Political Headlines – Gavin Williamson, Greg Clark, Liz Truss and taxing over-40s

Today’s Political Headlines include Gavin Williamson asking for more money, Greg Clark pushing for a soft Brexit, a social care tax for over-40s and Liz Truss mocking colleagues. 

Gavin Williamson to ask the Prime Minister for up to £4bn extra defence funding
The Times claims that Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson is to ask the Prime Minister for up to £4bn additional funding for the armed forces at a meeting next week, but that there are no plans for any new funding to be agreed. The Daily Telegraph says that the USA’s National Security Adviser, John Bolton, has told his UK counterpart, Sir Mark Sedwill, that the US is concerned about the damage being done to the UK armed forces by spending restraints.

Greg Clark pushes for soft Brexit deal
Speaking at The Times’ CEO Summit, Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Secretary Greg Clark said that he wanted to avoid a no-deal Brexit, continue to benefit from ‘labour mobility’ and wanted to keep single market access for services as well as goods. Theresa May also spoke at the event, saying that she was listening to business. The Guardian reports that the CBI and the TUC have joined forces to demand ‘measurable progress’ in the Brexit talks, while The Sun says that Theresa May is to bypass her Brexit committee by inviting the whole Cabinet to agree on Brexit plans at Chequers next week.

Committees call for over-40s to be taxed to fund social care
The BBC says that a joint report by the Commons Housing, Communities and Local Government and Health and Social Care Committees has called for a new tax, called a social care premium, for the over-40s to pay for elderly care. The tax would also be payable by retired people with lucrative pensions or investments.

Truss attacks calls for higher spending and mocks colleagues
The Times reports that in a speech last night Liz Truss, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, attacked ministers who had called for increased public spending, telling them that it wasn’t ‘macho’ to do so and that they should tackle ‘vested interests’ instead. She attacked regulations and standards, joked about ‘wood-burning Goves’ and said that there was ‘enough hot air and smoke at the environment department already’.

Labour to cut number of MPs needed to nominate leadership candidates
The Guardian claims that reforms to be proposed at Labour’s conference this autumn will see a reduction in the number of MPs needed to nominate a candidate for party leader and give party members the right to vote for local council leaders. A source told the paper that this ‘virtually guarantees’ a left-wing candidate could follow Corbyn as leader.

Report warns of young people’s exposure to gambling advertising
The Daily Mail says that a report by the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board claims that nine out of ten young people have been exposed to gambling advertising on TV or social media, calling this an ‘uncontrolled social experiment on today’s youth’ which risks gambling becoming ‘normalised’. The report makes 30 recommendations for action.

Sturgeon reshuffles Scottish Government
The Herald reports that Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has started a ‘dramatic’ ministerial reshuffle, with six ministers leaving the Scottish Government and the number of cabinet posts increasing from ten to twelve. Those departing include Health Secretary Shona Robinson, Communities Secretary Angela Constance and Economy Secretary Keith Brown.

Uber granted new licence to operate
The Financial Times reports that ride-hailing app Uber will be able to continue to operate in London. A judge ruled that Transport for London was right not to renew the firm’s licence last year, but that Uber has now made sufficient changes. The new licence will last fifteen months and has several conditions attached, leading Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, to warn that the company is ‘on probation’.

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