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Today’s Political Headlines includes Trump’s attack on UK politics, Eurosceptics threatening to vote against the Trade Bill, Hammond defending treatment of financial services and O’Mara quitting Labour.  

Trump says May’s Brexit plans would ‘kill’ US trade deal
In an interview with The Sun, US President Donald Trump makes the explosive claim that Theresa May’s new Brexit approach would ‘kill’ a proposed new trade deal between the two countries and criticises her for ignoring his negotiating advice. Trump, who is visiting the UK, also criticises Sadiq Khan for having ‘done a very bad job on terrorism’, claims that immigration is causing the UK to lose its culture and praises Boris Johnson.

Eurosceptics threaten to vote against Trade Bill in protest over Brexit plan
According to The Times, Eurosceptic Conservative MPs reacted with anger to the publication of Theresa May’s Brexit white paper yesterday, claiming that the proposed role for the European Court of Justice and movement of people breached red lines. As a result, they have threatened to vote against the Government’s Trade Bill next week.

Hammond defends treatment of financial services in Brexit white paper
Chancellor Philip Hammond has written in the Financial Times, defending the treatment of financial services in the Government’s Brexit white paper. He says that the proposals are a ‘pragmatic solution’ which would allow the sector ‘to flourish’. However, Catherine McGuinness, the City of London Corporation’s policy chair, described the white paper as ‘a real blow’ for financial and professional services.

O’Mara quits Labour
The Guardian reports that Labour MP Jared O’Mara has quit the party, despite only having the whip reinstated earlier this year following his suspension as a result of the discovery of a series of offensive posts online. He claims to have been made to ‘feel like a criminal’ and that he had felt unwelcome in the party as a ‘working-class, underprivileged disabled man’.

Ofcom head calls for online firms to be regulated
Writing in The Times, the head of Ofcom Sharon White calls for independent regulation of large online firms such as Facebook and Google in a bid to tackle fake news and harmful content. The firms would face penalties if they failed to act. The Government is due to set out its position in an internet safety white paper later this year.

Taxpayers could lose over £5bn over MoD property deal
The Guardian carries details of a report by the Commons Public Accounts Committee, which warns that taxpayers could lose more than £5bn as a result of a 1996 decision to sell off housing owned by the Ministry of Defence. This is an increase from an earlier estimate of £4.2bn because the committee expects rental costs to grow after a renegotiation in 2021, despite the Ministry of Defence predicting that they will fall.

Labour demands ‘hostile environment’ review
The BBC reports that, following the suspension of data-sharing aimed at identifying illegal immigrants, Labour has called on the Government to go further and conduct a detailed review of the ‘hostile environment’ policy. Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott warned that this was needed to avoid a repeat of the problems affecting the Windrush generation.

Charity Commission finds ‘serious failings’ at Presidents Club
The Financial Times says that the Charity Commission’s investigation into the Presidents Club following the paper’s exposé of its annual dinner has found serious failings on the part of the charity’s three trustees. Jo Swinson, deputy leader of the Lib Dems, welcomed the findings.

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Today’s Political Headlines includes David Davis’ departure, Jacob Rees-Mogg’s warning, the Carillion report and new homes to feature electric car chargers. 

David Davis quits, leaving Cabinet ‘in crisis’
The Times says that the Cabinet is ‘in crisis’ following the resignation of Brexit Secretary David Davis late last night. In a letter to the Prime Minister, Davis said that ‘the current trend of policy and tactics’ was making it less likely that the ‘mandate of the referendum’ and manifesto promises to leave the customs union and the single market could be delivered. Friend of Davis tell the paper that he has also felt ‘ignored’ by May.

Jacob Rees-Mogg warns that he’ll vote against May’s proposed deal
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Jacob Rees-Mogg has warned that he and other Eurosceptic Conservative MPs will vote against Theresa May’s proposed deal with the EU. He accuses the plan of ‘defeatism’ and ‘managing decline’ rather than focusing ‘on the world of opportunity outside the EU’. Theresa May has also written for the paper, claiming that her new strategy is ‘necessary to move the negotiations forward’.

Report into Carillion warns of flaws in Government outsourcing
The Guardian carries the findings of a report by the Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee into the collapse of Carillion. The report concludes that the Government’s ‘aggressive approach to risk transfer’ has led to companies taking on unacceptable financial risk. It also finds that the Government often does not understand risk levels and fails to recognise the level of quality being offered by different bidders.

New homes to feature chargers for electric cars
The Times reports that new homes and all new streetlights will have to feature chargers for electric cars under the Government’s plan to ban the sale of new diesel and petrol cars by 2040. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling is to claim that the plan will be ‘the biggest overhaul in road transport technology’ since the motorcar was developed, although the paper adds that environmentalists are likely to criticise the plan for being unambitious.

Report highlights role of defence in the UK economy
The Guardian says Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has published a report by former defence minister Philip Dunne which claims the military has ‘played an integral role in British prosperity’. Meanwhile, the BBC covers a new report by the Centre for Entrepreneurs that calls for use of veterans’ knowledge and experience to improve defence innovation.

Ofsted head to warn against minority groups dictating school policy
The Daily Telegraph previews a speech to be given to Police Exchange by Amanda Spielman, Ofsted’s Chief Executive, today. She will warn that schools must not permit minority groups with a ‘sense of religious or cultural entitlement’ to influence policies on uniform or the curriculum, and say that schools should teach children about being a British citizen.

NHS needs £18bn just to fill ‘gaps’
According to analysis by NHS Providers featured in The Times, the NHS needs to spend £18bn over the next three years just to meet targets, deal with backlogged maintenance and improve staffing levels and finances. The organisation, which represents NHS trusts, said that ‘filling the gaps’ would take up ‘much if not most of the new money’.

Fallon tables amendment to prevent prosecution of Troubles veterans
In an exclusive, The Sun reveals that former Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon is to table an amendment to the Northern Ireland Budget Bill today to prevent money from being spent on prosecuting British military veterans who served in Northern Ireland during the Troubles and are accused of murder, manslaughter or homicide during their service.

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Today’s Political Headlines include the Brexit summit at Chequers, the Labour Party’s antisemitism code, German minister accused of putting security at risk,and the Trump baby. 

Brexiteer ministers expected to confront Prime Minister during Brexit summit
The Daily Telegraph expects at least six cabinet ministers to confront Theresa May during today’s summit at Chequers, following the revelation that her proposed deal would see the UK promise to obey EU standards on many goods after Brexit, with British judges following European rulings ‘where relevant’. A leaked document also reveals that this would make reaching a trade deal with the US harder. The paper says International Trade Secretary Liam Fox appears to have withdrawn his opposition after being given ‘personal assurances’ by the Prime Minister, but Jacob Rees-Mogg has claimed that the proposal is ‘not Brexit’.

Labour Party criticised over new antisemitism code
The BBC says that the Labour Party has been criticised by campaigners and some of its own MPs for its new code of conduct on antisemitism. While the party claims that the code meets the full International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, critics including the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the Jewish Leadership Councils and MPs Chuka Umunna, Liz Kendall and Anna Turley have accused it of omitting elements.

German minister accuses EU of putting security at risk in Brexit talks
The Times claims that German interior minister Horst Seehofer has attacked EU negotiators for putting the ‘security of citizens at risk’ during Brexit talks. He made the claims in a confidential letter to the European Commission. Seehofer has caused chaos in Germany’s coalition government this week over his stance on migration.

Hammond refuses to overhaul business rates
The Daily Mail says that Chancellor Philip Hammond has been accused of ‘betraying struggling high street retailers’ after he refused to overhaul business rates. Writing to MPs, he said that he would not consider the issue until after an inquiry into taxing digital firms was completed. Former retail boss Bill Grimsey, who has written a report on saving town centres, claimed that Hammond was ‘divorced from reality’.

McVey rejects calls for a further apology
The Guardian reports that Work and Pensions Secretary Ether McVey has refused to apologise to MPs for misleading them about the progress of welfare reforms, despite being forced to appear in the Commons to answer an urgent question. She has only apologised for claiming that the National Audit Office had called for the process to be sped up.

Brexit shows dangers of global trade war, Carney says
The Financial Times carries remarks made by Bank of England Governor Mark Carney in which he warns world leaders that the UK’s economic performance after Brexit shows the dangers of deglobalisation. He warned that the imposition of further tariffs as part of an international trade war would hit global growth.

Williamson would accept amnesty for IRA terrorists in return for one for soldiers
According to The Sun, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has written to the Prime Minister to say that he would back an amnesty for IRA terrorists if this allowed former British soldiers to escape investigation over killings of civilians during the troubles in Northern Ireland.

Giant baby Trump to be flown during presidential visit
The Daily Mirror reports that Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, has given permission for a giant blimp in the shape of a nappy-wearing Donald Trump to be flown during the US President’s visit to the UK next week. Strict conditions will be imposed on the flight of the £16,000 inflatable baby from Parliament Square Gardens.

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