Archive for: Political Database

Today’s Political Headlines include the Tory rebels joining Stand Up 4 Brexit, Labour figures intervening in the antisemitism dispute, Javid tackling online sex offenders and Barnier’s opposition to British trade plans. 

Tory MPs criticise Government’s Brexit plans
The Times says that 20 Conservative MPs, including Priti Patel and Iain Duncan Smith, have joined the Stand Up 4 Brexit group which opposes Theresa May’s Brexit proposals, while former Brexit Secretary David Davis has also promised to vote against the plans and Remain supporter Nick Boles has voiced opposition to the plans, suggesting a two-stage Brexit with closer initial ties. Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Boris Johnson says that the proposals are a ‘victory’ for the EU and a ‘fix’ that will leave ‘the UK lying flat on the canvas’.

Hodge, Brown and Thornberry intervene in antisemitism dispute
The Guardian reports that Margaret Hodge used a speech at the Jewish Labour Movement conference to claim that the party’s antisemitism row would only end if Jeremy Corbyn stepped down, saying that she planned to ‘stand and fight’ in the party. Gordon Brown told the conference that the party needed to ‘unanimously, unequivocally and immediately’ adopt the IHRA antisemitism definition. Speaking to the Financial Times, Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry has also backed the use of the definition, claiming that it did not prevent criticism of Israel.

Javid announces new policy to tackle online sex offenders
The Daily Mail says that Home Secretary Sajid Javid is to use a speech today to reveal what it calls ‘the shocking extent of the threat to children from online sex offenders’. He will says that at least 80,000 paedophiles are active online and announce a change in approach to the issue, calling on tech firms to do more and revealing extra funding for investigators.

Barnier ‘strongly opposed’ to British trade plans
The Guardian reports that the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has claimed the he is ‘strongly opposed’ to Theresa May’s Chequers proposals on trade, warning car manufacturers that they would need to use fewer British components. He warned that British plans were ‘not practical’ and ‘an invitation to fraud’.

Just 100 follow Banks’ call to join Tories
According to The Sun, just 100 UKIP supporters have followed Leave.EU founder Arron Banks’ call for them to join the Conservatives so they can vote in the next leadership election. The party tracked referrals from the link in Banks’ email and vetted those who had followed it.

Falklands call on Gove to make sure that ‘no penguin is left behind’ after Brexit
The Daily Telegraph carries a warning from the Falklands trade minister Teslyn Barkman that the islands will lose millions of euros in funding for penguin conservation projects after Brexit. She has called on Michael Gove to make sure that ‘no penguin is left behind’ and to offer more clarity on the UK’s replacement funding programme.

New figures show Brexit department’s high staff turnover
The Independent reports on data obtained by the Liberal Democrats that shows that 357 staff have left the Department for Exiting the European Union in the last two years, despite it only employing 665 people, giving it a staff turnover of over 50%. Lib Dem MP Tom Brake warned that the high turnover made a no-deal Brexit ‘ever more likely’.

HS2 legislation to be delayed by a year
The Times claims that the Government is to delay legislation for HS2’s link to Manchester and Leeds by a year. It claims that this is necessary in order to integrate the project with other upgrades in the region and will not delay it, but the leader of Leeds City Council, Judith Blake, has expressed concern.

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Today’s Political Headlines include Raab’s admittance that Brexit talks are unlikely to be completed by October, Macron’s fears that a no-deal scenario would poison European relations, Nick Timothy criticising May’s Chequers plan and energy drinks ban for children.  

Brexit talks unlikely to achieve October deadline – Raab
The FT has splashed on the latest admission by Brexit secretary Dominic Raab that the October deadline for UK-EU talks is unlikely to be met, with both sides struggling to reach agreement over the Irish border and future trade relationship. Raab conceded that there would be ‘leeway’ over the signing of a deal, with many Brexit analysts viewing the Irish border as the main obstacle to agreement.

Macron fears that a no-deal scenario would ‘poison’ European relations
The Times reports that French President Emmanuel Macron is calling on the EU to push for a close relationship with Britain. The French president will use next month’s EU summit in Salzburg to call for a new structure for European alliances based on ‘concentric circles’, with the EU and the euro at its core, and Britain in a second ring.

May’s former chief-of-staff criticises May’s Chequers plan
Writing in The Telegraph, the Prime Minister’s former chief of staff Nick Timothy has said that the PM is set to compromise even further on her Chequers proposal and agree to a ‘worst of all worlds’ Brexit deal, that would be worse than no deal at all. Nick has called upon the PM to revive David Davis’ discarded white paper for a post-Brexit trade deal.

Energy Drinks to be banned for children
The Daily Mail reports that school children will be banned from purchasing energy drinks such as Red Bull and Monster Energy. The drinks’ high level of caffeine and sugar have been blamed for disruptive behaviour in classroom, and health campaigner Jamie Oliver has backed the campaign. No. 10 has said that it has not yet decided whether the ban should apply to under-16s or under-18s.

Corbynites plan to lobby Labours NEC meeting to stop U-turn on antisemitism
The Times reports that pro-Corbyn supporters in the Camden branch of Momentum are now planning a ‘mass lobby’ of next Tuesday’s meeting of Labour’s ruling executive, when the party is expected to finally adopt its new code on anti-Semitism.

Farage considers bid for Mayor of London
The FT has revealed that former UKIP leader Nigel Farage is considering running in the London mayoral election, in an attempt to push the Conservatives into third place. A senior Conservative official has said that Number 10 was braced for embarrassment if Farage decided to run, fearing electoral defeat despite not having selected a candidate yet.

Salmond resigns from SNP
The Telegraph is reporting on Alex Salmond’s resignation from the SNP. The former leader has quit the party following two sexual harassment allegations, saying he did not want to ‘facilitate opposition attacks on the SNP’. Salmond announced his resignation alongside a crowdfunding appeal, set up to raise money for his upcoming legal challenge against the SNP Government for their handling of the allegations.

Police and Crime Commissioners call for Spice to be reclassified as Class A
The Independent reports that a group of more than 20 Tory police and crime commissioners have written to the home secretary calling for the synthetic ‘zombie drug’ known as Spice to be reclassified as Class A. In an open letter, the crime czars warn the Class B substance poses the ‘most severe’ threat to public health in decades.

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Today’s Political Headlines include May’s plan to increase investment via the private sector in Africa, Macron turning down the appeal for Brexit help, Treasury opposes plan to double plastic bag charge and Corbyn distances himself from plan to punish vexatious antisemitism complaints. 

May to announce plans to increase investment in Africa
The BBC says that Theresa May will use a visit to South Africa today to reveal plans to increase the UK’s investment in Africa following Brexit. She will set a target of becoming the G7’s largest investor in the continent by 2022, adopting an ‘ambitious new approach’ to aid by ‘unleashing the entrepreneurial spirit’ of the private sector. Her three-day trade mission will also see her visit Nigeria and Kenya.

Macron turns down appeal for Brexit help
The Times reports that French President Emmanuel Macron has turned down an appeal for help to break the deadlock in Brexit negotiations from Theresa May. He used a speech to warn that Brexit ‘cannot come at the expense of the European Union’s integrity’, although France does want ‘to maintain a strong, special relationship’ with the UK. The Guardian adds that Theresa May has said that a no-deal Brexit ‘wouldn’t be the end of the world’ and that the Government ‘can make a success of it’.

Treasury opposes plan to double plastic bag charge
According to The Daily Telegraph, the Treasury is opposing Theresa May’s plan to increase the tax on plastic bags to 10p, with a senior source telling the paper that it ‘looks like profiteering’ and that ‘consumers don’t want to feel like they are being hammered with more taxes on the cost of everyday living’.

Corbyn distances himself from plan to punish ‘vexatious’ antisemitism complaints
The Times says that Jeremy Corbyn is distancing himself from claims that Labour would penalise those it thinks have made ‘vexatious’ antisemitism allegations for ‘factional’ reasons. The claim was made by The Skwawkbox, a website with close ties to Corbyn’s team, but a party spokesman described it as ‘inaccurate’.

Immigration rules doubled in length since 2010
The Guardian reports that over 5,700 changes have been made to immigration rules since 2010, causing them to double in length to almost 375,000 words. Lord Justice Irwin has described this as ‘something of a disgrace’ and the Law Commission is currently working on a review of the rules.

Thinktank calls for more use of stop and search
The Daily Mail carries details of a new report by Iain Duncan Smith’s Centre for Social Justice, which calls for a dramatic increase in the use of stop and search in order to tackle increasing violence driven by drugs gangs. Duncan Smith claims that this would help ‘the poorest communities in our country’.

Taxpayers funded non-disclosure agreement between MP and his aide
The Daily Telegraph says that the taxpayer has funded the cost of a non-disclosure agreement between Khalid Mahmood and his parliamentary assistant and former lover Elaina Cohen, who is Jewish, after she accused him of religious discrimination at an employment tribunal. The cost was covered by insurance funded as part of the expenses system.

Watson calls for investigation into Russian interference during Brexit vote
The Guardian reports that Shadow Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Tom Watson has called on the Government to confirm where the National Crime Agency is investigating Russian interference with the leave campaign during the EU membership referendum. He suggested that the vote may have been ‘stolen’ and called for a full public inquiry.

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Today’s Political Headlines include Gove’s ban on puppy farming, Javid’s Windrush apology overshadowed, botched criminal reforms and the EU’s monitoring of the UK’s access to financial markets after Brexit. 

Gove bans puppy farming
The Daily Mirror is celebrating the victory of the Lucy’s Law campaign to end puppy farming, which it had supported. Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Michael Gove has announced that the Government is to ban the sale of puppies by pet shops, online dealers and third parties, claiming that too many pets ‘have been brought up in squalid circumstances, in circumstances of pain and suffering and misery which should never be inflicted on any living thing’.

Javid’s Windrush apology overshadowed by new removal and detention figures
The Guardian claims that an apology by Home Secretary Sajid Javid to 18 members of the Windrush generation who were ‘most likely’ treated ‘wrongly’ by the Home Office has been overshadowed by new figures that reveal that 164 Windrush people may have been wrongly detained or removed, although the precise details of these cases have not been determined.

Suspected serious criminals released without conditions after botched reforms
According to The Times, the use of police bail has fallen by 90% year-on-year, leading to high-risk suspects being ‘released under investigation’ without conditions. The paper attributes the changes to ‘poorly planned’ and ‘rushed’ Government reforms, described by an unnamed senior police officer as ‘a disaster’.

EU will strictly monitor UK’s access to financial markets after Brexit
The Financial Times reports that the EU official responsible for financial services, Valdis Dombrovskis has warned that the bloc will strictly monitor the UK’s right of access to its market after Brexit. He said that the EU was not offering the UK ‘super equivalence’ and that assessments would need to be conducted ‘sector by sector and legislation by legislation’. The Guardian adds that the UK’s no-deal impact paper for financial services is expected to be published in the first batch, due on Thursday, although this could change.

Corbyn accuses May of abandoning ‘moral duty to refugees’
The Guardian says that Theresa May has been criticised by Jeremy Corbyn for abandoning the UK’s ‘moral duty to refugees’, after the outsourcing firm Serco threatened to evict up to 330 refugees in Glasgow. He will meet some of the families affected by the firm’s action.

EU citizens will not be ‘turfed out’ in no-deal Brexit
The BBC reports that Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab has promised to ‘move swiftly’ to safeguard the status of EU citizens during a no-deal Brexit, saying that it was ‘inconceivable’ that they’d be ‘turfed out’. According to The Times, Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Secretary Greg Clark has been holding urgent talks with Irish officials in an attempt to secure Northern Ireland’s electricity supply in the event of a no-deal Brexit, in order to avoid having to publish contingency plans involving the use of generators.

Low tax councils to be hit hardest by funding changes
The Financial Times carries details of new research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies which shows that a redistribution of central government funding for local authorities could force boroughs with low council tax rates to bear more of the cost of services, while benefiting councils with high tax rates.

Chris Williamson praises pro-Assad blogger
The Daily Mail says that the Corbyn-supporting Labour MP Chris Williamson has ‘sparked fury’ by praising Vanessa Beeley, a pro-Assad blogger, at the Beautiful Days festival this weekend. Around a year after the MP Jo Cox was murdered, Beeley described her as ‘a warmongering Blairite and White Helmet Al Qaeda advocate’.

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Today’s Political Headlines include the Government taking control of HMP Birmingham, EU migrants to be offered the right to stay in the event of a no-deal Brexit, Corbyn’s takeaway with the Hamas leader, and ending aid to rebel-held areas of Syria. 

Government takes control of ‘violent’ Birmingham prison
The Times reports that the Government has taken control of HMP Birmingham from G4S. The move follows the Chief Inspector of Prisons Peter Clarke’s call for the Government to open an independent inquiry into ‘appalling violence and squalor’ at the prison. He also warned of drug use, bullying and loss of control by prison staff. This is only the second time that the Government has taken over a private prison.

EU migrants to be offered right to stay in no-deal Brexit
The Daily Telegraph has obtained details of the UK’s policy towards EU migrants in the event of a no-deal Brexit. According to leaked cabinet papers, the UK will try to take the ‘moral high ground’ by allowing them to continue to live in the UK, use the NHS and claim benefits. The plan is to be set out in one of the no-deal technical papers, the first of which will be published on Thursday.

Corbyn had takeaway dinner with Hamas chief
The Sun reveals that Jeremy Corbyn admitted in a column for the Morning Star in 2010 that he had held a ‘long meeting’ and a takeaway dinner with Khaled Mashal, the Hamas leader, who the paper claims is a ‘renowned Holocaust denier’. Polling conducted for the paper finds that 47% think Labour had a serious problem with anti-Semitism, with 27% thinking that Corbyn is an anti-Semite. The Times adds that Labour MP Chris Williamson has been reprimanded following a complaint that he had belittled anti-Semitism accusations.

Aid to rebel-held areas of Syria to end
The Times says that the UK is to halt its support to the opposition in Syria, admitting that the rebels have lost the conflict. The Foreign Office and the Department for International Development have decided that the aid programmes are unsustainable, with the last rebel-held area expected to be attacked by President Assad’s forces imminently.

Adonis warns Labour will be ‘finished’ if it backs Brexit in an election
The Guardian reports that Lord Adonis has claimed that the Labour Party would be ‘finished’ if it backs Brexit at the next election. New polling shows that the Conservatives would be 4% ahead of Labour in a snap election if Labour adopted an anti-Brexit position, but 9% ahead if Labour was pro-Brexit, with the Liberal Democrats just 2% behind Labour.

MPs call for increased staffing budget because of Brexit
In an exclusive, The Daily Telegraph claims that MPs have been lobbying the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) for an increase in their staffing budget because Brexit is increasing their ‘workloads’. The former Chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, Sir Alistair Graham, has warned that the system is ‘open to abuse’ and that Ipsa should be ‘very cautious about raising budget’.

Tory MPs express entryism fears
The Guardian reports that Conservative MPs including Anna Soubry, George Freeman, Nicky Morgan and Phillip Lee have expressed concerns about entryism in the party after Leave.EU urged its supporters to join so that they could vote for Boris Johnson or Jacob Rees-Mogg in the next party leadership election.

Wright considers addressing conference as a hologram
According to The Times, Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Jeremy Wright is considering addressing the Conservative Party conference as a hologram, under plans that he inherited from his predecessor Matt Hancock, designed to highlight the work being done by British businesses with the technology.

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Today’s Political Headlines include EU fears that the UK is spying on them, Labour’s anti-Semitism compromise, Corbyn pictured with an alleged terrorist and hauliers criticism of Grayling. 

EU negotiators fear UK is spying on them
The Daily Telegraph alleges that the EU’s Brexit negotiators are worried that they are being bugged by the UK’s secret service. Concerns arose after sensitive documents were obtained by the UK just hours after they were presented at a meeting of EU civil servants. The paper adds that the documents, which set out the EU’s opposition to the UK’s plan to remain in the single market for goods, were scheduled to be published on the day of the Chequers summit but this was cancelled following representations ‘at the highest level’. Speaking to The Guardian, ‘diplomatic sources’ have rejected the suggestion that the UK might be able to negotiate directly with the other 27 EU countries at a summit in Salzburg next month.

Labour plans anti-Semitism compromise
According to The Guardian, the Labour Party is preparing to back down and incorporate the full International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of anti-Semitism into its rules as long as it can incorporate protections which allow legitimate criticism of Israel. The party hopes that the changes will have been made by its conference next month.

Corbyn pictured with terrorist on Tunisian visit
The Times claims that one of Jeremy Corbyn’s fellow attendees on a controversial trip to a Tunisian cemetery in 2014 was Maher al-Taher, leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which was already proscribed by the EU and which claimed responsibility the month after for an axe attack that killed four rabbis at a synagogue in Jerusalem.

Hauliers criticise Grayling following Brexit meeting
Leaders in the road haulage industry have spoken to The Daily Telegraph following a meeting with Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, accusing him of ‘knowing nothing’ about the sector. They warned that his department had not put in place credible contingency plans for a no deal Brexit and that he seemed unaware that in that scenario they would be left unable to carry goods within the EU as their licences and qualifications would not be recognised.

Johnson plans comeback speech at conference fringe event
The Sun reveals that Boris Johnson is planning to make a comeback speech during a fringe event at the Conservative Party conference and is in talks to participate in at least one other event. The paper claims that Johnson will use the opportunity ‘to spearhead a pro-Brexit push’.

Johnson’s Afghan trip cost £20,000
The Guardian reports that Boris Johnson’s visit to Afghanistan on the day of the vote on the third runway at Heathrow cost taxpayers £20,000. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said that Johnson had ‘scuttled out of the country at the taxpayer’s expense rather than honouring his promise to his constituents’ to vote against the plan.

Javid criticised May’s decision to block police pay rise
The Daily Telegraph claims that Home Secretary Sajid Javid wrote to the Prime Minister after she rejected a recommended 3% pay increase for all police, warning her that she had made the ‘wrong decision’ and that officers would only see their pay increase by 1%. The Police Federation has accused May of ‘stabbing them in the back’.

Three year tenancies to be made mandatory
In an exclusive, The Sun says that Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary James Brokenshire is backing plans to make three-year tenancies mandatory, despite opposition from landlords. The news, expected to be announced next week, has been welcomed by housing charity Shelter.

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Today’s Political Headlines include Netanyahu’s criticism of Corbyn, Rees-Mogg’s Brexit blueprint, the social housing green paper and the Muslim Council’s calls for an inquiry into Tory Islamophobia. 

Corbyn condemned by Netanyahu over visit to terrorists’ graves
The Daily Mail says that Jeremy Corbyn has been attacked by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for visiting the graves of terrorists linked to the Munich massacre, claiming that he deserved ‘unequivocal condemnation’. In a television interview, Corbyn appeared to admit that he was there but did ‘not think’ that he was involved, despite photos being published by the Mail.

Rees-Mogg draws up ‘positive’ Brexit blueprint
The Times claims that Tory Brexiteers, led by European Research Group chair Jacob Rees-Mogg and former Brexit minister Steve Baker, are drawing up an alternative ‘positive’ policy paper for a hard Brexit. The paper, expected to be backed by 60-80 MPs and to be released next month, will call for the UK to trade on WTO terms and reach a Canadian-style free trade agreement with the EU, only if it backs down on the Irish border.

Social housing green paper release
The BBC reports that the Government is releasing its social housing green paper today. Plans being announced would give tenants greater support to hold landlords to account and to buy 1% of their home a year. A separate consultation has been launched into how councils spend money from right to buy, making it easier for them to build more homes.

Muslim Council calls for inquiry into Tory Islamophobia
The Guardian says that the Muslim Council of Britain has called on Theresa May to set up an independent inquiry into Islamophobia within the Conservative Party. It claims that the defence of Boris Johnson’s remarks on burqas by colleagues shows the ‘the underbelly of Islamophobia’ in the party.

Over-40s should find social care through higher National Insurance, Green says
In an interview with the Evening Standard, Damian Green has backed the idea of making over-40s pay for social care by increasing National Insurance, in addition to using a ‘small proportion’ of over-65s’ housing costs. He also claimed that it was unsustainable both economically and personally for people to spend a third of their life in retirement.

Onasanya pleads not guilty
The Guardian reports that Labour whip Fiona Onasanya is to stand trial in November on charges of perverting the course of justice. She is accused of blaming another person for a speeding offence. Appearing at the Old Bailey yesterday, she pled not guilty to the charge.

No new cash for rough sleeping strategy
The Times reports that Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary James Brokenshire has admitted that there is no new money for the Government’s rough sleeping strategy, announced yesterday. Half of the £100m budget had already been allocated, while £50m has been reprioritised from existing budgets.

Truss backs proposal to let public sue Government for overspending
According to The Times, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss has backed an idea put forward by Conservative MP John Penrose, which would allow members of the public to sue the Government for overspending. The Government would only be allowed to borrow for infrastructure and not for day-to-day spending.

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Today’s Political Headlines include the ongoing Boris Johnson row, the CBI calling for migration targets to be scrapped, details of the deal Arron Banks was offered by Russia and the banks criticised for not passing on the interest rate rise.

Johnson faces investigation over burqa comments, but is backed by Rowan Atkinson
The Guardian reports that Boris Johnson is to face a disciplinary investigation from the Conservative Party after dozens of complaints were received about his column on the burqa for The Daily Telegraph. However, The Daily Telegraph claims that party chair Brandon Lewis has been accused of trying to ‘kneecap’ Johnson and that he earlier called for him to apologise without consulting Downing Street, while according to The Times, comedian Rowan Atkinson has lent Johnson his support.

CBI calls for migration targets to be scrapped
The BBC reports that the CBI has called for net migration targets to be axed after Brexit. Instead, a new system should be introduced that makes sure immigrants contribute positively to the economy and that schools and hospitals in areas of increased demand receive extra funding. The Home Office says it does not plan to abandon targets.

Details of deal offered to Banks by Russia revealed
In an exclusive, The Guardian has details of a deal offered to Arron Banks, the main donor to Leave.EU, by the Russian ambassador in the run-up to the EU referendum. Banks was offered what the paper calls ‘the chance of making potentially enormous profits’ as part of a deal to drive consolidation in the gold industry. Conservative MP Bob Neil, questioned why Russia offered the deal and asked what the ‘quid pro quos’ were.

Banks criticised for not passing on interest rate rise
The Times says that MPs and campaigners are angry that just one bank or building society has passed on last week’s interest rate rise in full to all its savers, despite increasing costs for mortgage holders. Nicky Morgan, Chair of the Commons Treasury Committee, said that banks had ‘a lot of work to do to rebuild trust among customers’.

Expenses watchdog stops publication of MPs’ property details
The Daily Telegraph reveals that the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, which regulates MPs’ expenses, is to cease publishing information about MPs’ properties owing to concerns about security. The only information which will now be published is whether the property is in the MPs’ constituency or London and the cost to rent.

Minister’s ousting of Parole Board chair unacceptable
The Guardian reports that a judge has ruled that it was unacceptable for Justice Secretary David Gauke to pressurise the chair of the Parole Board, Nick Hardwick, into resigning and that the board is not independent from the Government. The case was brought by a prisoner seeking a judicial review of the board’s independence.

Northamptonshire votes for ‘massive cuts’
The BBC says that Northamptonshire County Council has voted to approve ‘massive cuts’ to jobs and services as it tries to deal with a £70m funding shortfall. ‘Radical’ cuts are to be imposed on children’s services, road maintenance and waste management. Matt Golby, the council leader, described it as ‘the most challenging thing’ he has ever faced.

50% back giving the public the final say on Brexit
The Daily Mirror carries details of a poll by YouGov for the People’s Vote campaign which found that 50% believe that the final decision on leaving the EU should be taken by the public, with just 25% backing giving Parliament the final say. According to The Guardian, Labour is trying to avoid a vote on a second referendum at its conference, and is considering tabling a policy statement that would back holding a vote in exceptional circumstances.

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Today’s Political Headlines include May’s call for Boris to apologise over burqa remarks, six-figure HS2 salaries, Labour’s antisemitism challenge and the petition to recall Paisley. 

May agrees with call for Johnson to apologise over burqa remarks
The Guardian reports that Theresa May has agreed with a call by Conservative party chairman Brandon Lewis for Boris Johnson to apologise for a newspaper column in which he claimed that women in burqas look like letter boxes and bank robbers. Lord Sheik, founder of the Conservative Muslim Forum, has called for the Conservative whip to be withdrawn from him for the comments. Johnson has not apologised.

HS2 salary levels raise concerns
The Times reveals that a quarter of the staff employed by HS2 earn six-figure sums. 318 officials are paid at least £100,000 a year, an increase from 155 in 2015-16, while spending on consultants doubled in the space of a year, reaching more than £600m. The paper adds that Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss wrote to Transport Secretary Chris Grayling in the spring, raising concerns about salary levels.

Leaked papers show scale of Labour’s antisemitism challenge
The Guardian has seen leaked Labour disciplinary papers circulated to members of the party’s national executive committee which illustrate the challenge faced by the party in tackling antisemitism. Separately, The Times reports that footage from 2011 of Jeremy Corbyn accusing the BBC of being biased towards Israel in an interview with Iranian state TV channel Press TV has emerged.

Paisley recall petition to open
The BBC says that a petition to recall North Antrim MP Ian Paisley is to open today. The petition is the first of its kind and was triggered when Paisley was suspended from the Commons for 30 days after he failed to declare two holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government. The petition remains open until 19 September.

Sturgeon delays referendum decision over Brexit confusion
The Guardian reports that Nicola Sturgeon has indicated that Brexit confusion means that she will not be able to make a decision on holding a second Scottish independence referendum this autumn. Following a meeting with Theresa May yesterday, Sturgeon said that she had a ‘huge amount of scepticism’ that a deal would be reached by October.

Zahawi calls on private schools to admit children in care
The Sun says that Education Minister Nadhim Zahawi has called on private schools to give boarding places to thousands of children in care so that Jeremy Corbyn would be unable to remove their charitable status. He praised 40 schools that already participated in a Government-backed scheme to do so and asked others to join it.

EU patients could lose access to medicines after Brexit, pharmaceutical firm warns
The Guardian reports that the pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca has warned that patients in the EU may not be able to receive vital medicines produced in the UK in the event of a no-deal Brexit. To try and avoid the risk, it will test medicines in both the UK and the EU, but cannot guarantee that it will be successful.

Rail body calls for customs areas to be set up at freight terminals
The Financial Times says that the Rail Delivery Group is recommending that customs areas should be set up at rail freight terminals, not at the Channel Tunnel, after Brexit. It argues that this would help to prevent ‘congestion and delays’. HMRC says that this should not be necessary, if the proposals put forward in the Government’s Brexit white paper are adopted.

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