- First Bite
- Posts
- The Future of the Conservatives and Xi's Pledge to Africa
The Future of the Conservatives and Xi's Pledge to Africa
First Bite
September 05, 2024
Good morning!
Lots going on today! Priti Patel has been knocked out of the Tory leadership race (who would’ve thought) and we will look at what happened at a fiery PMQ’s on Wednesday. Elsewhere, we take a dive into China’s $50bn pledge to Africa.
Bite-Sized Bulletin:
🇬🇧 Northern Ireland are hoping to finalise the rebuilding of parliament seven months after returning to Stormont
🇸🇩 Sudan on the brink of civil war
🇺🇸 Is the influence of Trump beginning to shrink?
🇹🇷 Turkey are keen to join the BRICs block of developing economies
🚀 Some are suggesting that the erratic nature of Elon Musk is having a considerable impact within the geopolitical realm
🇬🇧 Anti-pollution laws introduced threaten water bosses with significant fines and potential jail time
Patel Out of the Running: Tory Leadership Race Heating Up
The Tory leadership race has just got a little less crowded! Priti Patel has been knocked out in the first round of voting, leaving five candidates still in the mix. With Rishi Sunak stepping down after the disastrous election in July, the Conservatives are continuing to hunt for their new leader.
Among the hopefuls still standing are James Cleverly, and former immigration minster Robert Jenrick, with both fairing reasonably well in the first round of voting. The next round happens next Tuesday, where one more hopeful will be shown the door, leaving four contenders to battle it out at the party’s annual conference later this month.
It’s all eyes now on Jenrick and Cleverly, along with their colleagues (well, opposition I guess at the moment), Kemi Badenoch, Tom Tugendhat, and Mel Stride, as they make their case for why they’re the future of the party.
Priti Patel is the first one to go đź‘‹
Back From Recess - Starmer and Sunak Already At Each Other
Rishi Sunak didn’t hold back during the first Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) after the summer recess, accusing Sir Keir Starmer of taking winter fuel payments away from pensioners to hand money over to “highly paid train drivers.” The opposition Conservative leader used the session to criticise the government’s decision to cut winter fuel payments for pensioners not on pension credits, all while approving pay rises for public sector workers.
Sunak’s comments zeroed in on a controversial decision by Starmer’s government, which has seen winter fuel payments stripped from some pensioners. Meanwhile, train drivers—who already earn an average salary of just under £60,000 in London—will receive a hefty 14.25% pay increase over three years. This raise includes a 5% rise backdated for 2022-2023, 4.75% for 2023-2024, and 4.5% for 2024-2025.
The contrast drew sharp criticism from Sunak, who painted the move as an unfair trade-off, with vulnerable pensioners losing out to highly-paid workers. "They’re taking money away from pensioners to give to train drivers," Sunak said, striking a chord with many on his side of the aisle.
But the prime minister didn’t stop there. He hit back by blaming the opposition for leaving the country in economic disarray, claiming his government was elected "to clear up the mess left by the party opposite." Sunak was quick to defend the difficult choices his government has had to make to stabilise the economy, pointing to a "£22bn black hole" left by the previous administration.
The heated exchange highlights the growing divide between the two leaders, with pensioners and public sector pay taking centre stage as major political battlegrounds. As the cost of living crisis continues to bite, expect these issues to remain front and centre in the months ahead.
Starmer looking like he’s about to take on all of the Conservatives (which to be fair, might be quite easy for the Labour leader at the moment)
China’s $50bn Power Boost
China is continuing to make serious moves in Africa, and President Xi Jinping is pulling out all the stops. For the ninth time, Xi hosted a triennial summit with leaders from 50 African nations, with China’s foreign ministry dubbing it the “largest diplomatic event” they’ve organised in years. The big takeaway? Xi pledged a whopping $50bn in financial support over the next three years, doubling down on China’s Belt and Road Initiative - a colossal project aimed at linking several continents to Beijing through physical infrastructure.
But it’s not just about money. China has been keen to align itself with Africa by emphasising its own status as a developing country. By doing so, it positions itself as a partner to the Global South, sharing common goals and supporting African-led initiatives. This approach has allowed Beijing to chip away at U.S and European influence on the continent. In its quest for global superpower status, China is playing the long game in Africa, strengthening ties that are set to last until at least 2027.
As the West watches closely, China’s strategic investments are making it clear that Africa is central to its plans for global dominance.
China continue to secure ties with Africa
Whole(some)grain Toast:
Joke of the day The CEO of IKEA has just been elected as the Swedish Prime Minister… He’s currently assembling his cabinet! | On this day On this day in 1991, the Soviet Union formally recognised the independence of the Baltic states - Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. |
That’s all for today, folks!