Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 12 Aug 2019

1. Lucas wants all-female Brexit emergency cabinet

Green Party MP Caroline Lucas has written to ten other female politicians from all the main parties in Westminster to propose an emergency all-women cabinet to stop a no-deal Brexit and deliver a second referendum. The plan could be enacted in the event that Boris Johnson loses a no-confidence vote in Parliament, Lucas said. Labour’s Diane Abbott has dismissed the proposal as a “backdoor route to a national government”.

2. Labour calls for review of grouse shooting

Labour is calling for a review of grouse shooting, claiming that the practice leads to the destruction of “huge swathes of plant life” and deaths of “many animals” . The grouse shooting season begins today - a date known as the Glorious Twelfth. Labour suggests that viable alternatives to the sport could be simulated shooting or wildlife tourism.

3. Dozens of UK dams ‘in need of urgent safety repairs’

As many as 48 reservoirs in England deemed a risk to life if they collapse are still in need of repairs or further construction work to meet safety standards, The Times says today. The newspaper launched an investigation following the partial collapse of Toddbrook reservoir in Derbyshire earlier this month. Evacuated residents were allowed to return home last week.

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4. Johnson pledges 10,000 new prison places

An expansion of stop-and-search, 10,000 new prison beds, an end to automatic early release and a renewed prison-building programme are among a raft of new measures announced by the government as part of Boris Johnson’s get-tough-on-crime pitch to voters. Following his promise to create 20,000 new police officers in the UK by 2022, the prime minister hopes his £2.5bn prison reform package will “burnish the Conservatives’ credentials as the party of law”

Will the Tories’ tough new stance on crime pay off?

5. Versace sorry after offending China with T-shirts

Luxury clothing brand Versace has apologised after selling T-shirts that appear to identify the Chinese-controlled territories of Hong Kong and Macau as countries. The firm had faced fierce criticism on social media over the garments, which feature a list of “city-country” pairs including “New York-USA” and “Beijing-China”. It said in a statement: “We love China and respect the sovereignty of China’s territorial state.”

6. Think tank suggests raising fuel price to fight smog

Vehicle fuel taxes should be increased to combat the air pollution crisis in the UK, with an extra charge on diesel, according to right-wing think-tank Bright Blue. In a new report, the organisation also calls for VAT to be abolished on electric cars and for citizens to be encouraged to report vehicles left idling, so that fines can be imposed. It also wants the urban speed limit cut to 20mph.

7. Briton poised to complete record river trek in China

A British adventurer is expected to finish a record-breaking solo 4,000-mile walk today, after a year of trekking through China. Ash Dykes, 28, has become the first person to walk the entire length of the Yangtze river, from its source high in the mountains of the Tibetan Plateau to its mouth in the East China Sea near Shanghai.

8. Fascist anthem played as bullfighting returns to Mallorca

A bullfight was held in Mallorca this weekend for the first time in two years. A fascist anthem was played in the bullring arena, in Palma de Mallorca, as hundreds of protesters gathered outside. The island’s regional government banned the sport in 2017 but the decision was overturned by the national government last year, which said it had exceeded its authority.

9. K-pop group BTS announce ‘extended break’

Korean pop group BTS have announced they are taking an “extended break” from performing, following a concert in Seoul last night. The seven-member boy band this year became the first Korean act to play Wembley Stadium and to score a UK No.1. Their agents said they would now “enjoy the ordinary lives of young people”.

What is K-pop? South Korean music goes global

10. What is a government of national unity?

Former Tory attorney general Dominic Grieve, a staunch Remainer, claims that if the PM lost a no-confidence vote, a temporary government could step in and stop a no-deal Brexit.

What is a national unity government and who would lead it?