Top story: Benn bill back to Commons by Friday afternoon
Good morning – Warren Murray here and don’t worry, it will all become clearer in a moment or two.
The House of Lords has agreed overnight to get the Benn bill ruling out a no-deal Brexit through all stages of parliament before it is suspended by Boris Johnson. Around 1.30 this morning, following late-night debate, peers were told a Conservative filibuster had been averted by a “guillotine” and the bill – passed on Wednesday by rebel Tories and the opposition in the Commons – could be returned to the lower house by 5pm tomorrow. We will be picking apart the implications in our politics live blog, which is up and running.
Lord Ashton of Hyde told peers: “We have also received a commitment from the chief whip in the House of Commons that Commons consideration of any Lords amendments will take place on Monday and it is the government’s intention that the bill be ready for royal assent.” Peers are set to begin debating the bill and their own amendments today after a fresh business motion is put forward by Lady Smith of Basildon, the Labour leader in the Lords. As the Lords session drew to an end, Richard Newby, the leader of the Lib Dems in the Lords, joked to the chamber that he was pleased not to have to stay all night and use his duvet.
The developments come after Johnson suffered three heavy commons defeats in his first legislative outings as prime minister. They included failing to secure a general election, with Jeremy Corbyn insisting that the Benn bill must be passed and receive royal assent first.
The legal and political siege of the PM continues today as a court challenge is mounted to his plan to prorogue parliament. Lawyers for Gina Miller and her supporters will argue at the high court in London that Johnson asked the Queen to suspend parliament so he could prevent MPs scrutinising the government’s Brexit plans and blocking a no-deal exit from the EU – an illegal breach of parliamentary sovereignty, it will be said. And, you wouldn’t read about it – at least not normally – but now might be a good time to look at these books that seek to explain parliament.
Deadly fireworks blast – An explosion at a fireworks factory has killed at least 20 people in India. Police said 15 other people were injured in Wednesday’s blast in Batala, a town in Punjab state about 460km (285 miles) north of New Delhi. A local politician said the factory was illegal and pictures showed it reduced to a pile of bricks. Fireworks manufacturing is a big business in India, with crackers often used in festivals and weddings. Many illegal factories produce firecrackers that are cheaper to buy.
‘Snack tax’ – There’s a bit of that old staple of public health news around today. A levy of 20% on biscuits, cakes and sweets could lead to the average Briton losing 1.3kg over the course of one year, obesity researchers have calculated. The effect would be greater among the lowest income families, where obesity levels are highest. In some countries sugar intake is mostly from drinks, but the UK is keener on sweets and cakes – a similar price increase on sugary drinks would result in a much lower average weight loss of 203g. Researchers writing in the British Medical Journal say the UK should consider a “snack tax”. A separate study in the BMJ suggests that vegetarians have a lower risk of heart attack, but may be in greater danger of a stroke. And the Royal College of GPs has criticised NHS England’s proposal to let pharmacies diagnose high cholesterol and dispense statins without a doctor’s involvement.
‘Bring back union power’ – Britain risks turning the clock back to the Victorian age without a shift in the balance of power from employers to unions, Frances O’Grady, the head of the TUC, has said. O’Grady warned of rising inequality and insecurity at work. The peak body of unions says in a report ahead of its annual conference next week that despite a recent pick-up in earnings, workers are still facing the longest pay squeeze for 200 years. The share of economic output going to wages has declined from an average of 57% in the three decades after the second world war to 49% in 2018. The TUC is calling for greater rights to negotiate collective bargaining agreements, including agreements covering whole sectors like hospitality; a £10-an-hour minimum wage; a ban on zero-hours contracts; and access for unions to promote membership to employees in all workplaces.
Fake news storm – Donald Trump has appeared in front of a Hurricane Dorian map where Alabama appears to have been drawn into the storm front using a marker pen.
It was apparently a belated effort to justify Trump’s previous baseless claims that the latter state could be affected, when forecasters say it is out of harm’s way.
Plasticene era? – Plastic pollution is being deposited into the fossil record, research has found. Scientists suggest the plastic layers could be used to mark the start of the Anthropocene – the proposed geological epoch in which human activities have dominated the shaping of the planet. Analysis of sediment from off the coast of California dating back to 1834 showed layers mirroring the explosion in plastic production over the past 70 years – with the level doubling about every 15 years, researchers have said. “Plastic was invented and pretty much immediately we can see it appear in the sedimentary record,” said Jennifer Brandon, from the University of California San Diego.
Today in Focus podcast: Eye of a political storm
Anushka Asthana follows the Guardian’s political correspondents in Westminster as they attempt to make sense of another seismic week in British politics, with Boris Johnson losing his fragile majority and trying to get an election. Plus Lily Kuo on a huge moment in Hong Kong as protests force the withdrawal of the extradition bill.
Inside a political storm
Lunchtime read: Johnson government’s women problem
With a resolutely male inner circle and the sacking of four female aides, it’s no surprise that accusations of misogyny have been levelled by the opposition. The question is whether it makes a difference at the ballot box, writes Gaby Hinsliff.
Sport
Steve Smith was seeing it like a beachball once more as a day of excellence from Australia’s premier batsman and strong winds scotched the notion of momentum, even if Stuart Broad proved to be David Warner’s nemesis yet again, dismissing the opener for the fifth time this Ashes series. Serena Williams’s US Open rout of Wang Qiang was an ominous reminder of her powers but she has faltered at the last in recent majors and faces an in-form opponent in Elina Svitolina.
Rafael Nadal has beaten Diego Schwartzman in their US Open quarter-final while Roger Federer refused to blame his quarter-final defeat by Grigor Dimitrov on his sore back but it was clear he was physically gone in the deciding set. Andy Ruiz Jr has warned Anthony Joshua he will be faster, leaner and much better prepared for their controversial rematch in Saudi Arabia in December. And Eddie Jones will risk several big hitters when England meet Italy in their final World Cup warm-up game in Newcastle, having chosen to wheel out pivotal figures such as Billy Vunipola, Owen Farrell and Ben Youngs only 48 hours before the squad depart for Tokyo.
Business
Asian markets have roared back into life overnight as concerns about three neuralgic issues eased in the space of less than 24 hours. The Nikkei in Tokyo jumped 2.4%, the Hang Seng was up 0.4% and Shanghai 1.5% as the Hong Kong authorities made concessions to protesters, the prospect of avoiding a no-deal Brexit improved and the US and China announced trade talks would begin again in October. The FTSE100 is set to lift 0.35% at the opening while the pound slipped marginally to $1.224 and €1.11.
The papers
Boris Johnson’s stalled bid to trigger a general election next month dominates coverage today. The Guardian says the “Cornered Johnson suffers triple Commons defeat”, the FT has a similar report, though it has totted up the embarrassments for the PM differently: “Johnson backed into corner as Commons delivers double blow”, the i also has the “PM cornered after day of defeats in the Commons”.
The Times says “Johnson blocked as MPs refuse early election call” and the Mirror labels Johnson “Britain’s worst PM (since the last one)”, making it clear who they’re referring to with an inset photo of Theresa May.
The Telegraph lambasts the Labour leader, saying “‘Hypocrite’ Corbyn rejects election to break deadlock”, the Mail goes further, with a headline that says “Corbyn chickens out of an election”, and the Sun has superimposed Corbyn’s head on to a chicken’s body, with the headline: “Is THIS the most dangerous chicken in Britain?” The Express says: “Boris urges ‘people power’ to force election”.
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