No 10 issues warning to government departments ahead of budget
The prime minister’s spokesman has been speaking to reporters this morning, and was asked about reports cabinet ministers have written to the PM asking to intervene over the depth of the cuts the chancellor is asking for ahead of the budget.
He refused to get into “specifics of spending review discussions”, but said “clearly engagement between departments and the Treasury and No 10” are “part of the process”.
Nonetheless, No 10 warned government departments will “have to become more productive” and may need to undertake reforms.
The spokesman also said: “Not every department will be able to do everything they want to.
“There will be tough decisions taken, there will be tough conversations, but ultimately this government has been very clear that it will fix the foundations, it will fix the position in relation to the public finances.”
He added the government has “inherited a very difficult position”, and “the budget and spending review will set out that position in full”.
‘Unhinged’
Ms Badenoch is up against Robert Jenrick in the Tory leadership race, having come out on top among the party’s MPs.
The pair are now battling for votes from the wider membership, with a winner announced on 2 November.
Labour MP Helena Dollimore called on Mr Jenrick to distance himself from the “unhinged comments” by Sir Christopher.
“I thought nothing could shock me about the state of the Conservative Party, but that was before I had to sit through Christopher Chope MP opining about whether mothers can lead political parties,” she added.
‘Dinosaurs walk among us’
Fellow Labour MP Stella Creasey, who has brought her infant into the Commons, said it was a sign “we urgently need paternity care sorted”.
“Until people start wondering if dads get distracted by their kids as much as they do mums, we will always have dinosaurs walk amongst us …or in this case on the modernisation committee in parliament,” she said.
