Archive for: Political Services

Today’s Political Headlines include potential criminal offences in Vote Leave, hundreds protesting antisemitism in Labour, universities as ‘safe spaces’ criticised and Stella Creasy attacking high cost credit cards. 

Vote Leave members may have committed criminal offences, lawyers say
The Guardian reports that lawyers advising the whistleblowers who worked for Vote Leave have said that members of the campaign may have committed criminal offences relating to overspending and collusion. The allegations will be debated in the Commons today, in an emergency debate secured by the Liberal Democrats. Yesterday, Theresa May defended her political secretary Stephen Parkinson, who faced criticism for outing a whistleblower as gay.

Hundreds protest about antisemitism in Labour
The Times says that John Mann, the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Antisemitism has warned Jeremy Corbyn that behaviour in some parts of the party is ‘rotten to the core’. Hundreds protested in Parliament Square about antisemitism in the Labour Party yesterday evening, and Corbyn said he was a ‘militant opponent’ of antisemitism.

‘Safe spaces’ criticised by parliamentary report
According to The Times, a new report by the Joint Committee on Human Rights tells universities they cannot be ‘safe spaces’ and must allow unpopular and controversial voices to be heard. The committee, chaired by Harriet Harmon, described the concept of ‘safe spaces’ as ‘too broad or very vague’ and warned that they impinged free speech.

Stella Creasy attacks high cost credit cards
The Guardian reports that the Labour MP Stella Creasy, who it credits with forcing the Treasury to cap interest rates and fees from payday loan providers, is calling for similar action on high-cost credit cards in order to protect vulnerable consumers. She is backing an amendment to the Finance Bill today, which could lead to a limit if successful.

Simon Stevens says £4bn cash boost would bring back post war NHS
The Daily Telegraph reports that Sir Simon Stevens, the head of NHS England, has said that if Theresa May gave the NHS a £4bn cash boost to mark its seventieth birthday, it could return to being the ‘kind of health service we had for the post war period’. Also speaking to the Public Accounts Committee, Sir Andrew Dilnott, who conducted a review into social care, warned that the absence of a cap left pensioners ‘terrified’ about care costs.

New corporate governance code won’t cover executive pay
The Financial Times reports that James Wates, the businessman drawing up the Government’s corporate governance code for private companies, has said that the code will not cover executive pay, but ‘may not be a million miles away’ from that for listed firms.

Williamson condemns Russian use of Internet to spread propaganda
Gavin Williamson, the Defence Secretary, has spoken to The Times about Russia’s use of troll and robotic accounts online to spread propaganda, branding them the ‘Lord Haw-Haws of the modern era’ and saying that they must be confronted. As the BBC reports, the USA and over 20 other countries have followed the UK’s lead by expelling Russian diplomats.

UK threatens to cripple EU satellite programme
In an exclusive, The Sun claims that the UK will cripple the global coverage of the EU’s Galileo satellite programme if it is excluded from it. The UK is to threaten to turn off key infrastructure for the programme on the Falklands, Ascension Island and Diego Garcia.

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Today’s Political Headlines include Jeremy Hunt’s call for increased NHS funding, May under pressure over Cambridge Analytica, Corbyn’s antisemitism apology and the UK ‘fighting’ to stay in the EU’s satellite programme. 

Jeremy Hunt in call for ten-year deal to fix ‘crazy’ health budget
The Times reports that Jeremy Hunt called health funding ‘crazy’, launched a ‘political offensive’ for a ten-year NHS spending deal and backed moves for a ring-fenced tax on Peston on Sunday. The paper describes this as a ‘direct challenge’ to Philip Hammond. The news comes as 98 MPs, including the chair of the Health Select Committee Sarah Wollaston and 20 other committee chairs, backed a call for a commission on increasing NHS funding.

May under pressure over Cambridge Analytica scandal
The Guardian claims that pressure is growing on the Prime Minister to investigate what members of her cabinet and staff knew about allegations regarding Vote Leave and Cambridge Analyticia. Pro-EU campaign group Best for Britain has written to Theresa May with a series of questions. The Times adds that the fate of May’s political secretary, Stephen Parkinson, will be decided today after it was claimed that he helped the campaign to cheat spending limits and outed a whistleblower as gay.

Corbyn apologises for ‘pockets of antisemitism’
Jeremy Corbyn has apologised for ‘pockets of antisemitism’ in the Labour party, The Guardian says. His apology follows an open letter from the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council accusing him of ‘siding with antisemites’. A protest is planned to be held outside Parliament later today.

May fights to stay in EU’s satellite programme
The Financial Times reports that Theresa May is trying to prevent the EU from leaving the UK out of the €10bn Galileo satellite project. The next round of contracts is expected to be awarded in June, but British companies will be excluded in order to protect the security elements of the programme. A senior official described the EU’s approach as ‘outrageous’.

Labour plans to amend Brexit bill to give Parliament more say
According to The Guardian, Keir Starmer will use a speech in Birmingham today to announce that Labour is to table amendments to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill which would prevent the UK from leaving the EU without a deal if Parliament rejects the outcome of the Brexit talks. Instead, MPs could pass a motion setting out the next steps, including resuming negotiations.

‘Damning report’ on Government childcare schemes
The Financial Times says that, in a ‘damning report’ published yesterday, the Commons Treasury Select Committee pressed the Government to reform childcare rules in order to boost productivity and to increase the take-up of tax-free schemes. The report also criticised problems with the Government’s tax-free childcare website.

Trump to expel Russian diplomats following spy poisoning
The Daily Telegraph reports that Donald Trump is set to expel more than 20 Russian diplomats from the USA, following the poisoning in Salisbury in a move that the paper describes as ‘a significant boost for Theresa May’. Up to 20 European nations may also follow the UK’s lead and expel Russian diplomats.

Councils spend £43m in compensation for injuries caused by damaged roads
The Times says that councils have spent over £43m over five years in settling legal claims brought by people injured on the country’s deteriorating roads. The figures were obtained by the charity Cycling UK, which warns that cyclists are being put at serious risk ‘due to years of persistent underinvestment in our rotting local road networks’. The Government has announced a further £100m will be given to local authorities for maintenance.

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Today’s Political Headlines include uniting against Russia, Tory party donors revealed as investors of Cambridge Analytica, blue passports being made by a Franco-Dutch firm and the dismantling of the Department for Exiting the European Union. 

May to warn EU summit about Russian threat, with decision on Brexit transition due
The BBC reports that Theresa May is to tell a summit of EU leaders in Brussels to remain united against Russia’s threat to all European democracies. The European Council summit will also decide whether or not to approve the terms of the Brexit transition period unveiled this week, with Spain raising concerns about Gibraltar.

Cambridge Analytica linked to Conservative donors
The Guardian reports that Conservative Party donors are amongst the investors in SCL Group, the parent of controversial firm Cambridge Analytica. Theresa May said yesterday that the Government had no current contracts with the company. The paper adds that Commons Home Affairs Committee Chair Yvette Cooper has called for a full investigation after it emerged that SCL Group had been granted permission to access secret documents by the Ministry of Defence, allowing it to work on two projects.

New blue UK passport to be produced by Franco-Dutch firm
The Daily Telegraph reports that Gemalto, a Franco-Dutch company, is expected to win the contract to produce the new blue UK passport. It undercut other bidders, including the British firm De La Rue, by around £50m. Sir Bill Cash, Chair of the European Scrutiny Committee, described the decision as ‘completely wrong and unnecessary’.

Whitehall discusses the Department for Exiting the European Union’s future
According to the Financial Times, talks about dismantling the Department for Exiting the European Union after March 2019 have begun in Whitehall. The Cabinet Office, Foreign Office, Department for International Trade and Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy are debating which functions they will take over, including talks on UK-EU trade. It is assumed that David Davis will retire from the Cabinet after Brexit happens.

Lords committee says that Government is failing on rural policy
The BBC says that a report by the Lords Committee on the Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act 2006 claims that the Government is failing on rural policy. It suggests that the policy area should be transferred to the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government, and claims that Natural England has become ineffective.

Boris Johnson and Theresa May row over stop-and-search
The Sun claims that Boris Johnson and Theresa May rowed about stop-and-search policy at Cabinet. Sources said that Johnson suggested the police should carry out more checks, but May, who cut the use of stop-and-search when she was Home Secretary because it unfairly targeted young black men, said that the police had all the powers they needed.

Social Mobility Commission needs extra resources, MPs say
The Guardian says that the Commons Education Committee’s report on the Social Mobility Commission (SMC) has called for the Government to give the SMC additional resources and increased powers, to rename it the Social Justice Commission and to appoint a Cabinet Office minister with specific responsibility for social mobility.

Scottish Brexit Bill expected to be referred to the Supreme Court
The Daily Telegraph reports that a row over the SNP’s Brexit Bill is expected to end up in the Supreme Court after it was passed by the Scottish Parliament. Adam Tomkins, a Conservative MSP, challenged the Lord Advocate to refer the bill to the Supreme Court to rule on whether or not it was within the Scottish Parliament’s powers. If he refuses, the paper reports that the UK Government will do so.

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Today’s Political Headlines include the Cambridge Analytica story, the Brexit transition period, Corbyn could ‘do business’ with Putin, and the Tories outspending its rivals in the last election. 

Cambridge Analytica boasted about swinging elections to undercover reporters
As The Guardian reports, executives from Cambridge Analytica, the firm at the centre of the Facebook data breach, ‘boasted of using honey traps, fake news campaigns and operations with ex-spies to swing election campaigns around the world’ to undercover reporters from Channel 4. The broadcaster moved in after months of investigation by The Observer.  The Information Commissioner is applying for a warrant to examine the firm’s activities, but the company denies any wrongdoing.

UK reaches agreement with EU on Brexit transition period
The UK obtained conditional agreement on the Brexit transition period by ‘offering the EU concessions over sovereignty’, the Financial Times reports. The progress will be acknowledged at the EU summit on Friday and new guidelines for negotiating the future relationship will be adopted. A colour-coded draft text of the withdrawal agreement show that progress still needs to be made on issues including governance and the Irish border. The Daily Telegraph adds that Jacob Rees-Mogg is to protest the ‘abject betrayal’ of the fishing industry by throwing fish overboard from a boat outside Parliament.

Corbyn would ‘do business’ with Putin
Jeremy Corbyn has told the BBC that he would ‘do business’ with Putin, but would challenge him on human rights and act in an ‘assertive’ and ‘demanding’ way with Russia. However, he also called for ‘an absolutely definitive answer’ over the source of the nerve agent used in the Salisbury attack and suggested that the Russians should be given a sample.

Conservatives outspent Labour and Lib Dems combined at last election
The Financial Times reports that the Conservatives spent more than Labour and the Liberal Democrats combined in the 2017 general election. The Tories spent £18.6m, while Labour spent £11m and the Lib Dems spent £6.8m. Detailed analysis revealed that the Tories spent four times more on Facebook advertising than Labour, and twice as much on Google adverts.

Council tax should be scrapped, thinktank says
The Guardian says that a report by the Resolution Foundation calls for council tax to be scrapped and replaced by a progressive levy on property. The think tank claims that in some areas council tax had ended up resembling the poll tax and is highly regressive.

UKIP ‘on brink of bankruptcy’
According to The Guardian, UKIP is ‘teetering on the brink of bankruptcy’ after being presented for a legal bill of £175,000 following a libel action brought by three Labour MPs. If it does not appeal, it will have to find the money in the next fortnight, with the party’s finances reportedly being ‘in a perilous condition’.

Politicians back The Sun campaign to cap credit fees
The Sun reports that politicians from across the spectrum are backing its call to ‘end rip-off doorstep lending fees and rent-to-own credit agreements’. The paper cites support from politicians including Lib Dem leader Vince Cable, former pensions minister Ros Altman, Tory backbencher Robert Halfon, Labour’s Stella Creasy, and the co-chairs of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Debt, Yvonne Fovargue and Jonathan Edwards.

One in eight local roads could close within a year due to backlog of repairs
Research by the Asphalt Industry Alliance published today, warns that as many as one in eight local roads could be closed to traffic within a year because of a huge backlog of pothole repairs, The Times says. While Government funding is at its highest level in a decade, the paper says that this is considered ‘too little, too late by some’.

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Today’s Political Headlines include Corbyn defending his position over the Salisbury poisoning, Google funding supportive think thanks, business leaders demanding a Brexit transition agreement and stay at home mums denied the right to a full state pension. 

Corbyn defends response to Salisbury poisoning
Jeremy Corbyn has written in The Guardian, defending his response to the Salisbury poisoning, warning Theresa May against ‘rushing way ahead of the evidence’. The paper says that there appear to be divisions on the issue in the shadow cabinet, with Emily Thornberry and Nia Griffith taking tougher stances. Yesterday, as the BBC reports, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said that Russia should ‘go away and ‘shut up’. The Times reports on the ‘unusual joint statement’ made by the French, German, American and British leaders, condemning Russian for ‘an assault on UK sovereignty’.

Google spends tens of millions of pounds funding think tanks
A report seen by The Times, shows that Google has spent tens of millions of pounds funding think tanks that published papers supporting its policy interests. The US Campaign for Accountability report examined five institutions in the UK and Europe, including Nesta’s Research Alliance for a Digital Economy (Readie).

Business leaders stress urgent need for Brexit transition agreement
The Financial Times reports that business leaders highlighted the urgent need for a finalised Brexit transition deal when they met the Prime Minister yesterday, adding that the Irish border remains the biggest remaining obstacle to reaching a transition deal next week. The Guardian claims that the Government has been asking businesses to sign secrecy agreements when they discuss border issues with it, including no-deal Brexit scenarios.

50,000 stay at home mothers denied right to full state pension
Nicky Morgan, chair of the Commons Treasury Committee, has written to officials, raising concerns that 50,000 stay at home mothers may miss out on a full state pension as a result of changes to the state benefit system, owing to what The Daily Telegraph calls a ‘Government blunder’.

Grenfell Tower doors could only hold fire back for half the intended time
Investigators have found that doors in Grenfell Tower were only capable of holding back flames for half of their intended time, as an article in The Sun says. Sajid Javid told the House of Commons that there was ‘no evidence’ that this was a ‘systematic issue’ and that further updates would be provided by the end of April.

Cambridge Analytica pitched illegal offer targeting foreign donors to Leave.EU
The Guardian reports that documents released by the Commons Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Committee show that Cambridge Analytica proposed raising money form foreign supporters on behalf of Leave.EU, in breach of UK election law. However, Leave.EU did not take up the offer. The documents were supplied to the committee by Arron Banks, the campaign’s backer, to rebut claims made by Cambridge Analytica’s chief executive.

Javid becomes fifth MP to receive ‘Punish a Muslim’ package
The Times reports that Sajid Javid has become the fifth MP to receive a suspicious package and a letter calling for a ‘Punish a Muslim’ day. The letters are currently being investigated by counterterrorism police. The other recipients have been Rupa Huq, Rushanara Ali, Mohammad Yasin and Afzal Khan.

GMB criticises reliability of green power sources
The Sun carries details of a report by the GMB, which claims that on 65 days last year, turbines supplied less than 10% of their potential for at least half a day, leaving the UK reliant on gas, nuclear and coal. The union’s national secretary, Justin Bowden, said, ‘It is the facts, not the hype, which should determine the UK’s energy policy decisions.’

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Today’s Political Headlines include measures against Russia, an ‘easing of austerity’, an integration green paper and corrupt countries that ‘should not’ receive aid. 

May due to announce measures against Russia
As the BBC reports, Theresa May is expected to announce a series of measures against Russia later today, after the country missed her deadline to explain the use of a nerve agent to poison a former double agent. The Prime Minister received the backing of President Trump in a phone call, while the leaders of Germany and France have also offered their support.

Spring statement ‘signalled an easing of austerity’
The Financial Times says that Philip Hammond’s Spring Statement ‘signalled an easing of austerity’. Hammond described himself as being ‘positively Tigger-like’, but the paper reports that official forecasts leave the UK near the bottom of the Group of Seven economic powers in terms of growth. The Sun claims that the Chancellor has been ‘blasted’ over proposals to scrap 1p and 2p coins in a consultation released alongside the statement.

Integration green paper launched
Sajid Javid (the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government) is to launch a £50m green paper on integration, The Guardian says. He told the paper that there were 770,000 people living in England that speak little or no English. The Times reports that the proposals will also mandate that Sharia weddings must be registered in law.

Corrupt countries should not receive aid, Cameron says
According to The Daily Telegraph, David Cameron has suggested that corrupt countries should be stripped of aid money. Appearing before a US congressional committee, the former prime minister said that countries who didn’t meet ‘basic norms of governance’ should not receive funding as this is ‘not fair on our taxpayers’.

Government agrees ‘major climb-down’ on transition period
In an exclusive, The Sun reveals that Theresa May’s Brexit committee has agreed the terms of the Brexit transition phase. A ‘major climb-down’ has been agreed, keeping borders open for EU citizens until 2021 and accepting the EU’s proposed exit date at the end of 2020.

May to meet devolved leaders
Theresa May is to hold meetings with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones later today, in an attempt to end deadlock over Brexit, the BBC reports. Sturgeon has said that she does not expect to reach a deal over devolved powers after Brexit today, although all sides agree that progress has been made.

University strike deal fails
The Times says that final year exams at over 60 universities will be ‘severely disrupted’ after a deal to end a strike by lecturers was rejected. Preparations are now being made for 14 days of strikes during May and June, with lectures and classes not being rescheduled.

Childcare voucher changes delayed
The Guardian reports that Labour has pushed the Government into agreeing to extend the workplace childcare voucher system following a vote yesterday. Labour whips are predicting that the delay could lead to the plan to abolish the vouchers being abandoned.

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Today’s Political Headlines include Newsnight’s bullying investigation in Parliament, the full spectrum response to Russia, NHS staff offered a pay rise and ministers rejecting the latte levy. 

Investigation into bullying in Parliament accuses three MPs, including John Bercow
An investigation by BBC Newsnight into harassment and bullying of clerks in Parliament has made accusations against three MPs. Those accused are Labour’s Paul Farrelly, the Conservative Mark Pritchard, and the Speaker, John Bercow. All three deny the allegations, but Lib Dem deputy leader Jo Swinson has called for a ‘thorough independent investigation.’

May draws up ‘full spectrum’ response to Russia
In an exclusive, The Sun reports that Theresa May is drawing up a ‘full spectrum’ response to alleged Russian involvement in the poisoning of a former Russian spy. Measures will include expelling diplomats, cancelling visas, freezing assets, a joint international statement of condemnation, and increased military deployments in Eastern Europe.

NHS staff to be offered pay rise in return for losing holiday
According to The Guardian, the Government is to offer NHS staff a 6.5% pay rise over the next three years, so long as they give up a day’s holiday. This would be the first ‘meaningful’ pay rise since 2010, the paper claims, with unions ‘cautiously optimistic’ about the deal.

Ministers reject ‘latte levy’
The Government has rejected calls from the Environmental Audit Committee to introduce a ‘latte levy’ on disposable coffee cups. The BBC says that ministers have instead suggested shops introduce their own voluntary charges, annoying committee chair Mary Creagh.

Johnson promises ‘very, very minimal controls’ on Irish border
Speaking at an event held by The Daily Telegraph, Boris Johnson promised ‘very, very minimal controls’ at the Irish border and that a no deal Brexit would have no ‘terrors’ for the UK. The Financial Times says that Donald Tusk, the European Council President, has said that Ireland must be dealt with ‘first’ in talks. The Daily Telegraph also reports that the Government is to go ahead with its proposals for devolution after Brexit, despite failing to secure approval from the devolved administrations.

Tories ‘clamouring’ for public spending increase
The Financial Times says that Conservative MPs are ‘clamouring’ for the Chancellor to increase public spending at the Spring Statement. The Daily Mirror reports that John McDonnell is to say the Conservatives are ‘blind’ to the ‘pain and misery’ of austerity.

Government to publish ‘humiliating’ Universal Credit reviews
The Daily Mirror says the Government confirmed yesterday that it was to give up its two-year battle to keep its ‘humiliating’ reviews of Universal Credit secret. The Government had been due to defend the non-publication of the reviews at a forthcoming tribunal.

Government considers fines for motorists who pass too close to cyclists
The Times reports that the Government is to publish a call for evidence as part of a review of cyclist and pedestrian safety, including possible fines for drivers who pass cyclists too closely. Legal advice advocating a new offence of dangerous cycling will also be published.

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Today’s Political Headlines include the nerve agent used to attack a former Russian spy, the Government’s new domestic abuse proposals, Labour’s fines for inaction on gender pay and the elderly care crippling councils. 

Nerve agent reportedly used to attack former Russian spy
The Times reports that ‘Whitehall sources’ say Sergei and Yulia Skripal were attacked with a nerve agent, increasing the likelihood of Kremlin involvement. It adds that Conservative MP Nick Boles has called on the UK to break off diplomatic ties with Russia and that Home Secretary Amber Rudd will make an urgent statement on the investigation today.

Government unveils new domestic abuse proposals
The Guardian has details of a new consultation on domestic abuse being launched by the Government today. Under the proposals, a new civil protection order would be introduced, allowing perpetrators to be banned from contacting their victims, barred from drinking alcohol and electronically tagged.

Labour would introduce fines for inaction on gender pay gaps
Labour has also announced a new policy to mark International Women’s Day, The Guardian says. Under a Labour government, all companies with more than 250 employees would not only have to publish their gender pay gap, but would have to prove they were taking action or face a fine.

One in ten councils face going bust over cost of caring for the elderly
The Times reports that a study by the National Audit Office shows that one in ten councils will run out of money in the next three years as they struggle to pay for the rising cost of care for the elderly, with central government funding having been cut by almost 50% over the last eight years. This is despite major cuts to waste, food hygiene, and youth services.

May raises human rights with Saudi Arabia, but is accused of colluding in war crimes
The BBC says that Theresa May raised human rights concerns when she met the Saudi Arabian crown prince yesterday. Jeremy Corbyn accused the Government of ‘colluding’ in war crimes by selling arms to the country and supporting it with military advisers.

Cost of Brexit to be outlined, as Hammond accused of bartering away fishing rights
The Financial Times says the impact of the Brexit Bill on public finances will be set out for the first time by the Office for Budget Responsibility at the spring statement next week. The paper also reports that in his speech yesterday, Philip Hammond warned the EU that if the UK’s access to European financial markets was cut, ‘significant additional costs’ would be borne by businesses and consumers. According to The Daily Telegraph, Hammond is being criticised for bartering away fishing rights in return for a better deal for the City, as the EU published its draft trade deal guidelines.

Labour secures vote on cuts to free school meals and childcare for children on Universal Credit
According to the Daily Mirror, the Shadow Education Secretary, Angela Rayner, has blocked attempts by the Government to cut free school meals and free childcare for children on Universal Credit without a vote in Parliament. A vote will now have to be held, which the paper expects the Government to lose because the DUP opposes the change.

‘Civil war’ in Labour Party as Corbyn ally criticises unions
The Sun alleges that a ‘major civil war’ is taking place in the Labour Party after Christine Shawcroft, an ally of Jeremy Corbyn, called on the party to cut its links to the unions. She is supporting Jon Lansman, the founder of Momentum, in his bid to become General Secretary of the party, against Jennie Formby of Unite. The paper also reports that Corbyn was a member of an anti-Semitic Facebook group.

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