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Today’s Political Headlines include May’s confrontation with Rees-Mogg, Corbyn ruling out a Norway-style Brexit, MSPs to vote against Brexit and the Home Office accused of shambolic incompetence. 

May confronts Rees-Mogg at customs meeting
The Times claims that Theresa May ‘confronted’ Jacob Rees-Mogg at a meeting about customs after Brexit. The Prime Minister was meeting backbench Conservative MPs to outline the options for customs post-Brexit when the clash happened, with one Conservative MP saying that May ‘slapped him down very hard’. The Daily Telegraph claims that May admitted to MPs that negotiations have reached an ‘impasse’ as neither of her customs plans will work, increasing Eurosceptics’ fears that the transition period will be extended. As the BBC reports, EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier has warned that Brexit talks have made ‘little’ progress since March.

Corbyn rules out Norway-style Brexit
The Guardian says that Jeremy Corbyn has told Labour MPs that the party cannot consider a Norway-style Brexit, which would leave the UK as a ‘rule taker’. John Mann, who warned that Labour would lose seats such in his Bassetlaw constituency if it ‘watered down’ its Brexit position, said that the strength of feeling from other Labour MPs had killed off the EEA option. However, The Sun claims that Shadow International Development Minister Preet Gill has ‘risked the sack’ by calling for a ‘people’s vote’ on the final deal.

MSPs set to vote against EU (Withdrawal) Bill
The BBC reports that MSPs are set to formally refuse to give the Scottish Parliament’s consent to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill. The SNP are expected to be backed by Labour, Green and Lib Dem MSPs in the vote against the bill. The UK and Scottish Governments have been unable to reach an agreement over devolved powers after Brexit.

Home Office accused of ‘shambolic incompetence’
The Guardian claims that the Home Office has been accused of ‘shambolic incompetence’ after letter written by Caroline Noakes, the immigration minister, appeared to contradict what she told the Commons Home Affairs Committee about when she became aware of problems faced by highly skilled migrants. She claimed that the issue had been flagged up ‘two working days’ ago, but the letters suggest she was aware of the problem in February.

UK could withhold security clearance for firms working on Galileo
According to the Financial Times, the UK Space Agency has written to 13 British companies working on the EU’s Galileo satellite navigation system, warning them that the Government could withhold their security clearance to work on the project. The letter described the move as ‘a necessary consequence of the position taken by the European Union’.

Leaked letter shows incentive for benefit assessors to squeeze in more sessions
The Daily Mirror reports on a leaked letter which shows that disability benefit assessors employed by Atos have been given £50 rewards for fitting extra sessions into their day, which MPs fear could lead to tests being hurried and poor quality. Frank Field, Chair of the Commons Work and Pensions Committee, had written to the firm, asking it for more details.

Lords vote to start second part of Leveson inquiry
The Daily Telegraph reports that peers have voted to order the start of the second part of the Leveson inquiry of press standards, defying a vote by MPs last week. As a result, MPs will have another chance to vote on the issue, which the paper claims may be as soon as next Tuesday.

East Coast rail franchise to be terminated ‘in days’
The Financial Times reports that the Government will terminate Virgin and Stagecoach’s contract to operate the East Coast rail franchise ‘in days’, following heavy losses. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has the option of temporarily nationalising the line, or negotiating a not-for-profit management agreement with the existing operator.

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Today’s Political Headlines include tributes to Tessa Jowell, doubts around May’s customs plans, MI5 chief condemning Russia and a new Windrush-style scandal. 

Politicians pay tribute to Tessa Jowell
The Guardian reports that politicians from across the political spectrum have paid tribute to Tessa Jowell following the announcement of her death yesterday. The Government has announced it will double its investment in brain cancer research to £40m and introduce a new test for brain cancer in all NHS hospitals, an issue Jowell focused on in the last months of her life, and spoke about to the BBC.

Gove casts doubts on May’s customs plans
Appearing on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Michael Gove, cast doubt on Theresa May’s proposed post-Brexit customs partnership, which he said had ‘flaws’ and had questions about its ‘deliverability’. Labour’s Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer told the programme that a customs union was the only solution. The Daily Mirror reports that David Miliband will share a platform with Nicky Morgan and Nick Clegg today, calling on MPs to vote down the Brexit deal if it is not good enough.

Head of MI5 to condemn Russia in speech today
The Times says that the head of MI5 is to deliver ‘Britain’s strongest condemnation yet of Russia’. Addressing European security chiefs in Berlin today, Andrew Parker, Director-General of the Security Service, will criticise the country for its ‘flagrant breaches’ of international law, blame it for the Salisbury poisonings and condemn its disinformation campaign. He will also call for a continued UK-Europe security partnership after Brexit.

Khan warns of new Windrush-style scandal
The Guardian reports that Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has warned that the Government may face another Windrush-style scandal, with children and teenagers born in the UK being left without access to education or employment owing to a £1,000 fee to gain citizenship. Khan has commissioned research to understand the scale of the problem and called for the Government to streamline the application process and waive the fees.

Erdogan calls UK a ‘valuable and reliable’ ally
The Times reports that President Erdogan of Turkey has called the UK a ‘valuable and reliable’ ally. He is in London for one of just two foreign visits while he campaigns for elections next month, and has promised to ‘co-operate more with the UK post-Brexit in every field’. He will meet the Queen, speak at Chatham House and meet investors.

Carillion used small suppliers to prop it up, MPs say
The Financial Times says that MPs investigating Carillion’s collapse have revealed new evidence showing that the firm used suppliers to ‘prop up its failing business model’. The final report is due to be published on Wednesday by the House of Commons Work and Pensions and Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committees.

Lords warned off attempts to resurrect Leveson
According to The Daily Telegraph, MPs have warned that attempts by the House of Lords to resurrect a second Leveson inquiry would breach the constitution and intensify calls for reform. Jacob Rees-Mogg has claimed that efforts by the Lords to salvage the inquiry would breach a convention which stops peers from ‘wrecking’ Government legislation.

Gyimah calls for the UK to rediscover its ‘spark of genius’
Writing for The Daily Telegraph, Universities and Science Minister Sam Gyimah has called for the UK to rediscover its ‘spark of genius’ and become a ‘science and technology superpower’. Today he, together with Business Secretary Greg Clark, will launch UK Research and Innovation, the new funding agency.

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Today’s Political Headlines include extending the Brexit deadline, NHS data sharing, Leveson II defeated and Johnson commits to Iran deal. 

Brexiteers suggest extending transition to break customs deadlock
The Sun claims that Brexiteers, including Theresa May’s former special adviser Nick Timothy and allies of Michael Gove, are suggesting extending the Brexit transition period to break deadlock over customs plans. This would give more time for their preferred ‘maximum facilitation’ plan to be implemented. May was reportedly planning to use a meeting of the Cabinet’s Brexit subcommittee on Tuesday to adopt an amended version of her plans for a customs partnership, but the paper claims that signs of a compromise are emerging.

Government stops forcing NHS to share data with Home Office
The Guardian reports that the Government has suspended arrangements under which the NHS shared patients’ data with the Home Office so that it could identify people breaking immigration rules. Opponents had warned that the policy was scaring some people away from seeking NHS care. The change was announced during a debate on the Data Protection Bill, with the Government accepting an amendment tabled by Conservative Dr Sarah Wollaston (Chair of the Health Committee) and Labour’s Dr Paul Williams.

Labour attempt to launch part two of Leveson defeated
The Guardian reports that the Government managed to narrowly defeat a Labour attempt to start the second phase of the Leveson inquiry in a House of Commons vote yesterday. Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Matt Hancock hailed ‘a great day for a free and fair press’ but Ed Miliband accused the Conservatives of breaking a pledge to phone-hacking victims and of giving the DUP what it has called ‘a Leveson for Northern Ireland’.

Johnson pledges UK commitment to Iran deal
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson told the House of Commons yesterday that the UK has ‘no intention of walking away’ from the Iran nuclear deal, despite the USA having pulled out. As the BBC reports, Sir Michael Fallon, Defence Secretary when the deal was signed, said that President Trump’s criticism of the ‘rather flimsy agreement’ was justified.

Tory MPs call for House of Lords to be overhauled
The Daily Mail says that ‘leading Tory MPs’ including Iain Duncan Smith, Bernard Jenkin, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Daniel Kawczynski have called for reform of the House of Lords after it amended the EU (Withdrawal) Bill 14 times. Duncan Smith called for a ‘complete and total overhaul’ while Rees-Mogg said that peers ‘are completely obsessed by the European Union.’

Williamson criticised over leak
According to The Times, ‘senior Conservatives’ and Number 10 have criticised Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson accusing him of playing politics with the Northern Irish peace process and leaking plans to set up a historical murders unit. The Daily Mail reports that service records of troops who served in the province are to be handed over to police.

May to face criticism over Erdoğan visit
The Financial Times says that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will start a three-day visit to the UK on Sunday, meeting both the Queen and Theresa May. The paper says the Prime Minister is likely to face criticism as the visit will be during snap elections which have been criticised by opposition and human rights groups.

Grayling announces digital railway overhaul
The BBC reports that Transport Secretary Chris Grayling is to announce a digital overhaul of the rail network. Network Rail will aim for 70% of journeys to benefit from digital technology by 2033, with new signalling improving frequency and capacity and reducing failures.

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Today’s Political Headlines include Boris’ criticism of the ‘crazy’ customs plans, rail firms propose fares overhaul, tax old people to fund young people and the reduction in the Department for International Trade. 

Boris criticises ‘crazy’ customs partnership plans
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has told the Daily Mail that Downing Street’s proposed post-Brexit customs partnership plans are ‘crazy’ and would create ‘a whole new web of bureaucracy’. The Daily Telegraph has spoken to Jacob Rees-Mogg, chair of the pro-Brexit European Research Group, who tells the paper that Boris Johnson would be ‘more aggressive’ in negotiations than Theresa May, but that this could lead to a better deal. According to The Guardian, more work is being done on the customs proposals and they will not be discussed at this week’s cabinet Brexit sub-committee.

Rail firms to propose fares overhaul
The Times carries the news that rail companies are to propose what the paper calls ‘the biggest overhaul of the fares system since privatisation’. A public consultation will begin next month, with a report containing recommendations for the Government to be published in late autumn. Issues expected to be addressed include ‘split ticketing’, journeys which are both peak and off-peak, and part-time season tickets.

Give 25-year-olds £10,000 to fix intergenerational contract, think tank say
The Guardian says that a think tank has called for every person in Britain to receive £10,000 when they turn 25 in order to tackle the ‘broken’ intergenerational contract between millennials and baby boomers. The suggestion is made in the final report of the Resolution Foundation’s intergenerational commission, chaired by former Conservative minister David Willetts.

Department for International Trade axes 10% of trade promotion jobs
The Financial Times reports that the Department for International Trade is to cut hundreds of jobs promoting UK exports to countries such as China and Brazil, undermining the Government’s claims to be creating a ‘global Britain’. 10% of trade promotion jobs are expected to be cut owing to a budget squeeze which has pitted International Trade Secretary Liam Fox against the Treasury.

Williamson says that the UK is considering creating its own satellite navigation system
The Daily Telegraph says that it has been told by Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson that the UK has ordered experts to start drawing-up plans for the UK’s own £3bn satellite navigation system as a replacement for the EU’s Galileo scheme. He has suggested that it could be delivered in partnership with countries such as Japan, South Korea or Australia.

MPs to debate children ‘farmed out’ to care homes
The BBC reports that Labour MP Ann Coffey is to use a Commons debate to accuse the Government of breaking a promise to cut the number of children being ‘farmed out’ to children’s homes out of their area, warning that they could fall prey to paedophile and drugs gangs. The Daily Telegraph quotes Nadhim Zahawi, the children’s minister, as saying that children from broken homes should have the right to keep in touch with their grandparents.

Labour MPs revive progressive alliance debate
According to The Guardian, MPs from different wings of the Labour Party have revived the debate about a progressive alliance. Jon Cruddas and Clive Lewis have signed a letter to the paper calling for the reinstatement of three members expelled for supporting a National Health Action candidate against Jeremy Hunt at the last general election.

Editors criticise Labour press regulation amendments
The Times reports that editors have criticised two Labour amendments to the Data Protection Bill, which will be voted on tomorrow. They have warned that the amendments would ‘harm local democracy’ and ‘bring in stricter press regulation by the back door’. One would impose sanctions on publishers that didn’t join a state-recognised regulator, while the other would establish a new Leveson-style inquiry.

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Today’s Political Headlines include mixed local election results, Sinn Féin’s Órfhlaith Begley wins West Tyrone by-election, more claims against John Bercow and departments in the dark. 

Mixed results for Conservatives and Labour in England local elections
Results are coming in from the local elections across the country, with 150 areas electing councillors, including all London boroughs. The Independent reports that although early results indicated that Labour had made gains in London they failed to take key London councils such as Barnet, Kensington and Chelsea, Wandsworth and Westminster. The Guardian reports that on a varied night for the leading parties, early analysis suggested a 1% swing to the Conservatives outside London, but a swing to Labour in the capital.

Sinn Féin’s Órfhlaith Begley wins West Tyrone by-election
Sinn Féin’s Órfhlaith Begley has won the West Tyrone by-election. The poll was triggered by the resignation of Sinn Féin’s Barry McElduff in January. The turnout was 55.13%. The BBC reports that police arrested a man on suspicion of possessing a firearm with intent following an incident at a polling station in Greencastle. It is understood after handing over his ballot paper, the man produced what appeared to be a handgun.

Further claims have emerged against speaker John Bercow
According to The Guardian, Bercow has faced fresh allegations of bullying, with parliament’s former Black Rod saying John Bercow’s ‘intemperate behaviour’ is ‘unworthy of someone in such public office’. It comes as Downing Street backed calls for a full investigation into bullying in Parliament, after former private secretary Angus Sinclair claimed Mr Bercow had verbally abused him and smashed a phone on a desk in a fit of rage. 

Committee report finds that Defra and International Trade departments are ‘in the dark’ over Brexit preparations
The BBC reports that a report from the Public Accounts Committee has found that the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and the Department for International Trade face an unprecedented challenge in preparing for Brexit. The two departments appear to lack a ‘clear plan’ of priorities.

European parliament and commission to keep UK outpost at former Conservative HQ
The Guardian has an exclusive report explaining how the EU plans to defy Tory Brexiteers and retain its offices in London. High-profile Brexiters had called last year for the EU to hand back the large red-brick building that was previously Margaret Thatcher’s headquarters and the scene of her general election victories.

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