Today’s political headlines includes May’s ‘bold offer’ being accused of being a ‘retread’, ministers accused of breaking the law, benefits policy accused of breaching human rights, Farage claims it would be hard to work with a deal-backing Tory leader.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
May\u2019s \u2018bold offer\u2019 on Brexit accused of being a \u2018retread\u2019 Ministers accused of breaking law with secret torture policy Benefits policy accused of breaching human rights Farage claims it would be hard to work with deal-backing Tory leader Brexit Party funding under scrutiny Standards Commissioner suggests new penalties for misbehaving MPs Local leaders warn against HS2 cancellation Cabinet set for new no-deal Brexit row
\n<\/strong>The Daily Telegraph<\/em>\u00a0has\u00a0obtained<\/a>\u00a0a leaked summary of Theresa May\u2019s proposed Withdrawal Agreement Bill, which she has said will be a \u2018bold offer\u2019. According to the paper, it appears to be a \u2018retread\u2019 of previous concessions, including giving Parliament the final say on implementing the backstop, an obligation for the Government to find alternative arrangements for it by 2020, giving Parliament a say on the objectives of trade negotiations and giving the Northern Ireland Assembly a \u2018role\u2019 in any backstop decision.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Times<\/em>\u00a0says<\/a>\u00a0that the Ministry of Defence is accused of drawing-up a secret torture policy, allowing ministers to approve intelligence-sharing with allies where there is a risk of torture, so long as they feel that the benefits justify it. David Davis says that the policy \u2018betrayed\u2019 British values, and is calling on new Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt to overturn it. Kirsty Brimelow QC said that the \u2018document is supporting ministers breaking the law\u2019.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The\u00a0Daily Mirror<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that Human Rights Watch has accused the Government of breaking human rights with its cuts to welfare. The watchdog claims that the right to food has been breached by Government policies and has called on it to \u2018take urgent and concerted action to ensure that its poorest residents aren\u2019t forced to go hungry\u2019.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Daily Telegraph<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that Nigel Farage has claimed that it would be hard for him to work with a Conservative leader who had backed Theresa May\u2019s Brexit deal, such as Boris Johnson or Dominic Raab. Conservative MP Crispin Blunt has suggested that a pact between the two parties will be an \u2018unavoidable necessity\u2019.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The\u00a0Daily Mirror<\/em>\u00a0says<\/a>\u00a0that Nigel Farage\u2019s company made nearly half-a-million pounds in two years, and he appealed for funding for his Brexit Party during afternoon tea at the Ritz, despite portraying himself \u2018as a man of the people\u2019.\u00a0The Guardian<\/em>\u00a0adds<\/a>\u00a0that Gordon Brown has written to the Electoral Commission, calling for it to urgently investigate Farage\u2019s party funding, while it has also emerged that a convicted money launderer may be helping to fundraise for the party.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Sun<\/em>\u00a0reveals<\/a>\u00a0that a letter from Standards Commissioner Kathryn Stone suggests a new range of sanctions for MPs found to have abused staff or colleagues, ranging from \u2018words of advice or warning\u2019, to sending them on training courses, such as on \u2018anger management\u2019. Further penalties could include banning them from services such as restaurants, or from sitting on select committees. The Standards Committee will now consider the suggestions.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Times<\/em>\u00a0reports<\/a>\u00a0that over 20 high-profile local government and business figures have warned the Treasury that not building HS2 would be a \u2018disaster\u2019 for the economy of the Midlands and Northern England. The group, which includes Conservative West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has written to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Liz Truss, who has said that HS2 will form part of this year\u2019s spending review. A poll of Tory members show that most want the project to be cancelled, with most leadership contenders also opposed.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The\u00a0Financial Times\u00a0<\/em>says<\/a>\u00a0that the Cabinet is set for a new row over no-deal Brexit planning. Eurosceptic ministers including Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay want preparations for no-deal in the autumn to be increased. However, others warn that a no-deal Brexit would put the country and the Conservative Party at risk.<\/p>\n