News about Michael Gove

Rishi Sunak (right) is gearing up for a Commons showdown following the local elections disaster, with Tories urging him to get more hard line on issues such as migration and tax. Rebels have so far held off on an all-out coup attempt, with ministers including Penny Mordaunt - tipped by some as a potential replacement - rallying round. But Liz Truss insisted last night that Mr Sunak must 'junk' plans such as the phased ban on cigarette sales. The tensions surfaced at Cabinet yesterday, with Michael Gove (top left) understood to have warned over a lurch to the Right. Arguing that the party needed to maintain 'broad appeal' rather than taking positions that 'make us feel good about ourselves', he quoted supermodel Kate Moss (bottom left) saying: 'Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.'

Researchers predict that the number of newbuilds in England will drop from an annual average of about 210,000 over the last five years to 160,000 this year due to higher borrowing costs. Savills estimates completion rates will stay low until at least 2030 without a change in policy. Both the current government and the Labour opposite have vowed to build 300,000 homes a year as demand continues to outstrip supply and younger generations struggle to get on the housing ladder.

A furious leaseholder has claimed he is unable to sell his home because his developer failed to remove illegal cladding on a giant block of flats before plunging into administration. Geoff Radcliffe, 58, owns one of the 132 flats at the Wharfside development in Wigan, Greater Manchester, where leaseholders say they are now trapped with their properties after housing giant Stewart Milne Homes went bust in January. Stewart Milne, which contracts management company Contour to look after the site, is legally responsible for fixing all life-threatening fire safety defects in the homes - but innocent leaseholders have been left unable to sell, while their home insurance and management fees have soared out of control. Campaigners say it is 'simply unacceptable' that this is still going on nearly seven years after the Grenfell Tower fire in west London, where highly-flammable ACM cladding caused the horrific blaze that killed 72 people.

The study, by the centre-Right think-tank Onward, proposed the 'radical' changes to immigration rules to help bring down the overall number of people moving to the UK permanently. It comes amid concern that higher education is being abused as an immigration route, with leaked Home Office figures earlier this week revealing that more than a third of foreign students who went on to claim asylum were sponsored by just five universities and an education agency. Onward's report suggests that ministers set out a plan to slash 'net' migration to tens of thousands a year - a pledge first made by the Conservative Party in its 2010 election manifesto. Official data shows that net migration - the difference between those arriving in Britain to live here long term and those emigrating - boosted the population by a record 745,000 in 2022.

They were the secret negotiations between Nigel Farage's Brexit Party and shadowy Tory fixer Dougie Smith which sowed the seeds of the disaster facing Rishi Sunak. It can now be revealed that Mr Smith, who has been accused of plotting with Michael Gove to topple Boris Johnson, led a team of Tory power brokers who tried to 'bribe' Mr Farage into withdrawing before the 2019 election by offering him a knighthood, ten peerages for his Brexit Party members and influence over the Government's 'policy direction'. Mr Farage's response was to text a 'very rude' message to Boris.

A Section 21 notice allows landlords to legally evict tenants without providing a reason for doing so, creating uncertainty for those renting the property. At the same time, the delays in banning the section notices create uncertainty among landlords. Many landlords are concerned about the end of section 21 notices amid fears that it will prevent them from being able to take back possession of a property when they need to.

Happy St George's Day everyone! I can hear some of you thinking: 'Oh, I didn't know it was.' And of course, you could be forgiven for that - because in England, unlike other parts of the union, we do very little to mark our special day. Quite often, those who do celebrate are mocked, belittled or openly scorned for being patriotic and loyal to the flag of St George. If you are lucky today, your town hall may hoist a flag to mark the event, but it's more likely it will not. You may discover that your local authority has made funds available for a number of cultural celebrations over the year, although they're unlikely to involve England's patron saint.

Michael Gove taunted Angela Rayner about the police investigation into her house sale yesterday. The Levelling Up Secretary mocked his opposite number as she took to the despatch box for the first time since the probe into her tax affairs was announced. The deputy Labour leader is being investigated over whether she paid the correct amount of tax on the sale of her right-to-buy home, and completed official documents correctly.

The Mail on Sunday has learned that former minister Ed Vaizey's names appear on the official document recording the birth of Saudi Arabian political analyst Najah Al-Otaibi's daughter. In a move guaranteed to set Westminster tongues wagging, Najah, 41, who split from newsreader Tim Willcox after two years of marriage, named her Victoria Vaizey Edward Al-Otaibi - containing a reversed version of Edward Vaizey. It should be noted that the former MP for Wantage, Oxfordshire, is not specifically named as the father. Adding to the mystery, that box was left blank by Najah, who often appears on BBC news programmes.

Mr Hunt has previously hinted there could be a further 'fiscal event' before voters go to the polls in an effort to underline the Conservatives ' tax-cutting credentials.The threshold increase is believed to be costed at around £3 billion per year by the end of the decade and would mean around half of people buying a house would no longer need to pay stamp duty. Michael Gove, the levelling-up secretary, has in the past repeatedly pressed Hunt and Sunak to make a 'bold offer' on housing. He supports cuts to stamp duty to help for first-time buyers as part of a package to win round voters.

The secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities has issued a 'holding directive' on London Wall West even after the City of London Corporation's councillors signed off on the plan.

The secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities (inset) has issued a 'holding directive' on London Wall West (left and right) even after the City of London Corporation's planning sub-committee approved it despite over 800 objections from locals. Museum bosses closed the doors of the Barbican site in 2022 in order to facilitate a relocation to Smithfield General Market - clearing the way for a dramatic redevelopment of the site even as residents voiced their opposition. But Mr Gove's move temporarily puts a halt on the proposals despite councillors signing them off on Wednesday. The Article 31 direction 'directs (the council) not to grant permission without specific authorisation'.

MATT GOODWIN: At 1.50pm, the police stormed in. Clad in body armour, with stun guns strapped to their belts, the officers pushed past the assembled Press, barged through the audience and silenced a democratic forum for the sharing of ideas. But this was not North Korea. This was the Carnegie Hotel in Brussels yesterday, where the annual National Conservative Conference (NatCon) had been brought to a terrifying and abrupt close on the instruction of three left-wing mayors of districts in the Belgian capital. Along with hundreds of others, I found myself holed up inside the hotel for much of the afternoon, fearing for my safety. The hours were long and tense - and, at times, dangerous. Deciding against a violent eviction of the auditorium, the police instead formed a cordon outside the hotel forbidding entrance to the premises. Through glass doors I saw some officers hiding their faces behind balaclavas. These armed agents of the EU's capital city bellowed intimidatingly that anyone who left the venue would not be allowed back inside. This was siege warfare - and hundreds of us were effectively being held prisoner. Our crime? Holding mildly Right-of-centre views.

After a calm-ish weekend during which I'd invited my team over to Chevening for a barbecue (Chequers was undergoing refurbishment), I was hit with news of turbulence in the Asian markets. There'd been no warning about an excessive market reaction from the Treasury - yet they'd known what would be in the mini-Budget. During the lead-up to the mini-Budget, both the Treasury and Kwasi himself had been talking regularly to Bank of England officials. I'd also laid out the vast majority of our plans in the Conservative leadership campaign.

Thames Water has told families to weed their gardens to cut down on their usage, despite leaking 585 million litres every day. In a list of 'spring water saving tips', the company also urged people to use watering cans, water their plants less often, and take shorter showers. The advice is part of a bid to make sure families save water throughout the year, particularly in the run-up to the summer months when demand soars. Another tip sees Thames Water encourage its customers to turn off taps while brushing their teeth.

Instagram account @theroyalmailbox , which shares their correspondence with royals and socialites, shared a photo of the note (inset) sent over by the Marchioness of Cholmondeley, Rose Hanbury (left, and right with her husband) - whose birthday was last month. 'Dear [redacted],' the message read. 'Thank you so much for sending me a lovely note for my birthday. I feel very fortunate to have had forty happy years of life so far... and hope there will be many more to come!'

Two organisations funding a campaign group aiming to persuade Muslim voters to vote for pro-Palestine candidates are being investigated due to terrorism allegations. The Muslim Vote (TMV) is a British alliance that is encouraging voters to become more involved in politics, while still calling for Israel to be barred from participating in the escalating conflict. The Muslim Association of Britain (MAB) and Muslim Engagement and Development are among TMV's list of 25 backers for its community campaign, though Muslim Engagement and Development (Mend) are two separate groups. These two organisations were among a string of companies that Michael Gove revealed last month that they could be investigated against the government's latest definition of extremism. On March 14, the Communities Secretary told MPs that he was worried about three Muslim-led organisations, including MAB, Mend, and Cage.

Rishi Sunak has been warned that if you lose your own seat in the general election as a result of a Tory wipeout exacerbated by a tactical voting campaign. According to a recent national referendum, the Prime Minister was expected to hold his Richmond and Northallerton constituency by just two percent. However, a recent report showed precisely the same number of people in Mr Sunak's seat said that they would vote tactically to save or oust his government (37.1 percent). According to the Best for Britain campaign's study, other top Conservatives were also in danger of losing their seats as a result of tactical voting. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, Housing Secretary Michael Gove, former Prime Minister Lix Truss, and former home secretary Suella Braverman were among those named. Campaigners said tactical voting 'holds the key' to delivening the Tories' 'earth-shattering defeat' and pulling the party 'out of office for the next decade.'

Following an 18-month inquiry by the National Crime Agency, Barry Marcus, 74, a pioneer of Holocaust education, has owed £2.35 million. Two charities that fund educational programs in Orthodox Jewish synagogue in London had entrusted the former senior rabbi of the Central Synagogue. However, inquiries revealed that he moved funds to other accounts in the United Kingdom and overseas. Marcus, who received his MBE in 2015 for his role in coordinating educational trips to Auschwitz, was honoured at a parliamentary reception by Michael Gove in 2018, with the Levelling Up Secretary calling him a 'truly wonderful man.'

After a week of dominated the boardroom at one of Britain's most polluting water firms, Chris Weston (left) prefers to switch off. At his £4 million Grade II-listed home in the rolling Kentish countryside, he might take a dip in the outdoor heated swimming pool. On other occasions, the former Army officer and avid fly fisherman can be seen casting lines on the banks of the county's trout-filled chalk streams. Anything to distract him from the escalating series of tragedies at Thames Water, which are now facing bankruptcy as a result of a £18 billion debt burden.

My three children and I returned from an incredible ten-week trip to Asia last week, including Bali, Kuala Lumpur, Phuket and Krabi in Thailand and Sri Lanka's Bentota. We spent a day in Doha, Qatar, and Shenzhen, China, as we moved between flights.

The massive redevelopment was met with 2,160 protests, with just 29 in favor of the planning request made by Sellar, the developer behind The Shard's. The initiative calls for partial demolition of the Victorian-era train station and the construction of a 20-story building above the historic train station and the neighboring grade II listed Andaz hotel, formerly the Grand Eastern Hotel. Herzog and de Meuron, the Swiss architects who created Tate Modern, have designed a roof terrace with a wildflower meadow and a swimming pool. In the meantime, inside the tower would be a mash-up of hotel rooms and offices. Members of the public sluggishly criticized the proposals, and some even said that they would'destroy the entire character of Liverpool Street Station.'

After being empty for 12 months, the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has enforced regulations to encourage councils to charge double council tax on houses. Despite the fact that the premium goes into operation today, local authorities must wait at least a year before bringing the extra charges in. According to an analysis, more than three-quarters of second homeowners in England would be affected, with at least 153 councils enforcing the higher levy.

After a video of an officer telling a Jewish woman that swastikas "need to be taken into account," campaigners have blasted the Met Police. The woman appears to be confronting police after she was allegedly told that the swastikas were "not necessarily anti-Semitic or a breach of public order" when she announced them at a protest in London on Saturday. The activist, who screamed over the tense discussion, wants to know why the activist who was displaying a swastika has not been jailed since she told an officer that it had not been arrested. Two other officers however defend the lack of action and refuse to accept that displaying a swastika symbol on the pro-Palestine march is anti-Semitic. After being shown the video, a spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism told MailOnline: "This interaction is absolutely gobsmacking.' The fact that a British police officer could imagine a scenario in which the Nazi swastika is an acceptable photograph to be displayed in public is troubling enough, but for him to be uncertain about its implications in the context of a march oozing with anti-Semitic rhetoric and signage is an indictment of the Met.