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Today’s Political Headlines include GCHQ Director intervening in Brexit, MPs voting again on the ‘meaningful vote’ on the Brexit deal and a new approach to drugs. 

GCHQ director intervenes in row over post-Brexit secuity
The Times carries details of what it calls an ‘unprecedented intervention’ by the director of GCHQ, Jeremy Fleming. He revealed that the UK had supplied information which had led to terrorist plots in four different European countries being prevented in the last year, and argued that the UK and Europe had benefited ‘from our work together on our collective security’. The paper suggests that this intervention was deliberately timed to support the UK’s attempts to secure continued participation in EU security policies.

MPs prepare to vote again on a meaningful vote on the Brexit deal
The BBC reports that MPs will vote again on the meaningful vote on the final deal with the EU later today, and that the result will be ‘tight’. Dominic Grieve, leader of the Conservative rebels, told The Daily Telegraph that his supporters were not ‘peeling away’, despite attempts by whips to persuade MPs to back the Government. According to The Times, Conservative whips have ‘given up’ on their attempts to persuade rebels and are instead focusing on getting Labour MPs in leave-voting areas to back the Government.

Police call for new approach to drugs as Javid announces medicinal cannabis review
The Times reports that the Police Federation’s board voted unanimously for a rethink on drug enforcement as current laws ‘have not succeeded’, calling for ‘an open, honest, transparent debate’. Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, has announced a review of laws on the medicinal use of cannabis, but ruled out changing the law on recreational use.

Teachers should confiscate mobiles, Hancock says
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Matt Hancock has said that teachers ought to confiscate mobile phones at the start of the school day, as they have a ‘real impact’ on achievement and expose children to cyber-bullying. Hancock will put forward this argument at a NSPCC conference today.

Capita awarded highest risk rating and £500m contract by Ministry of Defence
According to the Financial Times, the Ministry of Defence gave outsourcing firm Capita its highest possible risk rating, shortly before it was awarded a £500m contract to run military fire and rescue services. Jim Kennedy of the union Unite said that the decision to hand the firm the contract despite the risk assessment was ‘absolutely scandalous’.

EU rules out UK participation in European Arrest Warrant
The BBC reports that EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier had said that the UK would not be able to participate in the European Arrest Warrant after Brexit because it was leaving the European Court of Justice and ending free movement. He added that the EU would instead consider a ‘streamlined’ extradition process.

Hammond refused to release NHS funding unless chief executive publicly backed plan
The Guardian says that it has been told by sources close to the NHS funding deal that Philip Hammond only agreed to it on the condition that Simon Stevens, NHS England’s chief executive, had to publicly welcome the funding. Yesterday, Stevens, who had previously called for a larger increase, said that the new funding represented ‘a clear gear change’.

Labour would give Bank of England productivity target
The Financial Times reports that Labour has announced that it will set the Bank of England a new target of 3% productivity growth, but refused to specify a time period for this. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell is to launch the party’s report on the financial system today. It also calls for the Bank of England to relocate to Birmingham and more lending to small firms.

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Today’s Political Headlines include Lord Hague calling for cannabis legalisation, the Government being defeated by the Lords over Brexit ‘meaningful vote’ and Hammond warning that the NHS spending boost leaves no cash for other policies

Lord Hague calls for cannabis legalisation
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, former Conservative leader Lord Hague claims that the war against cannabis has been ‘comprehensively and irreversibly lost’ and that the Conservatives should ‘be bold’ and imitate Canada, which is legalising the drug. The paper adds that Home Secretary Sajid Javid was prevented from raising the issue at Cabinet yesterday, following the controversy over the supply of medicinal cannabis to 12-year-old Billy Caldwell.

Government again defeated by Lords over Brexit ‘meaningful vote’
The Guardian reports that the Government has been defeated again by the House of Lords over the issue of a ‘meaningful vote’, after Viscount Hailsham tabled an amendment based on the deal Dominic Grieve thought he had struck with the Government last week. MPs will vote on the amendment on Wednesday. The Financial Times claims that UK negotiators are now suggesting that a deal with the EU may not be agreed until November or December, rather than early autumn as originally expected.

Hammond warns that NHS spending boost leaves no cash for other policies
The Times claims that Chancellor Philip Hammond told the Cabinet that after having to find £25bn for the NHS and other money to replace funding currently provided by the EU, there will be no funding for other policies. A cabinet minister said that Hammond had dispelled ‘any sense that the taps were about to be turned on’. The paper also reports that Theresa May has said she is prepared to use legislation to roll back Andrew Lansley’s NHS reforms.

First details of ‘settled status’ plan to be published
The Guardian reports that the Government will reveal the first details of the new ‘settled status’ immigration scheme for the 3.4m EU citizens living in the UK on Thursday. A ‘statement of intent’ will list some of the evidence they will need to provide, but will be ‘like a consultation paper’ an ‘informed source’ told the paper.

New £20m fund to combat loneliness
The Daily Telegraph says that schemes to be supported by the Government as part of a new £20m Building Connections fund to tackle loneliness include mobile coffee vans, woodworking in sheds for middle-aged men, an app for young mothers and converting redundant public spaces into ‘loneliness gardens’.

Rail firms admit they only realised the extent of problems at the ‘last minute’
The Daily Mail reports that executives from rail firms admitted to the Commons Transport Committee that they only realised at the ‘very last minute’ that their timetables would not work. The Financial Times adds that Lib Dem MP Tim Farron and local rail users have worked with a charter train operator to restore services to a line in the Lake District.

Government set to water down petrol and diesel car ban
According to the Financial Times, the UK’s plan to ban petrol, diesel and most hybrid cars by 2040 is set to be downgraded to a ‘mission’ in the ‘Road to Zero Strategy’ due to be published by the Government tomorrow. Concerns about the policy’s impact on the automotive sector have been raised by Business Secretary Greg Clark.

Javid causes rift with India over student visa scheme
The Times alleges that Sajid Javid has caused a ‘diplomatic rift’ by deciding not to include Indian students in a new fast-track visa system because of concerns about ‘non-compliance’ (i.e. disappearing after entering the country). An Indian government source told the paper that ‘relations are not at their best right now, while Lord Bilimoria warned that ‘If this is the way they treat India, they can dream on about a FTA with India.’

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Today’s Political Headlines include the NHS funding black hole, a call for increased defence spending, Windrush Day and no no-deal aviation talks. 

£11bn ‘black hole’ in NHS funding plan
The Times claims that there is a £11bn ‘black hole’ in Theresa May’s £25bn NHS funding plan, due to be announced in a speech today. Measures to fund the policy that have been discussed include freezing personal allowance and national insurance thresholds, increasing borrowing and deferring corporation tax rises. Ministers hope that higher growth will help to fill the gap, but experts, including the Institute for Fiscal Studies, have rejected May’s claims of a ‘Brexit dividend’. The Daily Telegraph reports that other areas, including defence, schools and police, will lose out on spending increases as a result and that the Government is considering reviving Sir Andrew Dilnot’s proposed cap on social care costs.

Report calls for defence spending increase
The BBC carries details of a report by the Commons Defence Committee, which calls for defence spending to increase from 2% to 3% of total GDP in order to meet incoming threats, including from Russia, terrorism, extremism and cyber-warfare. The report also warns that current spending levels are ‘far too low’ and that the army is at risk of being ‘outgunned’.

Government promises £500,000 for Windrush Day
The Guardian reports that the Government is to support an annual celebration of the arrival of the Windrush generation with a grant of up to £500,000. June 22 will become an opportunity to ‘recognise and honour’ the contribution of the Windrush generation, communities minister Lord Bourne said.

European Commission bans no-deal Brexit talks on aviation
The Times claims that the European Commission has prevented aviation regulators from holding backstop talks to keep planes flying in the event of a no-deal Brexit until March 2019. The paper suggests that this is ‘a move to raise pressure on No 10’, with a ‘senior industry figure’ warning that it will not be feasible ‘to cobble together a last-minute deal’.

Chope claims that he has been ‘scapegoated’ after blocking upskirting bill
The Guardian reports that Christopher Chope, the Conservative MP who blocked a bill to make upskirting a criminal offence, has claimed that he has been ‘scapegoated’. He has claimed that he supports the bill and only objected to it for procedural reasons. Wera Hobhouse, the Lib Dem MP who proposed the bill, has called on him to make ‘a full apology’ and Theresa May has promised that the Government will take on the bill.

Conservative Party accepted over £200,000 from former Russian defence official
According to the Daily Mirror, the Conservative Party has accepted over £200,000 in donations from former Russian defence chief Alexander Temerko since Theresa May became Prime Minister. Labour’s Jon Trickett said that May had ‘serious questions’ to answer.

House of Lords criticised for resembling a ‘private members’ club’
The Sun says that a report by the Electoral Reform Society criticises the House of Lords for ‘increasingly looking like a Westminster private members’ club’. 39% of members worked in politics before getting a peerage, and just one has worked in a blue-collar job. Labour MP Frank Field is to table a bill calling for the House of Lords to be abolished and replaced by a mix of elected members and experts.

Dimbleby to leave Question Time after 25 years
The BBC reports that David Dimbleby is to retire from presenting Question Time in December, having chaired the programme since 1994. The corporation’s director general, Tony Hall, described him as ‘a titan in British broadcasting’ and a ‘champion of the public’.

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Today’s Political Headlines include extra funding for the NHS, Government abandons deal with rebels, Universal Credit unlikely to ever be value for money and Lib Dems cut Labour’s majority in Lewisham by-election. 

May set to announce £4bn a year extra for the NHS
The Daily Telegraph expects Theresa May to announce a £4bn a year increase in NHS funding on Monday. The 3% per annum boost will be funded through a ‘Brexit dividend’, a possible freeze of some tax thresholds, and some borrowing. Speaking to the Oxford Union this week, NHS England chief, Simon Stevens, reportedly told students that an increase of 3.5-4% was needed to ensure a ‘responsive, well-functioning health service’.

Government abandons deal with rebels
The Times claims that pro-EU Conservative rebels are ‘up in arms’ after the Prime Minister abandoned a compromise over allowing Parliament to influence the direction of Brexit in the event of no deal. Lead rebel Dominic Grieve said that the Government’s decision to abandon an agreement was ‘incomprehensible and unacceptable’.

Universal Credit unlikely to ever deliver value for money, NAO finds
The Guardian carries details of a critical report on Universal Credit by the National Audit Office. It finds that the policy is unlikely to ever deliver value for money as it may end up costing more than its predecessor, can’t prove that it has helped claimants back to work and has left many in hardship.

Lib Dems cut Labour’s majority in Lewisham by-election
As The Guardian reports, Labour’s Janet Daby has won the by-election in Lewisham East, with the Liberal Democrat candidate Lucy Salek finishing second, cutting Labour’s majority from almost 45% to 25.6% and forcing the Conservatives into third. Lib Dem leader Vince Cable claimed the party benefited from Labour’s ‘failure’ to oppose hard Brexit.

Government backs bill against ‘upskirting’
The Daily Mail reports that the Government is to support a private members’ bill to crack down on ‘upskirting’, introduced by Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse. The bill will see perpetrators face sentences of up to two years and put on the sex offenders’ register.

Introduction of new maximum stake on betting machines delayed
The Times claims that the new £2 maximum stake for fixed odds betting terminals will not be introduced until April 2020, following a deal between bookmakers and the Treasury. Bookmakers claim they need time to reprogramme the machines, but this claim has been disputed by campaigners and, privately, by manufacturers.

Split over post-Brexit security partnership
According to The Daily Telegraph, the EU is ‘fighting’ to avoid an internal split over the post-Brexit security partnership. It claims that Horst Seehofer, German’s interior minister, has told French and Dutch counterparts that ‘nothing must change’ which could threaten citizens’ security after Brexit. This stance is in opposition to that of the European Commission and Chancellor Angela Merkel.

More pensioners to benefit from ‘warm home’ scheme
The Sun reports that Claire Perry, the Minister of State for Energy, is to announce that thousands more pensioners will receive the ‘warm home’ discount on their energy bills. The threshold over which suppliers must participate in the scheme is to be reduced, so that smaller energy firms are included, following a campaign run by the paper.

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Today’s Political Headlines include rebel Labour MPs, Grieve’s visit to the European Commission HQ, the easing of immigration restrictions and Sturgeon’s pride. 

90 Labour MPs rebel on single market vote
As The Times reports, 90 Labour MPs defied Jeremy Corbyn’s instructions to abstain on a vote on remaining in the European Economic Area, with 75 voting in favour and 15 against. Laura Smith, Shadow Cabinet Office Minister, resigned to vote against the amendment, with five parliamentary private secretaries also resigning to vote for it. The Guardian says that it has learnt from Downing Street sources that a compromise amendment on a meaningful vote on the deal, which must be tabled today, has not yet been agreed.

Grieve spotted visiting European Commission HQ
The Daily Mail reports that Conservative rebel Dominic Grieve visited the European Commission’s London headquarters yesterday for a private meeting of anti-Brexit campaigners. Other attendees included Alastair Campbell, Conservative and Lib Dem peers and members of pro-EU campaign groups. Grieve claimed that he was attending to ‘explain something about what was going on Parliament, just as I go and talk to all sorts of groups.’

Immigration restrictions to be eased for highly-skilled migrants
The Daily Telegraph says that Home Secretary Sajid Javid is to announce a ‘major easing’ of the immigration system, allowing thousands more highly-skilled people to move to the country. Foreign doctors and nurses are to be excluded from the cap and, as a result, businesses will be able to recruit an extra 8,000 skilled migrants a year.

Sturgeon ‘proud’ of SNP MPs for walking out of PMQs
As the BBC reports, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said that she was ‘proud’ of SNP MPs’ decision to walk out of Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday, and that it had made sure that ‘Scotland’s voice was heard’. The row erupted after Ian Blackford, the SNP’s leader at Westminster, demanded the Commons sit in private as a protest about the ‘lack of debate’ over the Scottish Government’s concerns about the EU (Withdrawal) Bill.

Rees-Mogg defends firm’s decision to establish Irish fund
The Daily Telegraph reports that Somerset Capital Management, set up by Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg, has established an investment fund in Ireland and is warning clients of the dangers of a hard Brexit. Rees-Mogg, who still works part-time for the firm, claimed that the launch of the new fund ‘was nothing whatsoever to do with Brexit.’

Serjeant at Arms under investigation over verbal abuse
The Daily Telegraph claims Kamal El-Hajji, the Serjeant at Arms, is under investigation over claims that he verbally abused a female security official last week. Yesterday, he defended the Speaker, John Bercow, against bullying allegations, describing them as a ‘witch-hunt’.

Lib Dems confident of coming second in by-election
According to the Financial Times, the Liberal Democrats are confident they can overtake the Conservatives and come second in the parliamentary by-election in Lewisham East today, increasing their share of the vote from 4% to 25%, because of concerns over Brexit. Labour, which holds the seat, warned in an internal email that turnout was a ‘huge issue’.

EU members vote to exclude UK from Galileo contracts
The Guardian reports that a ‘fresh row’ has broken out over UK participation in the EU’s Galileo satellite navigation programme, after a majority of member states voted to procure the next round of contracts, despite a British request for a delay to permit negotiations over continued British involvement. Science minister, Sam Gyimah, claimed that the UK was ready to ‘walk away’ from the project as a result.

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