“Number 10 today disowned a dramatic plan to break the Brexit deadlock by handing Northern Ireland joint EU and UK status after Theresa May’s DUP backers savaged the proposal. The blueprint, which emerged as the government desperately tries to end an impasse over the Irish border, would mean the province operating under both European and British regulations. The ‘special economic zone’ could also see a ten mile-wide buffer zone introduced along the length of Northern Ireland’s 310-mile border with the Republic. But DUP MP Sammy Wilson branded the idea ‘daft’ and ‘nonsense’ and said it had come ‘out of the blue’… And within hours of the DUP slamming the proposal a Downing Street spokesman slapped down the plan.” – Daily Mail
More:
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: Has Davis found the least-bad way out of the Government’s self-imposed border bind?
“Theresa May today tore into Donald Trump’s ‘unjustified’ decision to slap hefty tariffs on steel amid fears the move will spark a global trade war. The PM urged the US President to exempt America’s ‘close allies’ Britain and the EU from the 25 per cent levies. And she vowed to work with other EU countries to ‘protect and safeguard our workers and industries’ threatened by the policy. Mrs May finally broke her silence over 24 hours after the White House announced it was reviving plans to slap punishing tariffs on steel. Brussels has threatened to hit back by imposing a wave of tariffs on US goods including motorbikes, jeans and orange juice within weeks – fuelling fears the world is set to lurch into a trade war which will push up prices.” – Daily Mail
Comment:
“High Street cosmetics chain Lush was condemned yesterday after it launched an ‘anti-police hate campaign’. The Home Secretary, crime chiefs and a police widow were among those ‘appalled’ by the company’s astonishing decision to put photos of police officers under the words ‘Paid to Lie’ in its shop windows to draw attention to the so-called ‘spy cops’ scandal. They said the ‘crass and insensitive campaign’ – approved by the chain’s Jeremy Corbyn-supporting co-founder Mark Constantine – stereotypes all police officers as corrupt and ‘includes some fundamental misrepresentations of the facts’… Home Secretary Sajid Javid condemned the chain, saying: ‘Never thought I would see a mainstream British retailer running a public advertising campaign against our hardworking police. This is not a responsible way to make a point.’” – Daily Mail
“Sajid Javid will next week unveil a tough new anti-terror strategy to jail jihadis for longer and counter online terror threats. The freshly beefed up “Contest” programme will see more cash earmarked for the Home Office’s “Prevent” terror whistleblowing scheme. The Home Secretary will mark the anniversary of the London Bridge attack with a major speech on Monday about the terror menace. High-priority areas like Birmingham and Bradford will be given more resources to weed on extremists from the Muslim community and monitor more suspects. And convicted terrorists released from jail will be more closely watched after their release. Online recruitment and training of jihadis are also in Mr Javids sights as Ministers once again urge tech giants to do more help them tackle the scourge of internet terror.” – The Sun
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: Wanted. A Muslim, a woman, and a fearless campaigner to review claims of Tory anti-Muslim prejudice.
“Theresa May is facing a Cabinet revolt over visa restrictions blamed for depriving the NHS of hundreds of foreign medics. Jeremy Hunt is pushing for a temporary exemption for doctors and nurses to put a cap on skilled workers from outside the EU. The Health Secretary says that while Britain is training more medical staff of its own, this process will take years – meaning more foreign staff are needed to fill NHS vacancies. He has been backed in private by Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, who is said to be ‘very sympathetic’ to the case for a temporary exemption. Chancellor Philip Hammond and Business Secretary Greg Clark, who want even looser restrictions on skilled workers, are also said to be ready to back the cause.” – Daily Mail
Editorial:
“Supermarkets will be forced to ban “guilt lanes” at supermarket checkouts and end two-for-one offers on junk food under Government plans to tackle child obesity, The Telegraph has learned. Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, is planning a wave of new legislation as part of a crackdown, including a 9pm watershed on advertising products high in sugar and salt from 2020. Ministers will also consider a ban on the use of cartoon characters and celebrities to promote junk food, and consult on new legislation to bar retailers from selling energy drinks to under-16s. The policies are outlined in the Government’s child obesity strategy, which has been seen by The Telegraph. Ministers from other departments are currently being consulted on the plans.” – Daily Telegraph
“A Tory MP launched a scathing take down of Nicola Sturgeon’s bid to hold another independence referendum – saying she only wants one because she lost last time. The SNP leader has vowed to relaunch her bid to tear Scotland away from the UK in the wake of the Brexit vote. But Kwasi Kwarteng said the SNP promised the 2014 Scottish independence referendum was a once in a generation vote and should not go back on that. While audience members on BBC Question Time also piled into Ms Sturgeon, accusing her of double standards by trying to break away from Westminster while staying in Brussels. Mr Kwarteng, MP for Spelthorne in Surrey slammed Scotland’s First Minister for trying to rerun the referendum. He told the programme last night: ‘I think the whole point about referendums – in fact the SNP said this before the Scottish independence referendum – is that it would settle the issue for a generation.'” – Daily Mail
Comment:
>Today: ToryDiary: Spain’s new leader owes his post to Catalan separatists – will he choose to appease them?
“Tory backbencher Johnny Mercer has spoken at 90 dinners on the grassroots circuit in the last year – almost two a week – sparking claims he is being groomed to succeed Theresa May. Party grandees said the ex Army officer was not the type “to put himself forward” but was a “hell of a leader of men”. Most MPs attend three or four fundraising dinners in other constituencies a year. But Theresa May was renowned for frequenting the “rubber chicken circuit” to woo the grassroots of the party while she was an MP and minister. Mr Mercer, a dad of two who has campaigned tirelessly for troops to be spared a witch hunt into historical allegations, last year published his autobiography about life on the frontline in Afghanistan.” – The Sun
>Yesterday: Paul Maginnis in Comment: How to build a Conservative mass membership
“Theresa May has been warned that she lacks the parliamentary numbers to prevent a vote on liberalising abortion in Northern Ireland. Two government sources said that they expected that up to 20 Conservative MPs would join opposition parties to liberalise abortion in a rebellion fuelled by Penny Mordaunt, the equalities minister, who tweeted her support last weekend. The government faces a difficult week after the Republic of Ireland voted to overturn the abortion ban. On Monday Karen Bradley, the Northern Ireland secretary, or Ms Mordaunt will face an urgent question on the issue, while a debate called by the Labour MP Stella Creasy could come on Tuesday.” – The Times
“Justine Greening has been proposed as a Conservative contender in the next London mayoral race. The MP for Putney was touted by her backbench colleague Ed Vaizey yesterday after he ruled himself out from running for the party nomination in the 2020 contest (Lucy Fisher writes). Mr Vaizey, 49, a former arts minister, told the Huffington Post website: “I was never really planning to run.” He had previously suggested he could “thump” Sadiq Khan, the Labour incumbent, in any electoral battle. He declared that there were “much more talented people” who could secure the Tory ticket to take on Mr Khan. Asked whom he would back, he replied: “Greening”. Ms Greening, 49, a former education secretary, spent six years in the cabinet but quit in January when Theresa May attempted to move her to the Department for Work and Pensions.” – The Times
“The taxman’s spending on consultants has risen by a “staggering” 9,000 per cent, while customer service has plummeted. MPs will call for an investigation into HM Revenue & Customs’ use of external consultants after its increased reliance on them for its IT systems is revealed by the Daily Telegraph today. In April, HMRC spent £844,188 on consultants – the highest monthly amount since 2011 and more than HMRC’s entire annual spending on consultants in 2015, official figures published this week show. The latest amount is nearly 9,000 per cent greater than the £9,618 HMRC spent in the equivalent period in 2015. Having significantly cut down staff and resources over the past five years, HMRC is now employing big-names firms including Ernst & Young, Accenture and IBM.” – Daily Telegraph
>Yesterday: Chloe Westley in Comment: Enough talk of tax rises from Tory Ministers. Let’s have tax cuts instead. Or else what are they for?