May indicates she won’t back down against militant doctors…
“Theresa May yesterday accused striking junior doctors of ‘playing politics’ with patients’ lives, and told them they’ve never had it so good. In a sign of intent, the Prime Minister intervened to make it clear the Government will not back down against the BMA’s militant leaders on the ‘crucial’ new contract for junior doctors.” – Daily Mail
- Hunt unswayed on contract despite union threat – FT
- Stop strikes now, senior doctors warn BMA – The Times (£)
- Royal medical colleges denounce ‘disproportionate’ strike plans – Daily Telegraph
- NHS faces ‘unprecedented’ series of monthly strikes – FT
- Only one in three doctors support the strike – Daily Mail
- Mother of strike leader was ‘nurses’ firebrand’ who plotted Unison walkout – Daily Telegraph
- Hospital becomes first to shut down specialist maternity services over stoppages – Daily Telegraph
More NHS:
- Shamed NHS boss should go, hints Hunt – Daily Mail
Comment:
- Hunt must listen, the NHS can’t afford a strike – Polly Toynbee, The Guardian
Editorial:
- Striking doctors are shattering our trust – Daily Mail
- Doctors cannot claim to care for patients, then abandon them – The Times (£)
>Today: Andrew Brown in Comment: We must do more for junior doctors. But it should not include giving way to them on pay.
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: The doctors’ strike shows why the NHS needs bold reform
…as she turns on the ‘Big Six’ after hiring Centrica expert
“The Sun can reveal the PM has hired an expert guru from British Gas owner Centrica to beef up the policy team at the heart of Downing Street – Georgia Berry. Ms Berry’s mother was formerly the Tory party’s chief fundraiser. The move comes as part of a planned push to clamp down on rip-offs hitting millions of hard-working consumers up and down the country.” – The Sun
- China prepares to size up new Prime Minister after nuclear project delay – FT
- Beijing expected to press May over Hinckley Point – The Guardian
>Today: ToryDiary: The tests that May’s social reform must pass.
Davidson’s stock soars as Scots reject separation
“Scots do not want another referendum on independence before Britain leaves the EU – and would vote “no” if one were held, according to a Times poll. The results are published on the morning of Nicola Sturgeon’s fresh push for separation… In a stunning shift, Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Conservative leader, now has a higher net personal approval rating than Ms Sturgeon, the SNP leader.” – The Times (£)
- Dugdale brands Tories ‘Scotland’s Brexit party’ – The Herald
- Sturgeon launches new independence drive – Daily Telegraph
- Fury as First Minister snubs Union Jack but flies German flag – Daily Express
- SNP to hold MPs’ away day to bolster independence case – The Guardian
More Tories:
- May ignores calls for Brexit delay – FT
- Prime Minister pledges to get best deal for British business – The Sun
- Brussels has long-term interest in UK market access, claims Davis – Daily Telegraph
- Pro-Brexit MPs claim strong data debunk Treasury fearmongering – FT
- Johnson visits Germany – Daily Mail
More EU:
- Thousands of Poles living in Britain will leave, claims country’s Deputy Prime Minister – Daily Telegraph
- Blair still think Britain could stay in the EU – Daily Mail
- Embarassment for IMF as it admits post-poll turmoil has eased – Daily Express
- Graduate recruitment slumps after Brexit vote – FT
- Merkel faces election battering in home state – Daily Express
Tax:
- Britain watched as Apple sent billions to Ireland – The Times (£)
- Apple to repatriate overseas cash pile next year – FT
- End inefficient corporation tax, says economist – The Times (£)
Editorial:
- Ireland reels from unexpected Apple windfall – FT
Jeremy Warner: May must reassure the world that Brexit will not mean protectionism
“The danger is that internationally, Brexit is seen in much the same light as the collapse of these wider trade deals, or as a general retreat from the principles of free trade. A prime task for Mrs May this weekend will therefore be to dispel this idea. Big, inter-regional trade deals are proving a struggle, but there is nothing to stop less ambitious, more bespoke arrangements.” – Daily Telegraph
- Europe’s migrant crisis is back with a vengeance – Tony Barber, FT
- May will lead us into a bleak future, outside the single market – Martin Kettle, The Guardian
- Voters don’t need a quango telling them what to think – Tom Harris, Daily Telegraph
Apple:
>Today:
>Yesterday:
Cameron’s golden goodbyes ‘cost the taxpayer over £12m’
“David Cameron’s “golden goodbyes” will cost the taxpayer more than £12 million. An analysis by The Times of the full cost of Mr Cameron’s final acts as prime minister reveals the high price of the rewards handed out to many of his closest associates. By far the biggest cost is the 16 new peers announced in Mr Cameron’s resignation honours list, of whom 13 are Conservative.” – The Times (£)
- Donors offered a meal with May for £3k – Daily Mail
Fraser Nelson: Osborne may be back… one day
“Mr Osborne bet everything on the referendum result, and lost – but the wheel of fortune is always turning. When William Hague resigned as Tory leader in 2001, few would have expected him to end up as foreign secretary nine years later – and it’s this kind of reversal that Mr Osborne seems to be hoping for now. It’s a plausible strategy. But he might be in for a very long wait.” – Daily Telegraph
- Former Chancellor scrapped holiday plans with ‘treacherous’ Gove – The Sun
Corbyn calls for end to after-work pub trips
“The culture of after-work drinks has been criticised by Jeremy Corbyn, who has suggested that they discriminate against mothers who want to get home to their children. The Labour leader called for an end to “early-evening socialisation”, which he claimed benefited “men who don’t feel the need to be at home” with their families. Mr Corbyn, who made the announcement in an early-evening speech designed to win over female voters, faced criticism for assuming that childcare fell to mothers. He was also mocked for the suggestion that the government should regulate the social lives of Britain’s 32 million workers.” – The Times (£)
- Balls warns moderates that breaking away would be disastrous – The Sun
- Former Shadow Cabinet minister claims leader ‘read from a script’ at meetings – Daily Telegraph
- Corbyn talks to rebels about front-bench roles – FT
- Police hunt Corbynite who threatened to ‘hang’ Jewish MP – The Sun
- Scottish Labour leader says UK party’s leadership is an ‘ugly mess’ – The Guardian
Sketch:
- ‘We should all be proud of lunatics!’: When Stoke went wild for Jeremy – Michael Deacon, Daily Telegraph
Comment:
- Nice try Corbyn, but shortlists won’t drain Labour’s sexist swamp – Cathy Newman, Daily Telegraph
- His equality pledges seem genuine, but will women vote for them? – Zoe Williams, The Guardian
>Yesterday: Kieron O’Hara in Comment: Conservatives aren’t immune from creating their own Corbyn
News in Brief:
- Turkey may fire on Brits fighting with Kurds in Syria – Daily Express
- Universities may boycott quality tests built into fees reform – The Times (£)
- iPlayer licence-fee loophole closure descends into farce – Daily Mail
- Boys leaving primary school without basic numeracy and literacy – Daily Telegraph
- Southern Rail operator posts 27 per cent rise in profits – FT
- SpaceX rocket explodes and destroys £15om Facebook satellite – The Sun