Political news

• Theresa May and Emanuel Macron to hold talks in France

  31-07-2018 21:48 via bbc.co.uk
  The visit comes as UK ministers appeal to France and Germany to help secure a Brexit deal.
  
  Read more

• Fears cash-strapped council may cut services for vulnerable children

  31-07-2018 21:22
  Northamptonshire county council scrambles to save £70m amid warnings even core services are at riskThe funding crisis facing local authorities has deepened after a Tory-run council warned services for vulnerable children and adults can no longer be protected as it prepared drastic measures to survive ongoing financial difficulties described as “without parallel in modern times”.Northamptonshire county council – already technically insolvent – has called an extraordi
  
  Read more

• Labour action urged over Peter Willsman's anti-Semitism remarks

  31-07-2018 21:13 via bbc.co.uk
  Peter Willsman was recorded suggesting "Trump fanatics" are behind Labour anti-Semitism claims.
  
  Read more

• Operation Brock 'lorry park' on M20 'could last years'

  31-07-2018 20:30 via bbc.co.uk
  A report by Dover District Council expresses fears over how ports would cope with a no-deal Brexit.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Labour MP Carolyn Harris's aide cleared of pay rise fraud

  31-07-2018 19:49 via bbc.co.uk
  A former aide to the deputy leader of Welsh Labour is found not guilty of fraudulently increasing her salary.
  
  Read more

• The Guardian view on Labour’s misguided priorities: lead on Brexit and prepare for government | Editorial

  31-07-2018 19:35
  Labour is too focused on internal arguments and score-settling. If the party is to deserve to win an election it must give a clearer leadRoger Oldham’s delightful 1906 “Manchester Alphabet” consists of a comical collection of 26 drawings and rhymes woven around daily life in Manchester. His Alphabet starts with “A is for Ancoats” and ends with “Z is for Zoo” When he got to the letter G, Oldham had little hesitation. G is for Guardian, he decided, ac
  
  Read more

• The Guardian view on Jeremy Hunt in China: why wives matter | Editorial

  31-07-2018 19:33
  The foreign secretary took a stronger stand on human rights when he met the spouses of rights lawyers – but there is a long way to goJeremy Hunt has been buying flowers for his wife, having described her as Japanese rather than Chinese on his first overseas trip as foreign secretary. But his homecoming is only the second most important wifely meeting this week. In Beijing he met the spouses of rights lawyers Wang Quanzhang, Li Heping and Yu Wensheng, who are or have been detained, as well
  
  Read more

• Facebook exposes disinformation campaign to influence US midterms

  31-07-2018 19:32 via ft.com
  Social network removes 32 pages and accounts for ‘co-ordinated inauthentic behaviour’
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• High Court 'misled' by government over child refugees

  31-07-2018 19:18 via bbc.co.uk
  The Home Office acted unlawfully when it rejected unaccompanied children in Calais, a court rules.
  
  Read more

• Martin Rowson on the Labour party – cartoon

  31-07-2018 19:12
  Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• Labour MP's former aide cleared of forgery and fraud in workplace

  31-07-2018 18:04
  Jenny Lee Clarke told court she was bullied by Welsh Labour deputy leader Carolyn HarrisAn MP’s former aide has spoken of her relief after she was found not guilty of forgery and fraud against her former employer.Jenny Lee Clarke, 42, who was office manager for the Welsh Labour deputy leader, Carolyn Harris, was accused of submitting a form increasing her annual pay from £37,000 to £39,000 and decreasing her weekly hours from 40 to 37.5. Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• Education secretary: elite universities must improve access

  31-07-2018 17:48
  Damian Hinds says top institutions will spend £860m to support the disadvantagedElite universities are not instinctively biased against disadvantaged children but must do more to improve access, the UK’s education secretary has said.In his first major speech on social mobility, Damian Hinds said there was a “very legitimate public interest” to ensure attempts to encourage children to attend the top higher education institutions reach “deep into the country” an
  
  Read more

• May to meet Macron over France’s approach to Brexit

  31-07-2018 17:45 via ft.com
  British PM breaks away from holiday to meet French president at summer retreat
  
  Read more

• May to meet Macron in push to soften France’s approach to Brexit

  31-07-2018 17:45 via ft.com
  British PM breaks away from holiday to meet French president at his summer retreat
  
  Read more

• Aid sector 'almost complicit' in sex scandal, say MPs

  31-07-2018 17:33 via bbc.co.uk
  Abuse is "endemic" and the aid sector has "collectively failed" to tackle exploitation, MPs say.
  
  Read more

• Jacob Rees-Mogg firm advising top Canada marijuana market investor

  31-07-2018 16:59
  Prominent Brexiter refuses to back decriminalisation or legalisation of cannabis in UKJacob Rees-Mogg’s investment firm is advising one of the highest-profile investors in Canada’s marijuana market.Somerset Capital Management, co-founded by the prominent Brexiter MP, is an adviser to an emerging markets fund established by Purpose Investments. Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• Former Holyrood presiding officer Sir Alex Fergusson dies

  31-07-2018 16:53 via bbc.co.uk
  Sir Alex Fergusson, a former presiding officer of the Scottish Parliament, dies at the age of 69.
  
  Read more

• By slashing youth services, the Tories have betrayed a generation | Cat Smith

  31-07-2018 16:30
  Cuts in youth services have a knock-on effect for everyone – but Labour will make proper funding a legal requirementEvery young person needs somewhere to go, something to do and someone to speak to. For many young people, their local youth club is the only safe space they have to get the support they need. However, after eight years of austerity, many parts of our country now have no recognisable youth services at all.A major flaw in the current system is that there is no legal requirement
  
  Read more

• The UK economy since the Brexit vote — in 5 charts

  31-07-2018 15:43 via ft.com
  A strong performance after the referendum has given way to weakness this year
  
  Read more

• Labour under pressure over Peter Willsman's antisemitism remarks

  31-07-2018 15:30
  NEC member said Jewish claims of antisemitism were based on ‘duff information’The Labour party is under growing pressure to reconsider its decision not to formally discipline one of Jeremy Corbyn’s allies after he accused Jewish “Trump fanatics” of making up allegations of antisemitism in the party.Jewish community leaders reacted furiously to remarks made by Peter Willsman at a meeting of Labour’s national executive committee (NEC) earlier this month. The mee
  
  Read more

• Labour plans to allow members e-votes after democracy review

  31-07-2018 15:23
  Proposal among measures to give grassroots activists a say on controversial national policies such as Trident
  Labour is planning to introduce electronic voting for annual conferences, local constituency ballots and decisions over policy, a review of internal democracy has concluded.As part of Jeremy Corbyn’s plan to give power back to members, they would be able to participate remotely without having to attend meetings in person or vote on paper. Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• Take a prescription drug? Here’s how Brexit could put you at risk | Ash Soni

  31-07-2018 14:39
  Getting medicines to pharmacies is a complex process. If European supply chains are disrupted, there could be shortagesMedicines form an essential part of the care provided by the NHS. More than one billion items are dispensed annually through community pharmacies, and the total bill for medicines is more than £17bn. For patients with long-term conditions such as diabetes, asthma or schizophrenia, daily medicines play a vital role in maintaining their health and wellbeing. Related: Take fr
  
  Read more

• Peter Willsman’s rant points to a Labour party still blind to antisemitism | Gaby Hinsliff

  31-07-2018 14:32
  The activist offhandedly dismissed antisemitism allegations. How much more poisonous will Labour let this issue become?There’s none so blind as those who will not see.That’s probably the least depressing explanation for a recording of Peter Willsman, the veteran hard-left activist and (in deputy leader Tom Watson’s words) “loud-mouthed bully”, dismissing Jews expressing fears about antisemitism on the left as “Trump fanatics” just “making up inform
  
  Read more

• UK government runs low on credibility over stockpiling

  31-07-2018 14:31 via ft.com
  Stockpiling idea betrays lack of understanding about food supply chain and storage
  
  Read more

• The greatest threat facing Jeremy Corbyn is John McDonnell

  31-07-2018 14:05 via ft.com
  The UK opposition leader is being increasingly challenged by his de facto deputy
  
  Read more

• May should extend the article 50 process – to broker a good deal with the EU | Manuel Cortes

  31-07-2018 13:48
  Charging off the Brexit cliff risks jobs. We should remain full EU members until our future relationship with it is clearThe chaos brought by the Tory government and its brand of Brexit knows no end. The new – and newly ousted – Brexit secretary, Dominic Raab, found that out the hard way when, following the publication of the Brexit white paper, he was promptly demoted to the has-been bench. Yet let’s assume for a second that with Theresa May firmly at the reins, the government
  
  Read more

• EU's Brexit declaration could be just 'four or five pages' long

  31-07-2018 13:18
  Senior EU official says document setting out ‘future framework’ of relationship with UK is unlikely to be as detailed as Britain hopesThe EU’s declaration on the trade and security relationship with the UK after Brexit will be just five to 30 pages long, reflecting a lack of time to have an internal debate and scepticism that Theresa May will remain in Downing Street to deliver it, officials in Brussels have disclosed.While the UK is seeking a “precise and substantive&rdq
  
  Read more

• Theresa May’s Chequers proposal is best route to Brexit

  31-07-2018 12:35 via ft.com
  An improved UK offer would respect integrity of the internal market better than EEA
  
  Read more

• Pupils unable to read is 'a scandal', says minister

  31-07-2018 12:02 via bbc.co.uk
  The education secretary says some young pupils are unable to speak properly or read simple words.
  
  Read more

• Prison crisis: Have we reached a turning point?

  31-07-2018 11:48
  
  Gauke's progressive-sounding steps for prison reform are a start but there is still a mountain to climb
  
  Read more

• Brexit: Trade agreement with China is far from a done deal

  31-07-2018 10:20
  
  After Brexit we'll need China much more than they'll need us
  
  Read more

• No evidence to back DUP man's BBC harassment claim

  31-07-2018 07:35 via bbc.co.uk
  Councillor Luke Poots complained to police after a BBC reporter raised questions about a planning application.
  
  Read more

• This thinktank scandal is another sign that our democracy is under attack | Jon Trickett

  31-07-2018 07:00
  I welcome the Charity Commission’s investigation into the Institute of Economic Affairs’ dealings with high-ranking Tories. But it’s only a startThere is a sickness at the heart of British politics. Mostly it goes unnoticed. But on occasion it becomes abundantly clear. Democracy, which is meant to secure the sovereignty of the people, is repeatedly undermined by a wealthy and powerful elite.Don't see the IEA scandal as an aberration. Corporate interests and lobbyists hollowing
  
  Read more

• Ignore Zuckerberg. With skill and imagination we can drive the haters offline | Zoe Williams

  31-07-2018 07:00
  The idea that tech’s vast reach makes it too big and complicated to control might suit the social media giants, but it’s just not trueIf you’re not on Twitter, don’t start. It’s like smoking: highly addictive and no good will come of it. But if you are, log on and put “Elon Musk” in your handle. Twitter has had enough of fraudulent Musk imitators and has decided to put a stop to their merry japes. Your account will be immediately blocked until you’
  
  Read more

• Deselection has its place in our democracy. Kate Hoey must go | Owen Jones

  31-07-2018 07:00
  Labour members have a right to remove MPs who have lost their confidence and who help prop up a Tory governmentA cliff edge approaches, and the Tories – whooping like Dr Strangelove’s Major Kong as he rides the bomb – seem intent on driving us ever closer. Promises of a thriving post-Brexit Britain have been replaced with reassurances that there will be “adequate” food, that stockpiling is taking place, and the army will be on standby. Funny how these never mad
  
  Read more

• Corbyn's Brexit policy likely to be challenged at Labour conference

  31-07-2018 07:00
  Support growing for a public vote on a final deal among the party leader’s key alliesMore than 150 constituency Labour parties (CLPs) have been considering mounting a challenge to Jeremy Corbyn’s Brexit policy at conference this autumn, with an apparent rise in support for a referendum on a final deal among some of his key allies.
  A handful of the local parties, some of them in leave-voting constituencies, have already agreed to adopt a motion for a public vote on Theresa May’s
  
  Read more

• Britain must sometimes support 'unsavoury regimes', report states

  31-07-2018 06:00
  Study admits that hasty efforts to set up liberal democratic institutions are likely to failBritain’s big postwar era foreign interventions have not relied enough on striking bargains between sometimes unsavoury regional elites, a Foreign Office study endorsed by ministers has found.“There will be times when we have to hold our nose and support dialogue with those who oppose our values, or who may have committed war crimes,” said Alistair Burt, a Foreign Office minister who com
  
  Read more

• Labour pledges £1.6bn to boost UK broadband speeds

  31-07-2018 05:01 via ft.com
  Britain’s average is 46 Mbps, says Ofcom, but parts of country struggle to reach 10 Mbps
  
  Read more

• How ‘ministerial flop’ became favourite to succeed Theresa May as PM

  31-07-2018 05:00 via ft.com
  Sajid Javid appeared to be set for the sack a year ago but is now thriving as home secretary
  
  Read more

• Brexit and your holiday: Five things that could change

  31-07-2018 03:04 via bbc.co.uk
  How the UK leaving the EU could impact things like flights, visas and mobile roaming.
  
  Read more

• Parkinson's diagnosis for ex-minister Sir Peter Luff

  31-07-2018 01:16 via bbc.co.uk
  Sir Peter Luff reveals he has the degenerative disease, after first being diagnosed three years ago.
  
  Read more

• UK MPs call for debate on post-Brexit immigration

  31-07-2018 01:15 via ft.com
  Report finds ministers have failed to explore options on control within the single market
  
  Read more

• British MPs call for debate on post-Brexit immigration

  31-07-2018 01:15 via ft.com
  Report finds ministers have failed to explore options on control within the single market
  
  Read more

• Presidents Club’s hostess agency agrees shake-up

  31-07-2018 01:05 via ft.com
  Artista agency to overhaul its working practices following controversy
  
  Read more

• No-deal Brexit fears spark warning of UK car crash

  31-07-2018 01:04 via ft.com
  Output falls 3% in first half as industry points to lack of time to prepare
  
  Read more

• Aid charities need new ombudsman to tackle sex abuse, say MPs

  31-07-2018 01:02 via ft.com
  Sector requires ‘change of mindset’ after years of ‘abject failure’
  
  Read more

• Labour vows to make provision of youth services compulsory

  31-07-2018 01:01
  Party also proposes national body to oversee services for young people in England in effort to curb rising crimeLabour is proposing to make it compulsory for councils to provide a minimum level of youth services, particularly aimed at vulnerable young people, as a way of trying to tackle knife crime and other social ills.The plan, which promises dedicated and guaranteed funding, would also create a national body to oversee the provision of youth services in England. Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• MPs urge a rethink of UK devolution

  31-07-2018 01:00 via bbc.co.uk
  MPs on Westminster's constitutional affairs committee urge a "rethink" of devolution in light of Brexit.
  
  Read more

Follow @political_UKnws on Twitter!