Today’s political headlines include ministers considering withholding \u00a360m from Nissan, Truss says women should be less ‘squeamish’ about money making, Government intervention called for over cost of cystic fibrosis drug and Government sets up group of MPs to find backstop alternative.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
Ministers considering withholding \u00a360m package from Nissan Women should be less \u2018squeamish\u2019 about money making, Truss says Government intervention called for over cost of cystic fibrosis drug Government sets up group of MPs to find backstop alternative Johnson claims early election may be \u2018scare tactic\u2019 Centrist Labour MPs plot split Hancock to meet Instagram boss NHS to use smart meters to track dementia patients
\n<\/strong>According<\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0The Times<\/em>, the Government is considering withdrawing a \u00a360m support package from Nissan, after it reversed its promise to build the next generation of its X-Trail SUV in Sunderland, giving the Government less than 24-hours\u2019 notice. Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Greg Clark said that while \u2018no jobs will be lost\u2019, the development was a \u2018blow to the sector and the region\u2019.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss has\u00a0told<\/a>\u00a0The Daily Telegraph<\/em>\u00a0that women should be less \u2018squeamish\u2019 about making money, claiming that female entrepreneurs often find a money-making focus \u2018vulgar\u2019 but that they should instead \u2018celebrate\u2019 profits. The Treasury is to release a report today showing that female start-up founders are missing out on investment.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>In an\u00a0exclusive<\/a>,\u00a0The Guardian<\/em>\u00a0says that campaigners are calling on the Government to intervene over the cost of the drug Orkambi which tackles the cost of cystic fibrosis. Negotiations between the NHS and the manufacturers have been in \u2018stalemate\u2019 since July. They\u2019d like the Government to set aside the drug\u2019s patent in the national interest.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The BBC\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that the Government has established an Alternative Arrangements Working Group made up of leave and remain MPs to try and find a way of avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland, after the \u2018Malthouse Compromise\u2019 plan gained what the Government called \u2018significant support\u2019. The group of MPs will have regular meetings with Stephen Barclay, the Brexit Secretary, and senior civil servants.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Writing<\/a>\u00a0for\u00a0The Daily Telegraph<\/em>, Boris Johnson claims that preparation for a snap election may be a \u2018scare tactic\u2019 designed to encourage Tory MPs to back Theresa May\u2019s Brexit deal. He described the idea of an election this year as \u2018lunacy\u2019 because the \u2018big questions\u2019 about Brexit still haven\u2019t been answered. Yesterday, Home Secretary Sajid Javid said that voters \u2018would never forgive us\u2019 if an early election was called.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Times<\/em>\u00a0claims<\/a>\u00a0at a group of centrist Labour MPs are discussing leaving the party to create their own centrist political group, although a member of the group told the paper that though a split would be inevitable, it would not happen soon as \u2018we\u2019re all looking to the next set of Commons Brexit votes at the moment\u2019.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Daily Telegraph<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock is to meet the worldwide Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, on Thursday, to tell him to enforce the service\u2019s ban on under-13s creating profiles, and to use Instagram\u2019s experience in removing terrorist-related content to remove suicide and self-harm content.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The\u00a0Daily Mail<\/em>\u00a0says<\/a>\u00a0that the NHS is to use energy smart meters to track dementia patients at home, flagging up sudden changes of routine which might indicate that they need help and alerting relatives or carers. Privacy campaigners have raised concerns about the meters, but a trial is due to begin in Liverpool later this year.<\/p>\n