England Announces EXPLOSIVE By-Election Results

Well, what's going on in this country right now, including this week, another set.of English local council by -election results, some of which I think you'll find surprising, some not.Before I get to all that though, I know some of you, many of you, disagreeing with my verdict that the Andy Burnham plan, the Labour plan, is to roll out all of these early announcements to try and get that poll bounce to then call an early general election.I have to say Andy Burnham visiting Harlow yesterday for his announcement I think that indicates, given Harlow a bit of a battleground constituency, I think that indicates and is a serious sign again that Labour are at least considering the prospect of calling an early general election.This was Andy Burnham in Harlow yesterday.

Before you became prime minister, you said that you would support cuts to VAT, a 10 % cut to VAT for the hospitality sector.Why did you not do that now?

This is a first step today, but it's an important step.I made this commitment in the maker field by election because we're losing pubs.Pubs need to know that the cavalry is coming.This is, to me, our heritage.It's working class culture.Once pubs are gone, they don't come back.

So we've just got to signal what support, when we can.That's why I've made this early announcement.This is a significant cut to pubs.business rates that pubs and other venues pay it could make the difference for a number of venues that are struggling and it was right to confirm it quickly because as I say so much good happens bringing communities together and when these places are gone you know they don't come back and we can't afford to lose anymore.

Obviously it's the fourth such move in as many days how are you going to fund this one and are we looking at tax increases at all?

Well this is funded from withina change to business rates because you know you can't see all businesses the same.do real good in communities and this pub, where we are today, right in the heart of the community here in Harlow, bringing people together, met an older ladies mental health group, it's just a great thing that we still have places where people can come.But other businesses can cause social harm, so adult gaming centres, on high streets can often bring real harm to communities.Then people will see the vape shops that often don't add much to community life and cause other issues too.So it's about developing a business rates regime where we really give incentives to support the businesses that bring benefits and look differently at those that cause social harm.

And that's the change that we will bring through.

When you say look differently, what does that mean?

They will obviously pay higher rates to give the ability then to cut business rates for pubs and other venues that bring people together and bring wider benefits to high streets and communities.I know there's a real concern out there about the high street and the feeling that too many high streets across Britain are in decline.And for me, the pubs that we've got are at the heart of High Street, and I think it's really important to signal at the start of my time in office that I will be a defender for them, I will speak up for them and act.It's all about doing, isn't it?I'm doing something today.It may not be everything that they're looking for, but sometimes the small things matter as well.

Of course, one of the main reasons that I'm saying I think it's likely there'll be an early general election is because Labour are pledging all sorts of costly policies without any real plan as to how they're going to pay for them and if they can call an early election.before the next budget that is a bit of a get -out for them in terms of having to actually justify, explain the massive tax rises as part of their plan.And you know on Sky just another example here of Labour's complete lack of financial plan, this time on a sort of favourite lefty policy of international climate finance.What do you make of this?

will come from switching investments set aside for international climate finance to loans, which will give us more flexible ways to meet our international climate objectives.In English, what does that mean?

So it means that £400 million had been allocated in the budget of the Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero.And some of that £400 million goes to funding projects, in other parts of the world which can assist with tackling climate change.Now it had initially been the intention that that money would be given as grants.So you pay the money to fund a project in a developing country and you don't get that money back.We're switching that process so that it is now a loan, so that the money will then be paid back to the British government.Now, actually, when you...

Will there be interest -raised loans?So, look, the detail of it needs to be worked through, but in order for loans to qualify as overseas development assistance, the terms of the loan need to be... reasonably favourable to the developing country and it needs to contribute to developing that country's economy and so it makes sense just to switch the spending, instead of it being a grant it will be a loan and then that frees up moneyto spend on domestic priorities and spend on our public transport.

I don't want to interrupt but there's just a couple of things I just want to, because you say there on the I know that you're saying the details need to be worked out, but it feels like that is quite a fundamental one, because if you look at, to be completely honest, the West's track record of loaning money to developing nations, you can see why people might have anxiety about that, right?So do we know if there's going to be interest or not?

So this is quite standard to have loans for international climate finance.As I say, the detail will need to be worked out.We wanted to make the announcement today.It's a really big priority for the new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, to help with the everyday cost of living.I understand that.I'm just trying to get...

Also, as I said to you...I'm just trying to get the details of...Sophie, you will appreciate that I'm not going to sit in your studio and tell you how something will work when the detail hasn't yet been worked through.But the point that I have made to you, and I will repeat, is that in order for loans to actually count towards your ODA budget, your Overseas Development Assistance budget, then the terms on which those loans are given do need to be reasonably favourable to the developing country.We're not wanting to fleece anyone here.And we actually want to maximise the development potential of this money that is available.

And so it is in line with what a number of other countries do on international climate finance.

If I could just come in again.

You'll forgive me. I'm not going to give you the detail because I don't have the detail to give you.

Meanwhile, you know, I'm very sad to say that the state of law and order of justice in this country has become so soft, it is truly, truly frightening that thisRuda Cabana, set to be moved, it seems, to a psychiatric hospital where inmates are treated as patients rather than prisoners.And you can see the national chair of the union that represents prison correctional and secure psychiatric workers saying that his members believe Ruda Cabana is playing the system.with the quote there that he's not mentally unwell, he's playing the system, and he's nothing more than evil, that he should spend his entire sentence in solitary confinement, staring at four walls.And it's appalling to think he will now enjoy all the freedoms a secure hospital is forced to give him.And even more unjustified is the taxpayer actually paying him benefits because he will now be classed as mentally unwell.

Something has gone horrendously wrong.in our justice system.We've seen the early release plan stopped for the minute, paused.We're talking here about killers, rapists, violent criminals set to be released early.How on earth can that be sensible?Yes, we have a population explosion fueled by mass migration.

Of course, we need to build many more prisons.That is absolutely non -negotiable.That has to happen.We have no choice.But also consider the fact this is the latest piece of research I could find on the number of foreign nationals in our prisons.More than 10 ,000 at last count by the end of 2023.

That's about 12 % of the total prison population.So they should all be deported for a start.Meanwhile, the boats keep coming.They're getting bigger, by the way.165 illegal migrants arriving on a mega dinghy this week.Andy Burnham seems to have nothing to say about that whatsoever.

But look in terms of English Council by -election results this week.We start off in Essex where you can see two Reform UK councillors quit just two weeks after they were elected to Thurrock Council.They said the resignations were for personal reasons.Always makes it tricky for the party defending the seat and you can see here two Labour gains in Grey's, two Labour gains from Reform.Labour going up a bit, Reform going down in those two seats and two Labour gains.But elsewhere, if you look in Kent, in Medway, you can see here a Reform UK gain from The Conservatives.

The Conservative slide in much of the country continues whilst the Tories all tell themselves that Kimmy Bainock's doing a marvellous job.I don't really get it.Another very curious election result in Devon, in East Devon to be precise, where you're seeing this more and more.What on earth has happened here?Labour, yet again.I've seen this a few times recently.

Labour not even standing a candidate there.It's a Conservative hold, South Gloucestershire.Another Conservative hold.The Tories down more there.Reform in second.The Lib Dems down.

Labour actually standing a candidate there and getting less than 10%.But in terms of the general trend since the local elections that Reform UK dominated earlier this year, these are the aggregate results of the council by -elections we've seen since then.And it shows you Once again it's reform up, it's Labour down, the Conservatives and Lib Dems pretty much steady.But that general trend continues of reform -making gains and Labour losses.It's very clear that Andy Burnham and Labour are trying to get an early poll bounce during that honeymoon period.and I still think an early general election is more likely than not.

But let me know your thoughts on that, and indeed your thoughts on those local council by -election results.As ever, I will keep bringing you all the latest on this and much more, so please do whack this video a quick thumbs up, and have a great weekend.Cheers.