Politics

“We’d like to be in a Government that has the impression of being competent – rather than lurching from one issue to another and then after a short time doing a U-turn.”

Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, is reportedly considering scrapping the commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of GDP on foreign aid, after a revolt from Tory backbenchers over the prospect of hiking taxes.

He beat his predecessors Ed Miliband and John Smith, as well as ex-Lib Dem leader Paddy Ashdown, and Conservative former chancellor Ken Clarke.

Mr Le Drian insisted that the bloc of 27 will not buckle under pressure from London.

Mr Cummings told aides a “hard rain is coming” and promised to shake-up an “incoherent” Cabinet Office.

Simon Case was temporarily appointed as permanent secretary in Number 10 in May, at the height of the Covid-19 crisis, in an attempt to bring some stability to the government’s chaotic response to the pandemic.

Instagram stars like former Love Island star Shaughna Phillips were paid an undisclosed amount to create content touting the system during lockdown, as part of a wider campaign to inform the public about the programme.

Kate Green, the shadow education secretary, said students starting Year 11 and 13 in September had been left with “a mountain to climb” unless the timetable is changed, after missing months of schooling.

The Treasury could raise £20 billion through extra taxes in an attempt to tackle the cost of coronavirus, it has been reported - but the prospect of such large tax spikes prompted concern from a number of Tory MPs.