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Ben Riley-Smith
@benrileysmith
Political Editor, The Daily Telegraph. Previously on the Trump beat in Washington. DMs open.
London, Englandtelegraph.co.uk/authors/b/ba-b…Joined February 2011
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47.2K Followers

Ben Riley-Smith’s Tweets

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Ben Riley-Smith
@benrileysmith
📚 Very excited to share this news… I’m writing a book on the Tories’ 12-year run in Downing Street. Five back-to-back PMs (last done by a party two centuries ago). Ruthless reinvention, regicide. Lots to get into. Working title: ‘The Right to Rule’
thebookseller.com
John Murray scoops Telegraph political editor’s ‘explosive’ début on the Tories in eight-way auction
John Murray has triumphed in an eight-way auction for Telegraph political editor Ben Riley-Smith’s “explosive and entertaining” début, The Right to Rule: The Tories’ Rise, Reinvention and Implosion.
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Ben Riley-Smith
@benrileysmith
🚨Blue-on-Blue China row… Tory MP Alicia Kearns accuses Liz Truss of “the worst kind of Instagram diplomacy” for her upcoming Taiwan trip. (Via
@kiranstacey
) Truss’s spokesman now demanding an apology for “petty political attack”, saying Taiwan Government invited her to visit
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Ben Riley-Smith
@benrileysmith
Early candidate for historical insult of the day… Jacob Rees-Mogg just now on Rishi Sunak’s EU laws flip-flop: “It is no good being holier than thou if you then end up behaving like a Borgia.”
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Ben Riley-Smith
@benrileysmith
Just in: Liz Truss will give a speech in Taiwan next week. Calls out China’s “increasingly aggressive behaviour and rhetoric” in a preview quote. China hawkishness clearly becoming a central plank of her post-PM political career. Beijing response TBC.
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Ben Riley-Smith
@benrileysmith
Oliver Dowden’s coronation as deputy PM (despite early indications today the title would go) is confirmation of his centrality to the Sunak project. One of his best friends in politics, attends the 8.30 meeting, both on the joint oped endorsing Boris in 2019.
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Ben Riley-Smith
@benrileysmith
Dominic Raab probe by numbers - 44 written submissions - 66 interviews conducted - Raab did four interviews - Amounting to 2.5 days - Or 17 hours (per Raab)
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Ben Riley-Smith
@benrileysmith
7/ If Raab goes Sunak will become only the second PM since 1979 to lose three cabinet ministers in six months. The other?…. Boris Johnson. (With thanks to
@instituteforgov
for digging out that stat) Full reporting with
@charleshymas
here.
telegraph.co.uk
Dominic Raab ‘will fight to the death’ as Sunak agonises over bullying report
PM deciding whether to sack his loyal deputy as allies say delay in delivering decision means verdict is 'not cut and dried'
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Ben Riley-Smith
@benrileysmith
4/ Report lists allegations one after the other with Adam Tolley comments on each 5/ Whitehall braced for reshuffle, senior civil servants were preparing ‘day one’ briefing packs for ministers yesterday 6/ Open qu of whether Sunak will involve his ethics adviser Laurie Magnus
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Ben Riley-Smith
@benrileysmith
Some bits in our p1 Raab story 1/ Raab and Sunak didn’t talk by yesterday evening. Both read report 2/ Raab hasn’t quit. Source tells Tel he’ll “fight to the death” to keep job 3/ Sunak is expected to decide or bring the matter to a head today
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Ben Riley-Smith
@benrileysmith
The Raab report will be factual findings. It’s the PM who determines if the ministerial code was broken. Here’s the key section, right at start. Explicitly says “bullying” not allowed.
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Ben Riley-Smith
@benrileysmith
Gut hunch is we will see the report and get a decision from Sunak today. Not much political upside to keeping it hanging overnight. But let’s see.
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Ben Riley-Smith
@benrileysmith
BREAKING: Rishi Sunak has the Raab bullying report. Now 'carefully considering' it. No timings given by No10 on publication or a decision. telegraph.co.uk/politics/2023/
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Ben Riley-Smith
@benrileysmith
Biden isn't interested in standalone deal Sunak now focussing on sector deals (rare minerals one under discussion) and with US states White House confirms no active talks So... after Nov24 US election the next realistic prospect of talks restarting
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Ben Riley-Smith
@benrileysmith
US-UK free trade deal talks aren't expected to restart until 2025 at the earliest - nine years after the Brexit vote. telegraph.co.uk/politics/2023/
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Ben Riley-Smith
@benrileysmith
Read on PM Sunak almost 6months in - ‘Mr Fix It’ approach cutting through - Signs economy righting (inflation⬇️) - Brexit deal passed/Boris rebels lost - Poll deficit⬇️ 26pts to 18pts - Tory rebellions minimised - Oct/Nov 2024 election pencilled
telegraph.co.uk
How Rishi Sunak’s ‘Mr Fix-it’ approach is starting to pay off
The green shoots of Conservative recovery in opinion polls mean the idea of an autumn 2024 general election is emerging
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Ben Riley-Smith
@benrileysmith
This would mean both Rishi Sunak and Joe Biden’s hopes of a second term being decided in a few weeks of each other. US election is 5 Nov 2024.
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Ben Riley-Smith
@benrileysmith
Exclusive Downing Street has provisionally pencilled in October / November 2024 for the next general election. Going long boosts chances of the economy improving and small boat numbers dropping. telegraph.co.uk/politics/2023/
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Ben Riley-Smith
@benrileysmith
More in this read on Sunak’s premiership as it nears the six month mark. Signs of the ‘Mr Fix It’ drive cutting through. Inflation down, Brexit deal past the Commons, Johnson allies downbeat. Poll of polls shows Labour lead down from 26pts to 18pts.
telegraph.co.uk
How Rishi Sunak’s ‘Mr Fix-it’ approach is starting to pay off
The green shoots of Conservative recovery in opinion polls mean the idea of an autumn 2024 general election is emerging
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Ben Riley-Smith
@benrileysmith
Usual caveats. No final decision on date until much closer to the time. No rush on locking anything in stone. But autumn 2024 is the thinking. Has echoes of Gordon Brown, leaving things late to give as much time as possible for the polls to turn.
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