Political news

• May delays blueprint for future EU ties until after June summit

  04-06-2018 22:30 via ft.com
  White paper shelved as business leaders lose faith in Brexit preparations
  
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• Clarity on Brexit plan now urgent, business bosses tell Theresa May

  04-06-2018 22:23
  Executives at No 10 business advisory council ask for more information to adequately prepare for trade post-BrexitBusiness chiefs have warned Theresa May that they urgently needed clarity on the government’s plans for Brexit to help them prepare their companies after the UK leaves the European Union in just 10 months.After a meeting of the prime minister’s business advisory council at No 10, which included leading firms Tesco, GlaxoSmithKline and BAE Systems, executives suggested tha
  
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• UK government eyes public stake in £16bn nuclear plant

  04-06-2018 22:05 via ft.com
  Business secretary signals Wylfa Newydd reversal after vow of no funds to build reactors
  
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• Clark considers direct public stake in £16bn Wylfa nuclear plant

  04-06-2018 22:05 via ft.com
  Energy minister signals reversal of policy on committing no funds to building reactors
  
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• Failing Chris Grayling and the tale of the troublesome trains

  04-06-2018 21:42
  By cancelling rail services in advance rather than arbitrarily on the day, customer satisfaction would be 100%, thought ChrisIf you were writing a new series of The Thick of It, you’d hesitate to create a character like Chris Grayling for fear no one would believe in him. Even in the current cabinet, a confederacy of dunces where the sole qualifications for membership are being a bit dim and entirely incompetent, the transport secretary is a class apart.To say that Failing Grayling has mor
  
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• Martin Rowson on plans to review the hostile environment policy – cartoon

  04-06-2018 21:31
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• Political advertising online to be reformed, says UK data regulator

  04-06-2018 21:11
  Twitter and Facebook told they will be held more responsible for the content they publishBritain’s chief data regulator has said the online political advertising industry will be forced to reform for good as a result of the Cambridge Analytica scandal.Elizabeth Denham, the head of the Information Commissioner’s Office, said that her organisation’s forthcoming report into the use of personal data for political purposes “will change the behaviour and compliance of all of th
  
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• May resists Tory calls to act on Northern Ireland abortion

  04-06-2018 21:00
  PM understood to have told MPs in private meeting that political climate makes reforms impossibleTheresa May is unwilling to act to change restrictive abortion rules in Northern Ireland, telling a private meeting of Conservative MPs that the political climate made change impossible.The prime minister was warned she would face escalating backbench pressure to offer a referendum or extend the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland, which has some of the most restrictive rules on abortion in the wor
  
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• Northern cancels 6% of daily rail services after timetable chaos

  04-06-2018 20:55 via ft.com
  Deteriorating situation over new schedule forces Chris Grayling to apologise
  
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• UK takes £5bn stake in Welsh nuclear power station in policy U-turn

  04-06-2018 20:23
  Ministers reach initial agreement with Japanese firm Hitachi over new Wylfa plant The UK will take a £5bn-plus stake in a new nuclear power station in Wales in a striking reversal of decades-long government policy ruling out direct investment in nuclear projects.Ministers said they had reached an initial agreement with the Japanese conglomerate Hitachi to back the Wylfa plant but emphasised that no final decision had yet been made and negotiations were just beginning. Continue reading...
  
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• Northern and GTR operators could be barred from future rail franchises

  04-06-2018 19:59
  Minister says companies were ‘not sufficiently prepared’ and announces inquiry into timetable chaosThe operators of Govia Thameslink Railway and Northern rail could be banned from bidding for future franchises if they are found to be at fault for the chaos inflicted on passengers over the past two weeks, the transport secretary has said.Chris Grayling also announced an inquiry into the timetable fiasco that has left passengers in northern and south-east England facing widespread canc
  
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• The Guardian view on Chris Grayling: part of the problem, not the solution | Editorial

  04-06-2018 19:55
  The transport secretary has left a trail of damage wherever he has been in charge. If his career stays on the rails, the government is heading for the buffersLong before this week it was already a mystery how Chris Grayling had managed to survive in the cabinet for so long. Now the mystery has become a scandal. As justice secretary, Mr Grayling promoted longer prison sentences, the restriction of human rights and the severe reduction of legal aid. He seemed set on forcing large parts of the
  
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• May tells Trump that tariffs are ‘deeply disappointing’

  04-06-2018 19:41 via ft.com
  Prime minister stresses security ties and free trade in half-hour telephone conversation
  
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• Chris Grayling tells MPs he is 'sorry' for failure of new rail timetable and announces inquiry – Politics live

  04-06-2018 19:21
  Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happenSajid Javid’s counter-terrorism speech and Q&A - SummaryLunchtime summaryAfternoon summary 6.15pm BST I would like to be able to tell the House that there is an easy solution or that the Department could simply step in and make the problems passengers are facing go away. If there was a way to do so, I would do that without the hesitation of a moment. But ultimately this solution can only be delivered by the rail i
  
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• Chris Grayling tells MPs he is 'sorry' for failure of new rail timetable and announces inquiry – as it happened

  04-06-2018 19:21
  Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happenSajid Javid’s counter-terrorism speech and Q&A - SummaryLunchtime summaryAfternoon summary 6.15pm BST I would like to be able to tell the House that there is an easy solution or that the Department could simply step in and make the problems passengers are facing go away. If there was a way to do so, I would do that without the hesitation of a moment. But ultimately this solution can only be delivered by the rail i
  
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• Sajid Javid’s opportunity to rethink UK immigration policy

  04-06-2018 19:18 via ft.com
  The home secretary can break with the errors of past policies
  
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• UK to propose law to curtail streaming extremist terror material

  04-06-2018 19:11 via ft.com
  Government wants to tighten access to content used to radicalise or to plan attacks
  
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• Streaming of extremist material targeted in UK counter-terror bill

  04-06-2018 19:11 via ft.com
  Sajid Javid seeks to tighten access to radicalising content
  
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• John Bercow will not be investigated over 'stupid woman' row

  04-06-2018 19:07
  Alleged remarks by Commons Speaker cannot be investigated under parliamentary rulesJohn Bercow, the Speaker of the House of Commons, will not be investigated by the standards watchdog over allegations that he described the cabinet minister Andrea Leadsom as a “stupid woman”.The Conservative MP James Duddridge, a long-standing critic of Bercow, had called for the standards commissioner to secure video and audio footage of the alleged incident in the Commons chamber last month before i
  
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• Jim Callaghan obituary

  04-06-2018 18:56
  Labour MP who fought hard to improve health and education services in his Heywood and Middleton constituency
  It was a source of considerable personal pride to the former Manchester MP Jim Callaghan, who has died aged 91, that after a lifetime spent seeking to improve health services in his constituency, his efforts were recognised, 10 years after his retirement from the House of Commons, when the local NHS centre was renamed in his honour. On visiting Callaghan House, in Cross Street, Heywood, h
  
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• UK government to sell 7.7% stake in RBS worth almost £2.6bn

  04-06-2018 18:08
  The chancellor, Philip Hammond, kickstarts sale of 925 million sharesPhilip Hammond has restarted the sale of government owned shares in Royal Bank of Scotland, offloading a stake worth almost £2.6bn to City investors at a loss. The chancellor, through UK Financial Investments, which owns the RBS stake on behalf of the government, kickstarted the sale of 925 million shares, representing about 7.7% of the bank’s stock.Continue reading...
  
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• Man given suspended sentence over racist emails to MPs

  04-06-2018 17:08
  David Hall sent threatening emails to six MPs, including some showing image of a nooseA retired engineer who sent racist and threatening emails to six MPs – including some with an image of a noose attached – has been given a nine-week suspended jail sentence.David Hall admitted sending six grossly offensive messages, including one warning Labour’s David Lammy to “remember what happened to Jo Cox” and others saying four Conservative MPs deserved to hang for “tr
  
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• Chris Grayling should resign over rail chaos, says Labour – Politics live

  04-06-2018 16:40
  Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happenSajid Javid’s counter-terrorism speech and Q&A - SummaryLunchtime summary 3.39pm BST The Times’s Sam Coates has posted a copy of the letter to Conservative MPs from the chief whip about the EU withdrawal bill debate next week.Cancel all plans for June 12 pic.twitter.com/LSHBwCsXIdThis is an absolute disgrace if true. Must be out of sheer panic. The HoC has had nothing to do for months in terms of substantive
  
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• Jack Straw examined 'extraordinary' social security files of Jeremy Thorpe's lover

  04-06-2018 15:54
  Labour grandee read Norman Scott’s intimate secrets during investigation for Harold WilsonLabour grandee Jack Straw has disclosed his role in a 1970s Whitehall plot to examine private social security files belonging to the lover of the former Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe.The former foreign secretary said the “extraordinary” files, marked secret, went into intimate details about the relationship between Norman Scott and Thorpe. A memo written by Straw was forwarded to the then p
  
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• New SFO director Lisa Osofsky wants agency to remain independent

  04-06-2018 15:24 via ft.com
  Head of UK’s fraud watchdog says she would oppose merger with NCA
  
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• Northern rail chaos is 'totally unacceptable', says Downing Street

  04-06-2018 14:42
  Andy Burnham calls for passengers to be compensated after cancellations and delaysThe chaos facing rail passengers in northern England is totally unacceptable, Downing Street has said, as cancellations and delays continued on Northern and Govia Thameslink Railway despite services being reduced to minimise the disruption. The transport secretary, Chris Grayling, was due to make a statement to the House of Commons on Monday, with the Department for Transport (DfT) unable to schedule enough ministe
  
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• No 10 raises hopes skilled visas cap could be lifted

  04-06-2018 14:39
  Government is ‘closely monitoring’ cap that has led to doctors being denied entryThe government is closely monitoring the impact of a skilled visas cap that led to more than 1,500 doctors being denied entry to the UK between December and March, Downing Street has confirmed.The home secretary, Sajid Javid, raised hopes that the cap could be lifted by saying on Sunday he was “taking a fresh look” at the policy, increasing pressure on Theresa May to loosen the restrictions.C
  
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• MPs and lawyers defend Lush against 'spycops' backlash

  04-06-2018 14:31
  Victims, union leaders and politicians including John McDonnell sign letter of supportWe stand with Lush in campaign for full disclosure – letterLeading politicians, lawyers, union officials and victims of the undercover policing scandal have all signed a letter defending the cosmetics retailer Lush over criticism of the company’s campaign to raise awareness of the issue.The shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, who was once spied on by police, is among 67 individual signatories to the
  
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• The Tories should listen to the public, not their leader, on immigration | Sunder Katwala

  04-06-2018 14:23
  A national consensus is possible – if the emerging Javid-Gove-Davidson axis recognises the UK’s more positive attitudesThe campaign to secure a new referendum on remaining in the EU faces a relentlessly ticking clock. Converting Jeremy Corbyn’s frontbench and enough Conservative backbenchers to the cause would leave little time to hold a public vote by the time Britain is due to leave the EU. Unless negotiations collapse entirely, it seems a long shot.Yet is there a glimmer of
  
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• Fears of a June EU summit failure

  04-06-2018 14:19 via ft.com
  Three weeks to go until Brussels gathering, but hopes of breakthrough rapidly receding
  
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• UK and Europe would 'all lose' without security deal, says Javid

  04-06-2018 13:59
  European commission’s hard line ‘wrong and reckless’, home secretary saysThe EU is split on post-Brexit security cooperation, the UK home secretary has said, as he introduced a new government counter-terrorism strategy with an appeal for Brussels to focus on maintaining strong links.Sajid Javid, outlining the approach, called Contest, in a speech in London, said it would be “wrong and reckless” for either side to seek a reduction in security and terror cooperation a
  
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• Expert lists litany of serious safety breaches at Grenfell Tower

  04-06-2018 13:50
  Fire safety engineer says failings led to ‘disproportionately high loss of life’ in fireSerious fire safety breaches at Grenfell Tower included more than 100 non-compliant fire doors, a firefighting lift that didn’t work and a “stay put” policy that totally failed, the inquiry into the disaster has been told.Related: Grenfell inquiry: fire service advice to 'stay put' failed residents – live updatesContinue reading...
  
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• EU plan to limit security cooperation after Brexit could increase risk of terror attack, Javid suggests – Politics live

  04-06-2018 13:40
  Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen 12.40pm BST Here is the full text of Sajid Javid’s speech. 12.29pm BST Alan Travis, who until recently was the Guardian’s home affairs editor, has been looking at the new counter-terrorism strategy published today.Today's refreshed counter-terrorism plans which see MI5 sharing intelligence on 'suspected terrorist sympathisers' with local govt, headteachers,etc appear to echo Theresa May's 2015 plans to blacklis
  
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• Let's be honest: There are no new Brexit ideas to save us

  04-06-2018 12:48
  
  There is another idea wheeling down the Brexit railway and it's as terrible as you might expect.
  
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• Former US prosecutor and FBI counsel named new SFO director

  04-06-2018 12:30 via ft.com
  Lisa Osofsky wants to step up agency’s fight against economic crime
  
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• Sajid Javid’s counter-terrorism plans risk Britain’s freedom | Simon Jenkins

  04-06-2018 12:27
  The new home secretary is close to capitulating to terrorism’s prime goal – undermining the liberties and dignities of the stateThe home secretary, Sajid Javid, has made an astonishing proposal among his raft of strategies to be unveiled today. It is that personal information possessed by MI5 on some 20,000 British “suspected” citizens be declassified and shared with local authorities, police “and others”. This is in order to “counter terrorism”. T
  
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• Refresh Britain’s threadbare postwar welfare state for today

  04-06-2018 12:27 via ft.com
  A focus on what communities need shows human connection is at the heart of progress
  
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• Javid promises 'no safe spaces for terrorists' as he unveils counter-terrorism strategy - Politics live

  04-06-2018 11:10
  Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen 10.10am BST In his Today interview Ben Wallace, the security minister, was also asked about today’s Guardian splash saying a large number of convicted terrorists are due to be released by the end of this year. Here is our story. Related: Sajid Javid to unveil revamped counter-terrorism strategy It is a concern because what we are seeing nowadays is a large group of people who have effectively crossed the Rubicon to b
  
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• Compensate Northern rail passengers for chaos, says Burnham

  04-06-2018 10:06
  Greater Manchester mayor also calls for fare reductions as rail firm cancels 165 servicesThe mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has called for substantial compensation for holders of advance and season tickets for Northern rail services as the company began running an emergency timetable with the planned cancellation of 165 daily services.Burnham also demanded a general reduction in fares for all passengers on routes affected by the emergency timetable.Continue reading...
  
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• No strong business case for ditching EU rules, says thinktank

  04-06-2018 07:00
  UK should accept regulations in return for strong market access, argues Open EuropeBritain should accept continued EU regulations in goods in return for retaining access to the EU single market, one of the thinktanks closest to Downing Street has proposed.After consultations across business and politics, a report from Open Europe concludes: “There is no strong business case for immediate significant divergence from the EU’s regulatory regime.” It says adherence to EU standards
  
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• Brexit is unnecessary. We have a plan to build a modern Britain | Will Hutton and Andrew Adonis

  04-06-2018 07:00
  The Brexiters are right about many problems but wrong on the solution. Poverty, inequality, low wages and job insecurity – all can be addressed without leaving the EUBrexit Britain is right. The status quo is insupportable. But the solution is not to leave the European Union. Our problems are made in Britain; they can only be solved in Britain. Europe does not impede this mission; rather it is indispensable. The imperative is to transform the way our country works.The poverty, inequalities
  
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• Brexit is unnecessary. We have a plan to build a modern Britain

  04-06-2018 07:00
  The Brexiters are right about many problems but wrong on the solution. Poverty, inequality, low wages and job insecurity – all can be addressed without leaving the EUBrexit Britain is right. The status quo is insupportable. But the solution is not to leave the European Union. Our problems are made in Britain; they can only be solved in Britain. Europe does not impede this mission; rather it is indispensable. The imperative is to transform the way our country works.The poverty, inequalities
  
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• UK hints at staying in European VAT area after Brexit

  04-06-2018 05:00 via ft.com
  Britain takes ‘active role’ in shaping tax rules for 2020s despite leaving the EU
  
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• Britain hints at staying in European VAT area after Brexit

  04-06-2018 05:00 via ft.com
  London taking ‘active role’ in shaping tax rules for 2020s despite leaving the EU
  
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• London Bridge terror victims remembered

  04-06-2018 03:47 via ft.com
  A service remembers victims and survivors in a terrorist attack on the bridge and in Borough Market
  
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• No 10 expected to lift visa cap preventing doctors entering UK

  04-06-2018 01:08
  PM under pressure after home secretary distances himself from policy in TV interviewDowning Street is poised to announce that it will lift the cap on visas for skilled migrants that has led to more than a thousand doctors being denied entry to the UK, after the home secretary, Sajid Javid, said he was “taking a fresh look” at the policy.Theresa May has been under intense pressure to loosen the restrictions, including from the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, after quotas for so-called
  
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• MPs call for UK companies to disclose climate risks

  04-06-2018 01:02 via ft.com
  Six of UK’s largest pension funds have not considered climate change at all
  
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• Growing gulf between pay of younger and older people, says TUC

  04-06-2018 01:01
  Report laments lost generation of younger workers stuck in low-paid, insecure jobsThe gulf between the earnings of younger and older people has increased by 50% in the last 20 years, leaving young workers struggling to survive, the TUC has warned in a report.In a bid to combat the growing generational pay gap and halt falling union membership among younger people, the TUC said it was revolutionising the way it recruits younger workers. Continue reading...
  
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• Frances O'Grady on the TUC at 150: 'Unions have to change or die'

  04-06-2018 01:01
  As the organisation tries to reach younger people, its leader sees sparks of a mass movementAbove Frances O’Grady’s desk hangs a striking image of miners pouring out of Murton colliery, in County Durham, by the pitman painter Tom McGuiness. Workers stream out into the early evening light, a group gather to chat, and in the far corner a woman in a bright yellow coat is caught in an embrace.Related: Growing gulf between pay of younger and older people, says TUCContinue reading...
  
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