Today’s Political Headlines include May left humiliated over Chequers deal, Javid primising to target gangs, UK creates a cyber-force and Williamson pledges more support for Ukrainian military.<\/b><\/p>\n
May left \u2018humiliated\u2019 as EU leaders reject Chequers deal<\/span> Javid promises to target \u2018county lines\u2019 gang network<\/span> UK creates \u00a3250m cyber-force<\/span> Williamson pledges more support for Ukrainian military<\/span> 60% of public support tax increases to fund public spending<\/span> Labour would see surge in support if it backed second referendum<\/span> Nuclear deterrent \u2018not fit for purpose\u2019, MPs warn<\/span> UKIP to become a \u2018radical, populist party\u2019<\/span>
\n<\/strong>As\u00a0The Times<\/em>\u00a0says<\/a>, Theresa May was \u2018humiliated\u2019 by EU leaders yesterday as they rejected her Chequers strategy for Brexit. The paper\u00a0adds<\/a>\u00a0that a number of factors led to this outcome, including May\u2019s decision to read out an article she had written for\u00a0Die Welt<\/em>, her rejection of revised proposals on Ireland without seeing the text, reports that International Trade Secretary Liam Fox was planning to scrap food regulations to secure a trade deal with the USA, support for May from Hungary\u2019s President Viktor Orban, and her admission that revised Irish backstop proposals wouldn\u2019t be ready by the next summit in October.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Writing<\/a>\u00a0for the\u00a0Daily Mail<\/em>, Home Secretary Sajid Javid has promised to combat the \u2018county lines\u2019 network, under which drugs gangs use children as couriers to supply drugs in small towns and seaside resorts. He has announced a \u00a33.6m National County Lines Co-ordination Centre, allowing police forces to work together in their efforts to tackle the problem, and that there will be several large-scale raids in the next week.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Times<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that the Ministry of Defence and GCHQ are setting-up a \u00a3250m cyber-force which will aim to target hostile states, terrorist groups and gangs, with around 2,000 personnel \u2013 a quadrupling of the number of people in offensive cyber positions. This follows a review commissioned by Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, with the creation of the force due to be officially announced soon.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Daily Telegraph<\/em>\u00a0has\u00a0visited<\/a>\u00a0the Ukraine with Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, paying a trip to the frontline of the conflict with Russian-backed separatists. Williamson accuses the Russians of trying to \u2018reverse the outcome of the Cold War\u2019 and said that the UK was \u2018upping our training and support efforts\u2019 with the Ukrainian armed forces.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Guardian<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that the latest British Social Attitudes survey shows that 60% of the British public would now support an increase in taxes to fund higher public spending \u2013 the highest level for 15 years. This includes 53% of Conservative supporters. The public\u2019s top public spending priority was revealed to be health, followed by education.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Independent<\/em>\u00a0reveals<\/a>\u00a0that two new polls show that backing a second referendum on Brexit would give Labour a boost in support which would \u2018carry it to the brink of Government\u2019. A YouGov poll shows that backing the People\u2019s Vote would see the party gain an extra 1.5m voters, while an ICM poll showed that the party would win marginal seats from the Tories \u2013 including some that voted to leave the EU.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Guardian<\/em>\u00a0carries details<\/a>\u00a0of a new report by the Commons Public Accounts Committee that warns that decisions by the Ministry of Defence to delay maintenance at the department\u2019s 13 sites to support nuclear submarines have left the UK\u2019s nuclear deterrent programme \u2018not fit for purpose\u2019.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The BBC\u00a0says<\/a>\u00a0UKIP will release an interim manifesto at its conference, with leader Gerard Batten claiming it should become a \u2018radical, populist party\u2019 standing up to the \u2018politically-correct thought police\u2019 and helping \u2018the people who form the backbone of Britain\u2019.<\/p>\n