Boris Johnson news: Threat of no-deal Brexit returns as UK and EU harden trade positions and PM on collision course with France over 'blackmail' claim

Patel demanding leak inquiry into hostile briefings against her

Priti Patel is demanding a formal leak inquiry into hostile briefings at the Home Office amid a slew of allegations being made over bullying and distrust from intelligence chiefs.

An ally of the home secretary told The Times she was “absolutely livid” at the leaks while a former cabinet minster defended Ms Patel, insisting there was an element of sexism in the briefings against her.

The security services were dragged into the row when the Sunday Times reported officials alleging intelligence chiefs do "not trust" her and have decided to share less intelligence with her.

A government spokesman responded: "The home secretary and MI5 have a strong and close working relationship, and baseless claims to the contrary are both wrong and against the public interest.

"The home secretary receives the same daily intelligence briefings as her predecessors, and no information is being withheld."

'Misogyny' in briefings against Patel, says former cabinet minister

Tory former Cabinet minister Theresa Villiers said there was an element of misogyny in the briefings, telling BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I'm sick of spiteful briefings against women in high public office.

"It happens again and again and I don't believe these allegations against Priti Patel.

"I think she's a highly effective Home Secretary and I think whoever is making these briefings should stop it because I think they are unfair and they are damaging."

Voting opens in Labour leadership contest

Labour will begin sending ballots to its half a million membership, registered supporters and affiliated supporters across the country as voting opens today. It is likely a large proportion of members have already made up their minds – given the race to succeed Jeremy Corbyn has already been going on longer than the entire general election campaign.

Ballots will be sent out by email, so members can theoretically vote online almost instantaneously. It is likely a significant proportion will do so. For those who don’t, expect a flurry of voting closer to the deadline of 2 April.

But for the three remaining candidates – Sir Keir Starmer, Lisa Nandy and Rebecca Long-Bailey – the coming days will be crucial in winning the support of the undecided and wavering voters, or those unsure who to mark as their second preference.  

Keir Starmer vows to scrap salary threshold for migrants

Sir Keir Starmer, the clear frontrunner in the Labour leadership contest, has said that salary thresholds are not the "right measure for worth of an individual coming to this country".

Last week, the Home Office announced that it would introduce a points-based immigration system - with points awarded for key requirements like being able to speak English to a certain level, having a job offer from an approved employer, and meeting a minimum salary threshold.

The salary threshold for skilled migrants will be lowered to £25,600 for those coming to the UK with a job offer and there may be concessions for those earning no less than £20,480 as long as they still meet certain requirements or their occupation is short of staff.

Sir Keir told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The position the government has just taken is completely wrong - where they are equating the worth of an individual coming to this country by how much money they earn. I think that's profoundly the wrong approach...

"I think the idea that if you don't earn a certain salary you're not bringing anything of any worth to this country is offensive."

Asked if he would do away with salary thresholds, he replied: "I would - I do not think they are the right measure for the worth of an individual coming to this country.

Business leaders urge PM to avoid red tape as UK draws trade battle lines

Business leaders have urged Boris Johnson to avoid heaping misery on firms with post-Brexit red tape as the UK draws battle lines for trade talks with Brussels.

As the government prepares to spell out its demands this week, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) appealed to the government to limit bureaucracy for firms that are already fearful of a no-deal exit at the end of the year.

Senior ministers are expected to sign off on the UK's negotiating blueprint on Tuesday, which will underline the prime minister's desire for a Canada-style trade deal with limited tariffs on goods.

Keir Starmer dismisses shadow cabinet speculation 

Labour leadership contender Sir Keir Starmer has dismissed speculation that former leader Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn could be appointed to his top team if he wins the contest in April. 

Just last week Mr Corbyn declined to rule out accepting a job in the shadow cabinet and said he would be "happy to serve the party in any capacity". 

But asked about the suggestion the Islington North MP could join his shadow cabinet, Sir Keir said:  "I haven't discussed that team with anybody.

"I'm focused on winning this race and getting as many votes as I can." 

Johnson’s government set to spend more than Labour under Blair, says think tank

The newly appointed chancellor is poised to use his Budget to boost spending to higher levels than under Tony Blair’s government, according to a new think tank report.

Economic analysts at the Resolution Foundation said Whitehall spending could be set to rise to as much as £1 trillion for the first time by 2023-24, with tax hikes likely to be required.

Rishi Sunak is likely to use his Budget on 11 March to boost spending to 40 per cent of GDP, a figure higher than at any point Mr Blair’s tenure, the report said. 

Johnson ‘privately agreed to sell off Channel 4’, Tory MPs claim

Boris Johnson has confirmed he is planning to sell off Channel 4, senior Tory MPs have claimed.

The prime minister believes that privatising the publicly-owned broadcaster is a “great idea”, according to a report in the Sunday Express.

His alleged remarks come in the wake of a series of rows between Downing Street and Channel 4 over its coverage of the election campaign.

Lords under fire over rising expenses bill as peers claim more than average worker’s salary

The House of Lords has faced criticism after it emerged that a soaring expenses bill meant peers received tax-free payments worth more than the average British worker’s salary.

Peers’ expenses and daily attendance allowance claims rocketed to £23m in the year to last March, an increase of 29 per cent on the previous year, according to The Sunday Times.

The average tax-free bill was £30,827, which is higher than the median salary of an ordinary British worker, while 31 members of the Lords claimed more than the take-home pay of an MP.

France will not be ‘blackmailed’ into accepting bad post-Brexit trade deal

France has warned the UK that it will not be "blackmailed" into accepting a "bad" post-Brexit trade deal because of Boris Johnson's December 31 deadline.

It comes as the 27 remaining EU members meet in Brussels tomorrow to agree the negotiating mandate for the talks on the UK's future relationship with the bloc.

In a sign that the EU is prepared to take a tough line, French Europe minister Amelie de Montchalin insisted that her country's farmers, fishermen and businesses would not pay the price for a trade deal to be in place by the end of the year.

She told TV station France 2: "In this negotiation it must be understood by British businesses that we do not want a bad agreement - almost certainly, that we will sign up to no blackmail."

"It is not because that Boris Johnson wants a deal at all costs for December 31 that we will sign, under pressure, a bad deal."