Today’s political headlines include companies activating no-deal plans, Osborne says Brexit delay is most likely scenario, European Commission warns no-deal could result in a hard border between ROI and NI, and May facing ‘disaster’ if she calls an election.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
Companies activate no-deal plans amid \u2018panic\u2019<\/span> Osborne says that Brexit being delayed is \u2018most likely\u2019 scenario<\/span> European Commission warns that no-deal Brexit could result in hard border in Ireland<\/span> May faces \u2018disaster\u2019 if she calls election, party officials warn<\/span> Court IT system collapses and could see prisoners released<\/span> Healey blasts Grenfell-style cladding as \u2018cause for national shame\u2019<\/span> MPs call for Government to improve governance of academies<\/span> Charities call for reform of benefits for the terminally ill<\/span>
\n<\/strong>The Guardian<\/em>\u00a0says<\/a>\u00a0that \u2018the scale of no-deal panic gripping major companies\u2019 has been revealed by a series of announcements, including P&O re-registering its ships in Cyprus, Sony moving its European HQ to Amsterdam, and Bentley, Dixons Carphone and Pets at Home announcing plans to stockpile and secure supplies. Despite Sir James Dyson\u2019s backing of Brexit, his firm is to relocate its HQ to Singapore, although it denies that this is Brexit-related.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Former Chancellor George Osborne has\u00a0told<\/a>\u00a0the BBC that he believes that Brexit being delayed is now the \u2018most likely\u2019 scenario. He warned that the prospect of a no-deal Brexit meant a gun is being \u2018held to the British economy’s head\u2019 and called on Theresa May to say that it was not a possibility. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell has confirmed to the BBC that Labour is \u2018highly likely\u2019 to support an amendment which would suspend Article 50 process for leaving the EU if a deal is not reached by the end of next month.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Times<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that the European Commission admitted yesterday that a no-deal Brexit could result in a hard border in Ireland. A spokesperson warned that a no-deal Brexit would put \u2018the Good Friday agreement, support to peace and trans-border co-operation\u2019 at risk. Meanwhile the Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar warned that this scenario would leave Ireland with \u2018very difficult choices\u2019, and it might try to negotiate an agreement with the EU.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>In an\u00a0exclusive<\/a>,\u00a0The Sun<\/em>\u00a0says that Conservative officials have warned Theresa May that he could face \u2018disaster\u2019 if she calls a snap general election, with an internal assessment showing that the party\u2019s grassroots is demoralised and its data is out of date. The paper has also seen research conducted by Will Tanner, May\u2019s former adviser, for the thinktank Onward which shows that it would take only a \u2018tiny swing\u2019 for Labour to become the largest party.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Times<\/em>\u00a0says<\/a>\u00a0that it has been warned by lawyers that a nationwide IT breakdown at courts could lead to criminals being freed. The collapse of the main computer system used by courts in England and Wales has forced trials to be adjourned and delayed, while a secure email system used by lawyers and judges has also been affected.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The\u00a0Daily Mirror<\/em>\u00a0says<\/a>\u00a0that Shadow Housing Secretary John Healey used a Commons debate to describe the paper\u2019s revelations of an attempt to cover-up unsafe Grenfell-style cladding on a Manchester tower block as a \u2018cause for national shame\u2019. Housing Minister Kit Malthouse said that the block in question was \u2018safe\u2019 and that \u2018more assertive measures\u2019 of tacking outstanding problems with cladding were under consideration.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The\u00a0Financial Times<\/em>\u00a0carries details<\/a>\u00a0of a new report by the Commons Public Accounts Committee that calls on the Government to improve the governance and oversight of academy trusts. It finds that the collapse of a number of trusts has been costly and damaged pupils\u2019 education, and that some had misused public money and overpaid staff.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The\u00a0Daily Express<\/em>\u00a0uses its\u00a0front page<\/a>\u00a0to call for reform to the way the benefits system treats those with serious illnesses. Currently people get fast-track access to Personal Independence Payments at the highest rate if they are given less than six months to live by a nurse or doctor, but charities such as Marie Curie and the Motor Neurone Disease Association are campaigning for this limit to be axed, allowing doctors to use their judgement.<\/p>\n