Today’s political headlines includes Brexit talks unlikely to conclude early, the watchdog that tried to suppress details of MPs’ credit cards, defence space strategy leaked and a UKIP EU election candidate investigated over rape threat.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
Early conclusion of Brexit talks unlikely as May given deadline to set resignation roadmap Watchdog tried to suppress\u00a0details of MPs\u2019 credit card suspensions Defence space strategy leaked UKIP European election candidate investigated over rape threat High streets must shrink, Brokenshire says \u2018Incoherent\u2019 climate change aid policy criticised by MPs Home Office to scrap asylum target Pensioners could oust Tory MPs over free TV licence cuts
\n<\/strong>The\u00a0Financial Times<\/em>\u00a0says<\/a>\u00a0that the chances of a cross-party deal on Brexit being reached soon have faded, with talks ending without a \u2018firm conclusion\u2019. A Labour figure told the paper that the talks had been \u2018robust\u2019. Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington admitted that the UK would take part in the European elections and suggested that the Government now aimed to agree a deal by the summer recess, which would imply Brexit occurring on 1 August.\u00a0The Daily Telegraph<\/em>\u00a0adds<\/a>\u00a0that at a meeting yesterday Sir Graham Brady, Chair of the 1922 Committee of backbench Conservative MPs, gave Theresa May until 4pm today \u2013 when the committee next meets – to lay out a \u2018roadmap\u2019 for her resignation as Prime Minister.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Daily Telegraph<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority tried to prevent the revelation that 377 MPs, including nine Cabinet ministers and Jeremy Corbyn have had their official credit cards suspended after breaking rules on expenses. However, the watchdog\u2019s decision was overturned following a review by the former High Court judge Sir Robert Owen, who is a member of its board.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Times<\/em>\u00a0has\u00a0obtained<\/a>\u00a0a copy of the UK\u2019s first defence space strategy, which identifies ten key risks to British satellites and proposes new methods of protecting them, including a greater role for Defence Intelligence, a new National Space Operations Centre and a constellation of small satellites run by the RAF to help with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Guardian<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that Carl Benjamin, a UKIP candidate for the South West in the European elections better known online as Sargon of Akkad, is under investigation by police over a YouTube clip in which he made comments about raping the Labour MP Jess Phillips.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>In an\u00a0exclusive<\/a>,\u00a0The Sun<\/em>\u00a0reports that James Brokenshire, the Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary, has said that high streets would need to shrink in order to survive, with former shops becoming housing. He also said that there was a limit to what the Government could do, but that \u2018councils have an important role to play\u2019.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Times<\/em>\u00a0carries details<\/a>\u00a0of a new report by the Commons International Development Committee which criticises the Government\u2019s \u2018incoherent\u2019 aid policy for spending \u00a34.9bn on projects to tackle climate change in developing countries, while simultaneously spending \u00a34.8bn on schemes which produce carbon emissions.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Guardian<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that the Home Office is to scrap its target of processing most asylum claims within six months, causing consternation amongst human rights lawyers, who warned that the number of vulnerable asylum seekers facing delays might become even worse and that the Home Office would be likely to face more legal challenges.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The\u00a0Daily Mirror<\/em>\u00a0says<\/a>\u00a0that research unveiled by Labour today shows that pensioners, set to lose their free TV licences, could oust enough Tory MPs to ensure that the Government loses its majority. MPs will today participate in a debate aimed at saving the benefit, the cost of which is due to be transferred to the BBC, which has suggested scrapping it.<\/p>\n