Today’s political headlines include May opening the door to Corbyn, William’s use of ‘hard power’, No-deal would mean two more years of austerity and Truss criticises Green’s use of NDAs.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
May opens door to Brexit talks with Corbyn Williamson to call for use of \u2018hard power\u2019 No-deal Brexit would mean two more years of austerity Truss criticises Green\u2019s use of NDAs Tory backbenchers seek to ban eating dog and cat meat Calls for Grayling to be sacked after ferry contract scrapped Thinktank warns of cost of immigration plans Ministers revolt against HS2 costs
\n<\/strong>According<\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0The Times<\/em>, Theresa May has \u2018opened the door\u2019 to a soft Brexit by writing to Jeremy Corbyn suggesting talks on a post-Brexit customs union with the EU, despite the risk of Cabinet ministers resigning. The letter adds that her deal already offers the benefits of a custom union\u2019, while a Number 10 source said it was \u2018nonsense\u2019 to suggest that Corbyn\u2019s proposal was being considered.\u00a0The Guardian<\/em>, however,\u00a0claims<\/a>\u00a0that the letter has \u2018effectively ruled out\u2019 Labour\u2019s compromise proposal with the CBI warning that the UK is now \u2018in the emergency zone of Brexit\u2019.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The BBC\u00a0says<\/a>\u00a0that Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson will use a speech today to argue in favour of having armed forces prepared to use \u2018hard power to support our interests\u2019 with increased \u2018mass and lethality\u2019, rather than being a \u2018paper tiger\u2019. He will say that the UK must confront those who \u2018flout international law\u2019, confirm the deployment of a new aircraft carrier to the Pacific and outline a \u2018very significant investment\u2019 in cyber forces.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The\u00a0Financial Times<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that a new report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies warns that the UK would have to undergo two more years of austerity in order to tackle the impact of a no-deal Brexit on the public finances. The Resolution Foundation has published analysis suggesting that Brexit has led to households\u2019 disposable income being \u00a31500 lower than it would have been otherwise.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Daily Telegraph<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that the Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss said that Sir Philip Green\u2019s use of non-disclosure agreements to tackle allegations of sexual harassment, bullying and racism was \u2018morally wrong\u2019 and \u2018flouting the law\u2019, and is pledging to \u2018get changes\u2019 to how they are used. Maria Miller, who chairs the Commons Women and Equalities Committee told the paper that she wanted Green to give evidence to her committee.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Sun<\/em>\u00a0says<\/a>\u00a0that an amendment to the new Agriculture Bill tabled by 15 backbench Tories led by Giles Watling would ban the consumption of dogs and cats to \u2018send a powerful moral message to Far East countries\u2019. The paper adds that Labour could also support the plan.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Times<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that Downing Street has said that it has full confidence in Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, despite calls for his dismissal from Conservative MPs including Anna Soubry. At the weekend the Government cancelled plans to give a \u00a313.8m no-deal Brexit ferry contract to Seaborne Freight, a firm with no ferries.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Guardian<\/em>\u00a0carries details<\/a>\u00a0of a new report by the pro-immigration thinktank Global Future \u00a0which warns that the Government\u2019s proposed post-Brexit immigration system will cost employers \u00a31bn in administration costs over five years, put EU students off studying in the UK, and could risk a repeat of the Windrush scandal.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The\u00a0Daily Mail<\/em>\u00a0claims<\/a>\u00a0that there is \u2018a growing Cabinet revolt\u2019 which threatens to axe HS2 after the cost of the project grew from \u00a333bn to over \u00a360bn. A source told the paper that while the final decision point had not been reached, concerns about management of the scheme was \u2018continuing to grow\u2019 and \u2018opposition is mounting\u2019.<\/p>\n