Eric Pickles

Political Headlines – Lord Pickles, Afghanistan, Bercow and Leadsom, and betting machines

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Today’s Political Headlines include Conservative peers potentially including Eric Pickles, troops to Afghanistan, Bercow calling Leadsom a ‘stupid woman’ and betting machine stakes delayed by two years. 

May to use royal wedding to distract from announcement of new peers
The Daily Mirror claims that Theresa May is using the royal wedding as a distraction from the announcement of ten more Conservative peers. A source in the Cabinet Office told the paper that it would be ‘a good time to bury bad news’, with potential candidates being former MPs Sir Eric Pickles, Peter Lilley, Sir Edward Garnier, Julian Brazier and Andrew Tyrie. New Labour peers are expected to include Martha Osamor and Iain McNicol, while former DUP MP William McCrea is also expected to join the House of Lords.

UK considers sending hundreds more troops to Afghanistan
According to The Times, the Government is considering sending hundreds more troops to Afghanistan following pressure from President Trump. An announcement is due to me made at a Nato summit in July, with one plan under consideration being for around 400 additional personnel to be deployed as part of a Nato training mission, almost doubling the number of UK troops in the country.

Bercow accused of calling Leadsom a ‘stupid woman’
The Daily Telegraph reports that Commons Speaker John Bercow has been accused of calling the Leader of the House of Commons, Andrea Leadsom, a ‘stupid woman’ in what the paper calls a ‘foul-mouthed tirade’ on Wednesday. The Speaker’s Office claimed that it was ‘an unusual and controversial day’ on which ‘some strong and differing views were expressed on all sides’.

Cut to betting stakes may be delayed by two years
The Times claims that the cut on the maximum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals from £100 to £2 may not be implemented for another two years, with the Treasury advocating that the measure comes into force in 2020. Tracey Crouch, the minister responsible, told the Commons that bookmakers would be given a ‘reasonable’ time to adjust.

Government set to ban flammable cladding
The Daily Mail reports that the Government is set to ban flammable cladding on tower blocks, following an angry reaction to Dame Judith Hackitt’s review of fire safety rules which did not back a wholesale ban of the material. Despite her recommendation, Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary told the Commons that the Government would consult on introducing a ban.

Greg Clark asks CMA to consider Sainsbury’s-Asda deal’s impact on suppliers
The Financial Times reports that Business Secretary Greg Clark has written to the Competition and Markets Authority to insist that its inquiry to the proposed takeover of Asda by Sainsbury’s examines the implications for supermarket suppliers. He wrote that this issue had been raised as part of his engagement with the sector.

Varadkar says that UK must keep somes ties to single market to avoid hard border
The Daily Mail says that the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, has warned that the UK must keep some ties to the single market after Brexit in order to avoid a hard border with the Republic of Ireland. He met Theresa May yesterday, cautioning that addressing the border issue would ‘require more than just customs’. The Sun claims the EU believes that a proposed ‘max fac’ customs system would not be ready for decades, with an official sarcastically suggesting that it might not be ready until 2085.

Neil Hamilton ousted as leader of UKIP in the Welsh Assembly
The BBC reports that Neil Hamilton has been ousted as leader of the UKIP group in the Welsh Assembly. His replacement is Caroline Jones, who won a vote held by the group yesterday afternoon. She said Hamilton had ‘done a good job’ and would be ‘difficult to follow’.

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betting machines

Political Headlines – betting machines, customs union, Brexit and East Coast

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Today’s Political Headlines include the cut to betting machine stakes, staying in the customs union beyond 2021, the Government’s 15th defeat on Brexit Bill in the Lords and the nationalisation of East Coast rail. 

Government cuts betting machine stakes
As the BBC reports, the Government has announced that the maximum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals is to be reduced to £2 from £100 under new rules. Sports Minister Tracey Crouch said that the change would ‘reduce harm for the most vulnerable’, but bookmakers have warned that the move could force them to close thousands of outlets

UK to tell EU it is prepared to stay aligned to customs union beyond 2021
The Daily Telegraph claims that the UK is to tell the EU that it is prepared to stay aligned to the customs union as a time-limited ‘backstop’, if new border technology is not ready by 2021. The plans were agreed at a meeting on the Brexit ‘war cabinet’ on Tuesday, despite objections from leading Brexiteers. Jacob Rees-Mogg has warned against creating ‘a position that is more attractive than a permanent deal’.

Lords inflect fifteenth defeat on Brexit bill
The Guardian says that the House of Lords has inflicted its fifteenth defeat on the EU (Withdrawal) Bill, with the Government losing a vote on an amendment on increasing environmental protection after Brexit by 294 votes to 233. The Government now has to decide when to bring the bill back to the House of Commons to try to undo the changes.

East Coast rail franchise taken under state control
The Financial Times reports that the East Coast rail franchise has been taken under state control for the third time in twelve years. The line is to be rebranded as London & North Eastern Railway, with a public-private partnership expected to run the franchise from 2020. Despite stripping them of the franchise, the Government has admitted that Virgin and Stagecoach are a ‘probable future bidder’ for this partnership.

Review will not recommend cladding ban
The BBC reports that a review of building regulations being carried out by Dame Judith Hackitt following the Grenfell tragedy will not recommend an outright ban on flammable cladding. Instead the review will call for a new building safety management system and criticise the current building regulations for being complex and not fit for purpose.

Police chiefs consider arming rural officers
The Times claims that the National Police Chiefs’ Council is considering plans to arm frontline police officers to cope with terrorist threats in rural areas. As the paper notes, the move ‘will be seen as controversial’ given the UK’s tradition of unarmed policing, but a spokesman said that the move was being considered in areas where having fully trained units on standby was too expensive.

UK should spend as much on defence as NHS, minister claims
Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Defence Minister Tobias Ellwood claimed that the UK should spend as much on the armed forces as it does on the NHS, warning that the UK is taking its ‘security for granted’. Health spending currently makes up 9.8% of the UK’s national income, compared to about 2% for defence spending.

Commons committee votes against Bercow investigation
The Guardian reports that an inquiry into allegations that John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons, bullied member of staff has been blocked by MPs. The probe by the parliamentary commissioner for standards, requested by Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen, was rejected by the Commons Standards Committee, by three votes to two.

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Brexit secretary

Political Headlines – Brexit white paper, illegal customs plan, Carillion collapse and Windrush

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Today’s Political Headlines include the promise of a Brexit white paper, a potentially ‘illegal’ customs plan, the Carillion collapse and the Windrush scandal. 

Government promises ‘significant’ Brexit white paper
The BBC reports the Government has claimed a new white paper on Brexit to be published before the EU summit in June will be its most significant publication on the EU since 2016. David Davis has told colleagues that it will include ‘detailed, ambitious and precise explanations of our positions’.

Customs partnership plan might be illegal
The Times claims that David Davis has told Theresa May that her preferred plan for a customs partnership with the EU could be illegal under international trade law. The Attorney-General will provide an urgent legal opinion to the Prime Minister before the Cabinet makes its final decision and will also consider the alternative ‘max-fac’ proposal, which critics have claimed the WTO might also challenge.

Carillion collapse blamed on ‘rotten corporate culture’
The BBC says that a report has blamed the collapse of Carillion on a ‘rotten corporate culture’ for which its board is culpable. The report by the Commons Work and Pensions and Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committees also calls for the break-up of the ‘big four’ audit firms.

63 wrongful removals linked to Windrush scandal
The Guardian reports that Home Secretary Sajid Javid told the Commons Home Affairs Committee yesterday that his department had identified 63 cases of wrongful removal connected to the Windrush scandal, and that this number could increase.

Scotland denies consent for EU (Withdrawal) Bill
As the Financial Times reports, yesterday the Scottish Parliament voted to deny consent for the Government’s EU (Withdrawal) Bill. Government compromises were enough to win support for the bill in the Welsh Assembly. The Government has made clear its intention to override Scottish objections.

Committee reports criticise Government energy policy
The BBC says that two committees have criticised the Government’s energy policies. The Commons Environmental Audit Committee found that investment in clean energy has dived, while the Commons Public Accounts Committee has found that policies to encourage clean heat have failed and often produce dirty heat.

Gove says that Conservatives need to find new economic arguments
The Daily Telegraph reports that Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Michael Gove told a Centre for Policy Studies event that the Conservatives need to find new economic arguments to win over young people, rather than relying on Thatcher’s reforms and comparing Corbyn to Venezuela.

Johnson claims Iranian nuclear deal still ‘has value’
According to The Sun, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson claimed last night that the nuclear deal with Iran still ‘had value’, as he held crisis talks with European and Iranian counterparts in an attempt to save the agreement after the USA pulled out.

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Jacob Rees Mogg

Political Headlines – Rees-Mogg, Labour’s Brexit and the Home Office

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Today’s Political Headlines include May’s confrontation with Rees-Mogg, Corbyn ruling out a Norway-style Brexit, MSPs to vote against Brexit and the Home Office accused of shambolic incompetence. 

May confronts Rees-Mogg at customs meeting
The Times claims that Theresa May ‘confronted’ Jacob Rees-Mogg at a meeting about customs after Brexit. The Prime Minister was meeting backbench Conservative MPs to outline the options for customs post-Brexit when the clash happened, with one Conservative MP saying that May ‘slapped him down very hard’. The Daily Telegraph claims that May admitted to MPs that negotiations have reached an ‘impasse’ as neither of her customs plans will work, increasing Eurosceptics’ fears that the transition period will be extended. As the BBC reports, EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier has warned that Brexit talks have made ‘little’ progress since March.

Corbyn rules out Norway-style Brexit
The Guardian says that Jeremy Corbyn has told Labour MPs that the party cannot consider a Norway-style Brexit, which would leave the UK as a ‘rule taker’. John Mann, who warned that Labour would lose seats such in his Bassetlaw constituency if it ‘watered down’ its Brexit position, said that the strength of feeling from other Labour MPs had killed off the EEA option. However, The Sun claims that Shadow International Development Minister Preet Gill has ‘risked the sack’ by calling for a ‘people’s vote’ on the final deal.

MSPs set to vote against EU (Withdrawal) Bill
The BBC reports that MSPs are set to formally refuse to give the Scottish Parliament’s consent to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill. The SNP are expected to be backed by Labour, Green and Lib Dem MSPs in the vote against the bill. The UK and Scottish Governments have been unable to reach an agreement over devolved powers after Brexit.

Home Office accused of ‘shambolic incompetence’
The Guardian claims that the Home Office has been accused of ‘shambolic incompetence’ after letter written by Caroline Noakes, the immigration minister, appeared to contradict what she told the Commons Home Affairs Committee about when she became aware of problems faced by highly skilled migrants. She claimed that the issue had been flagged up ‘two working days’ ago, but the letters suggest she was aware of the problem in February.

UK could withhold security clearance for firms working on Galileo
According to the Financial Times, the UK Space Agency has written to 13 British companies working on the EU’s Galileo satellite navigation system, warning them that the Government could withhold their security clearance to work on the project. The letter described the move as ‘a necessary consequence of the position taken by the European Union’.

Leaked letter shows incentive for benefit assessors to squeeze in more sessions
The Daily Mirror reports on a leaked letter which shows that disability benefit assessors employed by Atos have been given £50 rewards for fitting extra sessions into their day, which MPs fear could lead to tests being hurried and poor quality. Frank Field, Chair of the Commons Work and Pensions Committee, had written to the firm, asking it for more details.

Lords vote to start second part of Leveson inquiry
The Daily Telegraph reports that peers have voted to order the start of the second part of the Leveson inquiry of press standards, defying a vote by MPs last week. As a result, MPs will have another chance to vote on the issue, which the paper claims may be as soon as next Tuesday.

East Coast rail franchise to be terminated ‘in days’
The Financial Times reports that the Government will terminate Virgin and Stagecoach’s contract to operate the East Coast rail franchise ‘in days’, following heavy losses. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has the option of temporarily nationalising the line, or negotiating a not-for-profit management agreement with the existing operator.

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Politics on Sunday – Brexit and Tessa Jowell

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The Sunday political shows were dominated by two topics: the death of Tessa Jowell and Brexit.

Environment Secretary, Michael Gove was the most high-profile guest across the shows and he provided the biggest talking point by saying Theresa May’s post-Brexit customs plan has flaws.

The plan the Prime Minister is proposing would mean the UK has the same tariff on goods as the EU, but business will be able to claim back the difference if the rates in Britain are lower. Nick Robinson (standing in for Marr) asked Gove whether he agreed with Boris Johnson’s assessment that the arrangement proposed is crazy.

Gove said no model exists like the one being proposed and this immediately raises questions. Gove wants the Government to ‘crack on’ with finding solutions to these problems. Robinson asked Gove whether it was a possibility the transition period could be extended past December 2020; he answered, ‘I don’t believe in an extension’. He was also asked whether he thought the Brexit process was a shambles – unsurprisingly he replied it is not.

Arch-remainer Nicky Morgan appeared on Peston and she was not complimentary to either of the deals proposed. Morgan told Peston more information is needed on the matter but that the maximum facilitation deal relies on technology which does not yet exist and causes problems around Ireland. Morgan offered some hope to Theresa May by saying the Prime Minister could still offer a trade deal that would be accepted by the vast majority of the House of Commons if she stopped trying to appeal to the Brexiteers.

The Deputy Prime Minister of Ireland, Simon Coveney also appeared on Marr. Coveney wants the UK Government to come to an agreement on the customs policy so progress can be made on the border. Coveney made it clear that the Irish Government is not flexible on the matter of physical infrastructure on the Irish border. Coveney also said he is taking his lead from Theresa May and not any other member of the Cabinet. He had another warning for the UK Government by saying the Brexit negotiations would face a ‘difficult summer’ if the Government did not stick to its commitments.

Shadow Brexit Secretary, Keir Starmer said the option of a Norway-style deal for the UK would not work for the UK, the reason being Norway has physical infrastructure on its border with Sweden and this is not an option when it comes to the Irish border. Rebecca Long-Bailey also represented Labour on Peston and said no decision has been made on how to vote on a Lords amendment that would see the UK join the European Economic Area and stay in the single market. Long-Bailey said Labour wants to retain the benefits of the single market but through a bespoke deal.

There were many tributes to former Cabinet Minister, Tessa Jowell, who passed away. Alastair Campbell said she was the best in politics and the best in humanity. John Whittingdale paid tribute to her nonpartisan nature saying she wanted things to get done. On Marr, a clip was played of an interview Robinson had conducted with Jowell and it focused on the remarks ‘I am not afraid’ when speaking about the cancer she was ill with.

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Sunday politics shows 14 May

BBC

Political Headlines – Tessa Jowell, customs plans, MI5 and Russia

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Today’s Political Headlines include tributes to Tessa Jowell, doubts around May’s customs plans, MI5 chief condemning Russia and a new Windrush-style scandal. 

Politicians pay tribute to Tessa Jowell
The Guardian reports that politicians from across the political spectrum have paid tribute to Tessa Jowell following the announcement of her death yesterday. The Government has announced it will double its investment in brain cancer research to £40m and introduce a new test for brain cancer in all NHS hospitals, an issue Jowell focused on in the last months of her life, and spoke about to the BBC.

Gove casts doubts on May’s customs plans
Appearing on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Michael Gove, cast doubt on Theresa May’s proposed post-Brexit customs partnership, which he said had ‘flaws’ and had questions about its ‘deliverability’. Labour’s Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer told the programme that a customs union was the only solution. The Daily Mirror reports that David Miliband will share a platform with Nicky Morgan and Nick Clegg today, calling on MPs to vote down the Brexit deal if it is not good enough.

Head of MI5 to condemn Russia in speech today
The Times says that the head of MI5 is to deliver ‘Britain’s strongest condemnation yet of Russia’. Addressing European security chiefs in Berlin today, Andrew Parker, Director-General of the Security Service, will criticise the country for its ‘flagrant breaches’ of international law, blame it for the Salisbury poisonings and condemn its disinformation campaign. He will also call for a continued UK-Europe security partnership after Brexit.

Khan warns of new Windrush-style scandal
The Guardian reports that Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has warned that the Government may face another Windrush-style scandal, with children and teenagers born in the UK being left without access to education or employment owing to a £1,000 fee to gain citizenship. Khan has commissioned research to understand the scale of the problem and called for the Government to streamline the application process and waive the fees.

Erdogan calls UK a ‘valuable and reliable’ ally
The Times reports that President Erdogan of Turkey has called the UK a ‘valuable and reliable’ ally. He is in London for one of just two foreign visits while he campaigns for elections next month, and has promised to ‘co-operate more with the UK post-Brexit in every field’. He will meet the Queen, speak at Chatham House and meet investors.

Carillion used small suppliers to prop it up, MPs say
The Financial Times says that MPs investigating Carillion’s collapse have revealed new evidence showing that the firm used suppliers to ‘prop up its failing business model’. The final report is due to be published on Wednesday by the House of Commons Work and Pensions and Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committees.

Lords warned off attempts to resurrect Leveson
According to The Daily Telegraph, MPs have warned that attempts by the House of Lords to resurrect a second Leveson inquiry would breach the constitution and intensify calls for reform. Jacob Rees-Mogg has claimed that efforts by the Lords to salvage the inquiry would breach a convention which stops peers from ‘wrecking’ Government legislation.

Gyimah calls for the UK to rediscover its ‘spark of genius’
Writing for The Daily Telegraph, Universities and Science Minister Sam Gyimah has called for the UK to rediscover its ‘spark of genius’ and become a ‘science and technology superpower’. Today he, together with Business Secretary Greg Clark, will launch UK Research and Innovation, the new funding agency.

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Schooling

Political Headlines – grammar school, Brexit, Ministry of Defence and Leave.EU’s breach of election law

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Today’s Political Headlines include grammar school expansion, May’s two Brexit groups, Ministry of Defence spending plans and Leave.EU’s breach of election law. 

Government announces funding for grammar school expansion
The Daily Telegraph reports that Damian Hinds, the Education Secretary, will announce today a £50m Selective Schools Expansion Fund, allowing grammar schools to create up to 16,000 extra places over the next four years. He told the paper that grammar schools will be allowed to set lower pass marks in their entrance exams for disadvantaged children and that he was making money available to create new Voluntary Aided faith schools.

May divides Brexit sub-committee into two customs working groups
The Times reports that Theresa May has divided her Brexit cabinet sub-committee into two groups: one working on her favoured customs partnership plans, and one working on the ‘max-fac’ plan favoured by Brexiteers. The Financial Times adds that the Prime Minister has postponed Brexit legislation over fears that she could be defeated and does not expect a breakthrough on customs and border issues next week. The Guardian says that Labour backbenchers are keeping up their fight for Jeremy Corbyn to reconsider his opposition to EEA membership, as new polling shows majority support for a vote on the deal.

Ministry of Defence spending plans criticised by MPs
The BBC says that the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee has criticised the Ministry of Defence’s spending plans for being unrealistic, warning that they could be more than £20bn over budget. The Ministry of Defence claimed that MPs were highlighting an ‘unlikely worst-case scenario’. According to the Financial Times, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is to call for foreign companies to be blocked from a £1bn Royal Navy contract, which the paper warns ‘could push up costs for the stretched Ministry of Defence’.

Leave.EU fined for breaching election law
The BBC reports that Leave.EU has been fined £70,000 for breaching election law during the referendum on EU membership. The group failed to report at least £77,380 it spent and a senior figure has been referred to the police. Co-founder Arron Banks has claimed that this is a ‘politically motivated attack’.

Blair called on to apologise for rendition of dissident to Libya
The Times says that Tony Blair is being called on to apologise for the rendition to Libya of Abdul Hakim Belhaj, an opponent of the Gaddafi regime, and Fatima Boudchar, his pregnant wife, in 2014. Yesterday, Theresa May formally apologised to the couple as part of an out-of-court settlement.

MPs to debate votes at 16
The Daily Mail reports that MPs will debate a bill put forward by Labour MP Peter Kyle this morning, which would lower the voting age to 16 and put a polling station in every school. The paper reports that a growing number of Conservative MPs support the measure, with British Youth Council figures showing it has the backing of at least 314 out of 650 MPs.

Hunt and Hammond arguing about NHS budget increase
According to The Guardian, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Chancellor Philip Hammond are in dispute over a funding increase for the NHS. Hunt wants the NHS budget to grow by at least £5.2bn a year but Hammond favours an increase of around £3.25bn. The Prime Minister is expected to announce an increase around 7 July, the NHS’s 70th birthday.

Prime Minister ‘blasted’ by Grenfell families
The Daily Mirror says that families of those who died in the fire at Grenfell Tower have ‘blasted’ the Prime Minister following a meeting. The relatives want new members to be added to the panel leading the public inquiry, with a petition on the topic to be debated by MPs on Monday. However, Theresa May refused to commit herself either way in the meeting.

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Brexit

Political Headlines – Brexit deadline, NHS data sharing, Leveson II defeated and BoJo’s commitment to Iran deal

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Today’s Political Headlines include extending the Brexit deadline, NHS data sharing, Leveson II defeated and Johnson commits to Iran deal. 

Brexiteers suggest extending transition to break customs deadlock
The Sun claims that Brexiteers, including Theresa May’s former special adviser Nick Timothy and allies of Michael Gove, are suggesting extending the Brexit transition period to break deadlock over customs plans. This would give more time for their preferred ‘maximum facilitation’ plan to be implemented. May was reportedly planning to use a meeting of the Cabinet’s Brexit subcommittee on Tuesday to adopt an amended version of her plans for a customs partnership, but the paper claims that signs of a compromise are emerging.

Government stops forcing NHS to share data with Home Office
The Guardian reports that the Government has suspended arrangements under which the NHS shared patients’ data with the Home Office so that it could identify people breaking immigration rules. Opponents had warned that the policy was scaring some people away from seeking NHS care. The change was announced during a debate on the Data Protection Bill, with the Government accepting an amendment tabled by Conservative Dr Sarah Wollaston (Chair of the Health Committee) and Labour’s Dr Paul Williams.

Labour attempt to launch part two of Leveson defeated
The Guardian reports that the Government managed to narrowly defeat a Labour attempt to start the second phase of the Leveson inquiry in a House of Commons vote yesterday. Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Matt Hancock hailed ‘a great day for a free and fair press’ but Ed Miliband accused the Conservatives of breaking a pledge to phone-hacking victims and of giving the DUP what it has called ‘a Leveson for Northern Ireland’.

Johnson pledges UK commitment to Iran deal
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson told the House of Commons yesterday that the UK has ‘no intention of walking away’ from the Iran nuclear deal, despite the USA having pulled out. As the BBC reports, Sir Michael Fallon, Defence Secretary when the deal was signed, said that President Trump’s criticism of the ‘rather flimsy agreement’ was justified.

Tory MPs call for House of Lords to be overhauled
The Daily Mail says that ‘leading Tory MPs’ including Iain Duncan Smith, Bernard Jenkin, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Daniel Kawczynski have called for reform of the House of Lords after it amended the EU (Withdrawal) Bill 14 times. Duncan Smith called for a ‘complete and total overhaul’ while Rees-Mogg said that peers ‘are completely obsessed by the European Union.’

Williamson criticised over leak
According to The Times, ‘senior Conservatives’ and Number 10 have criticised Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson accusing him of playing politics with the Northern Irish peace process and leaking plans to set up a historical murders unit. The Daily Mail reports that service records of troops who served in the province are to be handed over to police.

May to face criticism over Erdoğan visit
The Financial Times says that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will start a three-day visit to the UK on Sunday, meeting both the Queen and Theresa May. The paper says the Prime Minister is likely to face criticism as the visit will be during snap elections which have been criticised by opposition and human rights groups.

Grayling announces digital railway overhaul
The BBC reports that Transport Secretary Chris Grayling is to announce a digital overhaul of the rail network. Network Rail will aim for 70% of journeys to benefit from digital technology by 2033, with new signalling improving frequency and capacity and reducing failures.

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Parliament

Political Headlines – defeat in the Lords, Iran, Windrush and Northern Ireland

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Today’s Political Headlines include Government defeat in the Lords (again), the Iran deal, Windrush errors and clashes over Northern Ireland. 

Government defeated by peers in single market vote
The Guardian reports that a shock defeat for the Government in the Lords will lead to MPs voting on remaining in the European Economic Area. 83 Labour peers voted against the party’s whip on an amendment for continued membership of the EEA. The Times says that Boris Johnson has dared Theresa May to fire him, with friends indicating that he has no intention of resigning despite describing the Prime Minister’s favoured customs plan as ‘crazy’. The Daily Telegraph suggests that May could bypass deadlock over this plan by putting it to the full Cabinet, rather than its Brexit sub-committee. According to the Financial Times, the Department for International Trade will get an additional £10m to prevent the loss of trade promotion jobs.

UK remains committed to Iran deal, despite US withdrawal
The BBC reports that the UK has insisted that it remains committed to the Iran nuclear deal, despite the decision of US President Donald Trump to abandon it. In a joint statement with France and Germany, the Prime Minister said that the agreement ‘remains important for our shared security’. Labour accused the President of a ‘reckless, senseless and immoral act of diplomatic sabotage’.

Home Office warned about Windrush errors five years ago
According to The Guardian, the Home Office was warned that Windrush generation residents had been incorrectly classified as being in the country illegally as long ago as 2013. The paper says that this undermines claims made by the department that it had thought that only a small number of people were affected by the scandal.

Cabinet clashes over plans to investigate killings by troops in Northern Ireland
The Sun claims that Cabinet ministers have clashed over plans to set up a new investigation unit into all 302 killings by troops during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The plans, put forward by Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley, will now be decided on by the Prime Minister after they were attacked by Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox and Brexit Secretary David Davis.

Hugh Grant urges MPs to vote for press reforms
The Daily Telegraph says that Hugh Grant has been persuading Conservative MPs to vote for Labour amendments which the paper claims amount to ‘curbs on press freedom’. Grant held a series of one-on-one meetings, and ten Conservative MPs are considering rebelling against the Government. Writing in the paper, Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Matt Hancock claims that the measures would ‘undermine the freedom of our press’.

Abrahams ousted from Labour’s frontbench after bullying investigation
The BBC reports that Debbie Abrahams has been sacked as Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary following an investigation into claims of workplace bullying. Abrahams, who was suspended from the role earlier this year, claims that the probe was ‘neither thorough, fair, nor independent’ and ‘strongly refutes’ the claims.

Heidi Alexander quits as MP
As The Guardian reports, Heidi Alexander is to stand down as the Labour MP for Lewisham East to take up the role of London’s Deputy Mayor for Transport, replacing Val Shawcross. The paper suggests that the Labour candidacy will prompt a battle between Momentum, trades unionists and Labour centrists, who control the local party’s executive.

Security firms could be banned from helping EU with Galileo programme
The Times claims the Government is investigating ways of banning technology companies from transferring sensitive information to Europe, if the EU blocks the UK from the Galileo satellite navigation system. The paper claims that there is ‘growing alarm in Westminster’ that the EU’s approach could threaten the future defence and security co-operation treaty.

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Bojo

Political Headlines – Boris Johnson, rail ticket prices and the intergenerational contract

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Today’s Political Headlines include Boris’ criticism of the ‘crazy’ customs plans, rail firms propose fares overhaul, tax old people to fund young people and the reduction in the Department for International Trade. 

Boris criticises ‘crazy’ customs partnership plans
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has told the Daily Mail that Downing Street’s proposed post-Brexit customs partnership plans are ‘crazy’ and would create ‘a whole new web of bureaucracy’. The Daily Telegraph has spoken to Jacob Rees-Mogg, chair of the pro-Brexit European Research Group, who tells the paper that Boris Johnson would be ‘more aggressive’ in negotiations than Theresa May, but that this could lead to a better deal. According to The Guardian, more work is being done on the customs proposals and they will not be discussed at this week’s cabinet Brexit sub-committee.

Rail firms to propose fares overhaul
The Times carries the news that rail companies are to propose what the paper calls ‘the biggest overhaul of the fares system since privatisation’. A public consultation will begin next month, with a report containing recommendations for the Government to be published in late autumn. Issues expected to be addressed include ‘split ticketing’, journeys which are both peak and off-peak, and part-time season tickets.

Give 25-year-olds £10,000 to fix intergenerational contract, think tank say
The Guardian says that a think tank has called for every person in Britain to receive £10,000 when they turn 25 in order to tackle the ‘broken’ intergenerational contract between millennials and baby boomers. The suggestion is made in the final report of the Resolution Foundation’s intergenerational commission, chaired by former Conservative minister David Willetts.

Department for International Trade axes 10% of trade promotion jobs
The Financial Times reports that the Department for International Trade is to cut hundreds of jobs promoting UK exports to countries such as China and Brazil, undermining the Government’s claims to be creating a ‘global Britain’. 10% of trade promotion jobs are expected to be cut owing to a budget squeeze which has pitted International Trade Secretary Liam Fox against the Treasury.

Williamson says that the UK is considering creating its own satellite navigation system
The Daily Telegraph says that it has been told by Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson that the UK has ordered experts to start drawing-up plans for the UK’s own £3bn satellite navigation system as a replacement for the EU’s Galileo scheme. He has suggested that it could be delivered in partnership with countries such as Japan, South Korea or Australia.

MPs to debate children ‘farmed out’ to care homes
The BBC reports that Labour MP Ann Coffey is to use a Commons debate to accuse the Government of breaking a promise to cut the number of children being ‘farmed out’ to children’s homes out of their area, warning that they could fall prey to paedophile and drugs gangs. The Daily Telegraph quotes Nadhim Zahawi, the children’s minister, as saying that children from broken homes should have the right to keep in touch with their grandparents.

Labour MPs revive progressive alliance debate
According to The Guardian, MPs from different wings of the Labour Party have revived the debate about a progressive alliance. Jon Cruddas and Clive Lewis have signed a letter to the paper calling for the reinstatement of three members expelled for supporting a National Health Action candidate against Jeremy Hunt at the last general election.

Editors criticise Labour press regulation amendments
The Times reports that editors have criticised two Labour amendments to the Data Protection Bill, which will be voted on tomorrow. They have warned that the amendments would ‘harm local democracy’ and ‘bring in stricter press regulation by the back door’. One would impose sanctions on publishers that didn’t join a state-recognised regulator, while the other would establish a new Leveson-style inquiry.

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Polling day local elections

Political Headlines – local elections, by-election, John Bercow and departments in the dark

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Today’s Political Headlines include mixed local election results, Sinn Féin’s Órfhlaith Begley wins West Tyrone by-election, more claims against John Bercow and departments in the dark. 

Mixed results for Conservatives and Labour in England local elections
Results are coming in from the local elections across the country, with 150 areas electing councillors, including all London boroughs. The Independent reports that although early results indicated that Labour had made gains in London they failed to take key London councils such as Barnet, Kensington and Chelsea, Wandsworth and Westminster. The Guardian reports that on a varied night for the leading parties, early analysis suggested a 1% swing to the Conservatives outside London, but a swing to Labour in the capital.

Sinn Féin’s Órfhlaith Begley wins West Tyrone by-election
Sinn Féin’s Órfhlaith Begley has won the West Tyrone by-election. The poll was triggered by the resignation of Sinn Féin’s Barry McElduff in January. The turnout was 55.13%. The BBC reports that police arrested a man on suspicion of possessing a firearm with intent following an incident at a polling station in Greencastle. It is understood after handing over his ballot paper, the man produced what appeared to be a handgun.

Further claims have emerged against speaker John Bercow
According to The Guardian, Bercow has faced fresh allegations of bullying, with parliament’s former Black Rod saying John Bercow’s ‘intemperate behaviour’ is ‘unworthy of someone in such public office’. It comes as Downing Street backed calls for a full investigation into bullying in Parliament, after former private secretary Angus Sinclair claimed Mr Bercow had verbally abused him and smashed a phone on a desk in a fit of rage. 

Committee report finds that Defra and International Trade departments are ‘in the dark’ over Brexit preparations
The BBC reports that a report from the Public Accounts Committee has found that the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and the Department for International Trade face an unprecedented challenge in preparing for Brexit. The two departments appear to lack a ‘clear plan’ of priorities.

European parliament and commission to keep UK outpost at former Conservative HQ
The Guardian has an exclusive report explaining how the EU plans to defy Tory Brexiteers and retain its offices in London. High-profile Brexiters had called last year for the EU to hand back the large red-brick building that was previously Margaret Thatcher’s headquarters and the scene of her general election victories.

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NHS

Political Headlines – breast cancer screenings, Windrush, Sajid Javid and the customs union

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Today’s Political Headlines include breast cancer screening failures, Government blocking Windrush disclosures, Sajid Javid siding with the Brexiteers and May’s ultimatum over the customs union. 

NHS breast cancer screening error
In a statement made yesterday by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, it was announced that around 450,000 women in England missed out on breast cancer screening due to a technical error. The Telegraph has reported that a nurse has accused the NHS of a ‘cover up’ after she and thousands of others fell victim to the biggest cancer scandal in the health service’s history. 

MPs vote against Windrush disclosures
The Guardian reports that the Government has defeated a Labour motion in the Commons seeking access to documents laying out the policies behind the Windrush crisis. Labour had hoped to force the Government to release documents about its immigration policy relating to people who came to the UK from Commonwealth countries. The Financial Times reports that the Prime Minister has announced an inquiry into what went wrong with the Windrush scandal, promising a review with ‘full access to all relevant information in the Home Office’.

Sajid Javid sides with hard-Brexiteers over the PM’s customs union plan
New Home Secretary and Remain voter Sajid Javid has switched sides to join Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and other Brexiteers in arguing that Mrs May’s preferred option for a customs deal should be ‘killed off’. The Telegraph reports that Theresa May has conceded that her plans for a customs partnership with the EU are ‘dead’ after senior Cabinet ministers turned on her during a crunch Brexit meeting.

May is being given an ultimatum by MPs over customs union
Sky News is reporting that Theresa May is facing huge pressure from pro-Brexit MPs as her feuding Cabinet ministers prepare to meet in a ferocious showdown on Government policy on customs. The Prime Minister’s so-called ‘Brexit war cabinet’ is meeting to attempt to reach a deal on whether the UK should leave Europe’s customs union or enter a ‘customs partnership’.

May and Corbyn clash over council tax bills ahead of local elections
The BBC reports that the two party leaders clashed yesterday over council tax bills ahead of today’s local elections. At Prime Minister’s Questions, Jeremy Corbyn said residents ‘paid more and got less’ from Conservative councils. But May said some residents in Labour-run Lambeth were paying twice as much council tax as those living in neighbouring Conservative Wandsworth.

Sajid Javid challenges Corbyn to condemn hard-left activists 
The Telegraph reports that Javid has challenged Jeremy Corbyn to ‘stamp on’ racist abuse coming from the hard left after the new Home Secretary was subjected to racially-charged abuse following his appointment, including being called a ‘coconut’ and an ‘uncle Tom’. 

PM calls for an investigation into claims of bullying by House of Commons speaker John Bercow
The Guardian reports that John Bercow, has come under mounting pressure after the prime minister called for new claims of bullying against him to be formally investigated. Bercow’s former private secretary alleged in a TV interview that the Speaker was prone to angry outbursts and obscene language.

TSB chief Paul Pester to forfeit £2m bonus in wake of IT meltdown
The Independent has reported that the Chief Executive of TSB will forfeit a £2m bonus payment in the light of an IT failure that left thousands of customers locked out of their accounts. Pester, as well as the bank’s chairman Richard Meddings, appeared before the Treasury Select Committee saying that they had received 40,000 complaints about the outage but did not know exactly how many of the bank’s 1.9 million online customers had been affected.

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Speaker

Political Headlines – Bercow accused of bullying, Government collapse, migration scandal and dirty money

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Today’s Political Headlines include Bercow accused of bullying, rebels threatening Government ‘collapse’, May rejected Rudd’s plans to exclude doctors from migration quotas and dirty money. 

Bercow accused of bullying by former private secretary
Speaking to BBC Newsnight, Angus Sinclair, John Bercow’s former private secretary accused the Speaker of bullying. By speaking about his experiences, Sinclair was breaking the terms of a non-disclosure agreement signed in 2010, as part of a deal in which he was paid £86,250, but said that he felt that this was ‘in the public interest’. Bercow has denied the accusations, which follow similar ones about Sinclair’s successor, Kate Emms.

Eurosceptic MPs threaten Government ‘collapse’ over customs plans
The Daily Telegraph says that sixty Conservative MPs from the European Research Group led by Jacob Rees-Mogg have sent the Prime Minister a thirty page dossier opposing plans for a post-Brexit customs partnership with the EU, warning that the Government will ‘collapse’ if she continues with them. According to The Guardian, the Cabinet Brexit sub-committee will not decide on the policy today, in order to head off a rebellion.

May rejected plans to exclude doctors from migration quotas
The Financial Times reports that Theresa May rejected calls from Amber Rudd to exempt doctors coming to work in the NHS from quotas for highly skilled migrants and claims that the Home Office may have falsely accused up to 7,000 foreign students of faking their English proficiency and ordered them to leave the country. The Guardian says that Labour is to use a parliamentary procedure to try to force the Government to publish papers relating to the Windrush scandal, The Daily Telegraph raises fears of another scandal over the deportation of highly-skilled migrants for minor tax errors, and The Times reports that ministers are investigating claims that an official received a bonus for deporting illegal migrants.

Government backs down over ‘dirty money’ amendment
The Guardian says that the UK’s overseas territories will be forced to adopt public registers of company ownership by the end of the decade, after the Government conceded its support to a backbench amendment designed to hamper the flow of ‘dirty money’. The amendment was tabled by Conservative MP Andrew Mitchell and Labour MP Margaret Hodge.

Brexit thinktank founder accused of working for Russia
The Times reports that Bob Seely, a Conservative MP, has accused Christopher Chandler, founder of the pro-Brexit thinktank the Legatum Institute of being a suspected Russian agent. He cited security files, authenticated by French, British and American sources. The institute has dismissed the claims as ‘complete nonsense’.

Cabinet ministers warn that local elections could lock Tories out of London
According to The Daily Telegraph, cabinet ministers have privately warned that Thursday’s local elections could lock the Conservatives out of London ‘for a generation’, which could be ‘hugely damaging’ to Theresa May’s leadership. Conservative strongholds such as Westminster or Wandsworth could be lost, the paper suggests.

Hammond threatens to disrupt EU’s Galileo project
The Financial Times claims that Chancellor Philip Hammond wants to undermine the EU’s Galileo satellite navigation project by disrupting the transfer of encryption technology from the UK, following the EU’s decision to bar UK companies from sensitive parts of the project.

Home Office undermining modern slavery strategy, report says
The Times says that a Public Accounts Committee report finds that Home Office failings are undermining the Government’s modern slavery strategy. The report claims the department does not know if the strategy is working and is taking too long to turn it into action.

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Sajid Javid

Political Headlines – Sajid Javid, Brexit, trade tariffs and Netanyahu

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Today’s Political Headlines include Javid’s Home Secretary debut, the Government’s Brexit defeat in the Lords, Trump postponing his trade tariff decision and Netanyahu’s accusations against Iran. 

Sajid Javid makes his debut as Home Secretary
Both the Guardian and The Times lead on Sajid Javid’s debut as Home Secretary, questioning the extent to which he may amend policy on immigration. The Times has reported that Javid has told the Home Office that he will ditch the policy of creating a ‘hostile environment’. He criticised the use of the term ‘hostile’, calling it ‘unhelpful’ and not representative of the UK’s values. The newspapers claim that Javid will consider the department’s structures, as well as reviewing individual policies in the upcoming weeks.

Lords defeat Government in Brexit vote
The Daily Mail’s front page features an editorial on the Lords’ Brexit victory yesterday. May was compared to Adolf Hitler during the debate last night as peers handed the Government another defeat over Brexit. The House of Lords voted in favour of giving Parliament powers to stop the UK from leaving the EU without a deal. 19 rebel Tories backed the amendment, which was passed by 335 votes to 244. If the amendment is not overturned by the Commons, May will lose the option of walking away with no deal. The Mail says that “the Remainer elite, in cahoots with Brussels, is fighting a guerrilla war against Brexit using any means it can”.

Trump postpones decision over EU trade tariffs
The Guardian has reported that Donald Trump has postponed a decision on the introduction of EU trade tariffs. The White House has extended the EU’s exemption from tariffs on steel and aluminium, which was due to expire today. In March, Trump imposed a worldwide 25% tariff on steel imports and a 10% tariff on aluminium, granting temporary exemptions to Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and the EU. The White House has announced that, in addition to those involving the EU, negotiations with Canada and Mexico have also been extended.

Israeli Prime Minister accuses Iran of lying about weapons programme
The Daily Telegraph devotes its front page to the television broadcast delivered last night by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing Iran of lying about its weapons programme both before and after the 2015 nuclear deal. Netanyahu claimed that Israeli spies had obtained ‘half a tonne’ of confidential documents proving that Iran’s leaders had failed to provide a full account of their past nuclear activities and that they were maintaining the expertise to build a bomb in the future. Netanyahu declared ‘the nuclear deal is based on lies. It is based on Iranian lies and Iranian deception’.

Theresa May faces mounting pressure to resign
The Daily Mirror’s front page features the headlines ‘Mayday Mayday’, referring to a ‘Prime Minister in Crisis’. The story reports on the mounting pressure on Theresa May to resign over the Windrush scandal. The newspaper speaks of May being left exposed to attack, after the resignation of her close ally Amber Rudd and criticism from new Home Secretary Savid Javid over her previous ‘hostile environment’ immigration policy.

The UK faces a care crisis
The Daily Express leads with two stories that it claims highlight a ‘caring crisis’. One is about a man suffering from Parkinson’s who was reportedly beaten in a care home, while the other story is about a terminal cancer patient’s 16-hour wait for a hospital bed.

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Politics on Sunday: What came before the resignation?

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Much of the Sunday political shows was focused on Amber Rudd’s future, which we now know was severely limited.

Brandon Lewis was sent out on the Marr show to defend Rudd. The interview had the potential to be quite interesting as Lewis was the immigration minister last year so he may have been sent out to defend himself. Beyond the standard defence of ‘tackling immigration is the right thing to do’, what the Chair of the Conservative party did manage to do was say Rudd knew of the ambition to increase deportations but it was not a target. When asked whether he and Amber Rudd had ever directly discussed deportation targets, Lewis replied by saying he has been in a room talking about increasing the number of returns.

Defenders of Rudd were also on Peston. Jo Johnson said he is a ‘big big fan’ of Rudd and she’s a great Home Secretary. Johnson also went on to say that it is unrealistic to expect a Secretary of State to see every single memo, which may be true but it is still that Secretary of State’s responsibility if things go wrong. Thankfully Robert Peston pointed out that this is not a trivial matter and is a central element of the department’s work. Ed Vaizey was also on Peston and he said Rudd is fantastic but the last week had not been great and she will have questions to answer (which she now won’t as she has resigned).

Various other matters were discussed throughout the shows. Leader of the Lib Dems, Vince Cable, talked about immigration, saying that several governments have decided the public are bigoted and they need policies to feed their desires. Cable said, ‘race has been a key factor in British politics’. Cable also took a more considered approach when speaking about Rudd’s future saying he wanted to hear what she had to say for herself. Marr did point out that this considered approach may be due to the Lib Dems perhaps being somewhat responsible for the hostile environment policy as they were in government at the time. Cable defended his approach and party by saying for much of his time in power he and his party were fighting against these policies.

Andrew Gwynne also appeared on Marr and he was asked about anti-Semitism. He said it has been made clear by Jeremy Corbyn that Labour party members should not be sharing a platform with anybody found guilty of anti-Semitism or expelled from the party. When asked why this was not put into the party rule book, he repeated his previous point saying it is clear what should and should not be done. He also said the Labour party wants to work with Jewish community groups to change the rules of the party to provide a wider definition of anti-Semitism. Marr provided an example of Jewish people being held responsible for the actions of Israel, Gwynne responded by saying people can criticise any government in a democracy but criticising Jewish people should not be happening. Gwynne is also managing Labour’s local election campaign and he attempted to cool expectations saying it would be difficult to get as good a result in 2014.

Mayor of London, Saqid Khan, also appeared on Peston. He said he thinks there will be protests when Donald Trump visits the UK but said it would probably be inappropriate for him to join in with the protests. He also spoke about how both Theresa May and Trump have created hostile environments in their own countries. Khan would back the Prime Minister if she was to give preferential immigration rights to EU citizens after Brexit. He also spoke about former Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, saying that he feels he should be removed from the Labour party and he cannot understand why it is taking so long for a decision to be made.

The leader of UKIP, Gerard Batten, appeared on Robert Peston and when speaking about anti-Semitism he accused the religion of Islam as being inherently anti-Semitic. Robert Peston later sent out a tweet saying Batten’s slur on Muslims is appalling and are the views of the UKIP leader. Batten was then questioned on a statement he has made saying that being called a racist is now worse than being called a murderer or a paedophile; Batten answered by saying he meant you are guilty until you can prove your innocence. Batten also spoke about Sadiq Khan’s statement that he wants an immigration system where EU migrants are given preferential treatment, Batten questioned whether this is racist as most EU citizens are white.

Other guests included: Kate Hoey, who said the one good thing that may come out of the Windrush scandal is that the Home Office may be properly reformed so we no longer see such ridiculous things happen like letters and passports being lost; Jo Swinson said she will be protesting Donald Trump when he visits in the Summer due to the values that he stands for; Ed Vaizey feels the Conservative will have to work doubly or triply hard to win back voters from a BAME background; and John McDonnell spoke about the local elections and said too many factors come into play for any prediction to be made now.

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Sunday politics

 

Rudd

Political Headlines – Rudd’s resignation, better roads, debt trap and David Davis

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Today’s Political Headlines include Rudd’s resignation, utility companies avoiding roads, capping interest payments and David Davis backlash. 

Rudd resigns, having ‘inadvertently misled’ Parliament
Home Secretary Amber Rudd resigned last night, admitting that she ‘inadvertently misled’ MPs over targets for removing illegal immigrants, the BBC reports. The BBC expects her successor to be announced ‘within hours’. Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott said that Amber Rudd had ‘done the right thing’, but that as ‘architect of the crisis’ Theresa May must come before the Commons to explain what she knew.

Government plans to order utility companies to avoid roads
The Times reveals that the Government intends to order utility companies to put new pipes or cables under pavements and verges under plans to cut congestion and reduce potholes. The paper has conducted an investigation into British roads, which also finds that they are 27th for quality in the world, the use of variable speed limits will be cut and that local councils are using bureaucratic measures to avoid repairing potholes.

Labour announces plans to cap interest payments and overdraft fees
The Financial Times reports that Labour is to announce plans to cap the total amount that can be paid in overdraft fees or interest payments in order to help those caught in a ‘debt trap’. The party proposes that the cap on charges by payday lenders should be extended by the Financial Conduct Authority to cover the cost of overdraft borrowing.

Davis faces backlash after urging Prime Minister to ignore top Brexit civil servant
According to The Daily Telegraph, Brexit Secretary David Davis is facing a backlash over claims he told the Prime Minister to ignore a customs partnership plan backed by Oliver Robbins, her top Brexit civil servant. Writing in The Sun, Davis warns that a bid by the House of Lords to let Parliament control the negotiations would lead to a major constitutional crisis. The paper also claims that a senior cabinet minister has told it that May’s favoured customs plan ‘would be a disaster’. DUP leader Arlene Foster has told the BBC that Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, does not understand the unionist stance on Brexit.

McDonnell dismisses Russian Twitter bot claims
According to The Guardian, John McDonnell has said that claims made by The Sunday Times that Labour was supported by Russian Twitter bots during the general election are similar to smears against Neil Kinnock before the 1992 election. He dismissed the assertion that 6,500 suspect accounts published pro-Corbyn, anti-Conservative messages as ‘ludicrous’.

£15 congestion charge may be imposed at Heathrow
The Daily Telegraph reports that Heathrow may impose a £15 congestion charge on 82 miles of road surrounding the airport in a bid to meet emissions targets. The airport is consulting on the plans, which it views as a ‘last resort’, but according to ‘Whitehall sources’ Transport Secretary Chris Grayling believes they are the only realistic way to meet emissions targets.

Hancock to hold talks with FA over Wembley sale
In an exclusive, The Sun reveals that Culture Secretary Matt Hancock is to hold talks with the Football Association to ensure that Wembley remains England’s base ‘for generations to come’. The paper claims that ministers are ‘furious’ that the FA did not give the Government a warning about how advanced talks to sell the stadium were.

Politicians call for Sainsbury’s-ASDA deal to be investigated
As the BBC reports, senior politicians have called for an investigation into the deal between Sainsbury’s and Walmart-owned ASDA. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable warned that local monopolies would be created, while Shadow Business Secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey expressed concern about the impact on suppliers.

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Amber Rudd

Political Headlines – Rudd (again), rail franchising, customs plans and shock collars

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Today’s Political Headlines include Rudd accused of muddying the Brexit waters, the Committee report criticising rail franchising, May warned to abandon customs plans and Gove stands down in shock collar row. Oh, and Trump is visiting. 

Rudd accused of widening tensions over Brexit and abandons immigration targets
The Times says that Amber Rudd has been accused of deliberately widening Conservative tensions over Brexit by saying that she was ‘not going to be drawn’ over whether the UK would stay in a customs union with the EU. It also reports that she has promised to end immigration removal targets, having previously denied their existence, and that new statistics show that knife crime has increased 22% in the last year.

Committee report heavily criticises rail franchising
The Guardian carries details of a report on rail franchising by the Commons Public Accounts Committee. The report finds that the current system is broken, with passengers carrying the cost. It accuses the Government of ‘completely inadequate’ management of two franchises, of failing to learn from its mistakes, and of being too ambitious. The Government has described the report as imbalanced and disappointing.

May warned to abandon Brexit customs plans
The Times claims that Theresa May has been warned to abandon her plans for a ‘blue skies’ customs deal with the EU after both remain and leave supporting Conservative MPs rejected it, with ‘senior Government figures’ expecting the plan to be dropped before a cabinet meeting on Wednesday. The Financial Times says that the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, told a financial conference that claims that ‘the EU desperately needs the City of London’ were false. The Daily Telegraph reports that Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has accused Nicola Sturgeon of rejecting the Governments EU (Withdrawal) Bill for ‘nationalist’ reasons.

Gove stands down in shock collar row
The Times reports that Michael Gove has stood down in a row over shock collars for pets, limiting proposals for a ban to those used to train animals as opposed to those used to contain them. The move was confirmed in what the paper calls ‘a carefully scripted exchange’ with former Conservative minister John Hayes.

New poll puts Labour on 51% in London
The Sun reports on a new poll, showing that Labour has the support of 51% of voters in London ahead of the local elections next week, compared to 29% for the Conservatives. The paper warns that this would mean that Labour would not gain control of Wandsworth and Westminster councils, with its support having dropped 3% since February.

Starmer attacks Len McCluskey in antisemitism row
The Times says that Sir Keir Starmer has attacked Len McCluskey, after the general-secretary of Unite accused ‘Cobyn-hater’ Labour MPs of presenting the party as a ‘morass of misogyny, antisemitism and bullying’. However, Starmer said that the party’s antisemitism problem was ‘obvious’ and those who denied it were ‘part of the problem’.

Ruth Davidson announces pregnancy
As the BBC reports, Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has announced that she is three months pregnant. She and her partner Jen Wilson are expecting their first child in October, following IVF, and she has confirmed that she will be taking some time off for maternity leave.

Date for Trump visit set
The BBC reports that President Trump is to visit the UK on Friday 13 July, after previously cancelling a trip. It will not be a state visit, although the BBC understands that an invitation for one still stands. He will hold talks with Theresa May and is likely to meet the Queen.

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EU UK boxing gloves

Political Headlines – Brexit, migrant targets, Dominic Raab and Tory rebels

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Today’s Political Headlines include the UK attempting to outmanoeuvre the EU, Home Office migrant targets, Raab’s aide selling sex and Tory rebels forcing the Government to be more transparent. 

UK to try to outmanoeuvre EU on post-Brexit relationship
The Sun says that the Government has agreed a ‘high-risk’ plan to publish a post-Brexit trade deal wish list. It will publish the draft text of the political statement on the future relationship in a bid to outmanoeuvre the EU. The Daily Mail warns that British citizens may have to pay £6 every time they visit the EU after Brexit, while The Daily Telegraph says that the DUP has threatened to bring down the Government if the UK stays in the customs union or single market after Brexit, ahead of a symbolic vote by MPs on the customs union today.

Home Office had migrant removal targets
The BBC reports that immigration enforcement teams had been set targets to remove people with no right to stay in the country. Giving evidence to MPs over the Windrush scandal, Home Secretary Amber Rudd had denied that targets were currently in use, but a report shows that they existed in December 2015.

Raab aide caught selling sex online, sparking security fears
In an exclusive, the Daily Mirror reveals that an aide to Housing Minister Dominic Raab has been caught selling sex to ‘sugar daddies’, telling an undercover reporter that ‘I know everything about him. I know his every move’. The paper calls this a ‘huge potential security breach’ as it makes the aide a possible blackmail target.

Tory rebels to force Government to make overseas territories more transparent
The Times claims that new laws forcing the UK’s overseas territories to improve transparency and expose ‘corrupt Russian oligarchs’ are to be forced on the Government. A coalition of Tory rebels, Labour, the SNP and other opposition parties will challenge the Government next week. Andrew Mitchell, leader of the rebels, said that he had the backing of 19 Conservative backbenchers.

£300m investment in AI in new sector deal
The Financial Times reports that the Government is to invest £300m into artificial intelligence research in a bid to fend off competition from France and Germany. The new AI sector deal will be jointly overseen by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

Food and drink firms join forces to eliminate plastic
The Daily Mail says that 42 of the UK’s supermarkets and food and drink firms have joined forces to create the ‘UK Plastics Pact’. They have agreed to eliminate non-reusable packaging by 2025, in a move backed by Environment Secretary Michael Gove.

Task force to support veterans will be announced today
The Sun says that the Government is to launch a task force of ministers from every department to support veterans. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson will launch the Veterans Strategy today at a meeting of the Ministerial Covenant and Veterans Board.

Heidi Alexander may quit Commons to work for Mayor of London
According to The Guardian, Labour MP Heidi Alexander is considering leaving the House of Commons in order to work for the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, in a ‘prominent role’. The Lewisham East MP quit the frontbench in protest in 2016 and co-chairs Labour’s campaign for the single market.

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Labour leader

Political Headlines – antisemitism, junk food, illegal immigrants and a customs partnership

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Today’s Political Headlines include Labour’s promise to settle antisemitism cases, action on junk food, amnesty for illegal immigrants and the completely cretinous customs partnership. 

Labour promises to settle antisemitism cases by July
The BBC reports that Labour has promised to settle the ‘vast majority’ of antisemitism cases by the end of July, following a meeting between Jeremy Corbyn, the Jewish Leadership Council and the Board of Deputies of British Jews. The organisations said that the talks were a ‘disappointing, missed opportunity’ and that a plan of action was not agreed, although Corbyn claimed that the meeting was ‘positive and constructive’.

Opposition parties offer support for Government action on junk food
The Times reports that buy-one-get-one-free deals on junk food will be banned, with action to combat unhealthy lifestyles due to be announced before the end of June. Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Scottish National Party have written to the Prime Minister in a joint letter co-ordinated by Jamie Oliver, warning that she must not backtrack on the measures and offering their support for ‘bold action’.

Johnson challenges May to introduce amnesty for illegal immigrants
The Daily Telegraph claims that Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson challenged the Prime Minister to introduce an amnesty for illegal immigrants at a meeting of the Cabinet, providing that they are ‘squeaky clean’ and don’t have criminal records. Meanwhile, The Guardian reports that the number of cases of Home Office mistreatment of non-Caribbean Commonwealth-born citizens is increasing.

Rees-Mogg describes ‘customs partnership’ plans as ‘completely cretinous’
The BBC says that Conservative backbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg has described Theresa May’s plan for a ‘customs partnership’ with the EU after Brexit as ‘completely cretinous’. Speaking at an event organised by the thinktank Open Europe, he said that Theresa May’s attitude to Brexit was ‘enigmatic’ and that ‘it’s hard to read what level of enthusiasm she has for it’.

UK and Welsh Governments reach agreement over post-Brexit powers
The BBC reports that the UK and Welsh Governments have reached agreement over changes to devolved powers in the EU (Withdrawal) Bill, with Welsh Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford saying that powers in areas ‘currently devolved remain devolved’. However, the Scottish Government has rejected the latest offer.

Greg Clark under pressure to review takeover rules
The Daily Mail says that Business Secretary Greg Clark is under pressure to review takeover rules after the Government approved Melrose’s takeover of engineering firm GKN. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has secured a veto on the sale of sensitive parts of the business by Melrose to protect the UK’s national security.

Record number of EU nurses leave UK
The Guardian reports that record numbers of nurses and midwives from EU27 countries left the UK last year, which it says fuels ‘fears that a Brexit brain drain will deepen the NHS’s already chronic staffing crisis.’ The number of EU nurses and midwives arriving to work in the EU has also fallen to its lowest level.

UK exploring launch of rival to EU’s Galileo system
According to the Financial Times, the Government is exploring plans to launch its own satellite navigation system as a rival to the EU’s Galileo system, while Business Secretary Greg Clark is also taking legal advice on whether the UK will be able to reclaim the €1.4bn it has invested in the project since 2003, after the EU’s decision to exclude the UK from secure parts of the project.

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headlines

Political Headlines – Home Office culture, Corbyn meeting Jewish leaders and Brexit

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Today’s Political Headlines include Rudd vowing to change the Home Office culture, Corbyn meeting Jewish leaders, Government suffering Brexit defeat in the Lords, and the border issues. 

Rudd vows to change Home Office culture
The Times says that Amber Rudd has promised to change the culture of the Home Office, amid concerns that the Windrush scandal could lead the Tories to lose ethic minority support. An emergency package of measures announced by the Home Secretary will see every Commonwealth citizen who arrived in the UK between 1948 and 1988 offered citizenship or settled status. According to the Financial Times, she has also claimed that the post-Brexit registration system for EU nationals will be ‘as easy to use as setting up an online account at LK Bennett’.

Corbyn to meet Jewish leaders
The BBC reports that Jeremy Corbyn is to meet the Jewish Leadership Council and the Board of Deputies of British Jews today to discuss the steps he has taken to address antisemitism in the Labour Party. The bodies want disciplinary cases to be sped up and elected officials to be thrown out if they share a platform with offenders.

Government suffers third Brexit defeat in Lords
The Guardian reports that the Government was defeated on the EU Withdrawal Bill in the House of Lords yesterday, with peers voting by a majority of 77 to keep the fundamental charter of EU rights in force after Brexit. The Government also lost a series of other votes that could have given ministers the power to restrict the use of EU law principles to challenge the Government, but won a vote on public health protection.

EU note suggests their border plan may not work
The Times has seen a ‘confidential diplomatic note’ in which the European Commission and other EU negotiators admit that their ‘backstop’ plan to prevent a hard border in Ireland after Brexit will not work, as Northern Ireland could become a loophole in the single market.

May urged to confront pro-EU rebels
According to The Sun, Theresa May is being urged by her allies to confront pro-EU rebels with a vote in the Commons, with the paper reporting that May will instead tell ministers to stay away from a debate on the customs union on Thursday. Allies have apparently warned May that avoiding confrontation is ‘emboldening Brussels negotiators’.

MPs launch inquiry into hand car washes
The BBC reports that the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee has launched an inquiry into hand car washes, investigating concerns that they are damaging the environment and exploiting workers. Committee chair Mary Creagh said that though the washes were ‘cheap and convenient’, prices may be ‘too good to be true’.

Food banks hand out record number of meals
The Daily Mirror reports that the Trussell Trust, the UK’s largest food bank operator, handed out nearly 12 million meals in the last year, a record number and an increase of 13% on the last year. The trust called on the Government to increase benefits in line with the cost of essentials and said that some claimants had been ‘let down’ by the Universal Credit rollout.

Government nearing deal over plans to cut gambling machine stakes
The Times says that the Treasury has now signalled that a deal has been reached on plans to cut the maximum stake on highly addictive gambling machines to £2. Allies of the Chancellor said that an agreement with Culture Secretary Matt Hancock was ‘very nearly there’ and that levies on other forms of gambling would increase to replace lost revenue.

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