Rishi Sunak takes a day off amid record-breaking exodus of Tory MPs – UK politics live
Michael Gove and Andrea Leadsom are the latest Tory MPs to say they will not be standing at the upcoming general electionSign up our UK general election newsletterThe treasury minister Bim Afolami insists it is “not unnatural” for high-profile Tory MPs such as Gove to be standing down at an election. The MP for Hitchen and Harpenden, where the Conservatives have seen their majority diminish in recent elections, has told Times Radio:Look, it’s not unnatural if you’ve got people who served for 20, sometimes 30 or 35 years in parliament in their 50s or 60s coming to retirement or indeed retiring completely, that they choose to bring their political careers to a close. I think that’s fine.The Lib Dems are strong but, you know, we’re confident that we’ll hold the seat and we’ll beat them.It is time to get rid of this toothless and weak regulator that is sitting idly by while water firms destroy our rivers and beaches with filthy sewage.This is a national scandal which has got far worse under the Conservatives’ watch. Their record is one of rising sewage levels and water firms stuffing their pockets with cash. Continue reading...

Michael Gove and Andrea Leadsom are the latest Tory MPs to say they will not be standing at the upcoming general election
The treasury minister Bim Afolami insists it is “not unnatural” for high-profile Tory MPs such as Gove to be standing down at an election. The MP for Hitchen and Harpenden, where the Conservatives have seen their majority diminish in recent elections, has told Times Radio:
Look, it’s not unnatural if you’ve got people who served for 20, sometimes 30 or 35 years in parliament in their 50s or 60s coming to retirement or indeed retiring completely, that they choose to bring their political careers to a close. I think that’s fine.
The Lib Dems are strong but, you know, we’re confident that we’ll hold the seat and we’ll beat them.
It is time to get rid of this toothless and weak regulator that is sitting idly by while water firms destroy our rivers and beaches with filthy sewage.
This is a national scandal which has got far worse under the Conservatives’ watch. Their record is one of rising sewage levels and water firms stuffing their pockets with cash. Continue reading...