Political news

• Steve Bell on Britain's special partnership with the EU – cartoon

  11-12-2017 21:48
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• Jeremy Corbyn refuses to firm up Labour's Brexit plans

  11-12-2017 21:35
  Shadow cabinet meeting will address fears that spelling out a more specific position could alienate remain voters or Brexit backers in core Labour seats Jeremy Corbyn is determined to resist pressure to spell out in more detail what Brexit settlement Labour would support, despite a series of comments in recent days suggesting the party is edging closer to advocating continued single market membership.The shadow cabinet will discuss Brexit at its weekly meeting on Tuesday, the first since Theresa
  
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• Tory Brexiteer Lord Lawson Tells Theresa May To Get Off Her 'Knees' And Stop 'Begging' Brussels For A Good Deal

  11-12-2017 21:30
  Tory tensions over Brexit have boiled over in spectacular fashion after former Chancellor Nigel Lawson told Theresa May to get off her “knees” and stop “begging” Brussels for a good deal.The Conservative peer declared that Margaret Thatcher would have been appalled that the UK was “in a humiliating state of cringe” towards the EU.Just hours after May boasted in the Commons of her breakthrough in Brussels negotiations, Lord Lawson said she had “lost her n
  
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• Sarah Sanders Accidentally Describes President Trump During Tirade Against 'Fake News' Media

  11-12-2017 21:29
  “You cannot say that it’s an honest mistake when you are purposefully putting out information that you know to be false.“Or when you are taking information that hasn’t been validated, that hasn’t been offered any credibility, that has been continually denied by a number of people.”You’d be forgiven for thinking the above quote taken from today’s White House’s press briefing was a reporter describing Donald Trump.But you’d be wrong.Durin
  
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• Tories and Labour reject second EU referendum petitions

  11-12-2017 21:17 via bbc.co.uk
  MPs debate a 130,000-signature petition calling for voters to be given a "final say" on Brexit.
  
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• With Jeremy Hunt working to save his skin, no NHS boss is safe | Polly Toynbee

  11-12-2017 21:15
  Bob Kerslake was one of our best health officials – yet he’s been ousted on the health secretary’s whimDefenestration is a regular public spectacle in the NHS. Some chairs, chief executives and finance directors are pushed, while others jump before health department assassins arrive to blame them for debts caused by government underfunding. Related: I’m quitting as a hospital boss: dire NHS funding problems give me no choice | Bob KerslakeContinue reading...
  
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• Just seven words are keeping a Brexit deal afloat for all sides | Gaby Hinsliff

  11-12-2017 21:12
  Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed, goes the latest meaningless mantra. But sometimes maddening ambiguity is what makes politics workNothing is agreed until everything is agreed. If those seven words don’t already inspire a powerful urge to throw something at the wall, then don’t worry, they will soon enough.This phrase is fast emerging as the new “Brexit means Brexit”, a kind of gnomic verbal chaff thrown up whenever the prime minister needs to sound tremendous
  
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• Theresa May forced to accept new Brexit scrutiny committee

  11-12-2017 21:07
  Facing revolt, prime minister agrees to allow MPs power to monitor conversion of EU laws on to the UK statute bookTheresa May has been forced to accept more scrutiny of Brexit lawmaking to head off a Tory revolt but is still heading for a showdown over how MPs get to vote on the final deal and whether the date for leaving should be fixed in law.The prime minister made a concession on Monday by agreeing to set up a new committee of MPs to monitor any proposed legal changes as EU legislation is co
  
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• Political incompetence heralds new era of Brexit doublethink | John Crace

  11-12-2017 20:44
  Both the prime minister and the Brexit secretary basked in the glory of their deal, where everything could just as equally mean something as nothingSuddenly the whole point of David Davis became clear. After first fantasising he read impact assessments that never existed and then managing to contradict himself within 24 hours on whether the interim deal was legally binding, the Brexit secretary has created the perfect framework for all future negotiations. Thanks to his hopelessness and incompet
  
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• UK defence secretary fights to protect his budget

  11-12-2017 20:30 via ft.com
  Gavin Williamson in skirmishes with chancellor Philip Hammond over spending plans
  
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• Grenfell Disaster Lawyer Warns Of 'Injustice' If Inquiry Fails Diversity 'Smell Test'

  11-12-2017 20:15
  A lawyer representing survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire has questioned whether justice will be delivered if the public inquiry into the tragedy fails to pass a diversity “smell test”.On the opening day of the investigation, barrister Leslie Thomas raised fresh concerns that the inquiry’s independent expert advisory panel lacks people from different backgrounds.Thomas made reference to the largely white, male lawyers who appeared before inquiry chief Sir Martin Moore-Bick at
  
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• Grenfell Survivors' Lawyer Makes Powerful Argument Over Inquiry's Lack Of Diversity

  11-12-2017 20:14
  A lawyer representing survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire has questioned whether justice will be delivered if the public inquiry into the tragedy fails to pass a diversity “smell test”.On the opening day of the investigation, barrister Leslie Thomas QC raised fresh concerns that the inquiry’s independent expert advisory panel lacks people from different backgrounds.Thomas made reference to the largely white, male lawyers who appeared before inquiry chief Sir Martin Moore-Bick
  
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• The Guardian view on the Tory truce over Brexit: the war goes on | Editorial

  11-12-2017 20:12
  When Conservative MPs as different as Kenneth Clarke, Bill Cash, Nicky Morgan and Iain Duncan Smith agree, it can only mean their unity will not survive for longConservative MPs of every ideological hue queued up to praise Theresa May’s interim agreement with the European Union on Brexit on Monday. That in itself ought to make any sensible person wary about what was taking place. For when Kenneth Clarke, Iain Duncan Smith, Sir Bill Cash and Nicky Morgan all say they are united about Brexit
  
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• The Guardian view on NHS funding: hospitals are hurting | Editorial

  11-12-2017 20:11
  Lord Kerslake is a big beast in the public sector. His resignation from the hospital trust he chaired ought not to be dismissed as a face-saving exercise. The Treasury is imposing a brutal decline on resources for healthcareBob Kerslake has been a big figure in public service for most of the past 20 years. He was a successful chief executive of Sheffield city council, before he was enticed to Whitehall where he became permanent secretary at the Department for Communities and Local Government, an
  
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• Margaret Hodge repays £2.97 after Garden Bridge apology

  11-12-2017 20:05 via bbc.co.uk
  Labour's Margaret Hodge tells MPs she is sorry for breaching rules about Parliamentary resources.
  
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• Donald Trump's Transgender Military Ban Rejected By Federal Judge

  11-12-2017 20:02
  Transgender people will be able to join the US military in the New Year, a federal judge ruled on Monday, denying a request by Donald Trump’s administration to  enforce the ban while the government appeals an order blocking it.US District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly in Washington refused to lift part of her 30th October order stopping the ban from taking effect until the case is resolved, because it likely violates the US Constitution’s guarantees of due process and equal prote
  
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• Theresa May insists Brexit deal good for all sides

  11-12-2017 20:01 via ft.com
  PM manages to unite wings of own party with divorce settlement
  
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• Theresa May tells MPs Brexit deal 'good news' for both remain and leave supporters – as it happened

  11-12-2017 19:37
  Rolling coverage of the day’s political development as they happen, including Theresa May’s statement to MPs about the UK-EU Brexit dealDavid Davis’s LBC interview - SummaryNo 10 lobby briefing - SummaryTheresa May’s Commons statement on Brexit - VerdictTheresa May’s Commons statement on Brexit - Summary 6.34pm GMTAs I said earlier, the key fact from Theresa May’s statement was a negative: the absence of any fresh Tory row about Brexit. (See 5.54pm.)But there
  
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• The Bank of England and a move to Birmingham

  11-12-2017 19:13 via ft.com
  Relocating government agencies without real devolution is a gimmick
  
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• King’s College Hospital — a ‘canary in the NHS coal mine’?

  11-12-2017 19:13 via ft.com
  Trust placed in special measures as deficit spirals and chairman quits
  
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• FCA cracks down on firms giving advice to Tata Steel pensioners

  11-12-2017 19:06 via ft.com
  Watchdog investigating transfers from £15bn scheme
  
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• Plan to crack down on £90bn City money laundering

  11-12-2017 18:47 via ft.com
  New economic crime centre part of revamped anti-corruption strategy
  
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• How To Burp A Baby: The Three Best Positions To Release Air From A Baby's Stomach

  11-12-2017 18:20
  A paediatrician has said many parents he sees have needlessly brought their babies to hospital when they just need to be burped more.Dr Keir Shiels explained when a baby is fed, particularly from a bottle, air gets into the stomach. Burping is the best way to release it, to stop the baby getting indigestion.He said there are three positions that are best to burp a baby.“The first is a baby sat on your lap with their chin tucked into your hands,” he explained.“Make sure you
  
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• 'Blue Planet II': 10 Astounding Moments That Took Our Breath Away

  11-12-2017 18:19
  For the last six weeks, over 12 million of us have been settling down to watch ‘Blue Planet II’ of a Sunday evening, making it the most watched TV show of the year.But now the series has come to an end, we’re filling that whale-sized whole in your lives with a look back on some of the David Attenborough documentary’s most breath-taking (and sometimes upsetting) moments...1. When this octopus totally outsmarted a pyjama shark 👏The octopus slides her tentacles
  
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• Grenfell tower residents say public inquiry is ignoring them

  11-12-2017 18:12 via ft.com
  Barrister Michael Mansfield calls for inquiry to reflect concerns of local community
  
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• Do Not Adjust Your Set – Can A TV Show Help Save Our Seas?

  11-12-2017 18:04
  Some of TV’s biggest stars are facing annihilation.Not Ant and Dec. Nor Simon Cowell and co. And thank goodness not Mary Berry.I instead refer to the creatures which have enchanted us on the BBC’s Blue Planet II, and which marine conservation campaigners have warned are living on borrowed time.Like many of the 17 million viewers tuning into Blue Planet II each Sunday, I have been captivated by life under the sea. From underwater lakes, to gender-changing fish, each episode has surpri
  
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• Golden Globe 2018 Nominations: Complete List Of Nominees Sees 'Big Little Lies' Lead The Way

  11-12-2017 18:02
  Hollywood woke up early on Monday (11 December) to announce the nominees for the 75th annual Golden Globe Awards.Presenters Alfre Woodard, Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Bell and Sharon Stone revealed the newly minted honorees from film and television at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.Tonya Harding pulled off the triple axel, but will Margot Robbie take home gold for her performance in “I, Tonya”? Or will Emma Stone build upon her awards momentum from
  
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• Corbyn questions May on future Brexit deal and Davis comments

  11-12-2017 18:02 via bbc.co.uk
  Jeremy Corbyn asks Theresa May "what on earth" David Davis was talking about saying Britain wants a "plus plus plus" version of Canada's trade deal with the EU.
  
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• The tech giants will never pay their fair share of taxes – unless we make them | David Pegg

  11-12-2017 18:01
  Multinational companies should be taxed on where they genuinely do business – not on where they artificially shift their profitsAny sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, and the accountants of Silicon Valley have proved Arthur C Clarke’s third law to be as true of tax avoidance as it is of tech. The most recent outrage is Apple’s $252bn offshore cash pile, as exposed by the Paradise Papers investigation. More valuable than the foreign currency reserv
  
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• Why I Love Trump

  11-12-2017 17:58
  Gosh writing that headline was painful. But give me a chance here.In my day job, I work with some amazing children. On the way back from a trip the other day with some 8-12 year olds, the bus was awash with political talk, and it was all thanks to Trump.Apathy or political ignorance amongst the young is one of my biggest pet peeves – and don’t get me wrong, it isn’t their fault. It is ours; the political systems, and the education systems. Trump however, seems to have ignited a
  
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• LGBT Issues Are Not Discussed Enough In The Mainstream Media - This Must Change

  11-12-2017 17:57
  Comedian Stephen Bailey believes that the media does not address or highlight LGBT issues enough. Here, in an exclusive vlog for HuffPost UK, he talks about how the Orlando terrorist attack did not receive enough coverage, how there are not enough gay couples on television and how - with the help of the media - we can rid the world of homophobia. Stephen Bailey tours ‘Can’t Think Straight’ around the UK from January 2018. For dates and tickets see www.stephenbaileycom
  
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• LGBT Issues Are Not Discussed Enough In The Mainstream Media

  11-12-2017 17:57
  Comedian Stephen Bailey believes that the media does not address or highlight LGBT issues enough. Here, in an exclusive vlog for HuffPost UK, he talks about how the Orlando terrorist attack did not receive enough coverage, how there are not enough gay couples on television and how - with the help of the media - we can rid the world of homophobia.Stephen Bailey tours ‘Can’t Think Straight’ around the UK from January 2018. For dates and tickets see www.stephenbaileycomedy.co
  
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• Being Female. Being Brown. Being British-Indian

  11-12-2017 17:57
  As an individual who is female, brown and of Indian descent, I tick all the right boxes for being an ‘oppressed’, ‘repressed’ and a less ‘privileged’ member of society in the UK. Let me share a few experiences to show you the effect my gender, race and ethnicity has had on my life. I also challenge those who are not female, not of colour and who are not ethnic minorities to see if you can identify with any of my experiences.First, being female. My sex being th
  
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• Why Toff Is A Worthy Winner

  11-12-2017 17:50
  Last week like millions of others around the UK I watched some grown men in the jungle having a gossip about another man. They clearly weren’t too keen on this guy and didn’t feel they connected with him. They were acting a bit childishly and made this guy feel a bit left out of their gang. One of them even made the said isolated man feel a bit small when he suggested he wasn’t manly enough to take up a challenge. It was quite awkward to watch and slightly cringeworthy.But was
  
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• Theresa May says Brexit deal 'good news' for all voters

  11-12-2017 17:44 via bbc.co.uk
  Theresa May tells MPs the agreement should reassure both Leave and Remain supporters.
  
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• What Shall I Put You Down For?

  11-12-2017 17:33
  At this time of year, there is an unwritten rule amongst us men: show no weakness. If your partner or children (whatever their age) mention that they ‘can’t wait’ for Christmas, then you are required to respond with phrases like ‘humbug’ and adopt a grumpy, miserable, scrooge-like persona. Over the past week though, I’ve got to admit that my resolve has begun to fade. Outwardly of course I’m still a Grinch, but passing so many decorations on my way to wo
  
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• Jellyfish Have Superpowers - And Other Reasons They Don't Deserve Their Bad Reputation

  11-12-2017 17:32
  Philip Lamb - PhD Candidate in Marine Biology, University of East AngliaPeople rarely enjoy meeting a jellyfish. On the beach they appear limp, amorphous, and blistered in the sun. In the water it’s often a brush of a tentacle on exposed skin followed by a sting. They hardly evoke the serene elegance of a turtle or the majesty of a breaching humpback whale. But despite making a poor first impression, jellyfish are among the most unusual animals on Earth and deserve a second chance to intro
  
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• Christmas Can Be A Hard Time Of Year For Some People, And We Are There To Listen

  11-12-2017 17:32
  I always try to do one or two extra shifts at this time of year. It’s Christmas and people need us more.I have done the morning shift on Christmas Day, at other times the 11pm to 3am shift. Samaritans is the only place that is open – when you can’t get anyone else – your GP, your social worker, your care worker – you can get a Samaritan on Christmas morning.It’s really important to be there – there is an extra sadness about people who call Samaritans at
  
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• And Other Reasons They Don't Deserve Their Bad Reputation

  11-12-2017 17:32
  Philip Lamb - PhD Candidate in Marine Biology, University of East AngliaPeople rarely enjoy meeting a jellyfish. On the beach they appear limp, amorphous, and blistered in the sun. In the water it’s often a brush of a tentacle on exposed skin followed by a sting. They hardly evoke the serene elegance of a turtle or the majesty of a breaching humpback whale. But despite making a poor first impression, jellyfish are among the most unusual animals on Earth and deserve a second chance to intro
  
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• How To Avoid Star Wars: The Last Jedi Review Spoilers On The Internet

  11-12-2017 17:30
  Star Wars: The Last Jedi is now just days away from its UK release.As such the time has come to pull up the drawbridge, batten down the hatches and generally lock yourself away in the nearest nuclear bunker you can find.If for some absurd reason you can’t do any of those things then you are now officially at risk of spoilers because human beings other than you have already seen the film and are getting very excited about it on Twitter.Now if you, like us, would like to ride the emotional r
  
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• Why Your Weaknesses Are Good For You

  11-12-2017 17:29
  I’ve often been described as ‘too sensitive’.I get too involved with other people’s issues, I’m no good at taking criticism, and am generally an emotional person.I remember as a child thinking that this was ‘bad’ or ‘wrong’. With hindsight, I really wish I had a pound for every time I was told that I need to ‘toughen up’.What I’ve come to realise over the years, is that my so-called weakness of being too sensitive, is actual
  
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• Keith Chegwin Dead: Maggie Philbin Pays Heartfelt Tribute To Ex-Husband And 'Multi-Coloured Swap Shop' Co-Star

  11-12-2017 17:22
  Keith Chegwin’s former ‘Multi-Coloured Swap Shop’ co-star and ex-wife Maggie Philbin has paid a heartfelt tribute, following news of his death. It was announced the presenter and entertainer had died following a long battle with a progressive lung condition on Monday (11 December). After hearing of his passing, Maggie fondly remembered falling in love with Cheggers after meeting on ‘Swap Shop’ in 1978. Posting a statement on her website, she said: &ld
  
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• Britain First Belfast Rally Postponed Due To Snow

  11-12-2017 17:18
  The news that a Britain First rally in Belfast had to be postponed due to the snow has been met by a chorus of ‘lols’ on Twitter.Party leader Paul Golding and deputy Jayda Fransen posted a video to Twitter saying they were stranded at a snow-logged airport and that the event would not go ahead until the New Year because to the inclement weather.“Today is the day that snowflakes stopped fascists,” tweeted Jack Patton, while Naomi Long said: “Snowflakes 1, bigots 0.&r
  
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• Labour eyes curb on UK mortgage lending

  11-12-2017 17:17 via ft.com
  Party lays out plan to refocus economy away from housing to funding for small companies
  
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• Labour will make Britain a great digital power: here’s how | Liam Byrne

  11-12-2017 16:57
  The Teletext-era Tories have plunged us into a cyber depression. But Labour’s People’s Plan for Digital will launch a science revolution for an innovation nationSo the facts are in. The Tories have given us a recovery that is worse than the one in the 1930s that followed the Great Depression. And families won’t see any improvement in living standards until 2022. That’s why we should set a new ambition for Britain: to become the world’s leading digital economy. Relat
  
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• Keith Chegwin Dead: Stars Pay Tribute To TV Presenter 'Cheggers' Following His Death, Aged 60

  11-12-2017 16:49
  Friends of TV presenter Keith Chegwin have been paying tribute to the TV star, following his death at the age of 60.In a statement, his family said the star had passed away following the long-term battle with a progressive lung condition, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which rapidly worsened towards the end of this year.The said: “Keith died peacefully at home shortly after midnight on the 11th of December. His wife Maria, his daughter Rose and his son Ted were by his side.“Keit
  
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• Keith Chegwin Dead: Cheggers' Most Memorable Moments From 'Naked Jungle' And 'Extras' To 'Celebrity Big Brother' And 'Dancing On Ice'

  11-12-2017 16:49
  With a career in acting, presenting and reality TV spanning five decades, Keith Chegwin was one of the nation’s most recognised entertainers.So after news of his death was announced on Monday (11 December), tributes began pouring in, as his former colleagues and celebrity friends rushed to honour him.Fans also began sharing their memories of Cheggers on social media, recalling his most famous (and in some cases infamous) moments.Here’s just a few of our favourites...‘Extra
  
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• My Motivation: How I Stay Focused For Fitness While Travelling For Work

  11-12-2017 16:25
  I am a massive fitness nut. I've been exercising my whole life and when I travel for work, even though I'm out of my normal routine, I need to exercise - I just love it.No matter where I'm travelling to for business, I'll always pack a pair of trainers. If I always have them to hand, then I haven't got the excuse not to work out.One of my favourite things to do when I'm in a new city is to get outdoors and go for a run. I'll find a green space, do some sprints and run for 20 minutes. For me, it'
  
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• What Should You Do If Your Child Isn’t Settling Well Into Their New School?

  11-12-2017 16:19
  It’s always a stressful time when a child starts at a new school. For some, though, that stress does not go away. For them, settling in seems to take longer, lasting for many months rather than the normal two or three weeks. If you suspect that your child is one of them, there are several ways to help.One of the most obvious indications that something may be wrong is a change in your child’s behaviour, in particular a marked reluctance to go to school. They may linger over their brea
  
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• Theresa May Backs Down Over 'Henry VIII Powers' Ahead Of Crunch Vote Over Brexit

  11-12-2017 16:18
  The Government has caved in to pressure from MPs to water down one of the biggest power grabs in the controversial EU Withdrawal Bill.Downing Street announced this afternoon it would accept an amendment from a cross-party group of MPs to create a “sifting committee” to keep tabs on ministers use of special powers.Under the EU Withdrawal Bill, minister will be able to change a whole range of laws without consulting MPs using a procedure known as ‘statutory instruments’.The
  
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