“A ‘very stressed’ David Cameron pleaded with European leaders not to water down his renegotiation yesterday as he warned that Britain was in danger of voting to leave the EU. The prime minister arrived in Brussels determined to head off new attempts by Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, to weaken his plans to reduce child benefit payments to EU migrant workers who have children living overseas” – The Times (£)
>Yesterday:
The European people have pleaded with Britain to stay in the EU – boosting David Cameron’s hand in the final 48 hours of his membership renegotiation. A massive poll of 28,720 people across all 28 member states by Lord Ashcroft has revealed a total of three out of five – 60 per cent – are keen for us to stay in. Just one in 10 of the European Union’s 507 million citizens want Britain to leave” – The Sun
“The scale of the challenge facing David Cameron at this week’s crucial summit to renegotiate Britain’s relationship with the EU became clear as four eastern European countries rejected proposals to curtail benefits for migrant workers… Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Czech Republic reached a common position on Tuesday rejecting current proposals on curbing child benefits for their migrant workers in western Europe, a key demand in Cameron’s campaign” – Guardian
“Priti Patel has told close friends and allies that she plans on playing a ‘leading role’ in the campaign to take Britain out of the EU, The Telegraph can disclose. The Employment Minister, who attends Cabinet, has confirmed to Tory MPs that she intends to join the ‘Leave’ campaign, sources said. Ms Patel, the daughter of a Ugandan shopkeeper, had been described as the ‘last hope’ of the Leave campaign” – Daily Telegraph
“Prince William has become the latest member of the royal family to be dragged into the Brexit debate, raising again the question of whether the EU comes with a royal seal of approval. In a speech delivered just 48 hours before Britain’s EU future is debated at a Brussels summit, the prince declared: ‘In an increasingly turbulent world, our ability to unite in common action with other nations is essential’” – Financial Times
Pro-EU super-luvvie Emma Thompson sparked uproar by branding Britain a ‘cake-filled misery-laden grey old island’. In an unexpected intervention to the Europe debate, the Oscar winning actress argued it would be ‘madness’ to leave the EU…The star… was dismissed tonight as an ‘overpaid, leftie luvvie’ by Eurosceptic MP Stewart Jackson. Fellow Conservative Steve Baker accused Thompson of ‘doing our country down’” – The Sun (£)
“Extremism is both contributing to and exploiting mass migration, the Home Secretary has warned. Speaking in Washington, Theresa May urged the UK’s partners in the Five Eyes security alliance – the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand – to work together against terrorism” – Independent
“A ‘stressed’ junior doctor who has been missing since Friday may have written a note which mentioned Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt after she walked out of hospital halfway through her shift. Doctor Rose Polge, 25, who works at Torbay Hospital in Devon, was last seen on Friday afternoon. Shortly after she was reported missing her car was found in a carpark near Anstey’s Cove in Torquay” – Daily Mail
“Lord Brittan’s widow Diana today accepted a ‘full apology’ from the head of Scotland Yard over how his force dealt with fake sex claims against the former home secretary. Lady Brittan asked Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe about 30 questions at a secret London hotel over why her husband was ‘hounded in life and death’ by his force” – Daily Mail
“Jeremy Corbyn poses a ‘bigger threat’ to the Falkland Islands than Argentina, the defence secretary said yesterday. Michael Fallon said the ‘islands had moved on since 1982’ – but the Labour leader hadn’t – as he urged more holidaymakers from the south american nation to visit” – Daily Mail