Inside Politics: Tory rebels hope for deal with No 10 on extra scrutiny powers

Conservative backbenchers believe they are in line for a bigger say on coronavirus restrictions after a ‘cordial’ meeting with Jacob Rees-Mogg and the chief whip, writes Adam Forrest

Boris Johnson outside No 10 (Getty Images)

One Tory rebel has compared Boris Johnson to King Theoden from The Lord of the Rings – the ashen-faced leader kept under a spell by his evil advisor Grima Wormtongue (Dominic Cummings, of course). Can Johnson still assert himself on Brexit and get a trade deal? Does he even know whether he wants a deal? Diplomats in Brussels might get a clue about No 10’s true intentions today when trade talks resume today – the last realistic chance of a breakthrough to save us from Mordor-like darkness at the end of the year. Tory rebels, meanwhile, are hoping to rouse the spellbound king into a compromise deal on extra scrutiny powers for MPs.

Inside the bubble

Chief political commentator John Rentoul on what to look out for today:

Tim Davie, director-general of the BBC, and Sir David Clementi, BBC chair, appear before the Digital, Media, Culture and Sports select committee at 10am and are likely to be asked about the idea of Charles Moore succeeding Sir David. Education secretary Gavin Williamson makes a statement in the Commons about the return of students to universities. The internal market bill, with its controversial clauses overriding key parts of the withdrawal agreement, will complete its passage through the Commons.

Daily briefing

GET SOME SATISFACTION: Could another big U-turn be on the way? Leading Tory rebel Steve Baker held a “cordial” meeting with the party’s chief whip, health secretary Matt Hancock and Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg in bid to persuade them to give MPs meaningful votes on the introduction of future coronavirus rules. “I hope and expect we will reach a satisfactory agreement,” said Baker – who has likened recent restrictions to Nineteen Eighty-Four, as well comparing Boris Johnson to King Theoden (he’s obviously a big sci-fi and fantasy fan). It looks like the rebels may need the compromise deal that Baker is after. Speaker Lindsay Hoyle is expected to refuse to call Sir Graham Brady’s amendment tomorrow – the one aimed at giving parliament a bigger say – and spare the government’s blushes from an embarrassing defeat. At least for now.

THRILLS, SPILLS AND BELLYACHING: There is growing anger over the rules themselves, as well as how they get decided. Hancock announced that indoor mixing between households across the north-east would be banned. It makes it illegal to go for a drink someone from a different household – despite pubs staying open. Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham led calls for an urgent review of the 10pm pub curfew, which he insisted was “doing more harm than good” because of drunken crowds at “spilling out” time. Retail union Usdaw joined the criticism, complaining that shop workers are at greater risk of infection because of the early mass exodus. Johnson will try to get back on the front foot today by announcing that adults in England without an A-level or equivalent qualification will be given chance to do a fully-funded college course. The National Skills Fund will be topped up with another £2.5bn.

TOMAYTO, TOMAHTO: The EU and UK have rather pleasantly agreed to disagree on Downing Street’s plan to rip up parts of the withdrawal agreement. At least for now. European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic very politely asked that the “contentious parts” of the internal market bill be removed by the end of September. Gove very politely told Sefcovic that the British government would do no such thing. “Those clauses will remain in that bill,” he said. But Sefcovic did reveal that the EU would not leave the trade deal negotiations – even if No 10 pushes ahead with its international law-breaking bill. As trade talks resume today, a glass-half full attitude seems to prevail. One EU official told The Times that Michel Barnier was ready to start work on a joint draft version of a free trade agreement. However, the gloomy Irish premier Micheal Martin said his own government was still preparing for the “terrible reality” of a no-deal scenario at the end of 2020.

ENEMY AT THE (GARDEN) GATES: Eyebrows have been raised at some of the more unusual Covid regulations revealed by the government. Anyone who falsely names an enemy as a coronavirus contact (in order to force them to self-isolate) can be fined £1,000 – a bid to head off petty squabbles between neighbours who hate each other. Government rules also ban pubs from playing loud music – or allowing people to sing and dance. So no swaying softly before spilling out time at 10pm. Meanwhile, the National Police Chiefs Council has confirmed that officers have been told not to install the NHS Covid-19 app on their work phones. The advice has apparently been given because of “security reasons”. Elsewhere, the Independent Sage group of scientists have demanded students get “the right to return home” to study. Lectures should be delivered online “by default”, the experts said.

NOT-SO-GREAT DICTATOR: Jennifer Arcuri, Boris Johnson’s former “close personal friend” (as we in the media are obliged to call her), has turned on her old pal. The US tech entrepreneur branded the PM “nothing short of a dictator” and “the worst kind of leader”. She’s not happy about coronavirus restrictions. “There is absolutely no reason to lockdown this country again,” said Arcuri, adding: “Nobody trusts a word coming out of his mouth.” Hell hath no fury like a close personal friend scorned. Meanwhile, parliament has made clear it will not serve alcohol on its premises after 10pm, despite qualifying for an exemption under “workplace canteen” loophole. It followed considerable backlash over the idea of one rule for them, one rule for the rest of us. Speaking of backlash, Labour’s shadow education secretary Kate Green apologised for suggesting the pandemic could be a “good crisis” for her party. Green said she “really regretted” her remarks.

REMEMBER THE ALAMO: One of the big US election stories comes from Britain, where Channel 4 News alleged that black Americans were categorised by Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign as “deterrence”. In total, 3.5 million Black Americans were reportedly marked out this way by Trump’s “Project Alamo” campaign – which involved a team from the now defunct UK firm Cambridge Analytica – so they could then be targeted with tailored ads on Facebook and other platforms discouraging them from voting. Meanwhile, Trump and Joe Biden are gearing up for their first TV debate this evening. The Democratic challenger is certain to bring up the president’s taxes. While Trump refused to answer any questions on his returns, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said his debts and foreign-based streams of income suggested he could be a national security risk.

On the record

“It will never be the EU which would cause the end of the negotiation on the future partnership between the EU and the UK.”

European Commission VP Maros Sefcovic.

From the Twitterati

“Shrewd move by Speaker Lindsay Hoyle to prevent MPs boozing at Parliament after 10pm. If there’s one rule for us, it must apply to those who make the law.”

The Mail’s Andrew Pierce thinks Hoyle has headed off a scandal...

“Brace yourselves for the scenes of MPs debauched revelry and hedonistic carnage outside Parliament when it’s bars stop serving alcohol at 10pm.”

…but Angelo Giovino thinks there might be some mingling come 10pm.

Essential reading

David Miliband, The Independent: One million coronavirus deaths is an indictment of a short-sighted response

Timothy L. O’Brien, The Independent: Trump’s taxes show he is a national security threat

Rachel Sylvester, The Times: Rishi Sunak’s rising star puts Boris Johnson in the shade

Jonn Elledge, New Statesman: Why Boris Johnson’s voters will learn to despise him

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