Committee, is being investigated by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards over claims he broke lobbying rules.

The investigation was opened on March 15, according to an update on the commissioner’s website, and is focused on “paid advocacy” and “declaration of an interest”.

It comes following claims revealed by The Telegraph in The Lockdown Files that he lobbied the head of the NHS on behalf of a firm for which he was working as a paid consultant.

10:40 AM

Passport Office workers to strike for five weeks with 'significant' delays expected ahead of summer

Passport Office workers are to strike for five weeks in an escalation of a dispute over jobs, pay and conditions.

More than 1,000 members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union working in Passport Offices in England, Scotland and Wales will take part in the action from April 3 to May 5.

Those working in Durham, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Newport, Peterborough and Southport will walk out from April 3 to May 5 while those in Belfast will strike from April 7 to May 5.

The union said the action was a "significant escalation" of its long-running dispute, warning it was likely to have a "significant impact" on the delivery of passports as the summer approaches.

You can read the full story here.

10:26 AM

Pictured: James Cleverly addresses a news conference in Tbilisi, Georgia this morning

10:05 AM

How is the NHS pay deal going to be funded?

The Government and the NHS Staff Council, which represents nurses, ambulance staff and other health workers, announced yesterday that they had completed pay negotiations and reached a "final offer" which is now being considered by unions.

It is hoped the deal will bring to an end the wave of industrial action which has caused chaos in the NHS for many months (you can read the full story on the final offer here).

However, major questions remain over where the extra money for the pay rises is coming from.

Union bosses said they were told during talks that the money would not come from the health service's existing budgets. Rachel Harrison, national secretary of the GMB, told the BBC: "That was one of the conditions that the GMB and some of the other unions put on the table before we even entered the room. We wanted reassurance that this was additional money and it was not going to come out of NHS current budgets and that was the commitment we were given by the Government."

But Dominic Raab, the Deputy Prime Minister, suggested this morning that the NHS's existing budgets "provide enough" to pay for the pay offer.

He told the BBC that the money "won’t come of course from frontline funding" and Health Secretary Steve Barclay will "set out some more of the details once we have got this thing settled".

09:35 AM

'I think it would be the right thing to do for them to accept it'

Dominic Raab said the Government hoped a similar pay deal could be struck with junior doctors after a host of unions accepted an offer for nurses and other NHS workers yesterday.

Speaking to GB News, the Deputy Prime Minister said: "I think it is good news that in all of those areas the vast majority of unions have accepted the deal that has been offered following the discussions with the Health Secretary.

"In relation to junior doctors, I know that the Health Secretary has extended the offer for negotiations with the BMA (British Medical Association).

"The same offer is there. I think it would be the right thing to do for them to accept it, I hope they will. I think it is a good deal, which is fair, which recognises the situation they are in, recognises the need we all have got to tackle the backlog in the NHS."

09:06 AM

Government and education unions agree to 'intensive talks' on pay

The Government and education unions have agreed to "intensive talks" on teacher pay, conditions and workload reduction, raising hopes of a breakthrough.

In a joint statement, the Government and the unions said: "The Government and the education trade unions, Association of School and College Leaders, National Association of Head Teachers, NASUWT and National Education Union, have agreed to move into a period of intensive talks. The talks will focus on teacher pay, conditions and workload reduction.

"In order for talks to begin and, we hope, reach a successful conclusion, the NEU has confirmed it will create a period of calm for two weeks during which time they have said no further strike dates will be announced. The Education Secretary and all unions will meet today, beginning intensive talks, which will continue over the weekend."

The news follows yesterday's breakthrough in the NHS dispute, with leaders of nurses, ambulance crews and other health workers agreeing to suspend further industrial action while ballots are held on a new pay offer.

09:05 AM

Pictured: Dominic Raab walks through Westminster this morning

09:02 AM

DUP leader: No pressure from US politicians to back Rishi Sunak's Brexit deal

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has denied being pressured by US politicians to agree to Rishi Sunak's new Brexit deal in order to restore powersharing at Stormont.

The leader of the DUP has been in Washington DC for talks this week as he attends St Patrick’s themed events and he said he had not "been put under any pressure" to support the Windsor Framework.

Many US politicians are keen for the Brexit row to be resolved so that devolved government can restart and to ensure the Good Friday Agreement is protected.

Sir Jeffrey told the PA news agency: "Well, of course, look I understand why people would want to see the political institutions up and running.

"But I have to be honest, I haven’t been put under any pressure during my time here in Washington. I think people are actually very understanding of the need for unionist parties in particular to assess what the Windsor Framework is, what it means, to examine the legal text and the legislation that will be used to implement that framework.

"So, I think that amongst the people I’ve talked to here, whether in the administration or on Capitol Hill, there is an understanding that it’s not about working to a particular deadline, it’s about getting it right."

08:41 AM

He's running! Boris Johnson re-selected as Tory candidate in his Uxbridge constituency

Boris Johnson has been re-selected as the Conservative Party's candidate in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency, putting to an end speculation that he could seek a safer seat elsewhere for the next general election.

"I can confirm Boris Johnson has been reselected as the Conservative candidate in Uxbridge and South Ruislip," a spokesman said last night.

The former prime minister holds a majority of more than 7,000 votes in the seat but it is viewed as a key target for Labour at the next election.

Allies of Mr Johnson had always rejected any suggestion he could seek a new or safer seat, despite persistent speculation.

08:36 AM

Dominic Raab: Officials are ‘breaching the rules’ of bullying probe by talking to the media

Dominic Raab claimed civil servants who are talking to the media about bullying allegations made against him are "breaching the rules" of the ongoing inquiry into his behaviour.

Fresh allegations were made against Mr Raab yesterday as officials who worked with him claimed to Sky News that he had repeatedly reduced staff to tears and "ruined people's lives" through "coercive behaviour".

Mr Raab told the broadcaster this morning: "As you know from previous questions that have been put to me, I have said that I would cooperate fully with the inquiry. I am not going to comment on anonymous sources in the media.

"In fact it is a breach of the rules of the inquiry for anyone to do so and of course I want to respect that."

Asked if he recognised the latest claims made against him, the Justice Secretary said: "It is actually improper for me to comment on the question you have just asked. It is a breach of the rules of the inquiry.

"Anyone involved in the inquiry who is commenting to the media anonymously or otherwise is breaching the rules and as a matter of basic professional integrity I am not going to do that."

An investigation led by Adam Tolley KC into the bullying claims remains ongoing although there is speculation the findings could soon be published.

08:18 AM

Tory MP compares Brexit rebels to 'Japanese soldiers not believing the war is over'

Alec Shelbrooke, a Tory MP, compared Conservative colleagues who may be considering voting against Rishi Sunak's new Brexit deal to "Japanese soldiers" who do not believe "the war is over".

He told Talk TV: "The public want this over and done with, Parliament wants this over and done with. I think there is a few Japanese soldiers not believing the war is over but I think they are very, very few now."

The European Research Group of Tory Brexiteers is yet to deliver its final verdict on the PM's Windsor Framework which is designed to resolve problems with post-Brexit border arrangements in Northern Ireland.

08:14 AM

Downing Street 'confident' Brexit revolt will be limited to maximum of 20 Tory MPs

Downing Street is now "confident" a maximum of only 20 Tory MPs could rebel against Rishi Sunak's Brexit deal when it is put to a crunch vote in the House of Commons next week, it has been claimed.

No10 has decided to hold the vote on the Windsor Framework on Wednesday because it has concluded a major rebellion will not materialise, according to TalkTV.

Asked if the 20 figure sounded correct, Tory MP Alec Shelbrooke told the broadcaster: "I think they are roughly about right. I think there is a hardcore which won’t accept any compromise at all but then there is no way out of the fact you want to honour the Good Friday Agreement.

"I think the Prime Minister has done an outstanding job with this agreement. I think it was something a lot of people didn’t think we would get there."