'Surprisingly, Robin, nobody likes your plan to steal from pensioners to give to train drivers' My latest cartoon for tomorrow's The Telegraph Buy a print of my cartoons at telegraph.co.uk/mattprints Original artwork from chrisbeetles.com

Rate of UK unemployment falls to 4.1%, down from 4.2% in the previous three months. Sterling rises against dollar. Growth in pay outpaces inflation. As Starmer and Reeves never stop telling us, it really is the most appalling economic inheritance ever.

Shameful. This will hit thousands of local pensioners at the worst possible time and goes against everything Chris Vince promised.

Seen here with me at the Chelgate Christmas Party. Mathew Lane (left), Nick Wood-Dow ( 2nd left ) , Mike Hardware ( right) celebrating an astonishing 80 years + between them that they have been my friends & colleagues at Chelgate . I feel blessed & honoured

New: a West Midlands Labour councillor has torched Keir Starmer for the loss of a previously safe seat The PM "lied to us all to get elected and does not deserve to be the leader of the Labour party," according to Cllr Steve Edwards post Dudley defeat spectator.co.uk/article/labour…

The Devolution Bill has huge implications for planning and development. It has been the 'elephant in the room' for some time, a huge shake up with many existing local councils subsumed into larger strategic authorities. We have summerised: lnkd.in/ezygHMKw

#Chelgate colleague Dr Emily Hickey will be on BBC’s Jeremy Vine Show today ( Noon. Radio 2) discussing Thatcher, Carter etc. Will be worth a listen

Trump ~ “Zelensky shouldn’t have started the war with Russia.”

David Lammy’s Foreign Office spent £521,525 on “restaurants and bars” in the first four months of the Labour government. The venues where the money was spent has been withheld.

David Lammy has been in his role as foreign secretary for 233 days racking up £521,525 in food and drink expenses. An impressive £2238 a day. The state pension works out at £31.60 a day.

A Bellway Homes application for 85 homes at Ongar, Essex, was unanimously approved by Epping Forest DC last Thursday. Five members unusually congratulated Bellway, one saying this: "should be a lesson to other developers of how to do this”. linkedin.com/feed/update/ur…

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Big things are possible for Essex. I know what needs to be done and I’ve got the track record and the drive to make it happen. It’s time to move Essex forward.

Too many crimes go unsolved. As Mayor, I won’t accept that. I’ll refocus policing - more officers on our streets, responding to reports and tackling real crime, not scrolling social media. Visible policing is a priority. I won’t compromise on that.

Over 1,000 illegal migrants crossed the Channel in a single day. Essex is paying the price. Overstretched services, rising costs, and no control. It’s time to put Essex first. 🇬🇧