Trump May

Political Headlines – Trump attacks British ambassador

Today’s political headlines includes Trump attacking the British ambassador over leaks and dozens of Tory MPs will try to stop no-deal. 

Trump attacks British ambassador over comments in leaked cables
The Daily Telegraph reports that Donald Trump has attacked the British Ambassador to the USA, Sir Kim Darroch, after diplomatic cables in which he called the President’s administration ‘inept’ and ‘incompetent’ were leaked. Trump said ‘we are not big fans of that man, and he has not served the UK well’, while the Foreign Office announced that it was investigating the leak. The paper adds that the source of the leak is believed to be a senior official or minister frustrated at the civil service’s efforts on Brexit.

Dozens of Tory MPs will try to stop no-deal Brexit
According to The Times, if Boris Johnson becomes Prime Minister, dozens of Conservative MPs will attempt to block a no-deal Brexit. Sam Gyimah said that there were ’30-plus’ MPs looking at ways to stop no-deal through legislation or to stop Parliament from being prorogued. Some MPs, led by Dominic Grieve, will use today’s debate on power-sharing in Northern Ireland to put forward an amendment to legislation, requiring a statement to be made to the Commons in October, thus ensuring that it will be sitting.

Operations cancelled in row over pension changes
The Guardian reports that consultants have started working to rule in a row over NHS pensions, leading to operations being cancelled and cancer scans not being checked for weeks. The dispute centres on pension tax bills which could leave doctors worse off if they work longer than their normal hours, with NHS pensions expert Dr Tony Goldstone warning that ‘the pensions catastrophe is an existential threat to our NHS’.

Labour Party ‘on the brink of civil war’ ahead of antisemitism documentary
The Daily Mail claims that the Labour Party is ‘on the brink of civil war’ ahead of a BBC documentary on antisemitism in the party being screened on Wednesday. It says that the party is taking legal action to try and gag whistle-blowing staff, while John McDonnell is continuing to try and pressure Jeremy Corbyn to back a second referendum and has denied that he has also been trying to get Corbyn to sack his closest aides.

Stewart says he’ll help organise alternative parliament to stop no-deal Brexit
The Guardian says Rory Stewart has claimed that he will help to organise an ‘alternative parliament’ if the new Prime Minister attempts to prorogue Parliament in order to facilitate a no-deal Brexit. He suggested that it could be overseen by a former Speaker, such as Betty Boothroyd. He attacked Boris Johnson’s leadership skills, saying he ‘likes to be popular’.

New report warns to risk to sexual abuse survivors of bail reforms
The Times carries details of a new report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Adult Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse, which warns that changes to bail rules mean that growing numbers of alleged child sexual abusers are able to contact their victims before a trial, adding that this ‘had serious ramifications for the safety of survivors’.

Johnson to boost apprenticeships funding
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Boris Johnson promises more funding for further education colleges and apprenticeships. He claims that apprentices are ‘indispensable to the future of this country’, adding ‘there are far too many young people who leave university with huge debts, and no clear sense of how their academic qualification has helped their career.’

Hunt will stand up for persecuted Christians
The Guardian reports that a report by the Bishop of Truro, Philip Mounstephen, commissioned by Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, has called on the Government to impose sanctions on countries which persecute Christians. Hunt has committed to implement all the reports’ recommendations if he becomes Prime Minister, adding that the ‘sense of misguided political correctness that has stopped us standing up for Christians overseas must end’.

Trump’s comments might have wide reaching impact on the UK, find out what it means for you Vuelio Political Services.  

Police cuts

Political Headlines – Police warning and the great place on Earth

Today’s political headlines includes former police chiefs warning about cuts, Johnson vows to make UK the greatest place on Earth, Green Part and Plaid Cymru back Lib Dems and Hunt announces plan to build 1.5m new homes for the young. 

Former police chiefs issue warning about cuts
Writing to The Times, five former Metropolitan Police Commissioners claim that Theresa May has brought about the ‘emasculation of British policing’, warning that resources were at ‘dangerously low levels’ and that victims had ‘perilously low expectations’. Yesterday Sir Thomas Winsor, the Chief Inspector of Constabulary, said that some forces were ‘straining under significant pressure’ owing to complex and growing demands, and poor resources.

Johnson vows to make UK ‘the greatest place on Earth’
Interviewed by The Daily Telegraph, Boris Johnson has said that he wants to make Britain ‘the greatest place on Earth’, calling on people to embrace the ‘fantastic’ opportunities he claims are posed by Brexit. He also pledges to cut stamp duty to tackle the ‘locked up’ housing market, said the UK’s ‘most important’ trade deal would be with the EU, and said he would not agree a trade deal with the USA at the cost of accepting ‘substandard’ food.

Green Party and Plaid Cymru back Liberal Democrats in by-election
The Times reports that pro-remain parties are to back a single candidate in next month’s Brecon and Radnorshire by-election, with Plaid Cymru and the Green Party agreeing to back the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, Jane Dodds. Dodds said that the agreement was a ‘historic and courageous decision’, while Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price said that stopping Brexit was in the ‘best interests of Wales’ and the principle could be applied elsewhere.

Hunt announces plan to build 1.5m new homes for the young
Writing in The Sun, Jeremy Hunt announces his plan to build 1.5m homes for the young, ‘giving a whole generation a leg up on to the housing ladder’ in order to beat Jeremy Corbyn. He would change the law with a new policy called ‘Right to Own’ under which councils and Homes England could buy land and commission building on it.

Johnson campaign funded by developers whose scheme he approved
In an exclusive, the Daily Mirror reports Boris Johnson’s leadership campaign is being funded in part by the Reubens, a family of property developers whose redevelopment of Millbank Tower he approved, amid controversy, when he was Mayor of London despite it not having any affordable homes. Len Duvall, Labour’s London Assembly group leader, said this ‘begs the question of whether this is a sign of what’s to come if he enters Downing Street’

Hunt proposes tax breaks for those who care for relatives at home
The Daily Telegraph says that Jeremy Hunt has proposed giving families who look after elderly relatives at home tax breaks, as part of a plan to fix social care. He has promised to publish a social care green paper within 100 days of becoming Prime Minister, including a 10-year funding plan, long-term saving schemes and a cap on care costs.

Gauke warns that Parliament will block no-deal Brexit
The Sun says that Justice Secretary David Gauke has warned Boris Johnson that a no-deal Brexit will be blocked as Parliament ‘will find a way’ to do so, given there was a clear majority behind such a move. He said that MPs’ recess for party conferences should be cancelled to give more time to find a deal and cautioned that Johnson would lose the next election if there was no deal with the EU.

Tories sell dinner with new Prime Minister for £300,000
The Daily Mail reports that the Conservatives used their summer party to auction dinner with the new Prime Minister for £300,000. Other lots sold at the party fundraiser included a signed photo of David Cameron and Boris Johnson, a flight in a private jet to anywhere in Europe, tickets to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a private champagne party for 100 people in central London, a hunting trip to Scotland, and chances to meet other ministers.

Domestic policy is firmly back on the agenda, keep up with Vuelio Political Services.  

Fox hunting

Political Headlines – Hunt backs fox hunting and Labour support at record low

Today’s political headlines includes Hunt’s pledge to back fox hunting, Labour support at (joint) record low, Johnson announces plans for 20,000 more police officers and the Foreign Office has summoned Chinese ambassador over criticism. 

Hunt pledges to back the legalisation of fox-hunting
Jeremy Hunt has used an interview with The Daily Telegraph to back the legalisation of fox-hunting, claiming that it is ‘part of the countryside’. He also told the paper that if he became Prime Minister Boris Johnson would be given ‘a very important Cabinet job’ while MPs’ summer recess might be cancelled to ensure that all the legislation needed for a no-deal Brexit was passed. Writing in the paper, he argues that he is better placed than Johnson to defeat the ‘clear and present danger’ posed by Jeremy Corbyn.

Labour support at record low in new poll
A poll conducted by YouGov for The Times has found that support for Labour is at its lowest in polling history, with just 18% of voters planning to vote for the party. The Conservatives are 24%, the Brexit Party is on 23% and the Liberal Democrats are on 20%. The paper adds that Jeremy Corbyn met Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill to discuss its story about civil servants raising concerns about Corbyn’s health, with Labour claiming that the meeting was ‘frank and detailed’ and that there will be an ‘independent element’ to the investigation.

Johnson announces plans for 20,000 more police officers
The Daily Mail reports that Boris Johnson will today promise to put 20,000 new police officers on the streets within the next three years, at a cost of £1bn a year. Johnson said that ‘soaring crime levels are destroying lives across the country and we urgently need to tackle this’, while the plan has been borrowed from former leadership candidate and Home Secretary Sajid Javid, adding to speculation that he may be made Chancellor by Johnson.

Foreign Office summons Chinese ambassador over criticism
The Guardian says that the Foreign Office has summoned the Chinese ambassador, Liu Xiaoming, to accuse him of making unacceptable criticisms of the UK. He had used a press conference to claim that remarks by Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt about the protests in Hong Kong were ‘interference’ and that there would be ‘consequences’ going further.

Lords call for £8bn to be spent on social care
The Financial Times carries details of a new report by the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee, which calls on the Government to spend £8bn on social care immediately in order to fix what it calls a ‘national scandal’. It says that the system is ‘severely underfunded’ and that 1.4m adults cannot access adequate care, adding that the Government should publish a white paper containing ‘clear proposals for change’.

Supermarkets back simpler recycling labels
The Daily Telegraph reports that representatives from the supermarkets Iceland and Waitrose yesterday told the Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee that the Government should introduce legislation to simplify recycling labels on packaging so that it is easier for consumers to understand.

Osborne considering running to be IMF head
The Times reports that George Osborne has told friends that he is considering campaigning to be the next head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) now that Christine Lagarde, the incumbent, has been appointed as the head of the European Central Bank (ECB). To succeed, he will need to be nominated by the new Prime Minister, while his allies believe that his main rival is likely to be Mario Draghi, the outgoing ECB head.

Gauke attacks ‘populist politicians’
The Guardian says that Justice Secretary David Gauke used his speech at the annual judges’ dinner in the City of London to attack ‘populist politicians’ who tell people what they think they want to hear, contrasting judges’ fact-finding with those ‘who pour poison into our national conversation’. The paper says this will be seen as a ‘veiled attack’ on Boris Johnson.

The Tory leadership race is all about headlines now – but who will win? Find out with Vuelio Political Services.  

Bojo

Political Headlines – Boris to review sin taxes and May warns of no-deal risks

Today’s political headlines includes Boris to review sin taxes, May warns of no-deal Brexit risks, McDonnell tells civil service to prepare for a Labour Government and Hunts says no deal could cause historic damage. 

Boris to review ‘sin-taxes’
The BBC reports Boris Johnson has said he will review taxes on tobacco, alcohol and sugar to see whether they are effective, and that he will not introduce any new ‘sin taxes’. Johnson said these sorts of taxes disproportionately impact the finances of those on lower incomes. The Times suggests that Johnson has split his campaign by adopting this stance as the policies have been championed by the Health and Social Care Secretary, Matt Hancock, who is one of his supporters.

May to warn of no-deal Brexit risks to union
The Daily Telegraph reports that Theresa May is to make a speech in Scotland on Thursday, announcing a review of devolution to be led by Lord Dunlop and warning of the risk to the union posed by a no-deal Brexit. She will call for the UK Government to have a higher profile in Scotland in order to ward off the threat of independence.

McDonnell tells civil service to prepare for a Labour Government
The Times says that John McDonnell is to call on the civil service to prepare both for a Labour Government and for a second referendum, with Corbyn to request formal talks when he meets Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill to discuss a report in The Times that some civil servants believe that Corbyn is not well enough to do the job.

Hunt says no deal Brexit could cause as much damage as financial crash of 2008
The Sun reports on a warning from Jeremy Hunt that a no deal Brexit could cause as much damage to the economy as the 2008 financial crisis. Hunt feels as though the fallout from a no deal would be very serious. This came after Philip Hammond said the Government warned that a no-deal Brexit would lead to a £90bn hole in the public finances.

Ellie Reeves to face possible deselection
The Guardian reports that Ellie Reeves, Labour MP for Lewisham West and Penge, is facing a possible deselection attempt after she signed a statement criticising the readmission of Chris Williamson. A member of the CLP has emailed its chair to request a motion of no confidence in Reeves. As Reeves is 22 weeks pregnant, it is understood that the motion of no confidence would not take place while she is on maternity leave.

Johnson says he’d ‘love’ a bridge between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK
The Daily Mail has said that Boris Johnson used a hustings of Conservative members in Northern Ireland to say that he would ‘love’ a bridge between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. He accused the EU of ‘moral blackmail’ over the Northern Ireland backstop and claimed that concerns about a no-deal Brexit were ‘wildly overdone’.

Over a dozen Labour MPs would now back May’s Brexit deal
The Sun claims that senior Labour backbenchers have claimed over a dozen of the party’s MPs would now back Theresa May’s Brexit deal, with Lisa Nandy publicly announcing that she would now vote for it. John Mann claimed that up to 30 Labour MPs would back it or abstain if it was put to the vote again.

Field calls homeless charity ‘magnet for undesirables’
In an exclusiveThe Guardian reports that suspended minister Mark Field described a homeless charity in his constituency, The Passage, as a ‘magnet for undesirables’. The Big Issue Foundation said this use of ‘pejorative terminology to describe marginalised people’ was unacceptable, while Field claims he was ‘reiterating in verbatim form the strength of local opinion’.

What are the sin taxes and why do they matter? Find out with Vuelio Political Services.  

Johnson and Hunt

Political Headlines – Johnson considers downsizing and Hunt’s accused of macho nonsense

Today’s political headlines includes Johnson considering slashing the number of Government departments, Hunt accused of spouting macho nonsense, Corbyn calls for an inquiry into The Times and Hammond criticises candidates’ spending plans. 

Johnson considers reducing number of Government departments
The Daily Telegraph claims that Boris Johnson is considering proposals to reduce the number of Government departments. He has already backed merging the Department for International Development and the Foreign Office but is now being urged to consider abolishing up to seven other departments, in a move backed by supporters including Dominic Raab, Andrea Leadsom and Priti Patel. A source in the campaign told the paper that such a decision would have to wait until after Brexit had been delivered.

Hunt accused of ‘spouting macho nonsense’ over plan to cancel civil servants’ holidays
The Times says that Jeremy Hunt was yesterday accused of ‘spouting macho nonsense’ by Dave Penman, head of the FDA union which represents senior civil servants, after Hunt threatened to cancel all civil service leave in August unless departments convinced him that their no-deal plans were ‘on time and on track’. Hunt also said that he would decide on 30 September whether a deal was likely, and if it wasn’t, he would cease all talks with the EU and would instead focus on preparing for a no-deal Brexit.

Corbyn calls for independent inquiry into report by The Times
The Guardian reports Jeremy Corbyn has asked for an independent investigation into a report by The Times which claimed that it had been told by senior civil servants that he would have to stand down due to health issues. Writing to Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill, Corbyn said the claims ‘undermined confidence in the principle of civil service neutrality’.

Hammond criticises candidates’ spending plans
The Times says that Chancellor Philip Hammond has warned that the spending plans announced by the Conservative leadership contenders are at risk of ‘throwing away’ his party’s ‘reputation for fiscal responsibility’. He warned that the £25bn ‘fiscal firepower’ held in reserve would be needed to tackle a no-deal Brexit and that the candidates risked ‘delivering a bigger burden of debt to our children and our grandchildren’.

Heseltine report calls for more powers for metro mayors
The Financial Times carries details of a new report by Lord Heseltine, commissioned by the West Midlands Combined Authority, which calls for metro mayors to have their budgets and powers increased. He makes twenty proposals to help narrow the gap with London, including overseeing affordable housing construction, school performance and employment training.

Bercow blocks attempt to prevent public spending after a no-deal Brexit
The Daily Telegraph reports that John Bercow yesterday blocked an attempt by Dominic Grieve and Margaret Beckett to prevent spending on education and international development in the event of a no-deal Brexit by refusing to accept their amendment. A similar amendment, covering work and pensions, and housing, communities and local government, will be ruled on today. 

Local authorities warn of funding crisis
The Guardian says a survey by the Local Government Association shows that almost one in five local council leaders will be forced to put drastic spending controls in place in the next few months to avoid bankruptcy. One in three warned that they expected to be unable to meet their statutory obligations, such as adult social care, within the next three years.

Government considers mandatory climate risk reporting for listed firms
According to the Financial Times, the Government’s new green finance strategy, published today, will say that the Government is to explore introducing a mandatory requirement for listed companies and pension funds to declare their climate-related risks from 2022.

What would fewer departments mean for you and your comms? Find out with Vuelio Political Services.  

Nigel Farage

Political Headlines – Brexit Party fighting every seat and the latest in Tory leadership campaign

Today’s political headlines includes Brexit Party fighting every seat, Hunt announces £6bn war chest for no-deal and public sector pay freeze under Johnson. 

Brexit Party to fight every Westminster seat
The Guardian report on Nigel Farage saying that the Brexit Party will have candidates ready to fight in every Westminster constituency within days. Farage said that even in the event Boris Johnson is leading the Government and they are moving towards no-deal the Brexit Party will still battle hard. At an event in Birmingham the Brexit Party revealed their first 100 candidates to an audience of 5,000 activists.

Jeremy Hunt announces £6bn war chest for no-deal
Sky News report on remarks made by Jeremy Hunt where he has said that if he becomes Prime Minister he will have a £6bn fund for farmers and fisherman who export to Europe. Hunt is also expected to form a committee that will get the Government ready for a no-deal Brexit and prepared for WTO tariffs coming into effect.

Public sector pay freeze over under Johnson
The Independent report on Matt Hancock stating that Boris Johnson will scrap the public sector pay freeze. The Health Secretary said that those who work in the public sector will get a fair pay rise if Boris Johnson becomes PM. This could be a targeted campaign from the Johnson campaign as his leadership rival Jeremy Hunt oversaw the new contracts for junior doctors.

Claims about Corbyn’s health are ‘fake news’The Times re
port on head of the Unite union Len McCluskey describing concerns about Jeremy Corbyn’s health as ‘fake news’. This comes after it was reported that senior civil servants had become worried about Corbyn’s health. Speaking on The Andrew Marr Show McCluskey said the claims were fake news and a distortion.

Gordon Brown wants Theresa May to honour Conservative manifesto pledge on BBC TV licences
The Sun report on forming Prime Minister Gordon Brown calling on Theresa May to make sure that the Conservative manifesto promise of TV licenses being free for over 75s until 2022 is honoured. From June 2020 free TV licenses will be available to households where someone receives pension credit. The BBC has made this change as the cost of providing the licensers is going to be transferred to the broadcaster.

Get meaningful political intelligence with Vuelio Political Services.  

Digital innovation public sector

Digital innovation in the public sector

The Government is continuing to make use of digital innovation to progress a sector that is often criticised as lagging behind the private sector. A panel session on digital innovation in Government at the Public Sector Solutions Expo gave insight into how the Government is making best use of new technology while supporting SMEs across the UK.

Chaired by Sue Bateman, deputy director – innovation GDS at the Cabinet Office, the panel discussed how the Government keeps on top of developing technology and the importance of innovation to help consumers and users.

Joining Bateman on the panel were Sebastien Krier, policy advisor at the Office for Artificial Intelligence, and Ian Tester, head of product – GovTech Catalyst at Government Digital Service (GDS).

With artificial intelligence the current industry buzzword, Krier talked about how the Office for AI is creating a guide for how to use AI in the public sector. Covering best use, how to use it ethically, fairly and safely, and making sure it meets the users’ needs, the guide is a living product and Krier welcomes feedback from across the public sector.

Encouraging innovation and helping to build more efficient public services, Tester explained how GovTech Catalyst work to solve the challenges felt across local and central government and the wider public sector. By focusing on the problem first, rather than the solution, the aim is to work with companies to create effective and innovative products, so the end result is a product that works for everyone.

Since the launch of GovTech Catalyst, Tester said they’ve received 93 challenges from the public sector and, out of 416 supplier bids, they’ve started working with 35 different companies. By opening out the tender process to SMEs, the team has seen diversity in both technology and the people they are helping.

Vuelio, as the leading provider of combined media and political communications software, was exhibiting at the Public Sector Solutions Expo 2019.

Brexit roulette

Political Headlines – Johnson’s latest campaign activity and the Salisbury attackers

Today’s political headlines includes Johnson’s no-deal Brexit budget, BBC censoring Johnson calling the French turds, May to urge Putin to hand over Salisbury attackers and Verhofdtadt attacks Johnson’s false promises. 

Johnson plans no-deal Brexit budget
According to The Times, Boris Johnson is preparing an emergency budget for a no-deal Brexit, including tax cuts, reforms to stamp duty and cutting regulation. He reportedly offered Sajid Javid the role of Chancellor at the weekend, with Javid expected to endorse him in the next fortnight. Johnson’s budget plans will be discussed next week at a meeting chaired by Sir Edward Lister, who is planning Johnson’s first 100 days as Prime Minister.

BBC censored Johnson calling the French ‘turds’
The Daily Mail claims that the BBC covered-up Boris Johnson accusing the French of being ‘turds’ about Brexit after the Foreign Office requested that it be removed from a fly-on-the-wall documentary. A Government memo said that broadcasting the remark would have made relations between the two countries ‘awkward’, while senior diplomats claimed that it would have made reaching a good Brexit deal even harder.

May to urge Putin to hand over Salisbury attackers
The Daily Telegraph says that Theresa May will use a meeting with Vladimir Putin at today’s G20 summit in Japan to urge him to hand over the suspected Salisbury attackers so that they can be ‘brought to justice’. She will also call on Russia to stop undermining ‘our collective security’. The Russian President has given an interview to the Financial Times in which he claimed that ‘the liberal idea has become obsolete’ but expressed hope that ‘a few preliminary steps’ could be made in restoring relations between the countries.

Verhofstadt attacks Johnson’s ‘false promises’
Writing in The Guardian, the European Parliament’s Brexit co-ordinator, Guy Verhofstadt, attacks Boris Johnson’s ‘false promises, pseudo-patriotism and foreigner-bashing’, saying his claims showed that he is ‘a man who continues to dissemble, exaggerate and disinform’.

Johnson refuses to rule out proroguing Parliament, says ministers must support no-deal
The Times says Boris Johnson has refused to rule out proroguing Parliament to enable a no-deal Brexit, despite his ally Liz Truss having claimed that Johnson had ruled it out. Johnson has also said that he will only appoint Cabinet ministers who are ‘reconciled’ to the idea of a no-deal Brexit, suggesting that he might be able to win round some opponents, such as Amber Rudd. He will today promise a ‘bold vision to rejuvenate our high streets’.

Leaked Home Office report criticises hostile environment policy
The Guardian says that a leaked version of a report into the causes of the Windrush scandal, commissioned by the Home Office, says that the department failed to follow its legal duty to counter racial discrimination when it implemented the hostile environment policy. The report says that the Home Office’s failure to effectively evaluate its policies’ effectiveness was ‘particularly reckless’ and recommends making an ‘unqualified apology’.

Vaz calls for Williamson decision to be reconsidered
The Daily Mirror reports that Labour MP Keith Vaz has called for the party’s decision to readmit Chris Williamson to be ‘reconsidered’, despite the fact that he sat on the panel which made the decision and voted for it, overruling the recommendations of party staff. He argues that as details of the meeting were leaked, the decisions it made ‘cannot stand’.

Government plans ‘fat tax’ on milkshakes
In an exclusiveThe Sun reports that the Government is planning a ‘fat tax’ by extending the ‘sugar tax’ to ‘sugary milk drinks’ such as milkshakes unless manufacturers improve their recipes. The proposal is contained in a new green paper on improving children’s health and air quality and was apparently inserted by Number 10.

Get meaningful political intelligence with Vuelio Political Services.  

Bojo

Political Headlines – Johnson’s immigration system and social care bosses warn that services may be cut

Today’s political headlines includes Johnson pledging Australian-style immigration system, social care bosses warn that services may be cut, new plan to block n0-deal Brexit and pro-cannabis Tory group is funded by cannabis manufacturers. 

Johnson pledges Australian-style immigration system
According to The Daily Telegraph, Boris Johnson has promised that he will bring in an Australian-style points-based immigration system in order to restore ‘public faith’. Migrants won’t be allowed to ‘cut ahead in the queue’ by taking jobs which could be done by British workers and won’t be entitled to benefits when they first arrive in the UK. He also called for the country to be ‘much more open’ to highly-skilled immigrants, but didn’t say what his immigration target would be as he wanted to consult the Migration Advisory Committee.

Social care bosses warn that services may be cut
The Guardian carries details of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services’ annual survey, which warns that the social care system is ‘not only failing financially, it is failing people’, putting them at risk of being denied basic support. Without urgent funding guarantees, local authorities might have to start decommissioning services this autumn. The association is calling for an urgent cross-party agreement.

New plan to block no-deal Brexit
The Times says that Dominic Grieve and Margaret Beckett are putting forward a plan to block Government spending if the new Prime Minister attempts a no-deal Brexit without Parliament’s approval. The move, expected to be backed by Labour in Tuesday’s vote, would make approval of the latest ‘estimates’ (Government expenditure) on policies including schools, benefits and aid contingent on MPs approving either a deal or no-deal.

Pro-cannabis Tory group is funded by cannabis manufacturers
The Daily Mail reports that a new pro-cannabis legalisation group, the Conservative Drug Policy Reform Group, is to launch today, chaired by the MP Crispin Blunt. The group, which is not affiliated to the party, has received £400,000 from firms which sell cannabis for recreational and medicinal use in Canada and the USA.

Johnson plans to turn on the ‘spending taps’ with Javid as Chancellor
The Financial Times says that Sajid Javid is emerging as Boris Johnson’s ‘favoured choice’ of Chancellor, as he has worked at the Treasury before and has links to the City. A source close to the Johnson campaign told the paper that Johnson ‘really is planning to turn on the spending taps’.

Hunt pledges to protect pensioners’ free TV licence
The Daily Mirror claims that a new poll shows that 85% of senior citizens would refuse to pay for a TV licence if they lose their entitlement to a free one. Jeremy Hunt has said that he would protect the benefit if he is elected, expressing concern that failing to do so ‘would be against our manifesto’.

Williamson readmitted by Labour
The Guardian says the Labour Party has readmitted the MP Chris Williamson, who had been suspended after he claimed that it was ‘too apologetic’ about antisemitism. Other MPs have expressed their displeasure, with Ruth Smeeth saying that she was ‘horrified’ while Jess Phillips claimed to be ‘disgusted’. Party investigators had recommended tougher sanctions, but were over-ruled by a panel which included MPs Keith Vaz and George Howarth.

Party conference recess may be scrapped
According to The Sun, talks are underway to axe the parliamentary recess for the party conferences in late September and early October. A Eurosceptic claimed that the move would to give ‘MPs more time to stop us leaving’, but a senior Tory told the paper that the new Prime Minister would need more time to get a deal through Parliament.

Keeping up with the race to be PM or need intelligence beyond the headlines? Vuelio Political Services.  

Boris and Carrie

Political Headlines – Johnson defends his right to privacy and Hunt promises £15bn defence spending

Today’s political headlines includes Johnson defending his right to privacy, Hunt promising £15bn defence spending, Labour MPs given a fortnight to decide if they want to stand again and financial reporting on Johnson’s proposed tax cuts. 

Johnson defends right to privacy as donor demands explanation
The Daily Telegraph says that Boris Johnson has defended his right to privacy saying that it was ‘unfair’ to drag his ‘loved ones’ into things, but has been accused of hypocrisy after photos of him holding hands with his girlfriend were passed to the press. He used a BBC interview last night to relaunch his campaign for the leadership and will attend a series of events in Surrey and South London today, after criticism from a number of sources including leading party donor John Griffin, who said that members ‘deserve an explanation’.

Hunt promises £15bn defence spending
The Times reports that Jeremy Hunt is to announce that he will increase defence spending by £15bn if he becomes Prime Minister, ensuring that it reaches 2.5% of GDP in the next five years. However, he has not given a detailed explanation of how this will be funded. The money would be used to increase the UK’s presence in the North Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions and to expand the UK’s cyber-security defences.

Labour MPs given a fortnight to decide if they want to stand again
The Guardian reports that the Labour Party has given its MPs a fortnight to decide if they wish to stand again at the next general election. Following a rule change last year, those who wish to restand will need to secure the support of two-thirds of local branches and local trade union branches; if they don’t, they can be challenged by other candidates.

Johnson tax cuts could cost £20bn and would mostly benefit the rich
The Financial Times carries details of new analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, which says that Boris Johnson’s proposed tax cuts could cost up to £20bn a year and would mostly benefit richer households. Tom Waters from the thinktank said it was ‘not clear that spending such sums on tax cuts is compatible with both ending austerity in public spending and prudent management of the public finances’.

Top jobs disproportionately held by private school pupils
The Guardian says that a new study by the Sutton Trust and the Social Mobility Commission shows that members of the UK’s elite, who hold top jobs in politics, the judiciary, the media and business are five times more likely to have attended a private school than the population as a whole. Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner said that Labour would give ‘every child the chance to flourish, not just a lucky few’.

Ireland under pressure from other EU countries over no-deal Brexit plans
The Daily Telegraph claims that Ireland is coming under pressure from six other EU countries, including France and Germany, to detail how it would manage a no-deal Brexit as they are concerned that this may now be unavoidable. The countries are said to fear that Ireland could pose a threat to the integrity of the single market.

May to make everyone eligible for sick pay
The Sun reports that Theresa May is to announce that sick pay will be extended to everyone. Companies that treat their staff well will be given a ‘conditional rebate’. The measure forms part of May’s attempt to establish a legacy, with the Government also considering higher accessibility standards for new homes and increased support for disability benefit recipients.

Davies reselected despite recall petition
The Times reports that the Conservatives have selected Chris Davies as their candidate for the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election, despite it having been caused by a recall petition triggered after he admitted submitting two false expenses invoices. He said that he was ‘the right person’, despite almost one in five constituents having backed the petition.

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Today's Political Headlines

Political Headlines – Hunt calls Johnson a coward in Tory leadership latest

Today’s political headlines includes Hunt accusing Johnson of cowardice, Johnson and Symonds have been driven out of their flat, and Johnson’s Brexit stance while being contradicted over no-deal tariff claims. 

Hunt accuses Johnson of cowardice
Writing in The Times, Jeremy Hunt accuses Boris Johnson of being a ‘coward’ who is willing to ‘slink through the back door’ of 10 Downing Street while avoiding being questioned, telling him to ‘man up’. He has been refusing to provide an explanation of the incident at the flat he shares with his partner, Carrie Symonds, which led to police being called after neighbours heard screaming. Johnson has also only agreed to participate in two broadcast debates, both of which will only take place after ballot papers are sent to members.

Anarchists drive Johnson and Symonds out of flat
According to the Daily Mail, Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds have been forced to go into hiding after anarchists from the group Class War staged a protest outside their flat, with a friend of the couple telling the paper that the couple have ‘a very loving and stable relationship’ and have ‘spent the weekend together’. The Daily Mirror says that Johnson’s friends claim that he is ‘yearning’ to be with his estranged wife, while The Sun claims that the row followed a series of four over the last six weeks in what a friend described as ‘an incredibly volatile relationship’, including the couple nearly splitting up earlier this month.

Johnson says he won’t ‘bottle’ Brexit
Boris Johnson has used his column in The Daily Telegraph to promise that he won’t ‘bottle’ Brexit and that ‘we can, we must and we will leave’ the European Union on 31 October. He also claims that once Brexit has been completed, the focus should be to ‘turbocharge’ the economy, promising higher pay not higher taxes.

Cox and Fox contradict Johnson over no-deal tariff claims
The Financial Times claims Attorney-General Geoffrey Cox has told the Government that, despite claims by Boris Johnson, the UK would probably not be able to maintain its existing tariff-free trade with the EU in the event of a no-deal Brexit, even for a time-limited period. Cox’s stance has also been backed by International Trade Secretary Liam Fox.

Hunt says UK would consider joining US attack on Iran
In an exclusive, the Daily Mail reports that Foreign Secretary and leadership contender Jeremy Hunt has said that the UK would consider joining a US-led military attack on Iran, but that it would do so ‘on a case-by-case basis’. He added that Iran should ‘stop its destabilising activity throughout the Middle East’ and said that it was ‘almost certainly’ responsible for recent sabotage to oil tankers.

NHS boss raises prospect of compulsory tax on gambling firms
The Times says that Simon Stevens, the head of NHS England, has said that the voluntary levy on the gambling industry wasn’t raising enough to pay for the treatment of addicts and ‘the possibility of a mandatory levy’ should be left open. Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said he was ‘determined to do everything I can to help anyone affected’.

Most types of Brexit to worsen UK’s finances
The Guardian reports that a new report by the UK in a Changing Europe thinktank finds that most types of Brexit would lead to the UK’s finances becoming worse, giving the country less capacity to tackle issues such as child poverty, social care and left-behind communities.

Report claims current technology could make backstop obsolete
The Daily Telegraph carries details of a new report by the thinktank Prosperity UK, which claims that a hard border on the island of Ireland could be prevented using existing technology to deliver ‘invisible’ customs checks, making the backstop ‘obsolete’ within three years. The report was led by Nicky Morgan and Greg Hands and is supported by Brexiteers such as Iain Duncan Smith, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Steve Baker.

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Michael Gove

Political Headlines – Johnson supporters try to knock out Gove

Today’s political headlines includes Johnson supporters trying to knock out Gove, Stewart knocked out, Javid wants to be Johnson’s Chancellor and BBC debate questioners suspended.  

Johnson supporters to try to knock out Gove
The Daily Telegraph claims that Boris Johnson’s supporters will try to knock Michael Gove out of the leadership race today, with one claiming that they wanted him to be ‘humiliated’. They intend to lend Sajid Javid enough votes in this morning’s round to eliminate Gove and are pressuring former supporters of Rory Stewart to back Javid or Jeremy Hunt. Johnson’s supporters believe that Hunt will be the easiest to beat in a head-to-head contest.

Stewart knocked out of leadership contest
The Guardian reports that Rory Stewart was eliminated from the Conservative leadership contest last night, having lost ten votes since the previous round. This prompted speculation that he might have previously been lent votes by Boris Johnson in order to ensure that Dominic Raab was eliminated. Stewart said that ‘all sorts of things might be happening in strange secret ballots’.

Javid wants to be Johnson’s Chancellor, rivals claim
The Times claims that according to his rivals Sajid Javid wants to be Boris Johnson’s Chancellor. According to Javid’s allies, Johnson spend yesterday trying to persuade him to pull out and endorse Johnson instead, but there weren’t any face-to-face talks. He has said that he is the ‘change candidate’ and will not be ‘pulling out’.

Two BBC debate questioners suspended
The Daily Mail says two of the questioners from the BBC’s Conservative leadership debate have been suspended from their jobs over offensive social media posts which the corporation’s vetting didn’t find. Abdullah Patel, the deputy head of a primary school, was suspended over tweets blaming women for rape and containing antisemitism, while Aman Thakar, who used to work for Labour, has been suspended from the law firm he works for after he tweeted that Hitler’s most harmful legacy was his ‘abuse of nationalism’. Iain Duncan Smith said there was ‘clear bias’ against the Tories and called for Ofcom to investigate.

Johnson tells rivals they don’t disagree on ‘much’
According to The Sun, Boris Johnson’s stance on Brexit is being questioned after he was overheard telling his opponents that ‘we don’t disagree on that much’ following the leadership debate on Tuesday, adding that they ‘hardly’ disagreed on dates. The candidates’ microphones were still attached as the exchange happened while they left the studio.

Corbyn rejects calls to move to pro-remain stance
The Guardian claims that Corbyn used yesterday’s shadow cabinet meeting to indicate that he was not happy to move to a more pro-remain stance despite pressure, including from John McDonnell, telling attendees that he had been getting inspiration from Harold Wilson’s autobiography. Wilson allowed ministers to campaign on both sides of the referendum.

Hammond to accuse candidates of not being realistic
The Financial Times says Chancellor Philip Hammond will use a speech at Mansion House to say he is trying to prevent a no-deal Brexit and none of the leadership contenders is being realistic. He will add that ‘if the new Prime Minister cannot end the deadlock in parliament, then he will have to explore other democratic mechanisms to break the impasse’.

Living standards improvements have stalled, thinktank says
The Sun carries details of a new report by the Resolution Foundation which finds that 18-29 year olds are spending £23 a week less on recreation compared to 20 years ago as basics rise in cost, but pensioners are spending £47 more due to them working longer and the ‘triple lock’. David Willetts of the thinktank said that ‘big living standards gains that each generation used to enjoy over their predecessors have stalled’.

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Boris Johnson

Political Headlines – Tory leadership and Labour’s Brexit position

Today’s political headlines includes rivals raising the heat on Johnson, Corbyn to set out Labour’s Brexit stance, Raab’s campaign manager accuses Tory MPs of pretending to support him and Farage says he could do a deal with Johnson. 

Rivals raise heat on Johnson
The Times says rival leadership candidates used last night’s debate to raise the heat on Boris Johnson, who softened his stance on Brexit, moved away from his suggested tax cuts on high earners and refused to commit to blocking Heathrow expansion. Rory Stewart also came under scrutiny, later agreeing that his performance was ‘lacklustre’. In the second round of voting, Johnson got 126 votes while Dominic Raab was eliminated. Jeremy Hunt, Michael Gove and Sajid Javid all grew support marginally, but Stewart’s votes nearly doubled.

Corbyn to set out Labour’s Brexit stance
The Guardian reports that in the ‘coming days’ Jeremy Corbyn will set out Labour’s latest Brexit stance in a speech, but is unlikely to back deputy leader Tom Watson’s calls for the party to adopt a more pro-remain approach. Instead he will develop his existing position of a public vote on any Brexit deal, although some shadow cabinet members are concerned about the impact this would have in their constituencies.

Raab’s campaign manager accuses Tory MPs of pretending to support him
The Times says that Sr Hugo Swire, Dominic Raab’s campaign manager, has said that his elimination was ‘a surprise and a big disappointment’, accusing MPs of pretending to support Raab. He said that most of Raab’s backers were now likely to transfer their support to Boris Johnson as it was ‘difficult to see them not backing’ a hard-Brexiteer.

Farage says he could do deal with Johnson
Speaking at an event organised by The Daily Telegraph, Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage has indicated that he could form an election pact with Boris Johnson, saying that if Johnson chose to fight an election backing a no-deal Brexit there ‘is a deal that could be done’ which would lead to ‘a massive, massive majority’.

Hammond threatens to resign over school funding plan
The Sun says that Chancellor Philip Hammond openly threatened his resignation yesterday over a dispute with Theresa May about plans to boost school funding by £27bn. Asked if he had quit, he said ‘no, not yet’. Cabinet ministers have indicated to the paper they are backing Hammond and believe the decision on the plans should be left to May’s successor.

Johnson rebuilds links with business leaders
The Financial Times says Boris Johnson held a private breakfast with business leaders yesterday, accompanied by Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss, in an attempt to rebuild his relationship with them after his ‘fuck business’ remarks last year. He told attendees these had been taken out of context and pointed to his record as Mayor of London.

Khan accuses Tory candidates of adopting far right language
The Guardian says Sadiq Khan is to accuse Tory leadership contenders of adopting the language of the far right, warning that it could lead to events such as the massacre at the mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand. He will describe the Conservatives’ approach to Islamophobia as ‘utterly shameful’. The paper adds that during yesterday’s debate Sajid Javid got the other candidates to commit to an investigation into Islamophobia in the party.

Labour to announce plans for warnings on alcohol
The Sun reports that Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary Jon Ashworth is to announce plans to make alcohol carry warnings about the dangers of drinking too much, with details of calories and national drinking guidelines. He will warn that ‘the current voluntary approach is simply not fit for purpose’, but Chris Snowdon of the Institute of Economic Affairs claimed that ‘the nanny statists are at it again’.

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George McGregor and Emma Petela

Public Affairs Board announces first Executive Committee since PRCA merger

The Public Affairs Board has announced its Executive Committee for 2019/20 to help fulfill its role of ensuring transparency, enforcing high standards, and promoting a wider understanding of public affairs and the contribution it makes to public life.

This is the first Committee since APPC members voted to merge the organisation with the PRCA in November 2018. This led to the creation of the Public Affairs Board as a unified body for the public affairs market.

The 19-person panel is led by continuing co-chairs George McGregor, managing partner at Interel and Emma Petela, director at GK Strategy [both pictured]. The Committee also includes representatives from Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland alongside a representative from the NextGen Public Affairs Group, the immediate past leadership, and members from across the PRCA Public Affairs Board.

The full Executive Committee for 2019/20 is:

  • George McGregor CMPRCA, Interel (Co-chair)
  • Emma Petela CMPRCA, GK Strategy (Co-chair)
  • John Morrison MPRCA, Morrison Media (Scotland)
  • Cathy Owens MPRCA, Deryn (Wales)
  • Gráinne Walsh MPRCA, Stratagem NI (Northern Ireland)
  • Tiffany Burrows MPRCA, Newington (NextGen Public Affairs)
  • Paul Bristow FPRCA, PB Consulting (Past Chair)
  • Lionel Zetter FPRCA, Zetter’s Political Services (Past Chair)
  • Laura Blake MPRCA, Connect
  • Flora Coleman MPRCA, Transferwise
  • Gavin Devine MPRCA, Park Street Partners
  • Elin de Zoete MPRCA, PLMR
  • Scott Dodsworth MPRCA, H+K Strategies
  • Tom Frackowiak MPRCA, Cicero Group
  • Mark Glover FPRCA, Newington Communications
  • Liam Herbert MPRCA, Individual Member
  • Chris Martin MPRCA, Ketchum
  • Gill Morris FPRCA, DevoConnect
  • Michael Stott MPRCA, Lansons

McGregor and Petela said: ‘We are lucky enough to have a pool of talented, experienced individuals willing to contribute their time, effort, and ideas to improving our industry. We would like to welcome members of the Executive Committee – old and new – and look forward to working with them all on ethics, transparency, representation, and shaping the very future of our industry.

‘To reiterate our priorities as co-chairs, our aims are to build a more powerful voice for public affairs; to champion and uphold ethical public affairs; and to promote diversity in the public affairs industry.

‘We would like to thank all the members involved: representing PRCA Public Affairs Board members is a privilege and we aim to meet – and exceed – their expectations of us.’

All members take up their positions immediately and remain in place until the time of the next scheduled Public Affairs Board Executive Committee election in June 2020. The co-chairs were re-elected unopposed. The first meeting of the new Executive Committee was last night (Monday, 17 June 2019).

Spy

Political Headlines – Rory the spy, Gove’s Brexit beliefs and homeless camps removed

Today’s political headlines includes suggestions Rory Stewart could have been a spy, Gove’s claims that the final two candidates must believe in Brexit, homeless camps removed and half of Tories would be happy with Farage as leader. 

Stewart may have been MI6 spy
The Daily Telegraph suggests that Rory Stewart may have worked for MI6 as a spy prior to his election, with a ‘Whitehall security source’ telling it that he was recruited while at university and worked for the service for seven years. He has denied being a spy but has also pointed out that even if he had been, he would be legally obliged to deny it. He has now secured the backing of David Lidington, the de-facto deputy prime minister, in the leadership contest, and is the second favourite with the bookmakers. 

Gove claims that the final two candidates must ‘believe in Brexit’
Writing in The Times, Michael Gove calls on MPs to ensure the two leadership candidates they put to the party membership ‘believe in Brexit’, arguing against choosing a pair of candidates who will ‘polarise our party’. The paper claims that this is an attempt by Gove to undermine Rory Stewart’s campaign and secure his own place in the final round. Sajid Javid has also claimed that ‘blue on blue’ attacks are damaging the party’s prospects. 

Number of homeless camps removed trebles
In an exclusiveThe Guardian claims that the number of homeless camps which local authorities forcibly removed has more than trebled since 2014, rising from 72 to 254. Charities say that this is a sign of a growing homelessness problem due to changes to welfare, poorly-funded support services and insecure housing. Over the same period, complaints about such camps have grown by 448%. 

Almost half of Tory membership would be happy with Farage as leader, poll finds
A YouGov poll of Conservative members for The Times finds that 46% of them would be happy for Nigel Farage to become party leader, while 40% would be unhappy. 68% of members want to attract voters from UKIP and the Brexit Party, compared to just 25% from Labour and the Liberal Democrats. Farage has admitted that he has been approached by Tory donors but rejected the idea of a pact between the two parties. 

Parliamentary standards authority doesn’t recognise maternity leave, Creasy says
Writing in The Guardian, Labour MP Stella Creasy claims Parliament is effectively telling her to ‘choose between being a mum and being an MP’. She is pregnant but has been told by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority that it does not recognise maternity leave and won’t automatically provide extra support. She was also forced to work as normal without further support after suffering two miscarriages. 

Mothers should live with children in prison
The Daily Telegraph carries details of a new report commissioned by the Ministry of Justice and conducted by Lord Farmer, which argues that women in prison should be kept with their children in mini-prisons in the community in an attempt to break the reoffending cycle. Such a scheme would target those jailed for less than two years for offences such as theft, fraud or minor assaults. 

Government rejects ‘fast fashion tax’
The Daily Mail says that the Government is being criticised after it rejected the Commons Environmental Audit Committee’s suggestion of a ‘fast fashion tax’ of 1p per item in order to cover the costs of collecting and recycling the 300,000 tonnes of clothes incinerated or sent to landfill each year. Instead, ministers claim to have developed their own initiatives, including encouraging voluntary efforts by the industry. 

Hammond criticises Johnson over unfunded spending commitments
According to The Sun, Chancellor Philip Hammond has criticised Boris Johnson for making unfunded spending commitments on tax cuts and faster broadband, with just Rory Stewart acceding to his request that leadership candidates stick to sensible spending plans. Speaking at Mansion House in the City of London, Hammond urged ‘all candidates to be cautious’ and said the lack of agreements was ‘a disappointment’. 

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Conservative party

Political Headlines – Tory leadership debate and Watson to challenge Labour to back remaining in the EU

Today’s political headlines includes criticism of Johnson for missing debate, Watson to challenge Labour to back remaining in the EU, May to announce mental health package and Johnson makes broadband pledge. 

Johnson criticised for missing debate
The Times reports that Boris Johnson was taunted by rival leadership contenders during yesterday’s Channel Four debate for refusing to participate, with Jeremy Hunt asking how Johnson would be able ‘to deal with 27 European countries’ when ‘his team won’t allow him out with five fairly friendly colleagues’. The paper adds that the other candidates criticised Dominic Raab for refusing to rule out suspending Parliament to enable a no-deal Brexit, with Rory Stewart branding the suggestion ‘undemocratic’ and ‘deeply disturbing’.

Watson to challenge Labour to back remaining in the EU
According to The Guardian, Labour’s Deputy Leader Tom Watson will use a speech today to challenge Jeremy Corbyn, claiming Labour ‘must argue strongly to remain in Europe’, adding that he supports ‘Europe because I am a socialist’. A Shadow Cabinet meeting has been cancelled at short notice, supposedly because some members couldn’t attend, but the paper says that some remainers believe that the leadership wished to avoid a confrontation.

May to announce mental health package
The Sun is claiming a ‘huge victory’ for its ‘You’re Not Alone’ campaign as Theresa May is set to announce today that all teachers will be trained to spot mental health issues, with updated statutory guidelines on schools’ responsibilities, more support for schools to tackle self-harm and greater funding for councils.

Johnson makes superfast broadband pledge
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Boris Johnson promises to give every home in the UK access to superfast broadband within six years if he becomes Prime Minister, eight years quicker than the Government’s current plans, which he says are ‘laughably unambitious’. He argues that ending the ‘deep digital divide’ is part of his ‘moral mission to unite Brexit Britain’.

Hancock backs Johnson
The Times reports that Matt Hancock has endorsed Boris Johnson’s leadership campaign, calling him ‘the best candidate to unite the Conservative Party’ and vowing to ‘hold him’ to his promises to be a One Nation Conservative and to support business. A cabinet minister from a rival campaign said it was ‘less of an endorsement and more of a surrender’.

Campaigners worried cannabis is being unofficially legalised
An investigation by the Daily Mail has found that nine out of ten users and growers of cannabis do not receive criminal charges, with the proportion of users charged for possession falling from 27% in 2017 to 22% last year. David Green of the thinktank Civitas sad that the police had ‘unofficially legalised cannabis in many parts of the country’ despite doctors being ‘increasingly worried about the impact on the mental health of cannabis users’.

Tory donors in talks about electoral pact with the Brexit Party
The Daily Telegraph claims that donors to the Conservatives are in secret talks with Nigel Farage about the potential for an electoral pact between the Tories and the Brexit Party. It would see Farage agree not to stand candidates against Brexiteer Conservatives, while the Tories would not stand in northern Labour-held seats. A businessman told the paper that talks were at a ‘very preliminary’ stage.

Corbyn supports ‘Grenfell: Never Again’ campaign
The Daily Mirror says Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has given his party’s support to its ‘Grenfell: Never Again’ campaign. Corbyn said the Grenfell Tower fire was ‘a symbol of a failed housing system and the grotesque inequality in modern Britain’, criticising the Government’s lack of progress in removing flammable cladding from private buildings.

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Boris

Political Headlines – Tory leadership race dominates the headlines

Today’s political headlines includes Johnson allies telling vanity candidates to withdraw, Johnson under pressure over TV debates, Umunna joining Lib Dems and the Mirror’s Grenfell, Never Again campaign. 

Johnson allies tell ‘vanity candidates’ to withdraw from contest
The Daily Telegraph reports that supporters of Boris Johnson are calling on ‘vanity candidates’ to pull out of the Conservative leadership election after seven of the ten candidates got through the first round, but Johnson secured 114 votes, ahead of Jeremy Hunt who had 71 fewer than him. Matt Hancock is apparently considering withdrawing and endorsing Sajid Javid.

Johnson under pressure over TV debates
According to The Times, Boris Johnson is under pressure to appear in television debates as all the other candidates did agree to. In a joint statement they said that debates would ‘shape and define’ their visions for the UK, while a spokesman for Johnson said that he was in talks with Channel 4. David Gauke, who supports Rory Stewart, said that if candidates ‘have something to hide they should not be running’.

Umunna joins Lib Dems
The Times reports that Chukka Umunna has joined the Liberal Democrats, saying that he was ‘wrong’ when he thought that a new party could succeed and had ‘vastly underestimated the importance of having an infrastructure’. He called on others to follow him and ‘to grab the chance to fundamentally change the system for ever now’. Lib Dem leader Vince Cable added that he was in talks with other MPs about possible defections.

Mirror launches ‘Grenfell, Never Again’ campaign
The Daily Mirror has launched a ‘Grenfell, Never Again’ campaign, marking two years after the fire at Grenfell Tower. It says that ‘tens of thousands of people are still living in unsafe buildings, families are still waiting to the rehoused and fire service funding has been cut’ and calls for the removal of risky cladding, sprinkler fitment, fire service cuts to be reversed and an independent body to oversee it, and an independent tenants’ rights regulator.

Major attacks leadership candidates over proroguing
The Guardian says that Sir John Major has ‘launched a blistering assault’ on the Tory candidates who have suggested that Parliament could be prorogued in order to ensure a no-deal Brexit. He accused them of ‘hypocrisy on a gold-plated standard’ and said that it was ‘fundamentally unconstitutional’. It adds that Rory Stewart has said that he would set up an ‘alternative parliament’ if Boris Johnson were to prorogue Parliament.

Raab claims he’s the candidate most feared by the EU
The Daily Telegraph says Dominic Raab has claimed that he is the Tory leadership contender who the EU would fear the most, telling the paper that as Prime Minister he would focus on those earning £15,000 a year, not those earning £50,000 a year. He denied having a ‘short temper’ and said he couldn’t speak about the NDA involving a former colleague.

IoD warns businesses aren’t prepared for October Brexit
The Financial Times reports that the Institute of Directors has warned that businesses have not made much progress in preparing for Brexit in October despite the growing probability of a no-deal Brexit. It calls on them to step up their preparations as they ‘cannot afford to put their faith in politicians to produce a Brexit resolution’.

Hammond tells candidates to promise to keep national debt falling
The Sun reports that Philip Hammond has written to the Conservative leadership candidates to ask them to commit to keeping the national debt falling, warning that failing to do so would risk losing the distinction between his party’s ‘fiscal responsibility’ and Labour’s ‘reckless promises’.

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Boris Johnson

Political Headlines – Boris, Brexit and the Tory leadership race

Today’s political headlines includes Johnson vows to leave the EU, Labour fails to block no-deal, Tory candidates campaigning for the top job and Sedwill criticised for online talking to leadership front runners.  

Johnson vows to leave EU on 31 October but faces criticism for dodging questions
The Daily Telegraph says that Boris Johnson has said he has the ‘guts and the courage’ to ensure that the UK leaves the EU by 31 October, warning of ‘mortal retribution’ from voters if MPs stopped Brexit. He now has 81 declared supporters, more than twice as many as any other candidate. The Times claims that Johnson has assured senior Brexiteers that he will not rule out suspending Parliament to stop it from blocking a no-deal Brexit, while the Daily Mirror reports that he ducked questions about his past use of cocaine and other issues.

Labour attempt to block no-deal Brexit blocked
The Guardian reports that a Labour-led cross-party move to prevent a no-deal Brexit was blocked by 11 votes yesterday. Labour’s Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer warned Conservative leadership candidates that his party would ‘use whatever mechanism it can’ to prevent such an outcome, though former Conservative MP Nick Boles cautioned that ‘it is very hard to see where any further legislative opportunities will come from’.

Stewart appeals for votes, Javid is the ‘change candidate’ and Hancock can beat Corbyn
The Sun says that Rory Stewart is appealing for votes so that he can get through the first round of the leadership contest, telling the paper he is ‘one or two votes short’ and MPs should ‘give me a chance’. The Times reports that Sajid Javid used his campaign launch yesterday to claim that he was the ‘change candidate’ and criticised ‘the same old insiders with the same old school ties’, while The Guardian says Matt Hancock claimed he could beat Jeremy Corbyn by ‘turning the page’ on Brexit and ‘putting pounds in people’s pockets’.

Sedwill criticised for only talking to leadership frontrunners
According to The Times, Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill is being criticised for only having held talks with the two frontrunners in the Conservative leadership contest, Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt. A spokesman for Dominic Raab described the news as ‘disappointing’ while another campaign said ‘the civil service should be treating all candidates equally’.

Mail hails victory in Post Office campaign
The Daily Mail is hailing a victory in its campaign against Post Office closures after business minister Kelly Tolhurst announced a new review of the pay of postmasters, which she wants to ‘be concluded as soon as possible to ensure postmasters receive a fair wage’, starting with a summit today.

NAO issues warning about Help to Buy
The Financial Times reports that the National Audit Office has warned that the Government’s Help to Buy scheme has exposed the Government to ‘significant market risk’ and that some buyers who have made use of it are at risk of entering negative equity. The scheme was introduced in 2013 in a bid to help more people buy homes for the first time.

Channel 4 may ‘empty chair’ Johnson if he refuses debate invite
The Sun claims that Channel 4 may ‘empty chair’ Boris Johnson in its planned televised leadership debate on Sunday. Johnson is apparently the only one of the candidates not to have agreed to appear. His campaign insists that it is in talks with all broadcasters, with the BBC planning a debate on Tuesday and ITV a head-to-head between the last two candidates.

Cabinet note warns UK not ready for no-deal in October
The Financial Times has seen a confidential Cabinet note which warns the UK is not prepared for a no-deal Brexit on 31 October, especially with regard to medicines and border control. The note, prepared for a meeting on 21 May but not circulated, claims many plans in place have only ‘a minimum viable level of capability’, while others had ‘material’ shortcomings.

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Bojo

Political Headlines – Boris on top and Labour’s attempt to block no-deal

Today’s political headlines includes polls favoring Boris for PM, Labour launching an attempt to block no-deal, May to make net zero emissions target legally binding and Oxfam given three weeks to reform. 

New poll shows Johnson would deliver best election results for Tories
The Daily Telegraph reports that Boris Johnson is to launch his Conservative leadership campaign today, pledging to leave the EU on 31 October no matter what, and warning that further delays will ensure that the party will ‘kick the bucket’. A new poll by ComRes released today suggests that Johnson could win up to 140 seats if he led the party, increasing its share of the vote from 23% to 37% – much more than any of his rivals.

Labour launches attempt to block no-deal Brexit
The Guardian says that Labour is today launching the first stage of a cross-party attempt to block a no-deal Brexit. It is tabling a motion backed by the SNP, Plaid Cymru, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and Conservative MP Oliver Letwin which would give MPs control of the parliamentary agenda on 25 June, allowing legislation to prevent a no-deal Brexit to be commenced. To pass, the support of more Tory MPs will be needed.

May to make net zero emissions target legally-binding
The Guardian reports that Theresa May is to make a commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 law, putting forward an amendment to the Climate Change Act today. This has been welcomed by environmental campaigners, though concerns have been raised by the use of international carbon credits which Greenpeace argues will ‘shift the burden to developing nations’.

Oxfam given three weeks to reform or it will lose aid funding
The Times reports that the Charity Commission has told Oxfam to produce a reform plan within three weeks or lose access to funding from the taxpayer permanently. The official warning was issued following a report into the charity after revelations about sexual exploitation in Haiti and harassment and discrimination in the UK became public last year. A source at the commission said that Oxfam’s ‘broken promises were a recurring theme’.

Javid tells Tories not to pick a ‘comfort zone choice’
The Times reports that Sajid Javid will today tell Conservative MPs that they shouldn’t make a ‘comfort zone choice’, arguing that he offers ‘a new kind of leadership and a new kind of leader’. He will be introduced by the Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson who will claim that her leadership shows that success follows picking ‘someone totally different’.

MPs raise concerns about NHS waiting times
The Financial Times carries details of a warning by the Public Accounts Committee that health leaders have a ‘troubling’ lack of understanding about the harm caused to patients by growing waiting lists. Just 38% of NHS trusts meet the 62-day waiting time limit to treat urgently-referred cancer patients.

Thousands sign petition on pensioners’ TV licences
The Sun says that over 249,000 people have signed an Age UK petition calling on the BBC to change its mind about abolishing free TV licences for the over-75s. Tory leadership candidate Matt Hancock said that the decision should be reversed, while Michael Gove and Esther McVey pledged to decriminalise non-payment of the licence fee.

Cabinet bickers over no-deal Brexit preparations
According to The Times, Cabinet ministers were split over no-deal Brexit preparations at their meeting yesterday. Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay criticised the Treasury, raising concerns about a ‘drift’ in planning, while Home Secretary Sajid Javid claimed that Chancellor Philip Hammond had ignored a request for more border force funding; Hammond said that he hadn’t seen it, with Javid later submitting a formal request.

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Bojo

Political Headlines – Tory leader candidates attack BoJo

Today’s political headlines includes Gove’s personal attacks on Boris; Hunt, Gove and Raab attack Boris’ tax cut plans; and BBC faces backlash over acing of free TV licences for over 75s.

Gove’s personal attacks on Boris
The front page of The Daily Telegraph focuses on Michael Gove’s ‘personal attack’ on Boris Johnson, which it calls ‘an act of desperation’. Yesterday Gove joked ‘whatever you do, don’t pull out – I know you have before’. The newspaper says Gove is quickly losing ground to Jeremy Hunt, who it claims is now Boris’ main rival in the leadership race.

Hunt, Gove and Raab attack Boris’ tax cut plans
The Times reports that Conservative leadership contenders have criticised Boris Johnson’s plans to cut taxes for the wealthiest. Boris has been accused of making the Conservative Party look like the ‘party of privilege’, as he revealed plans to raise the threshold for higher rate income tax from £50,000 to £80,000.

BBC faces backlash over axing of free TV licences for over 75s
The Daily Mail reports on the BBC’s decision to scrap free TV licences for the over 75s, which is referred to as ‘BBC betrayal of the elderly’. From June 2020, only those on pension credit will be eligible for a free TV licence. The Daily Mirror claims that a lot of anger is being aimed at the Government, as during the 2017 election, the Conservatives promised that free TV licences for the over 75s would be maintained.

Rory Stewart warns ‘electoral bribes’ by Tory Leadership candidates risk party reputation
According to the BBC, Rory Stewart has warned leadership rivals against offering ‘cheap electoral bribes’, saying the Tory membership are ‘smarter than this’. As opposed to ‘being straight with the people’, Stewart said his opponents had pledged ‘eye-watering’ tax cuts worth £84bn. He is expected to propose that any money available from a negotiated Brexit deal should instead go towards technical education and digital infrastructure.

EU take ‘deeply critical’ view of Tory leadership candidates
The Guardian reports that after a Brexit hiatus, Brussels is watching the Tory leadership race with both ‘amazement and exasperation’. According to the Guardian, the EU see bookies’ favourite Boris Johnson as a ‘Trumpian figure’, remembered for his time working as Brussels correspondent of the Daily Telegraph in the 1990s where he mocked EU regulations and promoted ‘Euromyths’. Meanwhile, Dominic Raab is said to be held in low esteem after losing the trust of EU counterparts during his time as Brexit Secretary.

We’re only on day two of a six week campaign – keep up to date with Vuelio Political Services.