Reports

Brexit rebellion – Boris Johnson is facing mounting opposition from his own backbenchers over his plans to break international law with legislation that could override parts of the Brexit withdrawal agreement. Dozens of Tory MPs are expected to support an amendment to the internal market bill that would give parliament a veto of any changes to the agreement. MPs will have a chance to air their opposition during a second reading and debate of the bill later today, when it will also be put to a vote before passing to committee stage. Geoffrey Cox, the former attorney general, said last night he could not support the bill, describing the government’s plan as “unconscionable”. Our columnist Nesrine Malik argues that for the Tories, breaking the law is seen as a sign of strength while enemies face zero tolerance for similar transgressions. … [Read more...] about Monday briefing: ‘Abide by rule of six,’ police plead

I also wonder if you have spoken to your European counterparts about protecting the arts from economic ruin. I am well aware that you are part of a Brexit-driven government that relies on the myth of British exceptionalism. But it is surely worth noting that the German government has pledged €1bn to support the arts in crisis and that the French have, among other measures, created a fund of €7bn for small businesses, including those that have had to cancel shows and film shoots. By comparison our £160m Arts Council emergency package looks like very small beer. … [Read more...] about Dear Oliver Dowden, have you even begun to grasp the scale of our arts crisis?

The pandemic has been devastating, but it could be an opportunity to build a better economy, one in which more of the wealth generated in cities is more fairly distributed and owned by us. This would require a serious national industrial and spatial plan, with a full-blooded regional and urban devolution policy. Rather than ignoring the structural changes in our midst and clinging to a model of wealth extraction and property appreciation, we should be seizing this opportunity to build an urban economy that works for ordinary people rather than global shareholders. … [Read more...] about UK cities should work for the people who live in them, not for distant shareholders

Sarah-Jane Marsh, the hospital boss who is NHS test and trace’s director of testing, offered a “heartfelt” apology for people being sent long distances away from home. “It’s our laboratory processing that is the critical pinch point. We are doing all we can to expand quickly,” she said. … [Read more...] about ‘Utter shambles’: GPs and medics decry NHS test-and-trace system

“We have already taken steps to help ease the burden of universal credit debt repayments, including reducing the maximum deduction from 40% to 30% of a claimant’s standard allowance. From October 2021 we will reduce this further to 25%, and we will double the time available to repay an advance to 24 months.” … [Read more...] about Extreme poverty ‘will double by Christmas’ in UK because of Covid-19