Today’s political headlines include businesses planning to relocate because of Brexit, the Government’s plans to fund deprived communities, Javid believes Brexit delay is likely and MPs tell MoD to scale back spending.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
One in three British businesses planning relocation because of Brexit Government plans fund for deprived communities in attempt to win Brexit support Javid believes Brexit delay is likely as MPs\u2019 February recess is cancelled MPs tell MoD to \u2018scale back\u2019 spending Schools to lose background checks on EU teachers in no-deal Brexit Gauke defends legal aid for Jack Shepherd Schools told to be \u2018flexible\u2019 about post-Brexit meals, while Unilever stockpiles Magnums Pressure to axe business rates intensifies
\n<\/strong>The Guardian<\/em>\u00a0carries<\/a>\u00a0the finding of a survey by the Institute of Directors which finds that almost one in three British businesses is planning to relocate some operations abroad in order to cope with a hard Brexit. 29% of firms said that they had either done so already or were planning to, mostly to the EU. Edwin Morgan, the IoD\u2019s Director General said \u2018we can no more ignore the real consequences of delay and confusion\u2019.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Sun<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that Theresa May is planning a \u2018National Renewal\u2019 fund to invest in deprived areas such as coastal resorts and former mining communities, as well as new legislation on workers\u2019 rights. The constituencies of a dozen Labour MPs who voted with the Government on Tuesday are set to benefit, with Labour MP David Lammy saying that colleagues who accepted the funding were \u2018cowards and facilitators\u2019 on whom \u2018history will be brutal\u2019.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>According<\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0The Daily Telegraph<\/em>, Home Secretary Sajid Javid has warned a Cabinet colleague that Brexit is likely to be delayed as there is not enough time to pass necessary legislation, with the paper claiming that up to nine Cabinet ministers believe this. As\u00a0The Times<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>, yesterday it was announced that Parliament\u2019s February recess was to be cancelled, although the Government chief whip said that MPs who had made plans could still take the week off, with permission.\u00a0The Guardian<\/em>\u00a0adds<\/a>\u00a0that EU officials are worried that a no-deal Brexit may happen at the end of June because Theresa May won\u2019t ask for a long enough extension in an attempt to placate Brexiteers.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The\u00a0Financial Times<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that the Commons Public Affairs Committee has called on the Ministry of Defence to \u2018stop, delay and scale back\u2019 parts of its plans in order to deal with a gap of up to \u00a315bn in its equipment plan for the next decade. Despite promises made last year, a new report concludes that \u2018little progress\u2019 has been made.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>In an exclusive,\u00a0The Sun<\/em>\u00a0says<\/a>\u00a0schools will lose access to an EU database of banned teachers in a no-deal Brexit scenario, with officials saying schools will receive guidance on what to do \u2018shortly\u2019. Other issues include foreign qualifications no longer being recognised, with Commons Education Committee Chair Robert Halfon saying he was \u2018incredibly alarmed\u2019.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Daily Telegraph<\/em>\u00a0has been\u00a0told<\/a>\u00a0by Justice Secretary David Gauke that denying Jack Shepherd, convicted of manslaughter over the death of Charlotte Brown during a trip on his speedboat on a date, legal aid for his appeal because he has fled the country might set a precedent which would lead to trials not being able to be held in absentia, leading to \u2018victims or the families of the victims\u2019 losing out.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Guardian<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that the Government has told schools to be \u2018flexible;\u2019 about school dinner standards in the event of post-Brexit food shortages. The\u00a0Daily Mirror<\/em>\u00a0adds<\/a>\u00a0that Unilever has announced that it is stockpiling ice creams made in the EU, such as Magnums and Ben and Jerry\u2019s, in case of a no-deal Brexit.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>According<\/a>\u00a0to the\u00a0Financial Times<\/em>, the Government is being put under increased pressure from MPs to scrap the business rate system in an attempt to stop high streets from further declining. The Commons Treasury Committee has launched an inquiry on the effect of recent changes to the system and the benefits of alternative taxes, such as one on land value.<\/p>\n