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Today’s political headlines include the benefit cut to be axed, May calling unions to gain support for her deal, Cabinet ministers accused of undermining May and Shinzo Abe says the ‘whole world’ is against a no-deal Brexit. 

Benefit cut to be axed
The Mirror reports that Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd is to cancel a benefit cut which would have affected 15,000 families, three weeks before it was meant to be implemented. Under the ‘two-child limit’, families are not be able to claim Universal Credit or Tax Credits for more than two children, but Rudd will say today that extending the policy to cover children born before it was announced would not be ‘right’.

May calls unions in attempt to gain support for deal
The Times reports that Theresa May rang union leaders yesterday in a bid to win support for her Brexit deal from Labour MPs. According to the paper, Unite has not denied a claim by 10 Downing Street that the call was ‘constructive’, but the GMB’s response was ‘less positive’. The paper adds that Business Secretary Greg Clark and Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson made contradictory public statements about the impact of a no-deal Brexit on British businesses, with Clark saying it would be a ‘disaster’.

Cabinet ministers accused of undermining May
The Daily Mail has obtained a leaked email in which the Number 10 Director of Communications, Robbie Gibb, accuses leadership contenders Sajid Javid, Amber Rudd and Liz Truss of trying to undermine the Prime Minister, warning that ‘this situation cannot continue’. He accuses them of announcing their own initiatives last weekend when the media plan was being ‘starved out’ to ensure the ‘best coverage’ for the NHS plan.

Japanese Prime Minister said that ‘whole world’ is against a no-deal Brexit
The BBC reports that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said yesterday that it was ‘the whole wish of the whole world’ that a no-deal Brexit would be avoided. Theresa May added that Brexit provided  ‘an unprecedented opportunity’ to improve relations with Japan.

CBI calls for MPs to back May’s deal
In an exclusive, The Guardian reports that Carolyn Fairburn, the Director-General of the CBI, is to use a speech today to urge MPs to vote for the Brexit deal in order to avoid a ‘hugely damaging cliff edge’ and a shrink in GDP of up to 8% in a no-deal Brexit scenario. The paper adds that the Government has now signed two contracts to store drugs as part of its planning for a no-deal Brexit, but a third location has yet to be secured.

4,000 civil servants to be seconded to tackle no-deal Brexit
According to The Times, up to 4,000 civil servants are being seconded from their departments for six months to work on a no-deal Brexit. The Permanent Secretary at the Department for Education said that while ‘key services continue to operate’ other parts of his department would be mothballed. Defra and HMRC are to see a boost in their staff numbers.

Government criticised for failure to regulate lending
The Guardian says that the Government’s refusal to regulate lending to small businesses in its response to the Commons Treasury Committee’s has been criticised by the committee’s chair, Nicky Morgan. She called on the Financial Conduct Authority to be ‘given the powers to provide protection to SMEs now’.

Brexiteers blame EU for loss of Jaguar Land Rover jobs
The Daily Telegraph reports that Eurosceptic MPs are using the decision by Jaguar Land Rover to cut 4,5000 jobs in the UK and move production of the Land Rover Discovery to Slovakia as a justification for Brexit. Jacob Rees-Mogg said that the EU ‘uses our money to move our jobs from the UK to other EU countries.’ While Slovakia is a net recipient of EU funding, the funding it gave the firm to open the factory did not come from the EU.

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Today’s political headlines include Bercow under fire for setting a ‘damaging precendent’, Corbyn to call for general election, Tory rebels open talks with Labour about alternative deal and May to back workers’ rights to woe Labour MPs. 

Bercow under fire from ministers for setting ‘damaging precedent’
The BBC reports that Commons Speaker John Bercow has been criticised by ministers for allowing an amendment to the Government’s business motion on the vote on the Withdrawal Agreement, which they claim broke with parliamentary precedent. The amendment, which was passed, forces the Government to come up with new plans within three days should May’s deal be defeated, rather than within three weeks. The Leader of the House of Commons, Andrea Leadsom, claimed that Bercow had set ‘a very damaging precedent’.

Corbyn to call for general election again
According to The Guardian, Jeremy Corbyn will use a speech in Wakefield today to call for Theresa May to call a general election, which would ‘let the people decide’ on her Brexit deal and ‘break the deadlock’. Yesterday, two Labour frontbenchers confirmed that Labour would call for a vote of no confidence in May very soon after her deal is defeated next week.

Tory rebels open talks with Labour about alternative deal
The Times claims that Tory rebels have opened talks with Labour about an alternative to Theresa May’s deal. Speaking in the House of Commons, Labour’s Shadow Brexit Secretary confirmed to Ken Clarke that the party would enter cross-party discussions ‘in the right’ spirit once May’s deal is defeated, while he told Sir Oliver Letwin that there would need to be a ‘consensus’ in the Commons if no-deal was to be avoided.

May to back workers’ rights in attempt to secure Labour support for deal
The Mirror says that Theresa May is likely to attempt to gain Labour MPs’ support for her deal by backing an amendment put down by Labour backbenchers John Mann, Caroline Flint and Gareth Snell guaranteeing that existing EU workers’ and environmental rights would be protected after Brexit. The paper suggests that up to 20 Labour MPs could support the deal if the amendment is successful.

Eurotunnel complain about ferry contracts
According to the Financial Times, Eurotunnel is claiming that the Government’s decision to award contracts worth up to £103m to three ferry companies to provide additional capacity in the event of a no-deal Brexit is ‘distortionary and anti-competitive’, and a breach of ‘competition and state-aid law’. In a letter to Transport Secretary Chris Grayling the firm hinted that it could take legal action against the Government.

Senior MPs propose holding inquiry into abuse
The Guardian claims that Parliament ‘is moving towards’ holding a Speaker’s conference to examine the abuse and harassment of MPs after the idea was put forward by Ken Clarke and Harriet Harman. A cross-party group of MPs would examine the evidence and decide the best way of balancing the right to protest and allowing MPs to work freely.

Forced marriage victims will no longer have to pay for their rescue
The Times reports that, following an earlier investigation by the paper, the Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has announced that women rescued from forced marriages abroad by the Foreign Office will no longer be charged for the cost of their rescue. The department will now seek court orders to force their parents to pay instead.

Japanese carmakers urge Shinzo Abe to make no-deal Brexit impact clear to May
The Financial Times says Japanese car manufacturers with factories in the UK have been urging the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, to make the impact of a no-deal Brexit clear to Theresa May when they meet today. The Sun adds that the lifting of a 23-year trade ban on exports of British beef and lamb to Japan is to be announced.

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Today’s political headlines include UK officials attempting to extend Article 50, Skype appointments with your doctor, new social homes needed and the Brexit latest. 

UK officials sound out EU about extending Article 50
According to The Daily Telegraph, UK officials have been sounding out their EU counterparts about the possibility of extending Article 50, although one source described this as just officials ‘doing their homework’.  Digital Minister Margot James yesterday admitted that Article 50 might needed to be extended if Theresa May lost the vote on her Brexit deal, although 10 Downing Street denied this.

More patients to have Skype appointments, while NHS targets will be relaxed
The Times reports on yesterday’s NHS long-term plan, highlighting the news that 30m hospital visits a year will be avoided by using Skype, smartphones and other forms of technology, reducing face-to-face consultations by a third. However, The Guardian claims that the NHS leadership is ‘preparing to risk a backlash’ by relaxing waiting time targets, such as dealing with patients in A&E within four hours, following a clinical review that is due to report in the spring.

Cross-party call for 3m new social homes by 2040
The Guardian carries details of a new report by a cross-party on social housing commissioned by the charity Shelter. It claims that over 3m new social homes are needed by 2040, at a cost of up to £225bn. However, economic modelling suggests that this investment would be repaid within 40 years. Ed Miliband, one of the commissioners, said that the Government needed to ‘act now’, while Baroness Warsi described the report as ‘a vital opportunity’.

Cabinet ministers to urge May to ‘play hardball’ with EU
The Times claims that cabinet ministers will today urge Theresa May to ‘play hardball’ with the EU and give MPs a chance to vote on the deal with conditions attached, including Parliament having to approve entering the backstop. However, the paper adds that ‘Downing Street figures’ are sceptical that this would change the EU’s position on the deal.

MPs seek to curb UK powers in no-deal Brexit scenario
The BBC reports that MPs who want to block the UK from leaving the EU without a deal are putting forward an amendment to the Finance Bill later today, which will limit the Government’s financial powers in a no-deal Brexit scenario. International Trade Secretary Liam Fox claimed that the amendment was ‘irresponsible’, but business minister Richard Harrington said that he was prepared to resign to stop a no-deal Brexit.

Grayling seeks legal changes to tackle drones
The Daily Telegraph says that Transport Secretary Chris Grayling is seeking to change the law to give police and airports powers to tackle drones, allowing officers to rapidly respond to drone attacks. He also plans to expand no-fly zones around prisons and airports, following the recent shutdown of Gatwick Airport following sightings of a drone.

MPs raise concerns about abuse outside Parliament
The BBC reports that over 50 MPs have written to Cressida Dick, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, to raise ‘serious concerns’ about the ‘deteriorating public order and security situation’ outside Parliament. Conservative MP Anna Soubry was verbally abused by protestors, including being called a ‘liar’, a ‘Nazi’ and ‘scum’ while giving TV interviews.

No-deal checks at Dover could lead to ‘permanent gridlock’
The Financial Times has obtained analysis produced for the Government by UCL which shows that if new customs checks at Dover were introduced following a no-deal Brexit, a 70-second delay to each vehicle would lead to six-day queues for ferries, while an 80-second delay would lead to a ‘no recovery’ scenario with ‘widespread permanent gridlock’.

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Today’s political headlines include the NHS ten-year plan, May’s 2021 deadline request, MPs in a move to rule out a no-deal Brexit and the Common Market 2.0. 

NHS to announce ten-year plan
The BBC reports that the NHS’s ten-year plan is to be announced later today, and that a focus on prevention could lead to 500,000 lives being saved. The greatest rises in funding will be seen by GPs, mental health and community care in an attempt to reduce dependence on hospitals, with NHS England Chief Executive Simon Stevens describing it as a ‘practical, costed and phased route map’.

May to request 2021 deadline from EU
The Times says that Theresa May is to ask the EU for a 2021 deadline for the final Brexit agreement, which is one of three elements of a package designed to reassure those worried about the Northern Ireland backstop. She used an appearance on The Andrew Marr Show to warn that if her deal was rejected by MPs, the country would be in ‘uncharted territory’.

Over 200 MPs sign cross-party letter calling on May to rule out no-deal Brexit
The BBC says that over 200 MPs have signed a cross-party letter calling on Theresa May to rule out a no-deal Brexit. The letter, organised by Tory MP Dame Caroline Spelman and Labour MP Jack Dromey, warns of job losses as a result of no-deal Brexit, and its signatories have been invited to meet May tomorrow.

Halfon and Powell propose ‘Common Market 2.0’
The Daily Telegraph reports that Tory MP Robert Halfon and Labour MP Lucy Powell have co-authored ‘Common Market 2.0’, a new Norway-style proposal for the future relationship between the UK and the EU. The plan would see the UK continue to follow single market rules, but make greater use of ways to reduce immigration, and see the country leave the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, the Common Agricultural Policy and the Commons Fisheries Policy.

Cross-party effort to stop no-deal Brexit
The Times says that a cross-party effort to prevent a no-deal Brexit has begun, with MPs including Yvette Cooper and Nicky Morgan tabling an amendment to the Finance Bill, allowing ministers to change taxes after Brexit, only if Parliament has votes for one of a deal, no-deal, or an extension to Article 50. It is unclear if the Speaker, John Bercow, will select the amendment to be voted on by MPs.

Rudd delays Universal Credit rollout
The Financial Times reports that Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd has delayed the rollout of Universal Credit to a further three million claimants. Instead, she will seek the approval of the House of Commons to move 10,000 claimants to a pilot scheme, which will be monitored.

Villiers accuses BBC of bias
According to The Sun, the BBC is being accused of bias by former cabinet minister Theresa Villiers because it refers to a no-deal Brexit using terms such as ‘cliff edge’ and ‘crashing out’. She has written to BBC Director-General Lord Hall to demand the use of more neutral language.

Former minister compares social care treatment of the elderly to ‘Amazon parcels’
The Daily Telegraph reports that former pensions minister Baroness Ros Altmann has claimed that council-funded social care in the home treats elderly people like ‘Amazon parcels’ and that care workers are low paid and under ‘enormous pressure’. She also suggested that the recent ‘sudden deterioration in mortality’ was related to cutbacks in elderly care’.

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Today’s political headlines include Corbyn rejecting the claim that he called May a ‘stupid woman’, ministers expecting May to back down over immigration income threshold, the Polish prime minister calling on EU leaders to support May and Rudd describing a second vote as plausible. 

Corbyn rejects claim he called May a ‘stupid woman’
The Times claims that Jeremy Corbyn’s credibility is ‘on the line’ after he had to deny that he called Theresa May a stupid woman at Prime Minister’s Questions. Several lip-reading experts believe that he did say the words in question, but Commons Speaker John Bercow has ruled that MPs should accept Corbyn’s assertion that he instead said ‘stupid people’. Andrea Leadsom, the Leader of the House of Commons, accused Bercow of calling her a ‘stupid woman’ and not apologising earlier this year.

Ministers expect May to back down over migrants’ income level
According to The Guardian, rebellious ministers believe that Theresa May will ultimately be forced to lower the minimum income threshold for workers wishing to migrate to the UK from £30,000 to £21,000, with intense lobbying from business groups expected. Home Secretary Sajid Javid admitted to the Commons that the proposed level was ‘not set in stone’, while the CBI said that the ‘proposals must change’.

Polish prime minister calls on EU leaders to support May
Interviewed by The Daily Telegraph, Mateusz Morawiecki, the Polish prime minister, has said that EU leaders need to be ‘unequivocally supportive’ of Theresa May, and that the ‘strong statements and harsh words of some politicians in Brussels do not help’. He added that he believed that May, who he visits today, ‘can navigate through the storm’.

Rudd describes second vote as ‘plausible’
Amber Rudd has told ITV’s Robert Peston that she could see a ‘plausible argument’ for a people’s vote on Brexit, ‘if Parliament absolutely fail to reach a consensus’, adding that it was ‘incumbent on MPs to find the centre ground’ as most people don’t want to be asked to vote again.

Gove unveils plans for new environmental watchdog
The Guardian reports that proposals for a new environmental watchdog after Brexit will see it empowered to sue the Government, although campaigners have raised concerns that the body will not be sufficiently independent because the Environment Secretary will decide on its chair and its budget. Greener UK warned that while the plans showed ‘ambition’, without ‘further work’, protection after Brexit would be ‘weaker’.

Javid describes research on adverts on child abuse websites as ‘horrifying’
The Sun says that Home Secretary Sajid Javid has described as ‘horrifying’ research by the Internet Watch Foundation showing that one in ten child abuse websites host adverts for legitimate companies. He called on advertisers to ‘do everything in their power to prevent unscrupulous websites from making money from this horrendous crime’.

MP convicted of perverting the course of justice
The BBC reports that the MP for Peterborough, Fiona Onasanya, has been found guilty of perverting the course of justice after she lied to police about who had been driving a speeding car. The Labour Party has ‘administratively suspended’ her, and said that ‘she should now resign’. She, and her brother, will be sentenced on a future date.

Homeless man found dying outside Parliament
The Mirror reports that a homeless man, Gyula Remes, who had been sleeping rough outside the entrance to Parliament has died after being taken to hospital. MPs were told about the death by Sir Keir Starmer. A friend of the man believed that Remes’ death came after he smoked a cigarette allegedly laced with the drug spice.

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Today’s political headlines include the Government’s no-deal preparations, Leave figures confident of winning a second referendum, business leaders in call for second referendum and Corbyn’s motion of no-confidence in PM. 

Government ramps up no-deal preparations
In an exclusive, The Sun is reporting that the Cabinet will today sign off plans to order businesses to immediately begin preparations for a no-deal Brexit. Businesses exporting to the EU will receive correspondence from the Government outlining what steps to take, in a clear shift towards increasing preparations for no-deal. The measures are part of an emergency package that Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay will present to Cabinet.

Leading Leave figures confident of winning again
The Times is reporting that key members of the Vote Leave campaign are confident of winning a possible second Brexit referendum. While several pro-Brexit Conservative MPs are against holding another vote, it is claimed that Leave figures are more sympathetic to the idea, lining up a potential campaign slogan of ‘tell them again’ and framing the vote as a ‘Remoaner’ referendum pushed by ‘sore losers’.

Business leaders in call for second referendum
In The Telegraph, over 50 business leaders have signed a letter to the Prime Minister, calling on her to abandon the current deal and pursue a second Brexit referendum. Among the group are several former FTSE chairmen, chief executives and entrepreneurs, including Richard Sykes, chairman of Imperial College NHS Trust, and Sir Mike Rake, former chairman of BT. The letter describes May’s deal as ‘impossible to resuscitate’.

Corbyn tables motion of no-confidence in PM
The BBC is reporting on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s decision to table a motion of no-confidence in Theresa May, describing the delay to the Brexit vote as leading the UK into a ‘national crisis’. The motion is targeted at May herself rather than the whole Government, despite the other opposition parties favouring a full no-confidence vote in the Government. According to BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg, the motion is not expected to be allocated time to be debated.

Labour commits an extra £100m to help rough sleepers
The Guardian reports that Labour have committed an additional £100m of funding to help get rough sleepers off the streets in freezing weather. The rough sleepers cold weather fund would require local councils to work with charities to provide enough accommodation for those in need, with Labour saying nearly 500 homeless people died last year.

Government launches bottle deposit scheme
The BBC reports that consumers will have to pay a returnable deposit on bottles, cans and disposable cups under a new government strategy. The strategy is designed to help combat climate change, safeguard resources and reduce the flow of plastic to the ocean. The Green Alliance have welcomed this policy, whist the British Retail Consortium remain sceptical.

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