‘Theresa May insists she is the only leadership candidate who can unite the Conservative Party and the UK after the historic decision to leave the European Union. The Home Secretary stormed to a first round victory in the Tory leadership contest, securing 165 votes to leave her rivals trailing…Speaking after the result on Tuesday she said: ‘I am pleased with this result and very grateful to my colleagues for their support. There is a big job before us: to unite our party and the country, to negotiate the best possible deal as we leave the EU, and to make Britain work for everyone. I am the only candidate capable of delivering these three things as prime minister.’ – Daily Mail
>Today: ToryDiary: May has half the vote. If Tory MPs clearly want her, should Party members defy them?
>Yesterday:
‘Andrea Leadsom has no experience as an investment banker despite claims from her backers that she managed billions of pounds’ worth of funds, The Times can reveal. Mrs Leadsom, who has never held a cabinet role and has only been a minister since April 2014 and an MP since 2010, has placed her experience in the City at the centre of her candidacy to become leader and prime minister. She has described her 25 years in financial services and running “enormous teams” as evidence of her suitability for the roles. The MP Bernard Jenkin has cited her senior position at “a large investment firm where she was responsible for managing hundreds of people and billions of pounds”. During ten years at the investment fund Invesco Perpetual, from 1999 to 2009, she did not have any role in managing funds or advising clients.’ – The Times (£)
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: Ten questions for Leadsom
‘Social and economic reform demand careful work. But above this, we need policies that respect social solidarity and good citizenship. The rewards in this life should not only go to the fastest, the strongest and the most talented — but also to the kindest, the bravest and the gentlest…I did not campaign for Britain to leave the EU as an end in itself. Voting to leave is the means to an end, which is the real mission of my career in politics: to make this country the best place in the world in which to grow up, to get on, to make a contribution. That is the greatness we should aspire to, and one that leaving the EU makes possible.’ – Michael Gove, The Times (£)
>Today: Sean Worth on Comment: The leadership contest. The Brexit focus risks missing a big question. Which candidate can win an election?
‘Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb pulled out of the Tory leadership race last night – and urged the party to unite behind Theresa May. Mr Crabb, whose campaign was backed by Business Secretary Sajid Javid, had run on a ‘blue collar’ ticket emphasising Tory values of aspiration and opportunity. But, after attracting just 34 votes last night, and with little prospect of picking up support from Brexit-backing rivals Andrea Leadsom and Michael Gove, he announced he was throwing in the towel.’ – Daily Mail
>Today: Chloe Smith on Comment: Our Party and the country cannot flourish without the votes and voices of younger people
>Yesterday: WATCH: Crabb withdraws from the contest and endorses May
‘The prime minister can trigger the two-year process of negotiating the UK’s withdrawal from the EU without a vote in parliament, government lawyers have advised. Cabinet minister Oliver Letwin, who is heading Whitehall’s Brexit unit to prepare the way for negotiations, said the legal advice was that article 50 of the Lisbon treaty can be invoked under the royal prerogative, which does not require parliamentary approval. Article 50 is the clause that triggers the start of a negotiation to leave the EU. There was growing speculation at Westminster that a new Conservative administration might not want to trigger the article until the end of next year’ – The Guardian
Editorials
>Today: ToryDiary: It’s not Brexit that threatens the economy – it’s the Conservative leadership candidates
>Yesterday: Alex Deane on Comment: Respected, principled and knowledgeable – David Davis should lead the Brexit negotiations
‘MPs will be forced to vote on the status of three million EU citizens living in the UK tomorrow as pressure grows on the Government to reassure Europeans after last month’s Brexit vote…Theresa May, the front-runner to replace David Cameron as Prime Minister in September, is reluctant to make any promises because it would remove a key leverage over protecting 1.2million British expats living in other EU member states. But the issue has become a key point of debate in the Tory leadership race, with Mrs May’s main rival Andrea Leadsom hitting out at her for using EU citizens as ‘bargaining chips’.’ – Daily Mail
>Today: Local Government: Councils must push for a better deal with Brexit
‘Sajid Javid, business secretary, has called for emergency corporate and personal tax cuts to avert a Brexit slump, confirming that cutting the deficit was no longer the priority. Mr Javid said the focus now was on “more economic growth”, admitting that the combination of a downturn and a new fiscal stimulus could cause the deficit to rise from 3 per cent of GDP to as high as 5 per cent…Mr Javid also wants the UK to borrow tens of billions of pounds — taking advantage of low borrowing rates — to create a “Growing Britain” fund worth up to £100bn.’ – FT
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: What planet is Osborne on?
‘A multi-millionaire businessman who has bank-rolled Ukip over the last few years is considering running in the leadership contest to replace Nigel Farage. Arron Banks, who made his millions as an insurance broker, will discuss his leadership ambitions with Mr Farage this week. He is a close ally of the outgoing leader, who resigned yesterday declaring he had achieved his political ambition to get ‘my country back’ and said he now wanted his ‘life back’.’ – Daily Mail
‘One of Labour’s biggest individual donors has offered rebels millions of pounds to defect and create a new movement over fears the party can never recover from Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership. Dr Assem Allam, who has given more than £500,000 to Labour, told The Telegraph that the party had become a “joke” under Mr Corbyn and can no longer provide “strong opposition”. The businessman and owner of Hull City football club said he is ready to fund a “Gang of Four” style defection, a reference to when senior Labour figures dramatically quit the party to create the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 1981.’ – Daily Telegraph
‘The junior doctors’ leader behind the recent strikes announced his resignation yesterday after medics voted to reject a compromise deal negotiated with ministers. Despite calls from Johann Malawana, chairman of the British Medical Association’s junior doctors committee, to accept the proposed contract, 58 per cent of members voted against it. It is the second time that a deal over working hours and pay with the government has been rejected and raises the possibility of further industrial action.’ – The Times (£)
‘Thirteen years after British troops crossed into Iraq, Sir John Chilcot will deliver his verdict on the UK’s most controversial military engagement of the post-war era – and he has warned the Government, army and intelligence service to expect criticism. The report, believed to have cost around £10million to produce, is published amid calls for former prime minister Tony Blair to be held to account for ‘misleading the public and Parliament’ when taking the UK into the conflict. The former Whitehall mandarin said his report would not be a ‘whitewash’ and would not shy away from laying the blame.’ – Daily Mail