Archive for: Political Database

A round-up of the latest political headlines, including the Brexit deal that’s been reached, universities criticised by the National Audit Office and Momentum under investigation for election spending. 

Brexit deal reached
Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker announced this morning that a deal had been reached on ‘sufficient progress’, allowing the opening of trade negotiations subject to the approval of the European Council meeting on 14-15 December. The Times reports that May said that there would be no hard border in Ireland and that the Good Friday agreement would be honoured. The DUP claimed that it had obtained ‘substantial changes’ to the agreement it rejected earlier this week.

Universities criticised by National Audit Office
A new National Audit Office report has criticised universities, The Guardian reports. The NAO’s head has claimed that if universities were banks, they would be investigated for mis-selling. The report says that the Government needs to do more to help ‘vulnerable’ students make better course choices and provide better oversight of value for money.

Momentum under investigation for election spending
The Daily Telegraph says that Momentum, the Jeremy Corbyn supporting group, is to be investigated by the Electoral Commission, after it claimed to have spent just £39,000 on the general election campaign. A spokesperson for the campaign said that the investigation related ‘to a series of administrative errors that can easily be rectified.’

Boris Johnson to visit Iran for talks to free Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe
Boris Johnson is to visit Iran this weekend, The Daily Telegraph reports. Talks with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Zarif are expected to cover Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe (the charity worker imprisoned the country), bilateral relation, wars in Yemen and Syria, and the Iranian nuclear deal.

Prince Charles admits lobbying Alex Salmond
According to an exclusive in The Guardian, Prince Charles has admitted to lobbying Alex Salmond to promote the charity Teach First. The Scottish Government had refused to release the papers in question, until the paper lodged an appeal with the Scottish information commissioner.

NHS emergency winter fund to be spent by end of month
The Times reports that the NHS will spend its £350m emergency winter fund by the end of the month because it has to overpay for drugs, with medicine wholesalers summoned to the Department of Health. Supply problems affecting at least 100 drugs have forced the NHS to approve temporary price rises of up to 4000%. Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth called for ‘a serious and open investigation’.

Corbyn to criticise tax avoidance in UN speech
Jeremy Corbyn is to highlight four main threats to humanity in a speech at the UN headquarters in New York today, according to The Guardian. These are concentrated wealth and power (exacerbated by tax avoidance), climate change, the refugee crisis and a ‘bomb first, think later’ approach to resolving conflicts.

Primark one of 260 under-paying employers
The Government has named 260 employers which paid staff less than the minimum wage, the Financial Times says. Among the firms named are the retailers Primark and Sports Direct, and the football club Wolverhampton Wanderers. Minister Margot James said that there was ‘no excuse’.

 

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A round-up of the latest political headlines, including pressure on Theresa May, the Chancellor’s MoD ban and MI5 foiling a plot to assassinate the PM. 

Growing Brexit pressure on Theresa May
The Guardian claims that Theresa May is facing ‘mounting pressure’ to secure a breakthrough in negotiations with the EU, after the DUP expressed shock at the handling of the border issue and Brexit-supporting Conservatives said that it was time to walk away from the talks. The paper also says that parliamentarians have criticised the tight security around access to the Brexit analyses, claiming that their content is ‘little more’ than what is already in the public domain.

 

Chancellor banned from using Ministry of Defence planes
The Times reports that the MoD has banned Chancellor Philip Hammond from using its planes, until the Treasury settles a bill of six figures, covering past flights. This comes as Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson prepares to fight the Treasury for up to £2bn per annum in extra funding for the armed forces.
MI5 foils plot to assassinate Theresa May
The Daily Telegraph says that MI5 has stopped a plot to assassinate Theresa May. Islamic extremists planned to use an improvised explosive device to blow up Downing Street’s gates, before entering No 10. Cabinet members were told of the plot yesterday by MI5’s head, and two men have been charged with terror offences.
Security services ‘missed vital clues’
The Daily Mail carries the news that clues were missed in the lead up to the attacks in Manchester, London Bridge and Westminster. A review to be published today claims that an investigation into the Manchester bomber Salman Abedi would have been opened ‘had its true significance been properly understood’.
Gig economy reforms to be delayed
According to The Guardian, reforms to the gig economy which would improve employment rights for 1.1m people are to be delayed until next year, amid concerns that they might be opposed by the right wing of the Conservative party. Matthew Taylor, who led the Government’s review of the gig economy, said ‘I would rather it was later and stronger rather than earlier and weaker.’
Highest reading standards for a generation
The Times says that improvements in reading standards by boys have put the UK joint eighth in the world in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study results, up from tenth in 2011. Schools minister Nick Gibb attributed the success to the use of phonics, which he said had been prevented from use by ‘dogmatic romanticism’ before 2010. However, the paper points out that phonics programmes were announced by Ed Balls in 2008.
Ministers threaten to change the law to force Channel 4 to leave London
The Government is planning to change the law in order to force Channel 4 to relocate away from London, if it won’t do so voluntarily, according to The Times. The broadcaster has claimed that moving would be ‘highly damaging’, but a Whitehall source told the paper that the firm’s new management had until the new year to agree.
Tory peer planning to move into home owned by offshore trust
The Mirror reveals that the Conservative peer Michelle Mone is planning to move into an £11m home owned by an offshore trust linked to her boyfriend, Doug Barrowman. The paper claims that he may have avoided around £1m in tax by using the trust rather than a company, leading Labour MP John Mann to say that ‘using a loophole like this isn’t acceptable.’

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A round-up of the latest political headlines, including Brexit, child and pensioner poverty and the NHS. 

Theresa May in crunch Brexit meeting
Theresa May is in Brussels today to meet European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker for crucial Brexit talks. The Irish cabinet will also meet this morning to discuss Brexit. The papers have varying assessments of May’s likely success. The Times claims that a deal is ’85-90 percent there’, the Financial Times says the UK and the EU are on the ‘brink’ of a deal, but according to The Daily Telegraph the Government is ‘highly pessimistic’ about its chances of success and may might ask for an extension.
Increase in child and pensioner poverty
The Guardian reports research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, which found that almost 400,000 more children and 300,000 more pensioners in the UK were living in poverty than in 2012-13, in the first sustained increase in 20 years. The foundation blamed the increase on ‘political choices, wage stagnation and economic uncertainty’ and called for benefits to be unfreezed, training increased, and a more-ambitious house-building programme.
NHS to rule out more ‘poor-value’ treatments
The Times reports that the NHS is to rule out more poor-value treatments, as it comes under pressure to find more savings. The chief executive of NHS Clinical Commissioners told the paper that ‘There are a range of interventions that we shouldn’t be doing because they don’t work, […] We are now starting a piece of work to bring that all together and we hope there will be significant savings.’
Syrian aid programme suspended after allegations that it funded jihadis
The Guardian reports that a foreign aid scheme funded by the Government has been suspended following allegations to be made in a BBC Panorama documentary this evening. The scheme, intended to fund a civilian police force through a programme run by Adam Smith International, allegedly saw money being channelled to jihadi groups.
Social Mobility Commission chair who resigned was due to be replaced
The Daily Mail says that Alan Milburn, who quit as chairman of the Social Mobility Commission because he had ‘little hope’ May could deliver change had already been told that May planned to replace him. A Whitehall source said ‘Milburn was sacked and is now having a rant on his way out the door.’
Cabinet split over Damian Green’s future
The Times has details of a cabinet split over the future of Damian Green, the First Secretary of State. Apparently, May’s team of staff are also split, with her chief of staff Gavin Barwell wanting Green to resign, whilst her director of communications, Robbie Gibb thinks he should stay.
Funding for ‘mini nuclear power stations’ to be announced
The Government is expected to announce up to £100m of funding for small nuclear power stations this Thursday, says The Guardian. The competition to find the best value ‘small modular reactor’ has been delayed, leading to lobbying by firms.
Jeremy Hunt: social media sites should limit access by the young
The Daily Mail reports comments made by Health Secretary that social media sites should limit access by vulnerable youngsters. He said that sites should monitor whether young people are putting their mental health at risk by spending too much time online.

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A round-up of the latest political headlines, including the Trump’s twitter spat, the Irish border deal, May’s vision of the UK in the Middle East and Boris Johnson’s opinion that £50bn is worth paying for Brexit. 

President Trump in Twitter spat with Theresa May
Yesterday, US President Donald Trump shared a number of anti-Muslim videos posted on Twitter by the deputy leader of the far-right group Britain First. As The Times reports, this prompted criticism from Theresa May. Trump responded by tweeting that May should ‘focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom.’

UK ‘close to Irish border deal’
The Times claims that the UK and EU are close to reaching a deal on the Irish border, which could lead to the offer of a two-year transition deal as soon as January. The British Government is understood to have committed to work towards ‘avoiding regulatory divergence’ in Ireland by devolving a package of powers to Northern Ireland.

May outlines vision of the UK’s role in the Middle East
The Guardian says that May is to set out her vision for the UK’s Middle Eastern role today, as she completes her trip to the region. She will speak about the UK’s efforts against Islamic State and its wider help on economic and social reforms in a major speech in Jordan, in front of an audience which will include the country’s prime minister, Hani al-Mulki.

Boris Johnson: £50bn Brexit bill worth paying
The Daily Telegraph reports remarks by Boris Johnson, in which he said that a £50bn Brexit bill would be worth paying to get ‘the ship off the rocks’. He described the potential agreement on the financial settlement as ‘a fantastic opportunity now to get going’.

Government set to lose £800m on student loan sale
The Government will lose £800m on its latest privatisation of student loans, according to analysis by the Financial Times. The paper warns that this raises ‘questions over the valuation of tens of billions of pounds of remaining graduate debt.’ The Government refused to comment.

First year of school ‘a waste of time’ Ofsted warns
The Daily Mail has details of a new report by Ofsted, warning that the first year of school is a ‘false start’ for many children because basic reading and maths are not being taught well. As a result, children face ‘years of catching up’, with a third not having ‘essential knowledge’ when they move into Year One, rising to nearly half of disadvantaged children.

East Coast rail franchise ‘bailout’
According to The Guardian, Labour has accused the Government as using its new rail strategy as a ‘a total smokescreen’, as ‘the East Coast franchise has failed again and the taxpayer will bail it out.’ The strategy will lead to the termination of the franchise, held by Stagecoach and Virgin Group, three years early and its replacement by a new partnership model. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has denied that the franchise is being bailed out.

Plastic waste highlighted in Daily Mail campaign
The Daily Mail dedicated its front page to its campaign to reduce plastic waste. It announced that the volume of rubbish found on the country’s coasts had risen by 10% in the last year according to the Marine Conservation Society, whilst Iceland and the Co-op have joined calls for a deposit and return scheme for disposable bottles. The paper adds that there are ‘signs’ that Waitrose and Marks and Spencer are also ‘coming round to the idea’. The Government confirmed that it was launching a call for evidence on the scheme and would be working with industry to explore further reductions in single-use plastics.

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A round-up of the latest political headlines, including Hammond eases off austerity, a Budget that tries to fix the housing market and gloomy fiscal outlook.

Budget: ‘Hammond eases off austerity’
According to The Times, Philip Hammond used yesterday’s Budget as a ‘£25 billion giveaway’. The paper points out that the sums, including spending on housing, Brexit, and the NHS, only add up because of ‘accounting changes, stealth business taxes, optimistic estimates on tackling tax evasion and new sales of state-owned Royal Bank of Scotland shares’.

Budget: Hammond tries to fix the housing market
The Financial Times choses to focus on Hammond’s efforts to fix the housing market. He unveiled a £44bn package of investment, loans and guarantees, and aims to reach 300,000 homes being built in each year by the middle of the next decade. Other measures include cuts to stamp duty for first-time buyers. According to the paper, allies of Theresa May described Hammond as having done a ‘good job in difficult circumstances’.

Budget: Gloomy fiscal outlook
The Guardian alleges that Hammond’s new measures are an attempt to ‘mask Britain’s gloomy fiscal outlook’. The paper choses to highlight forecasts by the Office for Budget Responsibility which cut the UK’s growth rates in the years up to 2022 by a quarter, with unemployment growing. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said it was ‘a nothing-has-changed budget from an out-of-touch government with no idea of the reality of people’s lives and no plan to improve them’.

Budget: Tory Eurosceptics urge Hammond to spend Brexit cash
The Daily Telegraph reports that Conservative Eurosceptics are urging Philip Hammond to spend some of the £3 billion he set aside for Brexit preparations in the Budget immediately. Half the money is not planned to be spent until next year, whilst the rest will only be released in 2019-20 (after the UK has left the EU). David Jones MP argued that ‘We need to show the EU that preparations are being made and also need to give reassurance to business.’

Poll shows Tories four points ahead
The Daily Mail carries news of a new poll which shows that the Conservatives are four points ahead of Labour. The poll, carried out before the Budget, puts the Tories on 42% and labour on 38%. The paper places this in the context of the sex harassment scandal and the loss of two Cabinet ministers, suggesting that ‘Brits not stuck in the Westminster bubble have not paid much attention to these Tory travails.’

Remove abortion jail risk, medical professionals say
The Times has details of a campaign by the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Health, whose council is expected to vote in favour of decriminalising abortion following a survey of the group’s members. It warns that the country is ‘reaching a crisis point in abortion provision’, with legal restrictions putting trainees off and inhibiting care.

Damian Green inquiry to finish ‘within days’
The Cabinet Office’s inquiry into allegations against First Secretary of State Damian Green is to finish ‘within days’, The Guardian says. This comes after a series of interviews over the claims that Green harassed a young Conservative activist and downloaded pornography to a work computer. Green denies both allegations

New rules on broadband advertisingMirror
The Daily Mail announces new rules on broadband advertising, drawn up by the Committee on Advertising Practice. Under current rules, firms can advertise speeds that only 10% of households can achieve. Under the new rules, advertised speeds must be attainable by 50% of customers at peak times. Digital Minister Matt Hancock said ‘We have been fighting for this for some time now, and it’s a great victory for consumers.’

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A round-up of the latest political headlines, including Penny Mordaunt’s appointment, the Brexit date, Northern Ireland’s status in the customs union and David Cameron’s lobbying. 

Penny Mordaunt appointed as International Development Secretary
Penny Mordaunt, previously minister for disabled people, has been appointed as the new International Development Secretary, following Priti Patel’s resignation. The Times says the appointment keeps the balance between leave and remain supporters in the cabinet, and suggests that it was a ‘consolation prize’ after Mordaunt emerged as a front-runner for the post of Defence Secretary last week.

 

European Commission calls for Northern Ireland to remain in customs union
The Daily Telegraph and the Financial Times break the story that a European Commission document shows that Ireland wants ‘concrete reassurance’ on the issue of the Irish border before the next EU leaders’ summit in December. It appears to require that the UK remains in a customs union with the EU, or that Northern Ireland has a special status and remains in a customs union, creating a trade border between the rest of the UK and Northern Ireland. A negotiator quoted in the Financial Times described Ireland’s stance as a ‘wild card’ factor.

 

Brexit date to be set in law
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Theresa May has announced an amendment to the EU Withdrawal Bill, setting the date and time of the UK’s departure from the European Union as March 29, 2019 at 11pm GMT. Looking ahead to the next stage of the bill’s scrutiny in the House of Commons, she promises to listen to MPs who suggest improvements.

 

Budget news: Hammond refuses to loosen the purse springs, plans NHS spending increase and taxes on diesel cars
According to the Daily Mail, the Chancellor is refusing release billions of pounds for investment and won’t compromise on plans to eliminate the budget deficit by 2025, causing frustration for the Prime Minister. The Times reports that Hammond is planning to include more funding for the NHS in the budget. It says that the Chancellor is considering both ‘a cash injection’ and a pay boost for frontline workers. The Financial Times says that higher taxes will be placed on sales of new diesel vehicles, either by increasing VAT or creating a new levy.

 

Calls for cabinet reshuffle, amid ‘fierce debate’ in Downing Street
A story in The Guardian claims that senior figures in the Conservative party are calling for a ‘bold reshuffle’ of Theresa May’s cabinet, arguing that a ‘new generation’ of Conservative MPs need to be promoted. Others, including civil servants and whips, are warning that this might cause instability.

 

David Cameron lobbied China over planned investment fund
The Times reveals that David Cameron discussed a ‘UK-China fund’ being set up by figures including Lord Chadlington, a Conservative peer, with Chinese vice-premier Ma Kai during a visit to the country. If the fund is set up, the paper reports that Cameron is considering taking a role. As the fund does not currently exist, he did not need to seek official clearance.

 

Carwyn Jones may face investigation over handling of harassment allegations
The Guardian says that Carwyn Jones, the Welsh First Minister, may face an investigation over his handling of the allegations against Carl Sargeant, who was found dead after being sacked last week. Separately, The Daily Telegraph reports that John Bercow, the Commons speaker, has said that Charlie Elphicke, the suspended Tory MP, should be given the details of the allegations against him.

 

Metropolitan police chief calls for tougher sentences for young offenders
The Daily Mail carries remarks made by Cressida Dick, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, in which she called for tougher sentences for young offenders, which would ‘actually deter people’. She was speaking to the Howard league for Penal Reform, whose Chief Executive, Frances Crook said that ‘it is unusual for a police officer to comment on areas outside their expertise, like sentencing’.

 

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A round-up of the latest political headlines from the UK’s media, including Priti Patel, Brexit, Paradise Papers and the NHS. 

Priti Patel returns to London amid further accusations
Priti Patel, the International Development Secretary, is flying back to London, following further revelations about unauthorised meetings in Israel. The Times reports that she breached Government protocol by visiting the Golan Heights, had further unauthorised meetings after returning, and that Lord Polak, ‘a leading figure in a corporate lobbying group’, sat in on meetings. The Daily Telegraph claims that Priti Patel departed for Uganda earlier than originally planned yesterday, missing questions in Parliament.

Brussels says that the UK needs to concede to secure trade talks, banks warn of job moves and Government handling of negotiations faces public disapproval
The Guardian has been told by Brussels officials that there is less than a month for the UK to make a concession to secure trade talks. The Financial Times says that a group of large financial institutions warned the US commerce secretary that slow progress with Brexit planning and an unstable government may force them to move thousands of jobs out of London. The Daily Telegraph has a poll showing that the Government’s handling of Brexit negotiations has a 66% disapproval rating.

Paradise Papers revelations continue
The BBC and Guardian are continuing to publish revelations from the ‘Paradise Papers’. Recent revelations include that the Prince of Wales has a ‘conflict of interest’ (according to Sir Alistair Graham, former chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life) between his investments and his environmental lobbying, and the use of the Isle of Man as a tax haven, with Margaret Hodge suggesting that Lewis Hamilton should not receive a knighthood. The Times has revelations about the use of tax havens by Labour councils.

NHS will need £24bn more funding by 2022
The Guardian reports that Jim Mackey, Chief Executive of NHS Improvement, told the NHS Providers conference that the NHS in England could need as much as £24.2 billion more funding than currently pledged by 2022, or it will have to scale back services. A report produced by the King’s Fund found that ‘there will be a significant and growing gap between the resources given to the NHS and the demands it faces’.

Corbyn aide suspended
The Mirror says that David Prescott, Jeremy Corbyn’s aide and son of the former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has been suspended ‘amid the sexual harassment crisis’. He has not commented on the allegation, and the Labour Party would not comment on this specific case.

Carl Sargeant, former Welsh minister, found dead
Carl Sargeant, former Welsh communities secretary was found dead yesterday, after being sacked from his job and suspended from the Labour party on Friday following accusations about his behaviour. The BBC reports that Welsh First Minister, Carwyn Jones, is facing criticism about his handling of the situation.

Johnson says words were ‘taken out of context’ in Iranian prisoner remarks
The BBC reports on Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson’s said that his remarks about Nazanin Zagheri-Ratcliffe, currently imprisoned in Iran, were ‘taken out of context’ and that he intends to visit Iran to discuss the case before the end of the year. Her husband said that Johnson’s clarification was a ‘good thing’.

IFS warns of uncertainty surrounding Scottish income tax increases
According to The Daily Telegraph, research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies has found that Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s planned tax increases could backfire, with there being ‘a lot of uncertainty’ over whether more money would be raised. The Scottish Government said that it had considered ‘a range of potential revenue impacts’.

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