“A group of peers has sparked outrage by demanding that the House of Lords is given a veto over Theresa May’s Brexit strategy. The Lords EU committee said the decision was too important to be left to ministers. Critics said demands for a vote were cover for attempts to overturn the referendum result. Mrs May has said she will activate Article 50 – the two-year process for leaving – by the end of March next year. In their report today, the peers say ‘too much is at stake’ for the negotiations to be left to ministers.” – Daily Mail
More Brexit:
Home Nations:
Comment:
>Today: Garvan Walshe’s column: The Government is making the same five strategic mistakes on Brexit that we made in Iraq
>Yesterday:
“Philip Hammond set the stage for a Cabinet clash today by renewing calls for students to be removed from immigration figures. The Chancellor also delivered thinly-veiled digs at hard-line Brexiteers in Theresa May’s top team, and suggested the City should still be allowed to draft in skilled workers. The intervention came during a combative performance in front of the Treasury Select Committee.” – Daily Mail
Migrants:
Comment:
>Today:
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: The currency markets haven’t got a clue about politics
“Egged on by her pugilistic co-chief of staff, Fiona Hill, who will cross a road to pick a fight, bigger business is in danger of joining the sacked Cameroon ministers, the traduced libertarian wing of the Tory family and a significant portion of conservative commentators on No 10’s unnecessarily long blacklist of people who have resisted the command-and-control freakishness that Mrs May needs to jettison.” – The Times (£)
>Yesterday: Alex Morton’s column: A message to the Prime Minister – we still need a smaller state.
“Ministers have scrapped controversial plans to force 11-year-olds who fail maths and literacy tests to re-sit them in secondary school. In a major U-turn, the government announced yesterday that pupils who fall behind will instead receive a ‘package of support’ to help them catch up. The announcement marks a departure from plans outlined by David Cameron and former education secretary Nicky Morgan in April last year. They said pupils who do not reach the expected standard in SATs exams at the end of primary school should be made to re-sit them in secondary school.” – Daily Mail
“A revolt was growing last night against plans to force newspapers to pay libel costs even if they win a case, as a new press regulator looks likely to be approved. Sir Alan Moses, chairman of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso), warned that the government wanted to “corral the press into submission” using Section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act. Ian MacGregor, president of the Society of Editors, warned that the clause could put regional papers out of business.” – The Times (£)
“The Conservatives have opened up an 18-point lead over Labour in a new poll which reveals a collapse in support for Ukip. As Theresa May prepares to mark 100 days as prime minister this week, the Ipsos MORI survey shows how she has attracted public support since the EU referendum. The Tories now have the backing of 47 per cent of voters, an increase of seven points in a month and the highest rating since early 2009 when Gordon Brown’s premiership was at its nadir.” – The Times (£)
Comment:
>Yesterday: Chris Stevens in Local Government: Working alongside Conservatives in the referendum campaign convinced me I should join them
“Jeremy Corbyn’s top spinner has cancelled a weekly briefing with journalists on Prime Minister’s Questions, a week after his performance prompted demands he be sacked. Seumas Milne provoked outrage after the session a week ago when he compared British bombing of ISIS terrorists with Russian attacks on civilians in Aleppo. The weekly ‘huddle’ after Prime Minister’s Questions is the main opportunity each week for journalists to question Mr Corbyn’s team on Labour issues and a chance for the Opposition to respond to Theresa May’s performance at the Despatch Box.” – Daily Mail
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: Andrew Gimson’s PMQs sketch: Corbyn is as threatening as a car park attendant on a wet afternoon in Skegness