Political news

• Theresa May’s cabinet reshuffle goes off course

  08-01-2018 23:51
  PM wanted to project authority but top team refused to play along
  
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• Risk-averse Conservative party reboot goes off course

  08-01-2018 23:51
  Theresa May wanted to project authority but cabinet members refused to play along
  
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• Theresa May picks pro-EU fixer but ministers refuse to move

  08-01-2018 23:40
  Attempt to reinforce authority marred as reshuffle goes awry
  
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• Analysis: How Theresa May's Cabinet Reshuffle Was Dogged By Chaos, Confusion And Ministerial Defiance

  08-01-2018 23:26
  This was the day of the rebel remainers, but not as we’ve known them. With notable Cabinet ministers effectively declaring themselves ‘unsackable’, most of them ended up staying in post. Lots were remaining, two were genuine leavers (Patrick McLoughlin and James Brokenshire) and only one (Justine Greening) was actually fired.With No.10 tweeting out lines like ‘Greg Clark remains Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’, it looked like it
  
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• NHS Staff Aren't Holding Back With Their Opinions On Jeremy Hunt's New Job Title

  08-01-2018 23:06
  Jeremy Hunt has not only kept his job as Health Secretary but has had “and Social Care” added to his title and by the looks of things is very pleased with himself.
  Some reports of what was a shambolic reshuffle from the very beginning have suggested the new longer title wasn’t quite what Theresa May had in mind when she invited Hunt to 10 Downing Street this afternoon, raising one pertinent question.The reshuffle is now in serious trouble. Hunt was supposed to emerge from No10
  
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• 'Next Of Kin' Episode 1 Review: 10 Questions We Have After ITV's New Drama Begins

  08-01-2018 23:02
  With ‘McMafia’ and ‘Hard Sun’ in full swing over on the BBC, ITV served up their first big drama offering of 2018 with new thriller ‘Next Of Kin’ on Monday (8 January) night.Starring Archie Panjabi (‘The Good Wife’, ‘The Fall’), and renowned actor, Jack Davenport (‘Pirates Of The Caribbean’, ‘Smash’), it tells the story of the Shirani family who are shattered when their son, brother and father - Kareem - is abduc
  
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• Theresa May's reshuffle in disarray as Justine Greening quits

  08-01-2018 22:42
  Prime minister accused of ‘giving in to the boys’ as Jeremy Hunt refuses to change roles – and Putney MP quits government rather than move Theresa May’s new year reshuffle was thrown off course when senior members of the cabinet refused to move and Justine Greening quit the government after turning down a job as work and pensions secretary. Earlier, Jeremy Hunt rejected a new position as business secretary and instead persuaded the prime minister to allow him to remain at
  
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• The reshuffle that wasn't: May blows it again

  08-01-2018 22:32
  
  The prime minister starts the new year as badly as she ended the last one.
  
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• Risk-averse Tory reboot goes off course

  08-01-2018 22:32
  If PM wanted to project authority, cabinet changes could have gone better
  
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• David Davis attacks EU’s ‘damaging’ no-deal Brexit planning

  08-01-2018 22:30
  Minister’s letter to PM says Brussels guidance to companies is threat to UK interests
  
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• Damian Hinds is new education secretary, replacing Justine Greening

  08-01-2018 22:12 via bbc.co.uk
  The cabinet reshuffle puts Damian Hinds in charge of schools and universities, replacing Justine Greening.
  
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• Jeremy Corbyn insists UK cannot remain in single market after Brexit

  08-01-2018 22:11
  Labour leader disappoints pro-EU MPs in address to parliamentary party before launching attack on ‘struggling’ Tory governmentJeremy Corbyn has insisted the UK cannot be a member of the single market after Brexit, disappointing some of his pro-European Union MPs.The Labour leader told colleagues that it was not possible to stay in the single market, as he set out his Brexit policy to the parliamentary party on Monday night.Continue reading...
  
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• Carrying on ineptly: May's reshuffle stifled by her weakness | John Crace

  08-01-2018 22:00
  It’s business as usual for the Tory government with an A&E crisis, the Toby Young scandal and a much-heralded cabinet revamp beset by inertiaNew year, same operating systems failure. During the general election campaign, Theresa May had screamed: “Nothing has changed. Nothing has changed” as she ripped up the Conservative manifesto within days of launching it. For her much hyped cabinet reshuffle, the prime minister defiantly insisted: “Everything has changed. Everyth
  
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• Theresa May's Botched Cabinet Reshuffle Confirms PM's Weakness

  08-01-2018 21:32
  Reshuffle has chaotic start as Conservative Party accidentally announces Chris Grayling as new chairman on Twitter instead of Brandon Lewis.
  Justine Greening resigns as education secretary after reportedly turning down move to DWP.
  Jeremy Hunt keeps job as health secretary but takes on extra responsibility for social care.
  Chancellor Philip Hammond, Home Secretary Amber Rudd, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Brexit Secretary David Davis and Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson remain in post.
  D
  
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• Theresa May picks pro-EU minister as cabinet fixer

  08-01-2018 21:32
  Lidington to be right-hand man but Greening quits as reshuffle misfires
  
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• May’s reshuffle is far from the radical refresh that had been trailed

  08-01-2018 21:30
  The glacial pace of comings and goings in Downing Street served as a reminder of the PM’s fragile authority over her partyBy the end of Monday, Theresa May must have felt like all the other hapless British workers who returned to the office for the new year with a spring in their step and the best of intentions, only to find the fearless resolutions they made over the Christmas break crumbling in the face of reality. Related: Theresa May's cabinet reshuffle: promotions, demotions and exits
  
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• Winners from Theresa May’s reshuffle

  08-01-2018 21:25
  Unshowy Europhile Lidington handed a vital role, McVey the only new female cabinet minister
  
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• Winners from Theresa May reshuffle

  08-01-2018 21:25
  New ‘fixer’ for PM and fresh team for party HQ
  
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• Karen Bradley named new NI secretary

  08-01-2018 21:19 via bbc.co.uk
  The Staffordshire MP is to take over from James Brokenshire, who resigned earlier for health reasons.
  
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• Theresa May's Botched Cabinet Reshuffle Confirms PM's Weakness - HuffPost Verdict

  08-01-2018 21:04
  K E Y   P O I N T S Reshuffle has chaotic start as Conservative Party accidentally announces Chris Grayling as new chairman on Twitter instead of Brandon Lewis.Justine Greening resigns as education secretary after reportedly turning down move to DWP.Jeremy Hunt keeps job as health secretary but takes on extra responsibility for social care.Chancellor Philip Hammond, Home Secretary Amber Rudd, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Brexit Secretary David Davis and Defence Secretary Ga
  
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• Martin Rowson on Jeremy Hunt's new social care role – cartoon

  08-01-2018 21:00
  Continue reading...
  
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• Maria Caulfield: MP's new women's role sparks backlash

  08-01-2018 20:44 via bbc.co.uk
  Maria Caulfield is now the Tory vice chair for women, but has opposed decriminalising abortion.
  
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• Jeremy Corbyn Slams May's Reshuffle As 'Pointless PR Exercise' Out Of Touch With Real Britain

  08-01-2018 20:13
  Jeremy Corbyn has attacked Theresa May’s Cabinet reshuffle as a “pointless PR exercise” that failed to make up for years of Tory failure.In a New Year’s address to his MPs, the Labour leader said that the PM had tried to “dodge the real issues” and ridiculed name-changes for Government departments covering health and housing.Corbyn told the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) meeting in the Commons on Monday night that May was guilty of “breathtaking compla
  
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• Tory MPs urged to go on offensive to deflect criticism of Toby Young

  08-01-2018 20:04
  Leaked briefing calls on backbench Conservatives to attack ‘sexist, racist and abusive comments’ made by LabourBackbench Conservative MPs were urged to deflect criticism from Toby Young’s appointment to the board of the university regulator by attacking Labour, according to a leaked briefing seen by the Guardian.The outspoken rightwing columnist’s appointment as a director of the Office for Students, which is meant to help uphold standards at universities as tuition fees
  
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• NHS's real problem is underfunding not Australian flu, says virologist

  08-01-2018 19:42
  John Oxford says there has been no major outbreak of Australian flu in UK and there are too few doctors and nursesA leading virologist has said there has been no major outbreak of Australian flu in the UK and its threat is obscuring the real problem facing the NHS, which is underfunding.Concerns have been raised that an epidemic that hit New Zealand and Australia during the southern hemisphere’s winter could now be affecting the UK, after a sharp rise in flu-related hospitalisations and de
  
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• Disabled Tory MP Calls Toby Young 'Dark And Dangerous' In Plea To Ministers To Act

  08-01-2018 19:30
  A Tory MP begged ministers to rethink the appointment of Toby Young, citing the education advisor’s “dark and very dangerous” views on disabilities and working class people.Young was named as a board member of the Office for Students, but there has been widespread public outcry at the move by ministers.Robert Halfon, the influential chair of the Education Select Committee, joined a chorus of voices, including that of his Conservative colleague Dr Sarah Wollaston, calling f
  
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• Toby Young's appointment leaves new regulator 'in tatters', says Labour

  08-01-2018 19:24 via bbc.co.uk
  Universities Minister Jo Johnson says Mr Young has already apologised for "obnoxious and repellent" comments.
  
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• Disabled Tory MP Calls Toby Young 'Dark And Dangerous' And Calls On Ministers To Act

  08-01-2018 19:20
  A Tory MP begged ministers to rethink the appointment of Toby Young, citing the education advisor’s “dark and very dangerous” views on disabilities and working class people.Young was named as a board member of the Office for Students, but there has been widespread public outcry at the move by ministers.Robert Halfon, the influential chair of the Education Select Committee, joined a chorus of voices, including that of his Conservative colleague Dr Sarah Wollaston, calling f
  
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• Carrie Gracie Quits: BBC Accused Of Trying To 'Shut Up Little Women' Over Coverage Of Gender Pay Row

  08-01-2018 18:52
  The BBC has been accused of trying to ‘shut up little women’ over the Carrie Gracie equal pay controversy, after staff were being told they can no-longer present segments on pay if they have expressed an opinion on the story.The directive, confirmed by the BBC to the Press Association, follows an awkward morning for the corporation that saw it stage-manage two on-air appearances involving Gracie, one of which took place on Radio 4′s Today programme which she was co-hosting.The
  
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• Former BHS owner Chappell appears in court over information leak

  08-01-2018 18:47
  Dominic Chappell denies failing to answer questions from Pensions Regulator
  
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• The Definitive Ranking Of Labour MP Tweets Mocking The Tory Cabinet Reshuffle Shambles

  08-01-2018 18:45
  Theresa May’s cabinet reshuffle has been a bit of a disaster but a boon for tweeting Labour MPs who have jumped at the chance to get in a dig at their political opponents.It all began with a rather serious tone as Darlington MP, Jenny Chapman, suggested the PM should have more important things to be doing.Shame May starting new year playing around with minister’s jobs titles rather than getting to grips with the Brexit negotiations. https://t.co/xQVJyOzZOa— Jenny Chapman (@Jenn
  
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• Andrew Bridgen Accidentally Praises Jeremy Corbyn For 'Absolutely Fantastic' NHS

  08-01-2018 18:43
  Theresa May’s cabinet reshuffle has been plagued by blunders with the first major announcement coming almost seven hours after it all began.So it was fitting when Tory MP, Andrew Bridgen, managed to praise the Leader of the Opposition for the fantastic job he is not doing or ever has done on the NHS.Tory MP Andrew Bridgen praises @jeremycorbyn for doing an "absolutely fantastic" job with the NHS. pic.twitter.com/3v2YTtTJuk— Adam Bienkov (@AdamBienkov) January 8, 2018Bridgen
  
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• The Exhaustion Of Interruption

  08-01-2018 18:39
  I realised, after my friends started having children, that our conversations were different. They had all the zeal of intention from before - to share, to discuss, to analyse - but somehow they didn’t seem to bloom in the same way. I’m not referring to the content, but more to the lifespan and completion of a conversation. After my own daughter began to move and demand a little more of my attention than nursing or gurgling as I chatted away, I began to understand. Interruptions from
  
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• How To Break A Guinness Marathon World Record (In Fancy Dress)

  08-01-2018 18:39
  I have a very odd running style. My posture is very upright, my shoulders are tight and I drive my hands forward and back in short bursts. From a distance I resemble a Tyrannosaurus Rex.My style shouldn’t work, but for some reason it does. In the running community I am known as ‘B-Rex.’I made a pledge a couple of years ago that if I ever ran the marathon in fancy dress I would do so in a T-Rex outfit, and would also attempt to break the Guinness World Record for such a feat. Th
  
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• The Online Abuse Of Women Isn't 'Trolling', It's An Expression Of Misogyny

  08-01-2018 18:38
  I can’t believe this is happening again…These were the words running through my mind as I entered the police station. While I had been here once before, for the most part I didn’t even bother going to the police because I didn’t see the point. But this was the worst it had ever been.It was that same day I had learned about the website. It had been found by a family member; this site created by men whose stated objective was to ruin my life.Once I knew what I was looking
  
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• Brokenshire departure takes N Ireland process by surprise

  08-01-2018 18:34
  Parties to press on with bid to stalemate ins spite of resignation
  
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• Churchill’s genius was understanding how to keep working-class radicalism in check | Paul Mason

  08-01-2018 18:20
  Darkest Hour portrays the wartime prime minister as a flawed leader. But we shouldn’t forget how he worked with Labour to defeat the pro-fascist sympathies of large sections of the British elite‘For days past there has been no real news and little possibility of inferring what is really happening,” wrote George Orwell in his diary, on 28 May 1940. “Last night, E[ileen] and I went to the pub to hear the 9 o’c news. The barmaid was not going to have it on if we had no
  
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• Jeremy Hunt Keeps Job As Health Secretary In Theresa May's Cabinet Reshuffle

  08-01-2018 18:16
  Jeremy Hunt has kept his job as health secretary in Theresa May’s cabinet reshuffle but now also has social care as part of his title.The prime minister’s decision comes amid severe winter pressures on the NHS which have seen thousands of operations postponed.It had been widely speculated that Hunt could be moved sideways to a different department. However he remains in post with the new title of secretary of state for health and social care in the rebranded Department of Health and
  
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• EU's Juncker: Don't believe Brexit won't happen

  08-01-2018 18:16 via bbc.co.uk
  The EU Commission chief says he believes the UK is on course to leave the bloc.
  
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• Britain Is The ‘Fat Man Of Europe’: So Why Won’t Government Invest In Healthier Food?

  08-01-2018 18:14
  The recent advice from Public Health England that parents should give their children no more than two snacks a day shows how difficult it is to align healthy diets with today’s lifestyles. But with the staple options like crisps and chocolate bars almost all exceeding the 100-calorie advised limit, is it really fair to put all the burden on parents?The UK is facing a public health crisis. 62% of UK adults are overweight or obese. Every day more of us are dying from Type 2 diabetes, ca
  
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• UK pledges to mitigate business’ Brexit damage from upfront VAT

  08-01-2018 18:10
  Business groups warn of negative impact on cash flow of changes to the VAT regime
  
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• Justine Greening quits government after refusing offer of new role

  08-01-2018 18:06
  The education secretary resigns from cabinet rather than take job at Department for Work and PensionsJustine Greening resigned from the government on Monday after Theresa May tried to move her from her post as secretary of state for education to the Department for Work and Pensions in a cabinet reshuffle designed to reboot her government.In a statement May said said she was “disappointed” but respected Greening’s decision. Greening was succeeded as education secretary by Damian
  
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• Health Minister Philip Dunne Says 'Most Hospitals Have Seats' For Patients Who Can't Find A Bed

  08-01-2018 18:06
  Conservative health minister Philip Dunne has told MPs ‘most hospitals have seats’ for patients who can’t be found a bed in an emergency.The Ludlow MP was hauled before the Commons on Monday afternoon to answer an urgent question tabled by Labour shadow health minister Jonathan Ashworth, who accused the government of failing to take proper action to address increased pressures on the NHS.MPs reported constituents laying on the floors of hospital corridors as they waited for mor
  
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• America Threatens World with Biological Warfare

  08-01-2018 17:52
  No, Trump hasn’t threatened biological warfare, just nuclear war, in a bizarre ‘my button is bigger than yours’ tweet. A threat now overshadowed by a book which questions the suitability and the sanity of the leader of the western world, leaving the question of armageddon on the sidelines, as ever.I find it deeply frustrating that there isn’t visionary leadership from the voluntary and third sector. Such leaders should sketch out alternative visions that encompass more th
  
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• 'The Room' Star Tommy Wiseau Shares The Golden Globes Speech That Never Was

  08-01-2018 17:51
  After having his efforts thwarted by James Franco, ‘The Room’ star Tommy Wiseau has revealed the speech he hoped to make at this year’s Golden Globes.James was named Best Actor In A Comedy Or Musical during Sunday night’s (7 January) ceremony, for his portrayal of Tommy in ‘The Disaster Artist’ - a film chronicling the making of ‘The Room’, frequently cited as the worst movie of all time.During his speech, he even invited Tommy to join him on stage
  
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• What's More Dangerous? A Tweet or a Nuclear Bomb?

  08-01-2018 17:50
  It’s happened once again… too regularly are social media users finding themselves with their heads in their hands after reading US president Donald Trump’s twitter page. On Wednesday, Trump tweeted a grand total of sixteen times, many more than his average of seven. (which is still a significant amount). His tirade included support for Iran’s protestors, wading again into the Israel and Palestine conflicts, and praising the media that have praised him.Addressing North Ko
  
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• Plan Your Perfect UK Cycling Break

  08-01-2018 17:49
  With the New Year traditionally seen as a chance for a fresh start, you may be determined to spend your free time in new and exciting ways in 2018. Maybe you want to focus on fitness or seeing more of the country. Maybe you just want to have more fun. Whatever your motivation, cycling is a pastime that achieves all of these ambitions.Or it does if you do it right. Cycling is a hugely rewarding hobby, an unbeatable combination of exercise, sightseeing and travel. It can take you all over the UK,
  
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• Bungs for demolition won’t help estate residents under threat

  08-01-2018 17:48
  Sadiq Khan came to power last year full of pledges aimed at people trying to stop the demolition of social housing and protect their estates from dodgy regeneration projects.However, the broken promises on housing are starting to pile up for our new Mayor. I’ve highlighted here how he’s failed to abolish Boris Johnson’s dodgy definition of ‘affordable’, his draft Good Practice Guide to estate regeneration denied residents the final say they were expecting, and now I
  
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• Jeremy Hunt Keeps Job As Health Secretary As Theresa May Stages Limited Cabinet Reshuffle

  08-01-2018 17:40
  Jeremy Hunt has kept his job as health secretary in Theresa May’s cabinet reshuffle as the prime minister decided to keep most of her ministers in place.May’s relaunch got off to a chaotic start after the Conservative Party accidentally tweeted that Chris Grayling was the new party chairman when the job had actually been given to Brandon Lewis.Despite suggestions the prime minister may stage a sizable shake-up, most of her senior ministers have stayed put.Chancellor Philip Hammo
  
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