“When David Davis met Theresa May on Wednesday it might have been a metaphor for the state of the entire Brexit process. The Brexit secretary told the prime minister that he wanted to publish the government’s white paper, spelling out its vision for a final deal with Brussels, by June 14. “We can do this,” Davis said. May’s response, according to a source briefed on the exchange, was: “How about after the June council?” That is the next Brussels summit on June 28, when Britain is expected to unveil its most detailed Brexit plan yet.”
Other story highlights:
– Tim Shipman, Sunday Times
“Meritocracy, political and economic freedom, those should be the DNA of the Conservative party. Quite frankly, I don’t see much of that going on right now.” The Essex MP said debt was “still far too high”, adding: “Debt is 85% of GDP … I think that’s embarrassing as Conservatives in government that it is at that level. Why are we saddling a new generation, a younger generation with debt? That is not a Conservative thing to do….Asked whether it was problematic that the two most senior members of the Government – Theresa May and Philip Hammond – were Remain voters and “can’t bring themselves to say it’s a good idea”, Ms Patel said: “I have to say, originally I thought it wasn’t. But I think it’s fair to say that there’s something in that. There is absolutely something in that.” – Sunday Telegraph
> Yesterday: Matt Smith on Comment – Tories must re-engage in the battle of ideas on campus
“Remainer Mr Harrington said his ministerial portfolio, which includes the auto and aerospace industries, had convinced him of the need for the UK to secure a ‘very sensible Brexit’. He told The Mail on Sunday: ‘I am against a real horrible hard Brexit. My portfolio… shows it would be madness to have a hard Brexit and that’s my view’…Taking aim at Mr Rees-Mogg, [Green] writes: ‘One very damaging and misguided line of argument is that Britain is all-powerful in these negotiations, so the mere threat of our walking away will bring the Europeans promptly to heel… I am afraid that even my friend, the intelligent and energetic Jacob Rees-Mogg… occasionally lapses in this way.” – Mail on Sunday
“Last year we landed more inward investment projects than ever before, a vote of confidence from the international financial community. We were told we would face an employment crisis. What happened? Employment is up by 600,000 since before the referendum to 32.34million, with record numbers in work. Our manufacturing order books are at their highest for years and our exports have risen by about ten per cent in the past year. Remember how jobs would flood out of the City of London to Paris and Frankfurt? What happened? Last year saw more venture capital on tech, including financial technology, coming to London than all of Germany, France, Spain and Ireland combined.” – Sun on Sunday
> Today: ToryDiary – Our survey. Almost two-thirds of Tory members don’t have confidence in the Government’s handling of Brexit.
“Security forces have foiled 12 plots in the last year – plus a further four from the growing menace of right-wing extremism. And they believe the danger could increase even further in the coming months.
The alert was raised as the Government prepares to unveil a strengthened counter-terrorism strategy this week. Home Secretary Sajid Javid has reviewed powers after five attacks last year and will tomorrow announce a range of steps to stop further atrocities. Security agencies are also confronting a rising risk from extreme right-wing violence as the potential sources of attacks becomes more diverse.” – Sun on Sunday
“Announcing the new supplier scheme, Mr Hinds said: “Great schools are made by great teachers, so I want to reduce teacher workload to make it a more fulfilling profession and help schools bear down on costs so they can invest more on their frontline. Every pound that’s spent on excessive agency fees, or on advertising jobs, is a pound that I want to help schools spend on what really matters: making sure every child, whatever their background, is inspired to learn and to reach their potential. We have the most talented generation of teachers yet, and there are record numbers working in our schools. These measures will help us to build on this, making it easier for headteachers to recruit the staff they need and ensuring teaching continues to be an attractive, rewarding profession.” – Sunday Telegraph
“Transport Secretary Chris Grayling is expected this week to set out the noise, air quality and cost requirements of the project, before paving the way for a Commons vote by the end of June. A two-mile runway is planned northwest of the existing airport, allowing an additional 260,000 flights a year by late 2025. The Foreign Secretary – who once said he was prepared to lie down ‘in front of bulldozers’ to stop the airport’s expansion – has not changed his view that a third runway would be a ‘disaster’ and ‘barbarically contemptuous of the rights of the population’ by putting their health at risk.” – Mail on Sunday
“The Democratic Unionist Party, whose 10 MPs hold the parliamentary balance of power, signalled that it was reversing its opposition to constituency boundary changes that would, if in place last year, have delivered Theresa May a small majority. The changes, stalled since 2013, would reduce the number of MPs from 650 to 600 and ensure all seats, except a handful of islands, would contain between 71,000 and 78,000 voters. That would help the Tories, because Labour seats tend to be smaller, meaning more would be merged as the number of MPs was reduced.” – Sunday Times
“The shadow chancellor is president of the Labour Representation Committee (LRC), which has posted a statement on its website declaring that Ken Livingstone, the former London Mayor, was the victim of a “witch hunt” and that the controversial comments over which he resigned, were “not remotely antisemitic.” In May Mr McDonnell pledged to “call out” hard-left websites propagating anti-Semitism. The Telegraph’s disclosures prompted calls by Labour MPs for him to resign from the group.” – Sunday Telegraph
“The League is totally different from M5S,” said Giulio Sapelli, an economics professor who taught Salvini at the University of Milan. “You never know what they [M5S] are thinking or going to do. For example, this calling for Mattarella to be impeached was crazy.” Sapelli, a eurosceptic who was among those mooted as a potential premier for the coalition, also pointed to the League’s history in government and experience in administering two of Italy’s richest regions – Lombardy and Veneto. Meanwhile, haphazard management has seen M5S lose support in the two biggest cities it runs, Rome and Turin. “It’s very hard to know how long [this government] will last,” added Sapelli. “The League is the only classic ‘rank and file’ party left; M5S is a movement with a weird leadership.” – Observer