Politics latest news: Looming by-elections will be 'difficult' for Tories, says Sunak

Thank you for joining me for today’s politics live blog. 

I will be back tomorrow morning. 

Chris Pincher has now formally resigned as the MP for Tamworth. 

The Treasury has confirmed the news, issuing the following statement: “The Chancellor of the Exchequer has this day appointed Christopher John Pincher to be Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead.”

Here’s how Telegraph readers are reacting to the news that the UK is rejoining the European Union’s Horizon scientific research programme.

Truth Hurts said: “Frankly a missed opportunity to get closer to the US, Japan and the Anglosphere on technology. By sharing our technology with the EU, an organisation active in seeking to undermine our country, is sad news. This agreement undermines the Brexit push away from the controlling arm of Brussels. A big mistake!”

Alun Crockford said:“Might this money have been better spent on a UK based globally inclusive scheme? Having seen the vast sums wasted on politically led vanity projects, you do have to question if investing in the Horizon project is money well spent.”

B.Scandiacus said: “It wasn’t controversial before; even the Leave campaign said that we would remain in Horizon. Only people motivated by an irrational hatred of Europe would object to it.”

What do you make of the move? You can join the conversation in the comments section below - just look for the speech bubble icon underneath the first post of the day.  

Harriet Harman, the veteran Labour MP who chaired the Privileges Committee’s partygate investigation into Boris Johnson, has declared her candidacy to be the new chairman of the House of Commons Committee on Standards. 

A vacancy has arisen after Sir Chris Bryant quit with immediate effect after he accepted a role on the Labour frontbench as the shadow minister for creative industries and digital. 

The committee is tasked with scrutinising the behaviour of MPs. 

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said there was “relief” the UK had rejoined Horizon (see the post below at 07.28), but said that gaps remain in the new arrangement struck by Rishi Sunak.

Speaking during a visit to an AstraZeneca site in Macclesfield, he said: “There is relief today in relation to Horizon. I think there is a sense that we have lost two years, that this should have happened two years ago and that is a big loss. And obviously as we look at the details, there are some gaps there.”

No10 has refused to guarantee that long-awaited trans guidance for schools will be published before the election, writes Daniel Martin, The Telegraph’s deputy political editor. 

The Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman said it was still being developed because ministers need more information about “the long-term implications of a child acting as though they are the opposite sex”.

The Telegraph reported this morning that Rishi Sunak was considering abandoning part of the guidance relating to children being allowed to “socially transition” in class - that is where those identifying as trans expect to wear the opposite-sex uniform and demand others call them by the opposite-sex pronoun. 

But the comment from Downing Street raises the prospect that the whole guidance - including on issues such as whether a biological boy can use girls’ toilets or play in their sports teams - could be put off until after the election.

Asked for a timeline on the guidance being produced, the spokesman said: “We recognise the need to do this as quickly as possible, but more information is needed about the long-term implications of a child acting as though they are the opposite sex and we need to take care to understand how such action affects other children in the school or college. That’s why we’re taking this additional time.”

He later added: “I’m not going to put a specific timeline on it, not least because I don’t know when the next election will be.”

The Government had originally said the guidance would be published by the summer term.

Downing Street said progress has been made on getting outstanding schools to respond to questionnaires on the possible presence of crumbling concrete.

The Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman said: “We are seeing more responses completed every day and the majority of situations where surveys aren’t completed now are quite specific.”

Ministers said earlier this week that 95 per cent of school responsible bodies had responded to the survey, with five per cent outstanding. 

Rishi Sunak is heading to Delhi, India, later today to attend a G20 summit. The location of the summit has prompted speculation that the topic of the UK-India trade deal could come up when Mr Sunak meets Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

There have been reports that Home Secretary Suella Braverman raised concerns at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting about India’s reported desire for any trade deal to bring a relaxation in the visa regime. 

Asked about those reports at lunchtime, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman told reporters there are “no plans” to change UK immigration policy to secure a trade deal with India. 

The spokesman said: “I can’t comment on the details of ongoing negotiations, but to be crystal clear, there are no plans to change our immigration policy to achieve this free trade agreement. That includes student visas.”

Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of Liz Truss becoming prime minister and YouGov conducted a poll asking voters if they believed she did well or badly during her seven weeks in No10. 

Some 81 per cent of respondents said she had done badly - 17 per cent said fairly badly and 64 per cent said very badly. 

Seven per cent of respondents said Ms Truss did well - six per cent said fairly well and one per cent said very well. 

The findings were based on a poll of 3,058 people conducted on September 6. 

Rishi Sunak said the deal for the UK to rejoin the EU’s Horizon programme will help maintain the country’s position as a technology “superpower”. 

Speaking to broadcasters in Warwickshire, the Prime Minister said: “It’s a great day for the UK and for the UK science and research community.

“We are associated to Horizon, which is the world’s largest international research partnership including countries not just from the EU but also Norway, Israel, New Zealand, with hopefully Canada and South Korea to join soon too. We’ve taken the time to negotiate the right deal for the UK, a bespoke deal which works in our interests.

“And this will help maintain our leadership position as a science and tech superpower. Because ultimately, that’s how we’re going to drive growth, create jobs, spread opportunity but most importantly, transform our lives for the better.”

Rishi Sunak said two looming by-elections will be “difficult” for the Conservatives.

He was asked about his party’s prospects in the Mid Bedfordshire by-election - triggered by the resignation of Nadine Dorries - and in Tamworth where a contest will be triggered by the resignation of Chris Pincher. 

Speaking during a visit to the University of Warwick, the Prime Minister said: “Mid-term by-elections are always difficult for incumbent governments and these will be no different, but we’re going to keep working hard to deliver for the British people.

“I set out five priorities at the beginning of the year – to halve inflation, grow the economy, reduce debt, cut waiting lists and stop the boats. Those are the right priorities, those are the British people’s priorities, and we are determined to deliver on them and show the country that we can transform their lives and their families’ lives for the better.”

The Tories reported almost £10million in donations in the second quarter of this year while Labour reported more than £7million as both parties bolstered their general election war chests. 

Official figures published this morning by the Electoral Commission revealed the Conservative Party reported £9.9million in donations between April and June. 

Labour reported £7.5million in donations. 

The Liberal Democrats reported £1.5million. Those figures exclude any public funds the parties received. 

Labour said the new Horizon deal is a “relief” but it comes “too late for many researchers” who have “already lost out” on funding. 

Peter Kyle, the shadow science secretary, said: “Today’s announcement is a relief after years of Conservative Prime Ministers putting party above country. However, this announcement is too late for many researchers, businesses and academics who have already lost out in billions of funding and taken their jobs and expertise elsewhere.

“Our world-leading research base deserves a government that matches their ambition. Labour’s industrial strategy will support our world-leading sectors like life sciences and will unlock the potential of our scientific community.”

The Liberal Democrats said the deal for the UK to rejoin the EU’s Horizon programme (see the post below at 07.28) was “long overdue” and claimed the Government was guilty of “dither and delay”. 

Layla Moran, the Lib Democrat foreign affairs spokesperson, said: “This is welcome news but it is long overdue. It is a tragedy that so much unnecessary damage was done to our scientists and researchers thanks to the Conservatives’ botched deal with Europe. 

“The Government’s dither and delay means scientists will have missed out on vital funding and projects. This announcement won’t fix that damage - but it finally offers a positive step forward. It’s about time.

“With this step forward, the government must look to extend this cooperation to other schemes such as Erasmus and restore these obvious benefits to all those in the UK.”

Chris Pincher said he did not want his constituents in his Tamworth seat to face “further uncertainty” as he announced his intention to quit the Commons. 

In a statement he said: “I have said already that I will not stand at the next general election.

“However, following the Independent Expert Panel’s decision I wanted to talk to my office team and family.

“I do not want my constituents to be put to further uncertainty, and so in consequence I have made arrangements to resign and leave the Commons.

“Tamworth is a wonderful place and it has been an honour to represent its people. I shall make no further comment at this time.”

Former Tory whip Chris Pincher is set to resign as an MP. 

He said in a statement that he has “made arrangements to resign and leave the Commons” after losing his appeal against an eight-week suspension over groping allegations.

Mr Pincher resigned from the frontbench and lost the Tory whip after the allegations emerged. He currently sits as an independent MP. 

Lord Clarke, the Tory former chancellor, said it will take “at least” two or three years for the UK economy to return to a healthy state. 

The ex-Cabinet minister also suggested the winner of the next general election will be “unlucky” because of the “serious” financial situation they will have to deal with. 

Lord Clarke was asked during an interview on the Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge programme on Sky News how worried he was about the state of the economy. 

He replied: “Very worried. I don’t think many people have really, a lot of people have not taken on board just how serious the state of the British economy is. 

“Whoever, I was about to say is unlucky enough to win the next election, faces two or three years of having to do very tough and difficult things. It will take at least that to get back to a healthy economy with growth and low inflation.” 

Science Secretary Michelle Donelan said that UK membership of the EU’s Horizon research programme would cost around £2billion a year.

She told LBC Radio: “It costs £2billion per year, but it does unlock access to the world’s largest research collaboration programme.”

Maros Sefcovic, the European Commission’s executive vice president who has represented the EU in post-Brexit talks, said today’s deal between the UK and the bloc on Horizon represented a “significant step forward”. 

Here’s his tweet: 

Science Secretary Michelle Donelan said the deal to take the UK back into the EU’s Horizon research programme is “absolutely fantastic” for Britain’s scientists.

Speaking to Times Radio this morning, she said: “It’s absolutely fantastic news. Fantastic news for scientists and researchers up and down the country, but also businesses as well, and the British taxpayer because what we’ve got here is a fantastic deal that’s in everybody’s interest.

“If we’d have took the deal on the table that we were presented back in March, we wouldn’t be having the same conversation today because this really does provide value for money for the taxpayer, as well as giving that crucial certainty to our scientific community.”

The Horizon programme is a collaboration which involves Europe’s leading scientific research institutes and technology companies. 

Today’s deal means UK-based researchers and innovators can now apply to most Horizon Europe funding opportunities on the same terms as EU-based applicants. 

The programme was initially launched in 2021. The Government negotiated membership of the programme in the Brexit withdrawal agreement but the EU went back on the deal after disputes emerged over the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The scheme is due to run until 2027 and it provides funding for research and innovation across three core pillars: Excellent Science, Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness, and Innovative Europe.

Today’s deal means the UK will be a fully associated member for the remaining life of the programme.

Brussels has agreed not to charge the UK for the years it was locked out of the Horizon Europe programme under Rishi Sunak’s new deal with the bloc. 

Downing Street said UK taxpayers “will not pay for the time where UK researchers have been excluded from since 2021, with costs starting from January 2024”. 

The UK will also have an “automatic clawback” under the deal. This means that if UK scientists receive significantly less money than the UK contributes to the programme the UK will be compensated. 

No10 said this was not the arrangement under the original terms of association.

Rishi Sunak said he had struck the “right deal for British taxpayers” as he hailed the agreement to make the UK an associate member of the EU’s Horizon programme. 

The Prime Minister said: “Innovation has long been the foundation for prosperity in the UK, from the breakthroughs improving healthcare to the technological advances growing our economy.

“With a wealth of expertise and experience to bring to the global stage, we have delivered a deal that enables UK scientists to confidently take part in the world’s largest research collaboration programme – Horizon Europe.

“We have worked with our EU partners to make sure that this is right deal for the UK, unlocking unparalleled research opportunities, and also the right deal for British taxpayers.”

Downing Street has just announced that the UK is rejoining the European Union’s £85billion Horizon scientific research programme.

No10 said Rishi Sunak had agreed a “bespoke deal” with Brussels with “improved financial terms for the UK’s participation”. 

The UK initially agreed a £15 billion membership fee to join the seven-year research programme as part of the post-Brexit Trade and Cooperation deal.

But tensions surrounding the Northern Ireland Protocol led to a refusal by the European Commission to finalise the terms.

A new deal has now been agreed following months of wrangling.