Today’s Political Headlines – 13 February 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include the continuing Oxfam fallout, Philip Hammond’s Brexit charm offensive, Boris Johnson’s call for regulatory divergence and UK and US in dispute over ISIS ‘Beatles’. 

Oxfam fallout continues, with threats to funding
The response to Oxfam’s handling of a sex scandal in Haiti in 2011 has continued, as the BBC reports. Penny Lawrence (the charity’s deputy chief executive) has quit, Helen Evans (the charity’s former global head of safeguarding) has made further allegations, and the Charity Commission is to launch an investigation. International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt has given Oxfam until the end of the week to explain how it will handle any future allegations or it will lose funding from the Government.

Philip Hammond starts Brexit charm offensive
The Daily Telegraph says that Philip Hammond is today embarking on a Brexit charm offensive, amid concerns that France is deliberately stalling negotiations. He is scheduled to visit Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal, while David Davis will visit other European allies. The Sun reports that the UK is set to concede that the transition period will end on 31 December 2020.

Boris Johnson to call for regulatory divergence from EU
The Guardian reports that Boris Johnson is to use his speech on Brexit tomorrow to set out a ‘liberal vision’ for Brexit. He will call on leave and remain voters to unite and use Brexit for economic advantage by diverging on regulations from the EU. The paper warns that this ‘could raise fears about plans for deregulation after Brexit’.

UK and US in dispute over ISIS ‘Beatles’
According to The Times, the US and the UK are in a diplomatic row over the fate of two captured ISIS members suspected of being members of ‘The Beatles’, suspected of involvement in the beheading of over 27 people. The United States has ruled out detaining the men at Guantanamo Bay, but Gavin Williamson, the Defence Secretary, does not want the men, who have been stripped of their British citizenship, to stand trial in the UK.

New tool to block extremist content
The BBC says that the Government has unveiled a tool that can accurately detect jihadist content and prevent it from being viewed. Home Secretary Amber Rudd said that she would not rule out forcing technology companies to use it by law.

May calls for ‘one final push’ in Northern Ireland
According to The Daily Telegraph, Theresa May has called on the leaders of Northern Ireland’s main political parties to make ‘one final push’ to restore power sharing at Stormont. The Prime Minister said there was the ‘basis of an agreement’ and that the executive could be ‘up and running very soon’.

Committee calls for energy price cap to be introduced urgently
A report by the House of Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee concludes that the Government’s proposed cap on energy bills should be introduced urgently, the BBC reports. According to the committee, the legislation should be passed by the summer recess, allowing it to come into force before the end of the year.

Nursing bursary cuts discourage students, Government report says
An article in The Mirror reveals that a Government impact assessment published yesterday admits that cutting more nursing bursaries risks discouraging women and mature students. The paper reports that this follows the Government’s decision on Friday to cut further bursaries.

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Today’s Political Headlines – 12 February 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include the immigration systems post-Brexit, allegations against Oxfam, Boris’ Brexit speech outgunned and George Soros pledging a further £100,000 to anti-Brexit campaign. 

Home Office may not have new systems ready for Brexit and whistleblowers reveal the asylum ‘lottery’
According to The Times, Theresa May has overruled the Home Office to insist that EU citizens who arrive during the Brexit transition period will not have the automatic right to remain in the UK, despite warnings from senior officials that they would struggle to create separate systems to register existing EU citizens and new arrivals in time. Separately, Home Office whistleblowers have told The Guardian that the asylum process is a ‘lottery’, with interviews ‘rushed, biased and resolved by “cut and paste” decisions by overworked Home Office staff’.

Oxfam to meet International Development Secretary over abuse allegations
The BBC reports that senior managers at Oxfam are to meet International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt later today to tell her more about allegations that the charity’s staff used prostitutes in Haiti in 2011. Mordaunt’s predecessor, Priti Patel, tells The Sun that officials ‘at the highest levels’ knew about abuse claims but tried to keep them hushed up.

Cabinet ministers to ‘outgun’ Boris Johnson’s Brexit speech
The Times says that Boris Johnson’s Cabinet colleagues are planning to ‘outgun’ his speech on Brexit this week, by following it up with five further speeches. These include two from the Prime Minister on security and the future partnership, one from David Davis on business, one from Liam Fox on global deals, and one from David Lidington on the devolved nations. May will say that the UK wishes to keep the European arrest warrant and stay in Europol.

George Soros pledges extra £100,000 to anti-Brexit campaign
George Soros’ Open Society Foundation is to pledge an extra £100,000 to the pro-EU group Best for Britain, The Guardian says. He linked the increased donation to the campaign against him in the right-wing press, saying ‘I am happy to take the fight to those who have tried to use a smear campaign, not arguments, to prop up their failing case’.

Theresa May flies to Northern Ireland amid hopes of power-sharing deal
The Guardian reports that Theresa May is to fly to Belfast today, amid hopes that Northern Ireland’s main political parties are close to reaching a deal to restore power-sharing in the executive. She will be joined by Leo Varadkar, the Taoiseach, who has cancelled a meeting with the Welsh First Minister.

Diesel trains to be scrapped by 2040
Rail Minister Jo Johnson, is to announce today that every diesel train in the country should be scrapped by 2040, The Daily Telegraph says. This forms part of plans to cut pollution on the rail network, but the Government has not specified how this will be paid for.

DWP spends over £100m on disability benefit appeals over two years
According to The Guardian, the Department for Work and Pensions spent over £100m on administering reviews and appeals against disability benefits in just over two years. The Ministry of Justice also spends tens of millions on the reviews. Neil Heslop, chief executive of Leonard Cheshire, described the amounts as ‘staggering’.

Transport for London’s operational deficit expected to reach £1bn
The Financial Times reports that Transport for London is expecting an operational deficit of nearly £1bn next year. This has been caused by the Government removing a revenue grant, Sadiq Khan’s decision to freeze fares, and falling passenger numbers, attributed to increased working from home, use of ride-hailing apps, and safety concerns.

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Today’s Political Headlines – 9 February 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include the crackdown on unpaid internships, Barnier’s Labour memo, a riled David Davis and donors paying to meet ministers at the Conservative Black and White Ball.   

Crackdown on unpaid internships launched
In an exclusive, The Guardian reveals that the Government has launched a crackdown on unpaid internships. Companies have been sent more than 550 warning letters, and enforcement teams have been created to tackle repeat offenders. HMRC is expected to target sectors with a track record of using unpaid interns, including the media, performing arts, law and accountancy.

Barnier memo raises questions about Labour’s Brexit policy
The Daily Telegraph reports that a memo circulated by EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier after meeting Jeremy Corbyn raises questions about Labour’s Brexit policy. According to the memo, Corbyn said that he was open to remaining in the customs union and said that he would run negotiations ‘very differently’. Labour, however, claim Corbyn instead said ‘a customs union was a viable end point’. Separately, The Guardian says that 30 pro-EU MPs and campaigners have written to the party’s national executive committee calling for a membership consultation on the party’s Brexit policy.

EU being ‘discourteous’ says David Davis
The Times says that Brexit Secretary David Davis has criticised the EU for being ‘discourteous’, with a source close to him telling the paper that the draft legal text of the transition period published by the EU was ‘deliberately inflammatory and designed to provoke a reaction’. The source also described this week’s talks as frustrating. The Sun claims that the UK is to reject the EU’s demand that Brussels sets fishing quotas during the transition period.

Donors pay to meet ministers at Conservative Black and White Ball
The Mirror reports on the Conservative Party’s Black and White Ball, which was held on Tuesday. It says that the Prime Minister told guests that she wanted to ‘defeat socialism’. For the last two years there has been a ban on auctioning access to cabinet ministers, but that was lifted this year and The Times reveals that a donor paid £55,000 to spend a day with Theresa May.

Gina Miller accuses group she founded of being ‘undemocratic’
The Daily Telegraph has spoken to the founder of the pro-EU campaign group Best for Britain, Gina Miller, who accuses it of being ‘undemocratic’. Miller said the public had the ‘right to know’ who was backing the organisation and that it should not aim to bring down the Government.

Draft EU agreement would see Northern Ireland effectively stay in single market and customs union
According to The Guardian, EU negotiators have warned that the draft withdrawal agreement will see Northern Ireland effectively remain in the single market and customs union, in order to avoid a hard border. The paper suggests that this is likely to cause a ‘major row’.

Committee report proposes housing strategy for the elderly
A report by the House of Commons Communities and Local Government Committee recommends that the Government develops a strategy to deal with older people’s housing needs. The BBC says that proposals include a handyman service, age-proofing new-build homes and a national helpline.

Tech firms questioned about fake news
As the Financial Times reports, MPs on the House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee visited Washington yesterday to hear from firms including Google, Facebook and Twitter. The committee’s chair, Damian Collins, said that the firms had a level of ‘disconnect’ about their responsibility for combating fake news and disinformation.

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Today’s Political Headlines – 8 February 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include details of the Brexit economic impact, the Nick Timothy/George Soros story, council tax increases and Michael Gove’s plan to ban pet shops from selling puppies.   

Further details of Brexit economic impact leaked
Further details of the Government’s leaked Brexit economic assessments have been published. According to The Guardian, in the event of ‘no deal’, the Government will need to borrow £120bn more over 15 years, while the North East would be the worst affected region with GDP growth 16% less. Sky News adds details of the expected impact on individual sectors, with retail expected to suffer a 20% increase in costs, and car manufacturing to experience a 13% increase.

Best for Britain campaign funder revealed
The Daily Telegraph leads with an article carrying the byline (alongside others) of Nick Timothy, the Prime Minister’s former chief of staff. The story reveals that the billionaire George Soros, who it claims is known as ‘the man who broke the Bank of England’, is one of three senior figures backing Best for Britain, a group campaigning to remain in the EU.

Council tax to increase as councils suffer budget shortfalls
Council tax is the subject of the main story of both The Times and the Daily Mail. The Times reports that Surrey County Council has one of the largest budget shortfalls in the country, while nine out of ten councils will end the year millions of pounds over budget. The Daily Mail says that a study by the Local Government Information Unit shows that average council tax bills are due to increase by £100.

Michael Gove to ban pet shops from selling puppies
The Sun says that the Government is planning to ban pet shops from selling puppies, forcing buyers to deal directly with breeders or rehousing centres. Other changes being examined by Michael Gove include enhanced licensing conditions for breeders and online sales being made in person.

One in five Westminster staff sexually harassed in last twelve months
A report by a cross-party working group shown to The Independent has found that one in five people working in Westminster has experienced sexual harassment in the last twelve months. The study is to be published by House of Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom alongside recommendations for a new staff grievance procedure.

Universal Credit programme criticised by new report
According to The Guardian, a report by the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee warns that the Government is expecting the public to ‘take it on faith’ that Universal Credit will deliver an improved service to claimants. According to the committee no business case has been produced for the programme, which started seven years ago.

Hospital bosses caught up in scandals to be banned from working for the NHS
The Daily Telegraph says that two former managers at Liverpool Community Health, which was found to have caused ‘significant unnecessary harm’ to patients are still working in the NHS. According to the paper, ministers will today announce plans to ban managers caught up in care scandals from working for the NHS again.

Minister says pupils should take more exams to reduce stress
Schools minister Nick Gibb claimed yesterday that students should sit more exams so that they find GCSEs less stressful, The Times reports. Gibbs was criticised by members of the education and health select committees, who claimed that there was a link between exam pressures and mental health.

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Today’s Political Headlines – 7 February 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include key meetings on Brexit, the EU’s power to punish, May’s press review and the Government overhauling employment rights for millions. 

May prepares to chair key meetings on Brexit
Theresa May is to chair the first of two meetings of her Brexit cabinet committee today, the BBC reports. Today’s meeting will focus on Northern Ireland and immigration, while tomorrow’s will focus on trade. As the BBC notes, the meeting comes as the British Chambers of Commerce criticised the Government for ‘continued division’ and warned that businesses’ ‘patience is wearing thin’. The Guardian says that the Public Accounts Committee has found that the Government has been ‘too slow’ at making preparations for Brexit, and that a University of Sussex report suggests that manufacturing exports could be cut by a third.

EU will have power to punish UK at will during transition, leaked document shows
The Guardian reports that a leaked document shows that the EU will be able to punish the UK at will during the transition period, by closing access to parts of the single market. This would allow the EU countries to act against the UK without having to go through the European Court of Justice.

May pledges review of the press, criticises online abuse of politicians
As The Guardian says, Theresa May has announced a review into whether state intervention is needed to preserve local and national newspapers, calling the decline in local journalism a threat to democracy. The review will examine the rise in ‘clickbait’ news. The announcement was made in a speech marking the enfranchisement of women in which, The Times reports, May criticised online abuse of political candidates and representatives, and praised the ‘heroism’ of the suffragettes.

Government to overhaul employment rights for millions
The Government has promised to overhaul employment rights for millions of workers, including those in the gig economy, the BBC says. Nearly all of the recommendations of the Taylor review into working practices are to be adopted, but unions warn that the plans will still leave 1.8m workers without key rights. Quoted in The Daily Telegraph, the Institute for Directors claims the Government has missed an opportunity to reform National Insurance.

Boris plans Valentine’s Day Brexit speech
The Daily Mail claims that Boris Johnson is planning on making a major speech on Brexit on Valentine’s Day to set out his vision of a ‘liberal Brexit’. Allies of Johnson told the paper that no date or venue had been set, and the paper claims that ‘the intervention will inevitably be interpreted as a bid to push his own credentials to take over from Theresa May.’ Meanwhile, The Times suggests that senior Conservatives are searching for a candidate to prevent Boris Johnson or Jacob Rees-Mogg winning a sudden leadership contest.

Jack Sargeant elected for his father’s old Welsh Assembly seat
Jack Sargeant has been elected as the new Welsh Assembly Member for Alyn and Deeside. As the BBC reports, he will be following in the footsteps of his father, Carl Sargeant who died in November, having apparently taken his own life, causing the by-election.

Treasury planning loan to bail out Ministry of Defence
According to an exclusive in The Sun, the Treasury is offering to meet the Ministry of Defence’s funding shortfall through a loan until the next spending review in 2020. This would have to be repaid by cutting troops or selling off assets. The paper expects this to ‘spark another major Cabinet row’ between Philip Hammond and Gavin Williamson.

Carillion chief executive admits board should have asked more questions
The Financial Times reports that Keith Cochrane, Chief Executive of Carillion when it collapsed, admitted to MPs in an evidence session yesterday that the board should have asked ‘more probing questions’. Former Finance Director Emma Mercer suggested that her predecessor Zafar Khan and former Chief Executive Richard Howson had been ‘aggressive’ with how contracts were accounted for, a claim Khan denied.

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Today’s Political Headlines – 6 February 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include Barnier telling the UK to make a choice, Trump’s NHS error, Theresa May marking the centenary of the suffrage act and the EU rules the UK could be forced to accept. 

Barnier tells the UK to ‘make a choice’
Visiting the UK yesterday, the European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier warned that future trade barriers are ‘unavoidable’ if the UK leaves the customs union. The Financial Times reports that EU officials believe that UK ideas are ‘unrealistic’, whilst Barnier said that it was time for the UK ‘to make a choice’ and that there was ‘not a moment to lose’. The paper also says that the EU is pressing for more clarity over the Irish border as it comes within weeks of publishing a legal text of December’s Brexit divorce agreement.

Trump rebuked over NHS claims
Following a tweet from President Trump, claiming that the NHS was ‘going broke and not working’, the BBC reports Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt hit back that he was ‘proud to be from the country that invented universal coverage’. Downing Street said that Hunt was speaking for the government, while NHS England Chief Executive Simon Stevens has invited Trump to visit a hospital on his trip to the UK later this year.

May marks suffrage act with vow to tackle abuse in public life
The Guardian says Theresa May is to mark the centenary of the 1918 Representation of the People Act today by giving a speech in Manchester. May will address the topic of abuse in public life, and lay out steps to tackle it, including backing some recommendations from a Committee on Standards in Public Life report, publishing a social media code of practice and asking the Law Commission to review legislation on ‘offensive online communications’. The BBC reports that campaigners, including the Fawcett Society and Ruth Davidson, have called for convicted suffragettes to be given a posthumous pardon.

UK could be forced to accept 37 EU rules during transition
The Daily Telegraph has obtained a leaked Whitehall analysis that reveals that the UK could be forced to accept 37 EU directives during the transition period. It suggests that contentious measures include new recycling targets, giving Brussels the power to ‘mount a massive raid on the City of London’ and new renewable and energy efficiency targets.

Soubry tells May to expel hard Brexiteers
Anna Soubry told the BBC’s Newsnight programme that Theresa May needed to ‘get a spine’ and remove 35 ‘hard ideological Brexiteers’ from the Conservative Party, warning that by pandering to them she was forgetting a larger group ‘who are getting sick and tired’. She said that if Boris Johnson or Jacob Rees-Mogg took over the party she would leave.

May’s mission statement criticised by ministers
An internal mission statement drawn up by Theresa May’s aides called ‘Building a Britain Fit for the Future’ has been criticised by ministers as ‘pathetic’ and ‘anaemic’, The Times says. The plan, first shown to the cabinet and ministers, was shared with MPs last week.

East Coast rail franchise may return to public sector
The Guardian reports that the East Coast rail franchise could return to the public sector, with Transport Secretary Chris Grayling telling MPs that Virgin Trains had breached its £3.3bn contract. Another option would be for the Government to offer Virgin Trains East Coast a ‘short-term, not for profit’ contract.

Rural MPs threaten to revolt over council funding cuts
According to the Financial Times, the Government is coming under pressure to increase funding to councils, following the imposition of spending controls on Northamptonshire County Council. The paper reports that ministers ‘have been locked in talks with MPs’ to secure the votes they need to pass the local authority funding settlement on Wednesday.

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Today’s Political Headlines – 5 February 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include Downing Street ruling out being part of a customs union, Westminster’s Freemasons’ lodges, the UK’s potentially painful trade concessions to South Korea and the warning against a bonfire of regulations. 

Downing Street rules out customs union
Downing Street has confirmed that the UK is to leave the customs union after Brexit, the BBC reports, quoting a source who said, ‘to put this to rest, we are categorically leaving’. Political correspondent Eleanor Garnier says that a bespoke deal could still involve some sort of customs arrangement. The Times adds that the Brexit ‘war cabinet’ is preparing a compromise with ‘a time-limited extension to elements of the existing customs union’.

Westminster Freemasons’ lodges revealed
The Guardian leads with the revelation that there are two lodges of Freemasons operating secretly at Westminster, one for politicians and one for journalists. The paper reports that the identities of the members are unknown, while the United Grand Lodge of England has insisted that there is no contradiction between being a Freemason and a journalist.

‘Painful concessions’ needed to agree South Korean deal
According to The Daily Telegraph, the UK may have to make ‘painful trade concessions’ to South Korea, in order to ensure continuity during the Brexit transition period. A ‘senior trade lobbyist’ told the paper that ‘worries are mounting’ about whether it will be possible to replicate existing trade deals.

Bank of England deputy governor warns against ‘bonfire of regulations’
In an interview with the Financial Times, Sam Woods, deputy governor of the Bank of England, warned against a ‘bonfire of regulations’ after Brexit. He pledged to ‘maintain standards of resilience in the financial sector at least as high as those we have today’.

Former civil service chief says Brexiteers are ‘selling snake oil’
Appearing on Peston on Sunday, Lord O’Donnell, the former head of the civil service, accused Brexiteers of ‘selling snake oil’, The Daily Telegraph says. He said that allegations by Jacob Rees-Mogg that the civil service were ‘fiddling the figures’ with regard to Brexit were ‘completely crazy’.

Hospitals cancel urgent operations
In an exclusive, The Guardian claims that hospitals have cancelled urgent operations for patients with cancer, heart disease and other life-threatening diseases, despite having been ordered not to do so. According to the paper, doctors’ leaders and the Patients Association have warned that people could die as a result.

Justice Secretary to review divorce laws
The Justice Secretary, David Gauke, has agreed to review divorce laws, The Times says. This follows a campaign by the newspaper for reforms, including no-fault divorce. He told the paper that he ‘will study the evidence for change’ but would not ‘rush to a conclusion’.

Lib Dems’ expert panel recommends dedicated NHS tax
A panel of health experts, convened by the Liberal Democrats, has recommended a new ring-fenced tax to fund the NHS, the BBC reports. The panel also recommends that the NHS should receive an extra £4bn on top of inflation in the next financial year and a cap on the amount paid for social care by individuals.

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Today’s Political Headlines – 2 February 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include the UK’s potential to stay in a customs union with the EU, Brexit migration figures, NHS spending on compensation and medicines under review and ‘Auntie May’. 

UK might stay in customs union with the EU
The Financial Times claims that Theresa May’s advisers are considering striking a customs union deal on trade in goods with the EU, which would allow the UK to strike trade deals on services (although the paper notes that ‘services-only deals are a relative novelty’). The Daily Telegraph reports that International Trade Secretary Liam Fox has ruled out such an arrangement, but the Prime Minister has been less clear.

Brexit economic analysis reveals that EU migration might fall by just 40,000
The Daily Telegraph claims that leaked Government economic analysis of Brexit reveals that ministers are planning for EU migration to fall by just 40,000 a year if the UK reaches a free trade deal with the EU. If the Government fails to agree a deal with the EU, the analysis expects EU migration to fall by 90,000. An estimated 230,000 immigrants migrated to the UK in the year to June 2017.

NHS spending on compensation and medicines under scrutiny
Two articles in this morning’s papers focus on high costs being incurred by the NHS. The Daily Telegraph says that health service leaders have written to the Justice Secretary David Gauke, claiming that unless victims of NHS errors receive less compensation, the service will be bankrupted. Meanwhile, an investigation by The Times finds that the NHS has been overcharged for thousands of drugs.

Labour considers new policy to cut house-building costs
A new policy to cut the cost of council house building is being considered by Labour and is detailed in The Guardian. The proposals, drawn up by Shadow Housing Secretary John Healey, would see an English Sovereign Land Trust established to buy land at its pre-planning consent value, cutting the cost of building 10,000 homes a year by £10bn.

May praised by Chinese state media and dubbed ‘Auntie May’
According to The Guardian, Chinese state-run media has praised Theresa May following her trip to the country. The Global Times reportedly said that she had ‘sidestepped’ issues including human rights and Hong Kong, and had sought ‘pragmatic collaboration’. The Times adds that young social media users in the country have dubbed her ‘Auntie May’ and says that she is set to announce £300m of commercial deals to export British cultural brands.

Groups opposed to hard Brexit join forces
The Guardian reports that groups opposed to a hard Brexit have coalesced under the leadership of Chuka Umunna. The groups, with over 500,000 members, will work together as the grassroots coordinating group (GCG). Other politicians involved include Anna Soubry, Caroline Lucas and Jo Swinson.

Unlimited fines for carmakers who cheat emissions tests
New Department for Transport proposals would see carmakers who cheat emissions tests faced with unlimited fines, The Times says. The proposals, which go beyond EU law, come after the scandal triggered by Volkswagen’s use of ‘defeat device’ software to beat tests.

Brexit minister admits making mistake
Yesterday, in the House of Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg asked Brexit minister Steve Baker whether Treasury officials had ‘deliberately developed a model to show that all options other than staying in the customs union were bad’, attributing his claim to Charles Grant of the Centre for European Reform. Baker said that Rees-Mogg’s account was ‘essentially correct’, but later had to back down after an audio recording of Grant emerged. Baker will now apologise to Grant and ‘clarify’ his remarks to the Commons, as the BBC reports.

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Today’s Political Headlines – 1 February 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include the rights of EU citizens in the UK during the Brexit transition, the benefits of EU migrants compared to a US trade deal, May’s talks with China’s Xi Jinping and water companies criticised by Gove. 

May: EU citizens coming to UK during transition should not enjoy same rights
The Guardian says that Theresa May has ‘sparked a new clash’ with the EU, after she argued that EU citizens arriving in the UK during the transition period should not have the same rights as EU citizens arriving at present. The European Parliament’s Brexit co-ordinator, Guy Verhofstadt, told the paper ‘Citizens’ rights during the transition is not negotiable.’

Cost of cutting EU migration to UK revealed; EU strategy paper leaks
BuzzFeed News has released more details from the leaked Government Brexit impact analysis. The analysis reveals that the cost to the UK economy of cutting migration from the EU would be greater than the benefits of a trade deal with the US. The Government will now allow MPs and peers to view the document in a ‘secure reading room’. The Financial Times has obtained a leaked strategy paper, which shows the EU is threatening sanctions to stop the UK from undercutting the EU economy after Brexit.

May to hold talks with Chinese President
Theresa May is to hold talks with Xi Jinping, the Chinese President, later today. According to the BBC, the agenda will include trade and security issues, including the North Korean nuclear programme. The Prime Minister will also raise environmental concerns. Yesterday, May agreed a new trade and investment review with the Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. The Guardian adds that Liam Fox admitted that a trade deal with China ‘may be some time away’, but that trade could be increased despite remaining in a customs union with the EU.

Water companies criticised by Gove
In a letter to Ofwat, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Michael Gove has criticised water companies for using ‘opaque financial structures based in tax havens’ and making ‘excessive profits’, The Daily Telegraph reports. He has offered to give Ofwat new powers to reign in the companies.

MPs vote to move out of the Palace of Westminster to allow refurbishment
In what The Times calls a ‘surprise result’, MPs have voted to move out of the Palace of Westminster for at least six years to allow refurbishment work to go ahead. The ‘full decant’ is expected to start in 2025 at the earliest. A plan drawn up by Downing Street and Conservative whips to postpone the decision until 2022 failed, with an amendment by Meg Hillier succeeding. The move now needs the approval of the House of Lords.

Senior minister prepares to resign
In an exclusive, The Sun claims that a ‘senior minister’ is ‘close to resigning’, in a move which could lead to Theresa May’s ‘downfall’. The minister, who has been frustrated by the failure to promote younger MPs, would then call for a new direction from the backbenches.

‘Baby leave’ voting system for MPs likely to be approved
A system that allows MPs who have recently become parents to nominate a colleague to vote in Parliament on their behalf is likely to be approved today, The Guardian says. The proposal, put forward by Harriet Harman and Maria Miller, will be handed over to the Speaker, John Bercow, and the Procedure Committee to consider enacting, if it is approved.

£21bn hole in defence spending
The Ministry of Defence’s equipment plan is ‘not affordable’ according to a National Audit Office report, an article in The Times says. The department has a funding hole of £21bn over ten years, omitted the £1.3bn cost of five new frigates from the plan and experienced a £576m increase in the cost of four replacement Trident submarines.

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Today’s Political Headlines – 31 January 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include the continued controversy surroung the government’s leaked Brexit forecasts, Theresa May’s visit to China and the UK’s skilled immigration cap. 

Brexit analysis causes continued controversy
Brexit minister Steve Baker has claimed that Government economic forecasts are ‘always wrong’ and that the leaked Brexit forecast ‘is not yet anywhere near being approved by ministers’, according to The Daily Telegraph. A ‘Cabinet source’ told the paper that it was ‘Project Fear Mark II’. The Guardian suggests that Baker’s claim has ‘triggered a furious backlash’ and says that Labour is to try to force the Government to publish the analysis using the same procedure previously deployed to force the publication of the Government’s sectoral reports. Theresa May has told the Financial Times that economic assessments will be given to Parliament after the final deal has been agreed, but ahead of the vote on it, 

Theresa May: ‘I’m not a quitter’
The Times reports that Theresa May has told reporters that ‘I’m not a quitter, and there is a long-term job to be done.’ She refused to say if she would fight on in the event of a vote of confidence. May insisted that she had a plan to get ‘the best Brexit deal’ and that ‘we need to ensure that we do speak about the achievements that we’ve seen’. 

Theresa May: China should play by rules
Theresa May has written an opinion piece for the Financial Times ahead of her trip to China, in which she argues for ‘deepening co-operation’ but warns that the two countries ‘will not always see eye-to-eye’, raising issues such as steel overcapacity, intellectual property, and trade rules. The paper describes this as a ‘blunt warning’.

Housing developers to lose right to build
Housing developers should lose planning permission on unused land, if they fail to hit construction targets, a review into land-banking is expected to conclude in the spring, according to The Times. The paper has interviewed Sajid Javid, who said ‘We are on the side of people who want more homes.’

Inheritance tax gifting limit under review
Chancellor Philip Hammond has ordered a review into inheritance tax, The Daily Telegraph says. The review, to be carried out by the Office for Tax Simplification, could lead to an increase in the tax-free gifting limit, which has been frozen at £3000 since 1981. The paper says that the move would ‘help younger generations onto the property ladder’.

UK should add folic acid to flour, study says
The BBC reports on a new study in Public Health News, which suggests that adding folic acid to flour would prevent spina bifida in unborn babies and not harm the public. Ministers in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have already backed the move.

Parliament could be ‘at risk’, Historic England warns
The Guardian has seen a Historic England briefing note, which warns that the Palace of Westminster could be placed on the ‘at risk’ register of historic sites. MPs have a free vote tonight on whether or not to delay making a decision on repairs until the end of parliament, or to set up a delivery authority to draw up options to be voted on in 18 months’ time. 

UK hits skilled immigration cap
The Financial Times reports that the UK has hit the cap for skilled non-EU migrants for two months in a row, attributing this to companies being ‘forced to look further afield to make up for falling numbers of European immigrants.’ The NHS is amongst those being forced to turn away potential workers, whilst the Institute for Directors described it as a ‘particularly big concern’ for businesses.

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Today’s Political Headlines – 30 January 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include BuzzFeed’s scoop on the state of the UK economy after Brexit, Tory donors calling on May to quit and all PIP claims to be reviewed following a court ruling. 

Brexit impact assessments leak, as May rejects the EU’s transition terms
BuzzFeed News has obtained a copy of the Government’s economic analysis of Brexit. It suggests that the UK would be worse off outside the EU in every scenario modelled. The news comes as The Daily Telegraph reports that Theresa May is to reject the EU’s proposed transition period terms over free movement and ‘rule taking’, and International Trade Secretary Liam Fox tells The Sun that Eurosceptics will have to ‘live with disappointment’. The Guardian says that a new report by Open Britain and the Labour Campaign for the Single Market argues ‘there is no leftwing case for leaving the single market and the customs union’. The paper also reports that the German ambassador has ascribed British Euroscepticism to a sense of national identity built around the Second World War.

Tory donors call on May to quit
The Times claims that displeasure with Theresa May ‘boiled over’ at a Conservative fundraising event on Thursday. An account of the event that suggests around a quarter of the 50 donors attending called for May to go has been circulating amongst pro-Brexit MPs.

PIP claims to be reviewed following court ruling
The BBC reports that the Department for Work and Pensions will review the claims of every person receiving Personal Independence Payments (PIP) – a total of 1.6m claims. This follows the Government’s decision not to challenge a court ruling that PIP changes were unfair to people with mental health conditions.

MoD housing deal cost taxpayers £4bn
A report by the National Audit Office suggests that British taxpayers could have lost as much as £4bn because of a 1996 Ministry of Defence property deal, The Daily Telegraph says. In the deal, the MoD sold around 55,000 houses and then leased them back.

Robert Halfon suggests referendum on NHS spending increases
Conservative MP Robert Halfon has called for a referendum on raising NHS spending, The Guardian reports. He has suggested the Government should legislate for a referendum every ten years on how much to increase NHS spending, and consider a new hypothecated ringfenced tax for health and social care spending.

China ‘baffled’ over May’s delay in visiting
As Theresa May prepares to leave for her first trade mission to China, The Times reports that the Chinese are ‘baffled’ that it has taken her 18 months to visit. The Financial Times suggests May will not endorse China’s Belt and Road initiative in which it invests in Asian and central and eastern European infrastructure during the visit. The Guardian says that Brexit ‘has severely eroded’ the UK’s negotiating position and its value to China.

Gavin Williamson under pressure over defence spending
The Times says that Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson came ‘under renewed pressure’ when three former security chiefs – Lord Ricketts (Former national security adviser), Sir John Sawyers (former MI6 head) and Robert Hannigan (former GCHQ director) – criticised the removal of defence from the national security capability review as a ‘backwards step’, driven by politics.

MPs could lose seats for sexual harassment or bullying
The Financial Times has seen a copy of draft plans, expected to be published later this week, under which MPs found to have engaged in sexual harassment or bullying could be suspended by the parliamentary commissioner for standards and trigger a recall process.

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Today’s Political Headlines – 29 January 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines are dominated by Brexit – with a ‘coordinated attempt’ to discredit the Chancellor and civil servants; the potential transition deal delay; and the Lords committee’s criticism. 

Brexit: Brexiteers in ‘co-ordinated attempt’ to discredit Chancellor & civil servants
According to this morning’s Times, Brexiteers are on ‘a co-ordinated attempt to discredit Philip Hammond and senior officials’. Key cabinet members are to be shown government economic impact assessments for different Brexit options this week, the paper reports. The Daily Telegraph has obtained a WhatsApp message in which energy minister Claire Perry claims that the ‘sell out traitor mob’ who criticised the Brexit bill are the ‘swivel-eyed few’.

Brexit: Transition deal may be delayed over law vetting demand
The Financial Times warns that the UK could be on a ‘collision course’ with the EU over demands to vet new EU laws agreed during the transition period. According to the paper, senior officials on each side are worried that the disagreement could delay reaching a deal. Meanwhile, The Times says that EU negotiators expect the UK to request an extended transition period, but that this will be kept secret to avoid a rebellion by Eurosceptics.

Brexit: Lords committee criticises Withdrawal Bill
The House of Lords Constitution Committee has criticised the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill ahead of the start of debates this week, The Guardian reports. The committee says that ‘the bill risks fundamentally undermining legal certainty’, criticising the ‘overly broad’ powers and the failure to secure agreement from the devolved governments.

Social media firms called on to do more about grooming
The Times dedicates its front page to a call for social media firms to crack down on online grooming. According to the paper, the NSPCC is calling for the Home Office to put pressure on social media companies to use artificial intelligence to block predatory behaviour online. The charity says that the Government’s new voluntary code ‘does not go far enough’.

Pensions Regulator criticised for failure to act over Carillion
The House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee has criticised the Pensions Regulator for allowing Carillion to defer pension deficit contributions in September, according to The Guardian. Frank Field, who chairs the committee, said ‘It’s clear that Carillion has been trying to wriggle out of its obligations to its pensioners for the last 10 years.’

Tory peer and Church of England call for Government action over gambling adverts
A study commissioned by the Conservative peer Lord Chadlington has found that 65% of teenagers think that television channels carry too much advertising for gambling, the Daily Mail reports. He is calling for the Government to ban gambling advertising during sporting events. Alan Smith, the Bishop of St Albans, told The Daily Telegraph that advertising for gambling was ‘an increasing moral crisis for us as a society.’

Increased automation may deepen the UK’s economic divide
The Financial Times has details of a report by the Centre for Cities think-tank, which suggests ‘the rise of the robots’ will deepen the UK’s economic divide, with a third of jobs in some northern and midlands cities vulnerable to automation and globalisation. The centre’s chief executive, Andrew Carter, has called for more devolution.

Labour would buy 8,000 properties for the homeless
Appearing on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn pledged to provide 8,000 homes ‘immediately’ to house people with a history of rough sleeping, should his party enter government. He described the scale of homelessness as ‘disgusting’ and ‘wholly unnecessary’.

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Today’s Political Headlines – 26 January 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include Brexit news, with May, Hammond and Davis; Lord Mendelsohn who has been ‘effectively sacked’ for attending the Presidents Club dinner; Gavin Williamson warning of a Russian attack; and Donald Trump visiting the UK. 

May rebukes Hammond for Brexit claims and tones down Davis speech
Theresa May rebuked the Chancellor last night, The Times claims, after he predicted ‘very modest’ changes in the UK’s relationship with the EU after Brexit in a speech to the CBI at the World Economic Forum. The Daily Telegraph adds that Downing Street has toned down a major speech by David Davis today so that it focuses on negotiating trade deals during a transition period, rather than on managing expectations and selling the transition period as the price to pay for Brexit. The paper also reports that Jacob Rees-Mogg, chair of the European Research Group, has said that the Government’s tone on Brexit needs to ‘fundamentally change’. The Sun suggests that Downing Street ‘fears a vote of no confidence’ after at least three more Tory MPs said that they planned to call for May to go.

Lord Mendelsohn ‘effectively sacked’ for attending controversial dinner
Lord Mendelsohn has been ‘effectively sacked’ from his role as a Labour party spokesperson on business and international trade for attending the controversial Presidents Club dinner, The Times reports. The Financial Times adds that the Attorney-General has said that it is possible that criminal offences were committed at the event and that the Bank of England is investigating the regifting of tea with its Governor, Mark Carney, to the event’s auction.

Gavin Williamson warns of Russian attack, admits affair
Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has warned that Russia could kill ‘thousands and thousands and thousands’ of people in the UK, with an attack on infrastructure and energy supply, in an interview with The Daily Telegraph. He has also been speaking to the Daily Mail, admitting to an affair that happened before he became an MP.

Donald Trump will visit the UK, apologises for Britain First tweets
The Times reports that President Trump is to make a working visit to the UK in the summer, which is likely to include meeting the Queen. The visit’s outline was agreed when Trump met with Theresa May at Davos yesterday. The news comes as Trump tells Piers Morgan, in an interview for ITV, that he ‘would certainly apologise’ for retweeting Britain First.

Tessa Jowell calls for global cancer co-operation
The Guardian reports that Baroness Jowell received a standing ovation in the House of Lords yesterday. Jowell, who has a high-grade brain tumour, used her speech to promote the Eliminate Cancer Initiative, which links patients and doctors globally through a clinical trials network, and which is building a global database.

Companies prepare for no-deal Brexit
According to the Financial Times, a majority of UK companies are preparing for a no-deal Brexit, as time runs out for clarity on the transition period. A survey by the CBI has found that over 60% of companies have implemented contingency plans, or intend to do so.

Minister boycotts John Humphry’s interview
In an exclusive, The Guardian reports that minister Tracey Crouch refused to be interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme after presenter John Humphrys was recorded joking about his colleague Carrie Gracie’s fight for equal pay. The paper claims that other female MPs ‘are using informal parliamentary networks to encourage a potential boycott.’

Sadiq Khan launches legal action over Worboys release
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has applied for judicial review of the Parole Board’s decision to release the rapist John Worboys, The Guardian says. In a statement, Khan described it as ‘an astonishing and deeply concerning decision’.

 

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Today’s Political Headlines – 25 January 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include the Presidents Club debacle, Theresa May addressing Davos, the 1922 Committee Chair begging MPs not to trigger a challenge against the PM and Ministerial turnover putting projects at risk. 

Presidents Club closes down, as minister faces calls to quit
The fallout from the Financial Times’s exposé of sexual harassment at the Presidents Club dinner has continued. The club is to be wound up and charities have returned donations. David Meller, a chair of the club, has resigned from the board of the Department for Education, while Theresa May has come under pressure to sack Nadhim Zahawi, the minister for children and families, who attended the event. Mark Carney and Boris Johnson have said that they did not authorise meetings with them being auctioned at the event.

May to tell investors to put pressure on social media firms over content
When she addresses the World Economic Forum in Davos today, the Prime Minister will call on investment companies to put pressure on social media providers to remove terrorist and extremist content, The Times reports. She will tell attendees that ‘No one wants to be known as the terrorists’ platform or the first-choice app for paedophiles’.

1922 Committee Chair begs MPs not to trigger challenge against May
An exclusive in The Sun reveals that Sir Graham Brady, the Chair of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs, has begged MPs not to trigger a challenge against Theresa May. A no confidence vote would be automatically triggered if he receives 48 letters. He apparently declined to comment on the claim.

Ministerial turnover putting projects at risk
The unusually high turnover of ministers – more than two-thirds have been appointed since June – is putting Government projects at risk, according to the Institute for Government. The thinktank’s findings are reported by the Financial Times. Sir Richard Mottram, former Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary said that ‘The system incentivises short-termism and eye-catching initiatives.’

Sara Khan appointed to head Commission for Countering Extremism
Sara Khan has been appointed to head the new Commission for Countering Extremism, the BBC reports. The campaigner promised that the commission will challenge ‘extremism in the name of our shared values, fundamental freedoms and human rights’. However, Baroness Warsi has accused Khan of being a Home Office ‘mouthpiece’.

Theresa May’s relationship with Donald Trump under the microscope
Two different accounts of Theresa May’s relationship with Donald Trump are being reported today, ahead of their meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos. The Daily Telegraph says that Trump compared May to Winston Churchill during a phone call in December, with a source saying that the pair ‘have a surprisingly warm relationship’. However, Bloomberg News claims ‘May finds it almost impossible to make headway and get her points across’.

Department for International Trade criticised
The Guardian says that the Department for International Trade has been criticised by the National Audit Office. The department is apparently struggling to meet deadlines, to recruit specialist staff, and to retrain its workforce. A departmental spokesperson said that ‘Overall, our plans are on track and we have met every EU exit delivery milestone to date.’

Prisons minister says that he will ‘get back to basics’
The Daily Mail reports on evidence given to the Justice Select Committee by the new justice minister, Rory Stewart. Following reports about poor conditions in prisons, Stewart said ‘My instinct is we need to get back to basics. We need to absolutely insist that we are going to run clean, decent prisons.’

 

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Today’s Political Headlines – 24 January 2018

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Today’s Political Headlines include the Johnson backlash, allegations over the Presidents Club Charity Dinner, a new defence review and the UK opposing EU recycling targets. 

Johnson faces backlash at Cabinet meeting
The Times says that Boris Johnson received a ‘brutal rebuff’ in yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, but that this has not deterred him from laying out his vision of a ‘liberal case’ for Brexit next month. The paper adds that at least eight cabinet ministers criticised Johnson yesterday, in an operation apparently ‘authorised and led by the prime minister’. The meeting concluded with Theresa May criticising those who leaked cabinet discussions.

Allegations about charity dinner lead to calls for changes to the law
An investigation by the Financial Times into the Presidents Club Charity Dinner, at which, the paper says, ‘many hostesses — some of them students earning extra cash — were groped, sexually harassed and propositioned’, has resulted in calls for changes to the law. The Guardian says that Maria Miller, Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee suggested that ‘perhaps it’s time the government gives the Equality Act some real teeth?

New defence review announced
As The Daily Telegraph reports, a new defence review has been announced, giving Gavin Williamson another five months to make the case for increased military funding. The review will be controlled by the Ministry of Defence, having been spun-off from Sir Mark Sedwill’s cross-Whitehall security capability review, which had drawn up a programme of cuts.

UK opposing new EU recycling targets
In an exclusive, The Guardian claims that confidential documents show that the Government is opposing strong recycling targets across the EU, despite recently pledging to develop ‘ambitious new future targets and milestones’. The UK Government is opposing a target to recycle 65% of urban waste by 2035, according to a record obtained by Greenpeace.

New unit to combat ‘fake news’ will be created
The UK is to create a new unit to counter ‘fake news’, the BBC reports. According to a spokesperson for the Prime Minister, the ‘dedicated national security communications unit’ would be responsible for ‘combating disinformation by state actors and others’. The creation of the unit was agreed at a meeting of the National Security Council.

Channel 4 to air allegations about three former ministers
A controversial episode of Channel 4’s Dispatches, which alleges that three former Conservative ministers, Andrew Lansley, Andrew Mitchell and Peter Lilley, were willing to sell their services to a fake Chinese business will be shown next week, following a review by senior executives at the broadcaster, The Guardian says. The three men deny wrongdoing.

Government urged to introduce personalised road charging
The BBC says that a new report by the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) suggests that the Government should charge drivers for using the road network, based on their individual circumstances, including the type of road, time of day, congestion levels, and their personal financial situation.

Labour’s National Executive Committee sides with ‘hard left’ in Haringey dispute
The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Labour Party intervened in a dispute surrounding the Haringey Development Vehicle, a housing scheme run by the council in partnership with a private company, The Times reports. The scheme, backed by the council’s leadership, has been opposed by left-wing councillors, Momentum, and trade unions, as well as local Labour MPs, whose side the NEC has now taken.

 

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Today’s Political Headlines – 23 January 2018

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A round-up of the latest political headlines, which includes Boris Johnson’s plea for more NHS funding, Gove’s warning of a ‘VHS economy’, the City of London being left in the dark and a major cyber attack on the UK being a matter of when, not if. 

Boris Johnson to use Cabinet meeting to call for NHS funding boost
The Times claims that Boris Johnson is to demand a £5bn annual cash injection for the NHS from next year at today’s Cabinet meeting. He will apparently frame his argument in terms of taking on Jeremy Corbyn, rather than his claims from the referendum. The paper says that the ‘timing and manner of his intervention will strain relations with the prime minister’.

Gove warns of ‘VHS economy’ as he calls for ‘clean Brexit’
The Daily Telegraph reports that Michael Gove has told Theresa May that the UK risks becoming a ‘VHS economy’, claiming that business organisations such as the CBI which is lobbying against a ‘clean Brexit’, represent companies which may be eclipsed by new technologies.

Financial services Brexit position paper may never be published
The Financial Times says the Government has been accused of leaving the City of London in the dark, as it emerged that its position paper on financial services and Brexit may never be published. According to the paper, the cabinet has been unable to agree the details of a proposed settlement on financial services, while some officials don’t want to show their negotiating hand.

Major cyber-attack on the UK a matter of ‘when, not if’
Ciaran Martin, the head of the National Cyber Centre, has said that a major cyber-attack on the UK is a matter of ‘when, not if’, The Guardian reports. During an interview with the paper, Martin said that the UK had been ‘fortunate’ to have avoided one so far.

Sir Nick Carter warns of Russian threat, as senior figures call for more defence spending
As the Daily Mail reports, the Chief of the General Staff, Sir Nick Carter, has warned that Russia could start hostilities against the West ‘sooner than we expect’. The paper adds that Gavin Williamson, the Defence Secretary, is due to meet Chancellor Philip Hammond this week to ‘clear the air’ over defence funding. In a speech last night, The Sun says, former Defence Sectary Michael Fallon called for increased defence spending, a call echoed by former Foreign Secretary William Hague in The Daily Telegraph.

Apprenticeship providers rated inadequate, while Ofsted struggles to cope
The Times warns that figures from Ofsted show that nearly half of the registered apprenticeship providers it inspected last year were inadequate or require improvement, while Ofsted has also admitted that it will struggle to cope with the large number of new institutions created after the introduction of the apprenticeship levy last May.

Theresa May to announce plans for the ethical oversight of AI
According to The Daily Telegraph, Theresa May is to use her keynote speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday ‘to discuss the opportunities and ethical challenges presented by the rise of artificial intelligence.’ She will announce a Centre for Data Ethics.

UKIP leader pledges to ‘drain the swamp’ in his own party
Speaking in Folkestone yesterday, UKIP leader Henry Bolton said that he would not standing down as UKIP leader, despite a vote of no confidence by the party’s National Executive Committee, which he described as ‘not fit for purpose’, and the resignation of 14 ‘senior figures’, the BBC reports. He pledged to ‘drain the swamp’ and end factional infighting.

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Today’s Political Headlines – 22 January 2018

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A round-up of the latest political headlines, which include the UKIP leadership crisis, MPs opinions on free movement, more money for the NHS and the ‘threat’ of Russia. 

UKIP Leadership Crisis
The BBC reports that the deputy leader of UKIP, Margot Parker has resigned and is calling for UKIP leader Henry Bolton to do the same. Yesterday the party’s national executive committee backed a vote of no confidence in Bolton. This vote comes after reports relating to Bolton’s personal life, Bolton has said he will not resign as he feels he is the person to bring success to the party. UKIP’s national executive committee does not have the power to remove Bolton so the members of the party will now be given a vote on Bolton’s future. John Bickley has also resigned from his position as the party’s immigration spokesperson.

Conservative MPs want free movement to end during the transition period
The Huffington Post claims that 75% of Conservative MPs want free movement to end during the transition period despite Theresa May saying the current state of play will continue for about two years after Brexit. With strong backbench influence, May will have to find a way to appease her MPs. May is not the only leader to be staring down a confrontation with backbench MPs as the same survey finds 90% of Labour MPs feel membership of the single market and Brexit are compatible. This would indicate that Labour MPs are more representative of the party membership than the leadership on this issue.

Extra £100m a week for the NHS?
Theresa May will face calls from senior members of the Cabinet to give the NHS £100m extra a week according to The Sun. Boris Johnson, Jeremy Hunt, Michael Gove and Chris Grayling will all try to persuade the Prime Minister to make this commitment. This would contribute to the £350m mentioned in the referendum campaign.

The threat of Russia requires more spending on defence
The Guardian reports on the anticipated intervention by Sir Nick Carter, Chief of General Staff, into the debate into defence spending. Carter will warn that Russia is spending more on defence than the UK and this should be a concern. Carter does not feel that the threat coming from Russia takes a traditional form and in a speech, will warn of the unorthodox threats we face. The Ministry of Defence wants more spending on the army, navy and air force as the Government becomes more and more focused on counter-terrorism.

Abuse of pensions to come to an end
Executives who give themselves higher pay at the expense of workers’ pensions will be facing tougher sanctions, according to the Financial Times. A white paper to be published in March will set out new rules for directors who take risks with workers’ pensions. This commitment comes after 28,000 people face cuts to their retirement benefits since Carillion went into liquidation.

Councils can fix the housing crisis
The Telegraph suggests how councils can fix the housing crisis, the Treasury select committee wants the cap on how much councils can borrow to build to be abolished. History shows that when house building was at its highest, councils were building roughly half the homes. With the current borrowing cap the number of homes being built is severely restricted and the Government are being called on to address this.

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Today’s Political Headlines – 19 January 2018

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A round-up of the latest political headlines, which include French/UK relations, the Boris Bridge, the continuation of the Carillion chaos, the tuition fee review and funding for underperforming schools. 

May and Macron agree new treaty, but Boris’s bridge suggestion dominates headlines
Yesterday saw the summit between Theresa May and the French President Emmanuel Macron, which has sparked a range of stories. The Times says that May has agreed to fast-track asylum claims from Calais migrants, as the two leaders signed the new Sandhurst Treaty, and the Financial Times claims that Macron ruled out a special deal for the City in the Brexit agreement. However, the headlines have been dominated by Boris Johnson’s suggestion of a new bridge between the UK and France, as The Daily Telegraph reports.

Carillion pled for Government support, while Corbyn pledges to take back control
The Financial Times reveals that Carillion begged the Government for a £150m short-term loan as it tried to avert collapse. Senior figures at the company said they believed the Government turned down the request because of pressure from Vince Cable and reaction to the bailout of the East Coast rail franchise. However, Government sources insisted that there was never a ‘significant chance’ of this. Jeremy Corbyn has told The Guardian that Labour would ‘rewrite the rules to give the public back control of their services’.

Tuition fees to be reviewed
According to the Daily Mail, the new universities minister, Sam Gyimah, has said that officials would investigate whether the highest tuition fee of £9,250 ‘works across the system’. This would form part of a wider inquiry into tertiary education, but he refused to give a timetable or the review’s terms of reference.

Damian Hinds announces funding for underperforming schools
The new Education Secretary, Damian Hinds, has written in The Times, calling for ‘an ambitious culture in all our schools’, announcing over £45m for the best academies to improve underperforming schools, and pledging to reduce teachers’ workload and to continue supporting established professionals to enter the profession.

Trump to snub May at World Economic Forum
The Daily Telegraph claims that President Trump ‘is poised to snub Theresa May for the second time this month’, as he has no plans to meet her at this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos. The Prime Minister had apparently been hoping for a ‘clear the air meeting’.

Aircraft carrier and jet programme puts defence projects at risk, report says
A report by the Public Accounts Committee warns that the Ministry of Defence’s aircraft carrier and jet programme is leaving it ‘financially exposed’ and putting other defence projects at risk, the BBC says.

Prison crisis revealed by new reports
The Independent has details of reports that reveal ‘the crisis at the heart of the prison service’. Inspectors described HMP Liverpool’s conditions as the ‘worst they have ever seen’, whilst an ‘urgent notification’ has been issued for the first time following a not-yet-published inspection of HMP Nottingham, which found that it was ‘fundamentally unsafe’.

Repairs to Westminster could be delayed
The Guardian reports concerns that the restoration of the Palace of Westminster could be delayed. MPs are to be given a vote on a motion authorising work to go ahead, but with a review before the end of 2022 on whether comprehensive works were needed. If not agreed, MPs can decide to vote for an independent body to examine the issue. The Government is refusing to allow amendments to the motions.

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Today’s Political Headlines – 18 January 2018

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A round-up of the latest political headlines, which include doubts over PFI benefits, more funding for Calais, the continuing Carillion fallout and the Brexit Bill’s journey to the Lords. 

NAO report casts doubts on PFI benefits
A report by the National Audit Office casts doubt on the benefits of using PFI, The Guardian says. According to the report, the cost of using private finance for public projects can be 40% higher than using Government money, while the deals will force taxpayers to pay out £200bn over the next 25 years.

Macron to demand more funding for Calais when he meets May
Theresa May is to announce £44.5m to improve border security when she meets President Macron today, The Times reports. However, Macron is expected to demand more money to improve the Calais economy, that the UK takes more child migrants and that the UK speeds up asylum claims.

Fallout from Carillion collapse continues
The Guardian reports that trade unions are angry with the Government’s attempts to reassure workers following the collapse of Carillion, with the GMB calling for ‘proper guarantees’. The Financial Times adds that Carillion bosses have been stripped of bonus and severance payments following a public outcry, and that work has been ‘paused’ on building projects.

Brexit Bill leaves Commons and heads to Lords, whilst Labour MPs rebel
As The Daily Telegraph reports, last night the EU (Withdrawal) Bill passed its final stage in the House of Commons, meaning it is now headed for the Lords. Forty-eight Labour MPs rebelled against their frontbench to back an amendment that would have kept the UK in the single market and the customs union. The Guardian adds that Justine Greening used the debate as an opportunity to make her first backbench intervention, claiming that young people could undo Brexit.

Power-sharing talks to restart in Northern Ireland
The new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Karen Bradley, has announced that power-sharing talks are to restart in Northern Ireland on 24 January, The Guardian says. Bradley, who meets the Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney in Belfast this morning, said that ‘one last opportunity to reach agreement remains.’

New Lord Chancellor on ‘charm offensive’
The Times has interviewed the new Lord Chancellor, David Gauke, and describes him as being on a ‘charm offensive’. He apparently signalled his concern over ‘the “crisis” in judicial morale and recruitment’, pledged to champion the legal services industry, and defended his decision to seek advice over a potential challenge to the release of John Warboys. Separately, the paper warns of a ‘£30m bonanza for consultants’ as part of the courts modernisation programme.

Facebook to expand Russia investigation
Facebook has agreed to expand its investigation into alleged Russian intervention during the EU referendum, the Financial Times reports. This follows pressure from the Commons Digital, Media and Sport Committee, which said the firm’s previous efforts had been inadequate.

Further remarks by Ben Bradley cause controversy
More comments from blogposts by the new Tory Vice-Chair for Youth, Ben Bradley, have come to light, The Times says. In the remarks, he claims that ‘police brutality should be encouraged’. He has apologised.

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Today’s Political Headlines – 17 January 2018

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A round-up of the latest political headlines, which are still dominated by Carillion. The press has also covered Macron’s Bayeux Tapestry offer, the minister for loneliness and the Government’s risk of missing carbon targets. 

Carillion collapse affects 30,000 firms
As The Guardian outlines, 30,000 firms could be owed money by Carillion, while the Government has ordered investigations to be fast-tracked. The Financial Times says that Jeremy Corbyn has called for ‘an end to the rip-off privatisation policies’.

Macron to announce loan of Bayeux Tapestry to the UK when he meets Theresa May
According to an exclusive report in The Times, French President Emmanuel Macron is due to announce the loan of the Bayeux Tapestry to the UK when he meets Theresa May on Thursday. This would be the first time the tapestry has left France in 950 years, subject to safety tests. The paper also reports on a speech given by Macron in Calais yesterday, in which he outlined the immigration issues that he hoped to discuss with May.

May appoints a minister for loneliness
Today’s Daily Mail reports that Theresa May has given Tracey Crouch, already Minister for Civil Society and Sport, ministerial responsibility for loneliness. The move, which had been recommended in a report by the Jo Cox Commission for Loneliness, will see Crouch draw together different Government departments, announce new funding, and ask the Office for National Statistics to devise a means of measuring loneliness.

Government at risk of missing carbon targets
The Committee on Climate Change has warned that the UK will miss its legally-binding carbon targets if the Government does not take urgent action, The Guardian says. However, it has also praised the Government for its Clean Growth Strategy. The Committee’s Chair, Lord Deben, said ‘even if they do all the things they say they are going to do, to the maximum, there will still be a gap.’

New Tory vice-chair called for vasectomies for the unemployed
The Mirror has the news that the Conservative Party’s new vice-chair for youth, Ben Bradley, called for the unemployed to have vasectomies. Bradley made the comments in a blogpost in 2012. Bradley has now deleted the posts and apologised for the remarks, with the paper claiming that Theresa May is now under ‘huge pressure’ to sack him.

Johnson warns May that she must make NHS funding commitment
The Daily Telegraph claims that Boris Johnson has warned Theresa May that the Government must make a public commitment to giving the NHS an extra £100m a week after Brexit. An ‘ally of Mr Johnson’ told the paper ‘Boris thinks that for the Tories to beat Corbyn it is fundamental that the government delivers on NHS funding and he will continue to make this argument until it happens.’

Rees-Mogg elected to lead influential Brexit group
As The Daily Telegraph reports, Jacob Rees-Mogg has been elected unopposed as Chair of the influential European Reform Group of pro-Brexit Conservative MPs. He said ‘As Chairman I intend to be helpful, vigorous and supportive towards Government policy of making a success of Brexit.’

Unprecedented life expectancy falls in some regions
The Times says that life expectancy has fallen by more than a year since 2011 in parts of the country, according to official figures. Theories for the fall include economic stagnation, cuts to services, rates of obesity, smoking and drinking, loneliness and lack of care. Experts say that the falls are unprecedented in peacetime and are urging ministers to investigate.

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