“Boris Johnson has warned the country’s most senior judges that the courts have “no jurisdiction” over his decision to suspend parliament and they risk “entering the political arena”. The Supreme Court began on Tuesday to hear two appeals relating to the five-week prorogation of parliament, which has been ruled by Scotland’s highest civil court to be an unlawful attempt to dodge MPs’ scrutiny of Brexit. Accusing the Scottish judges of having a “fundamental misconception of how parliament operated”, the prime minister’s written submission said that it would be “constitutionally inappropriate” for the judiciary to intervene.” – The Times
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>Yesterday:
“No, the hearings may be seen as a turning point for something else entirely. They may mark the moment Britain stopped being a political democracy restrained by law and became instead a legal democracy tempered by politics. Is our system based on the political decisions made by parliament and the executive in which it places confidence? Or are there laws and arrangements that exist regardless of parliament’s view? In his memoirs, Tony Blair devotes half a sentence to passing the 1998 Human Rights Act and does not even mention that he created the Supreme Court. Yet these may have been the most consequential things of his premiership. They changed the very nature of our democracy.” – The Times
“A European diplomatic backlash grew today over the “discourteous” treatment of Boris Johnson by Luxembourg’s prime minister. There are fears it could fuel “animosity” between Britain and the EU at a crucial moment in Brexit talks. Mr Johnson’s decision to cancel a joint press conference in Luxembourg yesterday due to anti-Brexit protests was seized on by Xavier Bettel as a platform for an undiplomatic attack on the Conservative leader. He pointed to empty lectern next to him and accused Mr Johnson of putting party political gain over the interests of his citizens. Norbert Röttgen, a senior Christian Democrat and the chairman of the German parliament’s powerful foreign affairs committee, warned that the incident made a no-deal Brexit more likely.” – The Times
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>Yesterday: Stephen Booth’s column: Not so long ago, EU leaders hoped Brexit would be stopped. They may now be ready for it to go ahead.
“Boris Johnson’s Brexit proposals have not been handed to Eurocrats over fears they will be leaked, it has emerged. Talks with Brussels to secure a new exit settlement will intensify next week with daily discussions between officials. Outlines of possible options to resolve the deadlock have been shown to the European Commission but officials have refused to leave copies of the documents behind. Government sources said they fear the Commission would “fire it at the 27” leaders of EU countries and they would no longer be “in control” of it. “We’ve been going to meetings with papers but not left them behind,” they said. Brussels is demanding solutions to protect the integrity of the single market.” – Daily Express
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>Today: Daniel Hannan MEP’s column: Cameron maligns Brexiteers because he misunderstands them
“Ministers are poised to overhaul the planned tariff schedule for a no-deal Brexit with deep cuts to proposed duties on heavy trucks after opposition from the haulage industry. The government is expected to announce imminently the full set of charges it will impose on various industries in a no-deal departure from the EU, tweaking an earlier draft that was announced in March by the Cabinet Office. The Road Haulage Association complained vociferously in March when the government said it would impose a 22 per cent charge on the cost of importing a new heavy goods vehicle from mainland Europe in the event of Britain leaving the EU without a deal. That “ludicrous” increase would have amounted to an extra £15,000 on a typical heavy goods vehicle, the RHA complained. ” – FT
“Dominic Cummings has seized new powers to sack ministers’ advisers as No 10 moves to centralise control of the government. Special advisers, who work for cabinet ministers, were sent new contracts of employment this week, whether they worked for the government under Theresa May or not, and Boris Johnson and his top advisers have more control over conduct and discipline. There have been rows this summer over decisions by Mr Johnson and Mr Cummings, his controversial senior adviser, to sack special advisers. Mr Cummings dismissed Sonia Khan, an aide to Sajid Javid, without the chancellor’s knowledge. He said she had misled him over her contact with Philip Hammond, her former boss. She denies any wrongdoing.” – The Times
“The government has intervened in the £4bn takeover of Cobham, a UK aerospace and defence supplier, by a US private equity firm on the grounds of national security. In a rare move, Andrea Leadsom, the business secretary, has instructed the Competition and Markets Authority to investigate the takeover of Cobham, a world leader in systems for planes to refuel in mid-air, by Advent International. Leadsom said: “Following careful consideration of the proposed takeover of Cobham, I have issued an intervention notice on the grounds of national security. The government’s goals are to support private sector innovation whilst safeguarding the public interest.” Shares in Cobham fell more than 1% in early trading following the minister’s announcement. Leadsom, who was appointed business secretary by Boris Johnson in July, has told the CMA to report back by 29 October.” – The Guardian
“Boris Johnson will appoint a domestic abuse commissioner today in an attempt to reassure campaigners angry at a delay to legislation. Nicole Jacobs, the chief executive of Standing Together, a campaign group, is named as the newly created independent watchdog by the prime minister and Priti Patel, the home secretary. The role was initially outlined in a Domestic Abuse Bill but the legislation fell victim to Mr Johnson’s decision to prorogue parliament. The government decided not to carry over the bill into the new session, but challenged over his commitment to tackling domestic abuse, Mr Johnson promised last week that a new version would appear in the Queen’s Speech on October 14. “Domestic abuse shatters lives and tears families apart,” he said. “We are fully committed to tackling this horrific crime.”” – The Times
“Jeremy Corbyn has been accused of an “shameful abdication of leadership” after signalling that he will remain neutral in a second referendum. In a move that has put him on a collision course with senior allies and Remainer MPs, Mr Corbyn has strongly indicated that he will stay out of the political fray and will “carry out whatever the people decide”. Ahead of Labour’s annual party conference this weekend, Mr Corbyn has set out his plan for a “sensible” Brexit deal, which would be pitted against remaining in the European Union in a fresh public vote. However, in an article for the Guardian, the Labour leader has indicated he will remain neutral during the campaign, writing that his party is the only one prepared to “put our trust in the people of Britain to make the decision”.” – Daily Telegraph
>Today: ToryDiary: Here comes Harold Corbyn
“Jeremy Corbyn is poised to announce plans to scrap Universal Credit if he gets into power. Labour’s shadow cabinet have reportedly discussed tearing up the welfare reforms after their review found the policy is “toxic”. But critics blasted the plan, warning it would damage opportunities for Brits to get into work and send the welfare bill soaring. Tory MP Iain Duncan Smith, the mastermind of UC, told The Sun Mr Corbyn’s plot would cost billions of pounds. He fumed “Universal Credit is popular and it works. Only a Marxist Labour Party would disagree. “Abolishing it would cost billions and cause utter chaos.”” – The Sun
>Yesterday: James Frayne’s column: Why a populist programme wouldn’t work for Johnson. Working class voters aren’t values votes.
“Tom Watson last night accused Labour activists of attempting to force him out after he tried to clamp down on anti-Semitism in the party. The party’s deputy leader spoke out after it emerged that local constituency bodies had submitted motions to next week’s party conference censuring him for ‘undermining’ Jeremy Corbyn. Two of them criticise him for his role in efforts to deal with Labour anti-Semitism and go so far as to say he should stand down over his conduct. Labour said the anti-Watson motions would not be debated because only policies and not internal party matters can be discussed at conference. But the motions demonstrate the depth of anger against the deputy leader among Labour grassroots.” – Daily Mail
“Jo Swinson has attacked her rivals Boris Johnson as entitled and Jeremy Corbyn as stuck in the 1970s. In her first speech to the Liberal Democrat conference as party leader, she sought to present herself as a modern alternative, saying: “People across Britain deserve a better choice than an entitled Etonian or a 1970s socialist.” She accused Mr Corbyn of being a closet Brexiteer and compared him to the leader of the Brexit Party saying: “Jeremy Corbyn still insists that if Labour win a general election, they will negotiate their own Brexit deal to take us out of the EU. Nigel Farage might be Brexit by name, but it is very clear that Jeremy Corbyn is Brexit by nature.” Ms Swinson has rejected the idea that she would enter a coalition with Mr Johnson or Mr Corbyn after the next general election, but has not explicitly ruled out doing a deal with either party, suggesting that her price could be the head of their party leaders.” – The Times
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>Yesterday: Video: WATCH: “A Liberal Democrat government will revoke Article 50 on day one” – Swinson
“Six out of ten Scots want to remain in the UK and barely a quarter back Nicola Sturgeon’s timetable for another independence referendum, according to a poll published on the fifth anniversary of the 2014 vote. The poll, conducted by Survation for campaign group Scotland in Union, found 59 per cent support for remaining in the UK and 41 per cent backing for leaving. Asked if and when there should be another independence referendum, only 27 per cent backed Ms Sturgeon’s preference for another vote within the next 18 months. More than a third (36 per cent) of Yes voters in the 2014 vote now want to stay in the UK, the poll said, with protecting public services, Brexit and Ms Sturgeon’s performance as First Minister cited as the most important reasons behind their change of heart.” – Daily Telegraph
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