Leadership 1) Johnson plans to raise threshold for the 40p income tax rate
‘Boris Johnson is planning to slash income tax for more than three million people by increasing the threshold for the 40p rate to £80,000 if he becomes prime minister. Mr Johnson has drawn up radical plans to increase the point at which people start paying the higher rate of income tax from £50,000 to £80,000, pulling hundreds of thousands of people out of the 40p band entirely. The move, which will cost an estimated £9.6 billion a year, will save people thousands of pounds on their tax bill. It will be funded from the £26.6 billion of “fiscal headroom” that is currently set aside by the Treasury for no-deal preparations.’ – Daily Telegraph
- The market and human ingenuity will address the challenge of climate change – Boris Johnson, Daily Telegraph
- Macron claims failure to pay the £39 billion would amount to a sovereign debt default – Daily Mail
- Barnier is blowing hot air over his refusal to renegotiate – The Sun Says
- He scooped up top Eurosceptic supporters over the weekend – Daily Telegraph
- Johnson will put Scotland’s voice at the heart of Government – Colin Clark, The Times
- MPs are ‘gobsmacked’ at how organised his campaign is – The Guardian
- EU capitals are not keen on him – FT
- All contenders’ Brexit strategies must be closely scrutinised – FT Leader
- Hancock offers low-paid workers a rise in the Living Wage – The Sun
- And proposes state-backed social care insurance – Daily Mail
- How Salvini might blow up the Eurozone – Wolfgang Munchau, FT
>Today: ToryDiary: Johnson. Not the Prime Minister we deserve. But the Prime Minister we need right now.
>Yesterday: WATCH: Cleverly – Now that I’m out of the contest, I’m backing Johnson
Leadership 2) Gove ‘pleads for a second chance’
‘Michael Gove was fighting last night to save his campaign to become prime minister as he faced charges of hypocrisy over his use of cocaine before he entered politics. The environment secretary pleaded for a second chance, admitting that his past “mistake” was a crime for which he could have gone to prison. He faced suggestions of double standards after it was recalled that as education secretary he oversaw government regulations under which teachers could be banned from the profession for life if they were convicted of similar Class A drug abuse. He also faced questions over whether he had lied on US visa entry forms, which ask visitors to disclose whether they have broken any drug laws. Mr Gove was branded a hypocrite when it emerged that he condemned “middle-class professionals” who took drugs in an article he wrote for The Times in 1999.’ – The Times
- He was visibly uncomfortable in the face of Marr’s questioning – Daily Mail
- This confession is a serious problem for him – Trevor Kavanagh, The Sun
- Voters hate falsehoods, but he is no liar – Dominic Lawson, Daily Mail
- Hard Brexit is the addiction the Tories need to shake off – Matthew d’Ancona, The Guardian
- Inside Gove’s rocky relationship with May – Owen Bennett, Daily Mail
- He’s an original thinker, it would be madness to force him from the race – Alan Cochrane, Daily Telegraph
- Why I’m backing him – Sir John Hayes, Daily Express
- The Conservatives cannot afford another coronation – The Times Leader
- The middle class get high, and the poor suffer the consequences – The Sun Says
- The race could get dirty – Jane Merrick, The Times
>Yesterday: WATCH: “It was a crime. It was a mistake.” Gove on his cocaine use 20 years ago.
Leadership 3) Rudd endorses Hunt
‘In a dig at Boris Johnson, but also a thinly veiled swipe at Theresa May, Ms Rudd tweeted: “These are serious times and we need a statesman Brussels will listen to, not more bluster. Jeremy is a winner with a track record of success in business and in government.” Ms Rudd was seen as a key endorsement – given her leadership of the ‘One Nation’ group of Tories. She has insisted candidates rule out a No Deal – something the Foreign Secretary has branded “political suicide”. But it came as Mr Hunt sparked anger by reiterating he would like to see the abortion limit halved from 24 to 12 weeks. Lib Dem MP Christine Jardine labelled them “alarming”. Insiders speculated Mr Hunt had offered Ms Rudd a senior Cabinet position to secure her backing.’ – The Sun
- ‘Jeremy stands out above everyone’ – Amber Rudd, The Times
- He says Merkel could renegotiate Brexit with a new Prime Minister – The Sun
- But experiences a backlash against his comments on reducing the abortion time limit – Daily Mail
- No Deal seems to have been the issue which kept Rudd from Johnson – The Times
- The Foreign Secretary has been getting Twitter advice from Trump – The Times
- Gyimah claims Conservative MPs are privately coming round to a second referendum – The Guardian
>Today: MPsETC: Leadership election candidate MP support numbers: Johnson 61, Gove 34, Hunt 34, Raab 24, Javid 19, Hancock 14
>Yesterday: WATCH: ‘If the only way to leave the EU was without a deal, then I would do that’, says Hunt
Leadership 4) Raab goes green
‘At a campaign event the former Brexit secretary will set out his vision for Britain to become a world leader in tackling climate change rather than focus on his plan to take Britain out of the EU. His move comes after a weekend in which a string of high-profile Brexiteers, including the former cabinet ministers Owen Paterson and Priti Patel, announced that they would support Mr Johnson rather than Mr Raab. Steve Baker, the former deputy chairman of the influential European Research Group of MPs, also said that he would be supporting the former foreign secretary… In an attempt to broaden his appeal he will unveil a series of policy ideas today “to harness the power of innovation and technology” to improve the environment. He will suggest setting up a National Energy Research Centre to search for new ways to produce cheap, clean energy, an increase in the research and development expenditure credit from 12 per cent to 13 per cent, and a dedicated £500 million international wildlife fund to boost biodiversity, species preservation and nature conservation.’ – The Times
- Climate change offers May a chance of a legacy – Simon Clarke and Alex Chalk, The Times
- ‘Green’ energy branding accused of being misleading – The Times
- The White House ‘blocked’ climate change testimony – Daily Mail
>Yesterday: Comment: Raab’s answer to the seven questions we asked of him
Leadership 5) Javid proposes boost to education spending
‘Sajid Javid pledged to end austerity if he becomes PM — and pump billions more into education. He said delaying balancing the books would free £25billion a year. And he told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday: “I want to see a multi-year, multibillion-pound boost in investment and spending in schools, and really change the life chances of so many young people.” On Brexit, he vowed to tear up the controversial Irish backstop and pump £500million into new technology — breaking the deadlock by keeping a soft border. He revealed he was attacked by racist thugs as he was growing up but is now sure Britain “is ready” for its first Muslim Prime Minister.’ – The Sun
- Davidson’s endorsement gives him a boost – Daily Telegraph
- We need a new approach to tax and spending – Roger Bootle, Daily Telegraph
- McVey proposes increased spending on public services – The Sun
- And a Brexiteer-only Cabinet – Daily Mail
- We’re going to need new thinking for a new age – Ruth Davidson, The Times
- Secretive Home Office visa algorithm attracts concern – FT
>Today:
- Comment: Javid’s answer to the seven questions we asked of him
- George Freeman on Comment: Our new book. In which forty Tory MPs band together to help revive conservatism
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: Johnson’s bandwagon rolls on, Davidson declares for the Home Secretary – and Gove deploys weapons of mass distraction
Councils increase their reserves while cutting services
‘Local authorities, excluding police or fire and rescue authorities, were sitting on £21.8 billion of non-ringfenced reserves last year, £5 billion more than they had in 2017 and £11 billion more than they had at the start of the decade. Spending on local services, including libraries, parks, bus services and bin collections, has fallen by about 21 per cent since 2010, when the government began slashing the central grant it gives to local authorities. Many councils have also been raising council tax bills. The Taxpayers’ Alliance, which campaigns for lower tax, said that some authorities were making questionable decisions with their budgets that meant residents “paying more for less”.’ – The Times
- Cable regrets the Coalition’s approach to local government budget reductions – The Guardian
Senior Labour figures ‘play down’ new Peterborough MP’s anti-semitism ‘mistake’
‘The Labour anti-Semitism crisis deepened yesterday when a shadow cabinet member was accused of ‘irresponsibly’ downplaying new MP Lisa Forbes’ endorsement of online posts against Jews She was also accused of praising other offensive posts, including one claiming Islamic extremists were the invention of the CIA and Israeli intelligence service Mossad. She wrote online: ‘I have enjoyed reading this thread so much.’ Miss Forbes has now apologised ‘wholeheartedly’ and claimed she had not read the posts before commenting… However, Shadow Trade Secretary Mr Gardiner told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: ‘If [Michael Gove] can be forgiven for that, then I think Lisa Forbes can be forgiven for liking a tweet that she didn’t bother to read.’ Labour MP Wes Streeting told the Daily Mail: ‘This was a clumsy and irresponsible intervention. Lisa Forbes has apologised but now needs to demonstrate genuine remorse and contrition.” – Daily Mail
- Corbyn allies ‘want to boot’ Thornberry over her second referendum support – The Sun
- Willsman ‘sex pest’ allegations row continues – The Sun
- Whips to rebuke Godsiff for his support for primary school protesters in Birmingham – The Guardian
- Former Thurrock MP defects to the Lib Dems – Daily Mail
- Brexit will shatter our electoral system – Vernon Bogdanor, Daily Telegraph
The UK is Europe’s leading creator of ‘unicorn’ tech firms
‘Over the past two decades UK-based entrepreneurs have built 72 companies, including 13 in the past year, that have topped the ten-figure threshold — known as “unicorns” in the tech industry. That compares with 29 in Germany, Britain’s closest European rival, and India with 26. Over that period, the US and China have created 703 and 206 respectively, according to research for the government’s digital economy council published today. Investors have poured about $5 billion into British tech start-ups since January, reinforcing the country’s status as Europe’s leading high-tech nation, the research said. More than a third of Europe’s fastest-growing tech companies are based in Britain…The report, which coincides with the start of London Tech Week, predicts that Britain will continue to create technology companies in defiance of political uncertainties. Brexit has put a brake on overall business investment, but the jitters have yet to hit the technology sector. Tech businesses are regarded as being less exposed to a no-deal Brexit than companies in other industries, which rely on complex supply chains of physical goods that could be disrupted by tariffs and border checks.’ – The Times
- And the sector will continue to grow – The Times Leader
- The UK and South Korea sign a post-Brexit trade deal – Daily Mail
- French regulator urges market reform to attract business – FT
- Timpson accuses Amazon of ‘predatory trading’ – Daily Telegraph
Iran-linked terrorists were caught stockpiling ingredients for explosives in the UK
‘Terrorists linked to Iran were caught stockpiling tonnes of explosive materials on the outskirts of London in a secret British bomb factory, The Telegraph can reveal. Radicals linked to Hizbollah, the Lebanese militant group, stashed thousands of disposable ice packs containing ammonium nitrate – a common ingredient in homemade bombs. The plot was uncovered by MI5 and the Metropolitan Police in the autumn of 2015, just months after the UK signed up to the Iran nuclear deal. Three metric tonnes of ammonium nitrate was discovered – more than was used in the Oklahoma City bombing that killed 168 people and damaged hundreds of buildings. Police raided four properties in north-west London – three businesses and a home – and a man in his 40s was arrested on suspicion of plotting terrorism. The man was eventually released without charge. Well-placed sources said the plot had been disrupted by a covert intelligence operation rather than seeking a prosecution.’ – Daily Telegraph
- Europe has not faced up to the Hizbollah threat – Matthew Lynn, Daily Telegraph
- BBC reporters to stop using the word ‘terror’ – Daily Mail
- Drones will be deployed to detect illegal Channel crossings – The Sun
- 14-year-old arrested after 13-year-old stabbed in Manchester – The Sun
- Facial recognition is a threat to us all – The Guardian Leader
- The DVLA made almost £20 million last year from giving out two-thirds of drivers’ personal information – The Times
Huge protests take place in Hong Kong against China extradition law
‘Clashes erupted between the riot police and protesters in Hong Kong last night after hundreds of thousands of people rallied to demonstrate against a proposed extradition law that they fear would allow China to seize political opponents in the territory and further undermine its independence. The organisers put the turnout at 1.3 million people, which would make it the largest political protest since the territory was handed back by Britain in 1997 under an agreement that was meant to protect democratic freedoms. The police said that no more than 240,000 people took part. Many of the marchers wore white and some carried yellow umbrellas, which have become a symbol of resistance to increased Chinese power over Hong Kong. A week ago the marchers were commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre. Since President Xi took office in 2013 there has been a clampdown on dissent across China.’ – The Times
- The proposal would be the death knell for Hong Kong’s autonomy – The Times Leader
- The chief executive intends to press on with the law regardless – FT
- Businesses cannot ignore the US-China trade war – FT Leader
- Thousands cross the border out of Venezuela as soon as it reopens – The Times
- Russian newspapers stand in solidarity with jailed journalist – The Guardian
- The tragedy of Chernobyl illustrates the sins of Communism – Max Marlow, Daily Telegraph
- The mystery of miraculous, complacent Singapore – FT
News in Brief
- Play cancelled after homophobic attack on actors – Huffington Post
- Relationship education will put an end to bigotry – 1828
- The shame of Labour MPs – The Spectator
- Why your toaster is trying to ruin your life – New Statesman
- A new economic era for Japan – Prospect