14 January 2019 | UK NEWS

This morning, Theresa May addressed a factory of workers in Stoke, warning pro-Brexit MPs that voting against her deal tomorrow could result in no Brexit. Later today she will reassure the Commons that the Irish backstop will only be a temporary measure. In yet another blow for the PM, Assistant Whip Gareth Johnson has resigned over her Brexit deal. 

The PM is still expected to lose heavily tomorrow. If she loses by a smaller margin than expected, she will likely attempt to renegotiate with Brussels. If this happens, the EU would be expected to offer further legal assurance over the temporary nature of the Irish backstop.

In economic news, Japanese company Hitachi will seek to stop construction of a £20bn nuclear plant in Wales. If the project is scrapped, it will cost the area 400 jobs and leave the UK with only one other nuclear plant under construction. These reports have generated renewed scrutiny of the UK Government’s nuclear policy. In more positive economic news, hedge fund Orchard Global has completed £2.5bn of fundraising as it shifts its global HQ to London. 

What’s going on in Westminster? 

There are a few pro-Brexit events happening this evening. The Bruges Group will host one, with Tory MP Philip Davies expected to speak. Whilst the Henry Jackson Society will host another, with Tory MP James Gray set to speak. 

Health Secretary Matt Hancock will speak at the Obesity APPG international conference today. 

What we’re reading on the internet:

Tory MP Margot James on how central Government is working to equip British workers with digital skills – here

Analysis of likely next steps should Parliament reject May’s deal – here

Military veterans suffering with mental health problems will get priority social housing under new proposals – here

11 January 2019 | UK NEWS

Leading the agenda:

– May is expected to lose heavily in the Parliamentary vote on her Brexit deal next week. She has approached the leaders of Unite and GMB in an attempt to gain trade union support. It’s looking increasingly likely she will offer further assurances on workers’ rights to win the support of Labour MPs. 

– UK economic growth has hit a six month low in the three months to November. The economy grew by a sluggish 0.3% in the timeframe, with the manufacturing sector performing worse than expected. 

– Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd has announced universal credit payments will go directly to a household’s main carer in a move that is expected to help more women. Four working single mum’s have won a High Court challenge over the scheme, arguing there are fundamental problems in its financial delivery. 

Movements:

– A cross-party group of MPs have met today to discuss the prospect of a second EU referendum.

– Eurosceptic Tory MPs met this morning at the Emmanuel Centre in Westminster to discuss campaign strategy in the event of a second referendum. 

– Eurosceptic Tory MP Steve Baker to publish a new version of the Withdrawal agreement in an attempt to break the Brexit deadlock.

General:

– Tory MP Dominic Grieve, architect of the Grieve Amendment, has urged May to delay Brexit if her deal fails to pass Parliament next week.

– Civil servants are being urged to begin preparing in earnest for a no-deal Brexit.

– Fiona Bruce hosted her first Question Time last night, the first episode in the post-Dimblebey era. She’s received widespread support from viewers for her performance. 

– A report on mental health services for young people was published today by the Public Accounts Committee.

9 January 2019 | UK NEWS

Leading the agenda:

– The Grieve Amendment has passed Parliament, meaning if May’s Brexit deal fails to pass Parliament the PM will have to produce a second Brexit plan within three days. Eurosceptic MPs were angered when Speaker of the House John Bercow allowed MPs to debate the Grieve Amendment, which led to its passing. 

– Yesterday the Government lost a vote on the Finance Bill by 303 to 296 votes, the first time this has happened since 1978. This means the Government’s ability to raise money to fund a potential no-deal Brexit will be limited unless Parliament specifically allows it.  

– The think tank The UK in a Changing Europe has released a new survey relating to MPs attitudes towards Brexit. It finds 70% of MPs believe May has done a poor job of negotiating Brexit. You can find more information on the survey here.

– The Police are under pressure after Conservative MP Anna Soubry was harassed outside Parliament by Brexit activists. Over 100 MPs have requested police improve their response to abusive protestors. 

Movements:

– May will host a drinks reception for Conservative MPs this evening in what is likely an attempt to win support for next week’s vote on her Brexit deal. 

General:

– Conservative MP Craig MacKinlay has been found innocent after being accused of falsifying his election expenses. He was accused of failing to declare £60,000 spent on additional staff and adverts during his campaign for South Thanet in the 2015 General Election, when he beat former UKIP Leader Nigel Farage. 

– ONS to publish a report on UK productivity from July to September 2018. You can find more information on the report here.

– May has proposed that the Northern Ireland Government should have veto power if the border backstop materialises post-Brexit. Both the DUP and Sinn Fein are against the proposals, describing them as meaningless.

7 January 2019 | UK NEWS

Leading the agenda:

– May to launch a new NHS long-term plan with the Head of NHS England Simon Stevens. It will cover the next 10 years and could save up to 500,000 lives by focusing on disease prevention and early detection. GPs and mental health facilities will see a considerable increase in funding. 

– May has confirmed the vote on her Brexit deal will take place on the 15th January, despite pressure for her to consider various alternatives, including delaying the vote for a second time. Sources close to May have confirmed the PM is committed to the vote taking place this month and will not seek another delay. 

– Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd has delayed the next phase of the Government’s universal credit rollout. This comes after the scheme was blamed for increasing poverty in areas it has already been introduced. Sources close to Rudd have stated the delay is the appropriate thing to do, and that Rudd is listening to the concerns of other Parliamentarians. 

Movements:

– MPs return to Westminster today after the Christmas recess. 

– MPs have created cross-party groups to campaign for different Brexit options. Two of which are lobbying to prevent a no-deal, one is lobbying for no-deal, another for a “Common Market 2.0” agreement and a final one for a second referendum. 

– A cross party amendment to the Finance Bill was tabled. The amendment would restrict the Government’s access to capital in the event of a no-deal Brexit. This would be a significant blow to the autonomy of May’s Government and its ability to pass legislation. 

– Conservative MP Caroline Spelman and Labour MP Jack Dromey are sending a letter to May arguing for the creation of a mechanism which would ensure a no-deal Brexit could not take place. The letter has been signed by over 200 MPs. 

– May to meet with Brexit Secretary Stephan Barclay and Chief Whip Julian Smith. They will consider whether to cancel the February recess or force MPs to work overtime to ensure adequate legislative preparation for Brexit. 

– The Parliamentary Labour Party will meet this evening. 

General:

– The think-tank Onward has concluded many university courses are not financially beneficial for students or for taxpayers.

21 December 2018 | UK NEWS

Leading the agenda:

– Justice Secretary David Gauke has suggested he will resign from the Cabinet in the event of a no deal Brexit. However Gauke’s potential resignation is unlikely to pertain any shift in government policy. 

– The military was called in to deal with a drone flying in Gatwick Airport’s air space. Senior civil servants made the decision after a meeting earlier today. Gatwick’s runway has since reopened but the drone operator has not been caught. It is believed the operator is an environmental activist. 

– Boris Johnson has been cleared of breaking the Conservative Party’s code of conduct after he had written that women in burkas looked like letter boxes and bank robbers. Free speech activists have celebrated the decision, although many questioned why Johnson was under investigation in the first place. 

– The number of cars made in the UK fell 19.6% in November, the steepest drop in a decade. Pundits believe this is the beginning of the sector’s reduction which will continue after the UK leave’s the EU. 

General:

– MP Ivan Lewis has left the Labour Party over its inability to deal with anti-Semitism. He will now sit as an Independent MP. 

– Homeless deaths are up 24% in England and Wales. Many across the political spectrum believe the current government has abjectly failed on the issue of homelessness. It’s likely government policy will increasingly prioritise the area given the growing awareness of the issue. 

– Irish PM Leo Varadkar has stated Ireland would pursue an open border with the UK in the event of a no deal Brexit.

– The Bank of England have held interest rates, citing lingering uncertainty around Brexit as the reason for doing so. 

– Government has warned businesses who trade with the EU to make preparations for a no deal Brexit. 

– Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd has suggested she may support a second EU referendum.

19 December 2018 | UK NEWS

Leading the agenda:

– Jeremy Corbyn is under pressure after appearing to refer to Theresa May as a ‘stupid woman’ at PMQS. He denies the accusation and claims he said ‘stupid people’ instead. 

– Immigration white paper on post-Brexit policy details how tens of thousands of low-skilled migrants could come to the UK and stay for up to a year. The motivation is to protect parts of the UK economy reliant on low-skilled migrant labour whilst reducing immigration to more ‘sustainable levels’.

– The European Commission has started to implement their preperation plans for a no-deal Brexit. 

General:

– Business lobby groups the CBI and the Federation of Small Businesses have issued a joint statement highlighting the dangers a no-deal Brexit poses to business. 

– UK inflation falls slightly as petrol prices drop.

– India is set to overtake the UK in the 2019 global economic rankings, with the UK dropping to seventh. 

– Financial lobby group UK Finance are demanding lower taxes for financial services, citing risks to their industry from Brexit and a potential Corbyn Government as motivation for the initiative.

17 December 2018|UK NEWS

Leading:

– Momentum for a second referendum is building after May failed to secure further concessions from the EU last week. William Hill are the first betting company to have a second referendum as the most likely outcome, with other betting companies expected to follow. 

– May still opposes a second vote, claiming it would “break faith” with the electorate. David Cameron is currently advising her on her options if the deal fails to pass Parliament. 

– Pressure is building on Jeremy Corbyn to call a vote of no confidence in May’s Government with Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP leading the charge. 

– Workers on zero hour contracts will soon be better protected by a package of government legislation. Pundits see this initiative as May trying to solidify a personal legacy beyond Brexit. Labour claim the reforms do not go far enough

Movements:

– Labour Party to hold its weekly meeting at 6pm this evening. 

General: 

– The ONS have claimed a change in student loans will add £12bn to the UK national deficit. 

– Foreign property landlords are withdrawing from the UK after lower house price growth, more stringent tax enforcement and the fall in the value of sterling.

– Jaguar Land Rover to cut thousands of jobs in 2019.

– Justice Secretary David Gauke has claimed he would quit over a no deal Brexit.

14 December 2018|UK NEWS

Leading the agenda:

– EU have rejected any form of renegotiation regarding the Northern Ireland backstop after May assured her MPs she could achieve legal changes. 

– David Dimbleby steps down as host of Question time after 25 years, Fiona Bruce to take over in the new year.

– Households in England face £80 rise in council tax bills from April 2019. 

– UK travellers to pay a whopping £6.30 once every three years to travel to EU countries.

Movements: 

– Tony Blair to give speech on Brexit in London. 

– European Council Leader’s summit ends today.

– Theresa May to give press conference following a meeting of European leaders. 

General:

– Labour continue to float the idea of breaking up the big four accounting firms. 

– A Survation poll of 800 Conservative Councillors has chosen Sajid Javid as the preferred successor to May, followed by Jeremy Hunt in second and Dominic Raab in third. 

– Two Conservative MPs, Andrew Griffiths and Charlie Elphicke, have had their whip restored after allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour. 

– England’s police force receive funding boost. 

– Number of Britons linked to far-right extremism rises significantly.

12 December 2018 | UK NEWS

Sir Graham Brady has announced that the threshold of 15% of the parliamentary Conservative Party seeking a vote of confidence in Prime Minister, Theresa May has been exceeded and a vote in her leadership will take place.

There will now be a private ballot of Conservative MPs tonight in the House of Commons from 18:00 – 20:00. 

Speaking outside Downing Street this morning, the Prime Minister was defiant and said that she “will contest that vote with everything I have got” and that she “stands ready to finish the job.” 

It is expected that Theresa May will win the challenge and continue as Prime Minister, meaning she would not be able to challenged for at least a year. If Mrs May loses, then a leadership contest will ensue, or in extraordinary circumstances, a caretaker leader will be appointed.

10 December 2018 | UK NEWS

Leading the agenda:

– May will delay the meaningful vote on her Brexit deal, initially scheduled for tomorrow, over fears she would lose by a significant margin. She will make a statement on the matter at 15:30. 

– The UK economy grew by 0.4% in the three months to October as the manufacturing sector and the car market perform poorly. 

– The European Court of Justice has stated the UK can stop the Brexit process without seeking approval from other EU member states. 

Movements:

– Tory MP’s Sam Gyimah and Bernard Jenkin to attend a Reform (think tank) event on public services this afternoon. 

– Sinn Fein’s Northern Ireland Leader Michelle O’Neill to give a speech in Cardiff on the Irish border. 

General:

– Crossrail is set for a £1bn bailout, its third bailout this year, following significant cost problems and delays.

– The UK Government contractor Interserve, which operates in the prison, education and hospital sectors, is seeking a rescue deal after falling into £500m of debt. 

– London’s Assembly’s Environment Committee to publish a report on farming in London’s green belt.