“The emphasis will be on the NHS, with Sunak also planning an intervention on the health service later this week. Plans for tougher immigration laws to tackle the small boats crisis and deport migrants who arrive in Britain illegally are also progressing, with an announcement expected by the end of February. This weekend, the Home Office has confirmed that it is reviving a number of the policies enacted under Theresa May. This includes resuming data sharing between banks and the department from April, to shut down accounts opened by illegal migrants. The checks were suspended five years ago in the wake of the Windrush scandal. A new ministerial taskforce will also review whether immigration checks on accommodation, healthcare services and the labour market should be increased. ” – Sunday Times
“Rishi Sunak is considering a compromise in Brexit talks with the EU in a move that would risk major conflict with Conservative MPs. The Telegraph has been told the Prime Minister is exploring a pact that will retain a role for European judges in Northern Ireland. It is understood UK negotiators are scoping out a system that would put the court at arms-length but still see it able to hand down judgements. Members of the European Research Group (ERG) of Conservative MPs and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) are organising a joint resistance to the plan. They will demand that the EU court must have no further role in Northern Ireland, as has previously been the UK Government’s position.” – Sunday Telegraph
“In a carefully worded statement, Zahawi appeared to confirm that HMRC had carried out an investigation into his financial affairs while he was serving as chancellor last summer. Zahawi, now the Tory party chairman, said that the tax authority had concluded that he had made a “careless but not deliberate” error. “So that I could focus on my life as a public servant, I chose to settle the matter and pay what they said was due, which was the right thing to do,” he stated. Tax experts said the statement was a tacit acknowledgment that Zahawi had paid a penalty. The admission raises questions for Rishi Sunak over what he knew about the settlement and when…Zahawi’s tax affairs were thrown into the spotlight last summer when he was appointed chancellor by Boris Johnson, the day before Johnson was forced to resign.” – Observer
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“Ministers are drawing up plans to crack down on long term sick notes to encourage more Brits to stay in work. Job centres could also move in with GP surgeries into new hubs to encourage closer working. A record 2.5 million Brits have dropped out of the workforce because they are on long-term sickness, official figures show. Meanwhile, many pubs, restaurants and shops cannot find enough staff because of a massive labour shortage. Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride has launched an inquiry to see how to keep more people in work. One of the ideas batted around Whitehall is changing how sick notes work to make it clearer that staff should be helped by bosses to stay in work if at all possible.” – Sun on Sunday
> Today: ToryDiary – How many of the economically inactive should be considered a part of “our labour force”?
“Muslim extremists who threaten people they accuse of blasphemy must be targeted by counter-terrorism operatives, a landmark Government report will recommend. Tackling so-called ‘blasphemy violence’ will be a key recommendation in the long-awaited report on Prevent, the Government’s flagship counter-terrorism programme, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. In Islam, it is considered blasphemy to depict the Prophet Muhammad or any members of his close family – and among hardliners, the punishment for such an act is death. The report, by former Charity Commission chief William Shawcross, will urge Prevent teams to tackle imams and Muslim leaders who accuse teachers, writers and others of blasphemy. It is the first time that an official Prevent report will identify Islamic ‘blasphemy violence’ as an extremist problem in Britain.” – Mail on Sunday
“No such artistic block plagued Politico’s morning email on Thursday. Westminster’s august daily briefing began with 171 words detailing the canapés at a parliamentary drinks reception. We also got 190 words on what happened at the bash. I can’t vouch for the veracity of the reports. I don’t go to many Westminster drinks dos. I prefer to stay home, politely pushing pins into my eyes. But, as far as I can tell, some people had some drinks. Anyway, important business having been dealt with, the email then told us that Jacinda Ardern had resigned. What’s that? You don’t care about the canapés? You’re not alone. Politico’s Playbook is something of an institution in SW1: a parish newsletter of sorts. On Thursday the great, the good and the neither of Westminster took to — where else? — Twitter to complain about the trivialisation of this sacred text.” – Sunday Times
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