Today’s Political Headlines – 23 March 2018

Today’s Political Headlines include the EU recalling its ambassador from Moscow, the agreement of the transition period, Owen Smith calling for a referendum on the Brexit deal and the continuation of the passport row. 

EU recalls ambassador from Moscow as it agrees Russia ‘highly likely’ to be behind attack
As The Times reports, the EU has recalled its ambassador from Moscow after leaders agreed that it was ‘highly likely’ that Russia was behind the nerve agent attack in Salisbury. In a statement, the leaders said that there was ‘no plausible alternative explanation’. At least five EU countries are prepared to follow the UK’s lead and expel Russian diplomats.

EU leaders to agree on transition period today
The Financial Times says that EU leaders will agree on the transition period at the European Council today and are expected to approve guidelines on negotiating the future relationship. Yesterday, Theresa May told leaders that ‘considerable progress’ had been made in the Brexit negotiations. At home, The Daily Telegraph reports that the UK has taken delivery of the first of five gunboats to protect the UK’s fishing waters after Brexit.

Owen Smith calls for referendum on Brexit deal
Owen Smith, the Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary, writes in The Guardian that Labour should ‘keep asking if Brexit remains the right choice for the country’ and campaign for a referendum on whether to accept the terms of the Brexit deal. The paper says that Smith’s ‘intervention will reopen the split in Labour ranks’.

Passports row continues
The row over the awarding of the contract to produce the new British passports to a foreign firm continues. The Guardian reports the decision to choose the Franco-Dutch firm Gemalco will save taxpayers about £120m and will create around 70 new jobs in the UK. The Daily Mail urges ministers to ‘stand up for Britain’, claims that the current producer, the British firm De La Rue, is threatening to take the Government to court, and alleges that the Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, approved the deal without knowing the winner’s identity.

May refuses to intervene over cancer bill
According to The Guardian, Theresa May has refused to intervene in the case of Albert Thompson, who has been asked to pay £54,000 for cancer treatment despite living in the UK for 44 years. He has been unable to provide documentary evidence that he has lived in the UK since he arrived from Jamaica as a teenager. The paper claims that there could be tens of thousands of people in a similarly uncertain immigration position.

Committee backs Heathrow’s third runway, but only with safeguards
The Financial Times has details of a report by the Commons Transport Committee on Heathrow expansion. While the committee backs the third runway, it argues that it should only be approved by Parliament if the Government imposes strict conditions relating to costs, noise and air quality. It also called for more information on the project’s costs.

Political parties grant themselves exemption from new data protection laws
The Independent says that political parties are about to grant themselves special powers to use personal data to find out how people are likely to vote, despite the Cambridge Analytica scandal. The exemption from new data protection laws has been agreed by all the main political parties as it clarifies their right to canvas voters in order to target likely supporters.

May sets up committee to boost female entrepreneurs
The Daily Telegraph reveals that Theresa May is setting up a Downing Street committee to increase the number of women starting businesses, following a campaign started by the paper. The taskforce, which will meet fortnightly, will ensure all Government policy considers the impact on women and increases their role in politics, business and society.

Vuelio Political services are available to be customised by you.