Today’s political headlines include the Government’s charge of contempt, Rees-Mogg clashing with the PM’s adviser, criticism of Grayling and Javid’s bullying.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
Government to face charge of contempt of Parliament<\/span> Rees-Mogg clashes with Prime Minister\u2019s adviser<\/span> Report criticises Grayling over timetable changes<\/span> Javid\u2019s bully identified<\/span> Lords criticises HMRC\u2019s approach to tax avoidance<\/span> Legal challenge against voter ID trial<\/span> Truss suggests Javid should prepare to challenge May<\/span> Not enough scientific evidence to support energy drink ban, MPs conclude<\/span>
\n<\/strong>The Guardian<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that a senior minister may be suspended from the Commons after the Speaker approved the submission of an emergency motion accusing the Government of holding Parliament in contempt over its refusal to publish full legal advice on Brexit. Labour, the DUP, and four other opposition parties have tabled a motion to be voted on today ahead of the five-day debate on Theresa May\u2019s Brexit agreement. The Conservatives have tabled an amendment referring the matter to the Commons Privileges Committee in an attempt to delay the process.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Daily Telegraph<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0on clashes between Oliver Robbins, Theresa May\u2019s Europe Adviser, and Jacob Rees-Mogg at a committee evidence session yesterday. Robbins claimed that the Brexit backstop would be \u2018uncomfortable\u2019 for both the UK and the EU, while Rees-Mogg insisted that the EU had \u2018got us exactly where they want us\u2019. Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay got the UK\u2019s date of departure from the EU wrong at the same session.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Times<\/em>\u00a0says<\/a>\u00a0that the Commons Transport Committee has called on Chris Grayling to accept responsibility for the failure of rail timetables over the summer, concluding that he was at \u2018the apex\u2019 of the railway system and had the power to prevent changes. The committee found he ought to have been \u2018more proactive\u2019, but decision-making in his department sometimes \u2018simply did not exist\u2019.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Daily Telegraph<\/em>\u00a0identifies<\/a>\u00a0a Royal Navy veteran as the boy who bullied Home Secretary Sajid Javid at school and apologised to him decades later, as Sajid Javid recalled recently when speaking about the case of a Syrian refugee being bullied at a Huddersfield school.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The\u00a0Financial Times<\/em>\u00a0carries details<\/a>\u00a0of a report by the Lords Economic Affairs Committee, which find that HMRC\u2019s approach to dealing with tax avoidance is aggressive, disproportionate and undermines the rule of law. It recommends a full review of HMRC\u2019s powers and criticises Treasury minister Mel Stride for refusing to give evidence.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Guardian<\/em>\u00a0claims<\/a>\u00a0that a legal challenge could prevent the second stage of the trial of photo ID for elections from going ahead. A case, backed by Labour, is expected to focus that the Government acted beyond the scope of the law by using secondary legislation to order the trial.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>According<\/a>\u00a0to the\u00a0Daily Mail<\/em>, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Liz Truss, was overheard by a Green Party candidate suggesting that Sajid Javid needed to prepare for a leadership challenge against Theresa May, that Jeremy Hunt was another candidate and a \u2018game-player\u2019, and that May was a \u2018pacifist\u2019 at managing people. Truss has not commented on the alleged remarks.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Sun<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that the Commons Science and Technology Committee has concluded that there isn\u2019t enough scientific evidence to support the Government\u2019s proposed ban on energy drink sales to under-18s, but that broader concerns, such as the experience of teachers and pupils, meant that such a ban could be justified.<\/p>\n