Ministers told to rush budget plans in preparation for Brexit with cash boosts set for schools, hospitals and police
MINISTERS have been told to rush through their budget plans in the next few weeks to clear the decks for Brexit.
Schools, hospitals and police are in line for cash boosts as PM Boris Johnson gets election-ready.
He and Chancellor Sajid Javid have ordered departments to send through their budgets for 2019/20 only by September.
Originally they had been told to budget for three years. Mr Javid said the new plan would mean devolved departments have the “financial certainty” to deliver next year.
'DELIVERING PROMISES'
He added: “It will also clear the ground ahead of Brexit while delivering on people’s priorities.”
The Treasury said “The Spending Round will support commitments made by the PM since he came to office, including the recruitment of 20,000 extra police officers and additional funding for schools, as well as delivering promises on the NHS.”
Corbyn's Brexit block call
By Kate Ferguson
JEREMY Corbyn is demanding civil servants stop Boris Johnson forcing through a No Deal Brexit.
The Labour leader wrote to Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill over fears Britain will leave during a General Election campaign.
He was responding to fears No10 planned a snap election on November 1 — a day after Brexit.
Mr Corbyn told Mr Sedwill it was an “unconstitutional and anti-democratic abuse of power”.
But a senior Tory said: “Jeremy Corbyn will do anything to get his hand on the keys to No10.”
'PUBLICITY STUNT'
But Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell accused Mr Johnson of “splashing a little cash as a publicity stunt”. He added: “This smacks of pre-election panic measures.”
As Whitehall prepares for Brexit October 31, the PM insisted there was still time to get a deal done.
But he said Brussels must be flexible and tear up the Irish backstop.
He told the BBC: “As we’ve made clear, the backstop doesn’t work for a proud democracy like the UK. But there’s every possibility for the EU to show flexibility. There’s bags of time for them to do it and I’m confident they will.”
He also urged rebel MPs to stop plotting and get on and deliver the Brexit that people voted for.
Mayor’s Euro love fest fury
By Kate Ferguson
BREXIT-bashing Labour boss Sadiq Khan was blasted for spending taxpayers’ cash on a festival love-bombing Europe.
The London Mayor is staging the bash in September to celebrate “European culture and communities”.
But Tory mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey said money spent on “vanity projects and City Hall PR stunts” should go on the police instead.
He said: “Sadiq Khan needs to prioritise keeping Londoners safe.”
The festival will be held at City Hall HQ on September 21 — five weeks before Brexit day.
It includes a discussion on the split and a special ceremony celebrating Europeans who have applied to stay in Britain.
Mr Khan is a major critic of Brexit and has demanded Britain holds another EU referendum.
He said the festival will show London “is truly open to all”.
His spokesman said of the Tories: “They don’t share Londoners’ values.”
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The Remainers are in talks to amend a parliamentary motion that would scrap the three-week break in September for party conferences.
They want to make MPs sit in Parliament instead — giving the rebels extra time.
Labour ringleader Peter Kyle said: “There are numerous vehicles we can use.”
Irish cash plea
By Nick Gutteridge
IRELAND is resigned to a No-Deal Brexit and ready to beg Brussels for cash to cushion the blow.
Finance minister Michael D’Arcy said the EU had “no patience or generosity left” to negotiate with the UK.
Speaking of a No Deal he told the Irish Independent: “I think the British have convinced themselves it is not a bad place to go. It’s not a good thing for anybody.”
Mr D’Arcy said Dublin would be “impacted more than anybody else”.
And he said other members may have to cough up for “a small nation in a time of difficulty”.
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