Political news

• Theresa May asks EU not to back her into corner on Brexit

  19-10-2017 23:30
  PM seeks green light for transition talks, but bloc expected to say progress not sufficient
  
  Read more

• British GQ Political Correspondent Rupert Myers Sacked As 'Allegations' Emerge

  19-10-2017 23:09
  
  British GQ has announced it has terminated the freelance contract of political correspondent Rupert Myers amid “allegations” about his behaviour. 
  Conde Nast, which owns the magazine, announced the move after being made aware of claims. 
  Their statement reads: “Having been made aware of some allegations against Rupert Myers, GQ can confirm that it has terminated its freelance agreement with him, with immediate effect. He is no longer GQ’s Political Correspo
  
  Read more

• Caitríona Ruane resigns as deputy assembly speaker

  19-10-2017 23:06 via bbc.co.uk
  Caitríona Ruane did not stand in the March election and faced calls to quit over her £55,000 salary.
  
  Read more

• Labour MP Ben Bradshaw Calls For Probe Into 'Dark Money' Of Brexit Referendum

  19-10-2017 22:00
  
  The Government must investigate what role “dark money” played in the Brexit referendum, Labour MP Ben Bradshaw has said. 
  There is “widespread concern over foreign and particularly Russian interference in western democracies”, Bradshaw told the House of Commons, and “real questions” over how much Arron Banks - the entrepreneur who bankrolled Brexit - is worth. 
  Bradshaw called a series of reports by Open Democracy probing the funding streams of
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Labour MP calls for windfall tax on PFI companies

  19-10-2017 21:27
  Stella Creasy focuses on groups involved in the private finance initiative
  
  Read more

• UK is confusing the EU over Brexit, says Corbyn after meeting Barnier

  19-10-2017 21:06
  Labour leader says he told chief EU negotiator step-by-step how he would reboot talks as PM in 80-minute meetingEuropean leaders are “bemused and confused” by Britain’s attitude towards the Brexit negotiations, according to Jeremy Corbyn, who met Michel Barnier and three continental prime ministers on his visit to Brussels.The Labour leader held parallel discussions with the the EU’s chief negotiator and other European leaders, during which it is understood he was asked t
  
  Read more

• DUP received ‘illegal donation’ ahead of Brexit, claims Labour MP

  19-10-2017 20:47
  Ben Bradshaw calls for Electoral Commission to investigate source of money
  
  Read more

• DUP accused of taking illegal donation ahead of Brexit

  19-10-2017 20:47
  Labour MP calls on Electoral Commission to investigate source of money
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• We're not ignoring you but vote doesn't bind, PM's deputy tells MPs

  19-10-2017 20:45
  Damian Green defends government stance that unanimously passed call for pause to universal credit rollout can be disregardedTheresa May’s deputy was forced to deny on Thursday that her minority administration was ignoring parliament after the government said it was not bound by an overwhelming vote calling for the rollout of universal credit to be paused.Labour’s motion, which called for the controversial welfare reform to be halted while glitches are fixed, passed unanimously on Wed
  
  Read more

• Angela Merkel Raises Hopes Trade Talks Could Start In December

  19-10-2017 20:16
  
  There are “encouraging” signs the UK Brexit team could start trade talks with the EU as early as December, Angela Merkel has told reporters. 
  As Theresa May arrived in Brussels for a two-day summit on Thursday, Britain had given up on the EU27 green-lighting talks on its future trading relationship with the bloc, but the German Chancellor has offered hope. 
  Chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier said last week that insufficient progress had been made on divorce bill for trade t
  
  Read more

• Azerbaijan Laundromat shows UK is choice of crooks and despots, says Hodge

  19-10-2017 20:04
  Former chair of public accounts committee tells MPs UK corporate rules and weak regulatory framework are ‘a gift to villains’Britain is the “country of choice for every kleptocrat, crook and despot in the world”, a Labour MP has said following revelations by the Guardian and media partners of a massive money-laundering scheme run by the government of Azerbaijan. Margaret Hodge said the UK thought itself to be a “country of integrity, respectability and trustworthine
  
  Read more

• 'Revolutionary' government pensions dashboard gets go-ahead

  19-10-2017 20:02
  Department for Work and Pensions approves scheme to enable people to monitor all their pensions entitlements in one placeOne of the most ambitious IT projects ever undertaken in financial services, to provide individuals with an online “pensions dashboard” covering all the schemes they may have, has been given the go ahead by the government.The Department for Work and Pensions is aiming to bring all the 64m different pension pots in Britain under one roof so that individuals can see
  
  Read more

• Andrea Leadsom takes the road to tyranny via the sea of incompetence

  19-10-2017 19:31
  It’s been a Tory tradition for a while now to put the dimmest person possible in charge of scheduling government businessBusy, busy. Andrea Leadsom rifled through her diary. She didn’t have a spare minute. Monday was taken up with emergency new electric toothbrush legislation. Tuesday parliament needed to discuss the possible addition of a new roundabout on the A12. Wednesday was always a half-day as everyone was a bit drained after PMQs. And Thursday she would have to be back in the
  
  Read more

• 'No-deal' Brexit and attitudes on immigration – Politics Weekly podcast

  19-10-2017 19:25
  Anushka Asthana is joined by Torsten Bell of the Resolution Foundation, the Guardian’s Rowena Mason and Jonathan Freedland to discuss Brexit. Plus Bobby Duffy of Ipsos Mori on changing attitudes to immigration As Theresa May heads out to Brussels to try to break the Brexit deadlock, back home a growing chorus of Conservatives tell her to prepare to walk away with no deal. But what would that mean in practice?Joining Anushka Asthana this week are Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland, deput
  
  Read more

• Merkel raises hopes of Brexit talks being able to move on to trade in December - Politics live

  19-10-2017 19:06
  Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happenLunchtime summaryAfternoon summary 6.04pm BSTIt’s not a good thing if companies of any sort - manufacturing, services or anybody else - are thinking of leaving. This really highlights the uncertainty surrounding the government’s conduct of these negotiations.If mainstream politicians and journalists start to behave like Twitter trolls and conspiracy theorists then democracy is in danger. I do think we need to re
  
  Read more

• Camilla Prepares For Calais A Year After The Jungle's Demolition

  19-10-2017 19:03
  In today’s episode of ‘New Activists’, explosive ordnance disposal expert and former ‘Love Island’ star Camilla Thurlow, learns more about her upcoming trip to Calais. Camilla meets Josie Naughton, co-founder of aid organisation Help Refugees, who will be accompanying her as she visits a refugee camp. Josie explains that despite approaching a year since the demolition of the jungle camp, there’s still approximately 1000 refugees who don&rsq
  
  Read more

• 'No proceedings' against Lib Dem MSP over election case

  19-10-2017 19:00 via bbc.co.uk
  Prosecutors say there will be no proceedings against Alex Cole-Hamilton over claims he broke electoral law.
  
  Read more

• Teesside seeks to turn Redcar steel plant into tourist attraction

  19-10-2017 18:46
  Shuttered UK blast furnace would be preserved as heritage landmark under regeneration plans
  
  Read more

• Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein Stokes Fears About Banking Post-Brexit With Frankfurt Tweet

  19-10-2017 18:27
  
  The CEO of Goldman Sachs has stoked fears that the banking giant could pull more staff out of London after he took a thinly-veiled shot at the UK over Brexit. 
  In a rare tweet, banking boss Lloyd Blankfein sang the praises of Frankfurt - Germany’s financial centre - adding that he would be “spending a lot more time there”. 
  “Just left Frankfurt,” he wrote. “Great meetings, great weather, really enjoyed it.
  “Good, because I’ll be spe
  
  Read more

• Blankfein heaps pressure on May over Brexit as he praises Frankfurt

  19-10-2017 17:56
  Goldman chief lauds German financial hub as UK PM seeks EU summit breakthrough
  
  Read more

• Nobody Really Knows If UK Could Go Back On Brexit, Experts Say

  19-10-2017 17:55
  
  Nobody really knows if the UK could go back on Brexit even if it wanted to, experts say.
  A panel of Europe specialists addressed the House of Lords Brexit committee this week and were quizzed on whether Article 50 could be revoked.
  Catherine Barnard, professor of European Union and employment law at Cambridge University, said there had been disagreement between MPs and members of the Lords on whether the Brexit process could be reversed.
  She told the committee: “On the question of revocabi
  
  Read more

• Family split across Atlantic accuse Home Office of inhumanity

  19-10-2017 17:46
  UK government refused to reverse visa decision even though it admitted it was wrong to ignore exemption for US fatherA British-American family hit by costs of £45,000 and split across the Atlantic have accused the Home Office of “inhumanity” and say they may be forced to return to the US after the government refused to reverse a visa decision that lawyers say is based on a misinterpretation of its own rules.The Home Office had said it was “urgently reviewing” the We
  
  Read more

• Standing ovation for Jeremy Corbyn in Brussels

  19-10-2017 17:43
  UK Labour leader tells European Socialists ‘no deal’ scenario would be ‘catastrophic’
  
  Read more

• May seeks ‘urgency’ on citizens’ rights from EU summit post-Brexit

  19-10-2017 17:39
  PM arrives in Brussels in pursuit of Brexit progress
  
  Read more

• UK pension scheme protections not expected before 2020

  19-10-2017 17:19
  Official says chances of a pensions bill within next 3 years are ‘very slim’
  
  Read more

• Parliament investigates report of falling masonry

  19-10-2017 16:59 via bbc.co.uk
  A car window has apparently been smashed by masonry falling from a Parliamentary building.
  
  Read more

• The other 'no deal' view

  19-10-2017 16:40 via bbc.co.uk
  Reporters covering the EU summit in Brussels share how their countries see a "no deal" Brexit.
  
  Read more

• Former Grenfell council chief will not seek re-election as councillor

  19-10-2017 16:37
  Nicholas Paget-Brown has been criticised over Kensington and Chelsea council’s actions before and after deadly blazeThe former leader of Kensington and Chelsea council, who quit the post in the face of fierce criticism over the authority’s handling of the Grenfell Tower fire, is to step down as a councillor.Nicholas Paget-Brown became the focus of protests over the Conservative-run council’s actions before and after the deadly inferno, culminating in a bungled attempt to hold a
  
  Read more

• Donald Trump Accuses 'Fake Media' Of Not Reporting An Actual Fake News Story

  19-10-2017 16:14
  
  Donald Trump has once again asserted that Hillary Clinton sold uranium to Russia in exchange for donations to a charitable foundation bearing her name.
  Despite the story being widely debunked when it surfaced last year, the President of the United States attacked the “fake media” for not reporting it.Uranium deal to Russia, with Clinton help and Obama Administration knowledge, is the biggest story that Fake Media doesn't want to follow!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) Octob
  
  Read more

• The Famous Five Go Brexiting in No Deal Land

  19-10-2017 16:07
  Leading Leave campaigners hatch a clever strategy to keep Britain trading
  
  Read more

• Crime rises by 13% in England and Wales, ONS statistics say

  19-10-2017 15:44 via bbc.co.uk
  There were an average of 100,000 crimes a week in the year to June, the Office for National Statistics says.
  
  Read more

• UK university employees back possible strike over pension cuts

  19-10-2017 15:41
  Almost 90% of UCU members in ballot say they would be prepared to take industrial action
  
  Read more

• MP calls for inquiry into Arron Banks and 'dark money' in EU referendum

  19-10-2017 15:36
  Ben Bradshaw raises concerns over ‘foreign interference’ and says there are questions over wealth of leave campaign’s biggest backerA Labour MP has said there are “real questions” about how much Arron Banks – the entrepreneur who bankrolled Brexit – is worth as he called on the government to investigate the possible role played by “dark money” in the EU referendum.Speaking in parliament, Ben Bradshaw said there was “widespread concern o
  
  Read more

• Why walking away won’t work

  19-10-2017 14:36
  The EU knows that without a deal, Brexit will end in chaos — mainly for the British
  
  Read more

• The Universal Credit debate showed just how out of touch Tory MPs are

  19-10-2017 14:07
  
  The government's ignorance about the lives of the people it purports to help was on full display yesterday
  
  Read more

• Andrea Leadsom 'paved way for tyranny' over universal credit vote

  19-10-2017 13:53
  Veteran Tory MP Edward Leigh attacks leader of Commons for saying government is not bound by Wednesday’s voteThe leader of the House of Commons, Andrea Leadsom, has been accused by senior Conservatives MPs of paving the way for “tyranny”, after the government whipped its MPs to abstain on a Labour motion on universal credit.Leadsom faced criticism from some Conservative MPs after saying the government was not bound by the resolution, which called for the rollout of the controve
  
  Read more

• Gun and knife crime surges in England and Wales

  19-10-2017 13:49
  Police forces under pressure with limited resources
  
  Read more

• Don't ignore MPs' universal credit vote, Sir Edward Leigh warns

  19-10-2017 13:42 via bbc.co.uk
  Sir Edward Leigh criticises the government's response to a Commons vote to pause universal credit.
  
  Read more

• Tory Rebels Hopeful Government Will Use Budget To Reveal Universal Credit Concessions

  19-10-2017 13:18
  
  Tory rebel MPs who raised fears Universal Credit roll-out could plunge working families into poverty are hoping the government will reveal some concessions in next month’s budget.
  Just one Conservative MP voted with opposition parties on Wednesday evening on a motion tabled by Labour calling for a pause of the benefits overhaul, while issues with delays to first payments were ironed out. 
  Sarah Wollaston said she would not abstain along with her Tory colleagues unless ministers could
  
  Read more

• Tory MP Warns Conservative Government Leading UK Towards 'Tyranny'

  19-10-2017 13:10
  
  A Conservative MP has warned Theresa May is leading the country towards “tyranny” with her decision to ignore a vote in parliament.
  Edward Leigh told the Commons on Thursday the prime minister had set a dangerous precedent.
  On Wednesday evening Labour won a vote in the Commons which called for called for the roll out of Universal Credit to be paused. 
  Jeremy Corbyn’s victory was achieved after Tory MPs were ordered to abstain en masse.The result of the so-called Opposition
  
  Read more

• EU citizens' rights groups dismiss May letter as meaningless

  19-10-2017 12:32
  Letter assuring EU citizens in the UK that they will be allowed to stay is a PR exercise aimed at other leaders, campaigners sayCampaigners for the rights of EU citizens in the UK and British nationals in Europe have said a letter from Theresa May reassuring them they will be allowed to stay where they are post-Brexit is “meaningless” and a PR exercise aimed at other EU leaders.Activists lobbying on behalf of the 3.6 million EU citizens in the UK said the letter was welcome but addre
  
  Read more

• Clinton and May discuss Stormont crisis

  19-10-2017 12:20 via bbc.co.uk
  The prime minister discusses the political impasse in NI with former US president Bill Clinton.
  
  Read more

• Labour eyes plan for windfall tax on PFI companies

  19-10-2017 12:08
  Jeremy Corbyn’s team consider case for a levy on groups’ profits
  
  Read more

• Smacking to be banned in Scotland

  19-10-2017 11:44 via bbc.co.uk
  The move would make the country the first part of the UK to outlaw the physical punishment of children.
  
  Read more

• Donald Trump Gives Father Of Slain Soldier Money He Promised - Four Months Late

  19-10-2017 11:38
  
  Donald Trump has been forced to hastily send a cheque for $25,000 to the father of a slain US Army sergeant after it emerged the US President had personally promised the money and not followed through with the offer.
  Chris Baldridge told the Washington Post that Trump offered his family the money after the death of his 22-year-old son at the hands of an Afghan police officer in June but he told the newspaper the money never arrived.
  A White House spokeswoman said on Wednesday the media was
  
  Read more

• We need to take back control: Leavers and Remainers can agree on this

  19-10-2017 11:24
  
  Natalie Bennett on how Leavers and Remainers can build bridges
  
  Read more

• Brexit No Deal On Trade Looks 'Inevitable,' Says Former Tory Cabinet Minister Owen Paterson

  19-10-2017 10:34
  
  A former Conservative cabinet minister has said it looks “inevitable” that Brexit talks will fail and the UK will leave the EU without a trade deal.
  Owen Paterson said the UK should “not be terrified” of having to trade with the EU on World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules.
  The former environment secretary is among a group of Brexiteer Tories who have signed a letter to Theresa May urging her to walk away from talks this week if the EU refuses to start talking about trade.
  
  Read more

• Theresa May seeks to reassure EU citizens over post-Brexit rights

  19-10-2017 10:12
  Letter promises simple and low-cost process for acquiring ‘settled status’
  
  Read more

• May urges European leaders to agree citizens’ rights post-Brexit

  19-10-2017 10:12
  PM promises EU nationals in UK a simple, low-cost process to get ‘settled status’
  
  Read more

• The Waugh Zone Thursday October 19, 2017

  19-10-2017 10:10
  
  1. (AB)STAIN ON THEIR RECORD
  Last night’s Government ‘defeat’ over its flagship Universal Credit policy was certainly extraordinary. Proving that Parliamentary guerilla tactics can work (with the crucial help of Speaker Bercow to rule them in order), we had the unprecedented spectacle of Labour MPs actually shouting opposition to their own Opposition Day motion, in order to trigger a recorded vote. And the Government very clearly didn’t want a division at all. In the end
  
  Read more

Follow @political_UKnws on Twitter!