Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Thursday 5 Dec 2019
- 1. Johnson offers tax cuts in first 100 days in office
- 2. Labour pledge to recruit 20,000 extra teachers
- 3. Trump leaves Nato early over ‘two-faced’ Trudeau
- 4. Somerset man charged with right-wing terrorism
- 5. France at standstill as nationwide strike begins
- 6. Trio admit attack on columnist Owen Jones
- 7. Russia: man builds fake border to fleece migrants
- 8. Cave diver says Musk ‘paedo’ tweet ‘humiliated’ him
- 9. Arts chiefs decry London’s ‘Christmas market of tat’
- 10. Briefing: will Johnson or Corbyn resign if defeated?
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.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
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?
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Best TV shows coming in 2025
The Week Recommends From Wild Cherry to The Bear, next year's most anticipated new and returning watches
By Tess Foley-Cox Published
-
Sudan's forgotten pyramids
Under the Radar Brutal civil war and widespread looting threatens African nation's ancient heritage
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Being more nuanced will not be easy for public health agencies'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 24, 2024
Daily Briefing Trump closes in on nomination with New Hampshire win over Haley, 'Oppenheimer' leads the 2024 Oscar nominations, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 23, 2024
Daily Briefing Haley makes last stand in New Hampshire as Trump extends polling lead, justices side with US over Texas in border fight, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 22, 2024
Daily Briefing DeSantis ends his presidential campaign and endorses Trump, the US and Arab allies push plan to end Gaza war, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 21, 2024
Daily Briefing Palestinian death toll reportedly passes 25,000, top Biden adviser to travel to Egypt and Qatar for hostage talks, and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 20, 2024
Daily Briefing Grand jury reportedly convened to investigate Uvalde shooting response, families protest outside Netanyahu's house as pressure mounts for hostage deal, and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 19, 2024
Daily Briefing Congress averts a government shutdown, DOJ report cites failures in police response to Texas school shooting, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 18, 2024
Daily Briefing Judge threatens to remove Trump from his defamation trial, medicine for hostages and Palestinians reach Gaza, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 17, 2024
Daily Briefing The US strikes Houthi targets in Yemen a third time, Trump's second sex defamation trial begins, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published