Politics on Sunday – Windrush dominates

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Discussion around the awful treatment of the Windrush generation dominated the Sunday political shows, which included all the usual shows but with Nick Robinson standing in for Andrew Marr.

Robinson asked David Gauke, the justice secretary, if he is ashamed of what has happened to people who were invited to this country and have spent the majority of their lives here. Gauke said he was and that the treatment of the Windrush British Citizens was wrong. The Justice Secretary was played a clip from 2004 of Theresa May on Question Time saying politicians should not blame other people for mistakes that are made – Robinson then suggested Amber Rudd should resign due to the failures that have occured.

Rudd is not popular with Brexiteers in her party and it was also revealed that she had boasted about her harsher immigration strategy. Gauke said Rudd should ‘absolutely’ stay in her job despite the clear issue. Throughout Gauke’s interview, he kept reiterating the point that addressing illegal immigration is right, however he did keep clarifying that those from the Windrush generation are not illegal immigrants.

Unsurprisingly, Robinson’s next guest Emily Thornberry, shadow home secretary, disagreed with Gauke and said that Rudd should quit as ‘she is clearly doing very badly at her job at the moment’. Thornberry made a strong case pointing out that people have died and lost their jobs and she does not see how Rudd apologising makes any of this better. Thornberry stated a few factors to show how the policy was deliberate, these are:

  • Government commitment to get immigration to the tens of thousands despite not being able to control EU immigration
  • The hostile environment policy and the ‘go home vans’
  • In new legislation on immigration checks protection for citizens born in the Commonwealth was removed

Thornberry was also asked whether she felt ministers are racist or was it the policy that was racist; she replied by saying she was not going to fling such accusations at people. She said, ‘it is unfair’ to have different rules for people that have not come from or are not coming from the EU.

Poet Benjamin Zephaniah also appeared on Marr and spoke about Windrush. He feels the black community is united and angry about their treatment – he said even black people who do not have any connections to the Commonwealth are angry. He also called for action to be taken ‘immediately’ to assist people who have been affected.

The talk around Windrush was not limited to the Marr show, as all the shows had guests who spoke on the matter. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell, spoke about the hostile environment policy and how it was a terrible. When asked who he thought was responsible, McDonnell said he thinks it is Theresa May as she was home secretary at the time and Amber Rudd as she is the current home secretary.

Baroness Warsi, a former chair of the Conservative Party, was interviewed on Peston and said it could have been her family that were victims of the current scandal and many first and second-generation migrants feared a circumstance like this happening and their fears have come true. Warsi was a member of the Government that oversaw the ‘go home vans’ and she was questioned on this by Peston. She said she was not publicly happy with the policy and privately she was ‘appalled’. She also referenced that the kind of thing she never thought would appear again in British politics has appeared again in the last few years.

James Brokenshire, former minister for security and immigration, was asked by Peston whether he felt personally responsible for what has happened. He replied by saying he thinks it is right the Government have apologised and he never foresaw this.

On Sunday with Paterson, Labour MP Dawn Butler said the Prime Minister is leading a Government that is putting institutionally racist policies into place. Butler said that May should consider her own position and an apology is not enough in this circumstance. Butler also said she sees the Windrush scandal as a disgrace. Tobias Ellwood, Conservative MP, represented the Government on Sunday with Paterson – he said the situation needs to be rectified as these are not people who should be facing the current situation they are in.

While Windrush dominated, there was some discussion with Emily Thornberry on anti-Semitism in the Labour Party – where she said it will be sorted out. She also told a story of how a woman started a conversation with her and started being anti-Semitic to show support to the Labour Party, Thornberry condemned this by saying it is unacceptable. Ellwood spoke on whether Parliament should be consulted on military action, he said it could give your strategy away. He also said the rules around war are being eroded.

John McDonnell said the mandate of the Bank of England could be changed, but its independence would be maintained. The change in mandate would likely be looking at giving the bank some responsibility over employment like the American model. Olympian Tom Daley also appeared on Marr and spoke about LGBT rights across the Commonwealth. He said he does not need to be worried about being who he is in the UK but if he was born in another country in the Commonwealth this would not be the case.

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Sunday politics 23 April

Map

Political Headlines – UK leaving the customs union, Windrush and children of alcoholics

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Today’s Political Headlines include the UK leaving the customs union, the hostile environment made for Windrush generation, help for children of alcoholics and Hammond blocking the betting machine curb.  

Government insists that the UK will leave EU customs union
The BBC reports that the Government has insisted that the UK will not be in a customs union with the EU, ahead of a symbolic vote of the issue this week. The Times reveals that Brexit-supporting cabinet ministers are to call on Theresa May to abandon her proposals for a customs partnership with the EU, which they view as unworkable, and urge her to focus on an option which minimises but does not eliminate checks. The paper reports that May will respond by telling ministers that the Government needs room for manoeuvre on the issue.

Letter shows Government knew that ‘hostile environment’ hurt Windrush generation
According to The Guardian, a May 2016 letter from James Brokenshire, the then immigration minister, shows that the Government has known about the impact of its ‘hostile environment’ policy on the Windrush generation for years. The paper says that Home Office sources have indicated that legislation could be rushed through Parliament to give those affected, citizenship.

£6m to help children of alcoholics
The BBC reports that the Government has announced £6m to help children with alcoholic parents get support and advice, including fast access to mental health services and programmes to treat addiction. The move, announced by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, has been welcomed by Shadow Health Secretary Jon Ashworth, who grew up with an alcoholic father and says that the plans ‘would have made a tremendous difference to my childhood.’

Hammond blocks curb on betting machines
The Times claims that Philip Hammond has prevented a cut to the maximum stake on fixed odds betting terminals, with the Treasury refusing to sign off a decision as it is not confident that lost tax revenues would be replaced. The issue has reportedly been left until after the local elections, with bookmakers hoping to reach a ‘backroom deal’ with ministers.

Labour to make St George’s Day a national holiday
The Independent reports that Labour would make St George’s Day a national holiday, with the plan to be announced in a speech by Jeremy Corbyn today. He will say that it will be a day to ‘celebrate our country’s tradition of fairness, inclusivity and social justice’. UK-wide public holidays would also be held on St David’s Day, St Patrick’s Day and St Andrew’s Day.

Labour to force vote on Office for Students
The Guardian reports that Labour is to force a final debate and vote on the Office for Students tonight. If the vote was lost, the watchdog would not have powers enabling it to regulate universities. Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner said that the regulator had become ministers’ ‘puppet’ and was not pursuing ‘the sector’s best interests’.

Firms to be forced to publish pay ratios
The Financial Times says that legislation to be put forward next month will force companies to publish the ratio of their chief executive’s salary to that of their average worker. The move forms part of a wider programme of corporate governance reforms, which will introduce several other reporting requirements.

Labour to consult local leaders over £250bn infrastructure plan
The Guardian says that Labour is to open a series of consultations with regional mayors and councils over its plans for £250bn of transport and infrastructure spending, promising to prioritise projects to productivity and help the rest of the country catch-up with London.

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Political Headlines – Irish border, immigration, Windrush and Brexit bill

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Today’s Political Headlines include the EU rejecting the UK’s border proposals, Cabinet split over post-Brexit immigration, Rudd passing blame over Windrush and Brexit bill still uncertain. 

EU rejects UK’s border proposals, while three Conservative MPs back customs union
The Daily Telegraph reports that the EU has rejected the UK’s proposals for avoiding a hard border in Northern Ireland, in what a source called a ‘systematic and forensic annihilation’. The paper says that the Prime Minister may now have no choice but to stay in a customs union with the EU if she wants to avoid a hard border in Northern Ireland. The EU has also suspended its internal discussion on the EU-UK trade deal, pending a resolution to the ‘impasse’, while Theresa May is to hold weekly meetings of her Brexit ‘war cabinet’. The Guardian says that three Conservative select committee chairs have signed a motion urging the Government to remain in a customs union with the EU.

Cabinet split over post-Brexit immigration policy delays
The Times claims that the Cabinet is split over delays to the country’s post-Brexit immigration policy, with Home Secretary Amber Rudd being urged to speed up the bill by Brexit-supporting ministers. The bill is currently scheduled to be introduced early next year and Brexiteers are concerned that it has been delayed so that preferential access for EU workers can be part of the Brexit negotiations.

Union chief accuses Rudd of blaming staff over Windrush scandal
The Guardian says that Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA union has accused Amber Rudd of blaming civil service staff for the Windrush scandal in an attempt to deflect from the Government’s hostile policies, a claim which has been backed by Nick Clegg. The paper adds that official accounts appear to contradict the claim of Theresa May’s former advisor Nick Timothy that May attempted to block the controversial ‘go home’ vans.

Brexit bill still uncertain according to NAO
The BBC reports that a National Audit Office report has found that the total cost of the Brexit ‘divorce’ bill is still uncertain. It said that the Government’s figure of £35-39bn was a ‘reasonable estimate’ but that it could increase or decrease as a result of ‘relatively small changes’ to things such as inflation, the exchange rate and the UK’s economic performance.

McDonnell says Labour less of a threat to the City than the Conservatives
The Financial Times carries details of a speech by Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell yesterday, in which he told the City of London that the Conservatives’ ‘mishandled Brexit’ posed more of a threat than Labour’s plans for higher taxes and more intervention in business. He told City executives that they would have ‘a seat at the policymaking table’.

Commonwealth meets to determine whether Prince Charles will succeed the Queen
The BBC says that Commonwealth leaders are to meet behind closed doors later today to decide whether Prince Charles will succeed the Queen as head of the Commonwealth. Yesterday the Queen said that it was her ‘sincere wish’ that he would take over ‘one day’.

Cable calls for tech firms to be broken up
The Guardian reports on a speech by Sir Vince Cable, leader of the Liberal Democrats. He called for the large tech firms, such as Google, Amazon and Facebook, to be broken up. He suggested that the EU was better placed to do this than national governments and that it was worth considering whether the public should be paid for the use of their data.

Jowell becomes first patient to give data to new global cancer database
The Daily Mirror reports that Baroness Tessa Jowell is the first patient to give her medical data to a new global cancer database. Her daughter, Jess Mills, says that Jowell ‘feels a deep sense of responsibility’ to give a voice to patients and help other cancer sufferers.

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Plastic bans

Political Headlines – plastic, housing, Brexit and Windrush

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Today’s Political Headlines include banning plastic items such as cotton buds, Labour’s housing policy, Government’s defeat in the Lords and the continuing chaos around Windrush. 

Straws, plastic stirrers and cotton buds to be banned
The Times reports that the Government is to ban plastic stirrers and cotton buds, alongside straws, and that the measure could come into force as early as next year. Michael Gove writes in the paper that they have been targeted ‘because they are already available (or can be developed) in alternative forms but when discarded they remain a polluting presence for hundreds of years.’ In the Daily Mail, Theresa May writes that she will use the Commonwealth summit to encourage the other member countries to join the campaign against plastic pollution, and that the UK is ‘leading by example’.

Labour to launch housing policies
The Guardian says that Labour is to launch its plans for housing today, publishing a report called Housing for the Many. Jeremy Corbyn will accuse ministers of stretching the definition of affordable housing, and pledge to replace it with a measure linked to people’s incomes. Labour would create a Department of Housing and an independent watchdog, end the right to buy, and lift the cap on borrowing by local authorities, so they can build social housing.

Government defeated by Lords over customs union
As the BBC reports, the Government has been defeated in the House of Lords over the issue of the UK staying in a customs union with the EU. Lords voted by 348 to 225 in support of a plan which requires ministers to report on steps to negotiate a continued customs union. Lord Callanan signalled that the Government would seek to overturn the amendment at a later stage.

Government ‘in chaos’ over Windrush crisis
The Guardian claims that Theresa May’s ‘attempt to get a grip on the Windrush crisis’ has descended into chaos. The paper reports that May promised that a man denied cancer treatment despite living in the UK for 44 years would now be treated, but he was not aware of this decision. It adds that May attempted to blame Labour for the decision to destroy landing card slips, but one of the decisions to do so was actually made when she was Home Secretary. Separately, The Times reports that the Government has been accused in a House of Lords report of overcharging for citizenship applications.

Davis urges May to publish detailed plan for the future UK-EU relationship
The Financial Times reports that Brexit Secretary David Davis is urging Theresa May to ‘get ahead of the EU’ by publishing detailed proposals for the UK-EU relationship, rather than waiting for the EU to move first. The proposal is that the UK produces a document setting out detailed plans, but there are concerns that this may break the Cabinet truce.

Johnson calls for more use of stop and search, and for a ‘liberal’ migration policy
Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Boris Johnson has warned against ‘going soft’ on knife crime, calling for increased use of stop and search powers. He said that the approach worked when he deployed it as Mayor of London. He also called for a ‘liberal’ approach to migration, claiming that ‘a society that isn’t open to talent will die’.

Modi pledges closer India-UK ties after Brexit
The Sun says that Narendra Modi, India’s Prime Minister, has pledged that India will be a closer partner to the UK after Brexit, which he described as an opportunity to ‘further increase trade ties’ between the UK and India. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that he wanted the current Canada-EU trade deal ‘to flip over the day after Brexit’.

Rogue landlords should have their properties confiscated, MPs says
The Times carries details of a report by the Commons Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee that recommends that rogue landlords should have their properties confiscated. The report says that there is a ‘clear power imbalance’, which deters tenants from complaining about problems, and calls for greater legal safeguards.

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Windrush

Political Headlines – Windrush, Labour antisemitism, Syria and Brexit

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Today’s Political Headlines include the destruction of Windrush documentation, Labour antisemitism, Parliament backing May on Syria and Arron Banks staff working on Brexit. 

Labour calls on Government to explain the destruction of Windrush landing cards
The Guardian reports that Labour is calling on the Government to explain the destruction of thousands of landing cards containing information about the Windrush migrants. David Lammy said that the problems being faced by the Windrush generation were ‘a direct result of systemic incompetence, callousness and cruelty within our immigration system.’ The Home Office said that the cards did not provide ‘reliable evidence’ and that their retention could have breached ‘data protection’ principles.

Antisemitism in Labour raised in Parliamentary debate
The Times says that Labour’s antisemitism row intensified after three of the party’s Jewish MPs received standing ovations in the Commons after attacking the way it had handled the issue. Jewish leaders have also said that they will boycott a meeting with Jeremy Corbyn next week after it emerged that a hard-left group which denies that Labour has a problem with antisemitism had also been invited.

Parliament backs May on Syria, as NAO warns armed forces ill-equipped to handle cyber-attacks
The Times reports that Theresa May has received backing from the Commons for her decision not to consult Parliament for missile strikes on the Syrian regime, with a vote freeing Theresa May’s hands for future intervention. The Daily Telegraph adds that a report by the National Audit Office claims that the UK’s armed forces are ill-equipped to handle the increasing threat of cyber-attacks from Russia and a new era of ‘electronic warfare’.

Staff employed by Arron Banks worked on Brexit campaign
The Guardian reports that a former Cambridge Analytica employee has told the Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sports Committee that insurance companies owned by Arron Banks, the key backer of Leave.EU, were used as part of the Brexit campaign. Brittany Kaiser, the former business development director, said that she saw employees staffing a Leave.EU call centre.

EU takes action to prepare for no-deal Brexit
The Financial Times claims that the European Commission is to issue dozens of legal proposals over the next ten weeks to prepare the EU for a no-deal Brexit. Diplomats have been told that the measures will cover a wide range of areas. Separately, the paper also reports that the Government has asked the Supreme Court to rule on emergency Brexit legislation passed by the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly.

Senior police officer says police ‘too slow to change’ after Lawrence death
The Guardian has interviewed Chief Constable Jon Boucher, the national police chiefs’ lead on race and religion to mark the 25th anniversary of the death of Stephen Lawrence. He told the paper that the police had been too slow to improve their record on race and that he was challenging his fellow leaders to do more.

Gove calls on Premier League to lead fight against plastics
Environment Secretary Michael Gove is to call on Premier League bosses to lead the charge against plastics, The Sun reports. He will be meeting sports leaders on a warship as part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, suggesting measures such as giving fans cashback when they return used cups.

De La Rue abandons plan to appeal passport decision
The BBC says that De La Rue has abandoned its plan to appeal against the Government’s decision to award a contract to make the UK’s new passports to the Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto. The firm had originally described the decision as ‘shocking’ but said that it had ‘submitted the highest quality and technically most secure bid’.

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Political Headlines – Windrush, Syria debate, generation rent and voter targeting

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Today’s Political Headlines include Amber Rudd’s apology over the Windrush fiasco, MPs debating the Syrian intervention, millennials renting until retirement and voter targeting in the EU referendum. 

Rudd apologises over Home Office’s treatment of Windrush generation
The Guardian reports that Home Secretary Amber Rudd has issued an ‘unprecedented apology’ for the actions of the Home Office towards Windrush-era citizens, admitting that the department had ‘lost sight of individuals’. She has announced the creation of a new team to resolve cases, while Theresa May will meet Caribbean leaders to discuss the issue. Rudd was responding to an urgent question from David Lammy, who criticised the Government for its ‘inhumane and cruel’ treatment of those affected.

MPs debate Syrian intervention as GCHQ warns of Russian cyber-attack
The BBC says that MPs are to consider Parliament’s role in approving military action in Syria today, after Jeremy Corbyn secured an emergency debate. Last night, Theresa May defended her position during six hours of debate. The Daily Telegraph reports on a warning from GCHQ and the FBI that Russia is targeting the home internet networks of tens of thousands of British households to spy on them and mount cyber-attacks.

Third of millennials will rent into their retirement
The Financial Times says that research by the Resolution Foundation has found that half of millennials will rent homes into their forties, with one-third renting into their retirement, unless there are radical changes to taxation, new funding for public housing and a reform of the private sector.

Commons committee raises concerns over voter targeting in EU referendum
The Guardian reports that the Commons Digital, Media, Culture and Sport Committee has published experts from interviews with individuals connected to Leave.EU and SCL which it claims raise concerns about the targeting of voters in the EU referendum. In one clip, the founder of SCL compares Donald Trump’s campaign strategy to that of Adolf Hitler. The Daily Mirror reports that Andy Wigmore, Leave.EU’s communications director, has been recorded saying that they used propaganda techniques similar to those of the Nazis.

Lords committee calls for stricter regulation of polling
The Times says that a report by a House of Lords committee has called for stricter regulation of polling firms during elections, with mandatory disclosure of survey funders. The British Polling Council should regulate media coverage, and ‘name and shame’ examples of poor reporting of polls, complaining to Ipso or Ofcom in the case of ‘significant misreporting’.

Theresa May announces funding to increase female education in the Commonwealth
The BBC says that Theresa May is to call for ‘concrete measures’ to ensure that girls in Commonwealth countries spend at least twelve years in education. The UK is to pledge £121m more funding, allowing around one million more girls to go to school. The Times reports that the Prime Minister supports Prince Charles succeeding the Queen as head of the Commonwealth, despite criticism from Jeremy Corbyn.

Number of nurses leaving NHS per year increased by 17% over last five years
The Daily Mirror reports that 159,134 nurses have left the NHS over the last five years, with the number leaving each year increasing by 17% in that period. Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth said that ‘The Government’s disregard for nurses and years of squeezed wages are forcing good people out.’

Merging NHS quangos could save £800m, report claims
The Sun has details of a report by the TaxPayers’ Alliance, which claims that merging NHS quangos could save £800m. The report proposes reducing the number of NHS management bodies from 19 to seven, and suggests modelling NHS England on the BBC or the Bank of England, with ministers setting budgets but not interfering in day to day management.

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Politics on Sunday – Syria bombings dominate the political shows

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Parliament returns from recess today and the Prime Minister faces a rough ride in the Commons with an emergency debate on her decision to join America and France in targeting President Assad’s chemical weapons facilities. The subject dominated yesterday’s political programmes, with several high-profile guests on both Marr and Peston discussing the issue.

On Marr, Corbyn attacked the Prime Minister over the decision not to consult MPs and demanded a ‘war powers act’, which would force governments to get parliamentary approval for military action. Corbyn also suggested ‘other groups’ involved in the Syrian civil war may have been responsible for the chemical weapons attack in Douma. Corbyn stated that there was no legal basis for the airstrikes, and criticised the Prime Minister for following Trump’s lead, describing it as a ‘policy made up by Twitter’. In regard to the Salisbury poisoning of Russian double-agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Corbyn said that he wants to see ‘inconvertible evidence’ that Russia was responsible for the attack.

The Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, also appeared on Marr, with a contrasting rhetoric, criticising Corbyn for denying the likelihood of Russian involvement in the Salisbury attack, describing his viewpoint as a ‘blindness to reality’. Johnson defended the decision to send air strikes, explaining the importance of sending a message to the Syrian leader to deter the ‘barbaric use of chemical weapons’. He also refused to rule out another attack on the region.

On Peston, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster David Lidington stated that there are no plans for legislation with regard to Corbyn’s proposal for a war powers act. Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry also appeared on the show, arguing that Trump should have worked with the UN. She said that it cannot be Donald Trump and the UN making decisions unilaterally. Green Party leader Caroline Lucas also weighed in on the issue, criticising the Prime Minister’s timing of the bombings and accusing her of purposely avoiding a debate in Parliament.

On Sunday with Niall Paterson, First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon also criticised the Prime Minister for not seeking Parliament’s approval. She said that the strikes risk ‘escalating an already dangerous situation’, and argued that they do not contribute towards a long-standing and lasting peace in Syria. These comments were echoed by Shadow Justice Secretary Richard Burgon, who emphasised the severity of taking a country to war and accused the Prime minster of paying more heed to the Twitter tantrums of Donald Trump than the British Parliament.

Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable claimed that the decision not to consult Parliament before launching the attack was taken for reasons of political weaknesses and fears of losing the vote. He said that it is essential that the Prime Minister builds a consensus at home before taking action abroad.

 

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Prime Minister Syria

Political Headlines – Syria questions, personal health budgets, Commonwealth meeting and Windrush issues

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Today’s Political Headlines include Theresa May facing questions on Syria, the rise of personal health budgets, the meeting of the Commonwealth heads and the Government’s rejection of a Windrush issues discussion. 

Theresa May to face MPs’ questions over Syrian air strikes
The BBC says that Theresa May is to face questions from MPs today about her decision to authorise air strikes against the Syrian government. Opposition parties have criticised the decision not to consult MPs, with Labour calling for a change in the law. The Daily Telegraph reports that Russia has launched a ‘dirty tricks’ campaign against the UK and the US in retaliation, with Whitehall sources citing a 20-fold increase in Russian disinformation online.

Personal health budgets to be available to more patients
The Times reports that the Government wants to increase the number of people with ‘personal health budget’ from 23,000 to 350,000. Under the scheme, people will have the right to select and pay for treatments they want, so long as they are approved by a doctor. The scheme will be widened to include people with mental health problems, dementia, physical and learning disabilities, army veterans and wheelchair users.

London set to host Commonwealth meeting for the first time in 20 years
As the Financial Times reports, London is hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting for the first time in twenty years. Theresa May is to use the opportunity to pledge to put the 52 other Commonwealth nations at the heart of ‘global Britain’. The Daily Telegraph says that Theresa May is establishing a £7m fund for female entrepreneurs in the Commonwealth, and that Jeremy Corbyn has said that the Prince of Wales should not automatically succeed the Queen as head of the organisation.

Government rejects request to discuss Windrush generation immigration issues
The Guardian says that Downing Street has rejected a formal diplomatic request from representatives of 12 Caribbean countries to discuss the immigration problems being experienced by some Windrush-generation British residents. Officials have said that there will be ‘a number of opportunities’ for the matter to be raised with the Prime Minister at the Commonwealth meeting.

NHS Digital criticised over data protection
The Financial Times carries details of a report by the Commons Health and Social Care Committee, which finds that NHS Digital ‘appears unable to protect patient data’. The committee expressed concern that personal non-medical information had been shared with the Home Office in order to trace illegal immigrants.

Pro-EU MPs launch campaign for a ‘people’s vote’ on the deal
The Guardian reports that MPs and celebrities have launched a campaign for a ‘people’s vote’ in the final Brexit deal. The MPs involved in the campaign include Anna Soubry, Chuka Umunna, Caroline Lucas and Layla Moran. Separately, the Financial Times expects the House of Lords to vote to remain in a customs union with the EU this week.

Lords report recommends sharing public datasets
The Times says a report by the House of Lords Artificial Intelligence Committee has recommended that data held on people by the NHS and other public institutions should be made available to artificial intelligence firms to counter giant US technology committees. The Daily Telegraph focuses on the report’s suggestion that ‘killer robots’ could become reality unless the Government improves its regulation of artificial intelligence.

Suspended Conservative MP interviewed by police
According to The Times, police have interviewed Charlie Elphicke, an MP suspended by the Conservative Party in November, over alleged sexual offences. He denies any wrongdoing and says that he is ‘completely confident I will be able to prove my innocence’.

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Syria

Political Headlines – Syria, Jeremy Hunt, ex-colonies and UK Aid

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Today’s Political Headlines include the Cabinet’s decision on Syria, Jeremy Hunt breaking money laundering rules, apologising to ex-colonies and UK Aid. 

Cabinet agrees military action in Syria is needed
The BBC reports that the Cabinet has agreed ‘on the need to take action’ in Syria in order to prevent the further use of chemical weapons. No details of any UK military involvement in Syria had been given by the Government, and MPs from both the Conservative Party and opposition parties have called for a vote in Parliament before any action is taken.

Jeremy Hunt admits breaking money laundering rules
In an exclusive, The Daily Telegraph reports that Jeremy Hunt has admitted breaching the Government’s anti-money laundering legislation when he set up a company to buy seven luxury flats, as he didn’t declare his 50% interest in the firm. The Cabinet Office found that he did not breach the Ministerial Code of Conduct, but he could still be investigated by a House of Commons committee.

Emily Thornberry says UK should apologise to ex-colonies
According to The Times, Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry has called on the Government to use the upcoming meeting of the Commonwealth to apologise for Britain’s past mistakes, including over the Chagos Islanders and apartheid. The paper adds that Shadow International Development Secretary Kate Osamor has said that Prince Charles is not suitable to succeed the Queen as Head of the Commonwealth.

Penny Mordaunt describes UK Aid as shield
The Guardian says that International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt described UK Aid as a ‘shield’ against pandemics, poverty, organised crime and terrorism in a speech yesterday. However, the paper adds that the speech was ‘short on detail, but long on colour and allusion’ and a planned question and answer session was cancelled.

OPCW confirms nerve agent analysis
The BBC says that the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has confirmed the UK’s analysis of the type of nerve agent used in the Salisbury poisoning. Russia has called the allegations an ‘anti-Russian campaign’ but Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said there was ‘no alternative explanation’ and ‘only Russia has the means, motive and record’.

Arlene Foster gives evidence to RHI inquiry
As The Guardian reports, giving evidence to the inquiry into the renewable heat incentive, Arlene Foster said that she deeply regretted its spiralling costs. However, she also claimed that Sinn Fein’s protests over the scheme had been a pretext to bring down the executive.

Councils run down financial reserves as funding is cut and costs increase
The Financial Times reports that almost half of councils in England have run down their financial reserves over the last two years, as they struggle with cuts in funding from central government and increases in social care costs. The councils whose reserves have increased are largely small district councils which do not handle social care.

Norman Lamb suffers stroke due to long working days
The Sun says that the Liberal Democrat MP Norman Lamb suffered a stroke a fortnight ago, which he has attributed to long hours and a lack of sleep. He now plans to make changes and ‘work smarter’, saying that he was lucky not have received any lasting damage.

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Syria

Political Headlines – Syria response, free bus travel, NHS funding and EU citizens

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Today’s Political Headlines include the UK’s Syria response, free bus travel, NHS funding and vulnerable EU citizens.  

May summons cabinet to decide Syria response
The BBC says that Theresa May has summoned the cabinet to discuss the UK’s response to the suspected chemical weapon attack in Syria, with the Government considering backing military action threatened by the USA and allies. It adds that Jeremy Corbyn has called for Parliament to have a say in the decision and warned about the risk of a ‘hot war between the US and Russia over the skies of Syria’. The Daily Telegraph reports that Theresa May has order British submarines to move within missile range of Syria with strikes potentially beginning tonight, subject to ministerial approval.

Labour pledges free bus travel for under-25s
The Guardian reports that the Labour Party has promised to introduce free bus travel for under-25s, paid for by ring-fencing road tax. The funds would be given to councils who moved to introduce public ownership of bus services or franchising, incentivising councils to create municipally-owned bus companies.

Most voters now back tax increase to fund NHS
According to a poll published in The Times, most voters now back tax rises to fund the NHS, with a significant swing in support of the policy from supporters of the Conservatives. Almost three times as many voters think that the state of the NHS has deteriorated as think that it has improved.

Report warns that vulnerable EU citizens at risk of not securing right to remain
The Guardian reports that Oxford University’s Migration Observatory has warned that vulnerable EU citizens are particularly at risk of failing to secure the right to remain in the UK after Brexit. The paper also carries details of a report by Friends of the Earth, which warns of declining protections for the environment after Brexit. The Times reports that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has offered an ‘upbeat assessment’ of a trade agreement with the UK after Brexit, but India has been less positive.

UK aid budget set for big overhaul
The Financial Times claims that the UK’s aid budget ‘is set for its biggest overhaul in years’, with the Government planning to use development spending to encourage exporters and pension funds to invest in the poorer parts of Africa and Asia. Penny Mordaunt, the International Development Secretary is due to give a speech on the topic today.

Universal Credit unfairly treating self-employed people, charity says
The Daily Mirror has details of analysis by the charity Citizens Advice which shows that Universal Credit is punishing self-employed people, leaving them hundreds of pounds worse off that directly-employed workers earning the same amount. The charity has called on the Government to ‘look again at the design of the benefit’.

Hancock threatens Facebook over data privacy
The Guardian says that the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Matt Hancock has warned Facebook that it is not above the law and could be subject to further regulation is it does not protect users’ data more effectively. Hancock held a meeting with the firm, which sources described as ‘robust but constructive’.

Ministers considering chemical castration for sex offenders
The Daily Telegraph reports that ministers are exploring the use of chemical castration on sex offenders, following trials at six prisoners across the country. A source says that as many as 120 serious offenders have already accepted the treatment, with the paper revealing that the rate of reoffending for sexual offenders has risen by 34% in four years.

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Headlines

Political Headlines – Syria, Barry Gardiner, British Gas and David Davis

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Today’s Political Headlines include the Syrian chemical attack, Labour’s Barry Gardiner, British Gas price rise and Davis’ internal victory.  

UK and allies agree that international community must respond to Syrian chemical attack
The BBC reports that Theresa May has agreed with her counterparts in the US and France that the international community must respond to an alleged chemical attack in Syria, and that those responsible must be ‘held to account’. A report in The Times suggests that Theresa May has rejected a swift retaliation, telling the US that the UK needed more evidence. The paper adds that Julian Lewis, Chair of the Commons Defence Committee, has said that the UK should not take action without the approval of the House of Commons.

Barry Gardiner ‘fully supports’ Labour policy on Brexit, despite calling it ‘bollocks’
Labour has claimed that its Shadow International Trade Secretary Barry Gardiner ‘fully supports’ the party’s policy on Brexit, The Guardian reports, despite it having emerged that he described one of Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer’s six tests for judging the final deal as ‘bollocks’.

Energy Minister criticises British Gas price rise
The Daily Mail reports that Energy Minister Claire Perry ‘savaged’ British Gas last night, telling customers to switch providers, after the firm announced a 5.5% rise in the cost of gas and electricity which she said was ‘unjustified’. Separately, The Sun says that Environment Secretary Michael Gove has been asked for stronger powers by Ofwat in order ‘to get the water sector back in balance’.

Davis wins internal battle over Brexit negotiations
The Times says that David Davis has won an internal battle with Oliver Robbins, Theresa May’s chief Brexit negotiator, over how much the UK could realistically agree with Brussels before October. Robbins was pushing for ‘a broad, high-level document’ agreeing the principles for the future EU-UK relationship, similar to the approach put forward by the European Commission, while Davis argued that it was possible to ‘get pretty substantively close to a free trade agreement by October’. The paper adds that a study of 23 sectors by the CBI has found that 18 ‘favoured complete alignment with European rules and regulations’ after Brexit. The Daily Telegraph says that EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier has demanded the UK signs a ‘non-regression clause’, pledging not to undercut standards.

Bill Clinton praises Good Friday Agreement, as Blair warns of Brexit challenge
Former US President Bill Clinton has called the Good Friday Agreement a ‘work of genius’ at a conference to mark its 20th anniversary, the BBC reports. The Guardian adds that Tony Blair has said that the UK and Ireland would have to ‘overcome the challenge’ posed by Brexit, and urged Northern Irish leaders ‘not to cast aside’ the gains from the agreement.

Rudd to announce £9m fund to tackle dark web
According to The Sun, Amber Rudd is to announce a £9m fund to ensure that every UK police force has a dedicated cyber crime unit, to tackle the ‘sickening shopping list of services and products’ available on the dark web. She will also ask tech and social media firms to do more to help authorities to capture criminals.

New centrist party claims to have links to Tony Blair and son
The Guardian claims that the new centrist party being funded by Simon Franks has told potential recruits that it has links to Tony Blair and his son Euan. One person was told that Euan Blair sat on the board and that Tony Blair had recommended potential donors. Euan Blair has not commented, while Tony Blair denied having direct involvement.

Israeli Labor Party cuts ties with UK Labour Party
The BBC reports that Israel’s Labor Party has suspended relations with the UK’s Labour Party over claims that Jeremy Corbyn has allowed ‘anti-Semitic statements and actions’ and exhibited ‘very public hatred of the policies of the government of the state of Israel’.

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Good Friday Agreement

Political Headlines – Good Friday Agreement, Syria strikes, serious violence strategy and the war on prostate cancer

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Today’s Political Headlines include the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, May under pressure to join US strikes, the serious violence strategy and May’s £75m prostate cancer strategy.  

Good Friday Agreement anniversary marked, but Gardiner and Davis criticise Irish government over its Brexit stance
The BBC reports that former US President Bill Clinton is visiting Northern Ireland to mark the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement and will speak at a conference also featuring Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern. The BBC adds that Barry Gardiner, Labour’s Shadow International Trade Secretary is facing criticism after he suggested that the Irish government and Sinn Fein have ‘played up’ concerns about the impact of Brexit on the agreement, while The Times says that David Davis has accused the Irish government of bowing to political pressure from Sinn Fein and adopting a hardline stance on Brexit.

May under pressure to join US strike against Assad regime
According to The Times, Theresa May is under pressure from ministers and allies to join a US-led military strike against the Assad regime in Syria. Officials have suggested it is unlikely that MPs will be recalled from their Easter break in order to authorise action, but a senior military source told the paper that options are being examined and that a parliamentary vote is not necessary.

Serious violence strategy overshadowed by row over impact of police numbers
The Guardian reports the Government’s new serious violence strategy claims that tackling serious violence is not a law enforcement issue alone and fails to discuss the impact of police levels, despite a leaked Home Office report having linked the two issues. The paper claims that the leak ‘threatened to overshadow the broader findings of the strategy, such as the impact of drug markets, social and economic disadvantages and social media’.

May to set out £75m prostate cancer strategy
The Daily Mail says that Theresa May is to set out a ‘five-year campaign to wage war on prostate cancer’ today. She is to announce £75m of spending to help spot the disease earlier and improve treatment, with the amount spent on research to be roughly equal to that spent on breast cancer.

Norway offers to roll-over trade deals, as Denmark warns of post-Brexit bureaucracy
The Financial Times reports that Norway has signalled that it will co-operate with the UK’s desire to roll over trade agreements with non-EU countries in the post-Brexit transition phase. However, The Guardian says that the Danish Prime Minister said, following talks with Theresa May, that while he was in favour of ‘an enhanced trade agreement’ between the EU and the UK, there will be more bureaucracy after Brexit.

UK one of just five countries to meet foreign aid target
The Daily Telegraph reports that the UK is now one of just five countries which meet the UN’s foreign aid target of 0.7% of GDP. The UK is bound by law to keep the target, and gives almost double the average of all countries according to new figures from the OECD. The UK is responsible for £1 of every £8 given by developed countries.

Gove considers banning live animal exports
According to The Times, Environment Secretary Michael Gove is considering a ban on the export of live animals for slaughter abroad after Brexit. A call for evidence has been issued by the Government today, with animal welfare groups warning that travel can be stressful for animals and that some foreign abattoirs have lower standards.

Social media junk food adverts face ban
The Times reports that junk food adverts are to be banned on social media, with ministers examining the possibility of identifying social media users by age and banning targeted advertising accordingly, under plans to combat obesity, with minister considering whether to force restaurants to label unhealthy foods as they finalise a strategy before the summer.

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Politics on Sunday – violent crime crisis and Brexit’s impact on the Good Friday Agreement

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The violent crime crisis and Brexit’s impact on the Good Friday Agreement dominated both Andrew Marr and Niall Paterson’s Sunday shows this week.

On the Marr Show, when talking about the significant rise in knife crime, Julia Hartley Brewer described it as ‘black on black’ crime and said that schools and family breakdowns had a role to play. Journalist Polly Toynbee accused stop and search of creating resentment that strengthened gang culture as well as anti-social and anti-police attitudes.

Secretary of State for Education Angela Rayner called for evidence-based, targeted stop and search. She said that this could be achieved through the presence of community and youth workers, who would be able to recognise which young people are vulnerable or at risk of getting involved in gang activity.

Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Sajid Javid spoke of the Serious Violence Strategy to be announced by the Home Secretary on Monday 9 April. He revealed that the strategy would focus on root causes and early intervention. Javid also spoke of the upcoming Serious Weapons Bill which would introduce measures such as making it illegal for under 18s to buy acid and for individuals to possess certain weapons, such as knuckle dusters and zombie knives. Javid claimed the evidence proved that the significant rise in violent crime was not due to the decrease in police numbers. He said that the Government would nevertheless be increasing the police budget by £450m in the coming year.

Paterson guest, Shadow Policing Minister Louise Haigh, welcomed the new measures, however, she criticised the absence of preventative measures. She claimed that taking action on the criminal side was not enough to solve the problem.

Also on Paterson, Stafford Scott, Tottenham community activist, said that the problem lay not just with the police but also with local authorities, central government and the Mayor’s Office who, according to him, ‘have all reneged on their responsibility to these young people’. Minister at the Home Office, Victoria Atkins, spoke of the dangerous impact social media can play in influencing young people to get involved in gangs.

George Mitchell, former US special envoy to Northern Ireland, urged the Government to recognise that it is ‘the futures of their economies [at stake], it is the possibility of resumption of conflict, of a reversion back to the time that nobody wants to go back to except for a very tiny fringe element on both sides.’

Adrian O’Neill, Irish ambassador to London, made an appearance on both Marr and Paterson. He spoke of the ‘indispensability’ of the Good Friday Agreement, referring to it as ‘a miracle’.

On the Marr Show, Christopher Wylie spoke about the Cambridge Analytica story and a potential re-run of the EU referendum. He stated that ‘we need absolute clarity that the decision made by the British people was made fairly and compliant with the law’. He argued that if that was not the case, then a second referendum was required.

 

Check out the Canvas, which has all the reaction and coverage from the Sunday shows, here. Make your own Canvas here.

 

Round up

Police cuts

Political Headlines – police cuts, new centrist party, immigration and Badenoch

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Today’s Political Headlines include the leaked Home Office police cuts document, the new centrist party, criticism of the Government’s immigration policy and Badenoch’s apology to Harman over hacking.  

Leaked Home Office documents link violence increase to Government cuts
Leaked Home Office documents obtained by The Guardian reveal that Government cuts to the police ‘may have encouraged’ violent offenders and ‘likely contributed’ to a rise in serious violent crime. The paper adds that Jeremy Corbyn is to put increasing levels of violent crime and housing issues at the heart of Labour’s local election campaign. Meanwhile, the i has details of a new Serious Violence Strategy, backed by £40m of funding, to be launched by Home Secretary Amber Rudd in a speech today.

Labour figures criticise new centrist party
The Times reports that senior Labour figures have criticised a new centrist political movement set up by former donor Simon Franks, with access to up to £50m. Lord Hattersley said that ‘third parties all end in fiascos’, while John McDonnell, the Shadow Chancellor, dismissed it as ‘A party of the rich, by the rich, for the rich. A party for the few not the many’.

Report criticises Government’s ‘hostile environment’ policy to immigration
A report by groups including Liberty, the National Union of Students and the Migrants Rights Network claims that the Government’s ‘hostile environment’ policy towards immigration has encouraged ‘discriminatory’ and ‘racist’ behaviour, The Guardian says. The report asserts that the policy encourages discrimination against black and ethnic minority people and disproportionately affects people who are young, homeless, or on lower incomes.

Badenoch apologises to Harman over hacking
The BBC reports that Harriet Harman has accepted an apology from the Conservative MP Kemi Badenoch for hacking into her website over ten years ago. Badenoch became an MP last year and the Conservative Party’s vice-chairwoman for candidates this January.

Outsourcing firms have wider gender pay gap than Government
A report in The Times claims that outsourcing companies used by the Government have worse gender pay gaps than the civil service. 18 out of the 27 ‘strategic suppliers’ have wider disparities than the Civil Service. Shadow Cabinet Office Minister Jon Trickett said ‘Public money should be used for the public good, not to hold people back.’

Housing Minister claims immigration increased house prices by 20% over 25 years
Housing Minister Dominic Raab has claimed that immigration has increased house prices by 20% over the last 25 years, The Times reports. He has passed his concerns to the Migration Advisory Committee, but according to the paper a leading expert has cast doubt on them and urged him to publish the Government’s analysis.

Two thirds of child refugees questioned over age are actually adults
The Sun claims that an official report has revealed that two-thirds of child refugees quizzed over their real age are actually adults. Overall, one in seven refugees who arrive in the UK claiming to be under 18 are revealed to be adults following checks of documentation.

NHS spends £40m a year on useless back pain injection
The Times reveals that tens of thousands of patients a year are being given a useless injection for back pain, costing the NHS almost £40m, despite doctors having been told to stop using it. The health service has promised to crack down on use of the treatment.

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Russia

Political Headlines – Russia, London murders, benefits and sugar tax

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Today’s Political Headlines include Russia accusing UK of creating a fake story, Lammy’s criticism of the Government, Labour’s warning over benefit changes and the sugar tax. 

Russia accuses UK of creating a ‘fake story’
The BBC says that Russia has accused the UK of inventing a ‘fake story’ and ‘playing with fire’ over the Salisbury poisoning at a UN Security Council meeting. Former foreign secretary Sir Malcom Rifkind has accused Russia of an ‘attempt to obfuscate’. The Times reports that British intelligence has identified the source of the nerve agent as Russia’s Shikhany facility, in a briefing used to persuade allies that Russia was the source.

Lammy criticises Government over London murders
The Guardian reports that Labour MP David Lammy has accused the Prime Minister and Home Secretary of abdicating responsibility over a ‘culture of violence that’s now becoming endemic’. The Daily Telegraph says that Cressida Dick, the Metropolitan Police Chief Commissioner, has vowed to use Al Capone tactics to target violent gang members, while The Times claims that use of stop-and-search has fallen, despite Dick endorsing the tactic.

Labour warns that benefit changes may lead to vulnerable people struggling to pay mortgages
The BBC carries details of a warning by Labour that benefit changes may lead to vulnerable people struggling to pay their mortgage. Around 90,000 people on some benefits claim support for mortgage interest, but this is being replaced by Government loans from today.

Sugar tax on soft drinks comes into force
As the BBC reports, the sugar tax on soft drinks has come into force in the UK. Treasury estimates suggest that 50% of manufacturers have reduced sugar content ahead of the change, but some experts warned that consumer’s response to the levy was uncertain. Public health Minister Steve Brine described the levy as ‘a ground-breaking policy’.

Peers write to police to report antisemitic abuse
The Guardian says that a cross-party group of peers, including Lord Sugar, have written to the Metropolitan Police, reporting antisemitic abuse on pages backing Jeremy Corbyn. The Times adds that Joshua Garfield, a Jewish Momentum official in Newham, has quit his post after witnessing ‘more antisemitism in the past week’ than in eight years as a party member.

Justice Secretary on the side of homeowners who defend their property
According to The Daily Telegraph, Justice Secretary David Gauke has said that he is on the side of homeowners who defend their property, following the arrest of a pensioner on suspicion of murdering a man following a burglary. Former justice minister Mike Penning said that the decision appeared ‘heavy-handed’.

Momentum founder outlines plans to make it easier to oust MPs
The Daily Mirror has obtained a recording of Momentum founder Jon Lansman, in which he outlines a plan to make it easier for Corbyn supporters to force out MPs who oppose the Labour leadership, and to curb the power of the unions. The Times reports that the party’s new General Secretary Jennie Formby has placed two senior staff members, the head of the compliance unit and the secretary of the parliamentary party, on gardening leave.

Thirty organisations under investigation by ICO
The Daily Mail reports that thirty organisations, including Facebook, are being investigated by the Information Commissioner’s Office as part of its probe into the use of personal data and analytics for political purposes. Other organisations include Cambridge Analytica and Aggregate IQ.

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Boris Johnson

Political Headlines – Salisbury poisoning, North Korea, gender pay gap and policing Travellers

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Today’s Political Headlines include the cross party divide on the Salisbury poisoning, North Korea’s missile threat, gender pay gap, and policing Travellers. 

Johnson and Corbyn trade accusations over Salisbury poisoning
According to The Daily Telegraph, Jeremy Corbyn has said Boris Johnson has ‘serious questions’ to answer after claiming that Porton Down scientists had told him that the nerve agent was made in Russia, a claim denied by the laboratory. In response, Johnson has accused Corbyn of playing ‘Russia’s game’. The Guardian adds that Russia is to attempt to discredit the UK’s international reputation at a UN security council meeting, while The Times claims that it has learnt that security services have pinpointed the location of the covert Russian laboratory which manufactured the nerve agent used in Salisbury.

North Korea could have missiles capable of reaching the UK, in 18 months
A report by the Commons Defence Committee has found that North Korea is almost certain to complete development of ballistic missiles capable of reaching the UK, within 18 months, The Guardian reports. The report adds that the ‘Ministry of Defence does not consider that the UK will be a target of North Korean nuclear missiles, as its regime does not believe the UK to be a threat.’

Gender pay gap figures revealed
The Guardian says that almost eight in ten companies and public sector bodies pay men more than women, as the deadline for publishing gender pay gap information passed. Sam Smethers of the Fawcett Society said this ‘forces employers to look at themselves and understand their organisations and it prompts employees to ask some hard questions’.

Consultation on tougher powers for policing Travellers
According to The Times, police could be given tougher powers to target Travellers and Gypsies, after almost 4,000 caravans were found on unauthorised sites across the country. A consultation, to be carried out jointly by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice, will be launched today.

National Lottery giving less money to charity
A report by the Commons Public Accounts Committee says that the growth in popularity of scratchcards has led to the National Lottery giving less money to charity while the profits of the operator Camelot have risen, The Daily Telegraph reports. The committee describes the fall as ‘disastrous’ and warns that some projects will become ‘unaffordable’.

Jewish leaders to ask Corbyn to expel Livingstone
The Daily Telegraph says that Jewish leaders are to tell Jeremy Corbyn to prove his opposition to anti-Semitism by expelling Ken Livingstone from Labour. The Daily Mail adds that Corbyn wants to install Claudia Webbe as leader of the party’s disputes panel, despite the fact that she has previously defended Livingstone against anti-semitism charges.

Sutton Trust demands review of Sure Start cuts
The Times reports that the Sutton Trust has called for a Government review of the Sure Start children’s centre programme, after a review showed that the number of centres which have closed over the last eight years is around twice the amount claimed by the Government.

Sharp drop in number of plastic bags at sea following charge introduction
The Times reports that research by the Government’s Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) shows that the number of plastic bags in the seas around the UK has fallen sharply since the introduction of compulsory bag charges at supermarkets.

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EEA

Political Headlines – EEA membership, gender pay gap, Russia and Jewdas

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Today’s Political Headlines include the Commons committee calling on the Government not to rule out EEA membership, the ‘burning injustice’ of the gender pay gap, May battling to preserve alliance against Russia and Corbyn defending his decision to attend the Jewdas event. 

Commons committee calls on Government not to rule out EEA membership
The Commons Exiting the European Union Committee has published a report calling on the Government not to rule out continued membership of the European Economic Area, the BBC says. The report outlines 15 tests for the Government to meet, based on pledges made by Theresa May and David Davis. The conclusions have caused a split on the committee, with Conservative Brexiteers led by Jacob Rees-Mogg voting against the report.

Prime Minister describes gender pay gap as a ‘burning injustice’
The Prime Minister has warned that the country’s gender pay cap is a ‘burning injustice’ which must be tackled, in an article for The Daily Telegraph. Today is the deadline for larger firms to publish the average pay gap between male and female employees. So far, 8,330 of the 9,000 businesses and public sector bodies required to publish their pay gap have done so, with an average median hourly gap of 18%.

May battling to preserve alliance against Russia
The Times claims that Theresa May is battling to preserve the alliance against Russia, after Gary Aitkenhead, head of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down, said that he had not identified the ‘precise source’ of the nerve agent used in the Salisbury attack. Downing Street said that the Prime Minister had drawn on a ‘comprehensive intelligence assessment’ before she blamed Russia.

Corbyn defends decision to attend Jewdas event
According to the BBC, Jeremy Corbyn has defended his decision to attend a dinner organised by the left-wing Jewish group Jewdas, despite criticism from mainstream Jewish leaders. A spokesman said that Corbyn had attended the event in a personal capacity, and not on behalf of the party. The Times adds that Corbyn has accepted an invitation to meet the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish leadership Council.

Dan Jarvis can stay as MP if he is elected as mayor, Labour decides
The Financial Times says that Labour’s National Executive Committee has decided that Dan Jarvis can remain as an MP, even if he is elected as mayor of the Sheffield City Region next month. The NEC has granted him an exemption from a resolution passed last month which would have prevented party members from holding two elected positions.

Passport firm in Estonian security scandal over ID cards
The Daily Telegraph reports that Gemalto, the Franco-Dutch firm set to produce the new UK passports, is currently caught-up in a national security row in Estonia after hundreds of thousands of identification cards that it produced were found to be vulnerable to hackers.

UKIP saved from bankruptcy
According to The Guardian, UKIP has been saved from bankruptcy after it raised £175,000 to settle a bill for costs resulting from a libel action brought by three Labour MPs and an additional £350,000. To avoid the cost of another leadership election, the party is also planning on keeping interim leader Gerard Batten in place for the next year.

Increase in childcare costs outstrips wage growth
The Daily Mirror reports that analysis by the Labour Party has found that the cost of childcare has grown by up to 47% since 2010, but wages only grew by 17% over the same period. Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner said this showed that the Government was ‘failing to deliver affordable, sustainable childcare for families across the country’.

Daily Political headlines curated by Vuelio political services.  

Jeremy Corbyn

Political Headlines – Corbyn, cancer detection, ivory sales and blue passports

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Today’s Political Headlines include criticism of Corbyn’s Passover attendance, budget cuts failing cancer detection, tougher rules on ivory sales and challenging the passport contract. 

Corbyn criticised for attending Passover event with left-wing Jewish group
The BBC says that Jeremy Corbyn has been criticised for attending a Passover event with Jewdas, a left-wing Jewish group which is critical of mainstream Jewish community bodies. Last week the group accused the Jewish Board of Deputies, Jewish Leadership Council and Jewish Labour Movement of ‘playing a dangerous game’.

Lord Lansley blames budget cuts for failure to detect his cancer earlier
The Times reports that Lord Lansley, the former Health Secretary, has said that budget cuts meant that doctors failed to detect his bowel cancer earlier. He criticised the Treasury for thwarting a screening programme called Bowelscope which he introduced in 2010 butwhich only covers 50% of the population owing to cuts to the Health Education England budget.

Government to introduce tougher rules on ivory sales
The Government is to ban the sale of most antiques made of ivory under Government plans to protect elephants from poaching, The Times says. Exemptions will apply for items with only a small amount of ivory, musical instruments and antiques over 100 years old and deemed important, and museums will still be allowed to buy ivory.

De La Rue plans legal challenge to passport contract
The Financial Times reports that De La Rue is planning a court challenge against the Government’s decision to award the contract to produce the UK’s new passports to the Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto. The British company is taking the first steps towards initiating a judicial review in the High Court.

Thousands of cancer operations cancelled over winter
The Guardian reports a poll of acute NHS trusts by the Health Service Journal, which found that hundreds of cancer operations were cancelled over winter. Macmillan Cancer Support has warned that the delays could have affected some patients’ survival chances. Separately, an exclusive in the paper finds that thousands of ambulances are being prevented from responding to 999 calls because they are tied up at A&E units.

European Central Bank warning puts thousands of City jobs at risk
The Times says that the European Central Bank has instructed financial companies to prepare for ‘a no-deal scenario leading to a hard Brexit with no transition’. City sources told the paper that the stance will automatically lead to the loss of 5000-10,000 jobs in the UK, and blamed France for the ECB’s stance, which is at odds with that of UK’s regulators.

Survey of teachers warns of rising child poverty
A survey of teachers by the National Education Union and the Child Poverty Action Group, reported by the Daily Mirror, has found that 87% think that poverty has a significant impact on learning, while 60% think that the situation has got worse since 2015. School leaders described pupils ‘turning up at school with grey skin and stuffing food in their pockets’.

At least two trade deals will be ready for end of Brexit transition
The Sun claims that internal Government forecasts show that the UK will have ‘at least two bumper free trade deals’ ready for implementation when the Brexit transition period ends, in rolling-over ‘dozens’ of the EU’s current free trade agreements. A source told the paper that deals with Australia and New Zealand would be the simplest to reach.

Daily Political headlines curated by Vuelio political services.  

Theresa May

Political Headlines – May’s trip, Corbyn crisis, exit checks and gender pay

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Today’s Political Headlines include May’s community visit around the UK, a Corbyn ally quitting and the continuing antisemitism row, the Home Office criticised over exit checks and the gender pay gap. 

May to visit communities across UK to mark a year to Brexit
Theresa May is to visit communities across the UK, marking a year until Brexit, the BBC reports. She will promise to keep the UK ‘strong and united’ and ensure that ‘no new barriers are created within our common domestic market’. After Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry said that if the Brexit deal was a ‘blah, blah, blah divorce’ it would pass Labour’s six tests for support, The Guardian says that Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer has reassured MPs that the party is prepared to vote against the deal.

Corbyn ally quits after row over Holocaust hoax allegations
The Times says that Christine Shawcroft quit as head of Labour’s disputes panel last night after she was revealed to have defended a council candidate who posted an article calling the Holocaust a hoax. She claims that she had not seen full details of the complaint, and has apologised. In an interview with Jewish News, Jeremy Corbyn described antisemitism as a ‘cancer in our society’, while The Sun claims that MP John Woodcock is considering quitting the party over Corbyn’s stance on antisemitism, Russia and other issues.

Home Office criticised over exit checks
A report by the Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, published yesterday, found that the Home Office’s system of exit checks is so unreliable that it does not contain departure records for 600,000 people who should have left in the last year, The Guardian reports. The Financial Times adds that this was one of just five critical reports of the Home Office to be published on the second-last day before Parliament’s Easter recess.

Only half of companies required to publish gender pay gap have done so
The Financial Times reports that only half of the companies required to publish their gender pay gap data have done so, despite the fact that only a week remains until the reporting deadline. The Government is also being criticised over the design of the reporting requirements and their effectiveness at addressing gender imbalances. Analysis by the paper suggests that the median gender pay gap so far is 9.7%.

Conservatives accused of breaching manifesto promise on broadband
According to The Daily Telegraph, the Conservatives are being accused of breaching a manifesto promise. The new Universal Service Obligation, under which households have the right to request a broadband connection with a 10mbps minimum speed, will not apply to households where installing the connection would cost over £3,400.

Parole system in crisis following Worboys ruling
The Daily Mail says that the parole system is in ‘crisis’ after three high court judges overturned the Parole Board’s decision to free the rapist John Worboys, citing ‘basic failures’ in the process. The board’s chairman, Nick Hardwick, has resigned and Justice Secretary David Gauke has ordered investigations into six other recent decisions, as the paper claims that he is ‘fighting for his job’.

Grayling accused of lying over rail electrification cancellation
The Daily Mirror says that the rail union Aslef has accused Transport Secretary Chris Grayling of lying over his decision to cancel electrification projects. While Grayling had claimed that improvements could be delivered sooner with ‘state of the art’ bi-mode trains, a National Audit Office report reveals that ‘the major reason for the cancellation was affordability’.

UK using aid spending as bargaining chip in Brexit negotiations
The Times reports that the UK is using the prospect of continued aid spending of over £1.4bn a year to secure a deal on security with the EU after Brexit. While May had hinted at this in a speech last year, the paper reports that it is now being treated as an explicit part of the UK’s negotiating position.

The Political headlines are curated by Vuelio political services team.  

Plastic bottles

Political Headlines – plastic bottles, NHS funding, antisemitism and referendum ‘fraud’

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Today’s Political Headlines include a plastic drinks bottles deposit, extra funding for the NHS, Labour tackling antisemitism and the referendum that was won through ‘fraud’.  

Deposit for drinks bottles and cans to be introduced
The Government has announced that customers will have to pay a deposit when they buy drinks bottles and cans, the BBC reports. While the deposit will increase prices, customers will get their money back if the container is returned. Full details are subject to consultation, including the size of the deposit. Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Michael Gove said, ‘We need to see a change in attitudes and behaviour. And the evidence shows that reward and return schemes are a powerful agent of change.’

Prime Minister indicates extra funding for the NHS is imminent
The Financial Times says that Theresa May has indicated that extra funding for the NHS is imminent. Giving evidence to the Commons Liaison Committee, the Prime Minister said that she was considering a ‘multiyear’ funding settlement and the NHS would not have to wait for next year’s spending review. She wants to develop a ‘long-term plan’ and ensure that it ‘is properly resourced’.

Shadow cabinet agrees Labour needs to change to tackle antisemitism
According to The Guardian the shadow cabinet has held a debate on Labour’s antisemitism crisis and agree that the party needs to make radical changes to deal with the problem. The paper says that informal agreement was reached to implement the recommendations from Shami Chakrabarti’s report into antisemitism and other forms of racism in full.

Referendum won through fraud, whistleblower says
The whistleblower Christopher Wylie has told MPs that the EU referendum was won through fraud, The Guardian says. He told the Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee that the pro-Brexit campaign had a ‘common plan’ to use a network of companies to get around restrictions. Vote Leave denies allegations of collusion and deliberate overspending.

UK to launch counter-propaganda war against Russia
The Daily Telegraph reports that a major overhaul of the UK’s security capabilities announced by Theresa May will include a counter-propaganda war against the Russians. The plan, known as the Fusion Doctrine, will tackle the threats of cyber warfare and fake news, as well as bombs. May will ensure that every Government department views national security as a priority. The plans are outlined in the new National Security Capability Review.

May hints that EU customs transition could be extended
The Times says that Theresa May suggested yesterday that the UK may not be ready to enter into a new customs arrangement with the EU when the transition agreement runs out. She was responding to comments made by HMRC officials who told the Commons Treasury Committee that it could take five years to set up a new customs partnership with the EU.

Committee to call for rent increases after fee ban to be stopped by Government
In an exclusive, The Sun reports that the Commons Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee is to call for ministers to prevent landlords from increasing rents when tenancy fees are banned. Other recommendations by the committee include capping deposits at five weeks’ rent, forcing landlords to provide reasons for evictions, and giving Trading Standards the powers and resources to tackle revenge evictions.

Northern Ireland same-sex marriage bill to be introduced to Commons
The BBC reports that the Labour MP Conor McGinn is to introduce a bill to Parliament later today, calling for same-sex marriage to be made legal in Northern Ireland. The private member’s bill is to be laid as a ten-minute rule bill and there is no guarantee that it will get to its next stage. A similar bill has already been laid before the House of Lords.

These political headlines are created by Vuelio Political Services team.