“Boris Johnson has set up a “war cabinet” to deliver Brexit “by any means necessary” by October 31 as a senior cabinet minister warned that there was “now a very real prospect” of no deal. In a dramatic shift Michael Gove, the minister responsible for no-deal preparations, said the government was “working on the assumption” that Brussels would not strike a fresh agreement. In a Whitehall revolution, Johnson will make every decision on Brexit policy with a team of just six senior ministers — all of them Brexiteers who support no deal. Starting tomorrow, the war cabinet — Gove; the chancellor, Sajid Javid; the foreign secretary, Dominic Raab; the Brexit secretary, Steve Barclay; and Geoffrey Cox, the attorney-general — will plot the nation’s course.” – Sunday Times
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>Yesterday: Henry Newman in Comment: Cummings understands the need to drastically reform Whitehall
“Sajid Javid will announce an urgent spending blitz to prepare for Brexit on Oct 31. In his first media intervention since becoming Chancellor, Mr Javid pledges an overhaul of the Treasury’s approach to Brexit, beginning with “significant extra funding” this week to get Britain “fully ready to leave” on Hallowe’en, with or without a deal. The additional spending will include financing one of the country’s “biggest ever public information campaigns” to ensure individuals and businesses are ready for a no-deal exit, Mr Javid reveals in The Sunday Telegraph. He states that “all necessary funding will be made available” to ensure the UK is ready to leave the EU on Oct 31, with plans for 500 new Border Force officers and possible new infrastructure around the country’s ports.” – Sunday Telegraph
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Comment:
>Yesterday:
“Rory Stewart is being lined up to lead a campaign to stop a no-deal Brexit, as former cabinet ministers and millionaire donors hold secret talks on the plans. Philip Hammond, who resigned as chancellor last week, is drumming up support for the campaign and wants Stewart… to lead the charge. Stewart resigned last week as international development secretary over his opposition to Boris Johnson’s plans to pursue a no-deal Brexit. Hammond and his former cabinet colleague David Gauke, the former justice secretary, are said to be in talks about how to kick-start the campaign, which they hope will eclipse the People’s Vote calls for a second referendum. The former chancellor even met Sir Keir Starmer, Labour’s Brexit spokesman, shortly after resigning last week to work on ways to stop no-deal.” – Sunday Times
Comment:
“It’s our aim to ensure we can leave with a deal. We want to continue with warm and close relations with our friends, allies and neighbours in the EU. We will do everything in our power to conclude a good agreement that honours the referendum result and secures a brighter future for us outside the single market and the customs union. What we can’t do, however, is simply present parliament once again with the same withdrawal agreement it’s already rejected three times. You can’t just reheat the dish that’s been sent back and expect that will make it more palatable. So we need a new approach and a different relationship. Critically, we need to abolish the backstop and ensure we find a different way to handle trade, and other important relations, on the island of Ireland.” – Sunday Times
“Boris Johnson has pledged to begin making improvements to the bus system throughout the country “as a matter or urgency” as he focuses on “the local services people use everyday”. Drawing on his experiences as London Mayor, which saw him scrap bendy buses and introduce the popular new routemaster, the Prime Minister said “the transformation of local bus services” would start today in Manchester… “I will work with the Mayor of Manchester to deliver a London-style bus system in the area.” Speaking at the Museum of Science and Industry, Mr Johnson added that under the Bus Services Act the roll out of new buses would be “higher frequency, low emission and zero emission buses”.” – Sunday Telegraph
>Today: Andrew Kennedy in Comment: To energise our Party, and restore it to winning ways, Cleverly must reform its voluntary organisation
>Yesterday: Video: WATCH: Johnson’s Manchester speech in full – “We are going to level up the powers offered to mayors”
“The new prime minister has earned a “Boris bounce” for the Conservatives as Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party has seen its vote squeezed. The Tories have opened up a 10-point lead over Labour, a surge that will fuel speculation about a general election this year. A poll commissioned by The Sunday Times shows the Conservatives jumping six points since Johnson became prime minister on Wednesday to 31%, the biggest lead over the opposition in five months and the first time support has risen above 30% since April. YouGov’s survey puts Labour in second place on 21%. While the election of a new Tory prime minister has given the party a boost, Jo Swinson, the newly elected leader of the Liberal Democrats has seen her party fall below Labour in the polls since she took over on Monday.” – Sunday Times
Comment:
Editorial:
>Today: ToryDiary: The Boris bounce: where are the votes coming from, and where might more be available?
“The new home secretary has set out her plans for immigration in the UK after Brexit, prioritising “brilliant scientists” and highly skilled workers. Priti Patel, who was appointed last week by Boris Johnson, the new prime minister, said the country must “seize the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity offered by the end of free movement . . . free from the shackles of the EU and an automatic right of entry for their citizens”. Patel said decisions would be based on what someone can contribute rather than where they come from and pledged that she would be “tougher on those who abuse our hospitality”.” – Sunday Times
Comment:
“Theresa May is facing a new cronyism row as it emerged that her controversial chief of staff is expected to be appointed to the House of Lords. Tory sources said that Gavin Barwell, who was appointed to Downing Street after being ousted as MP for Croydon Central, headed a resignation honours list drawn up by the Prime Minister before her departure. A peerage for Mr Barwell would infuriate many Tory Eurosceptics after he was blamed for helping to orchestrate the Brexit deal that Brexiteers insisted could leave the UK tied to the EU’s structures indefinitely.” – Sunday Telegraph
“On Thursday evening, with a week to go until a crucial by-election in Brecon and Radnorshire, a hustings was held at the Globe at Hay-on-Wye. It is the home of the world’s largest philosophy and music festival, “where ideas are born and the imagination is set free”. But where was Conservative candidate Chris Davies? Boris Johnson might be down to a working majority of three — set to fall to two if the Lib Dems take Brecon this week from the Tories — but Davies has failed to turn up for two of the four constituency hustings. For one he sent the local party chairman, Peter Weavers, in his place. Residents in the Welsh county will cast their ballots on Thursday after the by-election was triggered when Davies, the Conservative MP for the seat, was convicted of two counts of making false expenses claims and recalled by the electorate.” – Sunday Times
Comment:
“An MP accused of neglecting his constituents and sexually harassing a member of staff has vowed to stand down in the autumn. Jared O’Mara, 37, who won Sheffield Hallam in June 2017 for the Labour Party but now sits as an independent, said yesterday he was “not in a fit state to continue” in parliament. He will quit after the summer recess ends on September 3. His departure will trigger a by- election, giving the Liberal Democrats a chance to win back a seat previously held by the party’s former leader Sir Nick Clegg, who is now head of global affairs for Facebook. The decision comes after a 20-year-old politics graduate, who worked in O’Mara’s office, came forward to accuse him of sexual harassment.” – Sunday Times
“Satisfaction ratings for Sadiq Khan have dropped to the lowest level in his three years as Mayor of London, with campaigners blaming increasing crime for his drop in popularity. Overall, Mr Khan has a satisfaction rating of -3, with 30 percent of Londoners saying they are satisfied with his leadership and 33 percent dissatisfied, according to YouGov polling. With less than 10 months until Mr Khan is up for re-election, this is the lowest he has ever been scored by Londoners, down from +31 when he came into office. Campaigners have said that Londoners are unimpressed with recent increases in crime, with overall rates up 16 percent from June 2016 to this month, violent crime up 13 percent and burglaries up 17 percent.” – Sunday Telegraph
“Jeremy Corbyn is planning to almost double the level of tax on thousands of companies across Britain, one of the country’s most prominent law firms has warned. In a briefing for clients, Herbert Smith Freehills said Labour’s economic blueprint includes the equivalent of a corporation tax rate of up to 32 per cent, compared to the 17 per cent rate due to come into force next year. The figures are based on new calculations by the firm showing that Mr Corbyn’s planned mandatory share ownership scheme for large companies would cost businesses the equivalent of up to 6 per cent in additional corporation tax. Business leaders had previously warned that the policy would turn investors away from the UK because in many cases existing shares would be significantly diluted.” – Sunday Telegraph