Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 5 Sep 2019

1. Johnson beaten as MPs pass bill to block no-deal Brexit

A bill to block a no-deal Brexit was passed by MPs last night, giving Boris Johnson a 100% vote defeat record as prime minister. The bill will complete its passage through the Lords on Friday, despite earlier fears that Brexiteer peers might hold up proceedings in order to prevent it from getting royal assent before Parliament is prorogued next week. Johnson also failed in his bid to force a snap general election.

What the House of Lords’ late-night pact means for Brexit

2. Britain ‘on cusp of recession’ according to survey

Britain is on the verge of recession for the first time in a decade, says The Times, citing a closely watched business survey that shows the extent to which uncertainty over Brexit has damaged the services industry. Activity in the sector, which accounts for four-fifths of national output, showed almost to a halt last month, according to the IHS Markit/CIPS UK Services Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI). The economy is now on track to shrink by 0.1% in the three months to September.

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Does Sajid Javid’s spending plan add up?

3. US braces for Dorian after 20 die in Bahamas

Hurricane Dorian is forecast to bring a “life-threatening storm surge” to the US east coast after causing widespread destruction in the Bahamas. Residents from Florida to Virginia have been told to listen out for emergency advice as the Category 3 hurricane moves north. Dorian killed at least 20 people in the Bahamas but has since weakened.

4. Hong Kong activists to fight on despite withdrawal of bill

Hong Kong protestors are vowing to stay on the streets despite the decision by the Chinese-ruled territory’s leader Carrie Lam to withdraw the controversial extradition bill that triggered the protests. “We will continue to fight,” said a leading activist. “I hope there is one day that Hong Kong and even China would become a place where people can enjoy democracy and freedom.”

Hong Kong protesters win major concession - is it enough?

5. Surge in violent crime on British railways

Reports of crimes on UK railways increased by 12% last year, with a surge in the number of violent and sexual offences, new data from the British Transport Police shows. A total of 68,313 crimes were recorded in 2018-19, up from 60,867 during the previous 12 months. Violent crime accounted for a fifth of all cases, rising by 17% to 13,591.

6. Health experts call for new taxes on snacks

A snack tax of 20% on biscuits, cakes and sweets would have “a huge impact” on obesity levels in the UK and be more effective than the current levy on sugary drinks, says a new study paper published in the British Medical Journal. Boris Johnson has spoken out against “sin stealth taxes” and opposes plans to extend the sugary drinks tax to milkshakes.

7. Mental health of new mothers being ignored, says charity

A parenting charity has claimed that GPs are ignoring the mental health of new mothers. Many new mums get as little as three minutes to discuss their feelings at the six-week postnatal check-up, according to the National Childbirth Trust. A sixth were given no time at all to talk about their health at the appointments, while 31% had less than three minutes.

8. Deaths and injuries in explosion at fireworks factory

An explosion at a fireworks factory in India has killed at least 22 people and led to the building’s collapse. Officials say a further 15 people were injured in the incident in Batala, a town in Punjab state about 285 miles north of New Delhi. Fireworks manufacturing is a major industry in India, with many illegal factories producing firecrackers that are cheaper to buy than legal ones.

9. TUC warns UK could return to Victorian-style inequality

Britain risks regressing to the working conditions and inequality of the Victorian age unless unions are given greater powers, the head of the TUC has warned. In a newly published report, Frances O’Grady says: “We’re at risk of going back to 19th century working conditions. Millions of workers have no control and no voice at work, with increasing numbers stuck on low pay, zero-hours contracts, and in sham self-employment.”

Britain faces ‘return to Victorian inequality’

10. Briefing: why colour could cast new light on dinosaurs

Researchers studying dinosaur fossils have discovered that the colours of the ancient animals may have been radically different than previously believed.

And while exactly what those colours may have been has yet to be determined for most dinosaur species, the new findings suggest that pigment-producing structures go beyond how they looked and may have played a fundamental role inside their bodies too.

So just what could we learn from the breakthrough?

How colour shaped dinosaurs’ lives