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Today’s political headlines includes former police chiefs warning about cuts, Johnson vows to make UK the greatest place on Earth, Green Part and Plaid Cymru back Lib Dems and Hunt announces plan to build 1.5m new homes for the young. 

Former police chiefs issue warning about cuts
Writing to The Times, five former Metropolitan Police Commissioners claim that Theresa May has brought about the ‘emasculation of British policing’, warning that resources were at ‘dangerously low levels’ and that victims had ‘perilously low expectations’. Yesterday Sir Thomas Winsor, the Chief Inspector of Constabulary, said that some forces were ‘straining under significant pressure’ owing to complex and growing demands, and poor resources.

Johnson vows to make UK ‘the greatest place on Earth’
Interviewed by The Daily Telegraph, Boris Johnson has said that he wants to make Britain ‘the greatest place on Earth’, calling on people to embrace the ‘fantastic’ opportunities he claims are posed by Brexit. He also pledges to cut stamp duty to tackle the ‘locked up’ housing market, said the UK’s ‘most important’ trade deal would be with the EU, and said he would not agree a trade deal with the USA at the cost of accepting ‘substandard’ food.

Green Party and Plaid Cymru back Liberal Democrats in by-election
The Times reports that pro-remain parties are to back a single candidate in next month’s Brecon and Radnorshire by-election, with Plaid Cymru and the Green Party agreeing to back the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, Jane Dodds. Dodds said that the agreement was a ‘historic and courageous decision’, while Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price said that stopping Brexit was in the ‘best interests of Wales’ and the principle could be applied elsewhere.

Hunt announces plan to build 1.5m new homes for the young
Writing in The Sun, Jeremy Hunt announces his plan to build 1.5m homes for the young, ‘giving a whole generation a leg up on to the housing ladder’ in order to beat Jeremy Corbyn. He would change the law with a new policy called ‘Right to Own’ under which councils and Homes England could buy land and commission building on it.

Johnson campaign funded by developers whose scheme he approved
In an exclusive, the Daily Mirror reports Boris Johnson’s leadership campaign is being funded in part by the Reubens, a family of property developers whose redevelopment of Millbank Tower he approved, amid controversy, when he was Mayor of London despite it not having any affordable homes. Len Duvall, Labour’s London Assembly group leader, said this ‘begs the question of whether this is a sign of what’s to come if he enters Downing Street’

Hunt proposes tax breaks for those who care for relatives at home
The Daily Telegraph says that Jeremy Hunt has proposed giving families who look after elderly relatives at home tax breaks, as part of a plan to fix social care. He has promised to publish a social care green paper within 100 days of becoming Prime Minister, including a 10-year funding plan, long-term saving schemes and a cap on care costs.

Gauke warns that Parliament will block no-deal Brexit
The Sun says that Justice Secretary David Gauke has warned Boris Johnson that a no-deal Brexit will be blocked as Parliament ‘will find a way’ to do so, given there was a clear majority behind such a move. He said that MPs’ recess for party conferences should be cancelled to give more time to find a deal and cautioned that Johnson would lose the next election if there was no deal with the EU.

Tories sell dinner with new Prime Minister for £300,000
The Daily Mail reports that the Conservatives used their summer party to auction dinner with the new Prime Minister for £300,000. Other lots sold at the party fundraiser included a signed photo of David Cameron and Boris Johnson, a flight in a private jet to anywhere in Europe, tickets to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a private champagne party for 100 people in central London, a hunting trip to Scotland, and chances to meet other ministers.

Domestic policy is firmly back on the agenda, keep up with Vuelio Political Services.  

Today’s political headlines includes Hunt’s pledge to back fox hunting, Labour support at (joint) record low, Johnson announces plans for 20,000 more police officers and the Foreign Office has summoned Chinese ambassador over criticism. 

Hunt pledges to back the legalisation of fox-hunting
Jeremy Hunt has used an interview with The Daily Telegraph to back the legalisation of fox-hunting, claiming that it is ‘part of the countryside’. He also told the paper that if he became Prime Minister Boris Johnson would be given ‘a very important Cabinet job’ while MPs’ summer recess might be cancelled to ensure that all the legislation needed for a no-deal Brexit was passed. Writing in the paper, he argues that he is better placed than Johnson to defeat the ‘clear and present danger’ posed by Jeremy Corbyn.

Labour support at record low in new poll
A poll conducted by YouGov for The Times has found that support for Labour is at its lowest in polling history, with just 18% of voters planning to vote for the party. The Conservatives are 24%, the Brexit Party is on 23% and the Liberal Democrats are on 20%. The paper adds that Jeremy Corbyn met Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill to discuss its story about civil servants raising concerns about Corbyn’s health, with Labour claiming that the meeting was ‘frank and detailed’ and that there will be an ‘independent element’ to the investigation.

Johnson announces plans for 20,000 more police officers
The Daily Mail reports that Boris Johnson will today promise to put 20,000 new police officers on the streets within the next three years, at a cost of £1bn a year. Johnson said that ‘soaring crime levels are destroying lives across the country and we urgently need to tackle this’, while the plan has been borrowed from former leadership candidate and Home Secretary Sajid Javid, adding to speculation that he may be made Chancellor by Johnson.

Foreign Office summons Chinese ambassador over criticism
The Guardian says that the Foreign Office has summoned the Chinese ambassador, Liu Xiaoming, to accuse him of making unacceptable criticisms of the UK. He had used a press conference to claim that remarks by Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt about the protests in Hong Kong were ‘interference’ and that there would be ‘consequences’ going further.

Lords call for £8bn to be spent on social care
The Financial Times carries details of a new report by the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee, which calls on the Government to spend £8bn on social care immediately in order to fix what it calls a ‘national scandal’. It says that the system is ‘severely underfunded’ and that 1.4m adults cannot access adequate care, adding that the Government should publish a white paper containing ‘clear proposals for change’.

Supermarkets back simpler recycling labels
The Daily Telegraph reports that representatives from the supermarkets Iceland and Waitrose yesterday told the Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee that the Government should introduce legislation to simplify recycling labels on packaging so that it is easier for consumers to understand.

Osborne considering running to be IMF head
The Times reports that George Osborne has told friends that he is considering campaigning to be the next head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) now that Christine Lagarde, the incumbent, has been appointed as the head of the European Central Bank (ECB). To succeed, he will need to be nominated by the new Prime Minister, while his allies believe that his main rival is likely to be Mario Draghi, the outgoing ECB head.

Gauke attacks ‘populist politicians’
The Guardian says that Justice Secretary David Gauke used his speech at the annual judges’ dinner in the City of London to attack ‘populist politicians’ who tell people what they think they want to hear, contrasting judges’ fact-finding with those ‘who pour poison into our national conversation’. The paper says this will be seen as a ‘veiled attack’ on Boris Johnson.

The Tory leadership race is all about headlines now – but who will win? Find out with Vuelio Political Services.  

Today’s political headlines includes Boris to review sin taxes, May warns of no-deal Brexit risks, McDonnell tells civil service to prepare for a Labour Government and Hunts says no deal could cause historic damage. 

Boris to review ‘sin-taxes’
The BBC reports Boris Johnson has said he will review taxes on tobacco, alcohol and sugar to see whether they are effective, and that he will not introduce any new ‘sin taxes’. Johnson said these sorts of taxes disproportionately impact the finances of those on lower incomes. The Times suggests that Johnson has split his campaign by adopting this stance as the policies have been championed by the Health and Social Care Secretary, Matt Hancock, who is one of his supporters.

May to warn of no-deal Brexit risks to union
The Daily Telegraph reports that Theresa May is to make a speech in Scotland on Thursday, announcing a review of devolution to be led by Lord Dunlop and warning of the risk to the union posed by a no-deal Brexit. She will call for the UK Government to have a higher profile in Scotland in order to ward off the threat of independence.

McDonnell tells civil service to prepare for a Labour Government
The Times says that John McDonnell is to call on the civil service to prepare both for a Labour Government and for a second referendum, with Corbyn to request formal talks when he meets Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill to discuss a report in The Times that some civil servants believe that Corbyn is not well enough to do the job.

Hunt says no deal Brexit could cause as much damage as financial crash of 2008
The Sun reports on a warning from Jeremy Hunt that a no deal Brexit could cause as much damage to the economy as the 2008 financial crisis. Hunt feels as though the fallout from a no deal would be very serious. This came after Philip Hammond said the Government warned that a no-deal Brexit would lead to a £90bn hole in the public finances.

Ellie Reeves to face possible deselection
The Guardian reports that Ellie Reeves, Labour MP for Lewisham West and Penge, is facing a possible deselection attempt after she signed a statement criticising the readmission of Chris Williamson. A member of the CLP has emailed its chair to request a motion of no confidence in Reeves. As Reeves is 22 weeks pregnant, it is understood that the motion of no confidence would not take place while she is on maternity leave.

Johnson says he’d ‘love’ a bridge between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK
The Daily Mail has said that Boris Johnson used a hustings of Conservative members in Northern Ireland to say that he would ‘love’ a bridge between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. He accused the EU of ‘moral blackmail’ over the Northern Ireland backstop and claimed that concerns about a no-deal Brexit were ‘wildly overdone’.

Over a dozen Labour MPs would now back May’s Brexit deal
The Sun claims that senior Labour backbenchers have claimed over a dozen of the party’s MPs would now back Theresa May’s Brexit deal, with Lisa Nandy publicly announcing that she would now vote for it. John Mann claimed that up to 30 Labour MPs would back it or abstain if it was put to the vote again.

Field calls homeless charity ‘magnet for undesirables’
In an exclusive, The Guardian reports that suspended minister Mark Field described a homeless charity in his constituency, The Passage, as a ‘magnet for undesirables’. The Big Issue Foundation said this use of ‘pejorative terminology to describe marginalised people’ was unacceptable, while Field claims he was ‘reiterating in verbatim form the strength of local opinion’.

What are the sin taxes and why do they matter? Find out with Vuelio Political Services.  

Today’s political headlines includes Brexit Party fighting every seat, Hunt announces £6bn war chest for no-deal and public sector pay freeze under Johnson. 

Brexit Party to fight every Westminster seat
The Guardian report on Nigel Farage saying that the Brexit Party will have candidates ready to fight in every Westminster constituency within days. Farage said that even in the event Boris Johnson is leading the Government and they are moving towards no-deal the Brexit Party will still battle hard. At an event in Birmingham the Brexit Party revealed their first 100 candidates to an audience of 5,000 activists.

Jeremy Hunt announces £6bn war chest for no-deal
Sky News report on remarks made by Jeremy Hunt where he has said that if he becomes Prime Minister he will have a £6bn fund for farmers and fisherman who export to Europe. Hunt is also expected to form a committee that will get the Government ready for a no-deal Brexit and prepared for WTO tariffs coming into effect.

Public sector pay freeze over under Johnson
The Independent report on Matt Hancock stating that Boris Johnson will scrap the public sector pay freeze. The Health Secretary said that those who work in the public sector will get a fair pay rise if Boris Johnson becomes PM. This could be a targeted campaign from the Johnson campaign as his leadership rival Jeremy Hunt oversaw the new contracts for junior doctors.

Claims about Corbyn’s health are ‘fake news’The Times re
port on head of the Unite union Len McCluskey describing concerns about Jeremy Corbyn’s health as ‘fake news’. This comes after it was reported that senior civil servants had become worried about Corbyn’s health. Speaking on The Andrew Marr Show McCluskey said the claims were fake news and a distortion.

Gordon Brown wants Theresa May to honour Conservative manifesto pledge on BBC TV licences
The Sun report on forming Prime Minister Gordon Brown calling on Theresa May to make sure that the Conservative manifesto promise of TV licenses being free for over 75s until 2022 is honoured. From June 2020 free TV licenses will be available to households where someone receives pension credit. The BBC has made this change as the cost of providing the licensers is going to be transferred to the broadcaster.

Get meaningful political intelligence with Vuelio Political Services.  

Today’s political headlines includes Johnson’s no-deal Brexit budget, BBC censoring Johnson calling the French turds, May to urge Putin to hand over Salisbury attackers and Verhofdtadt attacks Johnson’s false promises. 

Johnson plans no-deal Brexit budget
According to The Times, Boris Johnson is preparing an emergency budget for a no-deal Brexit, including tax cuts, reforms to stamp duty and cutting regulation. He reportedly offered Sajid Javid the role of Chancellor at the weekend, with Javid expected to endorse him in the next fortnight. Johnson’s budget plans will be discussed next week at a meeting chaired by Sir Edward Lister, who is planning Johnson’s first 100 days as Prime Minister.

BBC censored Johnson calling the French ‘turds’
The Daily Mail claims that the BBC covered-up Boris Johnson accusing the French of being ‘turds’ about Brexit after the Foreign Office requested that it be removed from a fly-on-the-wall documentary. A Government memo said that broadcasting the remark would have made relations between the two countries ‘awkward’, while senior diplomats claimed that it would have made reaching a good Brexit deal even harder.

May to urge Putin to hand over Salisbury attackers
The Daily Telegraph says that Theresa May will use a meeting with Vladimir Putin at today’s G20 summit in Japan to urge him to hand over the suspected Salisbury attackers so that they can be ‘brought to justice’. She will also call on Russia to stop undermining ‘our collective security’. The Russian President has given an interview to the Financial Times in which he claimed that ‘the liberal idea has become obsolete’ but expressed hope that ‘a few preliminary steps’ could be made in restoring relations between the countries.

Verhofstadt attacks Johnson’s ‘false promises’
Writing in The Guardian, the European Parliament’s Brexit co-ordinator, Guy Verhofstadt, attacks Boris Johnson’s ‘false promises, pseudo-patriotism and foreigner-bashing’, saying his claims showed that he is ‘a man who continues to dissemble, exaggerate and disinform’.

Johnson refuses to rule out proroguing Parliament, says ministers must support no-deal
The Times says Boris Johnson has refused to rule out proroguing Parliament to enable a no-deal Brexit, despite his ally Liz Truss having claimed that Johnson had ruled it out. Johnson has also said that he will only appoint Cabinet ministers who are ‘reconciled’ to the idea of a no-deal Brexit, suggesting that he might be able to win round some opponents, such as Amber Rudd. He will today promise a ‘bold vision to rejuvenate our high streets’.

Leaked Home Office report criticises hostile environment policy
The Guardian says that a leaked version of a report into the causes of the Windrush scandal, commissioned by the Home Office, says that the department failed to follow its legal duty to counter racial discrimination when it implemented the hostile environment policy. The report says that the Home Office’s failure to effectively evaluate its policies’ effectiveness was ‘particularly reckless’ and recommends making an ‘unqualified apology’.

Vaz calls for Williamson decision to be reconsidered
The Daily Mirror reports that Labour MP Keith Vaz has called for the party’s decision to readmit Chris Williamson to be ‘reconsidered’, despite the fact that he sat on the panel which made the decision and voted for it, overruling the recommendations of party staff. He argues that as details of the meeting were leaked, the decisions it made ‘cannot stand’.

Government plans ‘fat tax’ on milkshakes
In an exclusive, The Sun reports that the Government is planning a ‘fat tax’ by extending the ‘sugar tax’ to ‘sugary milk drinks’ such as milkshakes unless manufacturers improve their recipes. The proposal is contained in a new green paper on improving children’s health and air quality and was apparently inserted by Number 10.

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