‘Under Labour, our share of global trade fell. We’re still selling more to Hungary than to Indonesia – even though Indonesia’s population is 25 times bigger. We still do more trade with Belgium than we do with Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam combined With some of our neighbours’ economies stagnating and markets further afield roaring ahead, we need to change our approach. We need to go to the ends of the earth to sell our wares – to recapture the outward-looking, enterprising spirit that made us great.’ – David Cameron, Daily Mail
“Britain must remain part of the European Union to continue to wield influence on the world stage, according to Barack Obama. The US president said that Britain’s EU membership gives the US “much greater confidence about the strength of the transatlantic union”. The comments are perhaps the strongest indication yet that Washington wants British voters to choose to remain in the EU in a referendum due to be held by the end of 2017.” – The Times (£)
>Today: The Deep End: Heresy of the Week: Britain is the most important country in the world
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: To hold a second referendum on EU membership would be ridiculous
“David Cameron has ordered police to delve into the highest ranks of the establishment to look into child abuse claims. The PM said authorities should chase the evidence “without any fear or uncertainty about how high up they can go”. It came as Home Secretary Theresa May said she was “shocked” that papers showing allegations of abuse were hushed up by MI5 to protect Margaret Thatcher’s government. She admitted that child abuse was not taken seriously enough when the damning claims were thought to have been covered up in the 1980s.” – The Sun (£)
‘Official figures showed there were 17 fatalities during or soon after detention in England and Wales in 2014-15. This was six more than the previous year and the most since 2010-11. Another 69 people are suspected of committing suicide within 48 hours of being detained by officers – 50 per cent higher than five years ago, according to the Independent Police Complaints Commission. The annual report was published as Home Secretary Theresa May launched an independent review into deaths and serious non-fatal incidents in police custody in England and Wales.’ – Daily Mail
>Today: ToryDiary: Early release for Michael Gove
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: May’s review of deaths in police custody is another example of responsible government in action
“Half a billion pounds of taxpayers’ money was rushed into a controversial foreign aid project in a stunning breach of Britain’s own rules on donation, an investigation by The Times has found. Whitehall chiefs told auditors that they signed a huge cheque to the Swiss-based Global Fund with only days left to meet David Cameron’s international aid target, because they thought that Britain’s generosity would encourage other countries to donate more. Instead Britain was left to provide more than a fifth of the organisation’s entire budget, a stake representing twice the agreed level of giving. It can be revealed that the Global Fund, which was set up to fight Aids, tuberculosis and malaria, gives its 600-plus staff, all in Switzerland, an average annual remuneration package of more than $200,000.” – The Times (£)
“Left wing anti-capitalists have dictated the debate on tackling climate change and a Conservative approach is needed to prevent global warming, Amber Rudd, the energy and climate change secretary, will say on Friday. In her first major speech on the topic, Ms Rudd will say she can “understand the suspicion of those who see climate action as some sort of cover for anti-growth, anti-capitalist, proto-socialism”. “It cannot be left to one part of the political spectrum to dictate the solution and some of the loudest voices have approached the issue from a left-wing perspective,” she will say.” – Daily Telegraph
‘Exam boards came under fire last night for making GCSE history questions too easy – after it emerged students are being asked ‘spot the difference’ questions. One sample question allows pupils to get marks for history without having any historical knowledge. Schools minister Nick Gibb said sample papers submitted by the exam boards were ‘far below’ the standard he expects. He attacked the boards for failing to raise standards and making questions too easy.’ – Daily Mail
“Liz Kendall today refused to quit the Labour leadership race as rows and recriminations flew over the seemingly unstoppable rise of hard left candidate Jeremy Corbyn. Lord Prescott turned on his old boss Tony Blair for advising Labour activists yesterday that if they found their heart was with Mr Corbyn they should “get a transplant”. Lord Prescott told the Today programme: “I found that absolutely staggering. “To use that kind of language is just abuse. To suggest that somebody should have a transplant if they are making decisions by the heart is totally unacceptable.”” – The Times (£)
Comment:
Sketches:
“The election of Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader could trigger an SDP-style split in the party, one of the party’s biggest donors has said. John Mills also said victory for the leftwinger could lead to donations from wealthy supporters drying up, although he conceded that funding from the trade unions could increase if Labour morphed into a party of the far left. A donor to the Kendall campaign, Mills said: “If Corbyn won, I suspect what would happen is that there would be some sort of split. Then you would have an SDP-type party.” Mills gave Labour £1.6m in shares in his TV shopping and consumer products company during Ed Miliband’s leadership.” – The Guardian
Comment:
“Labour has always offered voters blueprints for a better society. But the party’s existential problem lies in the fact that it is becoming ever-less credibly able to claim it can organise human, social and economic affairs by grand design. Choosing Corbyn, with his ever-grander ambition to regulate the economy and society, would merely accelerate the Left’s demise. Ukip radicalism, by contrast, does not offer politicians promising to live people’s lives for them, or offering yet another blueprint. It is about giving people the power to decide things for themselves.” – Daily Telegraph
>Yesterday: Video: WATCH: Owen Jones interviews Douglas Carswell
“Can everything wrong with Labour’s leadership contest be traced back to Ed Miliband? Just about every MP seems to think so — but the former leader himself demurs. The Times has learnt that from those who have talked to Mr Miliband that he adopts a far less self-critical tone than many would expect, despite having said in public that he accepts responsibility for the party’s failure. Accounts suggest a man who believes that bigger forces than his own strategic, managerial or political failures were responsible for the defeat. Mr Miliband told one acquaintance that he believes it was a symptom of the popularity of more left-wing movements in Europe, with voters more attracted to the likes of Syriza and Podemas, the Greek and Spanish far-left groups than to his party’s more tempered ideology.” – The Times (£)
Comment:
“Lord Prescott’s was the representative performance of quite the most dismal leadership contest imaginable. The process is a demand to be prohibited from office. It is quite evidently so awful that, no matter the outcome, the Labour party is going to have to do this again, only better. That moment may come soon, it may happen when David Cameron stands down or it may come after a defeat in 2020. It’s already only the timing that is worth worrying about.” – The Times (£)
“A Labour London mayoral candidate has pledged to ban so-called poor doors, where private and social housing tenants have separate entrances. Sadiq Khan said he had discussed with charities the need for a new approach to dealing with the capital’s chronic housing crisis. The use of separate doors to “segregate” tenants emerged in a new development in East London, sparking controversy. Khan said: “Unlike the present mayor who has refused to end this appalling form of social segregation, I would act to ban poor doors once and for all.”” – The Guardian
>Today:
>Yesterday: Local Government: London Mayoral candidates Q&A with Ivan Massow
“Defeated Lib Dem Nick Clegg is to charge up to £40,000 to deliver speeches on his political rise and dramatic fall, it emerged today. The former Deputy Prime Minister, who quit after his party’s dramatic collapse in May’s general election has been listed alongside the likes of Al Murray, Mitt Romney and Rebecca Adlington on a website of speakers for hire. It suggested he was available in Europe or America for a fee of up to $55,000 or £40,000.” – Daily Mail
‘Turkish warplanes have struck Islamic State targets across the border in Syria. A government official confirmed three F-16 jets took off from Diyarbakir airbase in south-east Turkey early on Friday and used smart bombs to hit three Isis targets across the Turkish border province of Kilis. The official, who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said the targets were two command centres and a gathering point of Isis supporters. The jets did not enter Syrian airspace, the official said.’ – The Guardian