Political Headlines – Gove, Barnier, Brexit and Defra

Today’s Political Headlines include Gove’s new Agriculture Bill, Barnier’s reprimand of Raab, Brexiteers failing to win over colleagues, Defra is not ready for Brexit. 

Gove unveils new Agriculture Bill
Writing for The Daily Telegraph, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Michael Gove promises that the new Agriculture Bill, to be published today, will ensure that farmers will be rewarded for work to ‘enhance the environment around us’. It will include a system of ‘public money for public goods’, replacing the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy, with state aid awarded for sustainable food production, environmental stewardship, public access to land and climate change mitigation.

Barnier reprimands Raab over aviation letter
The Guardian reports that Brexit Secretary Dominic Rabb has been reprimanded by the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier. This followed the news that the Government had written to the 27 EU members in an attempt to agree a side deal on aviation in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Barnier warned Rabb that ‘If there is no deal, there is no trust’.

Brexiteers fail to win over colleagues, plot leadership challenge
The Times says that Conservative Brexiteers are failing to persuade fellow MPs to support their attacks on Theresa May’s Chequers plan for Brexit, with one accusing the European Research Group of taking a ‘nothing is ever quite enough’ approach. However, The Daily Telegraph claims that 50 Conservative MPs met last night to discuss how to remove May, and that a leadership challenge might happen in the next few days.

High risk of Defra not being ready for Brexit, NAO says
The Financial Times carries details of a critical report by the National Audit Office on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs preparations for Brexit. It warns that there is a ‘high’ risk of the department not being ready for a no-deal Brexit, which it did not understand ‘until recently’. This could cause exports of animal products to halt, with other problems including vet shortages, a lack of time for new legislation and insufficient boats to patrol fishing waters.

Second Brexit referendum almost certain to be on Labour conference agenda
The Guardian says that campaigners backing a motion to ensure that a second referendum on Brexit believe that it is almost certain to be the agenda at Labour’s conference, with over 60 constituency parties backing it, compared to just a ‘handful’ for other issues competing to be debated.

Rudd calls for Government ID system
Writing for The Times, former Home Secretary Amber Rudd calls for the UK to introduce a new Government ID system, which ‘would not need to be an actual card’. She claims that such a system would help to combat fraud, illegal immigration and abuse of benefits.

Jaguar Land Rover attacks Government over Brexit
The Guardian reports that Jaguar Land Rover made a ‘blistering attack’ on the way Theresa May has dealt with Brexit. The firm’s chief executive, Ralf Speth, speaking at a summit organised by the Government, said that a cliff-edge Brexit was a ‘horrifying’ prospect and warned that ‘tens of thousands’ of jobs would be lost if the UK left the EU without a deal.

Police investigating delivery of ‘sinister’ cards to Labour MPs facing deselection
According to The Daily Telegraph, police are investigating incidents in which ‘sinister’ cards were delivered to the parliamentary offices of the Labour MPs Joan Ryan and Gavin Shuker, who were subject to votes of no confidence by their constituency parties last week. The cards wished them ‘good luck with their new career’.

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