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

1. Johnson offers tax cuts in first 100 days in office

The Conservatives are promising to cut taxes and pull the UK out of the EU within their first 100 days in government if re-elected in next week’s election. Boris Johnson has pledged immediate extra cash boosts for schools and hospitals – but Labour has dismissed the plan as “pure fantasy”, while the Scottish National Party is urging voters to “lock” the Tories out of Downing Street.

What will a Conservative majority do in government?

2. Labour pledge to recruit 20,000 extra teachers

Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner will lay out Labour’s plans for education today – including a promise to recruit 20,000 extra teachers and cap all school class sizes at 30. The party will also pledge to give all primary children in England and Wales free breakfasts.

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3. Trump leaves Nato early over ‘two-faced’ Trudeau

Donald Trump has cut short his visit to the UK for a Nato summit and accused Justin Trudeau of being “two-faced” after video footage emerged apparently showing the Canadian prime minister and other world leaders mocking the US president. Trump also cancelled his final press conference at the summit – a move that according to The Guardian, will come as a relief to Boris Johnson, who feared that Trump might interfere in the UK election.

Trump flies home early after leaders caught mocking him

4. Somerset man charged with right-wing terrorism

A 22-year-old man from Bath has been charged with 12 terrorism offences following an investigation by police into suspected right-wing terrorism online. Andrew Dymock is charged with encouraging terrorism, possessing material of use to a terrorist, fundraising for terrorism and disseminating terrorist material.

Prince Harry targeted by white supremacists

5. France at standstill as nationwide strike begins

Teachers, transport workers, police, lawyers, hospital staff and airport workers are going on strike in France, in the country’s biggest nationwide walkout in years. The action was agreed by unions unhappy with President Emmanuel Macron’s plans to revise the pension system and is expected to last beyond Thursday, with some unions out indefinitely.

6. Trio admit attack on columnist Owen Jones

Three men have admitted attacking Guardian columnist Owen Jones as he celebrated his 35th birthday in central London in August. James Healy, 39, Liam Tracey, 34, and Charlie Ambrose, 29, all pleaded guilty to affray. Healy also admitted a bodily harm charge and will now face trial. The three men denied that the attack on Jones, a campaigner for LGBT+ rights, was motivated by homophobia.

7. Russia: man builds fake border to fleece migrants

A man has been detained in Russia after allegedly building a fake border “with Finland” in order to take money from migrants. The man, from central Asia, charged four South Asian migrants $10,000 (£7,600) to “smuggle them into Finland” and the EU, but simply led them in circles in a wood. All five were found in the forest and detained by police.

8. Cave diver says Musk ‘paedo’ tweet ‘humiliated’ him

British cave diver Vernon Unsworth told a California court yesterday that he was left feeling “humiliated”, “ashamed” and “dirty” after Tesla billionaire Elon Musk accused him of being a “paedo” in a tweet. Unsworth, who helped rescue 12 Thai boys trapped in a cave last year, is suing Musk for defamation. The pair got into a public war of words after Unsworth dismissed an offer of help from the tycoon during the rescue operation.

Elon Musk v. Vern Unsworth: the defamation trial explained

9. Arts chiefs decry London’s ‘Christmas market of tat’

A row has broken out over the use of Trafalgar Square in London to house a Bavarian-style Christmas market. The Royal Fine Arts Commission Trust claims the market is an “assembly of tat” and a “hurdy-gurdy of kitsch” that spoils the view of the National Gallery. Buskers are also unhappy about the market’s location.

10. Briefing: will Johnson or Corbyn resign if defeated?

After all the election campaign speeches, column inches and television appearances, the fates of our politicians are sealed come results day.

Next week, we will find out what that nation makes of Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn - and whether one of the two main parties be entering 2020 looking for a new leader.

Would Boris Johnson or Jeremy Corbyn resign following election defeat?