Political Headlines – Labour on Brexit, Heathrow expansion, Islamophobia and NHS funding

Today’s Political Headlines include Labour’s new single market proposal, Heathrow expansion plans, accusations of Islamophobia against the Conservatives and raising National Insurance to fund the NHS. 

Labour proposes new single market Brexit amendment
The Times says that Labour is proposing a new amendment to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill, calling for ‘full access’ to the single market and ‘shared institutions and regulations’. The paper says that while this would be ‘the softest possible Brexit’ outside membership of the single market, the proposal has left pro-EU MPs ‘unhappy’ and the EU ‘baffled’. Meanwhile, The Sun claims that Exiting the European Union Secretary David Davis has ‘threatened to humiliate Theresa May’ by asking the Cabinet to overrule a decision not to publish a white paper before a key summit later this month.

Heathrow expansion plans announced
As the Financial Times reports, the Government has put forward the final plan for a third runway at Heathrow, and it will be voted on within the next 21 days. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has announced £2.6bn in compensation for local residents and that planning permission would only be granted if air quality obligations were met. The paper expects the proposal to pass ‘fairly easily’ as it is supported by the Conservative and SNP leadership and many Labour MPs. Boris Johnson, who has opposed the proposal, is expected to be overseas.

Conservative Muslim Forum chair accuses party of not taking action on Islamophobia
According to the BBC, Mohammed Amin, chair of the Conservative Muslim Forum, has accused the party of failing to take action on Islamophobia and called for an independent inquiry. He said that the party is seen as ‘anti-Muslim’ and had not taken ‘decisive action’.

Most voters back National Insurance increase to fund NHS
The Mirror reports that a new poll has found that 82% of voters would be willing to pay 1p more in National Insurance if the money went directly to the NHS. The poll also finds that voters are more likely to back the party which pledges extra funds for health and social care at the next election.

Westminster should not ‘impose its will’ on Northern Ireland, Bradley says
The BBC says that Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley has said that while she would personally like the abortion law in Northern Ireland to be changed, Westminster should not ‘impose its will’ and the matter ‘should be decided by the people of Northern Ireland’.

Deradicalisation programme found to be ineffective
The Times reports that a study for the Home Office has found that over 95% of deradicalisation programmes are ineffective. The study by the Behavioural Insights Team examined 33 schemes, mostly part of Prevent, and found that just two were effective, while some were counterproductive. The projects had claimed success rates of over 90%.

Poorer people eat fatty food for ‘comfort, solace and pleasure’, Gove says
The Daily Telegraph says that Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Michael Gove told the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Environment that poorer people eat food which isn’t good for them because it gives them ‘comfort, solace and pleasure’. He said that the Government needed to be ‘more proactive’ and ‘more than a nudge’ was needed.

Military secondments to the EU will not be renewed
The Financial Times reports that the EU has told UK military staff that their secondments to Brussels will not be renewed after Brexit, while talks on security and defence co-operation have ‘proved much harder than expected’. The paper also reports that a threat by the UK to obstruct the procurement of the Galileo satellite navigation system has been neutralised after the EU agreed to take on the European Space Agency’s liabilities.

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