Elton John

What PR did on its holidays – 6 inspirational campaigns from the summer

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Summer is over, the Hogwarts Express has departed Platform 93/4 and it’s time to go back to school. But getting back into the swing of things can be daunting after the holidays, and it is often difficult to find the inspiration for an excellent end to the year.

Not everyone was on holiday this summer and many PRs have been truly outstanding while creating brilliant campaigns. We’ve rounded up 6 of the best to give you the inspiration you need to have a killer year.

1. The celebrity campaign – Snickers and Elton John
Snickers has bagged one of the biggest names in pop (ever) as part of its ‘You’re not you when you’re hungry’ campaign. The video features Elton John in a rap battle, singing his own song, until he eats a Snickers and turns back into the rapper he actually is. It’s simple, it’s consistent with the existing campaign and it’s quite funny. The agency is AMV BBDO – check out the video below:

 

2. The reactive campaign – Kit Kat’s proposal
Back in June, Kit Kat inadvertently became the subject of a viral tweet:

Kit Kat – and its agencies Ketchum and Anomoly – got in touch with the boyfriend and together they planned a Kit Kat-themed marriage proposal using a custom-made Kit Kat ring box. Thankfully, #SheSaidYes, and the campaign was completed less than a month after the original tweet:

 

3. The undercover campaign – Will Smith, JUST water and Boots
Will Smith working in Boots. No, really. Will Smith dressed as a Boots employee and promoted his son’s JUST water brand in the Westfield branch. The campaign generated a heap of public attention within the shopping centre and an amazing video.

Boots has partnered with the eco-friendly water brand for its UK rollout and benefitted hugely from the celebrity connection. Obviously, this campaign is easier if your dad is one of the most famous actors on the planet.

 

4. The stunt – NOW TV’s #JurassicJeff
This campaign was fairly basic in its creation and execution but, as is always the way with communications, simple is best. NOW TV placed a giant statue of seductive Jeff Goldblum next to Tower Bridge to celebrate 25 years of Jurassic Park. The oversized model hit social media during a quiet news spell and managed to generate lots of coverage in the mainstream press. Not bad considering NOW TV were just promoting the fact they stream the film:

 

5. The print campaign – Stabilo’s highlighters
Print campaigns sometimes trend on social media for all the wrong reasons, but Stabilo’s ‘Highlight the remarkable’ campaign went viral for all the right ones. The simple campaign displayed historical photos with a yellow highlighter picking out a significant woman from a massive human achievement. The campaign hit all the right buttons, championing amazing women from history who are so often overlooked, while showing the simplicity of its product. The agency was DDB Germany, and the ads can be seen on PR Examples.

 

6. The political statement campaign – Trump balloon
The campaign from 13 July already has its own Wikipedia page. The ‘Donald Trump baby balloon’ was flown above Parliament Square to protest the visit of the American president in the UK. Paid for through crowd-funding (raising £16,000) the six-metre tall Trump blimp (Trimp?) drew a massive amount of attention online and in print, extended by the fact it followed the President to Scotland as he took a rare break to play golf.

The balloon upset many who believed it was disrespectful. A group crowd funded £58,182 to create a Sadiq Khan in a bikini copycat campaign, possibly expecting it not to be approved.  It was and Sadiq Khan even joked about it, so that campaign fell rather flat.

Whether this is now the new ‘floating something down the Thames’, remains to be seen.

 

How are you planning your campaigns? How are you informing the press, measuring your coverage and results, and presenting this to the board? Whether it’s a PR stunt, political campaign or reactive tweet, Vuelio has everything you need on one platform.  

Boris Johnson

Political Headlines – Tory rebels, Labour antisemitism, sex offenders and trade plans

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Frank Field

Political Headlines – Frank Field, Poland, Ruth Davidson and Wonga

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Today’s Political Headlines include Frank Field’s resignation, Poland’s Brexit support, Davidson considering a Westminster role and Wonga in administration. 

Frank Field resigns the Labour Whip
The BBC reports that the Labour MP for Birkenhead Frank Field has resigned the Labour whip. Field said that the party is becoming a force for anti-Semitism in British politics and said a culture of intolerance and nastiness exists in local parties. A month ago, Field lost a confidence vote in his local party after voting with the Government in a vote relating to Brexit. Field criticised the Labour leadership in his resignation letter saying they are doing nothing to address anti-Semitism in the party.

Poland offers Brexit support
The Guardian reports that the Government of Poland will make an attempt to persuade the EU to become more open to the UK’s Brexit plans, this comes as Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he has not seen any progress on the Chequers proposal from Brussels. The Polish Foreign Minister has said Poland wants to maintain their relationship with the UK after Brexit.

Davidson considering Westminster role
The Sun has revealed that leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Ruth Davidson, may move south of the border to Westminster, abandoning her role as an MSP to take up a ministerial position. The move is allegedly the first step towards a potential Tory leadership bid, with Davidson moving into Government via a peerage and a place in the House of Lords.

Wonga goes into administration
The Guardian is reporting on the collapse of payday lender Wonga, which went into administration yesterday. The downfall follows a sharp increase in compensation claims against the lender, each of which allegedly cost the company £550 to deal with. The Financial Conduct Authority has told roughly 200,000 customers who still owe over £400m to continue repaying their loans.

Raab heads to Brussels for Brexit talks
The Express looks ahead to Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab preparing for six hours of talks with Michel Barnier. It is expecting issues such as the Irish border to be discussed. This comes after Raab recently admitted that a deal may not be reached by October. The extended session is perhaps an indication of the desire of both sides to come to a deal as soon as possible.

Sturgeon praised for handling of Salmond case
The Guardian are reporting on the support given to SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon from senior SNP politicians, praising her handling of harassment allegations against former First Minister Alex Salmond. Senior SNP figures including Westminster leader Ian Blackford have backed Sturgeon. The move comes after a crowdfunding appeal launched by Salmond reached £90,000, which he said would be used to cover his legal fees for taking the SNP Government to court.

Who’s in and who’s out? Vuelio Political Services track all the moves and changes in UK politics, at Westminster and beyond.  

Raab

Political Headlines – Raab, Macron, Timothy and energy drinks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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PM

Political Headlines – May vs Boris, Tories vs UKIP, Sacks vs Corbyn

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Today’s Political Headlines include May’s vow to fight any leadership bids, pro-EU Tories fear entryism from UKIP voters, the former chief Rabbi who says Corbyn’s remarks are most offensive since rivers of blood, and tackling modern slavery. 

May would fight Boris Johnson leadership bid
The Guardian reports that Prime Minister Theresa May has said she would fight any leadership bid from Boris Johnson and she is planning to take the Conservatives into the next general election. She signalled her intention to deliver for the country despite the unhappiness at her Chequers deal. May also stated her intention to address the big issues at the upcoming Conservative Party conference, specifically mentioning her ambition to tackle housing.

Pro-EU Tories fear entryism from UKIP voters
The Times are reporting that pro-EU Conservative MPs are seeing an increase in applications to join their local parties, leading to concerns that UKIP voters are seeking to unseat them in favour of pro-Brexit candidates. This comes after key Leave.EU donor Arron Banks called for members of the Brexit campaign group to join the Conservatives and help select candidates sympathetic to Brexit.

Former chief Rabbi says reported Corbyn remarks most offensive since Enoch Powell
The New Statesman has an interview with the former Chief Rabbi, Jonathan Sacks, who says reported remarks made by Jeremy Corbyn on ‘Zionists’ are the most offensive remarks by a senior politician since Enoch Powell’s rivers of blood speech. Sacks called the remarks hateful, divisive and undermining to an entire group of British citizens. Sacks was also asked about Israel’s new nationality law, he said he is not a legal expert but as far as he understands it, there is nothing apartheid about it.

Crackdown on illegal and unsafe migration as part of attempts to tackle modern slavery
The Express reports that Theresa May will announce further measures on modern slavery today. A partnership with Nigeria will see the two nations work together to combat modern slavery. The plans will see support given to victims of modern slavery returning to Nigeria, this support will consist of counselling to deal with their distress and training to get them into jobs.

Scrap tax relief for entrepreneurs, says thinktank
The Guardian are reporting on research carried out by the Resolution Foundation, which has urged Chancellor Philip Hammond to abolish entrepreneur’s relief in the autumn budget. In a report released today, the thinktank has claimed scrapping the tax break would save roughly £2.7bn, which could then be spent on the NHS.

If there’s a leadership bid, some political stories move out the spotlight. Keep up to date with everything that matters to you with Vuelio Political Services.  

Africa

Political Headlines – May in Africa, Macron on Brexit and plastic bag tax

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Hammond

Political Headlines – Hammond, Salmond, Brexit and Berger

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Today’s Political Headlines include Hammond’s no-deal warnings, Salmond accused of sexual assault, the no-deal Brexit papers and Luciana Berger feeling unwelcome in Labour as a Jew. 

Hammond warns of ‘large fiscal consequences’ of no-deal
According to The Daily Telegraph, Philip Hammond has been accused of undermining the Government’s Brexit strategy by warning that a no-deal Brexit would have ‘large fiscal consequences’ for the UK in a letter which he wrote to the Commons Treasury Committee. The letter did not receive approval from Downing Street and the paper claims that it has been ‘infuriated’ by Hammond’s intervention.

Salmond accused of sexual assault
The Daily Record says that former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond has been reported to police over historic allegations of sexual assault, dating from his time in the role. Salmond denies the allegations and has launched legal action against the Scottish Government, claiming that its Permanent Secretary ‘is behaving unlawfully in the application of a complaints procedure, introduced by her more than three years after I left office.’

Government publishes no-deal Brexit papers
The Times reports that the 24 technical papers outlining what would happen in the event of a no-deal Brexit published by the Government yesterday would increase bureaucracy, impede access to medicines and increase credit and debit card charges for holidaymakers.

Berger claims that Corbyn comments make her feel ‘unwelcome’ in Labour as a Jew
The Daily Mail reports that Labour MP Luciana Berger has attacked Jeremy Corbyn after footage emerged of him claiming that British Zionists ‘don’t understand English irony’ despite ‘having lived in this country for a long time, probably all their lives’. Berger said that the comments made her ‘as a proud British Jew feel unwelcome in my own party’. Jewish Chronicle editor Stephen Pollard said that the recording showed that Corbyn thought Jews were ‘somehow a breed apart from ‘normal’ English people’.

Tories block Arron Banks from joining party
The Guardian reports that the Conservatives have blocked an attempt by Leave.EU founder Arron Banks and Andy Wigmore, his business partner, to join the party. They claimed that they had joined the party to have their say in a leadership contest which they believe will happen shortly, arguing ‘that the battle for Brexit is now within the Conservative party’.

Corbyn accused of ‘hypocrisy’ over BBC class plans
According to The Daily Telegraph, Jeremy Corbyn has been accused of hypocrisy after he urged the BBC to publish data on its journalists’ class, despite the fact that much of his team went to independent schools. The Daily Mirror lists Corbyn’s seven ‘most radical ideas to shake up the media’, including a digital licence fee, journalists electing editors and a state-owned version of Facebook.

Starmer slaps down Gardiner over second referendum claims
The Daily Mirror claims that Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer has ‘slapped down’ Shadow International Trade Secretary Barry Gardiner for suggesting that a second referendum on Brexit might cause ‘civil disobedience’ and give ‘succour to the extreme right’. While he refused to back another referendum, Starmer said that ‘all options should be on the table’.

Gibb fails to explain new GCSE grading system
The Sun reports that Schools Minister Nick Gibb failed to explain the new GCSE grading system in an interview yesterday, telling LBC’s Nick Ferrari that grade 8 is the ‘midway point between grades 7 and 9’. Later, he refused to answer a maths question posed to him by TalkRadio’s James Max, claiming that he’d been told ‘not to answer them’.

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Party Conference

How to make the most of Party Conferences

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Party Conference Season is just around the corner, and with Brexit looming large over every major party, we’re in for an explosive autumn. If you’re gearing up for Conference, don’t miss our next webinar.

ZetterParty Conferences give MPs and party leaders the chance to announce new policies and strategies, and debate key issues that matter to their members and the country as a whole. They also give you an unrivalled opportunity to lobby MPs and the party’s constituents directly.

But with so much activity packed into just four days – not including the long nights – how do you know where to start? How can you get the most out of the Conferences without missing anything that matters to you?

Our next webinar – hosted by political and communications supremo Lionel Zetter, author of Lobbying, the Art of Political Persuasion – will guide you through Party Conference season, revealing how you can get the most out of every day and the biggest return on your time.

Webinar: Making the most of Party Conferences
Date: Wednesday 12 September 2018
Time: 11:00 – 11:30 BST   

Lionel is a former President of the CIPR and former Chairman of the Government Affairs Group. He is the current Chair of the PRCA Public Affairs Group and has been attending Conservative Party Conferences since 1974. Lionel is also a regular attender of Labour, Lib Dem and SNP conferences.

Altogether he has attended over 100 party conferences and when we asked for his top tip for conference, he said: ‘It is all about pacing yourself. If you are going to do morning events, and stay late in the bar in the evening, it is important to have some down time in the middle of the day – even if that means sneaking back to your hotel for a siesta!’

Lionel will be joined by Jonathan Isaby, editor of BrexitCentral and Sabine Tyldesley, account manager at PLMR.

Jonathan has been editor of BrexitCentral since its founding in September 2016. His journalistic career has seen him working for the full range of broadcast, print and online media, having initially joined the BBC as a political analyst in the corporation’s busy Westminster newsroom in 1999. Four years later he was recruited by the Daily Telegraph, where he spent five years, latterly writing his own political column, as well as blogging about politics on its website.

In 2008 he became co-editor of ConservativeHome.com, making him the first journalist from a British national newspaper to leave the mainstream media to become a full-time professional blogger.

Sabine specialises in immigration and home affairs, rights, justice and employment. She is part of PLMR’s Brexit Unit, has extensive knowledge in parliamentary processes and tracking legislation. At PLMR she primarily advises on integrated public affairs campaigns, political engagement and journalist engagement but also supports PR campaigns and crisis work across different sectors.

Sabine has been leading on organising PLMR’s Conservative Party Conference exclusive events and meeting space, the Business Hub.

 

Join this webinar to learn:

  • Why Party Conference is your best opportunity to make a difference
  • How to maximise your time at Conference to get the most from every session
  • The secrets of successful conference networking
  • How to avoid the pitfalls and the pratfalls!
Raab

Political Headlines – Raab, Corbyn, Williamson and Rees-Mogg

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Today’s Political Headlines include Raab’s blame game, Corbyn’s tech giants plan to subsidise the licence fee, Williamson’s crackpot ideas and Rees-Mogg urging the PM to chuck Chequers. 

Raab to ask the EU to do more to prepare for no-deal Brexit
The Times reports that Dominic Raab is to use his first major speech as Brexit Secretary to start a ‘blame game’ with the EU. He will accuse the bloc of failing to do enough to keep data and goods moving in the event of a no-deal Brexit. The first batch of UK plans for a no-deal Brexit will be published today, including a commitment to fund EU aid projects carried out by British organisations. The Sun adds that the 25 notes show that UK citizens who work or have worked in the EU may lose access to their pensions, the City could face ‘turmoil’ and that borders will be opened ‘unilaterally’ for goods by the Government.

Corbyn to make tech giants subsidise licence fee
The Guardian says that Jeremy Corbyn is to propose taxing large technology firms in order to subsidise the BBC licence fee. Other ideas to be outlined by the Labour leader in a speech today include having representatives elected by licence fee payers on the BBC’s board and making the corporation publish equality data, including social class, for all content creators.

Williamson attacked over ‘crackpot ideas’
According to The Sun, the Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has ‘stunned military chiefs with crackpot ideas’, such as mounting guns on tractors, converting old ferries into beach assault craft and disguising missile systems as Coca-Cola lorries. A source told the paper that ‘The man is out of his mind. No one knows what to do.’ Military leaders are now said to fear that Williamson’s behaviour will prevent them from receiving extra Treasury funding.

Rees-Mogg uses letter to urge Prime Minister to ‘chuck Chequers’
The Daily Telegraph says that Jacob Rees-Mogg and over 60 other Conservative Eurosceptics have written to Conservative Associations, with a point-by-point analysis of Theresa may’s Chequers plan, which claims that it is the ‘wrong deal for Britain’. The letter insists that the Prime Minister should ‘believe in Britain’ and ‘chuck Chequers’, claiming that the EU needs a deal with the UK but the UK does not need a deal with the EU.

Founders of ‘pioneering’ free school hand it over to academy chain
The Guardian reports that the Greenwich Free School, which was one of the first to be approved by Michael Gove, and whose founders include a former Department for Education head of strategy, have decided to hand it over to a larger academy trust as the governors did not have the ‘capacity’ to provide the level of oversight needed.

Poll shows May would perform better in election than rivals
The Daily Mail carries the findings of an ICM poll which shows that the Conservatives would do better at a general election if they were led by Theresa May than by any of five named alternatives, including Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg. The only scenario in which may would do worse was if the party was led by someone ‘quite young and able’ and ‘not currently in Government’.

Labour raised £10m more than the Conservatives last year
The Financial Times reports that the Labour Party’s membership surge led to it raising £10m more than the Conservative Party last year, according to figures released by the Electoral Commission. The party’s revenue from subscriptions rose from £6m in 2014 to £16m in 2017.

Government asked to take action against ‘essay mills’
The Times claims that the Government is being urged by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education to ban so-called ‘essay mills’ which enable cheating by students. The Government has previously pressed the agency to tackle the problem without legislation but the QAA now believes further action is needed.

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puppies and kittens

Political Headlines – Gove bans puppy farming, Javid’s Windrush apology and criminals released

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Foreign Secretary

Political Headlines – Hunt, NHS, Fox and Corbyn

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Today’s Political Headlines include Jeremy Hunt’s call for the EU to copy US sanctions on Russia, NHS trusts warning against a no-deal Brexit, Liam Fox’s pledge to make the UK an exporting superpower and the Corbyn staffer writing the guide to rid Parliament of Israel-supporting MPs. 

Hunt calls for EU to copy US sanctions on Russia
The BBC says that Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt is to use a speech during his trip to the USA to call on the EU to impose further sanctions on Russia, emulating those introduced by the USA. He will warn that there must be a ‘serious price’ for violating international rules of conduct. During the trip, Hunt will meet the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and address the UN Security Council on Islamic terrorism.

NHS trusts warn of no-deal Brexit impact
The Times has obtained a leaked warning by NHS Providers (the association of NHS trusts) to NHS England and NHS Improvement. In a letter, the body’s chief executive Chris Hopson warns of the impact of a no-deal Brexit on the pharmaceutical supply chain, public health, disease control and the workforce. He claims that both other bodies have not planned sufficiently for this scenario and that communication has been poor.

Fox pledges to make UK an ‘exporting superpower’
The BBC reports that International Trade Secretary Liam Fox will claim that the UK can be a ’21st century exporting superpower’ in a speech later today, promising to increase exports from 30% of the country’s GDP to 35%. He will say that the UK needs to ‘set its sights high’.

Corbyn staffer wrote guide to ridding Parliament of Israel-supporting MPs
The Sun reveals that Nicolette Petersen, who has worked for Jeremy Corbyn since 1994, wrote a guide advising people on how to rid Parliament of Israel supporters for the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign. She advised readers to look at the Jewish Chronicle and ‘look at websites that will show you who not to vote for’. Jewish Chronicle Editor Stephen Pollard told The Sun that ‘This isn’t about helping Palestinians. It’s about attacking Jews.’

Umunna to call for ‘national mission’ to combat youth violence
The Guardian says that Labour MP Chuka Umunna is to use a speech in Brixton this evening to call for a ‘paradigm shift’ in the understanding of youth violence, rejecting the ‘populism of left and right’ and calling for a ‘national mission’ to tackle the problem, arguing  that it was necessary to go further than Scotland, which treats it as a public health issue.

Hague warns against changing Tory leadership election rules
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, former Conservative leader Lord Hague warns that his party should not change its rules to give its membership a greater say in choosing the next leader, warning that this could lead to entryism and the party being ‘swamped by new recruits’. He pointed to the example of Labour’s changes to its election rules and warned that party activists are ‘not remotely representative of society at large or even of their voters’.

Over 60,000 left in lurch after mortgage benefit withdrawn
According to The Daily Mirror over 60,000 people have been ‘left in the lurch’ following the abolition of Support for Mortgage Interest. It was replaced by a loan, but over half of those affected turned down this down when they were offered it. Lib Dem MP Stephen Lloyd has written to Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey, asking her to conduct a study into the reasons people are rejecting the loan.

Treasury guidance too ‘negative’ about no-deal Brexit
The Daily Telegraph claims that Chancellor Philip Hammond was forced to amend the Treasury’s technical notices on a no-deal Brexit because they were too similar to ‘Project Fear’. Sources told the paper that the documents were too ‘upbeat’ about EU membership and too ‘negative’ about no-deal, but had now been made ‘more factual’.

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Prisons

Political Headlines – HMP Birmingham, EU migrants, Corbyn’s takeaway and Syrian aid

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Political Headlines – McCluskey, Hunt, prisons and vaping

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Today’s Political Headlines include Len McCluskey’s input in the anti-Semitism row, Hunt says no-deal Brexit would be a mistake, £10m crackdown on drugs and phones in prisons and the vaping report. 

Len McCluskey accuses Jewish leaders of ‘truculent hostility’ towards Labour
The Guardian reports that Unite general secretary Len McCluskey has accused Jewish leaders of ‘truculent hostility’ towards Labour, but also called for the party to adopt the full International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism. Margaret Hodge has told Sky News that when she was investigated for confronting Corbyn over antisemitism, it made her think about ‘what it felt like to be a Jew in Germany in the 30s’.

Hunt says no-deal Brexit ‘would be a mistake we would regret for generations’
The BBC says that Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who has just completed a tour of northern Europe has warned that a no-deal Brexit ‘would be a mistake we would regret for generations’ and refused to rule out accepting EU environmental and social legislation. The Times reports that Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Secretary Greg Clark warned in a meeting with Austrian and Finnish counterparts that if the European Commission rejected the UK’s proposals it would cause ‘lasting economic harm’ to millions across the continent. The Sun adds that the UK will publish its first batch of technical notices for a no-deal Brexit next week, covering topics including farming, fishing, customs and cigarette packets.

£10m crackdown on drugs and phones in prisons
The BBC reports that the Ministry of Justice is to invest £10m to counter the proliferation of drugs and mobile phones at ten of England’s most ‘challenging’ prisons. The policy will see the introduction of new body scanners and sniffer dogs, prison governors sent to military-style colleges and repairs and improvements to windows and perimeter walls.

Committee’s vaping report causes ‘outcry’ from scientists
The Daily Mail claims that a new report by the Commons Science and Technology Committee on vaping has caused ‘outcry’, with leading scientists describing it as ‘one-sided’. The report recommends reconsidering bans on vaping in public places, making it easier to obtain vaping devices on prescription and relaxing advertising restrictions.

Lord Sheikh claims calls for his expulsion from Tories are ‘politically motivated’
The Times reports that Lord Sheikh has claimed that Zac Goldsmith and Robert Halfon’s calls for him to be expelled from the Conservatives for attending the same event in Tunisia as Jeremy Corbyn are a ‘politically motivated’ attack. He denies meeting Hamas and says that he did not participate in the wreath-laying ceremony.

BMA warns of ‘potentially catastrophic consequences’ of no-deal Brexit
The Financial Times says that the British Medical Association has ‘stepped up’ its warnings about a no-deal Brexit, claiming that it poses ‘potentially catastrophic consequences for patients, the health workforce, services and the nation’s health’. A briefing paper suggests that care for those suffering from rare diseases and cancer would be disrupted, while the country’s response to pandemics would also be put at risk.

Ministers considering ‘inheritance insurance’ plan to fund social care
In an exclusive, The Sun reveals health ministers are considering proposals for ‘inheritance insurance’, under which elderly people would take money out of their pension on a tax-free basis and buy insurance to pay for their care. The insurer would guarantee to protect their home, allowing it to be passed onto their children.

New apprenticeships fall by 31% as business groups call for reforms
The Financial Times reports that new figures show that there has been a 31% drop in the people starting apprenticeships. Business groups have warned that the Government is in danger of missing its target of 3m apprenticeships by 2020 and called for it to take action.

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SIS

Political Headlines – Spying on the EU, anti-Semitism, Corbyn and Grayling

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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terror attack

Political Headlines – Parliament terror attack, Grayling, Corbyn and Brown

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Today’s Political Headlines include Ministers considering the closure of the road outside Parliament, Grayling criticised by the RMT, Labour dismissing Corbyn cemetery claims and Brown to attack child poverty. 

Ministers consider closing road following attack on Parliament
The BBC reports that police are searching three addresses in the Midlands and a man has been arrested on suspicion of terrorism after a car hit pedestrians and cyclists outside Parliament before colliding with a barrier yesterday. The Daily Telegraph says ministers are now in talks about closing the road outside Parliament in order to prevent future attacks and have committed £5m to fund a feasibility study.

Rail union accuses Grayling of imposing ‘pay cap’
The BBC reports that the RMT has accused Transport Secretary Chris Grayling of trying to impose a ‘pay cap’ on its members by basing future rail fare and wage increases on the lower Consumer Prices Index measure on inflation, rather than the higher Retail Prices Index.

Labour dismisses cemetery visit claims as ‘false and misleading’
The Guardian says that the Labour Party has dismissed what is calls ‘false and misleading’ claims about Jeremy Corbyn’s visit to a Palestinian cemetery in Tunis, insisting that he was actually attending a memorial for victims of an Israeli air strike on the PLO headquarters in 1985, not commemorating Salah Khalaf, the mastermind of the 1972 Munich terror attack. The Times adds that Corbyn is facing an inquiry into claims that he failed to declare who paid for the visit and The Daily Telegraph reports that he has been condemned for making a Muslim Brotherhood salute during a visit to Finsbury Park mosque.

Brown to attack child poverty
The Guardian reports that Gordon Brown is to make a ‘scathing attack’ on the failure to address quickly rising child poverty levels today. He will use an event at the Edinburgh International Book Festival to claim that it is a national disgrace that the number of children below the poverty line is due to increase to over five million by the early 2020s.

May promises ‘new generation of council homes’ amid scepticism from sector
The Financial Times says that Theresa May used the launch of yesterday’s green paper on social housing to promise ‘a new generation of council homes to help fix our broken housing market’. However, the paper reports that councils and housing associations are sceptical that the proposed measures go far enough and criticised the absence of new funding.

Report calls on UK to strengthen Arctic military presence
The Daily Mirror has details of a new report by the Commons Defence Committee which warns that the UK needs to expands its Arctic military presence in order to combat Russian expansion. As the Arctic ice sheet retreats, oil and minerals are being exposed and the report claims that the UK is behind in the race to exploit these.

Hunt starts second tour of European capitals
The Financial Times reports that Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has embarked upon a second tour of European capitals, visiting Finland, Latvia, Denmark and the Netherlands in an attempt to gain support for the UK’s Brexit proposals. The paper says that this underlines ‘the new activism of the Foreign Office on Brexit since the resignation of Boris Johnson’.

Chief executives’ pay grew by nine times that of the average worker
The Times carries figures from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and the High Pay Centre which show that the pay of FTSE100 chief executives increased by 23% in the last year, while that of the average worker grew by just 2.5%. Rachel Reeves, who chairs the Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee, said that this was a sign that ‘something is going very wrong’.

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Benjamin Netanyahu

Political Headlines – Netanyahu criticises Corbyn, Rees-Mogg plans Brexit and the social housing green paper

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Corbyn

Political Headlines – Calls for Corbyn to apologise and Boris to be investigated

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Today’s Political Headlines include the widows of the Munich massacre victims calling for Corbyn to apologise, the Muslim Council calling for an investigation into Boris, May’s fanciful customs plan and the Government’s £100m pledge to end rough sleeping. 

Widows of Munich massacre victims call for Corbyn to apologise
The Daily Mail reports that widows of the victims of the Munich massacre have called for an apology from Jeremy Corbyn after details of a trip he made to the Tunisian cemetery where members of terrorist group Black September are buried were revealed in Saturday’s Mail. Labour claimed that Corbyn was there to commemorate victims of an Israeli air strike on a PLO base, but in an article written at the time he said he had laid wreaths on other graves.

Muslim Council calls for investigation into Johnson as Islamophobic incidents increase
The Guardian says that the Muslim Council of Britain is to write to the Prime Minister to demand a full disciplinary investigation into Boris Johnson, claiming that there has been an increase in Islamophobic incidents since his article on the burqa was published. Data from the Tell Mama project shows that there has been an increase in abuse towards women wearing niqabs and hijabs in the last week.

May’s customs plan is ‘fanciful’, experts say
According to The Times, trade experts have described Theresa May’s planned customs deal with the EU as ‘fanciful’, questioning the pledge that most businesses would pay the correct or no tariff at the border, and the assertion that businesses would be able to reliably track goods in order to prevent smuggling. The paper says that if her proposal fails, she would have to choose between remaining in the customs union or pulling out completely.

Government pledges £100m to end rough sleeping
The BBC reports that the Government has promised to end rough sleeping in England by 2027 in its new Rough Sleeping Strategy, to be announced by Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary James Brokenshire today. It has promised to spend £100m ‘to help people turn their lives around’, including spending on mental health, substance misuse and housing.

Johnson calls for stamp duty cut
The Daily Telegraph carries a column by Boris Johnson, in which he claims that ‘absurdly high’ stamp duty should be cut and targets for affordable housing should be ditched in an attempt to increase rates of building. He claims that developers have become an ‘oligopoly’, land-banking and building poor-quality homes.

Minister apologises after Tory tweet leaves Chris Boardman ‘genuinely sick’
The Mirror says that Chris Boardman, the Olympic medal-winning cyclist whose mum was killed while cycling, has claimed that he was left ‘genuinely sick’ by a Conservative claim that new laws would protect ‘our most vulnerable road users’ from cyclists, leading transport minister Jesse Norman to issue an apology and the party to delete the tweet in question.

Moderate Tories set up ‘pragmatic Brexit’ group
The Daily Telegraph reveals that a bloc of 50 moderate Conservative MPs led by Simon Hart and Andrew Percy have established the Brexit Delivery Group, which aims ‘to find a pragmatic Brexit outcome’ and challenge the European Research Group. The party’s head of policy, Chris Skidmore, has called for the party to unite and to talk about domestic issues.

Stewart calls on military to boost prison leadership
The Times reports that prisons minister Rory Stewart is asking for assistance from military leaders to set up a military-style staff college for prison governors, although he has abandoned the idea of making governors wear uniforms. The paper adds that prison sources have cast doubt on the idea that the military’s experience is relevant.

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Rowan backs Boris

Political Headlines – Even more Boris, migration targets, Arron Banks and interest rates

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Boris

Political Headlines – Boris burka row, citizen juries and Brexit

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Today’s Political Headlines include Davidson calling Johnson’s burka remarks gratuitously offensive, residents to be given a direct say over local decisions, no deal Brexit fears causing the pound to fall and May writing to Tory members about her Brexit plans.  

Davidson calls Johnson’s burka remarks ‘gratuitously offensive’
The Daily Telegraph reports that Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has said that Muslim women who wear burkas should be treated in the same way as Christians who wear crucifixes, describing comments by Boris Johnson about the garment as ‘gratuitously offensive’. The Times adds that a ‘senior iman’, Taj Hargey of the Oxford Islamic Congregation, has said that Johnson should ‘not apologise for telling the truth’, while The Sun claims that the party has been accused of ‘blinking’ by not launching an investigation, despite deceiving ‘dozens’ of complaints.

Residents to be given direct say over local decisions
The Times carries details of the Government’s new civil society strategy, which it says will give residents the power to have their say on local proposals, using online polls or ‘citizen juries’, with local authorities in six areas taking part in a trial over the next year. The Guardian adds that the ‘big society’-style policy will also see charities playing a larger role in providing public services, such as social care, homelessness and libraries.

No deal Brexit fears cause pound to fall, as EU leaders prepare new offer
The Guardian says that the pound has fallen against the dollar and the euro to the lowest level this year, which it links to increasing concerns that the UK could leave the EU without a deal. The Times adds that European leaders are preparing to offer a deal allowing the UK to remain in the single market for goods but opt out of free movement of people, in return for further concessions from May, under a plan to be discussed in Salzburg next month.

May writes to Tory members about Brexit plan
The Guardian reports that Theresa May has written a letter to Conservative members in an attempt to persuade them to back her Chequers plan for Brexit. The letter, which carries the endorsement of prominent Brexiteers including Andrea Leadsom and Liam Fox, claims that her proposals are ‘in no sense a concession’ to the EU’s demands.

McDonnell claimed Israel tried to commit ‘genocide’ against Palestinians
According to The Daily Telegraph, in 2016 Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell told a meeting of the Labour Representation Committee that Israel was trying to commit ‘genocide’ against the Palestinians and shared a platform with Jackie Wilson, who had previously accused Jews of being the ‘chief financiers of the sugar and slave trade’.

Corbyn faces ‘ambush’ by local parties over second Brexit referendum
The Sun claims the Jeremy Corbyn is facing ‘an ambush’ by 300 local Labour parties in an attempt to force him to back a second Brexit referendum. A campaign is to be launched next week to persuade activists to sign a motion to be voted on at the party’s conference next month calling for a ‘People’s Vote’ and possibly also for the UK to stay in the EU.

Lewis announces aim to make MP shortlists gender-balanced
The Financial Times says that Conservative Party Chairman Brandon Lewis has announced that the party is aiming to have shortlists for prospective MPs split equally between male and female candidates. He said that the current situation under which around 30% of the people selected by the party to stand at the next election are women was ‘not enough’.

Tory MP calls on Government to learn lessons from council’s collapse
The Guardian reports that Andrew Lewer, the Conservative MP for Northamptonshire South, has asked ministers to ‘learn the lessons’ from the financial collapse of Northamptonshire County Council in order to prevent it from happening elsewhere. He said that there needed to be ‘a discussion on how future local government is structured, financed and delivered’.

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Boris

Political Headlines – Boris, HS2, Labour, Paisley

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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