“MPs have overwhelmingly backed Theresa May’s plan to hold a snap general election on June 8 paving the way for the campaign to begin in earnest. The House of Commons voted in favour of the poll by 522 votes to just 13 as the Prime Minister urged MPs to “trust the people”. Mrs May needed to secure at least a two-thirds majority of MPs to make her plan a reality and with the support of Liberal Democrats and Labour she was easily able to pass the 434 votes required as the SNP abstained. Mrs May set out her case for the early election, telling MPs it was right to “put our fate in the hands of the people”.” – Daily Telegraph
Comment:
Editorial:
>Yesterday:
“Theresa May is likely to take part in a question and answer session in front a television audience before the general election after she was heavily criticised by her opponents for refusing to debate with them. The Prime Minister formally ruled out taking part in televised head-to-head debates before the June 8 general election in a BBC interview today… Mrs May’s aides made clear that she is not against taking part in a “longform television programme” when she answers questions in front of a live studio audience. Her predecessor David Cameron agreed to be questioned in front of a BBC Questiontime-style audience at the 2015 general election.” – Daily Telegraph
More media:
Sketch:
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: Stop pretending that Leaders’ debates are a valuable tradition. They aren’t.
“Theresa May has ordered her closest allies to draft a Tory election manifesto that makes a clean break from the David Cameron era, as she tries to define her own domestic agenda. At the heart of the team writing the manifesto is Ben Gummer, a moderate Tory MP and staunch pro-European, who has earned the prime minister’s trust as a Cabinet Office fixer and has set himself the task of limiting the economic fallout of Brexit… Mr Gummer, son of the former Conservative cabinet minister John Gummer, will shape the manifesto to give Mrs May maximum leeway in negotiating a smooth Brexit. Mrs May told The Sun an election victory would make her “freer” in how she plays her hand.” – FT
>Today: ToryDiary: Crosby was in charge of Cameron’s campaign. Will he be the master of May’s?
>Yesterday:
“We have moved a long way from the first chaotic weeks after the referendum when Belgian premier Charles Michel could suggest in all seriousness that the British institutional system was disintegrating, a country led by populist dreamers, disappearing into a “black hole”. Such was the view in Brussels. The tables have since turned. Britain will enter the Brexit talks led by an ancient and disciplined party of great governing credibility – solid on NATO, free trade, climate accords, and liberal principles – with UKIP and the ephemeral forces of populism scattered to the four winds. Discord lies on the other side of the Channel.” – Daily Telegraph
Editorial:
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: May should announce that she will reappoint her top three ministers and her Brexit team post-election
“An exodus of Labour MPs continued tonight as Brexit champion Gisela Stuart became at least the seventh MP to confirm she would quit Parliament. Ms Stuart announced she would use the snap election to bring to an end a 20-year Commons career which reached a peak last year when she was the leading Labour campaigner for Leave. The Birmingham Edgbaston was joined on the sidelines today by veteran former minister Rob Marris who announced he was quitting just two years after winning back his constituency following a five year gap. Senior MP Iain Wright announced he was quitting this morning, joining Alan Johnson, Tom Blenkinsop, Andrew Smith and Pat Glass.” – Daily Mail
>Yesterday:
“Jeremy Corbyn is expected to stay on as Labour leader even if he leads his party to a crushing election defeat on June 8, The Independent can reveal. Party figures close to the Labour leader have said there is a good chance Mr Corbyn will either refuse to resign or run again to retain power. The key goal of Mr Corbyn’s group is that regardless of the election result, he cling to power at least until after party conference when his allies can attempt to change the system of electing the leader in a bid to secure a leftwing successor.” – The Independent
Comment:
>Yesterday: Video: WATCH: Will Corbyn resign if he loses the election? Wallace and Bastani debate Labour’s prospects
“Jeremy Corbyn was today forced to rule out an Election “alliance” with the SNP after Nicola Sturgeon called for a deal to stop the Tories. The First Minister sparked echoes of the 2015 campaign by saying she would work with Labour and the Lib Dems if the election result was close and the “arithmetic” warranted it. Such a deal could in theory hand Jeremy Corbyn the keys to Downing Street if Labour defy all expectations on June 8th. But the Labour leader yesterday told the party’s ruling National Executive Committee yesterday there would be no deal with any party.” – The Sun
More Scotland:
Comment:
>Today: Peter Duncan in Comment: The Prime Minister’s gamble in Scotland – and why pressure for another independence vote may become unstoppable
>Yesterday: Henry Hill’s Red, White, and Blue column: The election and Scotland. May is pursuing the most muscular and confrontational unionist strategy since Major’s.
“Senior Liberal Democrats have effectively ruled out a post-election coalition with Labour, in the hope of distancing themselves from a “toxic” Jeremy Corbyn. Sir Vince Cable, the former business secretary who will stand in his old seat of Twickenham, said on Wednesday that it was “utterly remote” to think Mr Corbyn could become prime minister. “Our differences with [Corbyn] on substantive issues are so great it’s very difficult to see how a coalition could be formed,” Sir Vince told the BBC’s Today programme. Sir Vince said that while the Lib Dems could vote with Labour on certain issues, the idea of Mr Corbyn being prime minister was “way beyond what’s possible”.” – FT
Comment:
“Millionaire Ukip donor Arron Banks has admitted he knows ‘nothing at all’ about the seaside town where he hopes to become MP in the General Election. The insurance tycoon has declared he will run against his one time Ukip colleague turned bitter rival Douglas Carswell in Clacton on June 8. But in an extraordinary confession, Mr Banks said he has no idea about the issues affecting the seaside town in Essex. He told BBC Radio Essex he only knew the town from a ‘fabulous day out’ during the referendum campaign and as a hotbed of euroscepticism.” – Daily Mail
“Sinn Féin is open to an anti-Brexit electoral pact with other parties in the June Westminster election, its national chairman has signalled. Asked about a potential voting agreement yesterday, Declan Kearney said that while Sinn Féin would fight to maximise its own vote, it could work with the SDLP, the Alliance Party and the Green Party. “There is common ground in relation to special designation status [for Northern Ireland after Brexit], on equality issues, on broad social justice issues, the need for a rights-based approach and there is common ground on [Troubles] legacy issues,” he said.” – The Times (£)
Comment:
“The Business Secretary has pledged ‘muscular and strong’ Government action over ‘flagrant mistreatment’ of energy customers following price hikes across the board. Greg Clark told MPs he planned to take decisive action against energy companies, although he did not give a date for a crack down. Addressing the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee, he said a two-year investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority had identified consumer detriment averaging £1.2 billion a year. He said: ‘We are not going to simply note the findings. I think there is an overwhelming appetite to sort this problem out once and for all.'” – Daily Mail
More consumer protection:
Comment:
“Developers must be stopped from selling rip-off leaseholds on properties ‘for no good reason’, Ministers said yesterday. Builders are increasingly selling new-build houses with costly leasehold agreements. This forces buyers to pay an expensive yearly ground rent to the owner of the freehold – often bought for a high price by investors. But Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said developers should be forced to sell properties as freehold unless there was an exceptional reason not to. Speaking before the Communities and Local Government Committee, Mr Javid said: ‘The issue is increasing evidence of builders building houses and then selling those on long-term leases for no apparent reason.’” – Daily Mail
“Theresa May has said the UK stands ready to help defend Ukraine against any further Russian aggression. The PM welcomed the Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to Downing Street today – just hours after MPs formally voted for a June General Election. Mrs May said Britain was “ready to support” his country which is under threat from Russia. She also vowed to push for further sanctions on President Putin. Yesterday Moscow’s top diplomat warned that our relationship with Russia is at an all-time low.” – The Sun