Politics

MPs could be faced with a choice between backing Theresa May's deal or facing a lengthy delay, the Prime Minister's chief EU negotiator was overheard saying last night. Olly Robbins is reported to have told colleagues that the government's strategy is to offer MPs a choice in March between a deal and a delay. His conversation was picked up by ITV News Correspondent Angus Walker and his cameraman in a hotel bar in Brussels. Walker said: "During the conversation, there were suggestions...

An empty homes tax has the potential to generate income for local councils, reduce demand from foreign investors and increase housing affordability, according to a new study

Business Secretary Greg Clark refused to rule out imposing zero tariffs which would ‘rip the heart’ out of UK manufacturing. Today in Parliament Louise Haigh MP asked the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy if he agreed zero tariffs “leave us open to a flood of cheap imports driving down wages and costing jobs?”  Greg Clarke replied: “No decision has yet been taken on that . Imposing zero tariffs would be a disaster for UK’s proud manufacturing...

The DVLA will be auctioning off COR87N (Corbyn) at its first sale of 2019, which takes place in Chesterfield on Wednesday

A video of a Leave-voting expat who bought his Spanish holiday home after the referendum has been making the rounds on social media after he realised an end to free movement would apply to him too. Dave, who bought a holiday home in Spain after voting to leave, says he would vote to remain if there was a second referendum. Explaining the reasons behind his change of heart, he said freedom of movement in Europe for "proper Europeans" was among...

It has been some time in coming but eventually the Conservative Party has accepted that there is a link between the roll-out of Universal Credit and the increase usage of food banks, by those in desperate need of basic food and living supplies. Amber Rudd accepted that huge increase in food bank usage has, in some part, been caused by UC. Until today senior Tories have flatly denied that this was the case. The number of emergency food parcels handed...

Theresa May wrote to Jeremy Corbyn last night and rejected the Labour leader's call for the UK to stay in a permanent customs union with the EU. She has effectively ruled out Labour’s ideas for a compromise Brexit plan. The PM stressed her objections to keeping the UK in some form of customs union, as this would prevent the UK making its own trade deals. This decision comes as business groups are warning that with under than 50 days to...

The ONS (Office for National Statistics) reported that the growth in 2018 was 1.4% down from 1.8% in 2017. Even more worryingly this is the lowest rate since 2012. According to the ONS, quarterly growth also slowed, falling to 0.2% in the three months to December - down from 0.6% in the three months to September. A decline in car production and factory output were some of the main factors that caused the slower growth. Head of GDP at the...

Conservative MP Christopher Chope who recently scuppered legislation against 'upskirting' - filming up women's skirts - has now blocked a bill to safeguard children from female genital mutilation (FGM). This bill was also a private members bill, and yet again Chope used parliamentary practice to object to a second reading of the bill in the House of Commons today.  The 71 year-old MP for Christchurch was rounded on for his latest "inhumane" intervention. Anti-FGM campaigner Nimco Ali said the Tory...