Osborne claims Brexit would cause a shock fall in house prices
“A UK vote to leave the European Union would cause an “immediate economic shock” that could slow house price growth, the chancellor has said. In the event of a vote for Brexit, by 2018, houses could be worth up to 18% less than if the UK voted to remain, George Osborne told the BBC. But Andrea Leadsom of Vote Leave said Mr Osborne’s claim was “extraordinary”. The energy minister said: “The greatest threat to the economy is the perilous state of the euro.” – BBC
- Leave the EU and we’ll make your lives a misery warns Juncker – The Times(£)
- Staying in the EU could increase the population by 5 million says Gove – BBC
- Celebrities sign letter backing Remain – Daily Mail
- McCartney backed Brexit – The Times(£)
- Pro EU celebrities gained from millions in EU subsidies – Daily Telegraph
- Finance expert Martin Lewis attacks Remain campaign for using his name – Daily Express
- Pollsters having a row over accuracy of EU referendum surveys – Independent
- Sturgeon attacked for “sniping from sidelines” – Daily Telegraph
- Most students don’t know when the referendum is – BBC
- EU referendum campaigns treating voters as simpletons says Steve Hilton – The Times(£)
- Boris is ruining the EU debate says Paul Mason – Independent
- Weakening economy may be nothing to do with Brexit uncertainty – The Times(£)
- Gordon Brown to give Remain speech to Fabian Society – Daily Express
Comment
- Loopy Luvvies – The Sun Says
- With its future assured, the BBC is now happy to toe David Cameron’s EU line – Charles Moore Daily Telegraph
- Britain cannot keep taking EU’s millions – Leader Daily Mail
- Referendums are no way to make decisions – Matthew Parris – The Times(£)
- Why I love the EU luvvies letter – Deborah Orr The Guardian
- The luvvies letter shows most vote with their wallets – Simon Jenkins The Guardian
>Today:
- ToryDiary: Who is safeguarding the Conservative Party’s referendum neutrality?
- Justine Greening on Comment: The Single Market. World engagement. A brighter future for young people. Why I willbe voting Remain.
>Yesterday:
- WATCH: Vote Leave challenges Cameron over Turkish accession to the EU
- Lord Ashcroft on Comment: ‘Scaremongering’, Hitler, Boris and the IMF – my focus group visits Birmingham and Scotland
Labour demand councils be allowed to bring in rent controls
“Councils would be given the power to limit “skyrocketing” rent increases under new Labour proposals. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell will pledge to help people who are “at the mercy of an unforgiving, unrestrained housing market”. Labour is holding a “state of the economy” conference in London over the weekend. Party leader Jeremy Corbyn will say Labour will “always seek to distribute the rewards of growth more fairly”.” – BBC
“Humourless” Labour MP reports student for Corbyn prank
“A SENIOR Labour MP has been branded a “humourless bully” for ratting on a university student who duped Labour activists into attending a talk hosted by a cardboard Jeremy Corbyn. A handful of the hard-left leader’s supporters are believed to have pitched up to an event at Lancaster University advertising a talk by the Labour leader while he was in Westminster for the Queen’s Speech.” – The Sun(£)
Farron welcomes Labour/Lib Dem coalition in Wales
“Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has welcomed Kirsty Williams’s plan to be education secretary in an otherwise all Labour Welsh Government. Mr Farron said she would “retain her independence” and aim to make education in Wales “markedly better” then in the rest of the UK. Ms Williams’s appointment is subject to a vote of Welsh Lib Dem members at a special conference on Saturday.” – BBC
Record NHS deficit announced – more A&Es face closure
“Up to 50 hospitals face losing A&E or specialist units after running up record deficits, health chiefs warn today. Emergency departments near others may have to close because it is no longer safe to keep them open without enough staff to cope with the rising number of patients, hospital leaders say.” – The Times(£)
- Our health service is running on empty – Chris Hopson The Times(£)
- There is an alternative to NHS inefficiency and failure – Leader Daily Telegraph
- Now GPs vote for ballot on strike action – Independent
- Even the fantasy figures look bad – Leader The Guardian
>Yesterday:
- Jeremy Hunt on Comment: Now the BMA has agreed the Junior Doctors contract, here are the next steps in NHS reform
- ToryDiary: Peter Lilley, champion of the NHS
Independent unionist may end Stormont deadlock
“An independent unionist member of the Northern Ireland assembly has emerged as the political figure who can save the two-week-old power-sharing coalition in Belfast from collapse. Claire Sugden, who represents East Londonderry in the Northern Irish parliament, said she has held talks with the first minister and Democratic Unionist leader, Arlene Foster, and the deputy first minister, Martin McGuinness, of Sinn Féin, about the running of the justice ministry.” – The Guardian
Trump says he’s been invited to Downing Street
“US presidential hopeful Donald Trump says he has been asked to visit Downing Street – and expects to “do just fine” with Prime Minister David Cameron. But No 10 said while it was traditional to meet US candidates visiting the UK, no invitations had been issued. A spokeswoman said there were “no confirmed dates” for visits as party nominees had not yet been chosen.” – BBC
- Sadiq Khan invites Trump to London – Daily Telegraph
“Tank chasing” lawyers face being struck off
“A LAW firm has been charged over smears against British soldiers which sparked a £31million five-year war crimes inquiry. Leigh Day — branded “tank chasers” for hounding troops — is accused of 19 serious breaches. Together with two partners, Martyn Day and Sapna Malik, it is being prosecuted by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Charges include paying an agent £75,000 to “tout” for work, concealing a key document which proved militiamen were posing as farmers to sue, and making “improper” allegations to seek compensation for clients.” – The Sun
Street-Porter: Manchester deserves better than Andy Burnham
“Andy Burnham is a shameless opportunist. Put simply, the wonderful city of Manchester deserves better than a second division Labour politician, someone who came fourth out of five candidates in his party’s leadership contest back in 2010 and couldn’t even manage to beat Jeremy Corbyn last year.” – Janet Street-Porter Independent
Jack: Garden Bridge born of chumocracy
“How thrilling it would have been – how refreshing to his supporters and the political system – if Khan had denounced the bridge in every way: not only as an unnecessary claim on public funds, a folly that won’t allow cycling, a thoroughfare that will shut its gates every midnight, an out-of-this-world oddity that will clutter a historic riverscape; not only as all those things, but also as a symbol of the chummery – the chumocracy, even – that so offends the democratic and egalitarian traditions he is proud to represent.” – Ian Jack The Guardian
Oborne: Hunt for PM
“Who will be the next Prime Minister?…This week, following the settlement of the dispute with junior doctors, I would like to put another contender into the mix. Unlike May, Johnson and Osborne, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt rarely finds himself in the headlines. Yet he has a very impressive track record in business and a hinterland outside politics.” – Peter Oborne Daily Mail
Finkelstein: The voters can be wrong
“One of the first things I learnt as a parliamentary candidate was how to soak up the most immense quantities of rubbish. I cracked only when a voter said to me: “You understand, Mr Finkelstein, I’m not a racist. It’s just that I don’t like black people.” – Daniel Finkelstein The Times(£)
Forsyth: Gove is crucial to restoring Tory unity
“David Cameron is becoming increasingly irritated by Michael Gove and his full-bore campaigning for Brexit. “David could barely bring himself to look at Michael,” says someone who was in a meeting with the two of them this week. Indeed, Number 10 has been quick to blame Gove’s team for the leaking of THAT Serco letter. But despite Cameron’s anger, Gove’s power is only growing. He is now crucial to any post-referendum attempt to reunite the Tory party. Gove is the most senior Outer in the Government. If anyone can persuade the Tory Brexiteers to come back into the fold after June 23, it is him.” – James Forsyth The Sun
News in brief
- Rolls Royce ordered to cut costs on MOD contract – Daily Telegraph
- More Britons travel abroad despite terror attacks – BBC
- Police chiefs compared bobbies to binmen – The Times(£)
- Share prices recover – Daily Telegraph
- Smoke detected before EgyptAir crash – BBC
- Call for ticket touting to be criminalised – The Guardian
- Westminster hothouse blamed for destroying marriages – The Times(£)
- BBC actors use a loophole to hide salaries – The Sun(£)
- Boko Haram “willing to release more schoolgirls” – The Times(£)
- Prince Andrew accused of conflict of interest – Daily Mail