Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Saturday 9 Mar 2019

1. Brexit delay could leave government 'unable to govern'

Ministers have been warned that MPs supporting an amendment to delay Brexit could cause the government to “lose its ability to govern”. According to leaked documents, such a move could “politicise the monarchy” and lead to a “full blown constitutional crisis”. Meanwhile, Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay says the EU's chief negotiator is trying “to rerun old arguments”, as talks continue between the UK and EU.

2. 'Callous' Javid criticised after Begum's baby dies

The Home Secretary is under fire after the baby son of Shamima Begum died in a Syrian camp. Sajid Javid revoked Begum’s British citizenship when the pregnant teenager asked to return after fleeing to Syria. Labour said the baby’s death was the result of a “callous and inhumane” decision. A UK government spokesman said the death of any child was “tragic”.

3. Man charged with murder of Jodie Chesney in London park

A man has been charged with the murder of 17-year-old Jodie Chesney, who was stabbed in a park in east London. Manuel Petrovic, 20, of Romford, was arrested in Leicester on Tuesday in connection with the incident. He will appear at Barkingside Magistrates' Court later. Officers said a second murder suspect arrested in London remained in custody.

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4. Teachers replace cleaners as school cuts get deeper

Teachers are being forced to perform cleaning duties after cleaning staff were dismissed due to cuts, reports The Guardian. Essential funds are being raised by parent donations and “charity” non-uniform days, and schools have set up Amazon wishlists and crowd-funding pages “so parents can buy such luxuries as pencils, glue sticks, rulers etc,” according to one insitution in the east of England.

5. Arron Banks 'continued with ads despite Jo Cox agreement'

Arron Banks told his Leave.EU campaign group to continue promoting pro-Brexit ads in the aftermath of the murder of Jo Cox, despite an agreement to suspend campaigning. Channel 4 News says it has seen email sent the morning after Cox’s murder from Banks, to his assistant Liz Bilney, that read: “Keep pumping the McKenna video”.

6. Social media giants to face new statutory duty of care

Social media companies will be put under a new statutory duty of care which could see them fined, prosecuted or banned from operating in the UK if they fail to protect their users from online harms. The Daily Telegraph says the tech giants will have to take reasonable and proportionate action to protect children from illegal material such as sex abuse to cyber-bullying, self harm, violence and pornography.

7. Families weep as pilot is cleared of manslaughter

A pilot whose jet crashed while he performed a loop at an air show has been cleared of 11 charges of manslaughter. Families of the victims cried in court as the jury returned a unanimous verdict that Andrew Hill was not guilty of gross negligence over the crash at Shoreham, West Sussex, on August 22, 2015. He had claimed he experienced “cognitive impairment” while at the controls.

8. Venezuela blames the US ‘empire’ for major power cut

A Venezuelan minister has accused Washington of being behind a crippling power cut that has left most of the South American country without electricity. After nearly all of Venezuela’s 23 states were cast into darkness on Thursday, Vladimir Padrino López, the defence minister, said in a televised address that the “North American empire” was behind a “criminal aggression” aiming to “disrupt and attack” Nicolás Maduro’s administration.

9. Row breaks out as Britain's first cannabis clinic opens

Britain’s first medical cannabis clinic has opened in Manchester. The clinic hopes to become a lifeline for patients suffering pain due to the failure of available therapies and the reluctance of the NHS to use cannabis. Although doctors and investors hope the clinic will spawn a national chain, a row has broken out among pain specialists about a renewed opioid-style addiction crisis.

10. Diane Abbott fears being murdered by a far-right troll

Diane Abbott says she fears that she could be murdered or raped by one of the right-wing extremists and social media trolls who abuse and threaten her online. The MP said the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox by a far-right extremist in 2016 made her fear for her own safety. She added that if she stepped down, “they would have won”.