Voters not put off by sleaze claims, Tory MPs say, as poll shows drop in approval
April 27, 2021, 10:07 am

Voters not put off by sleaze claims, Tory MPs say, as poll shows drop in approval

Boris Johnson and Welsh Conservative candidate Barbara Hughes on the campaign trail at Moreton farm, Wrexham on Monday.

Labour MPs counter that issue is being raised on doorsteps ahead of 6 May local elections

Conservatives MPs and candidates have said that the sleaze allegations surrounding Downing Street are not “cutting through” to voters as a new poll showed the party’s lead over Labour has plummeted ahead of next week’s local elections.

Boris Johnson said on a visit to Wrexham on Monday that the “stuff that people are talking about” in Westminster was not among issues being raised on the doorstep.

However, an Ipsos Mori poll found that the party’s approval ratings had been slashed by five percentage points since last month, following weeks of revelations about lobbying, the refurbishment of the prime minister’s flat, and the latest row with his former key adviser, Dominic Cummings.

The monthly survey put the Tories on 40%, three points clear of Labour who are on 37%, down from 38%, the Liberal Democrats on 8% (up from 6%), and the Greens unchanged at 5%.

A second poll released on Monday found the Conservatives had a 10-point lead over Labour, with both parties unchanged compared to the previous week. The survey of 2,000 voters by the consultancy firm Redfield & Wilton Strategies found that 44% of people said they would vote Tory if there was an imminent general election, while 34% would vote Labour.

Navendu Mishra, the Labour MP for Stockport, admitted the Conservatives were benefiting from a “vaccine boost” that had lifted public spirits, but said voters were raising issues such as cronyism in Westminster. “The sleaze is cutting through. I’ve been on the doorstep over the weekend and several people have mentioned it.”

But Conservatives who spoke to the Guardian insisted that the sleaze allegations had not yet gained much traction among voters – though they said further revelations may have an impact on the elections.

Christian Wakeford, the Conservative MP for Bury South, said he had received only one email complaint so far about lobbying and that was from “a frequent flyer”.

Wakeford said most people assume all politicians are sleazy, and care more about paying their mortgage than Westminster shenanigans. “All the Greensill scandal shows is that David Cameron is a really crap lobbyist,” he said.

“At the moment it feels like something politicians are massively focused on and it doesn’t seem to have massive cut-through. That said, we’re going into the third week of it now, so I imagine eventually some of it might start to land.”

Another northern Conservative MP said they had received “eight or nine” complaints about lobbying so far and that it was a “Westminster bubble issue”.

“To put that into context, I had 2,500 about Dominic Cummings going to Barnard Castle, and can get 500 about badger culls. Four hundred people wrote to me about the Erasmus scheme,” they said.

In Hartlepool, a seat Labour are fighting to retain in a closely watched byelection, Tories and independents said sleaze was not yet being raised on the doorstep. “Not one person has mentioned it to me,” said Ray Martin-Wells, honorary president of the Hartlepool Conservatives. “I just think they’re not really bothered about what effectively is tittle-tattle.”

An aide to a Conservative MP in a red wall seat said there had been little public anger about lobbying compared with Cummings’ lockdown-busting trips to Barnard Castle: “The Dominic Cummings Barnard Castle stuff was probably the most vicious moment that I’ve seen since I’ve been working for an MP. Our emails were horrendous.

“There were people that were genuinely upset about what they perceived Dominic Cummings had done. Now, the press trying to paint him as the man that’s completely truthful … I just don’t think that’s cut through.”

Alastair Watson, the Conservative candidate for Bristol mayor, said voters in “the leafier suburbs where there are quite a few champagne socialists” would mention the sleaze claims, but those people were not likely to vote Tory anyway.

Watson compared Johnson to the former deputy Labour leader John Prescott. “He could do a load of stuff and everyone said: ‘Oh, it’s John Prescott.’ I think there’s a similar thing with Boris out there. It’s: ‘He’s doing his best, he bumbles along.’ He’s extraordinary and he does get to places other Conservative politicians haven’t got to.”

source: Josh Halliday

Levant

Shortsighted’: UK cuts aid to project preparing cities for natural disaster Dreadful human rights violations by Iranian regime!

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.