Today’s political headlines includes a warning from Johnson that the Conservatives face ‘extinction’ if they don’t deliver Brexit, Trump says NHS could be part of future trade deal and Tories change leadership election rules.<\/b><\/p>\n
Johnson warns Conservatives face \u2018extinction\u2019 if they don\u2019t deliver Brexit Trump says NHS could be part of future trade deal Tories change leadership election rules Over half of Change UK\u2019s MPs quit party Baker to unveil hard Brexit plan Gauke goes ahead with plan to axe short prison sentences Leadsom promises monthly phone-ins if she becomes PM Hancock says UK needs home-grown rival to Huawei
\n<\/strong>The Daily Telegraph<\/em> says<\/a> that Boris Johnson told a leadership hustings that the Conservative Party was facing \u2018extinction\u2019 if Brexit doesn\u2019t happen by 31 October, adding that \u2018delay means defeat\u2019. The Times<\/em> adds<\/a> that Johnson has secured the support of three moderate \u2018rising stars\u2019, Rishi Sunak, Robert Jenrick and Oliver Dowden, who say that he is a \u2018One Nation\u2019 Conservative who can \u2018inspire the country and revitalise our party\u2019.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Daily Mirror<\/em> says<\/a> that Donald Trump yesterday claimed that \u2018everything is on the table\u2019 when asked if the NHS would be part of a \u2018phenomenal\u2019 future UK-USA trade deal. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said that \u2018our NHS is not for sale\u2019, while a number of Conservative leadership contenders weighted in to reject the idea, including Matt Hancock and Dominic Raab. The paper adds<\/a> that Trump has now rowed back on these remarks, telling Piers Morgan on ITV that he doesn\u2019t \u2018see if being on the table\u2019 and \u2018that\u2019s not trade\u2019.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Times<\/em> reports<\/a> that the Conservative Party has changed the rules of its leadership contest in order to reduce the number of contenders. Candidates will now need eight MPs to nominate them, and will be eliminated if they get 5% or fewer votes in the first round or 10% of fewer votes in the second round, with the \u2018working assumption\u2019 being that the new leader will be announced on 23 July. Ahead of the changes being announced, Kit Malthouse and James Cleverly pulled out of the competition.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Guardian<\/em> reports<\/a> that six of Change UK\u2019s eleven MPs, including spokesman Chuka Umunna and interim leader Heidi Allen have quit the party, with Anna Soubry becoming the new leader. The departing MPs will initially sit as a group of independents, but some are believed to be considering defecting to the Liberal Democrats.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Sun<\/em> claims<\/a> that Steve Baker is to unveil a plan for a \u2018hard Brexit\u2019, backed by 16 fellow Conservative MPs, and will call on leadership candidates to back it. If they fail to do so, he is expected to say that he will stand. Another candidate claimed that Baker \u2018is setting the bar too high purposely, so he can run himself\u2019 but allies claimed that he had yet to decide.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Daily Telegraph<\/em> reports<\/a> that Justice Secretary David Gauke is to go ahead with plans to abolish prison sentences of less than six months, promising to bring forward \u2018firm\u2019 proposals by the summer, although violent and sexual offences would have some exceptions. He added that there would be \u2018robust\u2019 measures to stop re-offending and protect the public.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Daily Telegraph<\/em> has interviewed<\/a> Andrea Leadsom, who promises that she would host a monthly phone-in should she become Prime Minister, saying that she would be \u2018more accessible\u2019, both to the public and to backbenchers. She also attacks Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab, claiming that by resigning from the Cabinet they \u2018made Brexit harder\u2019<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>According<\/a> to The Sun<\/em>, Matt Hancock will today use a speech on foreign policy to say the UK should develop \u2018a British champion\u2019 to replace Huawei, claiming that the country cannot follow the lead of the US and ban the Chinese firm until there is a \u2018viable replacement\u2019.<\/p>\n