UK Politics

[Dong Zhou]

-Boris says Putin likely to have ordered the attack himself

-Russia's ambassadors says the people attacked may well have recovered by now and trying to distract from Brexit

-Lavrov says Williamson lacks education

-D'Arcy on Week Ahead

-30 Labour MP's have so far signed the "it was Russia, back May" motion

-Northamponshire'7 MP's all call for government to push through now with abolishing the council

-Abbott on passing second reading of refugee family bill

-The longest serving mayor in the country Sir Robin Wales, the Labour mayor of Newham in east London, deselected after 23 years, had been seen as a successful mayor who transformed Newham but had alienated some within the party, the local party forced a selection process this time. Four year councillor and Momentum backed Rokhsana Fiaz is Labour candidate and while saying she would make Labour radical again is careful to praise Walker, would be first BME woman elected mayor in Europe if she gets elected

-N.Ireland committee concerned at lack of progress on border

-Lucy Allan warns she is being inundated with reports of abuse at Telford

-Bank of England says there has been good work on dealing with the potential impact of bad Brexit but still risks

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-Chris Williamson says Corbyn's critics on Russia are conducting a proxy leadership contest

-Rees-Mogg says those raising concerns about Irish border are almost encouraging violence, says EU proposal is as logical as UK demanding Republic come out of EU

-Catherine West wants 1% of HS2 money spent on potholes instead

-MP's concerned at potential takeover of GNK

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-Bush on an old school victory for Corbyn on general secretary contest

-Freedland on Russia

-James Moore urges Remainers not to attack those who regret voting for Brexit

-Forsyth (sun) how to handle Russia, Euro trouble, Trump will get worse, transition deal likely this week

[Dong Zhou]

-Russia to expel 23 UK embassy staff and close down British Council in Russia (which is a cultural thing so is a feeling that one was unnecessary) and the British Consulate in St Petersburg, saying nerve agent most likely from one of Britain, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Sweden or the United States. Unsurprisingly some of the country are denying it while Boris says Russia's actions are pointless and only hurt Russians

-Eyes on the murder of businessman and Kremlin critic Nikolai Glushkov though police sceptical is connected to other events

-Richard Leonard vows to stamp out racism in Scottish Labour

-Ruth Davidson wants RT closed down

-Baroness Chakrabtty says the evidence Labour has seen isn't enough to suggest Putin is behind the attack and Russian state may have lost control, expelling Russian diplomats was proportionate response as is calling in international authorities and economic action, not fair for people to have issues with staff as they can't defend themselves, trusts intelligence services, should send sample to Russia due to international conventions.

-Russia launch official investigations into attempted murders of ex-spy and his daughter

-Boris says Russia's response of sarcasm and obfuscation shows they have no interest in hiding their guilt or investigating it properly, international response a lot stronger then during Livchentko death, sceptical about allowing Russian investigators in, won't publish that border letter but challenges media to quote it honestly, there is evidence of Russia stockpiling chemical weapons

-Boris (sun) on Russia

-Maria Miller condemns gender pay gap and allegations of protecting sexual harasser against Coutts

-Scottish Greens commit to returning to EU and says any future coalition deal would need to include reform of council tax

-Copper accuses Russia of trolling

-Labour postpone decision on transgender candidates being in all woman shortlists

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-Paul Goodman concerned borders may not be ready for Brexit

-Robin Lustig makes case for Putin's guilt

[Dong Zhou]

-Transition deal agreed, Barnier praises a historic moment but warns some things like Ireland still need sorting, Davies says significant step, both show a list with colour codes for full agreement, political agreement and work to do. Pound rallies, Sir Stramer says this could have been done months ago, Scottish fisherman and SNP+Scottish Tories suspect a sell out on fishing rights

UK won't have say in rules but will be bound by them, EU nationals arriving in UK during the period will get same rights as ones before it and vice versa (EU win), UK agrees to Ireland backstop (EU win), punishment clause remains (EU win). UK will be able to negotiate and sign trade deals (UK win), joint committee to sort out differences during transition, safe guards on fishing for 2019 (will be consulted, share can't be changed) and after that is treated as an independent state on fishing (EU win judging by reaction). 31 December 2020 is end date (EU win), talks on trade won't start till after Brexit but scoping will start around April (EU win), opt-in on police and justice as 3rd country (UK win)

-McDonnell blames Putin for spy attack and he agrees with May (Labour denying this is a change), Corbyn's response wasn't an attack but a critique and looking for options going forward, wants an oligarch levy

-Brexit committee half wants transition phase to be extended as it doesn't see how trade deal and other matters can be agreed on time but the Brexiteers (Rees-Mogg, Sir Chope, Andrea Jenkyns, Craig Mackinlay, and Whittingdale plus DUP's Sammy Wilson) refused to back the report saying an extension risks undermining referendum result and things could be done on time, Rees-Mogg says it would make us a vassal state and is a partisan text.

-Boris admits to paying tennis match with Russian oligarch's wife after declared donation to party for said match. Jon Trickett says Tories must admit to where their money comes from, says Russia's denials growing increasingly absurd

-McVey on ensuring firms abide by their pensions duty

-Culture Committee accuses Facebook and Cambridge Analytica of misleading parliament

-Humza Yousaf and Anas Sarwar warns that racism and Islamophobia is getting worse in Scotland.

-Putin says Russia destroyed all it's chemical weapons and state involvement in the attempted murder is unimaginable

-EU Council backs UK generally on Russia issue without full 100% backing on it being Putin

-Tories outspent Labour by £7.5 million during election campaign

-Rees-Mogg says we would be a joke negation if we can't negotiate trade deals

-Labour to host music festival this summer

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-Stephen Kinnock says Corbyn's guardian article muddied the water, wants world cup postponed for year

- Iain Duncan Smith, Carolyn Harris and Ronnie Cowan combine to urge lowering of max limit on fixed bet terminals

-Osborne says gap in centre as hard Brexiteers move Tories to hard right and Corbyn takes Labour hard left, Labour would be romping home with a moderate, Trump making things difficult for US allies

-Blair warns it is becoming the politics of who shouts the loudest rather then building bridges

-Farage demands "Theresa the Appeaser" resigns

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-D'Ancona argues Corbyn's response to Russia shows he is not ready to be PM

-George Pascoe-Watson May's team are prepared to take locals elections hit with plans for long term

-Professor Ivor Gaber says things more complicated then just blaming Putin and UK needs to look at itself with handling of Russian oligarchs

-Steve Peers has an in-depth look at what has been agreed

[Dong Zhou]

-Corbyn says we must still have dealings with Russia, fingers point to Putin but wants "an absolutely definitive answer"

-Rees-Mogg says transition agreement is very unsatisfactory and unneeded but he sees it as purgatory before heaven, denies rumours he will be throwing fish in Thames to make point (other press mocking Telegraph on that one), should use the money EU will get from us to get change on fishery policy. Shouldn't character assassinate Corbyn who is a “honest, sincere and forthright” man of belief but “as a politician he believes in everything that would be destructive to the nation”, he may never have taken paternity leave but he knows his life is unusual and other men need it. Doesn't want tax rises to pay for NHS but would use EU money

- Electoral Commission strongly hints major parties look at what resources they spend on ensuring they obey electoral law and on the quality of their internal governance

-Information Commissioner seeking warrant for Cambridge Analytics

-Labour HQ hit by string of resignations before Unite's Jenny Formby becomes Labour’s new general secretary

-IFS says if all tariffs abolished after Brexit and if everything goes well, prices could fall 1.2% but other cots incurred by Brexit would override that like the 2% price rise we have already had

-Equalities committee warns government has not yet changed attitudes towards paternal leave and working fathers taking charge of children

-Government looking at rise of school expulsions

-Inflation down to 2.7% with food and transport rising less then it was, a sense we are past the peak

- Fiona Hyslop, the Scottish government’s culture minister, has put out press statement on most popular baby names in Scotland

-Julian Smith accuses of angering MP's by dismissing their concerns about the fishing deal

-Unhappiness as Junker congratulates Putin without mentioning Salisbury

-Gove says fishing agreement is disappointment but necessary for transition, lasts only 12 months and they got some concessions like UK being at the table, as a fisherman's son he understand the anger

-Vardaker warns still things need agreeing

-Hunt indicates government wants social care cost cap

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-Bryne on need to update laws for data protection

-Courts uphold demand UKIP pay Labour MP's for defamation (Sir Kevin Barron, John Healey and Sarah Champion) as Batten pleads for 100k from members by end of month

-NUT spent more for election then UKIP or Greens

-IDS willing to give May benefit of doubt on fishing

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-Eaton on transition deal that accepts what Leavers once called unacceptable

-Kuessenberg on the questions left after transition deal

-Behr says Remaining in EU is right thing to do but does have a cost

-Henry Newman welcomes the progress in Brexit

-Jonathan Powell on N.Ireland could yet collapse Brexit talks

-Luke Akehurst says Corbyn left bringing the communism attacks on themselves

[Dong Zhou]

PMQ's: Corbyn goes onto Northamptonshire council collapse, was it Tory incompetence at local or national level (nice question), May goes onto general councils records sees Tories tax less which was a awful answer, Corbyn goes onto council's warnings due to cuts and Northampton's failure on outsourcing raising question about Tory model, May says Corbyn is ignoring the inspectors report including that it was not a case of underfunding which does act to negate one of the points then trying the "costs less" argument. Corbyn points out the council has gone bust and argues other councils have borrowed the formula like Barnet and lays into it's record then goes onto the funding gap for councils yet national government gives tax cuts to super rich. When heckled, gives a list of what the money could have been used for instead. May seizes on mention of bin collections and attacks Labour's record in Birmingham and it's failure to collect bins, points out richest take the brunt of taxes, claims Gwynne wants land value tax, hotel tax and to stop referendum on big council tax rises. Corbyn goes on defensive about Labour's stance on Corbyn, quotes Tory leader of Surrey complaints about money and argues Tories is "pay more, get less", May points to council tax bands being lower then quotes Harringey, Cornwall and Brighton leaders ousted for wanting to build more homes and opposing anti-Semitism in an effectively delivered attack. Corbyn ignores it with nothing more then "we build houses, Tories privatize", talks about Leicester of cuts and tax rises due to lack of funding then jumps onto business rates destroying high streets. May points to Tories building more homes then Labour councillors in Ashfield joined Tories due to hard left takeover. Corbyn goes on buisness rates rise again and quote Mary Portes that used her as a PR campaign, good summary of Tories closing things down while quoting Tory head of local goverment saying funding is unsustainable. May goes on general more spending due to econimic success, mentions unemployment and employment record which will help Labour moderates

Local elections must be coming up... Corbyn uses Northamptonshire well as an opener before widening out but Barnet one lacked force, he wandered off effectiveness towards more but he seemed to get rattled by May and some of it felt like falling back on ideology rather then effectiveness, his business rates attack lacked a build up to land while he allowed himself to be trapped on Northamptonshire with a sloppy claim. However "pay more, get less" is potentially a killer slogan and he will feel he got enough to use during local elections. Not sure if May's Gwynne attack will resonate and "less taxes" seems a weak defence to things like Northamptonshire, the ousted Labour leaders might be too obscure and though she grew stronger and stronger, she didn't get strong lines for the elections. Blackford asks if May believes subverting the democrat process is unacceptable, May senses a trap as she goes for a general answer, Blackford then lists Tory connections to Cambridge Analytics and asks for disclosure, can see papers running with this. May says no current company with that company (or it's parents), is concerned at the general allegations and sets out steps being taken without answering the question.

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-A sense SNP may find it hard to make real headway on fishing deal as they want to stay in EU which would of course keep us in the fishing agreements

-Accusations Julian Smith says "fishermen aren't going to go vote Labour"

-Hunt says all parties have made NHS and social care funding situation worse by policiting with it giving death tax from Tories and dementia tax from Labour

-Commons Home Affairs Committee fears we need longer transition to sort out security deal, fears government is making too many assumptions that what they want will simply happen

-Mark Zuckerberg summoned by Culture Committee

-Lords vote to keep us in Euratom

-Sir James Bevan, the Environment Agency chief executive, says we need to talk about pulling out of areas of very high flood risk and others other then central government to help pay for flood defences

-Welsh government looking at taking councils down from 22 to 10

-Guernsey set to be first place in Britain to allow assisted dying

-Unions and government agree NHS pay

-Pay up to 2.6% in first three months, employment hits joint high of 75.3%, unemployment of 4.3% is lowest since 1975. A sense we nearing end of pay squeeze

-13 Tories and 1 DUP have signed a letter hinting they would vote against transition deal and making clear they consider it unacceptable, should leave the EU fishing agreement and EU fishermans forced to land catch at UK ports (though will be allowed some fishing)

-Lord Callanan says if deal is rejected by parliament then we Brexit with no deal

-Hunt hints he agrees with calls for a NHS tax

-Boris probably managed to avoid getting anyone extended prison sentence this time when speaking to foreign affairs select committee (for first time that disaster), May might not appreciate his comparing world cup to Nazi Olympics (prompted by Ian Austin to say that to be fair). Been noted that May's PPS Seema Kennedy always sent to watch Boris on these occasions.

Says trail leads back to Kremlin, sending a message to defectors and suspect chemical agent was to ensure everyone knew it was Russia, Russia stalling and lies made going further on Litvenenko case difficult and denies it was due to Russian money, indicates he is not happy with select committees holding sessions abroad as it risks being seen as by the government. Putin wasn't elected with any validity, that the man in charge of English fans safety at Russian embassy has been expelled is a problem, has funding for 250 more diplomatic posts (one above France), Commonwealth undervalued here.

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-Redwood wants UK to declare transition deal unacceptable and get changes to fishing part

-Seema Malhotra on speech therapy

-Lord Adonis fears Ireland could become like Cyprus

-Rees-Mogg says May is a cautious figure who would not accuse Russia without evidence, Russia is not acting like a normal nation

-Andrew Neill may have good questions about Corbyn's stance but he treated Dodds poorly during that section

-Farage join fish boat protest but whips persuade Tory MP's not to take part

-Farage fears transition deal could lead to hundreds of fishermen going bust

-Sun's Steve Hawkes notes "Under the radar there is real fury among Brexit backing MPs towards No.10 and DD - feelings DD has "gone native", anger at PM for refusing to speak up publicly taking control of fishing, borders etc"

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-Iain Watson on Jennie Formby

-Eaton on Labour left at strongest in it's history

-Afua Hirsch reminds us we engage in propaganda, not just Russian Today

-Charles Grant on Ireland issue

-Jane Merrick lays into Corbyn's attitude on spy attacks

[Dong Zhou]

-British ambassador to Russia, Laurie Bristow, accused of skipping meeting with Russian forgien office over the attempted murder case, Bristow denies this. Russia deeply unhappy on Hitler comparisons (very understandably so), their consul to Edinburgh suggesting Boris be axed

-Tusk sure we will find a solution on Irish border

-Lords Select Committee on the Natural Environment and Rural Communities says countryside is being failed, wants rural powers stripped from Defra to be given to local government department and reform of the Countryside code and National trials

-GMB oppose NHS pay deal

-National Audit Office says 70,000 people on main sickness benefit were unpaid from 2011 and DWP were aware of this in 2013 but only started dealing with last year

-Welsh parliament and Hollyrood passes Brexit continuity bill

-Our British blue passports to be made by French-Dutch company who seem to have offered a £120 million saving. Sir Cash and Patel not happy which I would have more sympathy if they weren't Brexiting for more free trade, Hancock blaming Eu procurement rules

-More females unemployed then males for first time in 40 years but also most females have jobs ever, retail sales up 0.8% which is double expected

-Bank of England holds interest rates at 0.5%, everyone has eyes on May for next rate rise

-Hancock indicating government will toughen up data protection rules

-Guy Verhofstadt on Russia

-Russian ambassador Alexander Yakovenko, to his credit doing an hour with journalists, says UK has a record of misleading international community so they need to provide the evidence so it can be verified (also refuses to say he would accept or resign if international authorities like the OCPW backed UK), puzzled by lack of UK cooperation, dismisses complaints about the embassy making jokes about the murder attempt as copying British tabloid tone, UK keeps classifying information on the deaths of Russian immigrants, UK asks Russia to extradite criminals but won't do same for Russia and doesn't accept UK reason of quality of Russian jails being bad. World cup being at Russia picked by world and it can help advertise Russia. Concerned at the hysterical presentation by UK and Boris comment was very insulting to Russian people and to UK people like those who served in the Arctic Conveys , Russian journalists are getting threatened, lists questions he has about the victims. Suggests part of U attitude is attempt to find new role after Brexit

-May says Russia has a pattern of aggression against it's neighbours borders

-Culture Comitee summons Alexander Hix, the suspended boss of Cambridge Analytica, to explain inconsistencies between his evidence and what has emerged

-Javid warns it may not be able to rehouse Grenfell victims by the first year anniversary which he blames on Kenginston and Chelsea council for unacceptable delays

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-The office manager of shadow justice minister Gloria De Piero has gone to Tories

-Lib Dems claim eight leaders of Europe back their calls for a second referendum but the EU group the leaders are from, Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, have issued a firm denial while has been pointed out one of the eight leaders, Miro Cerar of Slovenia, resigned earlier this month.

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-Bush warns USA and EU may be unreliable allies on Russia issue

-Kettle says Russia has exposed Global Britian as a myth and we need EU as our defence allies

-Robbie Young feels we are on edge of lowering voting age

-David Allen Green explains why Brexit won't stop passports going to France/Netherlands

-Eaton on passport outrage shows hypocrisy of some Brexiteers

-Racheal Wearmouth on N.Ireland attitudes to Brexit

[Dong Zhou]

-Tracey Crouch welcomes Man U joining modern age by finally having a female team, asked about Boris Nazi Olympics comment "I might not have put it in those terms"

-Passport news caused Lords chaos as attempt to get passport fees rise through sees Lord Foulkes and Lord Forsyth to widen out to the location question to the fury of Baroness Williams

-EU recalls it's ambassador to Moscow as it declares there is no other plausible explanation for attacks other then May's

-Corbyn says some of the cabinet's recent comments about Russia are not helpful, wants voters to use local elections to send message to May that enough is enough and change of direction is enough

-Boris refuses to back down on Nazi comparisons

-Owen Smith calls for Labour to back Remain. Surprised he has been allowed to do that

-Transport Committee wants extension of night time flight ban at Heathrow to seven hours and want more safeguards on airport charges

-Transition deal agreed and EU agrees negotiating deadline

-Trump postpones trade war with EU

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-Bridget Phillipson defends machine politics

-Emilio Casalicchio talks to Claire Perry about her green plans

-Harman wants next Labour leadership contest to be women only, regrets not standing when Brown stepped down, Sebastian Whale has interview/profile with Harman

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-Katya Adler on security relations with EU and Brexit talks

-Bush on what would be a good local election night for Labour

-BBC looks at what to look out for at local elections

-David McLagan on latte levy as part of war on waste

-John Haylet rails against the Labour right

-Helen Lewis on her concerns with all women shortlists

-Sean O'Grady on EU's response to attempted murder of spies has proved them as true friends of UK

-Paul Taylor on so far Brexit is a managed surrender

[Sun Fin]

-Owen Smith calls for Labour to back Remain. Surprised he has been allowed to do that

You were right to be surprised he'd got away with it as Corbyn has now sacked him.

[Dong Zhou]

-Owen Smith calls for Labour to back Remain. Surprised he has been allowed to do that

You were right to be surprised he'd got away with it as Corbyn has now sacked him.

Given the sheer lack of fuss about it for much of the day, that may hurt Smith's ego.

Weird time for Smith (who should have resigned if he felt he had to breach cabinet unity on this) to make such a stand. I imagine others will resign over time over Brexit and as a committed Remainer and a figure passionate on N.Ireland well before Brexit threatened N.Ireland, Smith going at some point would be understandable. However now? There isn't a major vote coming up, it isn't going to sway people and while the party members are pro-Remain, they may not appreciate this act and they did vote a pro Brexit leader twice.

Looks like Corbyn has gone for Tony Lloyd. I doubt many will question his ability and expirence but Corbyn really needed someone with a uncontroversial (in fairness, has none I'm aware of) and proven (which is the problem) record on N.Ireland to counter the Corbyn's own history

[Dong Zhou]

-Note, apparently some are claiming Alec Shelbrooke is napping in Commons. He is deaf in one ear so tends to close his eyes to help him hear. Anyone claiming he is napping is attacking the disabled

-There is the inevitable negative reaction to Smith being sacked, some on the reasonable side like Bradshaw sorry to see him go, Turley calling it a loss to front bench and some that just absurd: Lord Hain's Stalinist purge, Umunna calling it extraordinary sacking given Remain has party support. Some Smith supporters saying the press knew about sacking before Smith did which Corbyn's team denies, some in the press (and Berger) wondering if timing is a distraction from the mural scandal. Abbott explaining collective responsibility on Brexit to media was unwise given her breach of Brexit cabinet responsibility not seeing her sacked (calls Smith valued but he knows he can't breach cabinet responsibility and expect to stay on), Smith complaining that Corbyn should approve of people standing up for their principles

Once Corbyn had to tolerate anything short of criminal scandal by his shadow cabinet as he lacked replacements (he literally had cabinet members who didn't want the job doing multiple posts) or the political capital. The general election has given him both, he could bring in someone of Tony Lloyd's immense experience and he can remove people without real trouble. Corbyn is not one inclined to sacking but when figures have caused trouble or breached cabinet responsibility, he has axed them. Even allies like Williamson have been axed so why not Smith for blatant breach of collective responsibility on a major issue? One that Tories would have used for weeks to claim Labour was trying to stop Brexit. Corbyn has no right to expect "follow the whip" from backbenches but he has that right from his cabinet. One may question the difference between Abbott and Smith but the answer is pretty clear (she is such a key ally she would have to do a lot worse, he isn't) but Corbyn can't allow this to go unchallenged and what Smith did would be sacking under Blair, Brown, Cameron so he can have no complaints. The mural story and handling is another matter but it may well become a "compare and contrast"

-Corbyn complained about the removal of a street mural in 2012, comparing it to "Man at the Crossroads" which was covered up due to having Lenin on it. It was removed for being (blatantly) anti-Semitic. Corbyn's team now saying he didn't look close enough (it is hard to see how one could possibly not have noticed), he now agrees it was right to remove it and it is a deeply disturbing image

Unhappiness that when Berger raised concerns about this story, Labour decided not to respond for a long long time, responded quicker over Smith's article. They also aren't happy at the response which they feel is weak.

-EU says we have to have a separate agreement with Spain over Gibraltar, Juncker says EU is expecting reciprocal deal on fishing rights to continue after Brexit

-Odd timing that just as voting for who would be major candidates in local elections, NEC suddenly declares anyone holding mayor post can't be MP.

-Dominic Cummings, mastermind of Vote Leave campaign, decides to get our early and (lengthy) denial of connections with Cambridge Analytics

-D'Arcy's Week Ahead

-Peers get a 1.8% increase on daily allowance (they get an extra fiver)

-Russia sends letter to the recovering Detective Sergant Nick Bailey thanking him for his bravery and saying they are relieved at his recovery

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-Dan Jarvis running for Sheffield Mayor, Labour rules now say he would have to resign as MP but he has pledged to stay as MP for two years and he can point out Labour brought in that rule when way too late for him to stand down as candidate

-Plaid want independence referendum, national air carrier and energy grid for Wales. Leanne Wood pleading for unity so they can beat Labour indicating there are internal problems as two MP's call for them not to move to the left

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-Eaton says Smith's sacking shows Corbyn's strength and EU views, Bush says this will show how much goodwill Corbyn has among Remainers

-Pienaar on Brexit challenges facing May

-James Lansdale wonders if spy attacks have given Foreign Office focus

-Chris Morris on what EU leaders agreed

-Kuessenberg on Dominic Cummings

-Peter Oborne predicts civil war in both Labour and Tories this summer, praises IDS, Shelbrooke issue, not a fan of John Bolton

-Forsyth (sun) says goverment must prepare for no deal, Russia, Tigger, Bercow should retire