PMQ's Corbyn asks if she agrees with Boris about NHS needing more money, May says budget gave more money but Corbyn goes into money is less generous then it sounds then goes onto A&E doctors letter and who will public believe. May defends winter preparation with a decent technical answer but doesn't really answer A&E letters, Corbyn goes on NHS trusts wanting more money and worst A&E record while stiastics authorities warn such figures were fiddled so asks when proper figures will be released, May says they put out a lot of figures and keep giving more money then goes onto NHS Wales. Corbyn says Welsh NHS is underfunded by England and Welsh Labour keeps increasing NHS budget but ignores the failings there, Corbyn pushes on NHS ambulance waits, May says all Corbyn ever wants is more money but has no interest in why hospital waiting times vary so badly but rather build on that but instead runs onto Labour manifesto with IFS saying "not much to choose between them". Corbyn doesn't have an answer to IFS and goes onto general rant about evil of Tories before going onto whistle-blower on deaths and will it be investigated, May sets out what investigations will happen and commitment to NHS. Corbyn goes onto another tale of A&E with NHS needing money, May is in denial about state of NHS. May attacks NHS Wales being cut and defends general record.
Corbyn doesn't tend to have punch but he had good questions that May didn't seem to know how to answer and had some decent comebacks, she gave one or two decent general technical answers about winter crises but blatantly didn't have answers and felt she took quite a defeat. Blackford goes on RBS closures again and urges May, as majority shareholder, to intervene, she points to past answers of a commercial decision and steps taken, Blackford says changes breach equality act as makes it harder for disabled, May points out other banks ar closinge while she points out Scotland's biggest export market is UK.
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-Downing Street statement on who is at May's Burns Night dinner misspells five names (3 of them her own MP's), ‘Scottish Whisky Association’ becomes ‘Scotch Whisky Association’ and doesn't say who addressed the haggis
-Government setting up a unit to counter fake news. I'm sceptical given government can't even convince people of actual news but President Macron requested it
-Policing minister Nick Hurd indicates government willing to be under ECJ during transition
-David Davies admits he is no longer claiming trade deals can be done in two years, well crafted trade deals could up growth by 40% but disowns his former article saying we should stay in customs union, issues will be dealt with before we go into transition and substance of trade deal in place by then as otherwise EU will spin it out, Brexit red lines won't apply during transition and hints he expects to stay in single market/customs union but expects deal for that before end of March, EU draft demands for transition are an opening bid. EU getting a better idea of how much ECJ issue matters to UK, learnt as a company director not to promise money to go out before you actually had it (in reference to Boris), suspects EU are holding further concessions on British nationals as a bargaining chip, EU people won't be deported from UK, inadvertently calls his aide Stewart Jackson an idiot when saying only an idiot goes into talks with red lines, no deal Brexit highly improbable.
Note: Opening your committee hearing with two counts of "ignore what I said earlier" does not seem good for credibility
-Hilary Benn notes hearings with Davies would be shorter if he came more often
-Labour's NEC intervenes in long running Haringey row and asks councillors to drop the housing scheme that has caused such protest
-Rees-Mogg says transition phase preposed by Davies would make UK a vassal state and as chair of the Brexiteer backbenchers, this has raised a flag for potential problem
-MP's block Sir Ian Kennedy from going to Electoral Commission, his time in charge of their expenses is still not forgiven
-England opt out of Pisa global competence test but Scotland will take it
-Sturgeon in furious row with Iain Dale, Telegraph and Scottish Daily over claims she has banned all Scottish government buildings from flying the union jack, save for Remembrance Day and armed forces day. She says the use of the lion rampant instead of union jack was taken eight years ago ie before she had any say (civil service website only just updated guidelines), Salmond says he got permission from the Queen.
-Employment rises to record high of 32.2 million and wages grow to 2.4%
-Education minister Nadhim Zahawi was at Presidents Club annual charity fundraiser that seems to have descended into sexual harassment, the allegations are that he failed to report it till after Finical Times splashed on it, has said he felt uneasy and left quickly but will never go to a men's only event ever again. He could be in big trouble while the club has been closed
-IFS says Brexit dividend for NHS doesn't exist but we owe NHS staff an extra billion to make up for higher prices resulting from Brexit
-Amidst reports of having a hitlist of 50 MP's, Momentum promises not to campaign nationally to deselect MP's
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-Mark Pritchard backs Boris on NHS
-Westminster Council rejects Thatcher statue opposite parliament
-Ben Bradley repeats his apology, says he was an immature student but is concerned at the death threats and journalists harassing his grandparents.
-Andrew Neill very effective on Labour's plan on pay
-Cameron at Davos says Brexit is a mistake rather then a disaster. Farage says "busted" though as others have said, warning investors at Davos we are facing disaster might not have been a great idea
-Blair says we are heading towards a hodge potch Brexit that won't satisfy Brexit voters
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-Hardman on
May's weak governing-Ann Perkins says
May is not a PM for big ideas-Owen Bennett
warns not to rule UKIP out just yet-Sean O'Grady on
Tories image trouble with NHS and Boris-Nicky Hawkins
says Remainers need to understand statistics won't win the argument
