Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 10 May 2015

1. GOVE TO SCRAP HUMAN RIGHTS ACT

Michael Gove will oversee Conservative plans to scrap the Human Rights Act. The former Chief Whip has returned to a frontline Cabinet role as justice secretary. His department will draw up plans to replace the European legislation with a British Bill of Rights. He replaces Chris Grayling, who goes into a new role as leader of the House.

2. CLASHES AT DOWNING STREET PROTEST

Police clashed with anti-austerity protestors near Downing Street yesterday. Seventeen people were arrested after officers in riot gear fought with a "minority" of protesters who threw objects during the rally. Four police officers and a police staff member were injured, the Met said. Demonstrators held placards declaring: "I pledge to resist" and "Stop the cuts".

3. BLAIR: LABOUR MUST RETURN TO CENTRE

Labour must return to the centre ground to win again, says Tony Blair. The former leader says the party can challenge again if it champions a pro-business agenda and bold new ideas to reform public services. “The route to the summit lies through the centre ground,” he writes in The Observer. “The Labour party has to be for ambition as well as compassion and care.”

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4. SCHOOLS WILL FINE PARENTS OF LATE KIDS

Schools are to fine parents £60 if their children are late for class. Thousands of establishments will impose the penalty. The fines will be doubled if not paid within 21 days and parents could even be sent to prison if they refuse to pay. An opponent said: “For some families, the money they will be fined will be very important to them and it will be the children who lose out.”

5. SNP PLANS NEW INDEPENDENCE BID

The SNP is to make a dramatic new push for independence as Alex Salmond declared that Scotland was closer than ever to separating from the UK. Having won 56 out of 59 seats north of the border, Salmond, now an MP, said his party’s near clean sweep was a mere “staging post” towards full independence. Opponents said his statement proved his pre-election promises were a “sham”.

6. PM TO REDRAW ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES

David Cameron plans a breathless first 100 days in office, bringing forward his plans for a new deal with Brussels, cementing Tory control of the Commons and rushing through abolition of the Human Rights Act. He will swiftly redraw constituency boundaries to make the electoral system more favourable to Tories — a move likely to boost the number of Tory MPs at the next election by 20.

7. AFRICAN PLUME TO WARM THE UK

A 1,000-mile wide plume of hot air from Africa will bring a four-day warm spell to the UK, says the Sunday Express. “Warm tropical air is arriving, with a fine start to the week, and it will feel pleasant with highs in the low 20s,” said Met Office forecaster Craig Snell. However, rain and gales are expected to arrive in the second half of the coming week.

8. QUEEN TO ATTEND VE DAY SERVICE

The Queen will attend a service at Westminster Abbey to mark the 70th anniversary of VE Day. Hundreds of events have been held across the weekend remembering the announcement of victory in Europe at the end of the Second World War. The Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and Prime Minister David Cameron will also attend.

9. JK ROWLING SLAMS ONLINE ‘BULLIES’

Author JK Rowling has spoken out about the online abuse she has faced from Scottish National party supporters. The Harry Potter author said she believed in “standing up to bullies” and said that she spoke out after the attacks had crossed her “personal line”. After she donated to Labour and the Scottish ‘No’ campaign, she was called a “traitor to Scotland”, and “feeding a river of hatred”.

10. JOSE: I WON’T MATCH FERGIE & WENGER

Jose Mourinho says he will never match the lengthy managerial reigns of Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger. Asked if he could stay at Chelsea as long as Ferguson stayed at Old Trafford (27 years) or Wenger at Arsenal (19 years), he said: “No, because it is impossible in football. Impossible. Modern football, impossible.”