Archive for: Blog Posts

Today’s political headlines include Hain’s claims that Sir Philip Green was responsible for the injunction dominating the press, Javid admits officials illegally requested DNA samples, DWP in denial over Universal Credit and May postpones her plans to present revised Brexit proposals. 

Hain claims Sir Philip Green was responsible for injunction
As The Daily Telegraph reports, Lord Hain used parliamentary privilege to claim that the businessman Sir Philip Green was the subject of an injunction preventing the paper from running a story. Following the revelation, MPs including Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable and Frank Field suggested that Green should lose his knighthood. Green refused to comment on events in Parliament but denied any ‘unlawful sexual or racist behaviour’.

Javid admits officials illegally requested DNA samples
The Times reports that Home Secretary Sajid Javid admitted yesterday that officials from his department had been illegally requiring DNA samples from people who wanted to stay in or visit the UK. Those affected include children of Gurkhas and Afghan translators who worked for the British military, but the scale of the error isn’t known. Javid said that those affected would be reimbursed.

Department of Work and Pensions ‘in denial’ about Universal Credit
The Daily Mirror says that a new report by the Commons Public Accounts Committee has found that Universal Credit is creating ‘unacceptable hardship’ for many claimants, accusing the Department of Work and Pensions of being ‘in denial’ about the benefit and being unable to make improvements as a result.

May postpones plans to present revised Brexit proposals to Cabinet
According to The Sun, Theresa May cancelled plans to present revised Brexit proposals to her Cabinet yesterday because they were not ready. In a reference to Attorney General Geoffrey Cox, who has emerged as a critic of May’s strategy, a source told the paper that the plan needed ‘Cox-proofing’. The paper suggests that May has just ten days to agree her offer to the EU if a November summit of EU leaders to discuss it is to go ahead.

Hannan claims EU citizens in UK will be able to vote
The Guardian reports that Brexiteer MEP Daniel Hannan told his colleagues via WhatsApp that he had seen part of the draft Brexit withdrawal agreement and that it would give EU citizens voting rights in England and Northern Ireland (they are devolved in Scotland and Wales). He described this as an ‘odd decision’, claiming that bilateral agreements should be reached with each country instead.

Defence to be given £500m bail out in Budget
In an exclusive, The Sun reveals that Chancellor Philip Hammond is to announce a £500m bailout for the Ministry of Defence in Monday’s Budget. However, he has insisted that the department will not get ‘special treatment’ and its long-term funding will be settled in spring’s spending review.

Raab warns of French ‘go slow approach’ in no-deal Brexit
The Daily Mail says that Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab has warned that the UK should be ready for a ‘go slow approach’ by the French in the case of a no-deal Brexit, although he believes that border issues in such a scenario could be ‘alleviated’ through ‘pragmatism on both sides’.

MPs recommend that FCA regulates commercial lending
The Financial Times carries details of a new report by the House of Commons Treasury Committee, which concludes that commercial lending should be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The committee’s inquiry followed scandals over the way small businesses were treated by RBS and HBOS.

Are you on top of everything that affects you? Let Vuelio Political Services do the legwork for you.

Today’s political headlines include May’s 1922 Committee meeting, the crackdown on unethical NDAs, Sedwill appointed cabinet secretary and police funding cuts. 

May leaves meeting of backbench MPs ‘unscathed’
The Guardian claims that Theresa May ‘emerged unscathed’ from a meeting of the 1922 Committee of backbench Conservative MPs last night. Amber Rudd said the Prime Minister’s speech was ‘emotional and personal’ and the paper reports that some Brexiteers asked ‘awkward questions’. The Times adds that parliamentary preparation for a no-deal Brexit will start in under three weeks, with routine business suspended to make way for emergency legislation. Measures include making businesses who only export to the EU register for customs duties and signing contracts on chilled storage for medicine stockpiles.

May vows crackdown on unethical NDAs
The Daily Telegraph reports that Theresa May has promised to end the use of ‘unethical’ non-disclosure agreements after the paper was blocked from reporting allegations of sexual harassment and racial abuse against a leading businessman. Labour MP Jess Phillips called for NDAs for ‘sexual harassment and hate crimes’ to be banned and expressed concern that a review promised by May would ‘happen too slowly’.

Sedwill appointed as Cabinet Secretary
The Times reports that Sir Mark Sedwill has been appointed as the new Cabinet Secretary following the announcement of Sir Jeremy Heywood’s resignation yesterday. Owing to the urgency of the Brexit process Sedwill, described by the paper as May’s ‘longstanding lieutenant’, did not undergo a formal recruitment process to replace Heywood, who is recovering from cancer. Labour has described the appointment as ‘an abuse of process’.

Funding cuts have dire consequences for police, MPs warn
The Financial Times carries details of a report by the Commons Home Affairs Committee, which warns of ‘dire consequences’ for public safety unless police budgets are increased. The report accuses the Home Office of an ‘irresponsible failure of leadership’ as police forces face rising levels of crime while their funding is being cut.

Lords urged to amend counter-terror bill
The Guardian says that nine organisations including Index on Censorship and Reporters Without Borders have called on the House of Lords to significantly amend the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Bill, which they warn would threaten press freedom, damage academic research and undermine the protection of journalistic sources.

MPs back abortion law reform and same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland
The Sun reports that MPs voted last night to back an amendment tabled by Labour backbencher Stella Creasy which aims to force the Government to reform the law on abortion in Northern Ireland and to introduce same-sex marriage in the province. Among those voting for the measure was Women and Equalities Minister Penny Mordaunt.

Hammond to abandon plans to bring smaller firms into VAT system
According to The Sun, Chancellor Philip Hammond is abandoning plans to bring smaller firms into the VAT system by halving the threshold, instead freezing it until 2022 and then introducing a sliding scale system currently banned by EU rules. The paper also says that Hammond will use the Budget to launch a review of PFI which may end the policy ‘for good’.

Commons Commission accepts harassment recommendations
The Daily Mirror reports that the House of Commons Commission has accepted the recommendations of Dame Laura Cox’s review of bulling and harassment in Parliament. This will allow historic harassment allegations to be reopened and an independent complaints process to be introduced.

The Prime Minister dominates the headlines, but what’s happening in your sector? Find out with Vuelio Political Services.

Today’s political headlines include May’s rejection of the Northern Ireland only backstop, Hammond’s £13bn windfall, the call to end prosecution of veterans and fake news disappointment. 

May rejects Northern Ireland only backstop
The Times reports that Theresa May has rejected the EU’s calls for a Northern Ireland only backstop, which relieves some pressure from backbench Brexiteers but increases the risk of a no-deal Brexit. She called on the EU to agree to either an extended transition period or a UK-wide customs deal, either of which must end ‘well before’ June 2022. Former Brexit minister Steve Baker withdrew amendments he had proposed to legislation on Northern Ireland, while former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson joined the ‘Stand Up 4 Brexit’ group.

Hammond to get £13bn windfall
The Financial Times says that Philip Hammond will receive a £13bn annual ‘windfall’ in the Budget as a result of the Office for Budget Responsibility underestimating the strength of tax receipts, helping to meet spending commitments to the NHS and to social housing. Given the threat of rebellion from backbench Tories, the paper expects the Chancellor to save major tax changes until next year when the UK has left the EU.

Cross-party letter calls for end to prosecution of veterans
In an exclusive, the Daily Express claims that over a third of Conservative MPs and peers from several parties have signed an open letter calling for an end to the prosecution of military veterans over incidents which happened up to fifty years ago. The letter brands this ‘legal assault’ a ‘national disgrace’ and calls for a ‘statute of limitations’ to be introduced.

Committee chair unhappy over response to ‘fake news’ report
The BBC reports that Damian Collins, Chair of the Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee has said that he is ‘disappointed’ by the Government’s response to the committee’s report on ‘fake news’. Just three of the report’s 42 recommendations have been accepted by the Government, with some such as a levy on social media firms and limits on political donations completely rejected.

Committee calls for stronger action against sexual images
The Guardian says that a new report by the Commons Women and Equalities Committee advocates stronger measures against sending unsolicited sexual images and public viewing of pornography, including a new law to criminalise non-consensual creation and distribution of sexual images and new requirements for train operators, licensees and universities.

Scrutinising Brexit legislation changes an ‘impossible task’, report warns
According to The Times, a new report by the Hansard Society warns that if the Government does not increase the pace of its release of new legislation for when the UK leaves the EU, Parliament will face an ‘impossible task’ in scrutinising them. Of the estimated 800-1,000 statutory instruments which will be required, only 71 have been put to Parliament, with just two having completed the scrutiny process.

Hunt dismisses calls for Saudi arms sales boycott
The Mirror reports that Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has rejected calls for a boycott of arms sales to Saudi Arabia following the death of Jamal Khashoggi. He admitted that the country’s claims about the death were ‘not credible’ and said that if the reports about the death were proved correct, the UK ‘will act accordingly’.

MPs call on Hammond to abandon beer duty tax rise
The Sun says that 54 Conservative MPs have now signed a letter to the Chancellor organised by Nigel Evans that calls on him to scrap a planned 3.5% in beer duty. They warn that the measure would lead to the closure of pubs with the loss of 3,000 jobs and that the industry makes ‘an extremely positive overall contribution to society’.

Politics means politics. Don’t miss out on what matters to you, get Vuelio Political Services.

Today’s political headlines include May to face a rebellion over Brexit, opposition parties signing a letter to Hunt over Saudi Arabia, tax to be hiked on offshore gambling and department budgets to grow if there’s a Brexit deal. 

May faces rebellion over Brexit’s impact on Northern Ireland
The Times alleges that Theresa May is facing a rebellion by over 40 MPs if she doesn’t give in to Brexiteer demands in the next two days. Former Brexit minister Steve Baker has tabled amendments that would stop Northern Ireland being placed in a separate customs and regulatory territory without approval from the Northern Ireland Assembly, which will be put to the vote on Wednesday. The Guardian adds that May is to use a statement today to tell MPs that 95% of the Withdrawal Agreement has been agreed including issues to do with Gibraltar, Cyprus and dispute resolution. The Daily Telegraph says that May called members of the Cabinet over the weekend to try to secure support, with Esther McVey, Sajid Javid and Geoffrey Cox among those raising concerns about her policy. Writing in The Sun, May insists that she will make the ‘right choices, not the easy ones’.

Opposition parties sign joint letter to Hunt over Saudi Arabia
The Guardian says that Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt is under pressure to take a tougher stance against Saudi Arabia following the death of Jamal Khashoggi and the conflict in Yemen after representatives of Labour, the SNP, the Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and the Greens signed a joint letter claiming that the Government’s ‘inaction’ is ‘utterly incompatible with our most basic value as a democracy’.

Tax on offshore gambling to be hiked
The Financial Times reveals that Chancellor Philip Hammond is to use the Budget to increase the tax paid by offshore gambling companies, raising £1bn over five years by raising remote gaming duty. The move will help to fill the hole in the public finances created by lowering the maximum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals from £100 to £2.

Department budgets will grow if there’s a Brexit deal
The Times claims that Philip Hammond is to say that Government departments will receive above average budget increases in the 2019 spending review, if there’s a Brexit deal. Sources told the paper that Hammond faces a tricky situation, starting out £100bn ‘in the red’ owing to the NHS funding pledge and commitments made in May’s conference speech.

Hammond to replace blanket pay increases with a ‘targeted’ approach
The Daily Telegraph suggests that Philip Hammond is to abandon blanket public sector pay increases in favour of a more ‘targeted’ approach based on factors such as people’s performance and where in the country they live, with salaries rising slower outside London and the south east.

MPs call for more action on domestic abuse
The Financial Times carries details of a new report by the Commons Home Affairs Committee that calls on the Government to take ‘stronger action’ to protect domestic abuse victims. Suggested measures include increased funding for refuge centres, automatic split payments for couples receiving Universal Credit and a statutory responsibility for local authorities to make refuge places available.

Plastic straw ban could be introduced next year
The Daily Mail reports that Michael Gove, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary, is to announce today that plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds could be banned from next year. Warning that oceans and wildlife need ‘urgent protection’, Gove will say that the UK ‘needs to do more’.

EU could ban British Summer Time
According to the Daily Mirror, the EU is proposing to ban member states from observing daylight savings time. The paper warns that there is a risk that the proposal will be put through during the Brexit transition period, when the UK will be unable to stop it. A report by the Lords EU Internal Market Sub-Committee claims that the plan breaches EU treaties.

Brexit isn’t the only political story – find out what you’re missing and why it matters with Vuelio Political Services.

Today’s political headlines include the Tory MPs united in criticism of May’s Brexit plans, EU leaders are prepared to help May sell deal to Parliament, calls for petrol and diesel cars to be banned by 2032 and the 13 MPs accepting pver £100,000 of gifts and trips from Saudis. 

Tory MPs united in criticism of May’s Brexit plans
The Times claims that Theresa May’s concessions in Brussels have annoyed all wings of her party, leaving her ‘facing the most perilous week of her premiership’. It says David Davis has rung ministers to call for a change of plan, while Remain-backing Tories such as Nick Boles and Anna Soubry have also criticised May’s approach. The Sun adds that the proposed extension to the transition period was backed by the inner Brexit cabinet last week on the condition that it was at most three to six months long, while a meeting of Brexiteer cabinet ministers accepted it on Monday. The Daily Telegraph reports that Scottish Secretary David Mundell has told Theresa May that he could not accept an extended transition period.

EU leaders prepared to help May sell deal to Parliament
According to The Guardian, EU leaders are to help Theresa May to build a ‘coalition of the reasonable’ in Parliament to avoid a no-deal Brexit. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that ‘all avenues’ to find a deal should be followed, while European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker apparently told leaders that May needed ‘help’ to sell a deal to MPs.

Committee calls for new petrol and diesel cars to be banned by 2032
The Financial Times has details of a new report by the Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee which calls on the Government to ban sales of almost all new petrol and diesel cars by 2032, claiming that the Government’s current 2040 target was ‘vague’ and ‘unambitious’. The committee claims that this will help the UK meet climate targets and develop technology it could export.

MPs accept over £100,000 from Saudis this year
In an exclusive, the Daily Mail reveals that British politicians have accepted £106,418 in gifts trips and other benefits from the Saudi Arabian regime so far this year – three times higher than the equivalent figure for 2016. Eight Tory and five Labour MPs have been on trips to the country, with the Conservative Leo Docherty describing them as ‘working visits that take time and effort to a serious purpose’.

Mercer claims he ‘wouldn’t vote’ if he wasn’t an MP
The Times reports on an interview of Tory backbencher Johnny Mercer in which he claims that he ‘wouldn’t vote’ in an election, there was ‘absolutely no chance’ that he would stand for Parliament if he was asked to now as he was ‘not comfortable’ that his values were the same as those of his party, and that the Government is a ‘shit show’.

Mordaunt speech interrupted by protester
The Guardian says that International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt was interrupted by a protester who invaded the stage during a speech to a conference on sexual abuse in the aid sector. The whistle-blower Alexia Pepper De Caires accused Mordaunt and her department of trying ‘to control women who are speaking out in this sector’.

Petraeus warns prosecuting veterans risks damaging military
The Daily Mail reports that General David Petraeus, the former head of the US military, used a speech at the thinktank Policy Exchange to warn that prosecuting military veterans could put the relationship between the British and American armed forces ‘at risk’ and leave the UK’s military capabilities ‘greatly diminished’.

MPs accept over £2m of free overseas trips
BBC analysis shows MPs have accepted over £2m of free overseas trips in the last two years, over half being funded by foreign governments. The most common destination was Israel and the Palestinian territories and nine of the ten biggest recipients were Conservative MPs.

Find out more about Vuelio Political Services and what they can do for you.

Today’s political headlines include May raising the prospect of extending the Brexit transition, MPs may not get a meaningful vote, Government admits to £1bn error in disability benefit and May promises serious response to bullying scandal. 

May raises prospect of extending Brexit transition
The Daily Telegraph reports that Theresa May told fellow EU leaders last night that she was prepared to extend the Brexit transition period and called on them to have ‘courage’ and come up with ‘creative’ ideas to solve the negotiating deadlock, adding that she was ‘confident’ that a deal could be reached. The Financial Times says that EU leaders have cancelled plans to host a special Brexit summit next month but are ready to host it when necessary, with chief negotiator Michel Barnier saying that ‘much more time’ was needed.

MPs may not get ‘meaningful vote’ on Brexit deal, Raab says
The BBC reports that Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab has suggested that MPs may not get a ‘meaningful vote’ on the final Brexit deal, instead being offered a choice of accepting or rejecting the deal rather than being able to amend the motion. Tory MP Dominic Grieve, who campaigned for the ‘meaningful vote’ has called on Downing Street to issue a ‘very rapid’ clarification, while Ken Clark said that the Government ‘won’t get away’ with this.

Government admits to £1bn error in disability benefit
The Daily Mirror reports that over 100,000 sick and disabled people are to be paid over £1bn after the Government admitted to errors in Employment and Support Allowance which had led claimants to lose out on up to £20,000 each over seven years. Once ongoing payments are taken into account, the total cost of the error will be £1.67bn by 2025.

May promises ‘serious response’ to bullying scandal
The Guardian says that Theresa May has promised a ‘serious response’ to Dame Laura Cox’s report on bullying in Parliament after Labour MP Teresa Cox used Prime Minister’s Questions to raise the case of a constituent who worked in Parliament and was being sexually harassed by a co-worker, but was ‘treated like the problem rather than the victim’.

Valerie Vaz accused of bullying
The Times reports that the Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, Valerie Vaz, who had led Labour’s response to the bullying scandal was herself accused of bullying by one of her staff in 2012. Vaz denies the allegations and Labour has declined to investigate as the events happened too long ago.

Williamson suggests Capita may lose army recruitment contract
The Daily Telegraph says that, appearing before the Commons Defence Committee yesterday, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said that he was considering cancelling the army’s recruitment contract with Capita as recruitment figures were ‘atrocious’, although he admitted that this was not all the firm’s fault.

France publishes no-deal Brexit law
The Sun reports that France has published its draft law for a no-deal Brexit. British citizens would become third country nationals, barred from holding jobs reserved from EU citizens with access to healthcare and welfare restricted and would require a visa or residence permit to enter the country. Border controls would also be reinstated.

Trump notifies Congress of intention to reach trade deal with UK
The Daily Telegraph reports that President Donald Trump has formally notified the US Congress that he intends to start negotiating a trade agreement with the UK. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer wrote that negotiations would begin ‘as soon as’ the UK was ready after Brexit and that preparatory work to ensure that the two countries would be ‘well prepared’ for this is underway.

If you sign up to Vuelio Political Services, you also get the comprehensive Brexit Briefing.