Today’s political headlines include May’s rejected deal, Government’s no-deal Brexit tariff cuts, EU to put no-deal back on the table and Ministers worried about no-deal removing police from cities.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
May\u2019s deal rejected again, as MPs prepare to vote on ruling-out no-deal Brexit Government announces no-deal Brexit tariff cuts EU to put no-deal Brexit \u2018back on the table\u2019 Ministers worried about no-deal plans to remove police from cities Hammond to announce new knife crime funding Government to consult on how to fund infrastructure Tech firms face new regulations Government urged to help Syrian fighters\u2019 families
\n<\/strong>As the BBC\u00a0reports<\/a>, last night MPs rejected Theresa May\u2019s Brexit deal, this time by 391 votes to 242, and so they will now get to vote on a motion to reject a no-deal Brexit tonight, which the Government is allowing its MPs a free vote on. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said that the defeat showed that a general election should be called, but failed to mention the possibility of a second referendum.\u00a0The Times<\/em>\u00a0says<\/a>\u00a0that there is speculation that a delegation of senior Conservatives may ask May to resign this week, and that the Government is facing attempts by Yvette Cooper to give Parliament control of the Brexit timetable and from backers of the \u2018Malthouse plan\u2019 to secure an extended transition prior to leaving the EU without a deal.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The\u00a0Financial Times<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that the Government has this morning set out its plans for tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. They would be lifted on 87% of imports, with the sectors to which they would still imply including some food products, finished vehicles, ceramics, fertiliser and fuel. There would also be no checks or customs declarations at the Irish border, but new checks to protect biosecurity would take place away from the border.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Times<\/em>\u00a0says<\/a>\u00a0that the EU is to \u2018put a no-deal Brexit back on the table\u2019, even if MPs vote against it tonight because member states are frustrated with the political chaos in the UK and some are tempted by the \u2018clean break\u2019, avoiding adding extra uncertainty and cost for firms which have already prepared for a no-deal Brexit on 29 March. Jean-Claude Juncker, European Commission President, said that no new concessions would be made.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>According<\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0The Guardian<\/em>, Government ministers have expressed concerns about no-deal Brexit plans which will see police officers removed from cities in order to deal with transport problems affecting Kentish ports. A \u2018cabinet source\u2019 told the paper that they couldn\u2019t \u2018believe we are planning to take officers off the street at a time knife crime is rising\u2019.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>In an\u00a0exclusive<\/a>,\u00a0The Sun\u00a0<\/em>reports that Chancellor Philip Hammond will use today\u2019s Spring Statement to announce \u00a3100m of funding to tackle knife crime. The paper describes this as a \u2018victory\u2019 for Home Secretary Sajid Javid, adding that it will be spent on violent crime units in the seven worst-affected cities<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The\u00a0Financial Times<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0Hammond will launch a consultation into new ways to fund infrastructure projects in the Spring Statement. He used last year\u2019s Budget to abolish the private finance initiative, which he said failed to deliver value for money. The plan has been described as an attempt to show the Government is thinking about issues beyond Brexit.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Sun\u00a0<\/em>says<\/a>\u00a0that Hammond will use the Spring Statement to announce regulation of tech firms such as Facebook and Google to stop them \u2018accumulating too much power\u2019, promising to examine measures which would allow users to transfer their data to other platforms.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Guardian\u00a0<\/em>says<\/a>\u00a0that the Government is facing calls to help the families of British foreign fighters in Syria stranded in a refugee camp, by giving them access to cash transfers, aid, and advice on returning to the UK from British-funded aid agencies. According to the paper the number of wives of British foreign fighters in the camp is higher than forecast.<\/p>\n