Brexit 1) Clark reveals Government’s assurances to Nissan
“Britain will pursue a tariff-free deal for the car industry in Brexit negotiations with the EU, Business Secretary Greg Clark revealed today. He let slip about the Government’s Brexit strategy as he revealed the assurances that had persuaded Nissan to stay in the UK. Mr Clark said the car giant decided to pour new investment into its Sunderland plant after he reassured its board last week that the Government will be seeking a ‘constructive and civilised dialogue’ with the other 27 EU member states’. He said his objective would be to secure a deal ‘without tariffs and without bureaucratic impediments’ for the automotive industry.” – Daily Mail
- You’ll all get the same deal, carmakers told – The Times (£)
- Arrangement could lead to ‘colossal’ bill for taxpayers – The Guardian
More Brexit:
- Tyrie warns that secrecy over talks ‘risks doing damage’ – FT
- Ministers accused of failing to hire experts before trade talks – The Times (£)
- British fishermen will catch hundreds of thousands of tonnes more post-Brexit, claims minister – Daily Telegraph
- Co-creator of Yes, Minister penning ‘three Brexiteers’ comedy – The Times (£)
- France sets up team to lure businesses from London – FT
- Paris furious as UK refuses more Calais migrants – Daily Express
Home Nations:
- DUP say Northern Ireland may have custom arrangement to account for border – Daily Express
- Sturgeon plans on Scotland becoming UK’s ‘successor state’ in EU – The Scotsman
- Independence far worse than Brexit for Scotland’s finance industry – Daily Mail
- EU workforce contributes £7 billion to the Scottish economy – The Scotsman
- Scottish farmers split over Brexit possibilities – FT
Comment:
- A long interim period will mean a face-saving soft Brexit – Wolfgang Münchau, FT
- Our conflicted Prime Minister shouldn’t have taken on Brexit – William Keegan, The Guardian
Editorial:
- Don’t blame Brexit for fleecing shoppers – Daily Mail
- Britain must settle what it wants from Europe or lose investor confidence – The Times (£)
>Today: ToryDiary: Should reducing immigration be the top Brexit priority? Take our monthly survey.
>Yesterday:
- Hannah David in Comment: The EU may turn sour on us – so it’s time to mull doing business with Russia
- Video: WATCH: Clark: This is a big moment. Not just for Nissan. But for the people of Sunderland. And for the country
Brexit 2) Brexiteers warn Hammond against accepting ‘nonsensical’ pessimistic forecasts
“Philip Hammond will be making a “huge mistake” if he endorses “nonsensical” figures which suggest Britain’s economic growth will collapse next year, Conservative MPs have warned amid a Cabinet split over the Autumn Statement. The Chancellor is said to have privately warned that without economic stimulus growth next year could be as low as 0.8 per cent, compared to predictions in the March Budget of 2.2 per cent. The suggestion, just days after official figures defied forecasts and showed that the economy had grown faster than expected following the EU referendum vote, infuriated some Tory MPs.” – Daily Telegraph
- Chancellor urged not to spread ‘doom and gloom’ – The Sun
- New stats show Remain were ‘scaremongering’, claims Welsh professor – Wales Online
Brexit 3) Carney planning to stay put despite row with May
“Bank of England boss Mark Carney won’t jump ship in the middle of Brexit allies claimed last night, despite recent attacks from top Tories. The Canadian financier hinted last week that he may not extend his contract beyond 2018, and at he weekend a pal said he’s ready to walk because of Theresa May. But last night his friends said he was ready to serve beyond 2020 and could make a market calming announcement on his future as soon as this week.” – The Sun
- Carney to stay through ‘darkest days’ until 2021 – The Times (£)
- How star central banker became a Brexit target – FT
Comment:
- Soaring new growth figures give hardline Remainers a beating – Trevor Kavanagh, The Sun
- A weak pound is no tonic for the UK’s long-term recovery – Phillip Inman, The Guardian
Gerard Lyons: Why Carney has my vote to remain Governor
“Should Mark Carney stay as Governor of the Bank of England? In my opinion, yes. The decision is his. He should not be hounded out. There are five issues that need to be considered. First, the last thing the economy needs now is a change at the top of the Bank of England. In recent weeks there has been too much unnecessary pessimism about Brexit and what it means. The focus now, for all of us, should be on what is in the best long-term interests of the UK economy and all its people. Change at the top of the Bank could be unnecessarily destabilising and provide further fuel to those who want Brexit to fail.” – Daily Telegraph
- World faces ‘stress test’ as bond rout deepens – Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, Daily Telegraph
>Yesterday:
- ToryDiary: Keeping hold of Carney
- Video: WATCH: Clark says the Bank of England’s Governor ‘has done a fantastic job’
Health 1) Green plans sickness benefit reform to encourage work
“People returning to work after long-term sickness could continue to receive some benefits under plans for a major shake-up of the system. Work and Pensions Secretary Damian Green will today launch plans designed to help meet a Tory commitment to get one million people languishing on sickness benefits back to work. Plans include allowing those returning to work part-time to continue receiving part of their sick pay for an extended period.” – Daily Mail
- Sick pay and work assessments to be reviewed, Hunt reveals – The Guardian
More welfare:
- Triple-lock pension rises too generous, claims Duncan Smith – The Times (£)
Health 2) Hunt accused of misleading public on NHS finances
“A senior Tory will today accuse ministers of misleading the public over the extent of an NHS cash crisis that could see services slashed within four years. In an explosive intervention, Sarah Wollaston says Theresa May and Jeremy Hunt have used ‘incorrect’ figures to give a misleading impression that the NHS is ‘awash with cash’. Dr Wollaston, who is chairman of the Commons health committee, says the reality is that some key services – including elderly care – are already at crisis point, with others set to follow.” – Daily Mail
- Wollaston takes aim at the Chancellor too – The Times (£)
- Hammond pressed for more health and social care spending – FT
More health:
- Hunt under fire as hospitals bring in £116 million in car park fees – The Sun
- May ditched Cameron’s planned nanny-state campaign – Daily Mail
- Almost half of NHS trusts to cut hospital beds –Daily Telegraph
Editorial:
- We need more British doctors and nurses – The Sun
Rudd to announce decision on Orgreave inquiry
“The Home Secretary is expected to announce whether or not the Government will pursue an inquiry into the notorious clash between police and miners at Orgreave. Amber Rudd is understood to have told campaigners that she will decide by the end of the month if a probe will be launched into the conduct of South Yorkshire Police during the violent encounter in 1984. Her decision comes after the Hillsborough victims urged the secretary of state on Sunday not to limit an inquiry to a private review, instead committing to an open, panel-style hearing.” – Daily Telegraph
- Home Secretary expected to announce new inquiry – The Guardian
Oliver Kamm: Voters shouldn’t fall for Goldsmith’s ruse
“Zac Goldsmith, who resigned as MP for Richmond Park last week to fight a by-election, is independent in nothing except a badge of convenience. His candidature, nominally sparked by the decision to build a third runway at Heathrow, is a stunt to keep the seat within the Conservative orbit. The Heathrow decision will disrupt the lives of the constituents who elected Mr Goldsmith as a Conservative just 18 months ago. Affecting independence, Mr Goldsmith seeks to contain the political damage. It’s reminiscent of the stitched-up by-election in Dunny-on-the-Wold in the Blackadder series, except that Baldrick won that contest by a genuinely cunning plan of ruthless fraud.” – The Times (£)
- Backed by the Tories and endorsed by UKIP, ‘independent’ Zac is a fake – Andrew Rawnsley, The Guardian
Government looks to prefabs to solve housing crisis…
“Ministers are planning a new wave of prefabricated homes in a drive to solve Britain’s housing crisis. More than 100,000 pre-packed ‘modular’ homes could be constructed as the Government looks at ways to meet its target to provide one million new homes by 2020, according to reports. A Government white paper due out next month will include measures to encourage banks to lend to firms which construct the homes off-site before delivering them to their final destination.” – Daily Mail
- Let mayors decide whether to build on greenbelt land, calls think tank – The Times (£)
- Britain falls behind most of Europe on home-ownership – Daily Telegraph
>Today:
- Nadhim Zahawi MP’s column: We need more infrastructure fast. Heathrow is just the start.
- Judy Terry in Local Government: Our planning system isn’t working
…but May is accused of avoiding needed public service reform
“Theresa May has been accused by business leaders of kicking much-needed reform of Britain’s courts, prisons, and health service into the long grass in a move that will “ossify massive levels of inefficiency” in public services. The CBI said that its members had seen a “backing off of commitment” on projects that had been a priority under David Cameron. In particular the CBI pointed to the lack of progress in the prison building programme announced by Michael Gove, the former justice secretary, as well as projects to reduce inefficiencies in the court service.” – The Times (£)
- New grammars can ‘transform’ white working-class areas, claims report – Daily Mail
- Chief Inspector of Schools claims May is ‘misty-eyed’ for the 1950s – The Sun
- Tory councils warn of £600 million black hole after demise of Education Bill – The Guardian
Scottish Conservatives attack SNP’s legislative vacuum
“Nicola Sturgeon has come under fire after analysis showing her government has failed to introduce a single piece of legislation to Holyrood since the SNP won the Scottish election almost six months ago. The Scottish Conservatives accused the First Minister of “twiddling her thumbs” and devoting too much attention to her threat to hold a second independence referendum. Research conducted by Ruth Davidson’s party has highlighted the fact that in the half year or so since the May election not a single bill has been introduced to the Scottish Parliament.” – The Scotsman
- Davies says opposing further devolution doesn’t make someone ‘less Welsh’ – Wales Online
Starmer won’t apologise for ‘legal witch-hunt’ against Sun journalists
“Former Director of Public Prosecutions Sir Keir Starmer – who authorised the legal witch hunt against Sun journalists – has refused to apologise for the bungled Operation Elveden. Sir Keir, now a senior Labour MP and Shadow Brexit Secretary, tried to shift the blame onto his successors for the botched £30 million probe during a TV grilling. Despite acknowledging that not a single one of the 24 Sun journalists arrested were convicted, Sir Keir would not say sorry.” – The Sun
- Tory MPs could block Vaz’s bid for new role on Justice Committee – The Sun
UKIP leadership candidates promise to get Farage into Parliament at last
“Nigel Farage has failed seven times to be elected as an MP but he could finally enter Parliament as ‘Lord Farage’. All three front-runners in the Ukip leadership election have pledged to secure a peerage for him. Paul Nuttall, Suzanne Evans and Raheem Kassam say they will push Theresa May to grant the party its first peers. They will argue that Ukip deserves representation in the House of Lords because it won more than four million votes at last year’s General Election.” – Daily Mail
- Former UKIP leader warns of ‘great Brexit betrayal – Daily Express
- Brexiteer tycoon’s diary saves most of the venom for his own side – Daily Mail
>Yesterday: Video: WATCH: Nuttall: Farage as ‘Lord Leave’ would be fitting tribute to ‘man who gave us Brexit’
New FBI probe wipes out Clinton’s poll lead
“The FBI has obtained a warrant to begin searching newly discovered emails belonging to Huma Abedin, a top aide of Hillary Clinton… “The process has begun,” a federal law enforcement official said. Emboldened by the latest scandal to engulf the Democratic presidential nominee, Donald Trump now has a possible path to victory next week and has been targeting Democratic states. Mrs Clinton now leads by just a point in the latest Washington Post/ABC poll – she had enjoyed a 12-point margin last week.” – Daily Telegraph
>Yesterday: Video: WATCH: Clinton. FBI statement is “deeply troubling”. Trump. This is “the biggest political scandal since Watergate”.
News in Brief:
- World’s first bionic eye gives hope of sight to millions – Daily Mail
- ‘Boat people’ face lifetime ban from Australia – Daily Telegraph
- Putin prepares huge attack on Aleppo – The Times (£)
- No firm evidence that RBS pushed small businesses into bankruptcy – FT
- SAS troops so fearful of legal action they’re ‘paralysed’ in the field – Daily Express
- Russian submarines spotted in Irish Sea in Moscow’s latest provocation – Daily Mail