Political Headlines – Fox’s no deal, Corbyn criticism, EU law and Windrush

Today’s Political Headlines include Downing Street denying Fox’s claim that a no deal Brexit is probable, criticism of Corbyn’s antisemitism apology, Ministers claiming a no deal Brexit would break EU law and accusations against Javid that he’s buying the silence of the Windrush generation.

Downing Street denies Fox’s claim that no deal Brexit is probable
The Guardian reports that Downing Street has insisted that Theresa May is still confident of agreeing a Brexit deal, despite International Trade Secretary Liam Fox suggesting that it was now probable that no deal would be reached. Whitehall sources claimed that Fox’s intervention was part of a strategy to talk up a no deal Brexit in the hope that EU leaders would take the Government’s Chequers proposals more seriously.

Corbyn’s antisemitism apology met with criticism
The Times says that a new apology by Jeremy Corbyn for the party’s treatment of antisemitism has been met with criticism. He has now pledged to include three of the four excluded examples of antisemitism from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition within Labour’s own definition, but the Board of Deputies of British Jews warned that it ‘won’t accept a watered-down definition designed to let antisemites off the hook.’

Ministers claim no deal Brexit would break EU law
The Daily Telegraph asserts that ministers have warned the EU that if it doesn’t compromise on Brexit, it is breaking its own laws. They claim that Article 8 of the Lisbon Treaty imposes a duty on the Eu to ‘develop a special relationship’ with its neighbours. ‘Senior Whitehall sources’ told the paper that if there was no deal, ‘we will make it clear whose fault it was’.

Labour accuses Javid of buying the silence of Windrush generation
According to The Guardian, Labour has accused Home Secretary Sajid Javid of attempting to ‘buy the silence’ of the Windrush generation by imposing non-disclosure agreements on those receiving fast-track compensation payments. Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott said Javid had ‘gone back on his word’, describing the agreements as ‘totally unacceptable’.

Women could be forced to give up work if EU care workers not prioritised after Brexit
The Daily Telegraph reports that a Department of Health and Social Care dossier warns that women will be forced to give up work to look after ageing parents and grandparents unless EU care workers are given priority after Brexit. In a worst case scenario within five years there would be a shortfall of 6,000 doctors, 12,000 nurses and 28,000 care staff.

Building on green belt will not solve housing crisis, CPRE claims
The Times carries details of a report by the Campaign to Protect Rural England, which claims that the number of homes being proposed by local authorities on the green belt has increased from 425,000 to 459,000 in the last year, but that just 22% of those already granted planning permission are affordable. According to the CPRE, this shows that building on the green belt will not address the ‘affordable housing crisis’.

Opt-out organ system to be in place by 2020
The Daily Mirror reveals that a new opt-out system for organ donation will be in place in England by 2020 if Parliament approves plans for ‘Max’s law’ in the autumn. According to health minister Jackie Doyle-Price the plans could save up to 700 lives a year.

Hammond warns of French-led attempts to drown City in red tape
The Financial Times claims that Chancellor Philip Hammond warned senior figures in the City of London that they ought to be preparing for the EU to bind the UK’s financial services industry in red tape after Brexit, led by the French, which could lead to a loss of access to European markets. Instead he suggested that firms should develop ‘alternative pathways for growth’.

Want to know who is doing what? Vuelio Political Services can create bespoke reports on issues that matter to you.