Political Headlines – Trump, Brexit, Hammond and O’Mara

Today’s Political Headlines includes Trump’s attack on UK politics, Eurosceptics threatening to vote against the Trade Bill, Hammond defending treatment of financial services and O’Mara quitting Labour.  

Trump says May’s Brexit plans would ‘kill’ US trade deal
In an interview with The Sun, US President Donald Trump makes the explosive claim that Theresa May’s new Brexit approach would ‘kill’ a proposed new trade deal between the two countries and criticises her for ignoring his negotiating advice. Trump, who is visiting the UK, also criticises Sadiq Khan for having ‘done a very bad job on terrorism’, claims that immigration is causing the UK to lose its culture and praises Boris Johnson.

Eurosceptics threaten to vote against Trade Bill in protest over Brexit plan
According to The Times, Eurosceptic Conservative MPs reacted with anger to the publication of Theresa May’s Brexit white paper yesterday, claiming that the proposed role for the European Court of Justice and movement of people breached red lines. As a result, they have threatened to vote against the Government’s Trade Bill next week.

Hammond defends treatment of financial services in Brexit white paper
Chancellor Philip Hammond has written in the Financial Times, defending the treatment of financial services in the Government’s Brexit white paper. He says that the proposals are a ‘pragmatic solution’ which would allow the sector ‘to flourish’. However, Catherine McGuinness, the City of London Corporation’s policy chair, described the white paper as ‘a real blow’ for financial and professional services.

O’Mara quits Labour
The Guardian reports that Labour MP Jared O’Mara has quit the party, despite only having the whip reinstated earlier this year following his suspension as a result of the discovery of a series of offensive posts online. He claims to have been made to ‘feel like a criminal’ and that he had felt unwelcome in the party as a ‘working-class, underprivileged disabled man’.

Ofcom head calls for online firms to be regulated
Writing in The Times, the head of Ofcom Sharon White calls for independent regulation of large online firms such as Facebook and Google in a bid to tackle fake news and harmful content. The firms would face penalties if they failed to act. The Government is due to set out its position in an internet safety white paper later this year.

Taxpayers could lose over £5bn over MoD property deal
The Guardian carries details of a report by the Commons Public Accounts Committee, which warns that taxpayers could lose more than £5bn as a result of a 1996 decision to sell off housing owned by the Ministry of Defence. This is an increase from an earlier estimate of £4.2bn because the committee expects rental costs to grow after a renegotiation in 2021, despite the Ministry of Defence predicting that they will fall.

Labour demands ‘hostile environment’ review
The BBC reports that, following the suspension of data-sharing aimed at identifying illegal immigrants, Labour has called on the Government to go further and conduct a detailed review of the ‘hostile environment’ policy. Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott warned that this was needed to avoid a repeat of the problems affecting the Windrush generation.

Charity Commission finds ‘serious failings’ at Presidents Club
The Financial Times says that the Charity Commission’s investigation into the Presidents Club following the paper’s exposé of its annual dinner has found serious failings on the part of the charity’s three trustees. Jo Swinson, deputy leader of the Lib Dems, welcomed the findings.

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