Political Headlines – Amazon, Brexit, North-East Cabinet Meeting

Today’s Political Headlines includes Amazon planning for a ‘no-deal’, May’s meeting with her cabinet in the North-East and the EU rejecting the UK’s plans for financial services post-Brexit

Amazon planning for ‘no deal’ Brexit civil unrest
The Times says that the head of Amazon UK, Doug Gurr, has warned that there could be ‘civil unrest’ within a fortnight of a ‘no deal’ Brexit and that Amazon was making contingency plans for such a scenario, and that Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab has accused the EU of ‘irresponsibility’ for pointing out that there were no arrangements in place for the treatment of UK and EU expats if no agreement was reached. The i warns that the Government might suspend food safety controls at borders in the event of a ‘no deal’ Brexit.

May holds cabinet meeting in the North East
As The Guardian reports, Theresa May is to hold a cabinet meeting in the North East today as she launches a campaign to get public backing for her Brexit proposals. She will use the opportunity to back the Northern Powerhouse with up to £780m for an upgrade to the east coast mainline and the confirmation of the ‘North of Tyne’ devolution deal. The Financial Times adds that May is also sending senior ministers to EU27 countries in a bid to secure their backing for her proposed deal.

EU rejects UK financial services plans
The Financial Times claims that the EU has rejected the UK’s plans for financial services after Brexit as they would deny the bloc its ‘decision-making autonomy’, breaking with the principle that the EU is able to freely withdraw access rights to its market. The Guardian has been told that EU officials will reject an extension of the Article 50 negotiations if there is not a major realignment of British politics, for example another referendum or election.

Javid secretly drops UK opposition to death penalty for terrorists
According to documents seen by The Daily Telegraph, Home Secretary Sajid Javid has secretly dropped the UK’s opposition to the death penalty and Guantanamo Bay to allow two members of ISIL to be sent to the USA for prosecution. A senior source told the paper that the USA had been verbally warned not to send the duo to Guantanamo Bay.

Whistleblowers criticise universal credit flaws
The Guardian says that it has been told by whistleblowers that ‘design flaws and process faults’ in universal credit are so bad that mistakes and delays are virtually inevitable. A service centre worker told the paper that the administration of the benefit ‘is having an actively harmful effect on a huge number of claimants’.

Jewish Labour MPs to urge parliamentary party to accept full antisemitism definition
According to the BBC, Jewish Labour MPs will use a meeting later today to persuade the parliamentary party to accept the full International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism, unlike new guidelines adopted by the party last week. The Guardian adds that John McDonnell suggested the party should ‘just move on’ from holding an inquiry into Margaret Hodge, after she accused Jeremy Corbyn of being an antisemite.

Senior Tory officials to attend meeting on Andrew Griffiths’ future
The Guardian reveals that a leaked e-mail discloses that Andrew Griffiths, who resigned as a minister after sending sexually explicit messages to two women, will have his future discussed by members of his local Conservative association in the presence of senior party officials. The paper suggests that this means that the party is trying to block local attempts to force him to step down.

UK’s tax burden highest since Harold Wilson was Prime Minister
The Daily Mail carries details of a TaxPayers’ Alliance report which claims that the UK’s tax burden has reached its highest for almost half a century. According to the campaign group, this year’s tax is the equivalent of 34.3% of GDP, the highest proportion since 1969-70, under Harold Wilson’s Labour government.

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