Archive for: Political Services

Today’s Political Headlines include Vote Leave to be found guilty of breaking electoral law, the dangers of a hard Brexit, post-Brexit fishing plans and Unite’s stance on Brexit. 

Vote Leave campaign expected to be found guilty of breaking electoral law
The BBC says that it has been told that the Vote Leave campaign is expected to be found guilty of four charges of breaking electoral law. A draft of an investigation by the Electoral Commission concludes that the Brexit campaign broke spending limits and failed to obey campaign rules, but former Vote Leave chief executive Matthew Elliot has denied the claims.

Hammond to warn of hard Brexit dangers at Cabinet summit
The Times alleges that Theresa May has asked Chancellor Philip Hammond and Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Secretary Greg Clark to warn of the dangers of a hard Brexit for tax revenues and businesses when the Cabinet meets on Friday. According to The Daily Telegraph, May is set to face an ‘almighty row’ with Eurosceptic ministers, with a source telling the paper her plans were ‘a fiction designed to keep us in the EU and single market’. The Financial Times adds that May is ‘pleading’ with EU leaders not to reject her proposal, with an EU diplomat telling the paper she didn’t ‘want to be fighting on two fronts’.

Gove sets out post-Brexit fishing plans
The Daily Telegraph reports that Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Michael Gove is to set out his post-Brexit fishing plans in a white paper today. The proposals would see the UK own the sea and the fish it contains for up to 200 miles from the coast, with a ‘zonal attachment’ scheme based on the distribution of fish stocks replacing EU quotas.

Unite says it is ‘open to the possibility’ of a vote on the Brexit deal
The Guardian says that Unite has issued a statement at its conference, claiming that it is ‘highly unlikely’ that Labour will back Theresa May’s Brexit deal in parliament. The union also reveals that it is ‘open to the possibility’ of a public vote being held on the deal. The paper suggests that this ‘could increase pressure on Jeremy Corbyn’ to follow suit.

NHS may offer medical cannabis ‘within weeks’
The Times claims that medicinal cannabis may be available from the NHS ‘within weeks’, following a review by Dame Sally Davies, the Chief Medical Officer. Her report said that current controls on the drug were ‘very difficult to defend’. A further report on rescheduling the drug will now be produced by the advisory council for the misuse of drugs.

Home Office forced immigrants to take DNA tests
According to the Financial Times, the Home Office has admitted that it forced some foreign parents of British children seeking to remain in the UK to take DNA tests, despite this contravening the department’s own policy. After the paper informed the Home Office of the cases, immigration minister Caroline Nokes ordered an urgent review.

Corbyn tells Unite conference Labour is ‘the political voice of the working class’
The Mirror reports that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told Unite’s policy conference that ‘Labour is back as the political voice of the working class’. He said that more needed to be done to ‘give a real voice to working class communities who feel they aren’t heard in politics’ and accused the Conservatives of ‘posturing’ over Brexit, putting jobs at risk.

Reports warn of Brexit’s regional economic impact
The Guardian says that two reports have found that Brexit will make people outside London worse off. Analysis by the Institute for Public Policy Research warns that households outside the capital will be disproportionately affected by price rises in the event of a hard Brexit. Research by Oliver Wyman found that poor areas would be worst hit as households spend a greater proportion of their income on weekly shopping and transport.

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Today’s Political Headlines include the UK Brexit negotiator’s belief that there’s no chance of a bespoke trade deal, Rees-Mogg’s revolt warning, US/UK defence spending and NHS spending. 

UK Brexit negotiator claims there is ‘no chance’ of a bespoke trade deal
The Times claims that Theresa May’s chief Brexit negotiator Oliver Robbins has told Cabinet ministers that there is ‘no chance’ of the UK agreeing a bespoke trade agreement with the EU. A ‘Government figure’ told the paper that the UK may face a choice between a Norway-style arrangement which would keep the UK in the single market or a simple free trade agreement. The BBC adds that the Government has produced a third model for post-Brexit customs arrangements that will also be discussed by Cabinet ministers on Friday.

Rees-Mogg warns Eurosceptics will rebel if May doesn’t deliver
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Conservative backbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg warns Theresa May that he and his fellow Eurosceptics will vote against the final Brexit deal if she doesn’t ‘deliver what she said she would’. He compares the Prime Minister to Sir Robert Peel, the Prime Minister forced to quit after his party revolted against him over the corn laws.

US Defense Secretary calls for UK to increase military spending
In an exclusive, The Sun reports that Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson received an ultimatum from his US counterpart Jim Mattis two weeks ago, warning that the UK’s military prowess is ‘at risk of erosion’ and that defence spending should increase or France would become ‘the US partner of choice’. He wants an answer by next week’s NATO summit.

NAO chief calls for higher NHS spending
Speaking to The Guardian, Sir Amyas Morse, head of the National Audit Office has warned that the NHS will need more funding than that promised by Theresa May if it is to meet the challenges of the ageing population. He called on politicians ‘to be willing to think bigger’, warning that current spending plans would only sustain current services.

NHS confirms it is planning for no-deal Brexit
The Financial Times reports that NHS England Chief Executive Simon Stevens has confirmed that his organisation is carrying out ‘significant planning’ for a no-deal Brexit in order to ensure that it will continue to have access to medicines and equipment. At the moment, over 37m packs of medicine are imported into the UK from Europe each month.

Political parties should publish gender of candidates, campaigners say
The Guardian says that campaigners including the Electoral Reform Society and the Fawcett Society have joined forces to call on the Government to introduce legislation forcing political parties to publish the gender breakdown of their candidates. Provision for this is included in the Equality Act 2010, but the relevant section has never been enacted.

Former schools minister calls on Government not to use ‘misleading’ statistic
The BBC says that former Lib Dem Schools Minister David Laws, now the chair of the Education Policy Institute, has called on the Government not to use a statistic suggesting that more pupils now attend a good or outstanding school than did in 2010. He said that the statistic ‘misrepresents the level of improvement in school standards’.

Mail launches campaign to save the high street
The Daily Mail has launched a campaign to ‘save Britain’s high streets’ after 50,000 retail jobs were lost in the first six months of 2018. The paper points the finger of blame at high business rates which disproportionately affect high street retailers rather than online stores, with Frank Field, Chair of the Commons Work and Pensions Committee, calling for a ‘specific sales tax’ to be introduced to target them. The campaign is also backed by Jacob Rees-Mogg and Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable, together with various business organisations.

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Today’s Political Headlines include ‘the worst possible Brexit deal’. EU planning a ‘no deal’ Brexit scenario, Chinese firms as frontrunners to operate HS2 and the Government warning it will miss carbon targets. 

May’s former aide warns that the UK risks ‘the worst possible Brexit deal’
The Daily Telegraph reports that Theresa May’s former aide Nick Timothy has warned that the UK risks agreeing what the paper calls ‘the worst possible Brexit deal’, with free movement of workers set to effectively continue under proposals to be discussed by the Cabinet. Ministers have been warned that there are only six weeks of negotiations left to agree a deal by the EU summit in October. The Guardian claims that Theresa May will tell her fellow leaders that the Government is making progress on Brexit at today’s EU summit.

EU works on no deal Brexit as it prepares to issue warning about negotiation progress
The Financial Times says that the EU is increasing work on emergency plans to cope with a hard Brexit, including transitional measures covering transport, financial services and customs to be implemented if no deal is agreed. The paper also claims that Theresa May will be given a ‘serious and grave’ warning over the progress of Brexit negotiations by fellow EU leaders at today’s summit.

Chinese firms are frontrunners to operate HS2
The Times reveals that the Chinese firms Guangshen Railway Co and MTR are the frontrunners to operate HS2 because two British-led consortia, including Virgin and First Group, are unwilling to take on the financial risk required. Final bids are due early next month, with a decision due next May.

Government warned that it will miss carbon targets
The Guardian carries details of a report by the Committee on Climate Change, which warns that the Government will miss its legally binging carbon budgets in 2025 and 2030 because not enough progress had been made in cutting emissions from buildings and transport. The committee, chaired by the Tory peer Lord Deben, accuses ministers of not pursing low-cost options such as onshore windfarms, home insulation and tree-planting.

Truss rebuked by Downing Street over speech
According to The Times, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Liz Truss, has been rebuked by Downing Street after she criticised Government policies and mocked Michael Gove in a speech. The Financial Times suggests that Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson could quit if he doesn’t secure extra funding. The Daily Mail adds that senior backbenchers are becoming fed up with Cabinet infighting, with Nigel Evans telling ministers to ‘put a sock in it’.

Welsh Conservative leader resigns
The Guardian reports that Andrew RT Davies, the Welsh Conservative leader, has resigned ‘unexpectedly’. The paper says that supporters and opponents of Davies have linked his resignation to his support for Brexit and his comments about Airbus last week, which were criticised for being ‘inflammatory’ by defence minister Guto Bebb.

Mordaunt to use foreign aid to support Commonwealth veterans
The Daily Telegraph says that Penny Mordaunt, the International Development Secretary, will announce today that the aid budget will be used to support war veterans living in poverty in the Commonwealth. She will also outline plans to work with the Ministry of Defence to support islands in the Commonwealth affected by hurricanes.

Clark requests £100m for satellite system feasibility study
The Financial Times claims that Greg Clark, the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Secretary, has made a formal request to the Treasury for £100m to fund a two-year feasibility study for a British satellite navigation system as an alternative to the EU’s Galileo programme. Officials plan to launch the first tenders for the new system in the autumn.

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Today’s Political Headlines include vote for the third runway at Heathrow, election law reform, attacks against unsustainable budget increases and BMW’s Brexit warning. 

MPs vote for third runway at Heathrow
As The Times reports, last night MPs voted in favour of a third runway at Heathrow, with a majority of 296, following the imposition of a three-line whip by the Conservatives, Labour’s decision to allow a free vote and the SNP abstaining. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who has opposed the proposals, missed the vote as he was in Afghanistan, drawing criticism from fellow Tories. The paper adds that various councils, Sadiq Khan and Greenpeace are launching a legal challenge to the decision.

Electoral Commission calls for ‘urgent’ reform of election law
The Guardian reports that the Electoral Commission has called for urgent reform to the law, as British democracy ‘may be under threat’. The regulator has called on the Government to change the law in order to tackle misinformation, misuse of personal data and overseas interference. Its recommendations are particularly targeted at digital campaigning.

Truss attacks calls for ‘unsustainable’ budget increases
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Liz Truss, attacks calls by fellow ministers for ‘unsustainable’ increases in their budgets, warning that this would result in the Conservatives being ‘crushed’ and would be a ‘complete contradiction of the Brexit vote’. Instead, she calls for ‘better value for money’. She also criticises colleagues for ‘talking about banning things’ and promises to review ‘over-regulated’ jobs.

BMW warns that UK plants could close if Brexit causes delays
The Financial Times reports that BMW has warned that it will have to close its plants in the UK if it cannot import components from the EU quickly and reliably. Customs manager Stephan Freismuth said ‘if at the end of the day the supply chain will have a stop at the border, then we cannot produce our products in the UK’, but added that the company didn’t ‘want to give up our UK plants’.

Commons Defence Committee report recommends spending increase
The BBC says that a report by the Commons Defence Committee recommends that defence spending should increase from 2% to 3% of GDP, in order to maintain the UK’s influence with the USA and in NATO. It recommends spending the extra funding on increased readiness and anti-submarine warfare, countering Russian threats.

EU to offer better trade deal if UK relaxes red lines
The Sun claims that the EU is to call for a ‘realistic and workable’ vision for post-Brexit UK-EU relations and introduce an ‘evolution clause’ into the conclusions of the leaders’ summit later this week. The clause promises that the EU will ‘reconsider its offer on trade, in the event that the UK changes its red lines. The paper adds that French President Emmanuel Macron is set to rebuke the UK for the lack of progress in negotiations.

Hungary warns that no deal would be ‘very devastating’ for the EU
The Daily Mail has been told by the Hungarian Foreign Minister, Peter Szijjarto, that if the EU failed to reach a trade deal with the UK, its competitiveness would ‘further decrease’ and a ‘very devastating’ situation would result. He also criticised attempts to exclude the UK from participating in joint security projects.

Government rejects tidal lagoon plans
The Guardian reports that the Government has rejected plans for a £1.3bn tidal lagoon in Swansea Bay because it judged the scheme to be too expensive when compared to other energy sources such as offshore wind and nuclear power. Government analysis suggested that supporting the lagoon would have cost the average consumer £700 more by 2050.

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Today’s Political Headlines include the Heathrow third runway vote, Labour’s promise to end defence outsourcing, over 50 Tory MPs ready to block a no-deal Brexit and a former adviser to Theresa May calls to unlock home ownership for young workers. 

Grayling calls on Tory MPs to back third runway
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has urged his party’s MPs to back a third runway at Heathrow in today’s vote, arguing that Brexit means that the UK needs ‘to demonstrate clearly that out future lies very much at the heart of the world stage.’ Some Conservative MPs have criticised the absence of Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who had previously promised to prevent the scheme. The Guardian adds that Len McCluskey, General Secretary of Unite, has written to Labour MPs, calling on them to back the scheme, bringing him into conflict with the party’s leadership.

Labour to promise end to defence outsourcing
The BBC reports that Nia Griffith, the Shadow Defence Secretary, will promise in a speech today that a Labour government would end outsourcing of large defence contracts and criticise the performance of firms such as Capita and Carillion. The Daily Mail says that allies of Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson have claimed that dozens of Conservative MPs could vote to block the budget if defence spending isn’t increased.

Over 50 Tory MPs ready to block no deal Brexit
The Financial Times claims that ‘senior Conservative politicians’ believe that over 50 Conservative MPs, including some current ministers, are prepared to block any attempt by the UK to leave the EU without a deal. The paper also reports that Downing Street is trying to reassure businesses following dismissive remarks from two Cabinet ministers.

Former adviser calls on May to unlock home ownership for young workers
The Sun reports that Conservative MP Neil O’Brien, a former adviser to Theresa May, is calling for a million new houses to be set aside for workers under 40. A report by his new think tank, Onward, calls for half a million new homes to be built for rent to those under 40 with discounts of up to a fifth, and for Government support for 500,000 loans for deposits.

MPs and campaigners call for Home Office fees to be cut
The Guardian says that MPs and campaigners are calling for Home Office fees for asylum, immigration, nationality and customs services to be reduced urgently. The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, David Bolt, launched a consultation on the charges, and Labour MP Stephen Doughty claimed that it is ‘never acceptable’ for the Home Office to profit from applications.

New research shows that over 30,000 children are in gangs
The Times says that new research shows that over 30,000 children aged between 10 and 15 claim to belong to gangs. Children’s Commissioner Anne Longfield warned that criminals prey on young people by ‘taking the place of society’, with analysis by her office showing that up to 70,000 under-25s could be part of a gang network.

No trade deal with US if geographical protections maintained, Paul Ryan warns
The Daily Telegraph claims that International Trade Secretary Liam Fox has written to Brexit Secretary David Davis, warning that he has been told by senior Republican Paul Ryan that a free trade deal with the US would not be possible if EU geographical indication protections for food and drink such as Champagne and Parma ham are maintained after Brexit.

Pro-Corbyn group launches campaign for a ‘people’s vote’ on the deal
The Guardian reports that a pro-Corbyn group is to launch a campaign for a ‘people’s vote’ on the final Brexit deal. The group, Labour for a People’s Vote, is led by former Momentum members and trade union leaders, with activists from 62 local parties pledging to raise the issue in a motion to Labour’s conference in September.

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Today’s Political Headlines include the passing of the Brexit Bill, the UK’s defence, the Gosport hospital scandal and British expats. 

May welcomes passing of Brexit Bill
The BBC reports that Theresa May has welcomed the passing of the EU (Withdrawal) Bill, following the decision of some Conservative rebels to back a compromise stance on a ‘meaningful vote’ on the final deal. The bill has now gone forward for Royal Assent. The Prime Minister claimed that this was ‘a crucial step’ to deliver a ‘smooth and orderly Brexit’, with a white paper and votes on the Trade and Customs Bill to follow in ‘the next few weeks’. The Guardian says that Labour MP Naz Shah has criticised Tory whips for rejecting a pairing request, leading her to discharge herself from hospital and vote in her pyjamas.

May asked Williamson to justify the UK’s role as a ‘tier one’ military power
The Financial Times claims that Theresa May asked Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson to justify the UK’s position as a ‘tier one’ military power at a ‘tense meeting’ on Tuesday, telling him to focus more on cyber warfare. A spokesman said that it was ‘categorically untrue’ that the position of the UK ‘as a leading defence nation is somehow in question’.

Campaigners warn that Gosport hospital scandal could be repeated
The Times says that campaigners have warned that the NHS could see a repeat of the opiate scandal that killed up to 650 patients at the Gosport War Memorial Hospital, because it still ignores whistle-blowers. An independent report into the scandal was published yesterday, and Health and Social Care Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said that the police will investigate new material raised by it and consider criminal charges, if appropriate.

Javid criticises EU member states over arrangements for British expats
The Daily Telegraph reports that Home Secretary Sajid Javid has criticised the EU for failing to match the UK’s progress on making arrangement for expats post-Brexit, ahead of the publication today of the UK’s settled status scheme for EU citizens resident in the UK. He asked the European Parliament and Commission to exert pressure on member states to publish ‘similar plans’ to ‘support British nationals in their countries’.

Chancellor to set out strategy for post-Brexit ‘global financial partnerships’
The Financial Times says that Philip Hammond will today use his annual speech at Mansion House to set out a strategy for securing new ‘global financial partnerships’ after Brexit, targeted at countries such as China, India, South Korea and Australia. The BBC adds that the Chancellor will admit that taxes will have to increase to fund NHS spending increases.

Government to introduce anti-upskirting legislation today
As the BBC reports, the Government is to introduce legislation to make upskirting a criminal offence today, after Tory backbencher Sir Christopher Chope blocked an earlier attempt by Lib Dem MP Wera Hobhouse. If it passes, offenders could spend up to two years in prison.

May criticises Trump’s immigration policies but defends visit
The Guardian says that Theresa May described Donald Trump’s policy of separating immigrant children from their parents as ‘deeply disturbing’ and ‘wrong’, but defended her decision to invite him to the UK next month, indicating that she would raise her concerns with him when they meet.

Speaker urged to set departure date
The Daily Mail claims that friends of Commons Speaker John Bercow have told him to make a statement naming the date on which he will step down. When originally elected, he promised to serve for nine years, and that deadline will be met on Friday. MPs who have spoken to him have reportedly urged him to resign by next summer’s recess at the latest.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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