While the Supreme Court decides whether Boris Johnson has lied, Boris Johnson is filmed lying At the very moment the prime minister’s barrister is arguing he did not lie to the Queen, the prime minister lies to a sick child’s dad in an east London hospital
EU gives Boris Johnson ultimatum: Show us Brexit plan in 12 days or ‘it's over’ Johnson called ‘father of lies’ as Supreme Court hearing continues Cummings given formal powers to sack cabinet ministers' advisers Barnier tells Johnson to stop ‘pretending’ to negotiate Brexit deal Could Labour negotiate a different Brexit deal?
EU’s Michel Barnier tells Boris Johnson to stop ‘pretending’ to negotiate Brexit deal Concerns raised that UK is not serious about talks
The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator has told Boris Johnson to stop “pretending” he is negotiating a Brexit deal, amid concerns that the prime minister is not trying to reach an agreement. It comes after reports that proposals brought to Brussels by UK negotiators amounted to the old agreement, with the section on the Irish backstop simply crossed out in the text.
Speaking in the European Parliament, Michel Barnier said: “Almost three years after the UK referendum, I don’t think we should be spending time pretending to negotiate. I think we need to move forward with determination.”
Hopes for a Brexit breakthrough are rising, says the Daily Mail, after Jean-Claude Juncker said a deal could be reached. The Daily Telegraph believes there are growing signs that the details of a deal could be hammered out when the prime minister meets EU leaders at the UN General Assembly in New York next week. The "i" describes Mr Juncker as "upbeat", while the Huffpost says comments by the president of the European Commission that he doesn't have an emotional relationship to the backstop are likely to be welcomed by the government. The Financial Times sees Mr Juncker's comments as a clear invitation to the UK to come up with new ways of achieving the same aims of the backstop. The Daily Express describes the latest developments as a "boost for Boris".
The Times, the Sun and the "i" agree that David Cameron's rebuke from Buckingham Palace for revealing he asked the Queen to intervene in the Scottish referendum was "unprecedented". As the Sun puts it, the former prime minister was "ticked off" for "blabbing". The Times adds that the speed and public nature of the Palace's criticism is thought to reflect growing concern in royal circles that the Queen is being dragged into political battles over Brexit and prorogation. The Daily Mail accuses Mr Cameron of an "outrageous breach of trust". The paper asks: "Why disgracefully drag the Queen into a row? He's got a book to sell of course." The Matt Cartoon in the Daily Telegraph shows a wall mounted plaque being unveiled. It reads: "Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II went up this wall on learning of David Cameron's revelations."
The plight of Thomas Cook features prominently in the day's papers, with the Daily Express calling the travel firm's plea for a state bailout a "desperate bid" to avoid collapse and the loss of 9,000 British jobs. It reports that the pilots' union Balpa has accused RBS of undermining a possible rescue deal. Balpa says it is "appalling" that a taxpayer-funded bank has behaved in such a way, demanding £200m. The Times reports the government is poised to reject the request for emergency funding, amid concern at the travel company's longer-term viability. The Sun claims hundreds of call centre staff have been secretly hired to bring home thousands of stranded travellers if the firm goes bust. According to the i weekend, it would mean Britain's largest peacetime repatriation at a cost of up to £600m.
The Daily Telegraph leads on the leaked EU memo which it says dismissed Boris Johnson's alternatives to the Irish backstop - and "appeared to jeopardise" a Brexit deal. Officials were cited as calling the proposals a "backward step". But even if a Brexit agreement could be reached with the EU, Labour would block it, according to the Daily Mirror. In an interview with the paper the shadow chancellor John McDonnell says any deal is likely to fall short of Labour demands, so the party will try to force an election. His cabinet colleague Emily Thornberry tells the Guardian that Labour should back a Tory Brexit deal in exchange for the promise of a referendum. The Labour Party's attempt to scrap the deputy leader post held by Tom Watson came too late for most of the first editions. Huffpost UK says the move by the Momentum founder Jon Lansman has "dramatically reignited" Labour's civil war.
The Daily Telegraph is among the papers picturing a 97-year-old veteran who is joining a mass parachute jump over Arnhem in the Netherlands to mark the 75th anniversary of Operation Market Garden. Sandy Cortmann, who was 22 when he went into battle in 1944, tells the paper he was "absolutely terrified". He was taken prisoner by the Germans after what was then the largest airborne operation in history. The Daily Mail leads with highly critical comments about the BBC, made by John Humphrys in a new book. The paper highlights his claims of "institutional liberal bias" and a "Kremlin-style" corporation that is out of touch. In what the Mail calls "an explosive memoir", the 76-year-old says he is "now free of the 'BBC Thought Police'" which he says are in hock to the "politically correct brigade". Humphrys, who left the Today programme two days ago, does also say that the BBC is a "tremendous and irreplaceable force for good".
'Death bots' Computer experts are close to developing a way of speaking to loved ones from beyond the grave, according to the Times. The so-called "death bots" work in a similar way to Amazon's Alexa, using voice recordings made by clients before they die. Voice files can be accessed by smart speakers or phones - and apparently hundreds of people have joined a waiting list for the Californian company "Here After". The paper's editorial argues the technology can afford simple comfort for grieving relatives and should be celebrated for maintaining a connection across the generations.
EU dismisses Boris Johnson's Brexit plans before they have even got off the ground as officials leak withering assessment of proposals to replace the Irish backstop
In what will be seen in Westminster as a hostile act, EU officials leaked a withering assessment of new British proposals to replace the controversial Irish backstop (top, Boris Johnson outside Downing Street yesterday). UK sources last night dismissed the assessment. But the decision to leak the document, which was circulated to ambassadors from the other 27 EU countries, will be seen as an attempt by European Commission hardliners to undermine talks which have been gathering momentum (bottom-left Angela Merkel and bottom-right Emmanuel Macron).
Hospital 'trolley waits' increase by 1400% since Tories came to power The latest NHS England figures show the number of patients waiting more than four hours to be admitted was 56,499 in August
On day two of the Labour party conference in Brighton, much is written about the party's internal squabbles. The Sunday Telegraph says Jeremy Corbyn's allies have begun triggering succession plans after concluding that Labour has "passed the high-water mark of Corbynism". It quotes a shadow cabinet minister as saying Mr Corbyn appeared to be ready to "pack in" his job. A Labour source described the claim as "categorically false". The Sun on Sunday says, in its lead editorial, "the botched coup to oust the party's deputy leader Tom Watson was like a Communist purge during the Stalin-era mixed with a Carry On farce". "It is now clear that Jeremy Corbyn's fanatical comrades are serious about inflicting Soviet-style socialism on Britain and will brook no opposition," the tabloid adds. And there's uncomfortable reading for both the main party leaders at Westminster on the front page of the Sunday Times.
It says one of Jeremy Corbyn's closest aides, Andrew Fisher - the author of the party's last manifesto - has resigned, claiming Mr Corbyn will not win the next general election. In a memo seen by the paper, Mr Fisher reportedly criticises the leader's team for a "lack of professionalism, competence and human decency". But in a separate statement, seen by BBC News, Mr Fisher indicates his motivation for quitting is to prioritise his family - and he will stay on until after any autumn election. The Sunday Times also claims Boris Johnson failed to declare a series of potential conflicts of interest over a close friendship with an American model turned technology entrepreneur during his time as London mayor.
The paper says the woman - Jennifer Arcuri - was given thousands of pounds in public money and privileged access to three official overseas trade missions led by Mr Johnson. She has denied any impropriety, while Downing Street has declined to comment. Meanwhile, Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage tells the Sunday Express that Mr Johnson will have to abandon all hope of an agreement with the EU - and leave without a deal - if Remainers succeed in delaying Britain's departure from the bloc once again.
And the Mail on Sunday features an interview with an 80-year-old woman who was acquitted last week of killing her terminally ill husband. A jury was told Mavis and Dennis Eccleston had agreed to take a lethal cocktail of drugs to end their lives together. She tells the paper she endured an "appalling" series of indignities after her arrest, including being locked in a police cell for 30 hours in her nightie. In its lead editorial, Mrs Eccleston is described by the paper as a "fragile, frightened, grief-stricken human being" who received treatment worse than a "war criminal" might have expected.
News of Thomas Cook's collapse came too late for the day's papers, however the plight of affected holidaymakers is on many of the front pages. "Forty jumbos to the rescue" is the headline in the Sun, which tells of plans to repatriate stranded travellers. It is also the lead story in the Daily Mail, which warns of two weeks of "chaos" for holidaymakers hoping to get home. The paper believes it is right that the government should refuse to use public money to prop up the company, which it says would be throwing good money after bad.
Divisions within the Labour Party - laid bare at the conference in Brighton - also make front page news in many of the papers. The Daily Telegraph says Jeremy Corbyn is facing a "full scale revolt" by those who believe the party should campaign at a general election for Britain to remain in the European Union. The "i" says "civil war" has broken out in the party, while the Guardian says Mr Corbyn is risking the fury of Labour members and that rebellious MPs are privately threatening to stage a leadership challenge. "Independent schools will be abolished by Labour" is the front page headline in the Times, which reports Sunday's vote by delegates at the party's conference. The paper sees the proposal to redistribute private schools' investments and facilities as "a chilling threat to expropriate private property".
Most of the papers follow up yesterday's story in the Sunday Times about Boris Johnson's alleged failure to declare a potential conflict of interest, resulting from his friendship with an American technology entrepreneur, Jennifer Arcuri. Ms Arcuri is said to have joined Mr Johnson on trade missions abroad when he was mayor of London, and her companies were reportedly awarded thousands of pounds in public funds. The Times quotes the current London mayor, Sadiq Khan, as saying that he will ask City Hall officials to look into what processes were followed. The Daily Mail says the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has launched a formal investigation into its decision last January to award a £100,000 grant. Ms Arcuri has said the grants and trips were purely related to her role as a businesswoman. Downing Street has declined to comment. The Financial Times looks ahead to Monday's United Nations climate change summit in New York, saying that world leaders need to grasp the enormity of the challenge and to put it at the centre of all policy making. The Daily Telegraph also reports a call for a new international offence of "ecocide" to be used to prosecute those who damage nature on a massive scale. The call comes from the vegetarian barrister, Michael Mansfield QC, who was speaking at the launch of the "Vegan Now" campaign at the Labour Party conference. He also suggested that eating meat could be made illegal.
Several of the front pages express their anger at the bosses of Thomas Cook - branding them "fat cats" for the millions of pounds which they received in pay and bonuses in the years leading up to the travel company's failure. The Daily Mirror, the Daily Express, the Daily Mail, and the Times all lead with attacks on the executives' pay, with criticism coming from Boris Johnson and Labour as well as customers who've seen their holidays ruined. The Sun takes a different angle. It expresses anger at airlines, which it says have raised fares by up to 400% as holidaymakers struggle to return home.
The Daily Telegraph and the Guardian both agree the Labour conference vote to decide the party's Brexit policy was "chaotic". Supporters of Jeremy Corbyn successfully saw off an attempt to force Labour to back Remain should there be another referendum. The Telegraph hears accusations from within the party that what happened was "a total stitch up", with the conference chairwoman, Wendy Nichols, appearing to change her mind about the show of hands after having a conversation with one of Mr Corbyn's closest allies, Jennie Formby. The Times hears a claim that the conference hall had been packed with supporters of the pro-Corbyn grassroots campaign group Momentum, who helped reject the Remain motion, even though they didn't have the right to vote.
Questions about a potential conflict of interest continue to haunt Boris Johnson. The Daily Mail reports the prime minister repeatedly declined to clarify what sort of relationship he had with the American entrepreneur, Jennifer Arcuri, while he was mayor of London. She's alleged to have been given access to overseas trade trips and received thousands of pounds in public grants, while Mr Johnson was in City Hall. The Guardian believes the prime minister is "under mounting pressure" because of the story. Mr Johnson insists there was "utter propriety". Ms Arcuri has previously insisted any grants received by her companies were purely in respect of her role as a legitimate businesswoman. Several papers cover a report which reveals one in three bank branches has shut in the UK during the past five years. The Telegraph says the Royal Bank of Scotland and Co-op have seen the most closures. In one parliamentary constituency - Wenworth and Deane in South Yorkshire - all the local branches have gone despite it being home to 98,000 people.
Don't worry, your cat loves you back There's also coverage of an American study which - as the Times puts it - suggests cats love humans just as much as dogs do. During the research, people were asked to spend two minutes with their kitten, then told to leave the room before returning for a two-minute reunion.
The report's authors say two-thirds of the animals appeared less stressed during the reunion and also displayed behaviour suggesting they had secure attachments. For the Guardian, the findings have shattered the idea that cats are "aloof, contrary and utterly nonplussed" by their owners.
The Supreme Court ruling dominates the front pages. "He misled the Queen, the people and parliament", is the Guardian's headline. It describes the judgement as a crushing unanimous verdict against the prime minister. The Daily Telegraph says the justices chose the most extreme possible course of action. For the Financial Times, the court has dealt a severe blow to Boris Johnson's authority, and MPs are returning to Westminster seeking retribution. The Mirror's front page has pictures of Britain's shortest serving prime ministers - and suggests that, after just 63 days in the job, Mr Johnson could break the record. "There's a special place in history waiting for you, prime minister", is the headline.
Other front pages draw attention to the battle for supremacy between the executive and the judiciary. The Daily Mail's headline quotes what it calls a senior ally of the prime minister as asking: "Who runs Britain?" The Daily Express headline also questions the court ruling: "Unlawful? What's lawful about denying 17.4 million people Brexit?" The Sun's main story focuses on the reaction of its readers - saying they expressed fury, and bombarded the paper with messages of support for the prime minister. The Financial Times, the Guardian and the Mirror all call on Mr Johnson to quit. In the view of the FT, faced with such a damning judgement, any premier with a shred of respect for British democracy and the responsibilities of his office would resign
But the Guardian says he won't go because he has no honour and no shame. The precedent such an act of defiance sets ought to be unthinkable, it adds. Other leader writers turn their fire on MPs and judges. The Sun accuses the Supreme Court of doing the bidding of Remainer MPs. In one act of constitutional vandalism, it says, 11 judges have become an unelected political entity, granting themselves immense power to overrule the government. The Mail says the only way to resolve Brexit now is for the opposition parties to agree to a general election - but, it adds, they are terrified of the prime minister's popularity with voters and his determination to leave the EU.
There's plenty of interest in the president of the Supreme Court, Lady Hale, who delivered the judgement. The i says many watching the televised hearing were captivated by her large spider brooch. For the Guardian, it had the optics that made it a story of its own. By the end of the afternoon, the Times says, she had become an internet star. Inspired by the brooch, Macer Hall in the Express writes that she "ensnared" Boris Johnson in a tangled legal and political web. The Mail's Andrew Pierce says Lady Hale is famed on the court circuit for her oversized insect and animal brooches - including a frog and a butterfly.
"Commons hits boiling point" is the headline in both the Times and the i. The Times describes what it calls "extraordinary" and "vitriolic scenes" as MPs accused Boris Johnson of using "violent language" and "Mr Johnson indicated that he was preparing to claim a mandate for a second prorogation". The Guardian says the prime minister "went on the attack", having been "dragged back to Westminster against his will" and used what it calls the "people versus parliament rhetoric that has become a signature of his premiership". For the Daily Mirror, the prime minister is a "man with no shame" who "failed to show an ounce of remorse" following the Supreme Court "slapdown".
The Independent says there was "applause but no apology", suggesting he attempted to "brazen out his humiliation at the hands of the Supreme Court" by attacking the judges and promising to make time for a no confidence vote. It says "Downing Street sources even indicated that Tory MPs would vote out their own government to secure a public poll". "Come 'n have a BoJo if you think you're hard enough" is the Sun's take on Boris Johnson's challenge to Jeremy Corbyn, describing it as a "barnstorming performance" in which he "goaded" the Labour leader and "confronted his critics head-on". Andrew Gimson, on the Conservative Home website, considers it a "bare-knuckle encounter... which suggested inner doubts and raised no one's spirits". He says that "in the present adverse circumstances" the prime minister had to show he was "ready to bludgeon his way out of trouble". Paul Waugh, for HuffPost UK, believes he "may come to regret his 'surrender act' rhetoric". He says Mr Johnson is "imprisoned in a purgatory where he is not allowed the election he craves", and further angering his opponents is unlikely to get them to grant his wish. Stephen Bush, in the New Statesman, argues that Mr Johnson "knows exactly what he's doing" and that he is aiming for "an election campaign in which he pumps yet more vitriol into the public bloodstream" and comes away with a large majority.
Although it is difficult to see any movement on the current impasse.
It would seem unlikely that Boris will be able to avoid asking for an extension. This will lead to one of two outcomes.
Providing the opposition parties could unite around a second referendum, we would request a 6 month extension. Remove Boris, and replace him with a temporary Government of National Unity. The latest figure suggested to lead such a Government, is Margaret Beckett. She would command support as she is considered honourable, and trustworthy, unlike Boris.
Assuming they have the numbers, this will happen.
The alternative, should option one fail, is a general election.
The future of our PM, can surely only be saved by passing a Withdrawal Agreement prior to the October deadline. Meeting this deadline or not will surely have a massive bearing on the outcome of a general election. Success would mean Boris will be a hero, kill off the Brexit Party, and give him a landslide. Failure will boost the Brexit Party, and Labour, but sink the Tories.
Other factors that will affect the above are, to pass a WA prior to the October deadline has become more unlikely due to the fact that the Political Declaration which is included in the WA, and refers to our future trading relationship, is not legal and binding, and would therefore rely on the opposition parties being able to place their trust in Boris, to stick to the terms that were agreed.
Trust and Boris should not be used in the same sentence, and therefore makes this unlikely.
It is unclear whether or not the Lib Dems "Revoke" policy will increase their support or not. Even though the implementation of this policy would require them to increase their number of elected MPs from 18 to 326, and would seem to be impossible, rather than unlikely.
Assuming Labour continue to be unclear, they are unlikely to improve their position in the polls.
The SNP look set to clean up in Scotland.
So the election result will depend very much on whether or not the October deadline is met. I think that after yesterdays court ruling, any possibility that Boris could find a slippery means to avoid asking for an extension are now ruled out.
He is more likely to end up dead in a ditch, and our shortest serving PM ever.
Exclusive: Government plan to invoke EU law's supremacy to ensure Brexit on Halloween
The government believe it is possible to circumvent parliamentary legislation requiring them to delay Britain’s departure from the EU by invoking European law, City A.M. understands.
Under the hastily-passed Benn Act, the Prime Minister must write to the EU seeking an extension to Article 50 if no Brexit deal secures parliamentary approval by 19 October. Number 10 has repeatedly said it will comply with the law, while simultaneously insisting the UK will leave the EU by Halloween. Advocates of the act believe it has effectively bound Boris Johnson’s hands, resulting necessarily in delaying Brexit until 31 January and removing the possibility of a no deal departure. However, a closely guarded plan known to a small handful of aides would see the government point to the fact that Article 50 rests under EU law, while the Benn Act is enshrined in British law. “European law usurps British law,” a source told City AM. “That means the Article 50 deadline trumps the Benn Act.” Number 10 has repeatedly said it will comply with the law, while simultaneously insisting the UK will leave the EU by Halloween. This plan could see both seemingly contradictory statements come to fruition.
State fund in Jennifer Arcuri row gave grant to firm that pays Tory MP
A government fund under investigation for handing money to a business owned by a close associate of Boris Johnson has given £68,000 to a company that funds a Conservative minister’s private salary. Grants given by the cybersecurity immediate impact fund are being reviewed after it emerged that Jennifer Arcuri’s company Hacker House was awarded £100,000 earlier this year. Questions have arisen about the company’s eligibility for the fund, which is for the UK-based applicants, after it emerged that Arcuri lives in the US and calls to her company’s business number are diverted to a US reception. Have your say! Tell us what you think about Microsoft News Labour’s deputy leader, Tom Watson, has demanded the review should include a payment of £68,424 given to Crucial Academy Ltd, which is paying £85,000 a year to Johnny Mercer, a Tory MP and ally of the prime minister. Johnson appointed Mercer as minister for military personnel in July.
Comments
At the very moment the prime minister’s barrister is arguing he did not lie to the Queen, the prime minister lies to a sick child’s dad in an east London hospital
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/boris-johnson-supreme-court-whipps-cross-hospital-angry-patient-nhs-destroyed-queen-prorogation-a9110576.html
EU gives Boris Johnson ultimatum: Show us Brexit plan in 12 days or ‘it's over’
Johnson called ‘father of lies’ as Supreme Court hearing continues
Cummings given formal powers to sack cabinet ministers' advisers
Barnier tells Johnson to stop ‘pretending’ to negotiate Brexit deal
Could Labour negotiate a different Brexit deal?
Concerns raised that UK is not serious about talks
The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator has told Boris Johnson to stop “pretending” he is negotiating a Brexit deal, amid concerns that the prime minister is not trying to reach an agreement.
It comes after reports that proposals brought to Brussels by UK negotiators amounted to the old agreement, with the section on the Irish backstop simply crossed out in the text.
Speaking in the European Parliament, Michel Barnier said: “Almost three years after the UK referendum, I don’t think we should be spending time pretending to negotiate. I think we need to move forward with determination.”
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-michel-barnier-boris-johnson-deal-eu-latest-a9109806.html
Hopes for a Brexit breakthrough are rising, says the Daily Mail, after Jean-Claude Juncker said a deal could be reached.
The Daily Telegraph believes there are growing signs that the details of a deal could be hammered out when the prime minister meets EU leaders at the UN General Assembly in New York next week.
The "i" describes Mr Juncker as "upbeat", while the Huffpost says comments by the president of the European Commission that he doesn't have an emotional relationship to the backstop are likely to be welcomed by the government.
The Financial Times sees Mr Juncker's comments as a clear invitation to the UK to come up with new ways of achieving the same aims of the backstop. The Daily Express describes the latest developments as a "boost for Boris".
The Times, the Sun and the "i" agree that David Cameron's rebuke from Buckingham Palace for revealing he asked the Queen to intervene in the Scottish referendum was "unprecedented".
As the Sun puts it, the former prime minister was "ticked off" for "blabbing". The Times adds that the speed and public nature of the Palace's criticism is thought to reflect growing concern in royal circles that the Queen is being dragged into political battles over Brexit and prorogation.
The Daily Mail accuses Mr Cameron of an "outrageous breach of trust". The paper asks: "Why disgracefully drag the Queen into a row? He's got a book to sell of course."
The Matt Cartoon in the Daily Telegraph shows a wall mounted plaque being unveiled. It reads: "Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II went up this wall on learning of David Cameron's revelations."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-49764000
The plight of Thomas Cook features prominently in the day's papers, with the Daily Express calling the travel firm's plea for a state bailout a "desperate bid" to avoid collapse and the loss of 9,000 British jobs.
It reports that the pilots' union Balpa has accused RBS of undermining a possible rescue deal. Balpa says it is "appalling" that a taxpayer-funded bank has behaved in such a way, demanding £200m.
The Times reports the government is poised to reject the request for emergency funding, amid concern at the travel company's longer-term viability.
The Sun claims hundreds of call centre staff have been secretly hired to bring home thousands of stranded travellers if the firm goes bust.
According to the i weekend, it would mean Britain's largest peacetime repatriation at a cost of up to £600m.
The Daily Telegraph leads on the leaked EU memo which it says dismissed Boris Johnson's alternatives to the Irish backstop - and "appeared to jeopardise" a Brexit deal. Officials were cited as calling the proposals a "backward step".
But even if a Brexit agreement could be reached with the EU, Labour would block it, according to the Daily Mirror. In an interview with the paper the shadow chancellor John McDonnell says any deal is likely to fall short of Labour demands, so the party will try to force an election.
His cabinet colleague Emily Thornberry tells the Guardian that Labour should back a Tory Brexit deal in exchange for the promise of a referendum.
The Labour Party's attempt to scrap the deputy leader post held by Tom Watson came too late for most of the first editions.
Huffpost UK says the move by the Momentum founder Jon Lansman has "dramatically reignited" Labour's civil war.
The Daily Telegraph is among the papers picturing a 97-year-old veteran who is joining a mass parachute jump over Arnhem in the Netherlands to mark the 75th anniversary of Operation Market Garden.
Sandy Cortmann, who was 22 when he went into battle in 1944, tells the paper he was "absolutely terrified". He was taken prisoner by the Germans after what was then the largest airborne operation in history.
The Daily Mail leads with highly critical comments about the BBC, made by John Humphrys in a new book.
The paper highlights his claims of "institutional liberal bias" and a "Kremlin-style" corporation that is out of touch.
In what the Mail calls "an explosive memoir", the 76-year-old says he is "now free of the 'BBC Thought Police'" which he says are in hock to the "politically correct brigade".
Humphrys, who left the Today programme two days ago, does also say that the BBC is a "tremendous and irreplaceable force for good".
'Death bots'
Computer experts are close to developing a way of speaking to loved ones from beyond the grave, according to the Times.
The so-called "death bots" work in a similar way to Amazon's Alexa, using voice recordings made by clients before they die.
Voice files can be accessed by smart speakers or phones - and apparently hundreds of people have joined a waiting list for the Californian company "Here After".
The paper's editorial argues the technology can afford simple comfort for grieving relatives and should be celebrated for maintaining a connection across the generations.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-49777299
In what will be seen in Westminster as a hostile act, EU officials leaked a withering assessment of new British proposals to replace the controversial Irish backstop (top, Boris Johnson outside Downing Street yesterday). UK sources last night dismissed the assessment. But the decision to leak the document, which was circulated to ambassadors from the other 27 EU countries, will be seen as an attempt by European Commission hardliners to undermine talks which have been gathering momentum (bottom-left Angela Merkel and bottom-right Emmanuel Macron).
The latest NHS England figures show the number of patients waiting more than four hours to be admitted was 56,499 in August
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/hospital-trolley-waits-increase-1400-20100556
On day two of the Labour party conference in Brighton, much is written about the party's internal squabbles.
The Sunday Telegraph says Jeremy Corbyn's allies have begun triggering succession plans after concluding that Labour has "passed the high-water mark of Corbynism".
It quotes a shadow cabinet minister as saying Mr Corbyn appeared to be ready to "pack in" his job.
A Labour source described the claim as "categorically false".
The Sun on Sunday says, in its lead editorial, "the botched coup to oust the party's deputy leader Tom Watson was like a Communist purge during the Stalin-era mixed with a Carry On farce".
"It is now clear that Jeremy Corbyn's fanatical comrades are serious about inflicting Soviet-style socialism on Britain and will brook no opposition," the tabloid adds.
And there's uncomfortable reading for both the main party leaders at Westminster on the front page of the Sunday Times.
It says one of Jeremy Corbyn's closest aides, Andrew Fisher - the author of the party's last manifesto - has resigned, claiming Mr Corbyn will not win the next general election.
In a memo seen by the paper, Mr Fisher reportedly criticises the leader's team for a "lack of professionalism, competence and human decency".
But in a separate statement, seen by BBC News, Mr Fisher indicates his motivation for quitting is to prioritise his family - and he will stay on until after any autumn election.
The Sunday Times also claims Boris Johnson failed to declare a series of potential conflicts of interest over a close friendship with an American model turned technology entrepreneur during his time as London mayor.
The paper says the woman - Jennifer Arcuri - was given thousands of pounds in public money and privileged access to three official overseas trade missions led by Mr Johnson.
She has denied any impropriety, while Downing Street has declined to comment.
Meanwhile, Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage tells the Sunday Express that Mr Johnson will have to abandon all hope of an agreement with the EU - and leave without a deal - if Remainers succeed in delaying Britain's departure from the bloc once again.
And the Mail on Sunday features an interview with an 80-year-old woman who was acquitted last week of killing her terminally ill husband.
A jury was told Mavis and Dennis Eccleston had agreed to take a lethal cocktail of drugs to end their lives together.
She tells the paper she endured an "appalling" series of indignities after her arrest, including being locked in a police cell for 30 hours in her nightie.
In its lead editorial, Mrs Eccleston is described by the paper as a "fragile, frightened, grief-stricken human being" who received treatment worse than a "war criminal" might have expected.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-49785000
News of Thomas Cook's collapse came too late for the day's papers, however the plight of affected holidaymakers is on many of the front pages.
"Forty jumbos to the rescue" is the headline in the Sun, which tells of plans to repatriate stranded travellers.
It is also the lead story in the Daily Mail, which warns of two weeks of "chaos" for holidaymakers hoping to get home.
The paper believes it is right that the government should refuse to use public money to prop up the company, which it says would be throwing good money after bad.
Divisions within the Labour Party - laid bare at the conference in Brighton - also make front page news in many of the papers.
The Daily Telegraph says Jeremy Corbyn is facing a "full scale revolt" by those who believe the party should campaign at a general election for Britain to remain in the European Union.
The "i" says "civil war" has broken out in the party, while the Guardian says Mr Corbyn is risking the fury of Labour members and that rebellious MPs are privately threatening to stage a leadership challenge.
"Independent schools will be abolished by Labour" is the front page headline in the Times, which reports Sunday's vote by delegates at the party's conference.
The paper sees the proposal to redistribute private schools' investments and facilities as "a chilling threat to expropriate private property".
Most of the papers follow up yesterday's story in the Sunday Times about Boris Johnson's alleged failure to declare a potential conflict of interest, resulting from his friendship with an American technology entrepreneur, Jennifer Arcuri.
Ms Arcuri is said to have joined Mr Johnson on trade missions abroad when he was mayor of London, and her companies were reportedly awarded thousands of pounds in public funds.
The Times quotes the current London mayor, Sadiq Khan, as saying that he will ask City Hall officials to look into what processes were followed.
The Daily Mail says the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has launched a formal investigation into its decision last January to award a £100,000 grant.
Ms Arcuri has said the grants and trips were purely related to her role as a businesswoman. Downing Street has declined to comment.
The Financial Times looks ahead to Monday's United Nations climate change summit in New York, saying that world leaders need to grasp the enormity of the challenge and to put it at the centre of all policy making.
The Daily Telegraph also reports a call for a new international offence of "ecocide" to be used to prosecute those who damage nature on a massive scale.
The call comes from the vegetarian barrister, Michael Mansfield QC, who was speaking at the launch of the "Vegan Now" campaign at the Labour Party conference. He also suggested that eating meat could be made illegal.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-49791193
Dominic Raab suggested Parliament could be prorogued once again
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/prime-minister-could-suspend-parliament-again-even-if-he-loses-supreme-court-battle/ar-AAHG5oQ?ocid=spartandhp
Judges at the Supreme Court will deliver their verdict on Boris Johnson's prorogation of parliament at 10.30am on Tuesday.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/supreme-court-reveals-when-it-will-rule-on-parliaments-suspension/ar-AAHID2R?ocid=spartanntp
Several of the front pages express their anger at the bosses of Thomas Cook - branding them "fat cats" for the millions of pounds which they received in pay and bonuses in the years leading up to the travel company's failure.
The Daily Mirror, the Daily Express, the Daily Mail, and the Times all lead with attacks on the executives' pay, with criticism coming from Boris Johnson and Labour as well as customers who've seen their holidays ruined.
The Sun takes a different angle. It expresses anger at airlines, which it says have raised fares by up to 400% as holidaymakers struggle to return home.
The Daily Telegraph and the Guardian both agree the Labour conference vote to decide the party's Brexit policy was "chaotic".
Supporters of Jeremy Corbyn successfully saw off an attempt to force Labour to back Remain should there be another referendum.
The Telegraph hears accusations from within the party that what happened was "a total stitch up", with the conference chairwoman, Wendy Nichols, appearing to change her mind about the show of hands after having a conversation with one of Mr Corbyn's closest allies, Jennie Formby.
The Times hears a claim that the conference hall had been packed with supporters of the pro-Corbyn grassroots campaign group Momentum, who helped reject the Remain motion, even though they didn't have the right to vote.
Questions about a potential conflict of interest continue to haunt Boris Johnson. The Daily Mail reports the prime minister repeatedly declined to clarify what sort of relationship he had with the American entrepreneur, Jennifer Arcuri, while he was mayor of London.
She's alleged to have been given access to overseas trade trips and received thousands of pounds in public grants, while Mr Johnson was in City Hall.
The Guardian believes the prime minister is "under mounting pressure" because of the story.
Mr Johnson insists there was "utter propriety". Ms Arcuri has previously insisted any grants received by her companies were purely in respect of her role as a legitimate businesswoman.
Several papers cover a report which reveals one in three bank branches has shut in the UK during the past five years. The Telegraph says the Royal Bank of Scotland and Co-op have seen the most closures.
In one parliamentary constituency - Wenworth and Deane in South Yorkshire - all the local branches have gone despite it being home to 98,000 people.
Don't worry, your cat loves you back
There's also coverage of an American study which - as the Times puts it - suggests cats love humans just as much as dogs do.
During the research, people were asked to spend two minutes with their kitten, then told to leave the room before returning for a two-minute reunion.
The report's authors say two-thirds of the animals appeared less stressed during the reunion and also displayed behaviour suggesting they had secure attachments.
For the Guardian, the findings have shattered the idea that cats are "aloof, contrary and utterly nonplussed" by their owners.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-49805304
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1181619/Brexit-News-Labour-Party-Conference-Diane-Abbot-Agenda-Jeremy-Corbyn-latest
The Supreme Court ruling dominates the front pages.
"He misled the Queen, the people and parliament", is the Guardian's headline. It describes the judgement as a crushing unanimous verdict against the prime minister.
The Daily Telegraph says the justices chose the most extreme possible course of action.
For the Financial Times, the court has dealt a severe blow to Boris Johnson's authority, and MPs are returning to Westminster seeking retribution.
The Mirror's front page has pictures of Britain's shortest serving prime ministers - and suggests that, after just 63 days in the job, Mr Johnson could break the record. "There's a special place in history waiting for you, prime minister", is the headline.
Other front pages draw attention to the battle for supremacy between the executive and the judiciary. The Daily Mail's headline quotes what it calls a senior ally of the prime minister as asking: "Who runs Britain?"
The Daily Express headline also questions the court ruling: "Unlawful? What's lawful about denying 17.4 million people Brexit?"
The Sun's main story focuses on the reaction of its readers - saying they expressed fury, and bombarded the paper with messages of support for the prime minister.
The Financial Times, the Guardian and the Mirror all call on Mr Johnson to quit.
In the view of the FT, faced with such a damning judgement, any premier with a shred of respect for British democracy and the responsibilities of his office would resign
But the Guardian says he won't go because he has no honour and no shame. The precedent such an act of defiance sets ought to be unthinkable, it adds.
Other leader writers turn their fire on MPs and judges.
The Sun accuses the Supreme Court of doing the bidding of Remainer MPs. In one act of constitutional vandalism, it says, 11 judges have become an unelected political entity, granting themselves immense power to overrule the government.
The Mail says the only way to resolve Brexit now is for the opposition parties to agree to a general election - but, it adds, they are terrified of the prime minister's popularity with voters and his determination to leave the EU.
There's plenty of interest in the president of the Supreme Court, Lady Hale, who delivered the judgement.
The i says many watching the televised hearing were captivated by her large spider brooch. For the Guardian, it had the optics that made it a story of its own.
By the end of the afternoon, the Times says, she had become an internet star. Inspired by the brooch, Macer Hall in the Express writes that she "ensnared" Boris Johnson in a tangled legal and political web.
The Mail's Andrew Pierce says Lady Hale is famed on the court circuit for her oversized insect and animal brooches - including a frog and a butterfly.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-49820055
"Commons hits boiling point" is the headline in both the Times and the i.
The Times describes what it calls "extraordinary" and "vitriolic scenes" as MPs accused Boris Johnson of using "violent language" and "Mr Johnson indicated that he was preparing to claim a mandate for a second prorogation".
The Guardian says the prime minister "went on the attack", having been "dragged back to Westminster against his will" and used what it calls the "people versus parliament rhetoric that has become a signature of his premiership".
For the Daily Mirror, the prime minister is a "man with no shame" who "failed to show an ounce of remorse" following the Supreme Court "slapdown".
The Independent says there was "applause but no apology", suggesting he attempted to "brazen out his humiliation at the hands of the Supreme Court" by attacking the judges and promising to make time for a no confidence vote.
It says "Downing Street sources even indicated that Tory MPs would vote out their own government to secure a public poll".
"Come 'n have a BoJo if you think you're hard enough" is the Sun's take on Boris Johnson's challenge to Jeremy Corbyn, describing it as a "barnstorming performance" in which he "goaded" the Labour leader and "confronted his critics head-on".
Andrew Gimson, on the Conservative Home website, considers it a "bare-knuckle encounter... which suggested inner doubts and raised no one's spirits".
He says that "in the present adverse circumstances" the prime minister had to show he was "ready to bludgeon his way out of trouble".
Paul Waugh, for HuffPost UK, believes he "may come to regret his 'surrender act' rhetoric".
He says Mr Johnson is "imprisoned in a purgatory where he is not allowed the election he craves", and further angering his opponents is unlikely to get them to grant his wish.
Stephen Bush, in the New Statesman, argues that Mr Johnson "knows exactly what he's doing" and that he is aiming for "an election campaign in which he pumps yet more vitriol into the public bloodstream" and comes away with a large majority.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-49833994
Although it is difficult to see any movement on the current impasse.
It would seem unlikely that Boris will be able to avoid asking for an extension.
This will lead to one of two outcomes.
Providing the opposition parties could unite around a second referendum, we would request a 6 month extension. Remove Boris, and replace him with a temporary Government of National Unity. The latest figure suggested to lead such a Government, is Margaret Beckett. She would command support as she is considered honourable, and trustworthy, unlike Boris.
Assuming they have the numbers, this will happen.
The alternative, should option one fail, is a general election.
The future of our PM, can surely only be saved by passing a Withdrawal Agreement prior to the October deadline.
Meeting this deadline or not will surely have a massive bearing on the outcome of a general election.
Success would mean Boris will be a hero, kill off the Brexit Party, and give him a landslide.
Failure will boost the Brexit Party, and Labour, but sink the Tories.
Other factors that will affect the above are, to pass a WA prior to the October deadline has become more unlikely due to the fact that the Political Declaration which is included in the WA, and refers to our future trading relationship, is not legal and binding, and would therefore rely on the opposition parties being able to place their trust in Boris, to stick to the terms that were agreed.
Trust and Boris should not be used in the same sentence, and therefore makes this unlikely.
It is unclear whether or not the Lib Dems "Revoke" policy will increase their support or not. Even though the implementation of this policy would require them to increase their number of elected MPs from 18 to 326, and would seem to be impossible, rather than unlikely.
Assuming Labour continue to be unclear, they are unlikely to improve their position in the polls.
The SNP look set to clean up in Scotland.
So the election result will depend very much on whether or not the October deadline is met. I think that after yesterdays court ruling, any possibility that Boris could find a slippery means to avoid asking for an extension are now ruled out.
He is more likely to end up dead in a ditch, and our shortest serving PM ever.
The government believe it is possible to circumvent parliamentary legislation requiring them to delay Britain’s departure from the EU by invoking European law, City A.M. understands.
Under the hastily-passed Benn Act, the Prime Minister must write to the EU seeking an extension to Article 50 if no Brexit deal secures parliamentary approval by 19 October.
Number 10 has repeatedly said it will comply with the law, while simultaneously insisting the UK will leave the EU by Halloween.
Advocates of the act believe it has effectively bound Boris Johnson’s hands, resulting necessarily in delaying Brexit until 31 January and removing the possibility of a no deal departure.
However, a closely guarded plan known to a small handful of aides would see the government point to the fact that Article 50 rests under EU law, while the Benn Act is enshrined in British law.
“European law usurps British law,” a source told City AM. “That means the Article 50 deadline trumps the Benn Act.”
Number 10 has repeatedly said it will comply with the law, while simultaneously insisting the UK will leave the EU by Halloween. This plan could see both seemingly contradictory statements come to fruition.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/exclusive-government-plan-to-invoke-eu-laws-supremacy-to-ensure-brexit-on-halloween/ar-AAHTLkU?ocid=spartandhp
A government fund under investigation for handing money to a business owned by a close associate of Boris Johnson has given £68,000 to a company that funds a Conservative minister’s private salary.
Grants given by the cybersecurity immediate impact fund are being reviewed after it emerged that Jennifer Arcuri’s company Hacker House was awarded £100,000 earlier this year.
Questions have arisen about the company’s eligibility for the fund, which is for the UK-based applicants, after it emerged that Arcuri lives in the US and calls to her company’s business number are diverted to a US reception.
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Labour’s deputy leader, Tom Watson, has demanded the review should include a payment of £68,424 given to Crucial Academy Ltd, which is paying £85,000 a year to Johnny Mercer, a Tory MP and ally of the prime minister.
Johnson appointed Mercer as minister for military personnel in July.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/state-fund-in-jennifer-arcuri-row-gave-grant-to-firm-that-pays-tory-mp/ar-AAHTucq?ocid=spartandhp