Today’s political headlines include May’s 1922 Committee meeting, the crackdown on unethical NDAs, Sedwill appointed cabinet secretary and police funding cuts.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
May leaves meeting of backbench MPs \u2018unscathed\u2019<\/span> May vows crackdown on unethical NDAs<\/span> Sedwill appointed as Cabinet Secretary<\/span> Funding cuts have dire consequences for police, MPs warn<\/span> Lords urged to amend counter-terror bill<\/span> MPs back abortion law reform and same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland<\/span> Hammond to abandon plans to bring smaller firms into VAT system<\/span> Commons Commission accepts harassment recommendations<\/span>
\n<\/strong>The Guardian\u00a0<\/em>claims<\/a>\u00a0that Theresa May \u2018emerged unscathed\u2019 from a meeting of the 1922 Committee of backbench Conservative MPs last night. Amber Rudd said the Prime Minister\u2019s speech was \u2018emotional and personal\u2019 and the paper reports that some Brexiteers asked \u2018awkward questions\u2019.\u00a0The Times\u00a0<\/em>adds<\/a>\u00a0that parliamentary preparation for a no-deal Brexit will start in under three weeks, with routine business suspended to make way for emergency legislation. Measures include making businesses who only export to the EU register for customs duties and signing contracts on chilled storage for medicine stockpiles.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Daily Telegraph\u00a0<\/em>reports<\/a>\u00a0that Theresa May has promised to end the use of \u2018unethical\u2019 non-disclosure agreements after the paper was blocked from reporting allegations of sexual harassment and racial abuse against a leading businessman. Labour MP Jess Phillips called for NDAs for \u2018sexual harassment and hate crimes\u2019 to be banned and expressed concern that a review promised by May would \u2018happen too slowly\u2019.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Times\u00a0<\/em>reports<\/a>\u00a0that Sir Mark Sedwill has been appointed as the new Cabinet Secretary following the announcement of Sir Jeremy Heywood\u2019s resignation yesterday. Owing to the urgency of the Brexit process Sedwill, described by the paper as May\u2019s \u2018longstanding lieutenant\u2019, did not undergo a formal recruitment process to replace Heywood, who is recovering from cancer. Labour has described the appointment as \u2018an abuse of process\u2019.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The\u00a0Financial Times\u00a0<\/em>carries details<\/a>\u00a0of a report by the Commons Home Affairs Committee, which warns of \u2018dire consequences\u2019 for public safety unless police budgets are increased. The report accuses the Home Office of an \u2018irresponsible failure of leadership\u2019 as police forces face rising levels of crime while their funding is being cut.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Guardian\u00a0<\/em>says<\/a>\u00a0that nine organisations including Index on Censorship and Reporters Without Borders have called on the House of Lords to significantly amend the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Bill, which they warn would threaten press freedom, damage academic research and undermine the protection of journalistic sources.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Sun\u00a0<\/em>reports<\/a>\u00a0that MPs voted last night to back an amendment tabled by Labour backbencher Stella Creasy which aims to force the Government to reform the law on abortion in Northern Ireland and to introduce same-sex marriage in the province. Among those voting for the measure was Women and Equalities Minister Penny Mordaunt.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>According<\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0The Sun<\/em>, Chancellor Philip Hammond is abandoning plans to bring smaller firms into the VAT system by halving the threshold, instead freezing it until 2022 and then introducing a sliding scale system currently banned by EU rules. The paper also\u00a0says<\/a>\u00a0that Hammond will use the Budget to launch a review of PFI which may end the policy \u2018for good\u2019.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The\u00a0Daily Mirror\u00a0<\/em>reports<\/a>\u00a0that the House of Commons Commission has accepted the recommendations of Dame Laura Cox\u2019s review of bulling and harassment in Parliament. This will allow historic harassment allegations to be reopened and an independent complaints process to be introduced.<\/p>\n