‘Scores of MPs are likely to vote for the second reading of the assisted suicide bill later on Friday. Rob Marris, the Labour backbench MP proposing the legislation, said that “two or three ministers at least” were supporting the Bill. The Daily Telegraph can disclose that one those ministers will be Anna Soubry, a business minister. Amber Rudd, the Energy and Climate Change secretary, said she was still “undecided” about how she will vote…Cabinet ministers who oppose the change are thought to include Greg Hands, Rob Halfon, Stephen Crabb, Greg Hands, Jeremy Hunt and Chris Grayling.’ – Daily Telegraph
>Yesterday:
‘Laws are more than just regulatory instruments. They convey important ethical messages. When something is legalised by Parliament, it helps it acquire a stamp of social approval. An “assisted dying” law sends the message that, if you are terminally ill, taking your own life is something for you to consider and something that can be legitimately encouraged. We can all think of exceptional circumstances where helping someone to end their life might not be morally reprehensible. But the law already has the discretion to deal with such cases sensitively and to ensure that charges are not brought where it is clear that there is no public interest in doing so.’ – Dominic Grieve MP, Daily Telegraph
‘A damaging cabinet rift has emerged between the home secretary and three senior colleagues, including the chancellor and foreign secretary, over stripping overseas students from the government’s net migration target. Philip Hammond has written to the prime minister asking for foreign students to be removed from the target, while Theresa May insists that they should remain. He is backed by George Osborne, the chancellor, and Sajid Javid.’ – The Times (£)
>Yesterday: Kate Maltby on Comment: We should scrap the distinction between refugees and economic migrants – and take more of them
‘David Cameron will promise on Friday to run Britain’s public services like a business, saying £20bn of cuts can be achieved by adopting commercial techniques and boosting efficiency to protect frontline services. Mr Cameron will embrace the spirit of “insurgent companies” and their power to disrupt traditional ways of doing things, warning local councils that failing children’s services could be taken over by non-profit trusts.’ – FT
‘This week, a steady trickle of business leaders have given warning that the rise in the minimum hourly wage from £6.50 to £7.20 next year is already having a chilling effect on the labour market — or in some cases forcing up prices. How did Mr Osborne, a Conservative chancellor whose party originally opposed the minimum wage when it was introduced in 1999, come up with a policy intended to buck the forces of globalisation, which have been relentlessly putting downward pressure on pay?’ – FT
>Today: Cllr Steve Count on Local Government: Local retention of Business Rates to boost growth in Cambridgeshire
‘Under a new scheme, leading rugby players are being sent to inner city schools to promote ‘grit and resilience’ to youngsters. Former professional stars are working with schools in tough areas to help pupils develop discipline, teamwork and aspiration in preparation for the workplace. The scheme, championed by Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, will reach more than 17,000 children across the country.’ – Daily Mail
‘Lord Ashcroft has been busy asking ex-Labour supporters why they defected, and he published his research yesterday. The most frequent answer was that Miliband was not a credible Prime Minister and led a party that no longer seemed to represent them. If Miliband was too ideological for such voters, then Corbyn may well prove to be the most effective recruiting sergeant in the Tory party’s history. But only if (and it’s a big “if”) the Tories play it right.’ – Fraser Nelson, Daily Telegraph
>Today:
>Yesterday: Lord Ashcroft on Comment: New polling – What do Labour’s supporters, and former supporters, think about the Party’s future?
‘Jeremy Corbyn has attacked David Cameron for launching a drone strike which killed a British ISIS fanatic. The veteran socialist said was ‘unclear as to the point of killing’ terrorist Reyaad Khan in the secret operation on August 21. Mr Corbyn questioned whether the RAF airstrike which killed Khan and a fellow UK jihadist Ruhul Amin was legal and confirmed he would not have authorised the attack.’ – Daily Mail
>Yesterday: LeftWatch: Those voters who abandoned Labour in May could be lost to them for the long term
‘Faiz Ul Rasool promised to introduce our man to Burnham after accepting the cash in tenners in the back room of a London casino. Pakistani businessman Rasool, chairman of the Muslim Friends of Labour group, said the Shadow Health Secretary was “short of £40,000” for his party leadership campaign. He offered a face-to-face with Mr Burnham and deputy leader contender Tom Watson in return for a larger cash gift…It is not known whether Rasool later passed the full £5,000 on to Mr Burnham’s campaign team or if the donation was properly registered. But two days after the casino deal, our man was invited by Rasool to meet the MP for Leigh at a function near the party’s HQ in central London.’ – The Sun (£)
‘Northern Ireland’s power-sharing executive was close to collapse last night after a day of high-drama in Belfast culminating in the Democratic Unionist party pulling out en masse. Allegations of IRA involvement in a recent murder have proved the worst threat to Stormont since the Good Friday Agreement.’ – The Times (£)
‘Sergeant Alexander Blackman – believed to be the only British serviceman ever convicted of murder on the battlefield – was locked up as a ‘political scapegoat’ for failings by top brass, say supporters. Today a campaign spearheaded by legendary thriller writer Frederick Forsyth is being launched to mount a fresh legal appeal to free Blackman. The jailing of the veteran commando, known as ‘Marine A’ at his court martial in 2013, triggered a public outcry. ‘ – Daily Mail