Archive for: Political Services

Today’s Political Headlines include extra funding for the NHS, Government abandons deal with rebels, Universal Credit unlikely to ever be value for money and Lib Dems cut Labour’s majority in Lewisham by-election. 

May set to announce £4bn a year extra for the NHS
The Daily Telegraph expects Theresa May to announce a £4bn a year increase in NHS funding on Monday. The 3% per annum boost will be funded through a ‘Brexit dividend’, a possible freeze of some tax thresholds, and some borrowing. Speaking to the Oxford Union this week, NHS England chief, Simon Stevens, reportedly told students that an increase of 3.5-4% was needed to ensure a ‘responsive, well-functioning health service’.

Government abandons deal with rebels
The Times claims that pro-EU Conservative rebels are ‘up in arms’ after the Prime Minister abandoned a compromise over allowing Parliament to influence the direction of Brexit in the event of no deal. Lead rebel Dominic Grieve said that the Government’s decision to abandon an agreement was ‘incomprehensible and unacceptable’.

Universal Credit unlikely to ever deliver value for money, NAO finds
The Guardian carries details of a critical report on Universal Credit by the National Audit Office. It finds that the policy is unlikely to ever deliver value for money as it may end up costing more than its predecessor, can’t prove that it has helped claimants back to work and has left many in hardship.

Lib Dems cut Labour’s majority in Lewisham by-election
As The Guardian reports, Labour’s Janet Daby has won the by-election in Lewisham East, with the Liberal Democrat candidate Lucy Salek finishing second, cutting Labour’s majority from almost 45% to 25.6% and forcing the Conservatives into third. Lib Dem leader Vince Cable claimed the party benefited from Labour’s ‘failure’ to oppose hard Brexit.

Government backs bill against ‘upskirting’
The Daily Mail reports that the Government is to support a private members’ bill to crack down on ‘upskirting’, introduced by Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse. The bill will see perpetrators face sentences of up to two years and put on the sex offenders’ register.

Introduction of new maximum stake on betting machines delayed
The Times claims that the new £2 maximum stake for fixed odds betting terminals will not be introduced until April 2020, following a deal between bookmakers and the Treasury. Bookmakers claim they need time to reprogramme the machines, but this claim has been disputed by campaigners and, privately, by manufacturers.

Split over post-Brexit security partnership
According to The Daily Telegraph, the EU is ‘fighting’ to avoid an internal split over the post-Brexit security partnership. It claims that Horst Seehofer, German’s interior minister, has told French and Dutch counterparts that ‘nothing must change’ which could threaten citizens’ security after Brexit. This stance is in opposition to that of the European Commission and Chancellor Angela Merkel.

More pensioners to benefit from ‘warm home’ scheme
The Sun reports that Claire Perry, the Minister of State for Energy, is to announce that thousands more pensioners will receive the ‘warm home’ discount on their energy bills. The threshold over which suppliers must participate in the scheme is to be reduced, so that smaller energy firms are included, following a campaign run by the paper.

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Today’s Political Headlines include Brexit votes in parliament, Hammond giving the NHS more money, May regrets her Grenfell Tower response and councils warn of cuts to care costs. 

Tory rebels may defeat Government on meaningful vote on Brexit deal
The Guardian says that it has been told by ‘several leading Conservative rebels’ that they are not satisfied by changes to the meaningful vote on the Brexit deal proposed by ministers, but that a defeat over the customs union has been avoided. The Government is to back an amendment on the issue backed by Nicky Morgan and Jacob Rees-Mogg, and the issue will be deferred until the customs and trade bills. A compromise amendment on the meaningful vote has been tabled by Dominic Grieve, but has not been accepted by the Government.

Hammond prepares to raise up to £10bn for NHS
The Times claims that Chancellor Philip Hammond is preparing to raise up to an extra £10bn to find the NHS, while Theresa May is to lift a cap on skilled workers from outside the EU which is blocking Foreign doctors from working in the service. Hammond wants a real terms increase of under 3% a year, funded through tax increases and borrowing, and has defeated Cabinet proponents of a dedicated NHS tax.

May regrets Grenfell Tower response
The Guardian reports that Theresa May has admitted that her response to the fire at Grenfell Tower was not good enough and that she would ‘always regret’ not meeting survivors. She has pledged to learn lessons from the tragedy and to light Downing Street in green on Thursday as part of a wider series of commemorative events.

Councils warn of cuts to care costs
The BBC carries the results of a survey by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services which shows that councils expect to spend £21.4bn on care services this year. The organisation warns that that this is not enough, with three-quarters of councils cutting services and almost half planning to introduce higher charges.

Arron Banks denies receiving Russian money
As the BBC reports, Leave.EU founder Arron Banks is to give evidence to the Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee today, following claims that he met Russian officials ahead of the Brexit vote. He has denied receiving Russian money, saying that this was ‘part of a fake news narrative’. According to The Guardian, Home Secretary Sajid Javid told MPs that the Government are treating the allegations ‘very seriously’.

Johnson backs ‘Brexit Bridge’ between Scotland and Northern Ireland
According to The Daily Telegraph Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has thrown his support behind proposals for a £15bn ‘Brexit bridge’ between Scotland and Northern Ireland. A source close to Johnson told the paper that it was ‘an interesting idea which ought to be looked at more seriously’.

EU outlines reasons for rejecting UK’s Irish border proposals
The Financial Times says that the EU has outlined its reasons for rejecting UK proposals on the Irish border. According to slides published by the European Commission, British proposals ‘leave key questions unanswered’, ‘do not cover regulatory controls’ and are ‘time-limited’. The paper also reports that the UK will apply to remain in the European standards system.

May describes G7 summit as ‘difficult’
The BBC reports that Theresa May told MPs that the G7 summit at the weekend was ‘difficult’ and that there were ‘strong disagreements’ between President Trump and other leaders. She said that US trade policies had ‘deeply disappointed’ her and praised Justin Trudeau for the ‘skilful’ way in which he had hosted the meeting.

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Today’s Political Headlines include the Brexit bill votes, Afghan interpreters win right to live in UK, abortion laws in Northern Ireland and ‘unfair’ student fees and loans. 

May tells MPs to unite ahead of Brexit bill votes
The Daily Telegraph reports that Theresa May will tell backbench Conservative MPs that they need to unite, ahead of this week’s votes on amendments by the House of Lords to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill. Addressing the 1922 committee this evening, the Prime Minister will say that MPs must ‘deliver on the decision made by the British people’. According to The Guardian, the Government is ‘quietly reassured’ that it has the votes to pass the bill.

Afghan interpreters win right to live in UK
The Daily Mail is claiming victory in its campaign to allow Afghan interpreters who worked with the British army to settle in the UK. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson writes in the paper that the Government will be introducing plans to make the existing relocation scheme ‘fairer’ and pledges to ‘do what is right to honour their extraordinary service’.

MPs target Javid over Northern Irish abortion law
According to The Guardian, over 30 MPs have promised to send the Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, written questions demanding that the domestic abuse bill is brought before parliament by the autumn, so that an amendment giving Northern Irish women the right to access terminations can be tabled.

Student fees and loans ‘unfair’, Lords report claims
The BBC says a report by the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee claims the student fee and loan system is ‘deeply unfair’ and the Government is using ‘accounting tricks’ to conceal the cost of higher education, delivering poor value for money for taxpayers. It calls for ‘immediate reforms’ including lower interest rates and restoring grants.

Banks to tell committee that he told CIA about Russian meetings
The Times claims that Arron Banks, the founder of Leave.EU, will tell the Commons Digital Media and Sport Committee tomorrow that he briefed the CIA on his meetings with the Russian Ambassador. The meetings were revealed in emails leaked over the weekend.

Homelessness could be ended in a decade, report claims
The BBC carries details of a new report by the charity Crisis, which claims that the Government could end homelessness in 10 years, if its proposals are followed, including building 100,500 social homes a year. The Daily Telegraph says that a report by the Local Government Association warns that the Right to Buy scheme might collapse, as the UK is running out of council houses.

Hancock refuses to legislate on children’s access to devices
The Guardian reports that Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Matt Hancock does not allow his children to have mobile phones and thinks children shouldn’t have access to them overnight, but will not follow the French and legislate on the matter. Meanwhile, The Daily Telegraph has launched a campaign calling for social media and online gaming firms to have a statutory ‘duty of care’ to protect children from mental ill health, abuse and addictive behaviour.

Doctors will not be sacked for ‘honest mistakes, Hunt says
The Times reports that Health and Social Care Secretary Jeremy Hunt will announce that he is to accept the main findings of a review into the use of gross negligence manslaughter, claiming that doctors and nurses who make ‘honest mistakes’ should not be prosecuted. A system of medical examiners will be created, with the ability to refer cases to coroners.

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Today’s Political Headlines include Labour’s new single market proposal, Heathrow expansion plans, accusations of Islamophobia against the Conservatives and raising National Insurance to fund the NHS. 

Labour proposes new single market Brexit amendment
The Times says that Labour is proposing a new amendment to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill, calling for ‘full access’ to the single market and ‘shared institutions and regulations’. The paper says that while this would be ‘the softest possible Brexit’ outside membership of the single market, the proposal has left pro-EU MPs ‘unhappy’ and the EU ‘baffled’. Meanwhile, The Sun claims that Exiting the European Union Secretary David Davis has ‘threatened to humiliate Theresa May’ by asking the Cabinet to overrule a decision not to publish a white paper before a key summit later this month.

Heathrow expansion plans announced
As the Financial Times reports, the Government has put forward the final plan for a third runway at Heathrow, and it will be voted on within the next 21 days. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has announced £2.6bn in compensation for local residents and that planning permission would only be granted if air quality obligations were met. The paper expects the proposal to pass ‘fairly easily’ as it is supported by the Conservative and SNP leadership and many Labour MPs. Boris Johnson, who has opposed the proposal, is expected to be overseas.

Conservative Muslim Forum chair accuses party of not taking action on Islamophobia
According to the BBC, Mohammed Amin, chair of the Conservative Muslim Forum, has accused the party of failing to take action on Islamophobia and called for an independent inquiry. He said that the party is seen as ‘anti-Muslim’ and had not taken ‘decisive action’.

Most voters back National Insurance increase to fund NHS
The Mirror reports that a new poll has found that 82% of voters would be willing to pay 1p more in National Insurance if the money went directly to the NHS. The poll also finds that voters are more likely to back the party which pledges extra funds for health and social care at the next election.

Westminster should not ‘impose its will’ on Northern Ireland, Bradley says
The BBC says that Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley has said that while she would personally like the abortion law in Northern Ireland to be changed, Westminster should not ‘impose its will’ and the matter ‘should be decided by the people of Northern Ireland’.

Deradicalisation programme found to be ineffective
The Times reports that a study for the Home Office has found that over 95% of deradicalisation programmes are ineffective. The study by the Behavioural Insights Team examined 33 schemes, mostly part of Prevent, and found that just two were effective, while some were counterproductive. The projects had claimed success rates of over 90%.

Poorer people eat fatty food for ‘comfort, solace and pleasure’, Gove says
The Daily Telegraph says that Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Michael Gove told the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Environment that poorer people eat food which isn’t good for them because it gives them ‘comfort, solace and pleasure’. He said that the Government needed to be ‘more proactive’ and ‘more than a nudge’ was needed.

Military secondments to the EU will not be renewed
The Financial Times reports that the EU has told UK military staff that their secondments to Brussels will not be renewed after Brexit, while talks on security and defence co-operation have ‘proved much harder than expected’. The paper also reports that a threat by the UK to obstruct the procurement of the Galileo satellite navigation system has been neutralised after the EU agreed to take on the European Space Agency’s liabilities.

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Today’s Political Headlines include the trade war over steel, the new Northern Ireland plan, the anti-Brexit tour and Conservatives accused of hypocrisy over Russian donation. 

Fox calls on EU to step back from trade war as Trump imposes steel tariffs
The Times reports that International Trade Secretary Liam Fox has called on the EU to step back from embarking on a trade war with the USA, after President Trump imposed tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium from the EU. Fox said that he wanted ‘to avoid escalation’, but did ‘not rule out’ retaliatory measures or a legal challenge to the US tariffs.

David Davis devises new Brexit plan for Northern Ireland
According to an exclusive in The Sun, David Davis is drawing up a new plan to break deadlock in the Brexit negotiations. He is proposing that Northern Ireland would operate simultaneously under both UK and EU regulations, and that there will be a 10-mile-wide ‘special economic zone’ along the border. A source told the paper that ‘it will be very hard work’ to persuade the DUP and the EU to agree to the proposals.

Left-wing group to launch anti-Brexit tour
The Guardian says that a left-wing pro-EU campaign is to launch a summer tour of British cities. The Left Against Brexit tour will feature Manuel Cortes of the TSSA, Michael Chessum of Momentum, Labour MEP Julie Ward, Labour MP Catherine West, and Green Co-Leader Caroline Lucas. The group is not advocating a second referendum, instead arguing that Corbyn should make the case that a vote for Labour is a vote to stay in the EU.

Conservatives accused of hypocrisy over Russian donation
The Daily Mirror reports that the Conservative Party received a donation from the wife of a former Kremlin aide on the same day that Theresa May blamed Russia for the Salisbury poisoning. Lubov Chernukhin, wife of a former Russian finance minister gave the party a total of £100,000 in two donations in March. Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable and Labour Party chairman Ian Lavery accused the Conservatives of ‘hypocrisy’ over the donation.

Scottish Government faces £1.7bn shortfall
The Guardian reports that the Scottish government faces a £1.7bn shortfall in its finances. The forecast, which covers the next five years, was issued by the independent Scottish Fiscal Commission, which blames reduced wage growth for the projected fall in revenue from income tax. Derek Mackay, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution, said that problem was a consequence of austerity, immigration policy and Brexit.

Lord Lawson denies accusations of hypocrisy
The Daily Telegraph says that Lord Lawson has denied accusations of being a hypocrite after he applied for a French residency card. He said that he was applying for a ‘carte de sejour’ because the French authorities had requested that he do so and that he was not applying for French nationality. Paul Butters of Best for Britain said that Lawson ‘looks like a hypocrite’.

Legatum criticised by Charity Commission over free trade report
The Financial Times reports that the Charity Commission has criticised the Legatum Institute thinktank for breaching its charitable objectives. According to the commission, a report by Legatum on the benefits of free trade after Brexit ‘failed to meet the required standards of balance and neutrality’.

Corbyn reminds Labour MPs not to employ unpaid interns after Umunna advert
The BBC says that Jeremy Corbyn has reminded his MPs not to employ unpaid interns. This follows the news that Chuka Umunna advertised for a student from Leeds University to work for him without being paid. Umunna said that as he was advertising for someone on a year in industry placement, they would be supported by their student loan.

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Today’s Political Headlines include Philip Hammond’s call for capitalism to be reformed, directors made personally liable for nuisance calls, George Soros backing a campaign for second Brexit vote and Caroline Lucas stepping down as Green co-leader. 

Philip Hammond to call for capitalism to be reformed
According to The Daily Telegraph, Chancellor Philip Hammond is to use a major speech to argue that Thatcherite free market capitalism needs to be reformed in order to adjust to modern technology and win over millennials. Measures under consideration include greater state intervention to prevent near-monopolies such as Google and Facebook. Meanwhile, the BBC says that Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has called for migration targets to be dropped and for NHS spending to be prioritised over tax cuts.

Directors to be made personally liable for nuisance calls
The Times reports that the Government is to make the directors of firms which make nuisance calls personally liable for fines of up to £500,000. According to figures from the Information Commissioner’s Office, 46% of fines since 2010 have not been recovered owing to company liquidations.

George Soros backs campaign for second Brexit vote within a year
According to The Guardian, in a speech in Paris George Soros announced that the pro-remain Best for Britain campaign would launch within days. He said that the campaign aimed to secure a second referendum within a year to save the UK from ‘immense damage’ and that it would need to be won by a ‘convincing margin’. The group’s manifesto is expected to be launched on 8 June.

Caroline Lucas to step down as Green co-leader
The Guardian reports that Caroline Lucas will step down as co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales in September. She said that it was time to make ‘space for other people’, that a ‘far greater culture of professionalism’ had been introduced to the party and that she had no intention of standing for leader for a third time.

Sajid Javid halts removal of immigrants who altered tax returns
The Financial Times says that Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, has halted action against hundreds of immigrants facing extradition from the UK after they made changes to their returns. In addition, he has revealed that the Home Office is dealing with 226 inquiries from Commonwealth citizens with the right to remain in the UK who were denied the right to return after trips abroad.

HMRC fails to answer 4m calls a year
The Daily Telegraph reports that HMRC is failing to answer over four million calls a year, with over one in ten callers failing to speak to anyone – a doubling in the last year. Meg Hillier, Chair of the Commons Public Accounts Committee, said that the performance was ‘disappointing’ and accused HMRC of letting down self-employed taxpayers.

Commons committee recommends action on sugar
The Times says that the Commons Health and Social Care Committee will recommend that the sugar levy on soft drinks is extended to other products such as chocolate and puddings if sugar content is not reduced. It also recommends that social media firms ‘take responsibility’ for protecting children from junk food advertising and a 9pm watershed for junk food adverts on television.

Drone tests to be introduced
The BBC says that the Government is to introduce legislation to the Commons which would require drone users to pass online safety tests. There would also be a ban on flying drones within 1km of an airport or above 400ft. According to the aviation minister, Baroness Sugg, the measures will protect aircraft and passengers.

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Today’s Political Headlines include the UK’s negotiating tactics with the EU, Boris Johnson being prank called and Mark Carney issuing a warning over post-Brexit policy 

EU official says that the UK is ‘chasing a fantasy’
The Guardian reports that the EU has accused the Government of ‘chasing a fantasy’ and warned that it ‘doesn’t negotiate under threat’, following a suggestion that the UK would seek to recover over €1bn of contributions towards the Galileo satellite navigation programme. Disputes have also arisen over suggestions that the whole UK could remain partially inside the customs union or that the backstop could be timelimited.

Boris Johnson taken in by hoax callers
As The Times reports, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has been taken in by a Russian hoax-caller who pretended to be the new Prime Minister of Armenia. The callers, who have previously deceived Sir Elton John and President Erdogan, continued the conversation for 18 minutes and an investigation into the incident is now underway.

Mark Carney issues warning over post-Brexit policy
The Financial Times reports that Mark Carney, the Governor of the Bank of England, has warned that a ‘disruptive’ Brexit could lead to the institution having to choose between higher inflation or restricting economic activity. He said that ‘the bank is ready for Brexit’.

Home Office criticised over criminal record checks modernisation plan
The Guardian says that a report by the Commons Public Accounts Committee accuses the Home Office of a ‘masterclass in incompetence’ in its attempts to improve the Disclosure and Barring Service, which runs the criminal records checking scheme. The modernisation plan is over four years late and is expected to cost more that £229m more than expected.

Williamson warns that military cuts could lead to nuclear weapons being used
The Sun reports that Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has warned that the UK could be forced to use nuclear weapons if funding for conventional equipment was cut. Williamson told the RUSI’s Sea Power Conference that there needed to be funding for ‘conventional deterrence’. The paper suggests that Williamson is concerned about pressure to redirect conventional spending to cyber defence.

Hunt claims people want to pay more tax to fund NHS
The Daily Telegraph reports that Health and Social Care Secretary Jeremy Hunt told the Institute for Government that people recognise that they will have to pay more tax to fund the NHS last night, in what the paper claims is ‘a direct challenge’ to the Chancellor, Philip Hammond. It claims that the Treasury is ‘pushing back very hard’ against suggestions from Hunt and Theresa May that taxes should go up to pay for an increase in NHS funding.

Hague criticised for working for Putin-linked law firm
The Daily Mirror says that William Hague is ‘pocketing cash’ from Linklaters, despite the law firm being criticised by the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee for its links to Vladimir Putin. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said that ‘Lord Hague has serious questions to answer’ and called on Theresa May to take ‘urgent action’.

SNP commission recommends income tax breaks for skilled immigrants
The Daily Telegraph says that a report by the SNP’s Sustainable Growth Commission published today will recommend that giving skilled immigrants income tax breaks in order to encourage them to move to Scotland. Andrew Wilson, chair of the commission, said the Scotland’s ‘greatest national challenge’ was increasing its working age population.

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Today’s Political Headlines include Gove’s leaked letter, public perceptions of the House of Lords and the role of the EU’s Galileo programme.

Gove criticises Hammond in leaked letter

The Daily Telegraph has seen a letter sent by Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Michael Gove to the Chancellor Philip Hammond. In the letter, Gove accuses Hammond of being ‘short-sighted’ about Brexit and inflicting a ‘damaging blow’ to the Conservatives’ environmental credibility. He blames the Treasury for a defeat over environmental protections after Brexit last week and for blocking plans for give a new environmental watchdog the power to fine the Government and local authorities.

Lords of out tune with the will of the people, new poll finds

The Daily Mail says that a new poll has found that 76% of people agree that the House of Lords is ‘out of tune with the will of the British people’, with even more agreeing that it is an ‘outdated throwback’. Just 17% of respondents think that the House of Lords should be left untouched. Iain Duncan Smith said that peers should take the findings as a ‘warning’.

Galileo programme ‘key flashpoint’ in Brexit negotiations

The Daily Telegraph reports that the EU’s Galileo satellite navigation programme has become a ‘key flashpoint’ in Brexit negotiations this week. The UK has accused Brussels of not honouring promises made during the Brexit Bill negotiations by shutting British businesses out of the system, despite the UK having agreed not to demand its share of the costs back in return for continued access in the post-Brexit security partnership.

Javid promises new deal for police

The Sun says that Home Secretary Sajid Javid will promise ‘overstretched’ police chiefs a new deal when he addresses the Police Federation today. The paper says that this will mark a ‘seismic change of tone’ from that of Theresa May. An aide told the paper that while no new spending would be promised today, Javid wanted the Treasury to release more money.

Brexit leaves households £900 a year worse off, Bank of England says

The Times reports that the Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, claimed yesterday that households were at least £900 a year worse off and the economy as much as £40bn smaller as a result of Brexit. Boris Johnson claimed that Brexit had ‘absolutely not’ damaged the country’s interests.

May under growing pressure over customs union from Brexiteers

The Guardian claims that Theresa May is facing ‘growing pressure’ from Brexiteers to fully leave the customs union. Boris Johnson said that the UK should leave it with ‘confidence and brio and zap and dynamism’, Michael Gove said that the backstop should only be in place for a ‘short time’ and Jacob Rees-Mogg questioned if the Government ‘really wants to leave at all’. Separately, the BBC reports that Philip Hammond told the CBI’s annual dinner that staying in the customs union was not necessary.

Boris calls for ‘Brexit plane’

According to the Daily Mirror Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has ‘sparked outrage’ by calling for a private jet. Speaking on a trip to South America, Johnson complained that the plane shared by the Prime Minister, cabinet ministers and the royal family ‘never seems to be available’ and agreed with a reporter’s suggestion that he needed a ‘Brexit plane’.

UK becoming Europe’s cocaine capital, minister warns

The BBC reports that Security Minister Ben Wallace has said that the UK ‘is fast becoming the biggest consumer of cocaine in Europe’. Speaking during a debate on the Government’s serious violence strategy, he said that he wished he had more money and promised to bring forward new measures to crack down on knife possession and extend stop and search powers within weeks.

 

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