Archive for: Political Services

Today’s political headlines include May’s no confidence vote, May to be pressured into stepping up no-deal preparations, voters becoming more pessimistic and EU leaders snubbing May. 

May to face vote of no confidence by Tory MPs
As The Daily Telegraph reports, a vote of no confidence in Theresa May as Conservative leader has been triggered, with the required 48 letters being received. Sir Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 Committee, has confirmed that the vote will be held tonight. The paper adds that former cabinet minister Owen Paterson put in a letter of no confidence last night, in which he claimed that the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal was ‘bad’ and a ‘betrayal of clear manifesto promises’, which treated Brexit as a ‘problem to be solved rather than an exciting opportunity to be grasped’.

May to be pressured into stepping up no-deal preparations
The Times claimed that Theresa May was to be put under pressure by some cabinet ministers this morning to step up preparations for a no-deal Brexit, including an emergency fisheries policy. It added that leadership contenders Sajid Javid and Boris Johnson have been preparing their pitches with pieces in The Spectator, with Javid telling the magazine about his commitment to social mobility and Johnson comparing his weight loss to Brexit.

Voters becoming more pessimistic about negotiations
The Guardian carries details of research by Britain Thinks, which finds that people are becoming more pessimistic about the state of the UK’s negotiations to leave the EU, including ‘die hard leavers’. Little consensus on the best way forward emerged from the research, with negative opinions of May’s deal and a dip in support for another referendum.

EU leaders snub May
The Daily Telegraph claims that leaders snubbed Theresa May during her tour of EU countries yesterday, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel telling her that there was ‘no way’ the agreement could be reopened and that negotiations must be conducted through the European Commission. May had reportedly told European leaders that she was considering delaying the vote on Sunday.

Corbyn accuses May of ‘demeaning her office’
The Guardian reports that Jeremy Corbyn accuses Theresa May of ‘demeaning her office’ and creating an ‘abject mess’ yesterday by delaying her vote on the Brexit deal to try and get concessions from the EU. He called on May to ‘immediately put her deal before the house’ if she came back with only ‘warm words’, and ‘let Parliament take back control’.

Peer retires after sexual harassment allegations
In an exclusive, The Sun reports that Lord Lester of Herne Hill is retiring from the House of Lords. Last month a committee had recommended that he should be suspended for sexual harassment and offering a woman ‘corrupt inducements to sleep with him’, but peers rejected the punishment and referred the case back to the committee.

Home Office reverses suspension of ‘golden visas’
The Financial Times says that the Home Office has reversed its decision to suspend issuing ‘golden visas’ to investors, less than a week after it was announced. The change of plan followed the receipt of a letter from immigration lawyers which warned that suspending the Tier 1 investor visa was illegal.

Osamor apologises for ‘emotional outbursts’
The Daily Mail reports that Labour MP Kate Osamor has apologised for what she called ‘emotional outbursts’. She resigned from the shadow cabinet two weeks ago after it was reported that she’d threatened a journalist who asked for comment about her employment of her son, who has been convicted of drugs offences.

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Today’s political headlines include the potential postponing of the Brexit vote, UK can cancel Brexit unilaterally, May could face leadership battle this week and no-confidence in Theresa May. 

May considers postponing Brexit vote
The Daily Telegraph says that Theresa May has held ‘crisis talks’ with EU leaders while she considers whether to postpone Tuesday’s vote on the Brexit deal. According to the paper, ‘her closest allies’ still don’t know whether she intends to go ahead with the vote as planned. The paper adds that some ministers have discussed holding a referendum between May’s deal and a no-deal Brexit, with no option to remain.

UK can cancel Brexit unilaterally
The BBC reports that the European Court of Justice has ruled this morning that the UK could cancel Brexit without the permission of other EU nations. However, the decision would have to ‘follow a democratic process’, so Parliament would need to approve any such move.

May could face leadership battle this week
The Times reports that Theresa May could face a leadership battle. Boris Johnson has set out plans for a further negotiation with the EU, while Sajid Javid and Jeremy Hunt are apparently sounding out potential supporters. The Sun adds that Javid could launch his campaign this week, and has been recruiting supporters for the last fortnight, telling one ‘senior Tory’ that May will be forced out when her deal falls and he will then declare his candidacy immediately.

Labour and DUP discussing no confidence vote in Theresa May
The Daily Telegraph claims that Labour has been holding discussions with the DUP about tabling a motion of no confidence in the Prime Minister, in the hope of uniting opposing factions against her. The party is reportedly concerned that tabling a motion against the whole Government would instead unite the different Conservative factions.

Brexit deal criticised by MPs
The Financial Times says that the Commons Brexit Committee has criticised the Brexit deal, accusing the Government of avoiding ‘hard choices’ and not offering ‘sufficient clarity or certainty about the future’. The committee, consisting of both Brexiteers and Remainers, also claimed that the plan had ‘no realistic, long-term proposals’ for the Irish border.

Ministers to be obliged to seek better fishing deal
The Times reports that Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Michael Gove is to announce a new legal obligation for ministers to seek a better deal for fishermen when they negotiate over rights after Brexit. The obligation is to be introduced as an amendment to the Fisheries Bill today.

£1bn bailout for Crossrail
According to the Financial Times, the Government is to announce a £1bn bailout for Crossrail, perhaps as soon as today. The paper also warns that the project may be delayed further, amid problems with software, testing and station construction, and may not be ready to open until late 2020.

Outsourcing firm seeks rescue deal
The BBC reports that Interserve, which is one of the largest providers of public services, is seeking a rescue deal. The firm is struggling with £500m of debt, but claims to be ‘making good progress’ on its long-term recovery plan, which will be announced in the new year.

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Today’s political headlines include the EU prepared to extend Article 50, May talking to colleagues about the backstop, Cabinet ministers call on May to postpone vote on deal and Gove to wind up the Brexit debate. 

EU would be prepared to extend Article 50, sources claim
The Daily Telegraph asserts that according to EU sources, the bloc would be prepared to extend the Article 50 negotiating period if MPs reject her Brexit deal, if this would avoid a no-deal Brexit. The paper adds that the Government’s legal advice, published yesterday, makes it clear that there would be different customs regimes in Northern Ireland and Great Britain under the backstop, while Number 10 has been discussing finding a way of giving MPs a veto over the backstop.

May ‘talking to colleagues’ about backstop
Appearing on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme this morning, Theresa May said that she is ‘talking to colleagues’ about the Northern Ireland backstop, but that it was ‘an integral part of the withdrawal agreement’. However, she admitted that she was considering Parliament’s role in choosing to trigger it or a transition period extension.

Cabinet ministers call on May to postpone vote on deal
The Times says that some Cabinet ministers are trying to persuade Theresa May to postpone the vote on her Brexit deal amid fears that she is guaranteed to lose the vote, with Chief Whip Julian Smith claiming that many backbenchers are ‘beyond reason’. Some MPs from both the Government and opposition benches have been offered places on a cross-party committee, which will help direct the next stage of Brexit talks.

Gove to wind up Brexit debate
The Daily Telegraph claims that Michael Gove has been given the job of winding-up the debate on Theresa May’s Brexit deal, perhaps because he is felt more likely to persuade backbench Conservative MPs. Yesterday, Home Secretary Sajid Javid claimed that a no-deal Brexit would lead to ‘an immediate and probably indefinite loss of some security capability’.

Hammond tells MPs economic cost of Brexit is worth it
The Financial Times reports that Chancellor Philip Hammond told the Commons Treasury Committee yesterday that the economic cost of Theresa May’s Brexit deal was worth it in order to ensure that Brexit voters did not feel betrayed. MPs criticised him because the Government’s assessment did not model the exact deal agreed and it had not publishes analysis of Brexit’s short-term impact.

Home Office suspends controversial visas in bid to tackle organised crime
The Times says that the Home Office is suspending issuing ‘Tier 1’ investor visas as part of an attempt to tackle organised crime and money laundering. Existing applications will continue to be considered, but new applications will have to wait for planned reforms to be introduced.

Corbyn attacks Conservative MPs for using foodbanks as photo opportunities
The Mirror reports that Jeremy Corbyn used Prime Minister’s Questions to launch ‘a devastating tear down of the Government’s welfare policies’. The Labour leader told MPs that ‘foodbanks are not just a photo opportunity for Conservative MPs’ and accused the Government of being ‘in denial’ about the effect of Universal Credit.

Hinds argues that snobbery is holding back vocational education
The Sun says that Education Secretary Damian Hinds is to use a keynote speech on technical education to argue that A-levels and university should not be the default route, and to claim that ‘snobbery’ from parents is holding children back because not enough prestige has been attached to vocation education in British society.

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Today’s political headlines include the Government’s charge of contempt, Rees-Mogg clashing with the PM’s adviser, criticism of Grayling and Javid’s bullying. 

Government to face charge of contempt of Parliament
The Guardian reports that a senior minister may be suspended from the Commons after the Speaker approved the submission of an emergency motion accusing the Government of holding Parliament in contempt over its refusal to publish full legal advice on Brexit. Labour, the DUP, and four other opposition parties have tabled a motion to be voted on today ahead of the five-day debate on Theresa May’s Brexit agreement. The Conservatives have tabled an amendment referring the matter to the Commons Privileges Committee in an attempt to delay the process.

Rees-Mogg clashes with Prime Minister’s adviser
The Daily Telegraph reports on clashes between Oliver Robbins, Theresa May’s Europe Adviser, and Jacob Rees-Mogg at a committee evidence session yesterday. Robbins claimed that the Brexit backstop would be ‘uncomfortable’ for both the UK and the EU, while Rees-Mogg insisted that the EU had ‘got us exactly where they want us’. Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay got the UK’s date of departure from the EU wrong at the same session.

Report criticises Grayling over timetable changes
The Times says that the Commons Transport Committee has called on Chris Grayling to accept responsibility for the failure of rail timetables over the summer, concluding that he was at ‘the apex’ of the railway system and had the power to prevent changes. The committee found he ought to have been ‘more proactive’, but decision-making in his department sometimes ‘simply did not exist’.

Javid’s bully identified
The Daily Telegraph identifies a Royal Navy veteran as the boy who bullied Home Secretary Sajid Javid at school and apologised to him decades later, as Sajid Javid recalled recently when speaking about the case of a Syrian refugee being bullied at a Huddersfield school.

Lords criticises HMRC’s approach to tax avoidance
The Financial Times carries details of a report by the Lords Economic Affairs Committee, which find that HMRC’s approach to dealing with tax avoidance is aggressive, disproportionate and undermines the rule of law. It recommends a full review of HMRC’s powers and criticises Treasury minister Mel Stride for refusing to give evidence.

Legal challenge against voter ID trial
The Guardian claims that a legal challenge could prevent the second stage of the trial of photo ID for elections from going ahead. A case, backed by Labour, is expected to focus that the Government acted beyond the scope of the law by using secondary legislation to order the trial.

Truss suggests Javid should prepare to challenge May
According to the Daily Mail, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Liz Truss, was overheard by a Green Party candidate suggesting that Sajid Javid needed to prepare for a leadership challenge against Theresa May, that Jeremy Hunt was another candidate and a ‘game-player’, and that May was a ‘pacifist’ at managing people. Truss has not commented on the alleged remarks.

Not enough scientific evidence to support energy drink ban, MPs conclude
The Sun reports that the Commons Science and Technology Committee has concluded that there isn’t enough scientific evidence to support the Government’s proposed ban on energy drink sales to under-18s, but that broader concerns, such as the experience of teachers and pupils, meant that such a ban could be justified.

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Today’s political headlines include 100 Tory MPs opposing May’s Brexit agreement, May rules out debating Brexit campaigners, EU prepared to give UK more time and Government relaxes doctor rules. 

100 Tory MPs now oppose Brexit agreement

The Daily Telegraph reports that a hundred Conservative MPs have now declared that they will vote against the Government’s Brexit agreement. The hundredth to declare his position was Matthew Offord, who warned that it would leave the UK ‘bound’ to the EU. The paper adds that Theresa May’s de-facto deputy David Lidington has promised the UK would follow the same single market rules as Northern Ireland if the backstop came into force, providing ‘reassurance to people that the commitment to the Union is very, very deeply felt.’

May rules out debating with Brexit campaigners

The Guardian says that Theresa May has agreed to participate on a TV debate on the Brexit deal so long as it is only against Jeremy Corbyn. Campaigners for a People’s Vote and hard Brexiteers, such as Boris Johnson, have called for their inclusion in any debate, so that a wider spectrum of views are represented. May has agreed to debate plans put forward by the BBC, but Labour prefers a proposal put forward by ITV.

EU prepared to give the UK more time to agree softer Brexit

The Times suggests that European leaders would be prepared to extend Article 50 by three months, allowing a second referendum or Norway-style Brexit to be agreed. However, this would only be offered if Parliament was clear on the form of Brexit it wanted. Yesterday, May claimed that extending Article 50 would lead to negotiations reopening and a potentially worse deal emerging.

Government relaxes limit on non-EU doctors

In an exclusive, The Guardian reports that the Government will relax rules on immigration in order to allow more non-EU medics to work in the UK under the medical training initiative, potentially increasing the cap from 1500 to 3000 and the amount of time spent in the UK as part of the scheme from two to three years.

Whips threaten to shorten Christmas break

The i claims that Conservative MPs have been warned by their whips that a defeat to the Government’s Brexit deal could lead to their Christmas break being curtailed and Parliament being recalled before the New Year. Rebels have apparently also accused whips of using ‘emotional blackmail’ and threatening that they risked Brexit not happening.

May to raise journalist’s death with Saudi crown prince

According to The Guardian, Theresa May has said that she intends to speak about the killing of Jamal Khashoggi and the conflict in Yemen when she meets the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman at this weekend’s G20 summit, calling for a ‘full and transparent investigation’ into the journalist’s death, and a ‘political solution’ for Yemen.

Labour MP uses debate to reveal he’s HIV-positive

The BBC reports that Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle used a House of Commons debate to reveal that he is HIV-positive, making him the first to do so in the Commons and the second in total. He called on ministers to review cuts to sexual health budgets which were taking the country in the ‘wrong direction’, and talked about his ‘long journey’ to acceptance.

BBC defends itself against ‘fake pastor’ accusation

The Daily Mail claims that the BBC is ‘under fire’ after Lynne Hayter, an actress who claims to be a pastor but seems not to have an actual church, appeared on Newsnight to discuss Brexit, leading Lord Adonis to dub her a ‘fake pastor’. Presenter Emily Maitlis warned Adonis against becoming ‘a peddler of fake news’, while the show claimed that Hayter was a ‘genuine participant’.

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Today’s political headlines include bleak Treasury forecasts, May’s deal considered the best deal, immigration plans delayed by Cabinet split and the Government to defy Parliament by not publishing Brexit legal advice. 

Treasury forecasts to show economic impact of Brexit scenarios
The Daily Telegraph reports that Treasury forecasts will show that the UK’s GDP would be 7.6% lower in a no-deal Brexit compared to staying in the EU (the equivalent of £150bn), and that under May’s deal it will be 1-2% lower. According to the paper, the analysis has ‘provoked fury in the Cabinet’, with both Andrea Leadsom and Chris Grayling criticising it.

Poll finds voters think May’s deal is best on offer
A poll conducted by Survation for the Daily Mail reveals that 52% of voters agree that Theresa May’s Brexit deal is the best on offer, compared to just 19% who disagree. The poll also found that voters favoured the plan to a Labour government by 46% to 31%, and that 41% of voters thought that MPs should vote for the agreement, while 38% believed they should vote it down.

Immigration plans delayed by Cabinet split
In an exclusive, The Sun suggests that the Government’s post-Brexit immigration policy may be delayed because Cabinet members do not agree with Theresa May’s desire to reduce low-skilled immigration. Ministers including Philip Hammond and Greg Clark are reportedly concerned about the impact this would have on the economy.

Government to ‘defy Parliament’ by not publishing Brexit legal advice
The Daily Telegraph says the Government is to ‘defy Parliament’ by refusing to publish its full legal advice on Brexit, instead providing a ‘position statement’, despite a vote by MPs. The decision drew criticism from Brexiteers, with Peter Bone claiming that the Government had something to hide, and from Labour, whose Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer vowed to ‘use all the mechanisms available to force this information to be published’.

Ambassador claims UK and US are ‘perfect partners’
Writing in The Times, Woody Johnson (US Ambassador to the UK) offers a conciliatory message after President Trump criticised May’s deal. Johnson claims Trump ‘hopes there will be room for an ambitious trade deal with the United States’, describing the two countries as ‘perfect partners’. In what the paper calls a ‘highly unusual’ move, Number 10 has briefed that Theresa May will not seek to meet Trump at the weekend’s G20 summit.

May visits Scotland to sell her deal
The BBC says that Theresa May is visiting Scotland today as part of her efforts to gain support for her Brexit deal. She will meet factory workers in Glasgow, and claim that the plan would ‘protect jobs’, provide ‘even greater opportunity to Scottish exporters’ and pledge to continue to be ‘robust in defending the interests of Scottish fisherman’.

Labour considers giving customers a vote on executive pay
The Guardian reveals that a report commissioned by the Labour Party suggests that the pay packages of executives at the country’s top 7,000 companies should be voted on by all of their stakeholders, including employees and consumers. The report also makes a number of other recommendations, including banning share options and golden handshakes.

Zuckerberg criticised for not attending evidence session
The Sun reports that Mark Zuckerberg has been criticised for not attending an evidence session on fake news run by politicians from nine countries yesterday. Lord Allan, who represented Facebook, admitted the firm had ‘damaged public trust’, while Damian Collins, who chairs the Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, revealed that internal emails showed Facebook was warned about Russian interference four years ago.

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Today’s political headlines include May’s warning to MPs about voting down her deal, May’s challenge to Corbyn to a TV debate, Juncker’s warning is the only deal possible and Cabinet ministers pushing for a Norway option. 

May warns MPs against voting down her deal
The Times claims that Theresa May will use a statement in the Commons today to warn MPs that if they vote down her Brexit deal, they risk going ‘back to square one’ and that they should listen to constituents who want to ‘move on’ from Brexit. The paper adds that up to 90 Conservative MPs are currently threatening to vote against the agreement with the EU.

May to challenge Corbyn to TV debate over deal
According to The Daily Telegraph, Theresa May is to challenge Jeremy Corbyn to a debate over her Brexit deal. The vote is expected to take place on December 12, and she will outline her plans for a fortnight’s ‘media blitz’ at a meeting of the Cabinet today. Her plans also include visiting ‘every part of the UK’ and a major speech the day before the vote. A Labour spokesperson welcomed the proposed debate.

Juncker warns agreement ‘is the only deal possible’
The Financial Times reports that European leaders approved the Brexit deal at a summit yesterday which ‘felt more like a wake than a breakthrough’, with European Council President Donald Tusk saying that EU leaders has achieved ‘one of the hardest tasks of our lives’ and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker adding that ‘this is the only deal possible’.

Cabinet ministers push for Norway option if May’s deal fails
The Sun claims that cabinet ministers Amber Rudd and Michael Gove have joined forces to push for the UK to join the European Free Trade Association, but will only push for this if the meaningful vote fails, followed by attempts to call for a general election and a people’s vote, in order to ensure maximum support from Labour MPs.

New analysis shows economic cost of May’s Brexit deal
The Times outlines new analysis by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, commissioned by the People’s Vote campaign, which reveals that Theresa May’s Brexit deal would leave the country’s GDP around 3.9% lower than remaining in the EU. Remaining in the backstop, GDP would be 2.8% lower, while in a no-deal scenario it would be 5.5% lower.

Academic pardoned by UAE following lobbying by Hunt
The Guardian reports that the Durham University academic Matthew Hedges, jailed by the UAE on spying charges has been pardoned following lobbying efforts by the Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt. The country continues to claim that Hedges was an MI6 agent, and that clemency had been given in response to a letter from his family.

Jenrick to embrace ‘new methods of construction’
The Sun says that Treasury minister Robert Jenrick will today call for ‘new methods of construction’ to be ‘embraced’ as he announces £600bn of infrastructure spending, allowing building projects to be sped up by pre-building components in factories, cutting the construction time of a school from a year to four months and reducing waste by up to 90%.

Shortage of carers will increase costs for pensioners
The Daily Telegraph carries details of a new report by the thinktank IPPR, which warns that there will be a shortage of 350,000 social care workers by 2028, unless their pay increases. The problem will especially affect pensioners, who could face rising care costs as a result.

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Today’s political headlines include May’s fight to save her Brexit plans, the committee telling advertisers to boycott tech giants, Mike Ashley’s demands to give evidence on saving the high street and the CBI’s doubts over Brexit deal.  

May fights to save her Brexit plans
The Guardian claims that Theresa May is fighting to save her Brexit deal on two fronts, following the publication of the text of the political declaration yesterday. Tory backbenchers repeatedly called on her to renegotiate the deal during a debate yesterday, while the EU has warned that no further concessions can be made. The Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez [pictured] has even claimed that he will ‘veto Brexit’ over Spain’s concerns about Gibraltar.

Advertisers should boycott tech giants, committee says
The Times reports that Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee has called for advertisers to boycott tech companies like Facebook and Google unless they demonstrate a serious commitment to tackle terrorist material online, warning that this had been a key contributor to incidents including the Manchester bombing. Dominic Grieve, the committee’s chair, said that firms should follow the example of advertisers such as Unilever.

Mike Ashley demands to give MPs evidence on saving the high street
According to The Guardian, Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley has demanded to give evidence to the Commons Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee on how to save the high street. The committee originally asked for a representative from House of Fraser to speak as part of a panel of four, but Ashley felt that this ‘wouldn’t achieve anything’.

Internal email reveals CBI’s doubts about Brexit deal
An email accidentally sent to ITV News has revealed a difference in opinion within the CBI over Theresa May’s Brexit deal. While the organisation’s Director-General Carolyn Fairbairn has publicly welcomed the deal, while admitting that it is ‘not perfect’, an internal email from the business groups’ head of EU negotiations described it as ‘not a good deal’.

New teams to tackle drugs in prisons
The Sun reports that Justice Secretary David Gauke has announced the creation of new ‘SWAT teams’ in 100 prisons to tackle gangs behind drug-fuelled violence in jails. The teams of specially-trained prison officers will detect drugs, mobile phones and other illicit items, and have already been deployed at eight high-security prisons.

New report criticises smart meter rollout
The Daily Mail carries details of a report by the National Audit Office that warns that plans to install smart meters in every home by 2020 will not succeed, will cost at least £500m more than estimated and the devices may not deliver the cuts to energy bills which were originally promised.

Home Office admits to failings over settlement visas
The Financial Times says that the Home Office has admitted that it wrongly applied rules, leading it to refuse settlement visas to professionals over tax discrepancies. Immigration minister Caroline Nokes said that the findings of the department’s inquiry would be ‘used to inform our future decision-making’.

Farage calls for UKIP leader to be sacked
The Daily Telegraph reports that Nigel Farage has called for Gerard Batten to be sacked as UKIP leader after he appointed the EDL founder Tommy Robinson as an adviser, warning that if UKIP continued heading on its current trajectory, it would be ‘finished’. Robinson is banned from joining UKIP under a rule barring those with EDL links from becoming members.

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Today’s political headlines include May heading to Brussels in an attempt to finalist Brexit, Jacob Rees-Mogg comparing himself to Captain Mainwaring, Growing support for Theresa May and the DUP intending to vote against the Brexit deal. 

May heads to Brussels as EU states raise objections to future relationship agreement
The BBC reports that Theresa May is heading to Brussels today amid attempts to finalise the Brexit deal before European leaders meet on Sunday. A deadline to settle the agreement on the future relationship was missed last night, with EU members raising objections to proposals covering UK access to the single market, fishing rights in British waters, and Gibraltar.

Eurosceptic coup attempt likened to ‘Dad’s Army’
As the Daily Mail reports, Jacob Rees-Mogg has admitted that his attempt to oust Theresa May has become a bit like ‘Dad’s Army’, comparing himself to Captain Mainwaring. He warned that the Tories would be stuck with May as leader at the next election unless they acted now. The Daily Telegraph adds that the ‘old guard’ of Eurosceptics have claimed that Rees-Mogg has exhibited ‘naivety’ and suggested that the focus should be on defeating May’s deal in the meaningful vote.

Growing support for May among voters
A poll conducted for The Times shows that voter support for Theresa May has increased over the last week. A week ago, YouGov found that 33% of voters wanted the Prime Minister to remain and 47% wanted her to leave, but those figures are now 46% and 34% respectively. Detailed analysis shows that May’s support has increased most among Conservative voters.

‘Of course’ we’ll vote against Brexit deal, DUP claims
The Financial Times says that the DUP has announced that it will ‘of course’ vote against Theresa May’s Brexit deal despite hopes by ministers that it would abstain. Last night, the Government accepted Labour and SNP amendments to the Finance Bill after the DUP indicated that it was planning to abstain on the votes.

Tory remainers have ‘role to play’ in building soft Brexit coalition, Sturgeon says
According to The Guardian, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has claimed that remain-supporting Conservative MPs have a ‘role to play’ in creating a soft Brexit coalition in the Commons. Apparently, SNP, Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs have been talking with Tory remainers in an attempt to agree an alternative to Theresa May’s Brexit deal, such as Nick Boles’ proposed Norway-style plan.

UK leads successful attempt to block Russian from becoming Interpol President
The Times reports that Kim Jong-yang from South Korea has been elected as the new President of Interpol, defeating the Russian Alexander Prokopchuk, allegedly a former KGB agent. The paper says that the UK and the USA had been leading a last-minute attempt to prevent the Russian candidate from winning. Lib Dem Leader Sir Vince Cable had warned that if Prokopchuk won, Interpol would become a ‘branch of the Russian mafia’.

Mordaunt to announce new focus on low-paid women
The Times reveals that Penny Mordaunt, the Minister for Women and Equalities will use a speech today to announce that the Government will shift its focus away from issues affecting middle class women, including the gender pay gap, towards those affecting women in low-paid jobs, with limited qualifications or who care for relatives.

Labour promises to end compulsory GCSE resits
The Guardian reports that Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner has announced details of her party’s plan to reform further education, pledging to end the ‘remorseless cycle’ of compulsory GCSE maths and English resits and promising to ‘put learners first’.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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