Political Headlines – Call for Canada-style free trade deal

Today’s Political Headlines include Boris Johnson calls on Theresa May to negotiate a Canada-style free trade deal, scrap unconditional offers urge independent school teachers and Corbyn increases fears of no-deal Brexit. 

Boris Johnson calls on Theresa May to negotiate a Canada-style free trade deal
The Telegraph reports that Boris Johnson has laid out what he would do if he was Prime Minister, including telling the EU that Britain will no longer accept the Irish backstop it signed up to last December, and that the border issue must instead be resolved in free trade talks after Brexit. He plans to negotiate a “SuperCanada” tariff-free trade deal during the transition period to maintain the benefits of being in the single market.

Scrap unconditional offers urges independent school headteachers
The Times are reporting on comments made by the heads of Britain’s top independent schools, which called on universities to end unconditional offers to prospective students. The suggestion has been made by executive director of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference, Mike Buchanan, who claimed that once students are given unconditional offers and know they don’t have to pass, performance in their A levels drops.

Corbyn increases fears of no-deal Brexit
The Guardian have reported on a meeting yesterday between leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn and EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier, in which Corbyn told officials he would vote down any deal that fails to replicate the benefits of membership of the single market and customs union. Barnier was said to be interested in having more detail on Labour’s six Brexit tests, with rising concerns in the EU that the UK parliament will vote down any deal put forward by Prime Minister Theresa May.

Alarm over appointment of food supplies minister
The Independent are reporting on concerns over the recent appointment of David Rutley as food supplies minister, who has taken on the brief amid increasing fears of a no-deal Brexit. A former executive at Asda and PepsiCo, Rutley will manage readiness and the ‘food chain’. Labour have described the appointment as an indication of the ‘catastrophic damage’ no-deal could cause.

Head teachers plan a protest at Downing Street funding rally
BBC News reports that hundreds of head teachers from England and Wales are due to attend a rally today to demand extra funding for schools. Teaching union members, parents and staff have taken part in numerous protests about the budget squeeze over the past few years.

£40K spent to hide how rarely former northern powerhouse minister visited the North
According to The Guardian, the Government had spent two years and £40,000 of taxpayers’ money trying to hide how little former Northern powerhouse minister, James Wharton visited the North of England in his role.

Jacob Rees-Mogg targets the PM for doing nothing to support families
The Daily Mail reports that backbench MP Jacob Rees-Mogg has complained the Tories are doing nothing to promote traditional family values. He is planning a major intervention at Tory conference, and will tell party activists that successive governments have encouraged family breakdown with perverse welfare and tax policies.

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