“Theresa May faced a massive Tory backlash today as she made tarantula-loving chief whip Gavin Williamson the new Defence Secretary – after he was accused of ‘knifing’ Sir Michael Fallon. The Prime Minister’s bid to shore up the top ranks of her government misfired badly after she surprised Westminster by shifting Mr Williamson, 41, to the plum Cabinet post. Mr Williamson – nicknamed the ‘baby-faced assassin’ at Westminster – was branded a ‘self-serving c***’ by one female MP amid claims he paved the way for his own promotion by telling Mrs May to sack Sir Michael. A former minister told MailOnline Mrs May was ‘desperate’ and overseeing a ‘chumocracy’, adding that ‘sick’ Mr Williamson could kiss goodbye to his leadership ambitions.” – Daily Mail
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>Yesterday:
“MP for the North Yorkshire seat of Skipton and Ripon since 2010, he is in his fourth job in the whips’ office. Elected to parliament in 2010, he became a junior whip in 2015 under David Cameron and made his way to the top job yesterday. The MP, described by friends as a “very firm Remainer”, is understood to be on the socially liberal wing of the party, pointing out on his website how he has campaigned on “a fairer funding formula for rural schools and improvements in the way the Trans-Pennine route is configured”. He grew up in Stirling, Scotland, and read history and English at Birmingham University. He was educated at a comprehensive and received a sixth-form bursary to Millfield School, Somerset.” – The Times
>Yesterday: MPs Etc.: McVey – high-profile pugilist, hate figure for the Left – takes on the very private role of Deputy Chief Whip
“The former Defence Secretary was reported to No10 by the Commons Leader, who accused him of a string of offensive remarks. Delivering a damning dossier to Downing Street two days ago, Ms Leadsom insisted he must go. A source close to Sir Michael said: “He categorically denies saying something as appalling as he knows where she could warm her hands.” Allies of Sir Michael Fallon were said to be “seething” with his colleague Andrea Leadsom after she forced him to quit. The Sun has learned that Ms Leadsom was spurred into action on Tuesday after Downing Street refused to investigate Sir Michael for inappropriate behaviour.” – The Sun
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>Today:
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: If Fallon’s account of why he quit is right, his exit is a mistake – and May has set a precedent she may come to regret
“Ministers believe an ex-Tory staffer who works for Lord Mandelson is behind the dirty dossier on 40 MPs. They are weighing up legal action against Joe Armitage. The leaked memo, written by parliamentary staffers, has rocked Westminster. Theresa May’s pal Baroness Jenkin said: “It is ruining lives.” Mr Armitage worked for Justice Minister Phillip Lee for three years. He is now at lobby firm Global Counsel, set up by ex-Labour spin guru Mr Mandelson. A senior MP named in the list said: “If Mr Armitage, who we believe was behind the slurs, did this he should face the consequences. Given his connections to Mr Mandelson, it reeks of a stitch-up.” – The Sun
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“The Labour Party has suspended a senior MP after an activist claimed that he sexually harassed her. Kelvin Hopkins, a former shadow minister until last year, has had the Labour whip withdrawn after a Telegraph investigation found allegations that he sent “inappropriate” text messages and rubbed himself up against a young woman after a political event. Ava Etemadzadeh, who is now 27, said that she informed the whips office at the time of the incident and that a regional representative contacted the Leader’s office last year to raise concerns about the allegations.” – Daily Telegraph
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“Millions of self-employed workers have been deprived of a £148 cut to their National Insurance bills after Chancellor Philip Hammond went back on a pledge. Class 2 National Insurance contributions were due to be abolished next April. But yesterday the Government said the move would be delayed by a year. It is a blow to 3.4 million workers, and was last night described as a ‘slap in the face’ for the self-employed. The policy to scrap Class 2 contributions – which currently cost £2.85 a week or £148 a year – was announced by then-chancellor George Osborne in 2016. Delaying the move will save the Government around £200 million.” – Daily Mail
>Yesterday:
“Brits could be given an “opt-in” chance to retain dual EU citizenship after the UK leaves. Brexit Secretary David Davis promised to consider the idea yesterday. The proposal would allow UK nationals associate citizenship allowing them to work across the EU without having to gain a visa. It could see Brits who opt-in given a separate EU passport. Mr Davis told MPs he will “look seriously” at the idea after he discussed it with European Parliament Brexit chief Guy Verhofstadt, who proposed it. Mr Verhofstadt has put the associate citizenship plans in the European Parliament’s wider Brexit proposals and called on the European Commission to back it.” – The Sun
>Today: James Arnell in Comment: Ready on Day One for Brexit 5) Reactions, refinements – and further work
>Yesterday: James Arnell in Comment: Ready on Day One for Brexit 4) Ensuring a competitive, outward-looking UK
“Ministers provoked anger yesterday by scrapping the blanket ban on prisoner voting. Justice Secretary David Lidington caved into European judges by announcing that serving inmates would be allowed to take part in elections. But only convicts out of jail on day release who are still on the electoral roll will qualify – expected to be fewer than 100. Successive governments have spent more than a decade fighting a ruling won by axe killer John Hirst that the current blanket ban was unlawful because it breached prisoners’ human rights.” – Daily Mail
“Life-saving drugs and medical innovations will be be brought to the NHS up to four years sooner, under radical fast-track plans annnounced today. Jeremy Hunt pledged “dramatic improvements” in the time breakthroughs get from the lab to the patients, vowing that “the country of Watson and Crick” should play a global role in scientific discovery. Under the plans, treatments identified by experts as having the greatest potential to change lives will be given extra support, and a faster drug approval route. Mr Hunt said action was needed to tackle Britain’s slow record at getting breakthroughs in diseases like cancer and dementia to those who could benefit.” – Daily Telegraph
“Age restrictions should be slapped on tablets and smartphones to stamp out a shocking rise in child sex attacks on kids as young as six. Ex-Tory minister Maria Miller demanded action today and claimed technology risked being as damaging to kids as smoking. In a moving Commons address she added that online giants should face a levy to help tackle extreme porn “fuelling” a prolific increase in child-on-child sexual harassment in classrooms. In a passionate speech in the Commons she slammed the Government and schools for failing in a duty of care to protect children across the country.” – The Sun
“Jeremy Corbyn was accused of cosying up to extremists last night after attending an event held by a hardline Muslim group accused of anti-Semitism. The Labour leader spoke at a Commons meeting staged by an organisation that attacks Israeli ‘Zionists’ on social media. He addressed the Muslim Engagement and Development (Mend) event on Wednesday – but last night snubbed a formal dinner with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Mend was this week accused of being ‘Islamists masquerading as civil libertarians’ whose senior figures have publicly expressed anti-Semitic views.” – Daily Mail
“Nicola Sturgeon has unveiled plans for those earning as little as £24,000 to pay more income tax as hard-pressed Scottish households faced a fresh double assault on their finances. Speaking shortly before the Bank of England raised interest rates for the first time in a decade, the First Minister insisted “the time is right” for income tax hikes and unveiled a Scottish Government report containing four proposals. All the scenarios suggested increasing the 40p higher rate and 45p top rate of income tax in April next year, with three of them also backing a penny rise in the 20p basic rate and a 50p top rate. One proposal argued for the creation of two additional income tax bands, making a total of six rates.” – Daily Telegraph
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