Weekend Brief

For the week ending 16March 2018

Contents

The week-in-brief: For the week ending 16 March 2018

Building a country that works for everyone: A Britain fit for the future

Topical briefs

Salisbury Incident

Spring Statement 2018

Spring Statement 2018: third-party endorsements

Integrated Communities Strategy

Supporting an ageing society

Single-Use Plastics Consultation

Other lines - Modern Defence

Other lines – Extending Free School Meals

Core briefs

Brexit: Getting the best Brexit deal for Britain

Economy: Building a stronger and fairer economy

Housing: Building the homes this country needs

Health: Improving the NHS for the future

Education: Improving standards in our schools and colleges

Environment: Protecting our environment for the future

Immigration: Protecting our borders

Women: Promoting and supporting women

Defence: Keeping our country safe

Transport: Investing in our transport infrastructure

Crime and Justice: Keeping communities and families safe

The parties

The Labour Party: not fit to govern

Momentum: putting politics before people

The SNP: taxing Scotland more

Conservative Achievements

The week-in-brief: For the week ending 16 March 2018

We are building a Britain fit for the future

  • We want every child to have the best start in life and every generation to be better than the last. That’s why we are working hard to build a stronger, fairer economy and a more caring society - a country where everyone’s hard work is recognised and rewarded, and people can lead fulfilling, happy lives. This way we can build a country that works for everyone, one which is ready to meet the challenges of the future head on, with hope and optimism that our best days lie ahead of us.

Salisbury incident

  • Russia has failed to explain how the nerve agent was used or why they have an undeclared chemical weapons programme. There is therefore no alternative conclusion other than that Russia was culpable for the attempted murder of Mr Skripal and his daughter – and for threatening the lives of other British citizens in Salisbury.
  • We will work with our allies to defend our security, stand up for our values and send a message to those who want to undermine them.We will dismantle the Russian espionage network in the UK by expelling 23 Russian diplomats and look at new powers to harden our defences against all forms of hostile state activity.

Spring Statement – building an economy that works for everyone.

  • The UK has come a long way over the last eight years, with our economy growing strongly, unemployment at a near-record low, the deficit down and more investment in public services like the NHS.
  • The Government is taking a balanced approach as we build an economy that works for everyone. We are investing in vital public services while continuing to cut tax for millions of working families and seeing debt start its first sustained fall in a generation – a turning point in our recovery from Labour’s mess.

We are getting the best Brexit deal - Labour’s Brexit would get us the worst deal

  • We are delivering on the referendum vote to get control of our money, borders and laws while at the same time building a strong new relationship with Europe.In her recent speech the Prime Minister laid five tests for our future partnership with the EU and set out two credible options for our future customs relationship. Both of these would enable us to sign free trade deals around the globe whilst at the same time ensuring that trade with the EU is as frictionless as possible.
  • Meanwhile, Labour’s confused policy would be bad for jobs and wages. It would leave us unable to sign up to comprehensive free trade deals and doesn’t respect the result of the referendum.

Integrated communities strategy – enabling all communities to thrive.

  • Britain is one of the most successful diverse societies in the world, but we cannot ignore the fact that in too many parts of our country, communities remain divided.
  • That is why we have set out an ambitious long-term plan of action to tackle the root causes of poor integration and create a stronger, more united Britain. Our strategy will commit over £50 million over the next two years and will seek views on proposals to boost English language skills, increase employment opportunities for women and promote British values.

Single use plastics consultation – leaving the environment in a better state than we found it.

  • Building on our strong environmental record, the Chancellor launched a call for evidence to examine how changes to the tax system or the introduction of new charges could help us move to a greener economy and ensure that we are the first generation to leave the environment in a better state than we found it.

Building a country that works for everyone: A Britain fit for the future

  • Theresa May and the Conservatives want every child to have the best start in life, and every generation to do better than the last.
  • That’s why we are working hard to build a stronger, fairer economy and a more caring society – a country where everyone’s hard work is recognised and rewarded, and people can lead fulfilling, happy lives.
  • This way we can build a country that works for everyone, one which is ready to meet the challenges of the future head on, with hope and optimism that our best days lie ahead of us.
  • In doing all of this we will strengthen our precious Union and make sure we are a truly Global Britain, providing leadership in the World.

We are:

  • Making the economy work for everyone by:
  • helping people with the cost of living;
  • investing in public services like the NHS, while getting debt falling; and
  • backing businesses to create good jobs, while ensuring they play by the rules.
  • Building the homes people need, so everyone can afford a safe, decent place to live, and help as many people as possible to get on the housing ladder.
  • Improving schools, colleges and universities so everyone can have the best start in life, and go as far as their talents and hard work can take them.
  • Protecting our natural environment so we leave a cleaner, greener Britain for our children, with stronger protections for animal welfare and tough action on plastic waste.
  • Keeping our families, communities and country safe by making sure the police, armed forces and intelligence agencies have the powers and the money they need.
  • Getting the best Brexit deal for you, your family and the whole country, delivering on the referendum vote to get control of our money, borders and laws, while building a strong new relationship with Europe.
  • Tackling burning injustices, wherever they exist in our society, so people can achieve their true potential, whatever their background and circumstances.

We will all pay the price for Labour

For all the promises Labour make, they won’t deliver on them. They don’t know how to handle the economy and we know what that means from last time – more debt, higher taxes and fewer jobs. We will all pay the price for that.

Jeremy Corbyn and his top team are unqualified and not up to the job. Time and time again, he breaks his promises – whether it is his pledge on student debt, renewing our Trident defence system, or standing up to people in his party who do and say things that don’t belong in our public life.

On Brexit, one of the biggest issues facing our country, Labour are working to frustrate it, rather than make it a success, and they have no interest in controlling our borders.

Salisbury Incident

Issue:On 14 March 2018, the Prime Minister gave a statement to parliament setting out the Government’s response to the incident in Salisbury.

  • Russia has failed to explain how the nerve agent was used or why they have an undeclared chemical weapons programme. There is therefore no alternative conclusion other than that Russia was culpable for the attempted murder of Mr Skripal and his daughter – and for threatening the lives of other British citizens in Salisbury.
  • We will work with our allies to defend our security, stand up for our values and send a message to those who want to undermine them. We will therefore dismantle the Russian espionage network in the UK by expelling 23 Russian diplomats. While making full use of existing powers, we will also look at new powers to harden our defences against all forms of hostile state activity. Russian state assets will be frozen if there is evidence that they may be used to threaten us, and all planned high-level contacts between the UK and Russia have been suspended.
  • We will not tolerate any threat to British people and others on British soil. This attack is an affront to the rules-based system on which we and our international partners depend. We will continue to work with our allies to confront such actions wherever they threaten our security, at home and abroad, and to keep the British people safe.

Russia’s Culpability:

  • On Monday, the Prime Minister set out that Mr Skripal and his daughter were poisoned by a military grade nerve agent developed by Russia.
  • Following this, it was right to offer Russia the opportunity to provide an explanation. Unfortunately they failed to explain how this agent was used or why they have an undeclared chemical weapons programme.
  • There is therefore no alternative conclusion other than that Russia was culpable for the attempted murder of Mr Skripal and his daughter – and for threatening the lives of other British citizens in Salisbury, including Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey.
  • We have no disagreement with the people of Russia who have been responsible for so many great achievements throughout their history.
  • But we will not tolerate the threat to life of British people and others on British soil from the Russian Government.

Action we are taking:

It is essential that we now work with our allies to defend our security, to stand up for our values and to send a clear message to those who would seek to undermine them. We will therefore:

  • Take immediate actions to dismantle the Russian espionage network in the UK by expelling 23 Russian diplomats - the biggest expulsion in over 30 years.
  • Urgently develop proposals for new powers to harden our defences against all forms of hostile state activity.
  • This will include:
  • A power to detain those suspected of hostile state activity at the UK border. This power is currently only permitted in relation to those suspected of terrorism.
  • Considering whether there is a need for new counter-espionage powers to clamp down on the full spectrum of hostile activities of foreign agents in our country.
  • Amending the Sanctions Bill to strengthen our powers to impose sanctions in response to the violation of human rights.
  • Make full use of existing powers to enhance our efforts to monitor and track the intentions of those travelling to the UK who could be engaged in activity that harms us. This includes increased checks on private flights, customs and freight.
  • Freeze Russian state assets wherever we have the evidence that they may be used to threaten the life or property of UK nationals or residents. There is no place for the money of serious criminals and corrupt elites in our country.
  • Suspend all planned high-level contacts between the UK and Russia. It is not in our national interest to break off all dialogue between our two countries, but things cannot be the same, so we will suspend all planned high level bi-lateral contacts between us. There will be no attendance by ministers or royals at the 2018 World Cup.
  • Deploy a range of tools from across the full breadth of our national security apparatus in order to counter the threats of hostile state activity. Some of these cannot be shared publicly for reasons of national security.

Working with our allies:

  • The Prime Minister has spoken to Chancellor Merkel,President Macron and President Trump. They agreed to co-operate closely in responding to this and to co-ordinate efforts to stand up for the rules-based international order.
  • We have notified the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) about Russia’s use of this nerve agent. We are working with the police to enable the OPCW to independently verify our analysis.
  • There has been strong expressions of support from NATO, and from partners across the European Union, and beyond.

Key points:

  • Jeremy Corbyn failed to condemn the culpability of the Russian state for this unlawful use of force and failed to back the action we are taking in response.
  • Despite support from MPs of all parties, Jeremy Corbyn failed to back the government’s conclusion that the Russian State was culpable for the attempted murder of Mr Skirpal and his daughter. Instead, he suggested ‘it is still a possibility that Russian negligently lost control of a military-grade nerve agent’. He also suggested the Government give Russia a sample of the nerve agent ‘to run its own tests’.
  • He failed to support the action the UK Government is taking in response. Corbyn failed to support the action we announced including expelling undeclared intelligence officers and proposals for new legislative powers – only talking about multilateral action.

Spring Statement 2018

Issue: On 13 March 2018, the Chancellor announced the Spring Statement.[1]

  • The UK has come a long way over the last eight years, with our economy growing strongly, unemployment at a near-record low, the deficit down and more investment in public services like the NHS.
  • The Government is taking a balanced approach as we build an economy that works for everyone. We have invested over £60 billion since Autumn Statement 2016, in public services and in building the infrastructure for the future, while continuing to cut tax for millions of working families and seeing debt start its first sustained fall in a generation – a turning point in our recovery from Labour’s mess. Labour would do it all over again – sending debt spiralling by over £350 billion, meaning billions more wasted on debt interest and leaving our economy vulnerable.
  • This Spring Statement reports on our progress creating a country that works for everyone: getting control of the public finances whilst investing in our public services; investing in our economy to create better, higher-paying jobs; and supporting families with the cost of living.

We are doing this by:

  • Getting control of the public finances whilst investing in our public services. Even though we’ve turned a corner, we still spend around £50 billion a year on interest payments – more than we spend on the police and armed forces combined – but due to the decisions we have made, the IFS found that we have delivered the highest level of sustained investment in 40 years.
  • Building a modern economy that creates better, higher-paying jobs. The only way to improve living standards and deliver the high-skilled, high-wage jobs of the future is to boost productivity. That’s why we extended the National Productivity Investment Fund to £31 billion, and committed to raising Research and Development support to the highest level in 30 years.
  • Boosting wages for the lowest paid. We introduced the new National Living Wage, which gave lower earners the fastest pay rise for 20 years. In April, we will increase it again, leaving a full time worker on the National Living Wage over £2,000 a year better off since its introduction. Over 2 million people are expected to benefit from the increases to National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage in April, with under 25 year olds and Apprentices seeing the largest increases in 10 years.

Key Political Points:

  • We’re at a turning point; debt is beginning to fall – the first sustained fall in debt in 17 years. We’ve reduced our deficit by £108 billion over the last seven years thanks to the hard work of the British people. Meanwhile, since Labour’s manifesto was published last year, they’ve committed to spending an additional £106 billion – blowing away eight years of hard work in just nine months.

Labour position: John McDonnell:‘We face - in every public service - a crisis on a scale we've never seen before. Haven't you listened to the doctors and nurses, the teachers, the police officers, the carers and even your own councillors? They are telling you they can't wait for the next Budget. They're telling you to act now. For eight years they've been ignored by this government. And today - they've been ignored again.’[2]