Archive for: Political Database

Today’s political headlines include Tory MPs warned against ‘hunting down’ May, a ‘fairer’ immigration policy, Corbyn’s alternative Brexit plan and Barnier’s suggestion that Brexit transition could be extended until 2022. 

Tory MPs warned against ‘hunting down’ May
The Times reports that former chief whip Andrew Mitchell has warned his colleagues against ‘hunting down’ Theresa May, warning that a leadership challenge would do ‘untold damage’. The Prime Minster claimed yesterday that a challenge to her would cause ‘uncertainty for people and their jobs’ and ‘a risk that Brexit gets delayed or frustrated’. The Daily Telegraph claims that five Cabinet ministers will meet today to call for alterations to the deal, but that May will confront them and refuse to renegotiate the agreement.

May to tell CBI her deal delivers a fairer immigration policy
The Times says that the Prime Minister is to tell the CBI’s conference today that her Brexit deal will allow immigration to be controlled, while permitting businesses to recruit from abroad, creating a level playing field between EU citizens and those from other countries in a system ‘built around the talents and skills a person has to offer’. The Guardian adds that the CBI’s president, John Allan, will endorse May’s deal today, while admitting that it is ‘not perfect’. He will warn that the current uncertain situation is ‘damaging our country’ and say that the deal opens ‘a route to a long-term trade arrangement’.

Corbyn to set out alternative Brexit plan
According to The Guardian, Jeremy Corbyn will use a speech at the CBI conference to set out Labour’s alternative Brexit plan. He will call for a permanent customs union and protection of environmental standards and workers’ rights, as well as a ‘strong single market relationship’. He will say that May’s plan leaves ‘the country in an indefinite halfway house’.

Barnier suggests Brexit transition could be extended until 2022
The Financial Times reports that the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, has proposed that the Brexit transition period could be extended until December 2022. He also told EU ambassadors that negotiations over the Withdrawal Agreement should not be reopened despite the ‘volatile’ political situation in the UK.

Six letters needed to trigger vote of no confidence in May
In an exclusive, The Sun reports that 42 Tory MPs have ‘given firm assurances’ that they have submitted letters of no confidence in Theresa May, meaning that six more are needed to trigger a vote in her future as leader. According to the paper, MPs admit that today is ‘judgment day’ and if the threshold is not passed today, it is unlikely that it will be before the vote on the deal in December.

Cyber security minister needed to tackle Russian threat
The Daily Telegraph carries details of a report by the Joint Committee on National Security Strategy which calls on the Government to appoint a minister for cyber security, as the current level of oversight was ‘wholly inadequate’ and countries such as Russia are expanding their capacity to deliver cyber-attacks.

Jeremy Hunt to call for Iran to release British prisoner
The Daily Mail reports that Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt is visiting Iran today and will use the trip to lobby for the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, jailed on spying charges. Speaking ahead of the visit, he condemned using innocent people for ‘political leverage’.

Report calls for cap on number of peers
The Daily Telegraph says that a new report by the Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee calls for the House of Lords to be capped in size at 600 members, a decrease of 200 from the present figure. It suggests achieving this through a ‘two-out-one-in’ policy.

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Today’s political headlines include May’s vow to carry on despite the resignations, Gove considering his position after rejecting the Brexit Secretary, no confidence vote in May expected next week and businesses concerned by political turmoil.

May vows to carry on despite resignations over Brexit deal
The Guardian reports that Theresa May has vowed to ‘see this through’, despite the resignations of Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab, Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey and various junior figures over her Brexit deal yesterday. She warned that rejecting the deal would cause ‘deep and grave uncertainty’ and said it was ‘the right one for our country’. The Daily Telegraph adds that it has been told by ‘sources close to Arlene Foster’ that the DUP’s deal with the Conservatives will be abandoned unless May is replaced.

Gove considering position after rejecting Brexit Secretary role
The Times says the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Michael Gove is considering his position. Yesterday Theresa May offered him the role of Brexit Secretary, but he would only accept on the condition that he could renegotiate the deal, and she was unable to agree. The paper adds that International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt is calling for a free vote on the deal and that this has yet to be definitively rejected.

No confidence vote in May expected next week
The Daily Telegraph claims that a no-confidence vote is expected in Theresa May next week after the chair of the European Research Group, Jacob Rees-Mogg said that he would write to the chair of the 1922 Committee calling for one, although he denied planning a ‘coup’ and said that he was not ‘offering myself as leader’.

Businesses concerned by political turmoil
The Financial Times says that businesses ‘expressed horror’ at yesterday’s political turmoil. Josh Hardie, the CBI’s deputy director general warned that crashing out of the EU without a deal ‘would be a disaster’, while Adam Marshall, director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce said that he was concerned about the reaction of ‘major international investors’ to the uncertainty which would be created if the deal collapsed.

EU members worried deal is too soft
The Guardian claims that some EU members are concerned that the proposed deal may be too soft on the UK, including France, Spain, Denmark and the Netherlands. They are concerned about the implications of the UK remaining in a customs union with the EU and want tighter guarantees to make sure that it is prevented from being able to undercut EU standards. There are also worries about fishing rights post-Brexit.

Poll shows Tory supporters back May
A poll conducted for the Daily Mail shows that Conservative supporters do not support attempts to depose Theresa May, with respondents backing her by around 2 to 1 over both Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg. However, just 27% of all voters back the deal, with 49% being opposed. 42% of voters would back a People’s Vote, but 38% oppose it.

Chance of Labour MPs backing deal ‘ebbing away’
According to the Financial Times, the Prime Minister’s chances of persuading Labour MPs to back her Brexit deal are ‘ebbing away’, despite her hopes that some of them would vote for it to avoid a no-deal Brexit. Eurosceptic Labour MP Graham Stringer told the paper that he would not back the deal and that he hadn’t found anyone else who would.

Lords vote not to suspend peer accused of sexual harassment
The Times reports that peers voted not to suspend Lord Lester of Herne Hill, despite a report by the House of Lords standards commissioner finding that he offered the campaigner Jasvinder Sanghera ‘inducements’ to sleep with him. Peers raised concerns the investigation was unfair, but Sanghera said the vote left her feeling ‘bullied and re-victimised’.

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Today’s political headlines include May’s Brexit showdown with the Cabinet, Government admitting defeat over Brexit legal advice, a second peer accused of sexual harassment and the Labour MP accused or misleading police in a speeding case. 

May prepares to present draft Brexit agreement to Cabinet
Nearly all the major newspapers this morning are leading with the announcement that a draft Brexit deal has been agreed between the UK and the EU, with Theresa May set to put the deal to Cabinet this afternoon. The Telegraph is reporting that May is facing a major backlash from ministers and MPs in her party, with Jacob Rees Mogg writing in the same paper that the deal would betray the Union. The Times is reporting that Home Secretary Sajid Javid and Environment Secretary Michael Gove are two figures said to be unhappy with the draft agreement. David Davis and Boris Johnson joined in with criticisms of the deal, with both former ministers calling on those in the Cabinet to resign rather than accept the deal.

Government admits defeat over Brexit legal advice
The Guardian has reported on the concession of defeat by the Government in the Commons yesterday. Conservative MPs were ordered to abstain on the vote over the publishing of the Brexit legal advice, with the Government aware that it would have been defeated by the alliance of MPs from Labour and the DUP. The Government will now have to publish the legal advice covering the withdrawal agreement before MPs vote on the deal.

Second peer accused of sexual harassment  
The Times is reporting that a second member of the House of Lords has been accused of sexually harassing younger women. The Peer, said to be in his early 60s, is the subject of a formal complaint submitted to the Lords commissioner. The revelation comes after Lord Lester of Herne Hill was found by the commissioner to have groped a charity campaigner, with the Lords set to decide on the recommendation that Lord Lester be suspended from the House until 2022.

Labour MP ‘misled police’ in speeding case
The Guardian is reporting on the trial of Labour MP Fiona Onasanya, in which the Old Bailey has heard that she deliberately misled police in claiming that a former lodger was behind the wheel when her car was caught speeding. Onasanya’s younger brother Festus admitted three counts of perverting the course of justice, with Onasanya facing the same charge at the Old Bailey.

Wage growth hits 10-year high
The Times has reported on official figures that show the speed of wage growth is the fastest since the financial crisis. The news means a lift in living standards for workers, with wages 3.2% higher in the three months to September than they were last year.

HS2 report warns that costs could be more than double that of comparable projects
The Times carries details of a report from PWC that claims HS2 would cost £81m per kilometre, compared to £32m for similar projects across Europe. Ministers are now under pressure to reduce costs in the construction phase, through measures such as reducing station size and limiting land purchasing.

Blair criticises Corbyn over Brexit stance
The Telegraph has picked up on comments set to be made by Tony Blair, criticising the Labour leader for refusing to back a second referendum. In a speech later today, Blair will argue that left-wing populism should not be the response to rising right-wing populism, and the far left is mistaken in distancing itself from the record of New Labour.

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Today’s political headlines are still dominated by Brexit and are likely to remain that way, at least for the next 48 hours. The Government is hoping to agree the deal within the next two days – meanwhile, Boris Johnson has called for Cabinet mutiny and pro-EU MPs are preparing letters of no confidence in Theresa May. 

Government hoping for a Brexit deal in the next 48 hours
The Times claims that the Government is hoping to agree a Brexit deal with the EU in the next 48 hours, with outstanding issues including fishing rights in the backstop and the review mechanism to leave it. Over the weekend, Andrea Leadsom said the UK must be able ‘to decide to leave’ the backstop rather than being ‘held against its will’ by the EU. The Financial Times adds that the EU is trying to get the UK to agree to the inclusion of detailed ‘level playing field’ measures in the backstop, including environmental targets and state aid rules to be overseen by the European Court of Justice.

Johnson to join MPs rebelling over gambling machine stake cut delay
According to The Sun, Boris Johnson is to lead a cross-party rebellion against delays to implementing a reduction to the maximum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals. An amendment, backed by 60 MPs, may be tabled by Iain Duncan Smith and Carolyn Harris  today. The Guardian adds that the Government’s decision to delay the policy was based on a report commissioned by the Association of British Bookmakers, which the company Paddy Power Betfair described as ‘unrealistic’.

Johnson calls for Cabinet ‘mutiny’ over Brexit
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Boris Johnson says that Theresa May is ‘on the verge of total surrender’ to the EU, describing her Brexit plans as ‘shameful’. He adds that the Cabinet ‘ought’ to mutiny over the proposals, but that it would make little difference as the Government’s ambition ‘is to remain in captivity’.

Pro-EU MPs prepare letters of no confidence in May
The Sun asserts that pro-EU Conservative MPs are preparing letters of no confidence in the Prime Minister. One told the paper that ‘we are now staring into the abyss’ and another described Theresa May as ‘the problem’. One of the MPs suggested that David Davis might be persuaded to back a short-term Norway-style Brexit if given May’s job.

Retailers to pay more for recycling in new strategy
In an exclusive, The Guardian says that retailers and major drinks brands face a large increase in the amount they pay towards recycling used packaging, with contributions increasing from around £70m a year to between £500m and £1bn. The proposal forms part of the Government’s waste strategy, which will be published later this month.

Truss excluded from Budget meetings
The Times claims that Liz Truss, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, was excluded from meetings before the Budget owing to tensions between her and the Chancellor, Philip Hammond, who was apparently annoyed by her attendance at Andrea Leadsom’s Brexiteer ‘pizza club’ meetings.

Hunt to confront Saudi Crown Prince
The Daily Telegraph says that Jeremy Hunt will today become the first minister to meet the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia since the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. Hunt will use the opportunity to ‘confront’ Mohammed bin Salman, express his ‘horror and outrage’ and demand that the country co-operates with the Turkish investigation into the death.

May open to ‘different’ relationship with Russia
The Guardian reports that Theresa May will use her address at the Lord Mayor’s banquet today to say that the UK is open to a ‘different’ relationship with Russia, adding that the country is ‘ready to respond in kind’ if Russia were to become more open to international co-operation.

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Today’s political headlines are dominated by Brexit with Theresa May under pressure to publish Brexit legal advice and her meeting with NATO leaders ahead of the outline deal. There’s also a call to scrap the benefits freeze and Javid telling the Met chief to ‘step up’ the fight against knife crime. 

May under pressure to publish Brexit legal advice
Theresa May is facing mounting pressure to publish the full legal advice she has been given on the Irish backstop. The Sun reports that Labour has allied with Tory rebels – including Jacob Rees Mogg and Environment Secretary Michael Gove – in order to force May to release the information. Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer has threatened to use ‘parliamentary procedures’ if May refuses to do so.

May heads to Brussels to meet with NATO leaders
The Sun reports on the Prime Minister’s trip to Brussels for a dinner with NATO leaders ahead of the outline Brexit deal. It is said she will also take the opportunity to hold talks with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, before travelling to Paris to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Tories call on May to scrap benefits freeze
The Times reports that Theresa May has been advised by fellow party members to put an end to the ‘immoral’ freeze on benefits. May has been warned that failing to do so would damage the party at the next election.

Javid tells Met Chief to ‘step up’ in fight against knife crime
The Financial Times reports that Home Secretary Sajid Javid has told Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Cressida Dick to ‘step up’ and get violent crime ‘under control’ after five fatalities in the past six days in London.

Prince Charles: ‘I won’t be a meddling King’
The Telegraph reports that ahead of his 70th birthday, Prince Charles publicly vowed that he will not be a ‘meddling king’ but will operate within the constitutional parameters set out for a monarch. The Prince, who has always had the reputation of interfering in public life on issues like architecture and environment, said that he completely acknowledges the fact that his role as the King will be completely different to his role as the Prince of Wales.

France and UK must strengthen links ‘to hedge against Trump’
The Guardian reports that in order to hedge against the unpredictability of Donald Trump’s White House, France and the UK need to overcome the risks of Brexit and ‘deepen their military alliance’. According to former French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve and former head of NATO George Robertson, there is a need for British and French intelligence agencies to work together to make sure that military forces are shared and concessions are made in the Brexit talks between UK and Brussels to bring the two allies closer together.

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Today’s political headlines include EU preparations to back border compromise, pointlessly cruel benefit sanctions, a stealth death tax and advice for pet owners planning European visits after Brexit. 

EU prepares to back border compromise as May pressures Eurosceptic ministers
The Times claims that the EU is preparing to back a compromise on the Irish border in order to resolve the Brexit negotiations in which the UK would be offered an ‘independent mechanism’ for ending a temporary customs arrangement between the two sides. The Financial Times adds that Theresa May is to pile pressure on Eurosceptic cabinet ministers today, warning them that time is running out and the Government will soon have to tell businesses to start spending money on no-deal Brexit preparations.

Benefit sanctions ‘pointlessly cruel’, MPs claim
The BBC says that a new report by the Commons Work and Pensions Committee warns that the Government’s benefits sanctions are ‘pointlessly cruel’, with single parents, care leavers and people with disabilities and health conditions ‘disproportionately vulnerable’. The Department for Work and Pensions insisted that its sanctions are ‘reasonable’ and ‘only used in the minority of cases’.

Government introduces ‘stealth death tax’
The Daily Mail warns of what it calls a ‘stealth death tax’, after the Government announced an increase in the cost of obtaining probate, with around 280,000 families having to pay more than the current £215, with 56,000 becoming liable for £2,500-£6,000. Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable says the increase could ‘cause a lot of families a great deal of difficulty’.

Pet owners planning European visit after Brexit urged to visit vets
According to The Daily Telegraph, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Michael Gove will today warn pet owners planning to travel with their pets after March 2019 to see a vet this month to ensure that they can still visit Europe in the event of a no-deal Brexit, which would lead to more stringent requirements including acquiring a £55 certificate.

Hammond admits lobbying led to delay in maximum stake reduction
The Times reports that Philip Hammond admitted to the Commons Treasury Committee yesterday that he delayed the implementation of the maximum stake for Fixed-Odds Betting Terminals because of lobbying from the industry. He told the committee that delaying the change would mean more of the 15,000-21,000 job losses would be voluntary, but committee chair Nicky Morgan warned of the impact of the delay on those addicted.

Culture Secretary admits he doesn’t subscribe to newspapers
The Guardian reports that Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Jeremy Wright told the Society of Editors conference yesterday that quality journalism was ‘not sufficiently rewarded’, but admitted to not subscribing to any British newspapers or magazines, instead reading a summary of news and comment, and only named a female columnist he liked reading after being asked five times.

£7bn hole in defence budget
The Daily Mail carries details of a new report by the National Audit Office that warns that the Ministry of Defence needs to find ‘immediate’ savings owning to a £7bn hole in the department’s budget. As a result, the department’s 10-year plan, covering 2018 to 2028, remains ‘unaffordable’ and it is considering deferring or delaying projects.

MPs warn against returning gold to Venezuela
The Daily Telegraph says that MPs from both Labour and the Conservatives have warned that if the Bank of England returns £422m worth of gold bars it holds to the Venezuelan Government as it is seeking, there is a risk that it will be used, in the words of Labour MP Graham Jones, to help the ‘Boligarchs line their own pockets’.

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Today’s political headlines include Crouch’s resignation over the gambling machine stake cut delay, Banks investigated over Brexit donations, Cameron’s aim to return at Foreign Secretary and Rudd was failed by officials. 

Crouch resigns over gambling machine stake cut delay
The Daily Telegraph reports that sports minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over a decision to delay the reduction in the maximum stake for fixed-odds betting terminals. She warned in her resignation letter that £1.6bn would be lost in machines because of the delay and claimed that ministers had made ‘commitments’ to MPs with ‘registered interests’, a reference to those who have received donations from the industry. The paper warns that 35 backbench Tories could back an amendment to the finance bill on the topic later this month.

Banks investigated over Brexit donations
The Times reports that Brexit donor Arron Banks is being investigated by the National Crime Agency over allegations that he hid the source of illegal overseas donations. The investigation concerns a loan of £2m to Better for the Country by Banks and his insurance companies and a further gift of £6m from Banks on behalf of Leave.EU. Damián Collins, Chair of the Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee has called for Banks ‘to put beyond doubt and suspicion that Russian money was not involved in the referendum effort’.

Cameron aims for return to frontline politics
The Sun asserts that David Cameron has told friends that he would like to return to frontline politics and wants to be Foreign Secretary, claiming that he is now bored. The paper adds that Boris Johnson has given up on his ambition to be the next Conservative leader, fearing being humiliated by finishing fourth or fifth.

Rudd failed by officials, leaked report shows
The Times says that a leaked report shows that Amber Rudd was failed by senior officials while she was Home Secretary, leading her to have to resign after telling a committee of MPs that there weren’t targets for the removal of illegal immigrants. The report, to be published today, reveals that mistakes by officials led to Rudd not being properly informed.

Labour to remove hunting loopholes
In an exclusive, The Guardian reports that a Labour Government would strengthen the 2004 Hunting Act in order to remove loopholes. According to campaigners, hunting is continuing under the cover of trail hunting, with convictions falling to historic lows and the National Wildlife Crime Unit suffering cuts to its funding.

EU proposes new backstop compromise
The Financial Times claims that the EU’s Brexit negotiators have floated a new compromise backstop proposal in which the withdrawal agreement would contain a ‘bare-bones’ all-UK customs union with the EU, avoiding the need for a second customs treaty after Brexit, while Northern Ireland would be in a deeper customs union. This temporary measure would remain in place until a permanent trade agreement is in place

Labour MPs defy whip and vote to oppose tax cuts
The Guardian reports that twenty Labour MPs, including Lisa Nandy, Lucy Powell and Yvette Cooper, defied their whip to vote with the Liberal Democrats against the Government’s tax cuts for middle and high earners. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said that he did not oppose the cuts because he didn’t want to ‘take money out of people’s pockets’.

Councils told to prepare for no-deal Brexit
According to The Mirror, a leaked briefing reveals that councils are being told to prepare for three months of disruption in a no-deal Brexit. The minutes of a recent Local Resilience Forum meeting reveal that councils should plan for ‘reasonable worst case scenarios’ such as runs on fuel, food and banks, and to report to central government every eight hours.

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Today’s political headlines follow yesterday’s Autumn Budget and cover Hammond’s spending, Labour’s criticisms, the Brexit ‘double deal dividend’ and the digital services tax.

Hammond’s ‘giveaway’ Budget
The Times calls yesterday’s Budget ‘the biggest giveaway’ since the Conservatives came to power in 2010 as Hammond used his windfall from higher growth and lower deficit forecasts to ease austerity with £103bn of extra spending. Headline measures include tax cuts for 32m workers and funding for the NHS spending increase announced earlier in the year, as well as emergency cash injections for schools, freezes on beer and spirit duty and more money for Northern Ireland.

Labour criticises Budget for ‘broken promises’
The BBC reports that Labour has attacked claims by the Chancellor that austerity is ending, with Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell warning that benefit cuts are continuing and Jeremy Corbyn suggesting that the Budget was full of ‘broken promises’. The Resolution Foundation thinktank notes that changes to income tax thresholds will give the poorest families £30, compared to £410 for the richest.

Hammond promises Brexit ‘double deal dividend’
The Daily Telegraph says that Hammond promised a ‘double deal dividend’ if the UK reaches a Brexit deal with the EU as the economy would benefit from the ‘end of uncertainty’. However, he warned that an emergency Budget in the spring was possible if the outlook ‘changes materially’ and he would take ‘whatever action is necessary’.

Tech firms targeted with digital services tax
The Guardian reports that Hammond is targeting US tech firms such as Google, Facebook and Amazon with a digital services tax, as the UK can no longer wait for a global consensus on the route forward. He expects the tax to raise more than £400m a year, but the Office of Budget Responsibility believes that the major tech companies might pay just £30m each.

£3bn boost for Universal Credit
The Sun says that almost £3bn was spent on a rescue package for Universal Credit, reversing over half of the cuts made to the benefit by George Osborne. As a result, the paper calls Hammond ‘Mr Increditable’. The Chancellor claimed that 2.4m families would benefit from £630 more a year.

Budget welcomed by business groups
According to the Financial Times, the Budget was welcomed by business groups. The CBI said it offered ‘significant support for investment’ and the Federation of Small Businesses said that it was Hammond’s ‘first small-business friendly Budget’, particularly welcoming the freezing of the VAT threshold. However, business groups have also warned of the continuing uncertainty caused by Brexit. 

Hammond kills off PFI
The Times reports that Hammond has committed to no longer use PFI schemes following the collapse of Carillion earlier this year, with existing schemes to be managed by ‘centres of best practice’. According to the paper, the Treasury is looking at new funding models, such as a national infrastructure bank.

Unpopular measures hidden in the detail
The Daily Mirror reveals 13 details from the Budget it says Hammond ‘won’t want you to read’. They include the poorest in society not benefitting, a new plastic tax taking four years to introduce, a six-month delay to cutting stakes on fixed-odds betting terminals and a tax on vaping.

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Today’s political headlines include Hain’s claims that Sir Philip Green was responsible for the injunction dominating the press, Javid admits officials illegally requested DNA samples, DWP in denial over Universal Credit and May postpones her plans to present revised Brexit proposals. 

Hain claims Sir Philip Green was responsible for injunction
As The Daily Telegraph reports, Lord Hain used parliamentary privilege to claim that the businessman Sir Philip Green was the subject of an injunction preventing the paper from running a story. Following the revelation, MPs including Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable and Frank Field suggested that Green should lose his knighthood. Green refused to comment on events in Parliament but denied any ‘unlawful sexual or racist behaviour’.

Javid admits officials illegally requested DNA samples
The Times reports that Home Secretary Sajid Javid admitted yesterday that officials from his department had been illegally requiring DNA samples from people who wanted to stay in or visit the UK. Those affected include children of Gurkhas and Afghan translators who worked for the British military, but the scale of the error isn’t known. Javid said that those affected would be reimbursed.

Department of Work and Pensions ‘in denial’ about Universal Credit
The Daily Mirror says that a new report by the Commons Public Accounts Committee has found that Universal Credit is creating ‘unacceptable hardship’ for many claimants, accusing the Department of Work and Pensions of being ‘in denial’ about the benefit and being unable to make improvements as a result.

May postpones plans to present revised Brexit proposals to Cabinet
According to The Sun, Theresa May cancelled plans to present revised Brexit proposals to her Cabinet yesterday because they were not ready. In a reference to Attorney General Geoffrey Cox, who has emerged as a critic of May’s strategy, a source told the paper that the plan needed ‘Cox-proofing’. The paper suggests that May has just ten days to agree her offer to the EU if a November summit of EU leaders to discuss it is to go ahead.

Hannan claims EU citizens in UK will be able to vote
The Guardian reports that Brexiteer MEP Daniel Hannan told his colleagues via WhatsApp that he had seen part of the draft Brexit withdrawal agreement and that it would give EU citizens voting rights in England and Northern Ireland (they are devolved in Scotland and Wales). He described this as an ‘odd decision’, claiming that bilateral agreements should be reached with each country instead.

Defence to be given £500m bail out in Budget
In an exclusive, The Sun reveals that Chancellor Philip Hammond is to announce a £500m bailout for the Ministry of Defence in Monday’s Budget. However, he has insisted that the department will not get ‘special treatment’ and its long-term funding will be settled in spring’s spending review.

Raab warns of French ‘go slow approach’ in no-deal Brexit
The Daily Mail says that Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab has warned that the UK should be ready for a ‘go slow approach’ by the French in the case of a no-deal Brexit, although he believes that border issues in such a scenario could be ‘alleviated’ through ‘pragmatism on both sides’.

MPs recommend that FCA regulates commercial lending
The Financial Times carries details of a new report by the House of Commons Treasury Committee, which concludes that commercial lending should be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The committee’s inquiry followed scandals over the way small businesses were treated by RBS and HBOS.

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