General election: Boris Johnson’s lead halved, putting UK in ‘hung parliament territory’, latest poll reveals Conservatives now only six points ahead of Labour, exclusive survey for The Independent finds – the minimum needed to deliver Commons majority
The Conservative lead in the general election campaign has been more than halved in just one week, putting the UK in “hung parliament territory”, an exclusive poll for The Independent shows. Boris Johnson’s party is now only six points ahead of Labour, it has found – matching other surveys suggesting the race is tightening dramatically, amid growing Tory nervousness.
Jeremy Corbyn is successfully winning back the support of voters threatening to defect to other parties, the poll by BMG Research shows, taking his party’s rating up five points to 33 per cent.
The Conservatives, meanwhile, have dipped two points to 39 per cent, six points ahead instead of the 13 points in BMG’s survey a week ago.
'Jack would be livid his death has been used to further an agenda of hate': Father of London Bridge terror victim hits out at 'political elite' for fostering views he stood against as his girlfriend pays tribute to 'phenomenal' man
The father of London Bridge terror victim Jack Merritt (pictured with his son, left) has paid a heartfelt tribute to his son and urged politicians not to use his death 'to perpetuate an agenda of hate'. Usman Khan (inset) killed two people in a sickening rampage on Friday - Saskia Jones, 23 and Jack Merritt, 25 - in Fishermongers' Hall at a rehabilitation event, before the terror convict was attacked by members of the public and shot dead by armed police. Boris Johnson (right at a vigil for the attack victims) told supporters at a Tory rally in Colchester on Monday evening that, if put back in Downing Street, he would be 'stopping the early release, the automatic early release of serious and violent offenders and terrorists'. But Dave Merritt said his son (left) would have been 'livid' at the political reaction to his death.
The Telegraph notes that Boris Johnson spent most of the day steering clear of the US president- even failing to greet Mr Trump and the First Lady outside No 10 to minimise the number of photographs of them together. The paper explains that the prime minister wanted to avoid giving Labour the chance to criticise him over his relationship with the president. For the Times and the Financial Times the main story is the prime minister's determination to push ahead with a new tax on technology giants, despite the risk of a trade war with the US. Mr Trump is threatening France with tariffs because it has introduced a similar levy. The Times says ministers here have warned Mr Johnson that his proposal could derail post-Brexit trade talks with the US.
The Daily Mail's main story is an NHS survey suggesting 53% of people in England gambled last year. The Telegraph, which also highlights the findings, says smartphones have been blamed for causing increasingly addictive behaviour. The Mail adds that the study paints a bleak picture of a country also struggling with obesity, heavy drinking and chronic diseases. "Fat and boozy?" says the Sun, "You bet we are". The Mirror's front page declares that "ordinary households" would each be £6,716 better off under Labour - because bills would fall as public services are nationalised. Inside, it admits that the calculations which produced that precise figure will be "picked over" but it says there's no dispute over who the party aims to help: working people.
The Conservative election promise to cut taxes in a post-Brexit Budget in February is the main focus of the Times and the Daily Telegraph. The announcement comes amid reports of "quite a lot of nervousness at Tory headquarters", suggests the Telegraph. Many of Thursday's papers discuss US President Donald Trump's sharp exit from the Nato talks. The Guardian contrasts a picture of the world leaders laughing at Mr Trump's expense against a shot of the president looking tight-lipped. "Donald Grump", sums up the Sun. "Trump gets the hump," chimes the Daily Mail. The Guardian's sketch writer jokes, "had it gone on for another day, nukes might have fired.
The London Bridge killer, Usman Khan, was categorised as "high risk" inmate, according to the Daily Telegraph. The paper says he threatened senior prison staff early on and retained the high risk status throughout his sentence. The Daily Mirror accuses the prime minister of being "Mr Greedy", Photoshopping his face onto the body of the children's book character. The Mirror says Mr Johnson made £720,000 in outside earnings last year - more than any other MP. Both the Mail and Daily Express round on Jeremy Corbyn after his apparent confusion in an ITV interview about the timing of the Queen's Christmas Day speech. The Express says it is "speechless" after Mr Corbyn suggested that her address takes place in the morning, saying the exchange was "toe-curling." The Guardian argues that if he misses her speech, he's in line with 90% of the population.
The Financial Times raises concerns about a shortage of judges in England and Wales. The paper says the High Court, which has more than 100 judges, needs another 10 and in recent years has rarely been fully staffed. A government body examining the recruitment issue blamed the pensions, pay and conditions of judges. It revealed that a High Court judge was offered £80,000 less now than a decade ago.
I can give you another glimpse of fraud in the 70’s and 80’s involving a public company. There is a large Pakistani community in Woking, a lot worked for the Royal Mail. Some had mates clock them on,sometimes for double shifts, while they were out picking up taxi fares the whole time.
I can give you another glimpse of fraud in the 70’s and 80’s involving a public company. There is a large Pakistani community in Woking, a lot worked for the Royal Mail. Some had mates clock them on,sometimes for double shifts, while they were out picking up taxi fares the whole time.
White people wouldn't do this.
Should you not have a question mark? Or are you making a statement? Why would you want to refer to colour?Or are you implying people of Pakastani origin are non white? You'd be hard pressed to find a taxi driver in Woking without Pakistani blood in him for decades. But you may know more about this area than me,as I've only lived here for over 50 years. If you're referring to" white" Royal Mail workers having taxi driving jobs on the side ,they never did. With so many workers doing different shifts all the time, there was never a standard team of workers, as in everybody knowing each other very well. Why have you turned this thread into a Party Political broadcast on behalf of the Labour Party? You started off non bias ,but old habits have been hard to shake off it seems. You seem to swayed by the media an awful lot,instead of working through their angles and agendas. Very anti American, I don't think you should try for the Las Vegas trip in future . Why haven't you selected the story below? Not appropriate?
I can give you another glimpse of fraud in the 70’s and 80’s involving a public company. There is a large Pakistani community in Woking, a lot worked for the Royal Mail. Some had mates clock them on,sometimes for double shifts, while they were out picking up taxi fares the whole time.
White people wouldn't do this.
Should you not have a question mark? Or are you making a statement? Why would you want to refer to colour?Or are you implying people of Pakastani origin are non white? You'd be hard pressed to find a taxi driver in Woking without Pakistani blood in him for decades. But you may know more about this area than me,as I've only lived here for over 50 years. If you're referring to" white" Royal Mail workers having taxi driving jobs on the side ,they never did. With so many workers doing different shifts all the time, there was never a standard team of workers, as in everybody knowing each other very well. Why have you turned this thread into a Party Political broadcast on behalf of the Labour Party? You started off non bias ,but old habits have been hard to shake off it seems. You seem to swayed by the media an awful lot,instead of working through their angles and agendas. Very anti American, I don't think you should try for the Las Vegas trip in future . Why haven't you selected the story below? Not appropriate?
I worry about you on times.
The debate surrounded the NHS.
I pointed out a number of ways that huge sums of money are currently being wasted.
The result of this is that the taxpayer is expected to contribute increasing amounts of money, to cover the resultant costs.
I haven't a clue why you would think that a fraud that occurred 40 or 50 years ago, in The Royal Mail, would have any relevance to the debate regarding current events in the NHS.
Or that this fraud has any bearing on the current election campaign which is the topic of this thread.
I am also confused as to why the fact that those involved being Pakistani has any bearing, or that the ethnic origin of taxi drivers in Woking has any relevance.
I am not a Labour Party supporter, in fact I think Mr Corbyn is pathetic, which should be clear from the comments I have made.
I don't think that pointing out the pitfalls of a USA trade deal, means you have to be Anti-American.
I am not sure that we should criticise politicians for the conduct of their children, or understand the relevance of this to the election.
Although I would describe his behaviour as disgusting, and unacceptable.
It is interesting to note that the politician you have chosen to criticise belongs to another ethnic minority.
You could have chosen so many politicians to criticise for actions they are responsible for, without resorting to this.
My reference to the fraud in a public company is highlighting the fact its been going on for years,in all areas. Why would anybody not think the NHS would be a target?It should come as no surprise.True, I could could have referred to thousands of different areas and cases, but my dad lived and breathed his jobZzzzz, so I heard about the inner workings a lot of the time. I'm not sure you're in on any of the deals that might be made in the future, so "pitfalls"must be you following media rumours. ☺ its got nothing to do with her ethnicity, its the fact she's the shadow home Secretary. Next to nothing in the media on it, but Boris has a row with his girlfriend and its on the news for days. Incidentally , no arrests in the latter callout. Ps, you don't need to worry about me, I've an open mind on most things.
My reference to the fraud in a public company is highlighting the fact its been going on for years,in all areas. Why would anybody not think the NHS would be a target?It should come as no surprise.True, I could could have referred to thousands of different areas and cases, but my dad lived and breathed his jobZzzzz, so I heard about the inner workings a lot of the time. I'm not sure you're in on any of the deals that might be made in the future, so "pitfalls"must be you following media rumours. ☺ its got nothing to do with her ethnicity, its the fact she's the shadow home Secretary. Next to nothing in the media on it, but Boris has a row with his girlfriend and its on the news for days. Incidentally , no arrests in the latter callout. Ps, you don't need to worry about me, I've an open mind on most things.
The pitfalls are a fact.
A trade deal requires alignment in standards and regulations.
To maximise trade with the EU, we would have to remain closely aligned with them.
A trade deal with the US, and others, would involve divergence from the EU.
To remain closely aligned, and to diverge at the same time is clearly not possible.
ITV debate: Nigel Farage faces fury over excuse for Donald Trump 'p***y-grab' jibe There were gasps from the fellow panellists of the Brexit Party leader as he said "men say dreadful things sometimes" - such as on a "night out after a drink"
My reference to the fraud in a public company is highlighting the fact its been going on for years,in all areas. Why would anybody not think the NHS would be a target?It should come as no surprise.True, I could could have referred to thousands of different areas and cases, but my dad lived and breathed his jobZzzzz, so I heard about the inner workings a lot of the time. I'm not sure you're in on any of the deals that might be made in the future, so "pitfalls"must be you following media rumours. ☺ its got nothing to do with her ethnicity, its the fact she's the shadow home Secretary. Next to nothing in the media on it, but Boris has a row with his girlfriend and its on the news for days. Incidentally , no arrests in the latter callout. Ps, you don't need to worry about me, I've an open mind on most things.
The pitfalls are a fact.
A trade deal requires alignment in standards and regulations.
To maximise trade with the EU, we would have to remain closely aligned with them.
A trade deal with the US, and others, would involve divergence from the EU.
To remain closely aligned, and to diverge at the same time is clearly not possible.
That is a fact.
Just one example.
In an article published by British newspaper The Telegraph in early March, Johnson urged the UK to accept US farming methods after the US published its objectives for a future US-UK trade deal. In Europe, it is thought that if the UK were to accept treating meat with chlorine as the price of a free trade deal with the US, it could make it difficult to sell British meat to the EU. When asked if the prospect of chlorine-washed chicken being introduced into the UK post-Brexit raised concerns, Sue Davies, strategic policy partner at consumer group Which?, replied: "Definitely." "We need to be very careful, particularly when it comes to food safety. We have come a long way from the dark days of salmonella scares and BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy)." "We don't need to fall back on this end kind of process treatment… There is absolutely no need for compromise," Davies said.
Several of Friday's papers cover Andrew Neil's appeal to Boris Johnson to agree to an interview with him. "BBC challenges chicken PM" is the Daily Mirror's take as it accuses the prime minister of "running scared". The Metro deploys a different animal metaphor, nicknaming Mr Neil the "BBC rottweiler". It describes his "on-air challenge" to Mr Johnson as "unprecedented." The number of violent deaths in London this year - 133 - has surpassed 2018's total, the Daily Telegraph reports. The "grim milestone" was passed yesterday, when a man in his 20s was stabbed to death in Hackney, in the east of the city. Last year had itself been the deadliest year for a decade, the paper says.
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has told the Financial Times that - in the event of a hung Parliament - Labour would not form any coalitions or make any deals. Instead, it would seek to form a minority government and challenge other parties to "make up their minds" on each policy. "Let's see if the Lib Dems vote against the real living wage at £10 an hour," he tells the paper.
My reference to the fraud in a public company is highlighting the fact its been going on for years,in all areas. Why would anybody not think the NHS would be a target?It should come as no surprise.True, I could could have referred to thousands of different areas and cases, but my dad lived and breathed his jobZzzzz, so I heard about the inner workings a lot of the time. I'm not sure you're in on any of the deals that might be made in the future, so "pitfalls"must be you following media rumours. ☺ its got nothing to do with her ethnicity, its the fact she's the shadow home Secretary. Next to nothing in the media on it, but Boris has a row with his girlfriend and its on the news for days. Incidentally , no arrests in the latter callout. Ps, you don't need to worry about me, I've an open mind on most things.
Will a new comprehensive trade deal be negotiated by 31 December next year? No, only the “divorce” will be sealed. The new trade deal is mostly simply an expression of aspiration. The deadline for that is 31 December next year, or later, by agreement. The closest things to a concrete basis for trade are the clauses in the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement (the so-called divorce agreement) relating to the status of Ireland and the Northern Ireland border, which are legally binding. Otherwise, there is only the joint UK and EU Political Declaration, which covers a lot of ground but is not is not legally binding.
Yet of course the UK will be moving away from complete alignment, towards unpredictable divergence, that being the whole point of Brexit. This has never been attempted before.
What about other trade deals? It is possible the UK’s deal with the EU would pre-empt the proposed UK-US trade deal, or at least complicate matters where product regions, services rule books and standards have to be aligned either with the US or the EU. The same goes for new trade deals with China, India, Japan and so on. Thus, the Chinese might not feel any need to object to government subsidies for farms, banks or factories; but the US might do so. The UK has suggested simply adopting the existing deals those countries have with the EU, if they exist, but again the possibility of contradictory commitments exists.
What about going to World Trade Organisation terms? This is what the Brexit party would like to see initially at least, and the possibility of a no deal Brexit at the end of next year means it remains a live option. However, the WTO is currently in a poor state of health, and is extremely weak in its ability to make and enforce rulings on trade rules (because the US refuses to appoint judges to its court). So WTO trade rules may prove an unreliable future basis for trade with anyone.
Many of the papers lead with reaction to the BBC's two-way debate between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn on Friday evening. For the Sun, the debate's highlight was Mr Johnson criticising Mr Corbyn's neutral position on Brexit. For the Mirror, the Labour leader "came out on top" as he "skewered" the PM over the NHS. But for the Telegraph, the hour-long debate was "weary" and "anything but a Christmas cracker". The PoliticsHome website says it was a "seemingly cautious appearance" by the prime minister, who "stuck to his tried and tested messaging" - while a snap YouGov poll afterwards suggested that Mr Johnson was narrowly seen to have won, but Jeremy Corbyn "came across as more trustworthy". The event was a "fairly humdrum" affair, according to HuffPost UK, which says it employed a somewhat "stilted format". The website says there are now "calls for a debates commission and American producers to take charge of the TV set pieces at the next election".
The Times reports that the "senior media figures" have accused broadcasters of sounding "hysterical" by "attempting to embarrass party leaders into doing interviews". It quotes the former ITV boss Lord Grade and the Channel Five founder David Elstein as criticising editorial decisions made during the general election. Boris Johnson tells the Daily Mail telling the paper that the country "faces its starkest choice in decades at next week's election". He dismisses surveys suggesting he is on course for a majority, insisting that he has learned the lessons of the 2017 result and will be "fighting for every vote". The PM tells the Mail that questions over whether he can be trusted make his "blood boil because it was [Parliament] that forced the government to break its promise" over Brexit.
As the vote nears, The Daily Mirror nails its colours firmly to the mast, offering a handy guide for its readers setting out how tactical voting can prevent a Conservative majority next week. It lists all the marginal seats that could swing away from the Tories - including the prime minister's own constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip. The Daily Mail is similarly helpful - but it lists all the permutations that would help Brexit-supporting voters get Boris Johnson back into No 10 and ensure Brexit is delivered. For those opting to vote according to policy, the i newspaper provides a comprehensive breakdown of each party's manifesto pledges on all things infrastructure.
'Why was he let out?' Why was Joseph McCann - convicted of multiple sex attacks on Friday - able to walk free from jail without a parole hearing, asks the Daily Mail. The Daily Mirror blames the government for scrapping sentences of Imprisonment for Public Protection and making cuts to the probation service. The Guardian's Jamie Grierson highlights "a probation sector in crisis", which has been "hit with a slew of damning reports from the inspectorate" since it was overhauled by Chris Grayling. The Daily Telegraph agrees - it says the "broken criminal justice system is a disgrace and a danger to the public," and it demands that the next government "restores sanity to sentencing... to keep men like McCann off the streets".
And finally A banana taped to a wall has sold for nearly £100,000, an incredulous Sun reports. Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan says the idea took a year to compose.
As the election approaches, the Observer reports that "senior Labour, Liberal Democrat and SNP figures" have "launched an 11th-hour appeal to anti-Tory voters" to consider voting tactically and deny the Conservatives a majority. But for the Sun on Sunday, "just 10,000 voters in battleground seats have the destiny of Brexit in their hands". And as the votes are counted on election night, the Sunday Times offers some light relief: Big Beast Bingo, featuring 12 high-profile figures who could lose in swing seats. Among them are Boris Johnson, the Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson and the former Tory ministers David Gauke and Dominic Grieve. Players are urged to "tick them off as they fall". Elsewhere, Australia's former prime minister Tony Abbott writes in the Sunday Telegraph that a Labour government would be a "disaster" for Britain. And in the Sunday Express, the Leave.EU founder, Arron Banks challenges Nigel Farage to back Boris Johnson and avoid Brexit being "pulled into the shadows by Parliament and quietly strangled".
Election pitches Meanwhile, the editorial columns make the papers' final pitches to voters before they go to the polls.
The Sunday Telegraph sets out its stall for the Conservatives, describing the election as "an opportunity to say 'yes' to Brexit and to reject totally Labour's politics of hate". The Observer sees the election as a "chance to strip power from a dangerous charlatan - Boris Johnson". It says that, while it abhors "Corbyn's failures on anti-Semitism" and recalls the "Lib Dem complicity in the dreadful policies of the coalition", readers should "vote for the pro-referendum, progressive candidate" who will deny the Conservatives a majority. For the Mail on Sunday, a vote for Boris Johnson will not only allow the country to "get on with both Brexit and economic recovery", but also "rescue the Labour Party" from the current leadership. The Sunday Times tells its readers their "task is to keep Mr Corbyn out of Downing Street", adding that "while the prime minister's flaws are in plain sight... many of the threats posed by the Labour leader lurk beneath the surface". The Sunday Express warns that Mr Corbyn would "usher in a new dark age, fuelled by his Marxist dogma and corrosive extremism". The Sunday Mirror nails its colours firmly to the Labour mast, pointing out that, although "old party loyalties have been chipped away by Brexit", voters should bear in mind that austerity will only get worse under another Tory government. The Sunday People follows suit, calling on the nation to "vote for hope" by backing Labour.
Cancer waits The Sunday Times reports that "cancer patients are being forced to endure the worst waiting times since records began" a decade ago. It says that, between April and September, 168,000 patients were not seen or treated within the target times for referral and treatment. The NHS states there were "a record 2.2 million cancer checks last year", with survival at "an all-time high" in England. The same paper leads with leaked documents from Labour's disciplinary body, which are reported to reveal the scale of its anti-Semitism problem. The "secret files" are said to show that the party is "overwhelmed with complaints that have been left unresolved for months or years". Most cases, the Sunday Times says, "have resulted in lenient punishments or no sanctions". Labour insists the claims are "categorically untrue" and that it has taken "robust action" to suspend or expel those involved.
Boris Johnson's plans for the final three days of general election campaigning feature prominently on the front page of a number of newspapers. The Times and the Daily Mail describe the prime minister's tour of marginal seats in areas such as North Wales and West Yorkshire as a "blitz" on Labour's heartlands. The Daily Telegraph reports that Mr Johnson will visit every region of England and Wales in the final 72 hours before voters head to the polls. The paper says that he deploy what is described as his "trump card" of Brexit "relentlessly" in an attempt to win Labour-held marginals. The Sun quotes a Conservative source as saying the campaign's previously cautious approach will change in the coming days, with the PM tasked with harnessing energy from voters on walkabouts.
The Financial Times claims to have seen a leaked document which casts doubt on whether Boris Johnson's Brexit plan can be implemented in time. The dossier, from the Department for Exiting the European Union, reportedly claims that setting up a new customs arrangement in time for December 2020 presents a major challenge. It cites infrastructure and staffing as particular areas of concern. NHS 'desperation' The Guardian reports that while the prime minister will "criss-cross" the country, the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will return to his core message of the NHS as the campaign nears its climax. The paper says that Mr Corbyn's pledge that the health service risks being sold off to the US in a post-Brexit trade deal has "hit home" with voters, with activists saying it is cited on the doorstep. The i and the Daily Mirror have front page stories about the state of the NHS. "Desperate" is how the Mirror describes a four-year-old's treatment at Leeds General Infirmary. In an article which the paper claims is an exclusive, the boy's mother Sarah Williment explains her son was treated for suspected pneumonia on the floor because the hospital had run out of beds.
The i carries quotes from the head of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine who raises concerns about how A&E waiting times are recorded. Dr Katherine Henderson says thousands more people may be waiting more than 12 hours because NHS England only starts a patient's clock at the point they are admitted for treatment. She goes on to say that this method does patients a "disservice" and "hides the true scale of the problem of corridor care". Elsewhere, the Chinese government has ordered all its offices and public bodies to remove foreign computer equipment and software within three years, according to a report in the Financial Times. In what is described by the paper as a "blow to HP, Dell and Microsoft", the policy is part of Beijing's attempts increase reliance on "home-made" technologies. Beijing wants the change to happen within three years - but analysts in the paper warn that the policy will involve swapping between twenty and thirty million pieces of hardware.
I really appreciate this thread. I must hold my hands up to not really having a clue about politics when I was younger. I think it would be a good idea to have politics in our school curriculum, and you can only vote if you pass an exam 😉 The amount of people in the same boat as me when I was younger makes a mockery of “ Democracy “ when you can be swayed by certain sound bites , and is particularly troubling.
I really appreciate this thread. I must hold my hands up to not really having a clue about politics when I was younger. I think it would be a good idea to have politics in our school curriculum, and you can only vote if you pass an exam 😉 The amount of people in the same boat as me when I was younger makes a mockery of “ Democracy “ when you can be swayed by certain sound bites , and is particularly troubling.
I also had no interest in politics when I was young.
I find it embarrassing that politics in this country has reached such a low ebb, and that so many hateful characters could get elected.
I watched Paul Scully being interviewed the other day, and he responded to a question about the lies that Boris has been telling, by saying "but he gets things done" he didn't even go through the pretence of disputing the lies.
So if the polls are correct we are just about to elect the biggest liar in politics to the office of Prime Minister.
'Failure to empathise' Yesterday, the Daily Mirror drew the public's attention to Jack, the sick four-year-old boy who was pictured lying on a hospital floor in Leeds. Today, the paper tells Boris Johnson: "Here's another picture you won't want to look at." It tells the story of Baby Lily, who it says had to wait on a chair in A&E for six hours with just her mother's cardigan as a blanket. The paper describes her case as "heart-breaking" and says the image shames what it calls the "callous Conservatives". The Mirror also condemns Boris Johnson's response when a television reporter challenged him to look at the photograph. It says that Mr Johnson's initial response - when he declined to look at the photo and pocketed the reporter's mobile phone - is "typical Conservative contempt". The Guardian describes it as a "master class in lies, bluster and phone theft". The Financial Times believes the image of a sick child sleeping on a hospital floor in Leeds and Boris Johnson's reaction to it has led to his first significant stumble of the election campaign. HuffPost UK asks: "Was this the day this deadening general election finally came to life?" It says Mr Johnson's exchange with a television reporter was "a moment that told us a lot about the prime minister's irritable side, his unconventional conduct and his failure to empathise properly with a lived experience of the British public" The Daily Mail and the Daily Express lead on Boris Johnson's suggestion that the BBC licence fee could be scrapped under a Conservative government and replaced with a pay-to-watch subscription model. Ross Clark, writing in the Spectator, welcomes the prime minister's comments, which he says amount to "just about the first bold policy announcement" of the election campaign. The Times, however, cautions that the plan will face resistance from the BBC and will be seen by opponents as a political attack on the broadcaster. The Express acknowledges there are arguments either way, and that many of us groan at having to pay the licence fee, but let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater, it says. The Daily Telegraph reports on the contents of a Tory memo which says the chances of a Jeremy Corbyn-led coalition have been "seriously underestimated". The note, circulated among staff at Conservative Party HQ at the weekend, says tactical voting in just 12 constituencies could oust Boris Johnson from Downing Street.
The Sun fills its front page with a picture of the Apprentice boss, Lord Sugar, in familiar finger-pointing pose, alongside the headline: "You're fired, Corbyn". It says the former Labour peer is urging people to vote Tory to enable Britain to escape what he calls its "Brexit quagmire"
The sketch-writers reflect on Jeremy Corbyn's election rally in Bristol yesterday and contrast it with Birmingham at the same point in the campaign two years ago when nearly 10,000 people turned up to listen to him. Then, says John Crace in the Guardian, there was a sense of hope. This time with barely a couple of thousand in attendance, there was just "weariness" and "a commitment to a cause that already felt lost". The Daily Telegraph's Michael Deacon likens Mr Corbyn's Labour to a fading rock band, taking one last weary trudge around the country, plodding dutifully through the hits for the hardcore.
Tainted by scandal Several papers consider Russia's four-year ban from major global sporting events by the World Anti-Doping Agency. The Financial Times points out that not since apartheid-era South Africa has a nation been barred so ignominiously from world sport. But the Times says anti-doping activists will be dismayed that Russia will still be able to take part in next year's European football championship and that individual athletes not tainted by the scandal will be allowed to compete as neutrals
Finally, the Times also describes how filming of a robbery scene in a village in Dorset turned out to be all too realistic for one particular resident. A gang had just held up the village shop in Winfrith Newburgh, only to find themselves being chased by a member of the public who thought the raid was for real. The director of the film - which is due for release next year - tells the Times he was impressed by the community spirit shown by the would-be hero.
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Conservatives now only six points ahead of Labour, exclusive survey for The Independent finds – the minimum needed to deliver Commons majority
The Conservative lead in the general election campaign has been more than halved in just one week, putting the UK in “hung parliament territory”, an exclusive poll for The Independent shows.
Boris Johnson’s party is now only six points ahead of Labour, it has found – matching other surveys suggesting the race is tightening dramatically, amid growing Tory nervousness.
Jeremy Corbyn is successfully winning back the support of voters threatening to defect to other parties, the poll by BMG Research shows, taking his party’s rating up five points to 33 per cent.
The Conservatives, meanwhile, have dipped two points to 39 per cent, six points ahead instead of the 13 points in BMG’s survey a week ago.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/general-election-latest-poll-boris-johnson-jeremy-corbyn-bmg-hung-parliament-a9227476.html
The father of London Bridge terror victim Jack Merritt (pictured with his son, left) has paid a heartfelt tribute to his son and urged politicians not to use his death 'to perpetuate an agenda of hate'. Usman Khan (inset) killed two people in a sickening rampage on Friday - Saskia Jones, 23 and Jack Merritt, 25 - in Fishermongers' Hall at a rehabilitation event, before the terror convict was attacked by members of the public and shot dead by armed police. Boris Johnson (right at a vigil for the attack victims) told supporters at a Tory rally in Colchester on Monday evening that, if put back in Downing Street, he would be 'stopping the early release, the automatic early release of serious and violent offenders and terrorists'. But Dave Merritt said his son (left) would have been 'livid' at the political reaction to his death.
The Telegraph notes that Boris Johnson spent most of the day steering clear of the US president- even failing to greet Mr Trump and the First Lady outside No 10 to minimise the number of photographs of them together.
The paper explains that the prime minister wanted to avoid giving Labour the chance to criticise him over his relationship with the president.
For the Times and the Financial Times the main story is the prime minister's determination to push ahead with a new tax on technology giants, despite the risk of a trade war with the US.
Mr Trump is threatening France with tariffs because it has introduced a similar levy. The Times says ministers here have warned Mr Johnson that his proposal could derail post-Brexit trade talks with the US.
The Daily Mail's main story is an NHS survey suggesting 53% of people in England gambled last year. The Telegraph, which also highlights the findings, says smartphones have been blamed for causing increasingly addictive behaviour.
The Mail adds that the study paints a bleak picture of a country also struggling with obesity, heavy drinking and chronic diseases. "Fat and boozy?" says the Sun, "You bet we are".
The Mirror's front page declares that "ordinary households" would each be £6,716 better off under Labour - because bills would fall as public services are nationalised.
Inside, it admits that the calculations which produced that precise figure will be "picked over" but it says there's no dispute over who the party aims to help: working people.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-50653175
The Conservative election promise to cut taxes in a post-Brexit Budget in February is the main focus of the Times and the Daily Telegraph.
The announcement comes amid reports of "quite a lot of nervousness at Tory headquarters", suggests the Telegraph.
Many of Thursday's papers discuss US President Donald Trump's sharp exit from the Nato talks.
The Guardian contrasts a picture of the world leaders laughing at Mr Trump's expense against a shot of the president looking tight-lipped. "Donald Grump", sums up the Sun. "Trump gets the hump," chimes the Daily Mail.
The Guardian's sketch writer jokes, "had it gone on for another day, nukes might have fired.
The London Bridge killer, Usman Khan, was categorised as "high risk" inmate, according to the Daily Telegraph.
The paper says he threatened senior prison staff early on and retained the high risk status throughout his sentence.
The Daily Mirror accuses the prime minister of being "Mr Greedy", Photoshopping his face onto the body of the children's book character.
The Mirror says Mr Johnson made £720,000 in outside earnings last year - more than any other MP.
Both the Mail and Daily Express round on Jeremy Corbyn after his apparent confusion in an ITV interview about the timing of the Queen's Christmas Day speech.
The Express says it is "speechless" after Mr Corbyn suggested that her address takes place in the morning, saying the exchange was "toe-curling."
The Guardian argues that if he misses her speech, he's in line with 90% of the population.
The Financial Times raises concerns about a shortage of judges in England and Wales. The paper says the High Court, which has more than 100 judges, needs another 10 and in recent years has rarely been fully staffed.
A government body examining the recruitment issue blamed the pensions, pay and conditions of judges. It revealed that a High Court judge was offered £80,000 less now than a decade ago.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-50666892
Why would you want to refer to colour?Or are you implying people of Pakastani origin are non white?
You'd be hard pressed to find a taxi driver in Woking without Pakistani blood in him for decades.
But you may know more about this area than me,as I've only lived here for over 50 years.
If you're referring to" white" Royal Mail workers having taxi driving jobs on the side ,they never did.
With so many workers doing different shifts all the time, there was never a standard team of workers, as in everybody knowing each other very well.
Why have you turned this thread into a Party Political broadcast on behalf of the Labour Party?
You started off non bias ,but old habits have been hard to shake off it seems.
You seem to swayed by the media an awful lot,instead of working through their angles and
agendas.
Very anti American, I don't think you should try for the Las Vegas trip in future .
Why haven't you selected the story below? Not appropriate?
The debate surrounded the NHS.
I pointed out a number of ways that huge sums of money are currently being wasted.
The result of this is that the taxpayer is expected to contribute increasing amounts of money, to cover the resultant costs.
I haven't a clue why you would think that a fraud that occurred 40 or 50 years ago, in The Royal Mail, would have any relevance to the debate regarding current events in the NHS.
Or that this fraud has any bearing on the current election campaign which is the topic of this thread.
I am also confused as to why the fact that those involved being Pakistani has any bearing, or that the ethnic origin of taxi drivers in Woking has any relevance.
I am not a Labour Party supporter, in fact I think Mr Corbyn is pathetic, which should be clear from the comments I have made.
I don't think that pointing out the pitfalls of a USA trade deal, means you have to be Anti-American.
I am not sure that we should criticise politicians for the conduct of their children, or understand the relevance of this to the election.
Although I would describe his behaviour as disgusting, and unacceptable.
It is interesting to note that the politician you have chosen to criticise belongs to another ethnic minority.
You could have chosen so many politicians to criticise for actions they are responsible for, without resorting to this.
I'm not sure you're in on any of the deals that might be made in the future, so "pitfalls"must be you following media rumours.
☺ its got nothing to do with her ethnicity, its the fact she's the shadow home Secretary.
Next to nothing in the media on it, but Boris has a row with his girlfriend and its on the news for days. Incidentally , no arrests in the latter callout.
Ps, you don't need to worry about me, I've an open mind on most things.
A trade deal requires alignment in standards and regulations.
To maximise trade with the EU, we would have to remain closely aligned with them.
A trade deal with the US, and others, would involve divergence from the EU.
To remain closely aligned, and to diverge at the same time is clearly not possible.
That is a fact.
In an article published by British newspaper The Telegraph in early March, Johnson urged the UK to accept US farming methods after the US published its objectives for a future US-UK trade deal.
In Europe, it is thought that if the UK were to accept treating meat with chlorine as the price of a free trade deal with the US, it could make it difficult to sell British meat to the EU.
When asked if the prospect of chlorine-washed chicken being introduced into the UK post-Brexit raised concerns, Sue Davies, strategic policy partner at consumer group Which?, replied: "Definitely."
"We need to be very careful, particularly when it comes to food safety. We have come a long way from the dark days of salmonella scares and BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy)."
"We don't need to fall back on this end kind of process treatment… There is absolutely no need for compromise," Davies said.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/news/the-uk-wants-a-us-trade-deal-—-but-its-not-so-sure-about-chlorinated-chicken/ar-AACOZwM
Several of Friday's papers cover Andrew Neil's appeal to Boris Johnson to agree to an interview with him.
"BBC challenges chicken PM" is the Daily Mirror's take as it accuses the prime minister of "running scared".
The Metro deploys a different animal metaphor, nicknaming Mr Neil the "BBC rottweiler". It describes his "on-air challenge" to Mr Johnson as "unprecedented."
The number of violent deaths in London this year - 133 - has surpassed 2018's total, the Daily Telegraph reports.
The "grim milestone" was passed yesterday, when a man in his 20s was stabbed to death in Hackney, in the east of the city.
Last year had itself been the deadliest year for a decade, the paper says.
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has told the Financial Times that - in the event of a hung Parliament - Labour would not form any coalitions or make any deals.
Instead, it would seek to form a minority government and challenge other parties to "make up their minds" on each policy.
"Let's see if the Lib Dems vote against the real living wage at £10 an hour," he tells the paper.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-50681471
Will a new comprehensive trade deal be negotiated by 31 December next year?
No, only the “divorce” will be sealed.
The new trade deal is mostly simply an expression of aspiration. The deadline for that is 31 December next year, or later, by agreement.
The closest things to a concrete basis for trade are the clauses in the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement (the so-called divorce agreement) relating to the status of Ireland and the Northern Ireland border, which are legally binding.
Otherwise, there is only the joint UK and EU Political Declaration, which covers a lot of ground but is not is not legally binding.
Yet of course the UK will be moving away from complete alignment, towards unpredictable divergence, that being the whole point of Brexit. This has never been attempted before.
What about other trade deals?
It is possible the UK’s deal with the EU would pre-empt the proposed UK-US trade deal, or at least complicate matters where product regions, services rule books and standards have to be aligned either with the US or the EU.
The same goes for new trade deals with China, India, Japan and so on. Thus, the Chinese might not feel any need to object to government subsidies for farms, banks or factories; but the US might do so.
The UK has suggested simply adopting the existing deals those countries have with the EU, if they exist, but again the possibility of contradictory commitments exists.
What about going to World Trade Organisation terms?
This is what the Brexit party would like to see initially at least, and the possibility of a no deal Brexit at the end of next year means it remains a live option.
However, the WTO is currently in a poor state of health, and is extremely weak in its ability to make and enforce rulings on trade rules (because the US refuses to appoint judges to its court). So WTO trade rules may prove an unreliable future basis for trade with anyone.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-sajid-javid-eu-today-programme-a9234581.html
Many of the papers lead with reaction to the BBC's two-way debate between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn on Friday evening.
For the Sun, the debate's highlight was Mr Johnson criticising Mr Corbyn's neutral position on Brexit. For the Mirror, the Labour leader "came out on top" as he "skewered" the PM over the NHS. But for the Telegraph, the hour-long debate was "weary" and "anything but a Christmas cracker".
The PoliticsHome website says it was a "seemingly cautious appearance" by the prime minister, who "stuck to his tried and tested messaging" - while a snap YouGov poll afterwards suggested that Mr Johnson was narrowly seen to have won, but Jeremy Corbyn "came across as more trustworthy".
The event was a "fairly humdrum" affair, according to HuffPost UK, which says it employed a somewhat "stilted format". The website says there are now "calls for a debates commission and American producers to take charge of the TV set pieces at the next election".
The Times reports that the "senior media figures" have accused broadcasters of sounding "hysterical" by "attempting to embarrass party leaders into doing interviews". It quotes the former ITV boss Lord Grade and the Channel Five founder David Elstein as criticising editorial decisions made during the general election.
Boris Johnson tells the Daily Mail telling the paper that the country "faces its starkest choice in decades at next week's election". He dismisses surveys suggesting he is on course for a majority, insisting that he has learned the lessons of the 2017 result and will be "fighting for every vote".
The PM tells the Mail that questions over whether he can be trusted make his "blood boil because it was [Parliament] that forced the government to break its promise" over Brexit.
As the vote nears, The Daily Mirror nails its colours firmly to the mast, offering a handy guide for its readers setting out how tactical voting can prevent a Conservative majority next week. It lists all the marginal seats that could swing away from the Tories - including the prime minister's own constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip.
The Daily Mail is similarly helpful - but it lists all the permutations that would help Brexit-supporting voters get Boris Johnson back into No 10 and ensure Brexit is delivered. For those opting to vote according to policy, the i newspaper provides a comprehensive breakdown of each party's manifesto pledges on all things infrastructure.
'Why was he let out?'
Why was Joseph McCann - convicted of multiple sex attacks on Friday - able to walk free from jail without a parole hearing, asks the Daily Mail.
The Daily Mirror blames the government for scrapping sentences of Imprisonment for Public Protection and making cuts to the probation service.
The Guardian's Jamie Grierson highlights "a probation sector in crisis", which has been "hit with a slew of damning reports from the inspectorate" since it was overhauled by Chris Grayling.
The Daily Telegraph agrees - it says the "broken criminal justice system is a disgrace and a danger to the public," and it demands that the next government "restores sanity to sentencing... to keep men like McCann off the streets".
And finally
A banana taped to a wall has sold for nearly £100,000, an incredulous Sun reports. Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan says the idea took a year to compose.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-50695198
As the election approaches, the Observer reports that "senior Labour, Liberal Democrat and SNP figures" have "launched an 11th-hour appeal to anti-Tory voters" to consider voting tactically and deny the Conservatives a majority.
But for the Sun on Sunday, "just 10,000 voters in battleground seats have the destiny of Brexit in their hands".
And as the votes are counted on election night, the Sunday Times offers some light relief: Big Beast Bingo, featuring 12 high-profile figures who could lose in swing seats.
Among them are Boris Johnson, the Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson and the former Tory ministers David Gauke and Dominic Grieve. Players are urged to "tick them off as they fall".
Elsewhere, Australia's former prime minister Tony Abbott writes in the Sunday Telegraph that a Labour government would be a "disaster" for Britain.
And in the Sunday Express, the Leave.EU founder, Arron Banks challenges Nigel Farage to back Boris Johnson and avoid Brexit being "pulled into the shadows by Parliament and quietly strangled".
Election pitches
Meanwhile, the editorial columns make the papers' final pitches to voters before they go to the polls.
The Sunday Telegraph sets out its stall for the Conservatives, describing the election as "an opportunity to say 'yes' to Brexit and to reject totally Labour's politics of hate".
The Observer sees the election as a "chance to strip power from a dangerous charlatan - Boris Johnson". It says that, while it abhors "Corbyn's failures on anti-Semitism" and recalls the "Lib Dem complicity in the dreadful policies of the coalition", readers should "vote for the pro-referendum, progressive candidate" who will deny the Conservatives a majority.
For the Mail on Sunday, a vote for Boris Johnson will not only allow the country to "get on with both Brexit and economic recovery", but also "rescue the Labour Party" from the current leadership.
The Sunday Times tells its readers their "task is to keep Mr Corbyn out of Downing Street", adding that "while the prime minister's flaws are in plain sight... many of the threats posed by the Labour leader lurk beneath the surface".
The Sunday Express warns that Mr Corbyn would "usher in a new dark age, fuelled by his Marxist dogma and corrosive extremism".
The Sunday Mirror nails its colours firmly to the Labour mast, pointing out that, although "old party loyalties have been chipped away by Brexit", voters should bear in mind that austerity will only get worse under another Tory government.
The Sunday People follows suit, calling on the nation to "vote for hope" by backing Labour.
Cancer waits
The Sunday Times reports that "cancer patients are being forced to endure the worst waiting times since records began" a decade ago.
It says that, between April and September, 168,000 patients were not seen or treated within the target times for referral and treatment. The NHS states there were "a record 2.2 million cancer checks last year", with survival at "an all-time high" in England.
The same paper leads with leaked documents from Labour's disciplinary body, which are reported to reveal the scale of its anti-Semitism problem. The "secret files" are said to show that the party is "overwhelmed with complaints that have been left unresolved for months or years".
Most cases, the Sunday Times says, "have resulted in lenient punishments or no sanctions". Labour insists the claims are "categorically untrue" and that it has taken "robust action" to suspend or expel those involved.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-50702254
Boris Johnson's plans for the final three days of general election campaigning feature prominently on the front page of a number of newspapers.
The Times and the Daily Mail describe the prime minister's tour of marginal seats in areas such as North Wales and West Yorkshire as a "blitz" on Labour's heartlands.
The Daily Telegraph reports that Mr Johnson will visit every region of England and Wales in the final 72 hours before voters head to the polls. The paper says that he deploy what is described as his "trump card" of Brexit "relentlessly" in an attempt to win Labour-held marginals.
The Sun quotes a Conservative source as saying the campaign's previously cautious approach will change in the coming days, with the PM tasked with harnessing energy from voters on walkabouts.
The Financial Times claims to have seen a leaked document which casts doubt on whether Boris Johnson's Brexit plan can be implemented in time.
The dossier, from the Department for Exiting the European Union, reportedly claims that setting up a new customs arrangement in time for December 2020 presents a major challenge. It cites infrastructure and staffing as particular areas of concern.
NHS 'desperation'
The Guardian reports that while the prime minister will "criss-cross" the country, the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will return to his core message of the NHS as the campaign nears its climax.
The paper says that Mr Corbyn's pledge that the health service risks being sold off to the US in a post-Brexit trade deal has "hit home" with voters, with activists saying it is cited on the doorstep.
The i and the Daily Mirror have front page stories about the state of the NHS. "Desperate" is how the Mirror describes a four-year-old's treatment at Leeds General Infirmary.
In an article which the paper claims is an exclusive, the boy's mother Sarah Williment explains her son was treated for suspected pneumonia on the floor because the hospital had run out of beds.
The i carries quotes from the head of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine who raises concerns about how A&E waiting times are recorded.
Dr Katherine Henderson says thousands more people may be waiting more than 12 hours because NHS England only starts a patient's clock at the point they are admitted for treatment. She goes on to say that this method does patients a "disservice" and "hides the true scale of the problem of corridor care".
Elsewhere, the Chinese government has ordered all its offices and public bodies to remove foreign computer equipment and software within three years, according to a report in the Financial Times.
In what is described by the paper as a "blow to HP, Dell and Microsoft", the policy is part of Beijing's attempts increase reliance on "home-made" technologies.
Beijing wants the change to happen within three years - but analysts in the paper warn that the policy will involve swapping between twenty and thirty million pieces of hardware.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-50708304
I must hold my hands up to not really having a clue about politics when I was younger.
I think it would be a good idea to have politics in our school curriculum, and you can only vote if you pass an exam 😉
The amount of people in the same boat as me when I was younger makes a mockery of “ Democracy “ when you can be swayed by certain sound bites , and is particularly troubling.
I find it embarrassing that politics in this country has reached such a low ebb, and that so many hateful characters could get elected.
I watched Paul Scully being interviewed the other day, and he responded to a question about the lies that Boris has been telling, by saying "but he gets things done" he didn't even go through the pretence of disputing the lies.
So if the polls are correct we are just about to elect the biggest liar in politics to the office of Prime Minister.
I am ashamed of it.
'Failure to empathise'
Yesterday, the Daily Mirror drew the public's attention to Jack, the sick four-year-old boy who was pictured lying on a hospital floor in Leeds.
Today, the paper tells Boris Johnson: "Here's another picture you won't want to look at." It tells the story of Baby Lily, who it says had to wait on a chair in A&E for six hours with just her mother's cardigan as a blanket. The paper describes her case as "heart-breaking" and says the image shames what it calls the "callous Conservatives".
The Mirror also condemns Boris Johnson's response when a television reporter challenged him to look at the photograph. It says that Mr Johnson's initial response - when he declined to look at the photo and pocketed the reporter's mobile phone - is "typical Conservative contempt".
The Guardian describes it as a "master class in lies, bluster and phone theft".
The Financial Times believes the image of a sick child sleeping on a hospital floor in Leeds and Boris Johnson's reaction to it has led to his first significant stumble of the election campaign.
HuffPost UK asks: "Was this the day this deadening general election finally came to life?" It says Mr Johnson's exchange with a television reporter was "a moment that told us a lot about the prime minister's irritable side, his unconventional conduct and his failure to empathise properly with a lived experience of the British public"
The Daily Mail and the Daily Express lead on Boris Johnson's suggestion that the BBC licence fee could be scrapped under a Conservative government and replaced with a pay-to-watch subscription model.
Ross Clark, writing in the Spectator, welcomes the prime minister's comments, which he says amount to "just about the first bold policy announcement" of the election campaign.
The Times, however, cautions that the plan will face resistance from the BBC and will be seen by opponents as a political attack on the broadcaster.
The Express acknowledges there are arguments either way, and that many of us groan at having to pay the licence fee, but let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater, it says.
The Daily Telegraph reports on the contents of a Tory memo which says the chances of a Jeremy Corbyn-led coalition have been "seriously underestimated".
The note, circulated among staff at Conservative Party HQ at the weekend, says tactical voting in just 12 constituencies could oust Boris Johnson from Downing Street.
The Sun fills its front page with a picture of the Apprentice boss, Lord Sugar, in familiar finger-pointing pose, alongside the headline: "You're fired, Corbyn". It says the former Labour peer is urging people to vote Tory to enable Britain to escape what he calls its "Brexit quagmire"
The sketch-writers reflect on Jeremy Corbyn's election rally in Bristol yesterday and contrast it with Birmingham at the same point in the campaign two years ago when nearly 10,000 people turned up to listen to him.
Then, says John Crace in the Guardian, there was a sense of hope. This time with barely a couple of thousand in attendance, there was just "weariness" and "a commitment to a cause that already felt lost".
The Daily Telegraph's Michael Deacon likens Mr Corbyn's Labour to a fading rock band, taking one last weary trudge around the country, plodding dutifully through the hits for the hardcore.
Tainted by scandal
Several papers consider Russia's four-year ban from major global sporting events by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
The Financial Times points out that not since apartheid-era South Africa has a nation been barred so ignominiously from world sport.
But the Times says anti-doping activists will be dismayed that Russia will still be able to take part in next year's European football championship and that individual athletes not tainted by the scandal will be allowed to compete as neutrals
Finally, the Times also describes how filming of a robbery scene in a village in Dorset turned out to be all too realistic for one particular resident.
A gang had just held up the village shop in Winfrith Newburgh, only to find themselves being chased by a member of the public who thought the raid was for real.
The director of the film - which is due for release next year - tells the Times he was impressed by the community spirit shown by the would-be hero.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-50722618