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Today’s Political Headlines include May’s speech on planning policy, May’s criticism of Trump over the steel tariff plans, higher tax for baby boomers and legal action over immigration data blocks. 

May to give speech on planning policy today
As the BBC reports, Theresa May is due to give a speech on housing today. She will warn firms that are slow to build new homes that they could be refused planning permission in the future and criticise bonuses ‘based not on the number of homes they build but on their profits or share price’. Writing in The Daily Telegraph, May argues that ‘England needs more homes’ but promises ‘extra protection for Green Belt land’, environmental protections, and ‘a stronger emphasis on good design’.

May criticises Trump over steel tariff plans
In a phone call yesterday, Theresa May criticised President Trump for his plans for tariffs on steel and aluminium imports and after he threatened taxes on EU-made cars, The Times says. A spokesperson told the paper that the Prime Minister said that ‘multilateral action was the only way to resolve the problem of global overcapacity in all parties’ interests’.

Willetts to argue for higher taxes on baby boomers
David Willetts, the former Conservative minister and the Chair of the Resolution Foundation, will use a speech today to argue that the Government needs to target the wealth of baby boomers, through capital or property taxes, according to The Guardian. The paper also reports that the Institute for Public Policy Research has said that income tax bands could be scrapped without costing the Government and giving average earners as much as £1,100.

Legal action over Home Office plans to block access to immigration data
Two organisations are to challenge plans by the Home Office to deny millions of people access to the immigration data held on them in court, The Guardian says. The Open Rights Group (which campaigns on data privacy) and the3million (which represents EU citizens in the UK) argue that a clause in the Data Protection Bill breaches EU law.

EU to offer UK a Canada-style trade deal, as Tory customs union rebels back down
The Daily Telegraph claims the EU is to offer the UK a Canada-style trade deal this week, with only a short section on customs and services (and potentially no mention of financial services). The Sun says Conservative rebels are to back down on their threat to vote to keep the UK in a customs union, following Theresa May’s vow to keep the UK aligned in key industries. As the BBC reports, a Sinn Féin delegation is to meet EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier today, with the DUP meeting him tomorrow.

Five-sixths of employers fail to submit gender pay gap data
Just one sixth of employers with 250 or more staff have submitted gender pay gap data to the Government, with just a month before the deadline, according to the Financial Times. The Government expects about 9,000 employers to be captured by the regulations, but the paper’s calculations suggest that 13,500 could be affected. Only 1,442 have reported.

Government did not pursue opportunity to retrieve £364m from Carillion
The Guardian reports that the Government was aware of a plan that could have retrieved more than £360m from Carillion, limiting the cost to taxpayers and sparing cuts to pensions, but it did not encourage the firm to pursue it. The plan, presented by EY in December, would have broken the firm up, selling the profitable parts and liquidating the rest.

Team Sky ‘crossed an ethical line’, committee finds
A report by the House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee has concluded that Team Sky ‘crossed an ethical line’ by using drugs permitted by anti-doping rules to enhance performance, instead of just for medical purposes, the BBC reports. Team Sky says that it ‘strongly refutes’ the claims in the report.

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Today’s Political Headlines include May’s five tests, the end of Leveson II, Gove’s warning and MI5 agents committing crimes. 

May to set out ‘five tests’ for Brexit deal in speech
Theresa May will give a speech today, in which she will set out five ‘tests’ for a deal between the UK and the EU, as the BBC reports. The Times adds that the Prime Minister has been forced to drop a pledge to make a ‘binding commitment’ to mirror EU rules in some sectors and will instead offer ‘strong commitments’. The pledge had been supported by Greg Clark and Philip Hammond, but opposed by David Davis, Boris Johnson and Michael Gove.

Government cancels Leveson II
The Leveson inquiry was formally closed yesterday, after ministers decided not to proceed with the second part – read more here. The Government will also seek to repeal Section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act, which would have imposed ‘draconian fines’ on publishers who didn’t join a state-recognised press regulator. Campaigners for reform of the press criticised the decision, saying that victims of phone-hacking had been let down.

Gove warns water industry over high pay and dividends
The Financial Times says that the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Michael Gove has continued his criticism of the water industry. In a speech to industry executives, he attacked high pay, dividends and tax avoidance and warned that unless companies take action, pressure for renationalisation would grow.

MI5 agents can commit crimes, May admits
According to the Daily Mail, Theresa May admitted for the first time that MI5 agents could commit crimes in the UK, saying that the Investigatory Powers Commissioner oversees ‘security service agents’ participation in criminality’. The commissioner, Lord Justice Fulford, welcomed the decision to ‘make public my oversight of this sensitive area of work.’

GDPR hotline faces criticism
A Government hotline set up to advise small businesses on GDPR, the new data protection rules coming into effect in May, is criticised in The Sun. Callers are having to wait for up to half an hour, and officials have urged businesses not to use the line. Instead, they have been advised to use the Information Commissioner’s Office’s website or speak to industry groups.

Conservative Vice-Chair for Women calls for debate on lowering abortion limit
Maria Caulfield, the Conservative Party’s Vice-Chair for Women, has called for a national debate on lowering the 24-week abortion limit according to The Daily Telegraph. She highlighted studies that show that 50% of babies born at 22 weeks survive and said ‘The 24-week limit was introduced at a time when babies were really not viable at 24 weeks. Now babies who are born premature grow up to live long, healthy lives like the rest of us.’

Just one conviction for ‘double voting’ in 2017
The BBC reports that despite there being hundreds of complaints about ‘double voting’ in the 2017 general election, just one conviction has resulted. The Electoral Commission received over 1,000 e-mails about ‘double voting’ and 60 letters from 47 MPs, but just five investigations took place.

Livingstone suspended from Labour and Lansman runs for General Secretary
The Daily Mirror reports that outgoing Labour General Secretary Iain McNicol has made use of a rare power to indefinitely suspend the former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone from the Labour party for alleged anti-semitism. The paper also reports that Jon Lansman, the founder of Momentum, has confirmed that he will be running to succeed McNicol.

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Today’s Political Headlines include Liam Fox’s attack on the customs union, Toby Young’s appointment criticised, a call for children to be removed from extremists and the EU’s demands for the ECJ to play a continued role in the UK.

Fox to attack customs union in speech today
International Trade Secretary Liam Fox is to argue in a speech today that a customs union between the UK and the EU after Brexit would be a ‘complete sell out’, the BBC reports. He will argue that the UK must have the freedom to exploit the ‘opportunities of the future’. The Guardian reports that in a speech this evening, Sir Martin Donnelly, the former Permanent Secretary of the Department for International Trade, will warn that leaving the single market will cause ‘significant damage’. The Financial Times adds that pro-European Conservative MPs are to join forces with Labour in a vote on the customs union.

Toby Young appointment process criticised
An investigation by the Commissioner for Public Appointments into the appointment of Toby Young to the board of the Office for Students has criticised the regulator and the Department for Education. The Guardian says that the report found that the process ‘was flawed and rife with political interference’.

Top counterterrorism officer calls for children to be removed from extremists
The Times reports that Mark Rowley, assistant commissioner for special operations at Scotland Yard, has called for courts to remove children from extremist families. He said that exposing children to extremism was ‘equally wicked’ as exposing them to sexual abuse. In his speech, Rowley also said that far-right extremism was flourishing.

EU demands continued role for the European Court of Justice
The Financial Times claims that the EU will demand the UK remains subject to European Court of Justice rulings for an indefinite period as part of the Brexit divorce deal, backed up by sanctions to cut off market access. The paper expects Theresa May to reject this proposal outright. Meanwhile, The Daily Telegraph says that France and Germany have blocked British plans to continue ‘fudging’ the Irish border issue, in what the paper calls an ‘outrageous attempt to turn Northern Ireland into EU province.’

Sturgeon rejects latest Brexit devolution proposals
Nicola Sturgeon has rejected the Government’s latest proposals for devolution after Brexit, the BBC reports. She said it is ‘very likely’ the Scottish Parliament will not give its consent to the EU Withdrawal Bill and rejected the idea that common systems of regulation could be imposed by Westminster without agreement.

Gove to announce £150m cut in funding for wealthy landowners
The Financial Times reports that Michael Gove is to announce that £150m could be saved by cutting support for wealthy landowners, which could instead be used to help farmers focus on ‘environmental enhancement and other public goods’. The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary is to launch a consultation on an ‘agricultural transition’ period today.

Train companies ‘pocketing’ millions
According to The Daily Telegraph, train companies are accused of benefiting from transport chaos by ‘pocketing millions of pounds in compensation’ when services are delayed or cancelled. The paper says that there is ‘mounting anger’ from Conservative MPs and campaigners over automatic compensation payments to rail firms from Network Rail.

Government announces £1.5m funding for blades for amputee children
The Daily Telegraph hails the success of a campaign run by Sarah Hope, wife of the paper’s correspondent Christopher Hope, after the Government announced another £1.5m in funding for running and swimming blades for amputee children.

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Today’s Political Headlines include a Labour stance on Brexit, new powers for the Office for Students, Northern Ireland’s status post-Brexit and Lidington’s Brexit speech.

Labour would keep UK in a customs union with EU after Brexit
Jeremy Corbyn is to clarify that Labour would keep the UK in a customs union with the EU after Brexit in a speech today, The Guardian reports. However, he will warn that staying in the single market could stop the delivery of the party’s ‘ambitious economic platform’. Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Brexit Secretary David Davis says that the plan ‘would necessitate two serious breaches of Labour’s manifesto’.

Watchdog given new powers over universities
The Times has seen documents detailing the powers to be given to the new Office for Students, which show that the watchdog will force universities to act on high pay, grade inflation and support for disadvantaged students. The regulatory framework is to be put before parliament on Wednesday, with the powers to be taken up in April.

EU’s draft Brexit agreement threatens to break truce over Northern Ireland
The Financial Times warns that the ‘truce’ over Northern Ireland’s status post-Brexit may be ‘shattered’ this week, when the EU publishes a draft withdrawal agreement which leaves out the compromise language secured by Theresa May. The draft omits the commitment to ‘no new regulatory barriers’ between the UK mainland and Northern Ireland, with the EU claiming that it was waiting for ‘workable UK proposals’.

Brexit bill changes will ‘strengthen and enhance’ devolution, Lidington to claim
Speaking at the Airbus plant in Flintshire, Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington is to say that ‘very big changes’ to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill will ‘strengthen and enhance’ devolution settlements, but the BBC says the Scottish and Welsh governments have described the current proposals as a ‘power grab’. Meanwhile, according to The Sun, Tory whips are planning an away-day ‘bonding session’ for all the party’s MPs.

Energy tariff cap legislation introduced
The BBC reports that legislation to cap expensive energy tariffs is to be introduced to Parliament today, which the Government claims will protect 11 million people. The bill will limit the cost of standard variable tariffs until 2020, with the cap then being extended on an annual basis until 2023. Energy UK said it was vital that the cap did not stifle competition.

New plans will spare domestic violence victims from facing abusers in court
The Times reports that proposals to be announced by Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, today will spare victims of domestic violence from having to come face-to-face with their abusers in court. Instead, they will be automatically eligible to give evidence via video link or behind screens. Writing in the paper, Rudd outlines various proposals which will form part of consultation on the draft Domestic Abuse Bill.

UK targets Indonesia as part of ‘Global Britain’ strategy
The Daily Telegraph says that the UK is targeting Indonesia, in what it claims is ‘one of the first tests of the UK’s post-Brexit “Global Britain” strategy.’ British firms could gain contracts to regenerate Indonesia’s road and rail networks, UK Export Finance is offering ‘increased support’ and there has been a ‘surge’ in bilateral meetings.

Momentum sees membership grow after press attacks on Corbyn
Data seen by The Guardian shows that Momentum, the Corbyn-supporting group, experiences surges in membership immediately after negative newspaper articles about the Labour leader. The organisation claimed that attacks on Corbyn were being seen as a ‘sign of approval’, with negative stories in the Daily Mail being an effective recruitment tool.

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Today’s Political Headlines include Brexiteers claiming victory after the policy meeting at Chequers, May plans for migration U-turn, Jeremy Corbyn to announce Labour’s support for staying in the customs union and Gove possibly banning plastic straws.

Brexiteers claim victory after Brexit policy meeting
The Daily Telegraph claims that ‘Brexiteers were claiming victory’ following yesterday’s meeting to decide Brexit policy. A source said Chancellor Philip Hammond was ‘shocked’ by the consensus in favour of divergence. The UK will remain close enough to the EU that trade ‘should be as frictionless as possible’, but the paper warns that the EU has ruled out May’s favoured ‘three baskets’ strategy. The Financial Times suggests that the meeting also pleased pro-Europeans, with one saying it was wrong that divergence had ‘prevailed’, while another source said ‘It seems like everyone thinks they got what they wanted.’

May plans for transition period migration U-turn
The Times says the Government is planning a U-turn on its policy that immigrants from the EU during the Brexit transition period should not be allowed to stay permanently. Instead, the Government is considering making a unilateral guarantee that EU citizens who arrive during the period can remain. Meanwhile, a ‘senior EU source’ tells The Guardian that the UK will lose its rebate from the end of 2020, if it extends the transition period beyond then.

Jeremy Corbyn to signal UK staying in customs union
The Guardian says that Jeremy Corbyn is expected to signal that Labour will support the UK staying in a customs union with the EU in a speech on Monday. The paper reports that Tory rebel Anna Soubry has tabled an amendment calling on the Government to remain in a customs union, and that if Labour decide to back it, May is facing a ‘highly damaging defeat.’

Gove says that plastic straws could be banned in Brexit Britain
Speaking on a Daily Telegraph podcast, Michael Gove, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary, has said that plastic straws may be banned. He said that banning plastic straws would be easier after the UK leaves the EU, but also spoke of the need for a balanced approach. The paper says that the UK uses an estimated 8.5m billion plastic straws a year.

Hunt sets out plan to tackle medication mistakes
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has written about medication mistakes for The Daily Telegraph. He warns that errors could be responsible for up to 22,000 deaths and sets out steps to tackle the problem, including improved data, electronic prescribing and working with the clinical community. The paper reports that the errors cost the NHS £1.6bn a year.

Net migration from the EU falls to lowest level for five years
As the BBC reports, the number of EU citizens leaving the UK is at its highest level for a decade, according to figures produced by the Office for National Statistics. Net EU migration was at its lowest level for five years. Immigration minister Caroline Noakes said that the UK was still attracting the ‘brightest and best people’.

Government back organ donation ‘opt-out’ bill
The Mirror says that the Government is supporting a bill to change the law on organ donation, which is due to be voted on today. The bill will create an ‘opt-out’ organ donation system in England and at a reception organised by the paper last night, health minister Jackie Doyle-Price said the Government would give its backing to the bill.

Labour considering land value tax
According to The Guardian, Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell has said that Labour is considering a land value tax to boost local government revenues. Speaking at an event organised by the Resolution Foundation, he said that cuts to local services mean ‘that people are now willing to consider more radical solutions than they have in the past.’

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