Hopes on Opec
A GREAT deal depends on Boris Johnson’s mission to Saudi Arabia this week — perhaps the most important foreign visit of his Premiership so far.
Our allies — not least the US — will be hoping he can persuade the kingdom to massively boost oil production to ease global reliance on Russian reserves and make economic sanctions against Vladimir Putin more effective.
The critical timing was laid bare yesterday as Russian forces targeted a barracks just 11 miles from Poland — Nato’s border — and unleashed phosphorus bombs on fleeing Ukrainians.
The Saudis, involved in their own hideous war in Yemen, will inevitably want something in return. Such is the price of international diplomacy at a time of world tension.
But if Boris can persuade Opec countries to pump out billions of extra barrels it will also do much to ease spiralling inflation back home, which could top nine per cent in months.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has been reading up on the 1970s oil crisis which led to recession in Britain.
One lesson from history is that high taxes make economic slumps worse.
Cutting fuel duty on petrol and axing the imminent National Insurance hike are now more urgent than ever.
Homes front
MICHAEL Gove suggests that Roman Abramovich’s £125million home should be converted to shelter Ukrainian refugees.
Good. It may require a change in the law but what a beautiful irony it would be to see those fleeing Putin’s murderous regime housed in mansions bought by oligarchs with his blood money.
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It’s hard to see, however, how the refugee problem will be solved by the Homes for Ukraine scheme. Entirely voluntary, it will depend on an extra-ordinary level of generosity from Brits.
A relatively small number of kind souls will have spare rooms and the means to afford to open their doors.
But the vast majority of ordinary families are already under huge pressure from rising living costs and the £350 a month incentive is unlikely to make any real difference to them.
Boris Johnson says Britain is ready for thousands of refugees.
With no sign of any other scheme on the horizon it begs the question: Where will they all go?
Sir Unclear
WHAT is a woman?
As Harry Potter author JK Rowling has pointed out, it appears Sir Keir Starmer won’t answer and so cannot be counted upon to stand up for women’s rights.
Instead he prefers to pander to the woke mob he fears so much.
It’s a strange and weak stance from a man who hopes to one day represent approximately 30million women as PM
