Political Headlines – Corbyn to back Brexit deal if ‘sensible’

Today’s Political Headlines include Corbyn’s offer to back May’s Brexit deal if it’s ‘sensible’, May losing Cabinet support over no-deal plan and bringing the Budget forward. 

Corbyn offers to vote for May’s Brexit deal, but only if its ‘sensible’
The Guardian reports that Jeremy Corbyn has warned Theresa May that Labour MPs will vote against her Brexit deal unless she is willing to keep the UK in the customs union and protect consumers’ and workers’ rights. He also used his conference speech to promise that Labour would support a ‘sensible deal’. The BBC adds that Corbyn is visiting Brussels today, where he will hold talks with the EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier and attend the renaming of a square win honour of the murdered MP Jo Cox.

May’s no-deal plan losing Cabinet support
The Times claims that Theresa May is losing the support of her Cabinet over her plan to pursue a no-deal Brexit if her Chequers proposals are rejected by the EU. Ministers reportedly sharing this point of view include Dominic Raab, Jeremy Hunt, Michael Gove and Sajid Javid, who want her to consider a Canada-style free trade deal but are not thought to have a plan for the Irish border in this scenario.

UK not turning way from international co-operation, May says
The BBC reports that Theresa May told the UN General Assembly that Brexit did not mean that the UK was turning away from international co-operation, but it was a ‘clear demand for decisions and accountability to lie closer to home’. She has also used her visit to the USA to discuss a ‘big and ambitious’ trade deal with President Donald Trump.

No-deal Brexit ‘catastrophic’ for farmers
The Guardian says that the NFU is warning that a no-deal Brexit would be ‘catastrophic’ for British farmers, after the EU confirmed that the UK would have to wait six months to become an approved third-country supplier. As part of this process 6000 different meat-processing plants would need to be audited and approved, with similar checks on other food suppliers.

Budget brought forward
According to the Financial Times, Chancellor Philip Hammond has ‘rushed forward’ the Budget to 29 October in an attempt to prevent it from being caught up in the final stages of the Brexit negotiations, which are currently expected to be concluded at a special European Council meeting on 17-18 November.

EU steps up no-deal preparations
The Daily Mail reports that the EU is stepping up its preparations for a no-deal Brexit because of threats from Labour to vote down any deal agreed by Theresa May. A leaked memo warns that EU countries could be forced to take unilateral action in order to mitigate the impact of such a scenario.

Corbyn attacked for not apologising to the Jewish community
The Daily Telegraph says that Jewish leaders have attacked Jeremy Corbyn after he used his conference speech to complain about Labour’s ‘tough’ summer and accused the media of ‘lies and half-truths’ rather than apologising for anti-Semitism. Instead he claimed that it was the ‘row’ which had led to ‘immense hurt and anxiety in the Jewish community and great dismay in the Labour Party’.

NHS will waste funding boost unless efficiencies are made
Writing in The Times, Lord Carter of Coles, who has conducted a series of reviews of NHS efficiency for the Government, warns that unless the service seriously cuts down on waste the £20bn extra funding promised by Theresa May will be wasted. His final report, published today, finds that pointless ambulance journeys cost £500m a year.

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