“More than 1.6 million migrants moved to Britain from within the EU in less than a decade. The astonishing figure – the equivalent to the populations of Manchester and Birmingham combined – settled here between 2006 and 2014, according to the UK Statistics Authority. It means an average of 500 people every day for nine years exercised their right to free movement – adding to the pressure on Britain’s schools, hospitals and other infrastructure” – Daily Mail
“The polling industry is facing another furore over its work on the EU referendum, an influential pollster has warned, just days before the final inquest is published into what went wrong with last year’s general election prediction… The findings by Mr Singh and Mr Kanagasooriam suggest that the campaign for Britain to remain in the EU has a larger lead in public opinion than many people believe” – Financial Times
>Today:
“The Bank of England issued another stark warning about the risks of Brexit yesterday, claiming it could hit foreign investment, borrowing costs and the pound. In its latest health check on the economy, the central bank predicted millions of households could see their mortgage rates rise if the public votes to sever ties with Brussels. Warning of a further fall in the value of the pound, the Bank described the ‘uncertainty’ created by the EU referendum on June 23 as the biggest short-term domestic threat to financial stability” – Daily Mail
“Bank of America is warning senior staff not to use the word ‘Brexit’ when talking to clients as it tries to steer clear of the raging debate over the UK’s membership in the European Union. The US bank last week told managers ‘not to provide opinions, not to influence voters, not to assume a particular result and not to engage in campaigning’ in the run-up to a June 23 vote on whether the UK should leave the EU” – Financial Times
“The British steel industry suffered a severe blow as Tata, the Indian steel giant, confirmed fears that it was about to put is UK businesses up for sale. Late on Tuesday the Indian group said it was ‘looking at strategic alternatives’ to the current ownership… Earlier, union sources had revealed that the company was poised to announce the sale of its British steel operations, plunging several plants — at Port Talbot, Rotherham, Corby and Shotton — into uncertainty” – Financial Times
“Harvey Proctor, the former MP cleared after Scotland Yard’s investigation into claims of an establishment child sex abuse ring closed, called for the home secretary to ‘consider her position’. Mr Proctor, 69, claimed that Theresa May stood ‘idly by’ as the Met carried out Operation Midland, the inquiry into allegations that public figures abused young boys that cost nearly £2 million and did not lead to an arrest” – The Times (£)
“The Home Office is to take control of the UK’s diplomatic counter-terrorism and liaison work abroad in one of the biggest shake-ups to security and foreign policy in Whitehall in years… It will be viewed as a coup for Theresa May, the home secretary, and a consolidation of her authority over British security policy, thus strengthening her position at the top of the Conservative party but angering her rivals in cabinet” – Financial Times
“Britain and Argentina clashed again over the Falklands yesterday after Buenos Aires claimed that the United Nations backed the extension of its maritime territory to include the islands. A ruling by the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, which appeared to endorse Argentina’s claim to the seabed up to and beyond the islands, was hailed as “historic” by the South American country… A spokeswoman for David Cameron described Argentina’s claims as speculation” – The Times (£)
“Teachers may take joint action with the junior doctors as part of their campaign against the Government, National Union of Teachers general secretary Christine Blower has said. In her farewell speech to the NUT conference Ms Blower said she had received a letter of support from Yannis Gourtsoyannis of the British Medical Association’s junior doctors’ committee after her union had voted to back a ballot on strike action over the Government’s proposal to turn every state school into an academy” – The Independent
>Today:
“The multi-millionaire Tory candidate to be Mayor of London is facing an investigation by Parliament’s sleaze watchdog over claims that he delayed revealing thousands of pounds worth of donations from rich society friends and family to the Commons authorities, The Independent can reveal. Kathryn Hudson, the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner, is looking into allegations the Zac Goldsmith omitted to declare donations totalling over £120,000 from the Register of Members Interests” – The Independent
“Jeremy Corbyn’s strategy chief has called on hard-left activists to ‘isolate’ the Labour leader’s opponents by targeting them on social media. Seumas Milne, the former journalist who is now Mr Corbyn’s director of communications, issued the plea at a meeting of the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy (CLPD), a left-wing group that has previously backed the mandatory reselection of MPs” – The Times (£)
“Nicola Sturgeon has said she will put the decision on whether Scotland should have another independence referendum ‘in the hands of the people’ but admitted her Scottish National party would need better arguments to win next time around. Ms Sturgeon’s comments during a second televised debate ahead of Scottish parliamentary elections in May are an attempt to balance impatience among SNP supporters for independence and awareness a second referendum defeat would be disastrous for her cause” – Financial Times
>Today:
>Yesterday:
“Donald Trump has defended his presidential campaign manager after Corey Lewandowski was charged with battery following an incident in which he allegedly grabbed a female reporter who was covering a rally in Florida. Police in Jupiter, Florida, charged Mr Lewandowski on Tuesday with ‘simple battery’ after a complaint from Michelle Fields, a Breitbart News reporter, who accused him of grabbing her in an encounter that left her arm bruised” – Financial Times
“The man who took a grinning selfie with the EgyptAir hijacker has been named as a 26-year-old Brit health and safety expert. Ben Innes posed for the bizarre snap with Seif Eldin Mustafa while being held hostage aboard EgyptAir MS181. The Leeds man was one of four ‘foreigners’ held along with the crew, during the six-hour standoff at Cyprus’ Larnaca airport” – The Sun