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☆ Rishi Sunak’s plans to delay climate targets attacked, as UK government pushes anti-green drive
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

In an attack on his own Conservative predecessors as prime minister, Sunak said: “You don’t reach net zero simply by wishing it. The Climate Change Committee, the government’s independent adviser on climate change, published a report in June that criticized the UK’s net zero plans and said there was not enough urgency to reach the country’s goals. Britain is legally required to have reached net zero – meaning the country would remove from the atmosphere at least as much planet-warming pollution as it emits – by 2050. Johnson’s comments led a chorus of concerns from within Sunak’s Conservative party at the plans, which were apparently hurriedly brought forward after Tuesday’s leaks to the media. British businesses also criticized Sunak’s plans on Wednesday.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Sunak, ” Boris Johnson, ” Johnson, ”, Dan Kitwood, pushback Sunak, “ We’ve, ” Sunak, “, … I’ve, Alok Sharma, ” Sharma, Chris Skidmore, Rob Picheta, Mike Childs, Sunak’s, Lisa Brankin, Ed Matthew, ” “ Organizations: London CNN, United, Conservative, Labour, “, Sunak’s Conservative, BBC, PA Media, London's Labour, CNN, Ambition, UN, Ford, European Union Locations: Britain, United Kingdom, Glasgow, Sunak’s, London, Uxbridge, South Ruislip, New York, United States, China

Britain, blanketed by cool, damp weather, has seemed like one of the few places in the Northern Hemisphere not sweltering this summer. Yet a fierce political debate over how to curb climate change has suddenly erupted, fueled by economic hardship and a recent election surprise. The Conservatives successfully used the emission zone plan as a wedge issue to prevail in a district they were forecast to lose. Britain’s Conservative government is now calling into question its commitment to an array of ambitious emissions-reduction targets. Tory critics say these goals would impose an unfair burden on Britons who are suffering because of a cost-of-living crisis.

Organizations: Conservative Party, Conservatives, Britain’s Conservative Locations: Britain, Northern, London, Uxbridge, South Ruislip

Hobbled by Britain’s faltering economy and the serial scandals in his party, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had been viewed as the leader of a zombie government, destined for defeat by the opposition Labour Party. The election results don’t alter that negative prognosis, but the unexpected Conservative victory in Uxbridge and South Ruislip, formerly represented by Boris Johnson, strips Labour of its invincible veneer. Mr. Sunak got relief on the economic front as well this week, with the announcement that the inflation rate, while still high, had fallen more than expected in June. That opens the door to the prime minister achieving one of his government’s key targets: cutting the inflation rate in half by the end of this year.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Boris Johnson, Sunak Organizations: Labour Party, Conservative, Labour Locations: Uxbridge, South Ruislip

☆ British Prime Minister Sunak avoids wipeout in key elections
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Andrew Macaskill | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, July 21 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's governing Conservatives lost two strategically important parliamentary seats on Friday but unexpectedly retained Boris Johnson's old constituency in a setback for the main opposition Labour Party. The Conservatives retained Johnson's former seat by fewer than 500 votes in a huge relief for Sunak who narrowly avoided becoming the first British leader to lose three by-elections on a single day in more than half a century ago. Labour won the constituency of Selby and Ainsty from the Conservatives by 4,000 votes after an ally of Johnson resigned in solidarity. The party said overturning the majority of 20,137 from the last general election marks the biggest majority the party has overturned at a by-election since World War Two. The two main "political party leaders have been left with something to think about in the wake of these results", he said.

Persons: Rishi Sunak's, Boris Johnson's, Sunak, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, Steve Tuckwell, Johnson, John Curtice, Britain's, Curtice, Andrew MacAskill, Tom Hogue, Robert Birsel Organizations: British, Conservatives, Labour Party, Conservative Party, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Conservative, Thomson Locations: Uxbridge, South Ruislip, Downing, England, Selby, Ainsty, Somerton, Frome

☆ Rishi Sunak suffers two election losses as British voters reject ailing Conservative government
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The Conservative Party lost to the resurgent Labour Party in Selby and Ainsty, a region in the north of England where the Sunak’s party had enjoyed a commanding majority. But the results indicate that the opposition Labour Party, which under the leadership of Keir Starmer is on course to clinch power when Sunak calls a general election. But in Selby, in the north of England, Labour overturned a huge deficit to win the seat with 46% of the votes, according to PA. The results amount to a significant rejection of Sunak’s Conservative Party, which has been in power for 13 years and has seen its opinion poll ratings nosedive towards the end of Johnson’s tenure, and since. Sunak will now look to steady his leadership and fight off any growing murmurs of a challenge within his party.

Persons: London CNN — Britain’s, Rishi Sunak, Boris Johnson, Sunak, Keir Starmer, Liz Truss’s shambolic, Steve Tuckwell, Johnson, “, Nigel Adams, Johnson’s, ” Organizations: London CNN, Conservative Party, Labour Party, Liberal Democrats, Conservatives, Labour, Conservative, Britain’s Press Association, Sunak’s Conservative Party Locations: Selby, Ainsty, England, Somerton, Frome, Uxbridge, South Ruislip

Britain’s governing Conservative Party suffered crushing defeats in the race for what had been two safe seats in Parliament, but narrowly avoided losing a third contest, according to the results early Friday for by-elections viewed as a critical test of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s popularity. The main opposition Labour Party won in Selby and Ainsty, in Yorkshire in the north of England, in one of its biggest ever by-election victories, overturning a large Conservative majority and winning 16,456 votes to the Tories’ 12,295. The small, centrist, Liberal Democrats party also scored an emphatic victory in the electoral district of Somerton and Frome, in the southwest of England, another former stronghold for the Tories. The Liberal Democrats received 21,187 votes, and the Conservatives 10,790. There, the final count was 13,965 votes for Steve Tuckwell of the Conservative Party, and 13,470 for Labour’s Danny Beales.

Persons: Rishi, Sunak, Boris Johnson, Steve Tuckwell, Danny Beales Organizations: Conservative Party, Labour Party, Conservative, Tories, Liberal Democrats, Liberal, Conservatives, Labour Locations: Selby, Ainsty, Yorkshire, England, Somerton, Frome, Uxbridge, South Ruislip, London

☆ British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak braced for defeats in key elections
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Andrew Macaskill | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Sunak, a former finance minister and investment banker, has cultivated an image as a technocrat who can solve complex policy challenges. About two-thirds of voters currently have an unfavourable view of Sunak, the poll found. The betting odds suggest the Conservatives will lose all three elections, even though the party won large majorities in two of them in 2019. In Somerton and Frome in southwest England, the opposition Liberal Democrats are hoping to overturn a Conservative majority of 19,213. Asked if the prime minister was confident of winning the three seats, a spokeswoman for Sunak said by-elections were historically difficult for governments, and the contest that the Conservatives were most focused on was the general election.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Boris Johnson, Sunak, Andrew MacAskill, Elizabeth Piper, Alex Richardson Organizations: Labour, Labour Party, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Conservative, Thomson Locations: Downing, Selby, Ainsty, England, Somerton, Frome, Uxbridge, South Ruislip, London

☆ Uxbridge by-election: In Boris Johnson's back yard, Britons are desperate for a change
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

A mid-term by-election to replace Johnson is taking place on Thursday, alongside two other by-elections to replace MPs elsewhere in the country. Boris Johnson is seen on a walkabout in Uxbridge in 2020, during his time as prime minister. Inside, the owner told CNN: "They're all the same ... Johnson’s company ran the first major opinion poll ahead of the Uxbridge by-election, which found a solid but assailable eight-point lead for Labour. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer (far right) and Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves (right) on a campaign visit with Danny Beales, the local Labour candidate (back center).

Persons: Mike Okoli, ”, Okoli, Boris Johnson –, Johnson, “, ” Okoli, Rob Picheta, CNN Johnson, Manoj Supeda, I’ve, hasn’t, ‘, ’ He’s, Supeda, Johnson’s, ” Supeda, “ It’s, ” Manoj Supeda, Tony Blair, Labour's, Brexit, CNN Okoli, he’s, “ I’ve, Sonia Caetano, Boris Johnson, Stefan Rousseau, there’s, ” Caetano, Danny Beales, We've, Caetano, Keir Starmer, Steve Reed, Piers Corbyn, Jeremy Corbyn, Steve Tuckwell, ” Tuckwell, Reed, ” Reed, They’re, Mick, Starmer, “ We’re, we’re, ” James Johnson, Theresa May’s, Sir Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves, ” Tracy Peabody Organizations: United Kingdom CNN, European Union, CNN, Labour Party –, Tories, Labour, Conservatives, Britain, Uxbridge, Beales, London’s Labour, Conservative, Hillingdon Hospital, CNN ‘ Labour, “, Press Association Locations: Uxbridge, United Kingdom, Nigeria, Caribbean, London, South Ruislip, Britain, “, Okoli, Portuguese, Yiewsley, Portugal, Covid, Ukraine, Hillingdon, Ruislip Manor

☆ Legacy of Boris Johnson Looms Over By-election to Replace Him
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Stephen Castle | More About Stephen Castle | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When Boris Johnson paid a surprise visit last year to the Swallow pub and poured some pints, he seemed to leave the clientele more agreed on his skills as a barman than as a politician. “He asked me whether it was a decent pint — and it was,” said Tony O’Shea, 55, holding up a photo on his phone of the moment he was served a beer by Mr. Johnson, then the prime minister. Still a fan, Mr. O’Shea described Mr. Johnson as a “lovable rogue” whom he had voted for in 2019. On the other side of the pub, however, Jenny Moffatt, 73, had no complaints about the drinks she was served by Mr. Johnson. But she described him as “a buffoon,” with a tendency to “pontificate.”Love him or laugh at him, Mr. Johnson was an outsize presence both in British politics — and here in Uxbridge and South Ruislip, the district of outer London that he represented in Parliament.

Persons: Boris Johnson, “, ”, Tony O’Shea, Johnson, O’Shea, Jenny Moffatt, —, Downing Organizations: Mr Locations: Uxbridge, South Ruislip, London

☆ Britain's Labour focuses on economy as PM Sunak faces electoral test
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Andrew Macaskill | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

He swiftly went back to concentrating his attacks on the government's handling of the economy and public services. "People are all talking about what is going on with the economy and the crisis that is affecting so many ordinary lives." Sixty-four percent of voters said the economy was the most important issue for them in a YouGov survey earlier this month. 'BUCKET FULL OF HOLES'Uxbridge and South Ruislip, on the western edge of London, is traditionally a Conservative stronghold. Labour's message is more focused on national issues such as the economy and mortgages, while the Conservatives are hammering local issues.

Persons: Danny Beales, Boris Johnson's, Susannah Ireland, Boris Johnson LONDON, Boris Johnson, Beales, Rishi Sunak, Johnson, Sunak, Maria Genjatovic, Paul Mathews, Mathews, Steve Tuckwell, Andrew MacAskill, Elizabeth Piper, Alex Richardson Organizations: Labour, British, REUTERS, London Labour, Labour Party, Conservatives, Reuters, Britain, Conservative, Thomson Locations: Uxbridge, South, Uxbridge , Middlesex, Britain, London, South Ruislip

LONDON, June 9 (Reuters) - Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson quit as a member of British parliament on Friday in a furious protest against lawmakers investigating his conduct, reopening divisions in the ruling Conservative Party ahead of national elections next year. Johnson said he was stepping down because it was "clear" that the committee was "determined to use the proceedings against me to drive me out of parliament". He also chided current Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for his performance in power. Parliament's privileges committee had the power to recommend Johnson be suspended from parliament for more than 10 days if they were to find he did mislead parliament recklessly or deliberately, potentially triggering an election for his seat. It is the second in a day for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after an ally of Johnson, Nadine Dorries, announced she would step down.

Persons: Boris Johnson, Johnson, Rishi Sunak, Nadine Dorries, Andrew MacAskill, Andy Bruce, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Former, Conservative Party, Conservative, London, Thomson Locations: Britain, Uxbridge, South Ruislip

[1/2] Outgoing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivers a speech on his last day in office, outside Downing Street, in London Britain September 6, 2022. REUTERS/Hannah McKayDAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday urged allies to double down on sending military equipment to support Ukraine and speed up an end to the war with Russia. The former mayor of London was made an honorary citizen of Ukraine's capital on Wednesday night by Kyiv's mayor Vitali Klitschko in Davos. 'HUMBLE BACKBENCHER'Johnson dismissed suggestions that his activism on Ukraine could be seen as undermining current British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, as he ramps up military support. When asked whether one day he could see himself wandering the WEF again as British Prime Minister, Johnson remained diplomatic saying he was more than happy representing his constituents as a member of parliament.

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