Political Headlines – Salisbury poisoning, North Korea, gender pay gap and policing Travellers

Today’s Political Headlines include the cross party divide on the Salisbury poisoning, North Korea’s missile threat, gender pay gap, and policing Travellers. 

Johnson and Corbyn trade accusations over Salisbury poisoning
According to The Daily Telegraph, Jeremy Corbyn has said Boris Johnson has ‘serious questions’ to answer after claiming that Porton Down scientists had told him that the nerve agent was made in Russia, a claim denied by the laboratory. In response, Johnson has accused Corbyn of playing ‘Russia’s game’. The Guardian adds that Russia is to attempt to discredit the UK’s international reputation at a UN security council meeting, while The Times claims that it has learnt that security services have pinpointed the location of the covert Russian laboratory which manufactured the nerve agent used in Salisbury.

North Korea could have missiles capable of reaching the UK, in 18 months
A report by the Commons Defence Committee has found that North Korea is almost certain to complete development of ballistic missiles capable of reaching the UK, within 18 months, The Guardian reports. The report adds that the ‘Ministry of Defence does not consider that the UK will be a target of North Korean nuclear missiles, as its regime does not believe the UK to be a threat.’

Gender pay gap figures revealed
The Guardian says that almost eight in ten companies and public sector bodies pay men more than women, as the deadline for publishing gender pay gap information passed. Sam Smethers of the Fawcett Society said this ‘forces employers to look at themselves and understand their organisations and it prompts employees to ask some hard questions’.

Consultation on tougher powers for policing Travellers
According to The Times, police could be given tougher powers to target Travellers and Gypsies, after almost 4,000 caravans were found on unauthorised sites across the country. A consultation, to be carried out jointly by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice, will be launched today.

National Lottery giving less money to charity
A report by the Commons Public Accounts Committee says that the growth in popularity of scratchcards has led to the National Lottery giving less money to charity while the profits of the operator Camelot have risen, The Daily Telegraph reports. The committee describes the fall as ‘disastrous’ and warns that some projects will become ‘unaffordable’.

Jewish leaders to ask Corbyn to expel Livingstone
The Daily Telegraph says that Jewish leaders are to tell Jeremy Corbyn to prove his opposition to anti-Semitism by expelling Ken Livingstone from Labour. The Daily Mail adds that Corbyn wants to install Claudia Webbe as leader of the party’s disputes panel, despite the fact that she has previously defended Livingstone against anti-semitism charges.

Sutton Trust demands review of Sure Start cuts
The Times reports that the Sutton Trust has called for a Government review of the Sure Start children’s centre programme, after a review showed that the number of centres which have closed over the last eight years is around twice the amount claimed by the Government.

Sharp drop in number of plastic bags at sea following charge introduction
The Times reports that research by the Government’s Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) shows that the number of plastic bags in the seas around the UK has fallen sharply since the introduction of compulsory bag charges at supermarkets.

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