Today’s political headlines include May’s rejection of the Northern Ireland only backstop, Hammond’s \u00a313bn windfall, the call to end prosecution of veterans and fake news disappointment.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
May rejects Northern Ireland only backstop<\/span> Hammond to get \u00a313bn windfall<\/span> Cross-party letter calls for end to prosecution of veterans<\/span> Committee chair unhappy over response to \u2018fake news\u2019 report<\/span> Committee calls for stronger action against sexual images<\/span> Scrutinising Brexit legislation changes an \u2018impossible task\u2019, report warns<\/span> Hunt dismisses calls for Saudi arms sales boycott<\/span> MPs call on Hammond to abandon beer duty tax rise<\/span>
\n<\/strong>The Times\u00a0<\/em>reports<\/a>\u00a0that Theresa May has rejected the EU\u2019s calls for a Northern Ireland only backstop, which relieves some pressure from backbench Brexiteers but increases the risk of a no-deal Brexit. She called on the EU to agree to either an extended transition period or a UK-wide customs deal, either of which must end \u2018well before\u2019 June 2022. Former Brexit minister Steve Baker withdrew amendments he had proposed to legislation on Northern Ireland, while former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson joined the \u2018Stand Up 4 Brexit\u2019 group.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The\u00a0Financial Times\u00a0<\/em>says<\/a>\u00a0that Philip Hammond will receive a \u00a313bn annual \u2018windfall\u2019 in the Budget as a result of the Office for Budget Responsibility underestimating the strength of tax receipts, helping to meet spending commitments to the NHS and to social housing. Given the threat of rebellion from backbench Tories, the paper expects the Chancellor to save major tax changes until next year when the UK has left the EU.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>In an\u00a0exclusive<\/a>, the\u00a0Daily Express\u00a0<\/em>claims that over a third of Conservative MPs and peers from several parties have signed an open letter calling for an end to the prosecution of military veterans over incidents which happened up to fifty years ago. The letter brands this \u2018legal assault\u2019 a \u2018national disgrace\u2019 and calls for a \u2018statute of limitations\u2019 to be introduced.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The BBC\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that Damian Collins, Chair of the Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee has said that he is \u2018disappointed\u2019 by the Government\u2019s response to the committee\u2019s report on \u2018fake news\u2019. Just three of the report\u2019s 42 recommendations have been accepted by the Government, with some such as a levy on social media firms and limits on political donations completely rejected.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Guardian\u00a0<\/em>says<\/a>\u00a0that a new report by the Commons Women and Equalities Committee advocates stronger measures against sending unsolicited sexual images and public viewing of pornography, including a new law to criminalise non-consensual creation and distribution of sexual images and new requirements for train operators, licensees and universities.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>According<\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0The Times<\/em>, a new report by the Hansard Society warns that if the Government does not increase the pace of its release of new legislation for when the UK leaves the EU, Parliament will face an \u2018impossible task\u2019 in scrutinising them. Of the estimated 800-1,000 statutory instruments which will be required, only 71 have been put to Parliament, with just two having completed the scrutiny process.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Mirror\u00a0<\/em>reports<\/a>\u00a0that Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has rejected calls for a boycott of arms sales to Saudi Arabia following the death of Jamal Khashoggi. He admitted that the country\u2019s claims about the death were \u2018not credible\u2019 and said that if the reports about the death were proved correct, the UK \u2018will act accordingly\u2019.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Sun<\/em>\u00a0says<\/a>\u00a0that 54 Conservative MPs have now signed a letter to the Chancellor organised by Nigel Evans that calls on him to scrap a planned 3.5% in beer duty. They warn that the measure would lead to the closure of pubs with the loss of 3,000 jobs and that the industry makes \u2018an extremely positive overall contribution to society\u2019.<\/p>\n