Archive for: Political Services

Today’s political headlines includes Johnson plans early general election and it’s reported he cost the taxpayer £1bn when London Mayor and the Mail calls on the Government to act on the cost of dementia. 

Johnson plans early general election
The Times claims that senior allies of Boris Johnson have claimed that he wants to hold an early general election ‘while Jeremy Corbyn is still around’. His team is concerned that the small Conservative majority will not be enough to pass legislation and are preparing either for a general election after a vote of no confidence or a snap election after delivering Brexit.

Johnson leaves taxpayers with £1bn bill after ignoring expert advice as Mayor
According to The Guardian, taxpayers face a bill of almost £1bn, which is still growing, as a result of Boris Johnson’s time as Mayor of London. It accuses him of ignoring expert advice over a series of projects, including his new Routemaster buses, the purchase of secondhand water cannon and plans for an airport in the Thames estuary. Former Conservative mayoral candidate Steve Norris said Johnson was ‘great on rhetoric but lousy on delivery’.

Mail calls on Government to act on the cost of dementia
The Daily Mail is calling on the Government to take action ‘to end the disgraceful neglect of families living with the burden of dementia’, following the revelation that families have spent £15bn in the last two years helping relatives with that illness. It is calling for a cross-party group to tackle the issue, an NHS ‘dementia fund’ and a Cabinet minister with sole responsibility for developing a plan.

101-year-old writes to Prime Minister over free TV licence cut
The Daily Mirror leads with a letter to the Prime Minister written by a 101-year-old pensioner, Elsie Hancock, opposing the decision to reduce pensioners’ entitlement to free TV licences. She describes TV as a ‘lifeline’ for a ‘lot’ of elderly people who are ‘already struggling financially’, and asks ‘what’ll they take next, our bus passes’.

Government to review waste charges over fly-tipping fees
The Daily Telegraph reports that the Government has launched a review of the fees charged by local authorities to residents disposing of waste at rubbish tips. Keep Britain Tidy has warned that fees could lead to an increase in fly-tipping, while the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has described them as a ‘backdoor’ tax and is considering banning them.

Gove promises to back legal limits on particulates
The Times says that Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Michael Gove has pledged to support a ‘legally binding commitment on particulate matter’, so that nowhere in the country has levels exceeding those set by the World Health Organisation. A bill containing this pledge is being prepared, but Gove has admitted that the final decision on this will be down to the new Prime Minister.

Hancock to ban sale of energy drinks to children
The Sun says that Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock has written to Cabinet colleagues, telling them he has decided to ban selling energy drinks to children under 16. According to the paper this risks bringing him into conflict with Boris Johnson, whose leadership campaign he supports, as Johnson has promised to review all sin taxes and regulations. His letter warns that the Treasury may also oppose the plan.

Johnson considers plan to suspend Parliament prior to Brexit deadline
Sky News reports that Boris Johnson is considering scheduling a Queen’s Speech in early November, which would mean proroguing Parliament for up to two weeks in advance, effectively preventing MPs from being able to block a no-deal Brexit in the immediate run-up to the 31 October Brexit deadline. His campaign claims a decision has yet to be made.

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Today’s political headlines includes the journalist demands an apology from Boris, Johnson’s USA trade deal priority, Gauke’s plans to remove requirement for prisoners to declare convictions and Gove’s consultation on banning trophy hunters. 

Journalist whose address Johnson gave to fraudster for attack demands apology
The Guardian says that Stuart Collier, the journalist whose address Boris Johnson was recorded agreeing to give to the fraudster Darius Guppy so that he could be assaulted in revenge for his investigation of Guppy’s activities, has demanded an apology. He said that it was ‘disgraceful’ that Johnson was on course to become Prime Minister, adding that while Johnson has dismissed the incident as a joke, it had ‘worried’ him.

Johnson makes trade deal with USA first priority
The Times claims that Boris Johnson would make resetting the UK’s relationship with the USA one of his first priorities by travelling to the country to help negotiate a new trade deal. He wants to reach a ‘limited agreement’ prior to the 31 October Brexit deadline, with an ally claiming that ‘if we get a trade deal with America we will be very quickly in the market for other deals. It encourages others to realise that we mean business’.

Gauke plans to remove requirement for prisoners to declare convictions
The Daily Telegraph reports that Justice Secretary David Gauke has proposed the abolition of the rule forcing criminals gaoled for over four years to disclose their sentence for the rest of their lives which, writing in the paper, he says is ‘indispensable’ in rehabilitating offenders. However, victims’ groups have criticised the move, with Kevin Hogg of the National Victims’ Association claiming that the plan was an ‘insult to society’.

Gove to launch consultation on banning trophy hunters from importing souvenirs
The Daily Mirror has launched a campaign against trophy hunting, calling on the Government to introduce a ban on importing animals shot for pleasure and an end to ‘canned hunting’ in which wild animals are kept in a small reserve to be killed. Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Michael Gove tells the Daily Mail that he is to launch a call for evidence on banning hunters from importing souvenirs and on canned hunting.

Schools to be given guidance on teaching about ‘fake news’
The Sun says that Education Secretary Damian Hinds and Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock will use a summit on social media and online harms today to announce new guidance for teachers to help educate their pupils on how to spot fake news, as well as tackling social media companies over the spread of misleading information about vaccines.

Tories set up hotline after members fail to receive leadership ballots
The Daily Telegraph reports that the Conservatives have set up a hotline for members, following concerns that some haven’t received their leadership election ballots. According to the Campaign for Conservative Party Democracy, there have been problems with debit cards expiring and standing orders not having been increased, while reports at the weekend suggested a number of members had not been included on the party’s new central database.

Rudd removed from anti-no-deal Tory group
According to The Sun, Amber Rudd has been removed from Philip Hammond’s group of fifty Conservative MPs who want to block a no-deal Brexit. She told The Andrew Marr Show that she no longer preferred a second referendum to a no-deal Brexit, with one source telling the paper ‘How much can you trust her now she’s trying to play to both sides?’

Government to consult on extending sick pay to lowest-paid workers
The Daily Mirror reports the Government will today open a consultation on extending sick pay to 2m low-paid workers. Statutory sick pay is currently only available to those earning over £118 a week. The consultation will also cover a ‘sick pay rebate’ for small firms who help people back into work and strengthen legal guidance on helping people back to work.

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Today’s political headlines includes Labour’s concern over new antisemitisn documentary, May under pressure, Rudd announces review of benefits for terminally-ill patients and Brexit party switches will return to Tories if Brexit is delivered. 

Labour figures express concern about allegations in new antisemitism documentary
The BBC reports that senior Labour Party figures have expressed concern about the claims made in its documentary on antisemitism in the Labour Party yesterday, with deputy leader Tom Watson saying he was ‘shocked’ and ‘appalled’, although the party itself claimed that the programme was inaccurate. Former party officials made a series of claims about the attitude of the leader’s office towards antisemitism complaints, including interference by general secretary Jennie Formby and laughter from Jeremy Corbyn’s aide, Seumas Milne.

May under pressure not to appoint new ambassador
The Times says that allies of Boris Johnson have warned Theresa May not to appoint the new ambassador to the USA following the resignation of Sir Kim Darroch, saying that the decision should be left to the new Prime Minister. Friends of Darroch told the paper that his resignation was partially prompted by Johnson’s refusal to confirm that he would keep him in place. The Sun has been told by Johnson that he ‘can’t believe’ that he is being blamed for the resignation, and that he is ‘a great supporter of Kim’s’.

Rudd announces review of benefits for terminally-ill patients
The Times says Amber Rudd has announced an ‘honest and in-depth’ review of the system for fast-tracking benefits to terminally ill patients, following criticism from charities and MPs of the current limit which restricts it to those with six months or less to live. Recalling the death of her ex-husband, AA Gill, from cancer in 2016, Rudd has promised not to leave patients facing ‘unnecessary hardship’.

Brexit party switchers will return to Tories if Brexit is delivered by end of October
According to The Daily Telegraph, a poll of Conservative members shows that most switchers to the Brexit Party would return if Boris Johnson delivered Brexit by 31 October. It also found that just 56% of members will vote for the party if it isn’t delivered by the deadline. The Sun says that a senior Tory has called Sir John Major ‘bonkers’ after he threatened to sue Johnson if he prorogued Parliament.

Von der Layen indicates she won’t reopen Brexit talks
The Guardian reports that Ursula von der Layen, the European Commission’s presidential nominee, has indicated that she won’t reopen Brexit talks, telling a Liberal Democrat MEP that ‘it is your responsibility and your noble task to sort this out’. She added that ‘the backstop in the Brexit deal is precious, important and has to be defended’.

Mordaunt announces new laws to protect sexual harassment victims
The Daily Telegraph says that Women and Equalities Minister Penny Mordaunt has announced new laws to protect sexual harassment victims, with interns and volunteers to be given the same protections as staff, a ‘proactive duty’ on employers to prevent sexual harassment and a potential extension to the time limit for claims to be made.

Report funds culture of bullying and harassment in Lords
The Guardian carries details of a report into bullying in the House of Lords released yesterday. It found that there was a culture of harassment and bullying, with one in five staff having experienced these. Staff did not report incidents for fear of reprisals. The report recommends installing CCTV in ‘hotspots’, training for peers, and a new staff member to oversee allegations. A similar report on the House of Commons will be published today.

Johnson intervened to try to save girlfriend’s job
In an exclusive, the Daily Mirror claims that Boris Johnson personally intervened in an attempt to save the job of Carrie Symonds, his girlfriend, after Conservative officials decided that she wasn’t performing well enough. However, a source told the paper that party staff thought his intervention was ‘a bit half-hearted’.

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Today’s political headlines includes Trump’s continuing attack on the British ambassador, Johnson’s vow to fix the NHS pension cap and Hammond to agree May’s legacy funding if she allows free vote on blocking no-deal. 

Trump attacks British ambassador
The Guardian reports that Donald Trump has used Twitter to attack the British ambassador, saying that ‘he is not liked or well thought of within the U.S.’ and that he would ‘no longer deal with him’. He added that it was ‘good news’ that the UK would ‘soon have a real Prime Minister’. Theresa May’s spokesperson has said she had ‘full faith’ in Sir Kim Darroch, the ambassador, while The Sun has been told by Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt that officials are investigating whether the leaked memos were hacked by a hostile state, such as Russia.

Johnson vows to fix NHS pension cap
The Daily Telegraph says that Boris Johnson used a hustings it organised last night to promise to ‘fix’ the pension cap which has led some doctors to refuse to work, claiming that the policy was ‘obviously wrong’. A poll by ComRes, commissioned by the paper, shows that Johnson as leader would deliver a 40-seat Conservative majority, while a Jeremy Hunt leadership would result in Labour becoming the largest party.

Hammond to agree May’s legacy funding if she allows free vote on blocking no-deal
The Times claims that Philip Hammond has told Theresa May that he would agree to fund £5bn of her demand for £27bn of education spending as part of her legacy if she agrees to allow MPs a free vote on a cross-party attempt to rule out a no-deal Brexit in October. Hammond has already signalled that as a backbencher he ‘will continue to argue against a no-deal exit’.

New report reveals £15bn ‘dementia tax’
The Daily Mail carries details of a new report by the Alzheimer’s Society which reveals that families have spent almost £15bn on caring for relatives with dementia in the two years since a green paper on social care was first promised. The society claims the current system amounted to a ‘tax on dementia’ and is calling for a £2.4bn interim dementia support fund.

Unions agree new Labour Brexit stance
According to The Guardian, Labour is to announce that it would campaign to remain in the EU in a referendum on a deal agreed by a Conservative Prime Minister. The stance follows an agreement by unions of a joint position, which also agreed that if Labour was in government, it would agree its own Brexit deal and hold a referendum, in which it would not necessarily campaign to remain in the EU.

Labour’s gagging orders aren’t valid, legal advice says
The Times says that ahead of tomorrow’s screening of a BBC documentary about antisemitism in the party former Labour staff have received legal advice telling them that the non-disclosure agreements they had with the party are not valid as they do not meet standards introduced to protect whistleblowers

Hunt and Mordaunt back ‘Veteran’s Pledge’
The Sun reveals that Jeremy Hunt and Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt have each backed the paper’s ‘Veteran’s Pledge’. They have agreed to end ‘vexatious historical investigations in Northern Ireland’, set up an independent department to co-ordinate support for veterans and put the Armed Forces Covenant into law.

Taxes on tobacco and milkshakes delayed
The Financial Times reports that proposals for new taxes on tobacco and sugary milkshakes has been delayed. The Prevention Green Paper was due to be published on Monday and would have proposed a levy on the tobacco industry to fund smoking-reduction measures, higher taxes on sugary milk drinks and a ban on children buying some energy drinks. It has now been delayed to Thursday, but some officials have suggested it might be delayed indefinitely.

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Today’s political headlines includes former police chiefs warning about cuts, Johnson vows to make UK the greatest place on Earth, Green Part and Plaid Cymru back Lib Dems and Hunt announces plan to build 1.5m new homes for the young. 

Former police chiefs issue warning about cuts
Writing to The Times, five former Metropolitan Police Commissioners claim that Theresa May has brought about the ‘emasculation of British policing’, warning that resources were at ‘dangerously low levels’ and that victims had ‘perilously low expectations’. Yesterday Sir Thomas Winsor, the Chief Inspector of Constabulary, said that some forces were ‘straining under significant pressure’ owing to complex and growing demands, and poor resources.

Johnson vows to make UK ‘the greatest place on Earth’
Interviewed by The Daily Telegraph, Boris Johnson has said that he wants to make Britain ‘the greatest place on Earth’, calling on people to embrace the ‘fantastic’ opportunities he claims are posed by Brexit. He also pledges to cut stamp duty to tackle the ‘locked up’ housing market, said the UK’s ‘most important’ trade deal would be with the EU, and said he would not agree a trade deal with the USA at the cost of accepting ‘substandard’ food.

Green Party and Plaid Cymru back Liberal Democrats in by-election
The Times reports that pro-remain parties are to back a single candidate in next month’s Brecon and Radnorshire by-election, with Plaid Cymru and the Green Party agreeing to back the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, Jane Dodds. Dodds said that the agreement was a ‘historic and courageous decision’, while Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price said that stopping Brexit was in the ‘best interests of Wales’ and the principle could be applied elsewhere.

Hunt announces plan to build 1.5m new homes for the young
Writing in The Sun, Jeremy Hunt announces his plan to build 1.5m homes for the young, ‘giving a whole generation a leg up on to the housing ladder’ in order to beat Jeremy Corbyn. He would change the law with a new policy called ‘Right to Own’ under which councils and Homes England could buy land and commission building on it.

Johnson campaign funded by developers whose scheme he approved
In an exclusive, the Daily Mirror reports Boris Johnson’s leadership campaign is being funded in part by the Reubens, a family of property developers whose redevelopment of Millbank Tower he approved, amid controversy, when he was Mayor of London despite it not having any affordable homes. Len Duvall, Labour’s London Assembly group leader, said this ‘begs the question of whether this is a sign of what’s to come if he enters Downing Street’

Hunt proposes tax breaks for those who care for relatives at home
The Daily Telegraph says that Jeremy Hunt has proposed giving families who look after elderly relatives at home tax breaks, as part of a plan to fix social care. He has promised to publish a social care green paper within 100 days of becoming Prime Minister, including a 10-year funding plan, long-term saving schemes and a cap on care costs.

Gauke warns that Parliament will block no-deal Brexit
The Sun says that Justice Secretary David Gauke has warned Boris Johnson that a no-deal Brexit will be blocked as Parliament ‘will find a way’ to do so, given there was a clear majority behind such a move. He said that MPs’ recess for party conferences should be cancelled to give more time to find a deal and cautioned that Johnson would lose the next election if there was no deal with the EU.

Tories sell dinner with new Prime Minister for £300,000
The Daily Mail reports that the Conservatives used their summer party to auction dinner with the new Prime Minister for £300,000. Other lots sold at the party fundraiser included a signed photo of David Cameron and Boris Johnson, a flight in a private jet to anywhere in Europe, tickets to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a private champagne party for 100 people in central London, a hunting trip to Scotland, and chances to meet other ministers.

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Today’s political headlines includes Boris to review sin taxes, May warns of no-deal Brexit risks, McDonnell tells civil service to prepare for a Labour Government and Hunts says no deal could cause historic damage. 

Boris to review ‘sin-taxes’
The BBC reports Boris Johnson has said he will review taxes on tobacco, alcohol and sugar to see whether they are effective, and that he will not introduce any new ‘sin taxes’. Johnson said these sorts of taxes disproportionately impact the finances of those on lower incomes. The Times suggests that Johnson has split his campaign by adopting this stance as the policies have been championed by the Health and Social Care Secretary, Matt Hancock, who is one of his supporters.

May to warn of no-deal Brexit risks to union
The Daily Telegraph reports that Theresa May is to make a speech in Scotland on Thursday, announcing a review of devolution to be led by Lord Dunlop and warning of the risk to the union posed by a no-deal Brexit. She will call for the UK Government to have a higher profile in Scotland in order to ward off the threat of independence.

McDonnell tells civil service to prepare for a Labour Government
The Times says that John McDonnell is to call on the civil service to prepare both for a Labour Government and for a second referendum, with Corbyn to request formal talks when he meets Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill to discuss a report in The Times that some civil servants believe that Corbyn is not well enough to do the job.

Hunt says no deal Brexit could cause as much damage as financial crash of 2008
The Sun reports on a warning from Jeremy Hunt that a no deal Brexit could cause as much damage to the economy as the 2008 financial crisis. Hunt feels as though the fallout from a no deal would be very serious. This came after Philip Hammond said the Government warned that a no-deal Brexit would lead to a £90bn hole in the public finances.

Ellie Reeves to face possible deselection
The Guardian reports that Ellie Reeves, Labour MP for Lewisham West and Penge, is facing a possible deselection attempt after she signed a statement criticising the readmission of Chris Williamson. A member of the CLP has emailed its chair to request a motion of no confidence in Reeves. As Reeves is 22 weeks pregnant, it is understood that the motion of no confidence would not take place while she is on maternity leave.

Johnson says he’d ‘love’ a bridge between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK
The Daily Mail has said that Boris Johnson used a hustings of Conservative members in Northern Ireland to say that he would ‘love’ a bridge between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. He accused the EU of ‘moral blackmail’ over the Northern Ireland backstop and claimed that concerns about a no-deal Brexit were ‘wildly overdone’.

Over a dozen Labour MPs would now back May’s Brexit deal
The Sun claims that senior Labour backbenchers have claimed over a dozen of the party’s MPs would now back Theresa May’s Brexit deal, with Lisa Nandy publicly announcing that she would now vote for it. John Mann claimed that up to 30 Labour MPs would back it or abstain if it was put to the vote again.

Field calls homeless charity ‘magnet for undesirables’
In an exclusive, The Guardian reports that suspended minister Mark Field described a homeless charity in his constituency, The Passage, as a ‘magnet for undesirables’. The Big Issue Foundation said this use of ‘pejorative terminology to describe marginalised people’ was unacceptable, while Field claims he was ‘reiterating in verbatim form the strength of local opinion’.

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Today’s political headlines includes Brexit Party fighting every seat, Hunt announces £6bn war chest for no-deal and public sector pay freeze under Johnson. 

Brexit Party to fight every Westminster seat
The Guardian report on Nigel Farage saying that the Brexit Party will have candidates ready to fight in every Westminster constituency within days. Farage said that even in the event Boris Johnson is leading the Government and they are moving towards no-deal the Brexit Party will still battle hard. At an event in Birmingham the Brexit Party revealed their first 100 candidates to an audience of 5,000 activists.

Jeremy Hunt announces £6bn war chest for no-deal
Sky News report on remarks made by Jeremy Hunt where he has said that if he becomes Prime Minister he will have a £6bn fund for farmers and fisherman who export to Europe. Hunt is also expected to form a committee that will get the Government ready for a no-deal Brexit and prepared for WTO tariffs coming into effect.

Public sector pay freeze over under Johnson
The Independent report on Matt Hancock stating that Boris Johnson will scrap the public sector pay freeze. The Health Secretary said that those who work in the public sector will get a fair pay rise if Boris Johnson becomes PM. This could be a targeted campaign from the Johnson campaign as his leadership rival Jeremy Hunt oversaw the new contracts for junior doctors.

Claims about Corbyn’s health are ‘fake news’The Times re
port on head of the Unite union Len McCluskey describing concerns about Jeremy Corbyn’s health as ‘fake news’. This comes after it was reported that senior civil servants had become worried about Corbyn’s health. Speaking on The Andrew Marr Show McCluskey said the claims were fake news and a distortion.

Gordon Brown wants Theresa May to honour Conservative manifesto pledge on BBC TV licences
The Sun report on forming Prime Minister Gordon Brown calling on Theresa May to make sure that the Conservative manifesto promise of TV licenses being free for over 75s until 2022 is honoured. From June 2020 free TV licenses will be available to households where someone receives pension credit. The BBC has made this change as the cost of providing the licensers is going to be transferred to the broadcaster.

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Today’s political headlines includes Johnson’s no-deal Brexit budget, BBC censoring Johnson calling the French turds, May to urge Putin to hand over Salisbury attackers and Verhofdtadt attacks Johnson’s false promises. 

Johnson plans no-deal Brexit budget
According to The Times, Boris Johnson is preparing an emergency budget for a no-deal Brexit, including tax cuts, reforms to stamp duty and cutting regulation. He reportedly offered Sajid Javid the role of Chancellor at the weekend, with Javid expected to endorse him in the next fortnight. Johnson’s budget plans will be discussed next week at a meeting chaired by Sir Edward Lister, who is planning Johnson’s first 100 days as Prime Minister.

BBC censored Johnson calling the French ‘turds’
The Daily Mail claims that the BBC covered-up Boris Johnson accusing the French of being ‘turds’ about Brexit after the Foreign Office requested that it be removed from a fly-on-the-wall documentary. A Government memo said that broadcasting the remark would have made relations between the two countries ‘awkward’, while senior diplomats claimed that it would have made reaching a good Brexit deal even harder.

May to urge Putin to hand over Salisbury attackers
The Daily Telegraph says that Theresa May will use a meeting with Vladimir Putin at today’s G20 summit in Japan to urge him to hand over the suspected Salisbury attackers so that they can be ‘brought to justice’. She will also call on Russia to stop undermining ‘our collective security’. The Russian President has given an interview to the Financial Times in which he claimed that ‘the liberal idea has become obsolete’ but expressed hope that ‘a few preliminary steps’ could be made in restoring relations between the countries.

Verhofstadt attacks Johnson’s ‘false promises’
Writing in The Guardian, the European Parliament’s Brexit co-ordinator, Guy Verhofstadt, attacks Boris Johnson’s ‘false promises, pseudo-patriotism and foreigner-bashing’, saying his claims showed that he is ‘a man who continues to dissemble, exaggerate and disinform’.

Johnson refuses to rule out proroguing Parliament, says ministers must support no-deal
The Times says Boris Johnson has refused to rule out proroguing Parliament to enable a no-deal Brexit, despite his ally Liz Truss having claimed that Johnson had ruled it out. Johnson has also said that he will only appoint Cabinet ministers who are ‘reconciled’ to the idea of a no-deal Brexit, suggesting that he might be able to win round some opponents, such as Amber Rudd. He will today promise a ‘bold vision to rejuvenate our high streets’.

Leaked Home Office report criticises hostile environment policy
The Guardian says that a leaked version of a report into the causes of the Windrush scandal, commissioned by the Home Office, says that the department failed to follow its legal duty to counter racial discrimination when it implemented the hostile environment policy. The report says that the Home Office’s failure to effectively evaluate its policies’ effectiveness was ‘particularly reckless’ and recommends making an ‘unqualified apology’.

Vaz calls for Williamson decision to be reconsidered
The Daily Mirror reports that Labour MP Keith Vaz has called for the party’s decision to readmit Chris Williamson to be ‘reconsidered’, despite the fact that he sat on the panel which made the decision and voted for it, overruling the recommendations of party staff. He argues that as details of the meeting were leaked, the decisions it made ‘cannot stand’.

Government plans ‘fat tax’ on milkshakes
In an exclusive, The Sun reports that the Government is planning a ‘fat tax’ by extending the ‘sugar tax’ to ‘sugary milk drinks’ such as milkshakes unless manufacturers improve their recipes. The proposal is contained in a new green paper on improving children’s health and air quality and was apparently inserted by Number 10.

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Today’s political headlines includes Johnson defending his right to privacy, Hunt promising £15bn defence spending, Labour MPs given a fortnight to decide if they want to stand again and financial reporting on Johnson’s proposed tax cuts. 

Johnson defends right to privacy as donor demands explanation
The Daily Telegraph says that Boris Johnson has defended his right to privacy saying that it was ‘unfair’ to drag his ‘loved ones’ into things, but has been accused of hypocrisy after photos of him holding hands with his girlfriend were passed to the press. He used a BBC interview last night to relaunch his campaign for the leadership and will attend a series of events in Surrey and South London today, after criticism from a number of sources including leading party donor John Griffin, who said that members ‘deserve an explanation’.

Hunt promises £15bn defence spending
The Times reports that Jeremy Hunt is to announce that he will increase defence spending by £15bn if he becomes Prime Minister, ensuring that it reaches 2.5% of GDP in the next five years. However, he has not given a detailed explanation of how this will be funded. The money would be used to increase the UK’s presence in the North Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions and to expand the UK’s cyber-security defences.

Labour MPs given a fortnight to decide if they want to stand again
The Guardian reports that the Labour Party has given its MPs a fortnight to decide if they wish to stand again at the next general election. Following a rule change last year, those who wish to restand will need to secure the support of two-thirds of local branches and local trade union branches; if they don’t, they can be challenged by other candidates.

Johnson tax cuts could cost £20bn and would mostly benefit the rich
The Financial Times carries details of new analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, which says that Boris Johnson’s proposed tax cuts could cost up to £20bn a year and would mostly benefit richer households. Tom Waters from the thinktank said it was ‘not clear that spending such sums on tax cuts is compatible with both ending austerity in public spending and prudent management of the public finances’.

Top jobs disproportionately held by private school pupils
The Guardian says that a new study by the Sutton Trust and the Social Mobility Commission shows that members of the UK’s elite, who hold top jobs in politics, the judiciary, the media and business are five times more likely to have attended a private school than the population as a whole. Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner said that Labour would give ‘every child the chance to flourish, not just a lucky few’.

Ireland under pressure from other EU countries over no-deal Brexit plans
The Daily Telegraph claims that Ireland is coming under pressure from six other EU countries, including France and Germany, to detail how it would manage a no-deal Brexit as they are concerned that this may now be unavoidable. The countries are said to fear that Ireland could pose a threat to the integrity of the single market.

May to make everyone eligible for sick pay
The Sun reports that Theresa May is to announce that sick pay will be extended to everyone. Companies that treat their staff well will be given a ‘conditional rebate’. The measure forms part of May’s attempt to establish a legacy, with the Government also considering higher accessibility standards for new homes and increased support for disability benefit recipients.

Davies reselected despite recall petition
The Times reports that the Conservatives have selected Chris Davies as their candidate for the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election, despite it having been caused by a recall petition triggered after he admitted submitting two false expenses invoices. He said that he was ‘the right person’, despite almost one in five constituents having backed the petition.

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Today’s political headlines includes Johnson supporters trying to knock out Gove, Stewart knocked out, Javid wants to be Johnson’s Chancellor and BBC debate questioners suspended.  

Johnson supporters to try to knock out Gove
The Daily Telegraph claims that Boris Johnson’s supporters will try to knock Michael Gove out of the leadership race today, with one claiming that they wanted him to be ‘humiliated’. They intend to lend Sajid Javid enough votes in this morning’s round to eliminate Gove and are pressuring former supporters of Rory Stewart to back Javid or Jeremy Hunt. Johnson’s supporters believe that Hunt will be the easiest to beat in a head-to-head contest.

Stewart knocked out of leadership contest
The Guardian reports that Rory Stewart was eliminated from the Conservative leadership contest last night, having lost ten votes since the previous round. This prompted speculation that he might have previously been lent votes by Boris Johnson in order to ensure that Dominic Raab was eliminated. Stewart said that ‘all sorts of things might be happening in strange secret ballots’.

Javid wants to be Johnson’s Chancellor, rivals claim
The Times claims that according to his rivals Sajid Javid wants to be Boris Johnson’s Chancellor. According to Javid’s allies, Johnson spend yesterday trying to persuade him to pull out and endorse Johnson instead, but there weren’t any face-to-face talks. He has said that he is the ‘change candidate’ and will not be ‘pulling out’.

Two BBC debate questioners suspended
The Daily Mail says two of the questioners from the BBC’s Conservative leadership debate have been suspended from their jobs over offensive social media posts which the corporation’s vetting didn’t find. Abdullah Patel, the deputy head of a primary school, was suspended over tweets blaming women for rape and containing antisemitism, while Aman Thakar, who used to work for Labour, has been suspended from the law firm he works for after he tweeted that Hitler’s most harmful legacy was his ‘abuse of nationalism’. Iain Duncan Smith said there was ‘clear bias’ against the Tories and called for Ofcom to investigate.

Johnson tells rivals they don’t disagree on ‘much’
According to The Sun, Boris Johnson’s stance on Brexit is being questioned after he was overheard telling his opponents that ‘we don’t disagree on that much’ following the leadership debate on Tuesday, adding that they ‘hardly’ disagreed on dates. The candidates’ microphones were still attached as the exchange happened while they left the studio.

Corbyn rejects calls to move to pro-remain stance
The Guardian claims that Corbyn used yesterday’s shadow cabinet meeting to indicate that he was not happy to move to a more pro-remain stance despite pressure, including from John McDonnell, telling attendees that he had been getting inspiration from Harold Wilson’s autobiography. Wilson allowed ministers to campaign on both sides of the referendum.

Hammond to accuse candidates of not being realistic
The Financial Times says Chancellor Philip Hammond will use a speech at Mansion House to say he is trying to prevent a no-deal Brexit and none of the leadership contenders is being realistic. He will add that ‘if the new Prime Minister cannot end the deadlock in parliament, then he will have to explore other democratic mechanisms to break the impasse’.

Living standards improvements have stalled, thinktank says
The Sun carries details of a new report by the Resolution Foundation which finds that 18-29 year olds are spending £23 a week less on recreation compared to 20 years ago as basics rise in cost, but pensioners are spending £47 more due to them working longer and the ‘triple lock’. David Willetts of the thinktank said that ‘big living standards gains that each generation used to enjoy over their predecessors have stalled’.

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