Today’s political headlines include Watson’s warning that more MPs will defect if Labour fails to change, the five Tories that could join the new group and Gauke’s calls to axe short prison sentences.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
Watson warns more MPs will defect if Labour fails to change Five Tories could join new group Gauke calls for short prison sentences to be axed Cox and Barclay to seek changes to agreement Honda announces closure of Swindon plant Cabinet split over Huawei Ministers tell May to stop threatening a no-deal Brexit Labour readmits Hatton
\n<\/strong>As\u00a0The Guardian<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>, yesterday seven Labour MPs including Luciana Berger and Chuka Umunna left the party to form a new Independent Group. Berger warned that Labour had become \u2018sickeningly institutionally racist\u2019, while Umunna claimed it was \u2018time we dumped this country\u2019s old-fashioned politics\u2019. In the aftermath of the schism, Labour\u2019s deputy leader Tom Watson said that he sometimes \u2018no longer recognises\u2019 his own party and called for a Cabinet reshuffle, while Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell called on the MPs to \u2018do the honourable thing\u2019 and fight by-elections.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>According<\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0The Daily Telegraph<\/em>, a Conservative minister and four backbenchers \u2018appear poised\u2019 to join the Independent Group. The unnamed minister told the paper that the group was made up of \u2018remarkably sensible people\u2019. Other potential defectors it identifies include Anna Soubry, Sarah Wollaston, Heidi Allen and Nick Boles.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Guardian\u00a0<\/em>reports<\/a>\u00a0that Justice Secretary David Gauke used a speech to call for short prison sentences to be axed, asking why the Government should \u2018spend taxpayers\u2019 money doing what we know doesn\u2019t work, and indeed, makes us less safe?\u2019 Instead, he suggested the use of community orders, tagging and mandatory treatment, such as for alcohol issues.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Sun<\/em>\u00a0says<\/a>\u00a0that Attorney General Geoffrey Cox and Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay are to present the EU with new Brexit proposals tomorrow. Lawyers from both sides will consider what changes could be made, either to the agreement or as \u2018additional promises\u2019 to secure MPs\u2019 support. However, the Irish Deputy Prime Minister Simon Coveney yesterday ruled out supporting even \u2018keyhole surgery\u2019 to the agreement.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The\u00a0Financial Times\u00a0<\/em>reports<\/a>\u00a0that Honda is to announce the closure of its Swindon plant, causing the potential loss of 3,500 jobs. Local MP Justin Tomlinson said that the decision was \u2018because of global trends\u2019 but Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable claimed that \u2018Brexit uncertainty is weighing on the company\u2019.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Times\u00a0<\/em>says<\/a>\u00a0that three Cabinet ministers are \u2018at odds\u2019 over the security risk posed by the Chinese telecoms firm Huawei. The Commons Science and Technology Committee wrote to Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson and Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Jeremy Wright over a month ago, but their reply has been delayed because Williamson initially wished to write a separate more robust response.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Guardian\u00a0<\/em>claims<\/a>\u00a0that four Cabinet ministers have told Theresa May to stop using the threat of a no-deal Brexit as a negotiating tactic. Amber Rudd, Greg Clark, David Gauke and David Mundell used a meeting with the Prime Minister yesterday to claim that businesses need certainly.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The\u00a0Daily Mirror\u00a0<\/em>reports<\/a>\u00a0that Labour has decided to readmit Derek Hatton as a member over 30 years after he was expelled from the party for being a member of the hard-left Militant tendency. As deputy leader of Liverpool City Council, Hatton was responsible for setting an illegal budget and sending council workers redundancy notices by taxi.<\/p>\n