“David Cameron has dismissed a proposed “emergency brake” on in-work benefits for EU migrants as “not good enough” after talks in Brussels. The plan had been proposed by EU officials to break the deadlock in Mr Cameron’s EU renegotiations. He said progress had been made but there was still a “long way to go”. The PM is aiming to get a deal with other EU nations on benefits and three other demands at a summit next month before holding an in/out referendum.” – BBC
Comment
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: Without Vote Leave and its leadership, Britain’s chances of leaving the EU will be significantly reduced
“The Google tax row shows that corporation tax has “had its day” and should be replaced with a tax on sales, Lord Lawson, the former Conservative Chancellor of the Exchequer, has said. The peer, who has acted as an informal adviser to the current Chancellor George Osborne, said the fact that multinational companies can move profits around the globe meant that corporation tax was out of date. Lord Lawson’s comments came as the row over Google’s “sweet heart” deal to pay a £130million bill to cover tax owed for 2006 to 2011 in the UK continued unabated.” – Daily Telegraph
“Eight republicans who were found guilty of being part of an IRA kidnap gang have been awarded £1.6 million by the government after their convictions were quashed because of the role of a British secret agent….The Ulster Unionist MP Tom Elliott called for Theresa Villiers, the Northern Ireland secretary, to review the deal and said that republicans were being treated like “a protected species”. He added: “People left bereaved by the IRA do not get adequate compensation. It is that imbalance that frustrates and angers people.”- The Times(£)
“The decision by Oriel College to keep its controversial statue of Cecil Rhodes was welcomed by politicians and education figures yesterday….Lord Willetts, the former universities minister, said: “Thank goodness they have seen sense. You can’t cut away your own history like that. Like so much in life, there is good and bad completely intermingled. With Rhodes there was racism but he also left an endowment that people from all races benefited from.” – The Times(£)
>Today: Peter Ainsworth on Comment: Why blame Oriel for the Rhodes debacle? It was only following Ministers’ lead.
“It is a golden rule of appointments that the anger of the losers exceeds the gratitude of those who win. The chancellor’s aggressive use of patronage thus risks the resentment of the former, as does his imperial sweep: only this week, he was advertising his support for the elimination of malaria in a photo op with billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates. In public, few Tory MPs dare cross him. In the privacy of a secret ballot, it could be a different matter.” – Paul Goodman FT
“An MP has been criticised for downplaying the Cologne sex attacks by comparing them to harassment of women during a typical night out in Birmingham. Hundreds of women in the German city were subjected to sexual assaults on New Year’s Eve, 2015. Jess Phillips, Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley, said it was akin to “heckling” on Birmingham’s Broad Street.” – BBC
“Jeremy Corbyn “showed off” a naked Diane Abbott to impress his Left-wing friends when he was a young Labour activist, a new book has revealed. The Labour leader invited fellow activists to his London flat where they were “shaken” to find Ms Abbott in his bed, one of his friends recalled. The incident took place in 1979 soon after Mr Corbyn’s first marriage broke down because of his near-obsessive dedication to his political activism. It is described in Comrade Corbyn, a biography of the Labour leader by Rosa Prince, which is being serialised by The Telegraph.” – Daily Telegraph
“The group representing many of Scotland’s councils has urged them to reject the Scottish government’s funding settlement offer. Council leaders on the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities voted by 21 to 7 to reject the “unacceptable” deal. The motion said the Scottish government’s approach was “wholly misguided” and “threatens grievous injury” to communities and citizens. Finance secretary John Swinney called the offer “a deal worth taking”.” – BBC
“A Conservative-controlled local council has written to David Cameron to tell him the cuts included in his budget are “unrealistic”. East Sussex County Council, a Tory stronghold since its creation, said the Government’s fiscal policy would “significantly reduce the quality of life for many people in East Sussex”. The letter to the PM was signed by Councillor Keith Glazier, who leads the council, and the leaders of the other political party groups in East Sussex.” – Independent