Hammond faces criticism for overplaying the impact of his tax cuts for earners… “The chancellor has been accused of misleading people about his tax cuts for higher and moderate earners. Philip Hammond announced on Monday that the threshold at which earners start to pay 40 per cent tax instead of 20 per cent would be […]
Hammond declares an “end to austerity” several times, claiming stronger growth and tax receipts allow him to cut taxes and start spending, looking towards a a hopeful Brexit “double dividend” “Philip Hammond used the biggest giveaway budget since the Tories came to power in 2010 to cut taxes and spend billions as he declared that […]
Budget 1) Chancellor to spend £2 billion for each school and A&E department to have a dedicated mental health unit “Every school and hospital casualty unit will have its own dedicated mental health team in a £2 billion funding boost to tackle the epidemic of eating disorders, depression and self-harm among young people. In his […]
Ministers warn May against EU ‘colony status’ “At least five cabinet ministers have privately warned Theresa May in the past week not to sign up to a Brexit plan they fear will leave Britain in perpetual “colony” status with the EU. Dominic Raab, Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid, Michael Gove and Geoffrey Cox, the new attorney-general, […]
Budget: Hammond to spend £900 million cutting business rates… “Almost half a million small retailers will have their business rates cut by a third for at least a year as part of government efforts to reinvigorate high streets. The chancellor will use the budget on Monday to provide £900 million of rate relief for small […]
Britain must be ready for French ‘go slow’ on trade, warns Raab… “Britain must be ready for a French ‘go slow’ designed to cripple trade if negotiations with the EU fail, Dominic Raab warned today. The Brexit Secretary raised the prospect as he complained that the bloc was being ‘deliberately intransigent’ in the talks. He […]
May survives crunch meeting with backbenchers… “Theresa May was offered ‘loyal and genuine’ support by her MPs it was claimed tonight after making a ‘heartfelt’ appeal to her backbenchers. The PM survived a crunch confrontation with her fractious party at the 1922 Committee meeting tonight where she spoke of her personal drive to get a Brexit […]
Brexit 1) May will “face down” critics at 1922 Committee “Theresa May will try to face down her fiercest critics at a meeting in Parliament on Wednesday after a “heated” debate at her weekly Cabinet meeting about Brexit. A senior Tory source said Mrs May was “taking the opportunity to talk to colleagues” at the […]
May “gains partial reprieve” from party “opponents” with rejection of backstop that would divide NI from rest of Britain… “Theresa May dismissed Brussels’ demands yesterday for a backstop that would divide Northern Ireland from the rest of Britain, relieving pressure from Tory Brexiteers but increasing the chance of a no-deal exit. The prime minister secured […]
May will tell MPs today that a Brexit deal is “95 per cent” complete. But she faces Cabinet tomorrow, a summons to the 1922 Committee on Wednesday – and claims that only two more letters are needed for a leadership challenge “Her planned statement — sections of which Downing Street released on Sunday evening — […]
May “summoned” to see 1922 Committee on Wednesday, as “numerous” Conservative MPs say she is “on course” for no confidence vote “this week” “…numerous Tory MPs said May was on course to face a vote of no confidence this week as all wings of the party united against her. An ally of David Davis, the former […]
Brexit 1) Former Cabinet Secretaries hit back over criticism of civil service “Three former cabinet secretaries who have served every prime minister since Margaret Thatcher have launched an unprecedented attack on Conservative Brexiteers for undermining the integrity of the civil service. In a stinging rebuke to Tory backbenchers, Lord Armstrong of Ilminster said that “those […]
May confirms she’s “prepared to consider extending the transition period”… “Theresa May was on Thursday evening increasingly isolated over her plan to keep Britain tied to the EU for longer as she was savaged by both wings of her party and left in the cold by EU leaders. Mrs May confirmed on Thursday that she was […]
Brexit 1) May offers to extend transition and asks EU to be “creative” “Theresa May has told EU leaders she is prepared to consider extending the Brexit transition period as she called on them to show “courage” and come up with “creative” ideas to break the current deadlock. At a summit in Brussels the Prime […]
Brexit 1) Barnier willing to extend transition period by another year “Michel Barnier has said he is open to the possibility of a one-year extension to Britain’s Brexit transition in return for Theresa May accepting a “two-tier” backstop to avoid a border in Northern Ireland, according to EU diplomats. On the eve of a Brexit […]