Tom Tugendhat’s call for review of Huw Edwards’ sentence backfires after experts tell him law doesn’t allow it – as it happened

BBC presenter Huw Edwards leaves court after sentencing. Photograph: Sean Smith/The Guardian

5.15pm BST

Afternoon summary

• Sue Gray, Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, has been given a salary of £170,000 – more than the prime minister.

• John Swinney has urged independence supporters not to live in the past as he celebrated the 10th anniversary of the independence referendum as a moment of “reawakening” for the yes movement.

• Tom Tugendhat’s call for the government to use the unduly lenient sentences scheme to review Huw Edwards’ sentence, and get it increased, backfired after Tugendhat was told this was not legally possible because the mechanism only applies to crown court sentences. (See 3.24pm.)

• Train drivers have voted to back a pay deal that will resolve the last remaining conflict between rail operators and unions after more than two years of strikes that have brought misery for passengers.

• John Major has criticised the former Conservative government’s Rwanda scheme, saying it was unsuitable for the 21st century and was “un-Conservative and un-British”.

5.05pm BST

Back to Sue Gray, and this is from the FT’s Henry Mance.

Dominic Cummings was paid £140,000-£144,999 in 2020.

Adjusted for inflation, that would be approx £172,000-£179,000 today.

Sue Gray's salary is £170,000.

Here ends today's economics lesson.

— Henry Mance (@henrymance) September 18, 2024

Dominic Cummings was paid £140,000-£144,999 in 2020.

Adjusted for inflation, that would be approx £172,000-£179,000 today.

Sue Gray’s salary is £170,000.

Here ends today’s economics lesson.

Sam Freedman, the author, Substack blogger and Prospect columnist, has added this.

Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill were paid £140k in 2016 as Theresa May's chiefs of staff, which would be £187k now adjusted for inflation.... https://t.co/h1qauYUVP7

— Sam Freedman (@Samfr) September 18, 2024

Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill were paid £140k in 2016 as Theresa May’s chiefs of staff, which would be £187k now adjusted for inflation.