‘Theresa May will harness the spirit of Britain’s Olympic “world beaters” to draw up a blueprint for Brexit — as Team GB’s performance in Rio was hailed as the greatest yet by a British team. A senior cabinet minister has revealed the government will adopt the same approach of backing “excellence” that has catapulted Team GB to Olympic glory as the master plan for economic prosperity outside the EU…May will use her speech to the Conservative Party conference in October to reflect on the success at the Olympics and make the case that the “best of British” values will come to the country’s aid as she negotiates Brexit. She will also flesh out her plans for a new industrial strategy, which will see the government be far more proactive in boosting investment in cities around the country. Special emphasis will be placed on helping sectors of the economy — such as the creative industries in Bristol or hi-tech firms in university towns — where different regions already have a competitive edge. – Sunday Times (£)
>Today: ToryDiary: An industrial strategy inspired by our Olympic success would mean picking losers as well as winners
‘Many of those who campaigned to remain continue to believe the result was illegitimate because of whom they believe voted to leave. At first, schemes were hatched to repeat the referendum until “such people” voted the right way. Then when that fell flat, they said the referendum wasn’t binding but only advisory…Now those self-same people say we should not trigger Article 50 — which sets out the exit process — any time soon, hoping I am sure that we drift on, never actually leaving….Those of us who believe in the referendum result should remind ourselves of Margaret Thatcher’s response: “No, no, no”…We need to get on with triggering Article 50, as the Government has said, in early 2017.
>Today: Philippe Herlin on Comment: The Brexit negotiations. And how the Commission has a vested interest in high tariffs while member states lose out.
‘Hate preachers such as Anjem Choudary face being kept in jail isolation cells to stop them inciting other prisoners to join Islamic State. Justice Secretary Liz Truss will tomorrow announce plans to set up specialist units in high security prisons to keep dangerous extremists away from other inmates. The move could affect Islamist preacher Choudary, who faces up to ten years behind bars after he was convicted of inciting support for IS. ‘ – Mail on Sunday
‘The Treasury has sought to distance itself from confusion over the Help to Buy Isa scheme and blame the banks for any lack of clarity. Customers reacted angrily after The Daily Telegraph revealed that the small print of the Government’s flagship Isa, designed to get first-time buyers onto the property ladder, means savers cannot get a promised “bonus” on their money until the purchase of a property is completed. A Treasury source insisted that Help to Buy had never been designed as a deposit saving scheme, with sources saying any of the 500,000 customers who have already signed up and are unclear should “take it up with their bank”.’ – Sunday Telegraph
‘The former Chancellor, sacked when Theresa May became PM, said consumers would drink less because producers may pass on the price rise. But advice published by the Treasury last week says the bill will be picked up entirely by producers and insists: “This is not a tax on consumers.” Manufacturers are now demanding to know what is the point of the sugar tax if it is not to persuade families to drink less.’ – The Sun on Sunday (£)
‘The Prime Minister can be seen slapping smiling Mark Clarke on the back and praising his work for the Conservatives at a boozy rally – with one of Clarke’s mistresses in the audience. An uncharacteristically excited Mrs May tells Clarke: ‘What you are doing is absolutely tremendous. Road Trip 2015 is great. Thank you Mark for all you are doing.” – Mail on Sunday
‘They have attacked lorries with chainsaws and petrol bombs, tear-gassed drivers and mounted road blocks using tree trunks and blazing mattresses. Dover MP Charlie Elphicke has compiled a shocking dossier on ruthless trafficking gangs for Home Secretary Amber Rudd. And he warned last night: “We must act now before this sorry saga ends in a tragedy.” He wants Ms Rudd to pile extra pressure on the French to close down the notorious migrant camp known as the “Jungle”. It now houses 6,000 people desperate to cross the 20-mile stretch of water to England.’ – The Sun on Sunday (£)
‘At least 80 MPs are ready to join the new faction, which will have its own policies, spokesmen and whips. Glum moderates fear Mr Corbyn is on course to defeat Owen Smith in the leadership battle. So they will join the Co-operative Party, which merged with Labour in 1927, and sit in Parliament under two banners. If the hard-Left try to deselect any of them, they will apply to Commons Speaker John Bercow to be the official Opposition. Rebel leaders believe expanding the established Co-op would be better than staging a breakaway party, like the SDP in the 1980s.’ – The Sun on Sunday (£)
‘I nominated Jeremy for leader last year – but did not vote for him – and I do not regret nominating him because party members deserved that choice. His campaign last summer was a breath of fresh air and offered hope to many…By every available measure, if Jeremy remains as leader, Labour is extremely unlikely to win the next general election. The hopes of the members who have joined our party would be dashed again. Jeremy has already proved that he is unable to organise an effective team, and has failed to win the trust and respect of the British people.’ – Sadiq Khan, The Observer
‘Beating Corbyn was always going to be a tough task. It became an almost impossible task when his disciples managed to circumvent the restriction on non-members voting in the contest, and signed up tens of thousands of ‘supporters’ at £25 a pop. But against a strong candidate, running an aggressive, well-focused campaign, Corbyn could have at least been forced to put up a fight. Owen Smith is not that candidate. He has run a spineless, incoherent, incompetent campaign. As a result, Corbyn is shambling along to another victory.’ – Dan Hodges, Mail on Sunday
‘The picture of Omran epitomises the horror that can be broadcast on our television screens. It is significantly better than many of the pictures of children coming out from Aleppo but should still shame world leaders. Hopefully this will galvanise the west to finally stop sitting back and being passive observers. This war is different because it is our war. The refugees that have poured into Europe are there because we have not done anything to stop the suffering. If we wait for another five years, there will be one million people killed and 20 million refugees. The sticking point is whether Assad stays or goes. He has to go.’ – David Nott, The Observer