Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Wednesday 12 Sep 2018

1. Tory Brexiteers meet to discuss ousting May

Pro-Brexit Tory MPs met yesterday to discuss pushing Theresa May out of the leadership, in protest at her Chequers plan. Around 50 MPs “openly” discusses replacing the prime minister, the BBC says. The Times reports that backbench Brexiteer Tories are split on the Chequers agreement, with some moderates refusing to reject it outright.

2. Wages grow 2.9% as jobs boom continues

Wages enjoyed their fastest growth spurt for three years in the three months to July, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed. The average wage rose by 2.9% from the previous three months. Meanwhile, the jobless rate stayed the same, at 4%, its lowest level for 43 years. Taking inflation into account, earnings were up 0.5%.

3. MI5 to track ‘hate preacher’ Anjem Choudary

Radical Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary is to be released from prison next month – but his movements will be tracked by MI5, Prisons Minister Rory Stewart has said. Choudary served under three years of a five-year sentence for encouraging Britons to fight with Islamic state in Syria and Iraq.

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4. Wages £800 a year lower since financial crisis

The annual wages of British workers are £800 – or 3% – lower now than they were ten years ago, in real terms, new research by the Institute of Fiscal Studies shows. The drop reflects the impact of the 2008 financial crisis. People aged 30 to 39 have been worst hit, earning an average of £2,100 less than people in that age group did ten years ago - a fall of 7.2%.

5. Raab reprimanded by Barnier over Brexit letters

Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab has been “reprimanded” by the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, The Guardian claims. Michel Barnier is said to have been angered that Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has sent letters to all 27 member states asking for side negotiations should the main Brexit negotiations conclude without a deal.

6. Hurricane Florence prompts call for evacuations

Around 1.7 million Americans in the Carolinas and Virginia have been told to evacuate their homes as Hurricane Florence approaches the coast. North Carolina governor Roy Cooper told his citizens: “Don’t bet your life on riding out a monster.” President Donald Trump has declared a state of emergency, and panic buying is being reported.

7. Boy of seven killed in fall from pub wall

A boy of seven died yesterday after falling off the wall of a pub in east London. Emergency services were called to the Romford pub at about 5.20pm on Tuesday and found the boy with serious injuries. He was taken to hospital and pronounced dead there one hour later. London’s Met Police say the death is being treated as unexplained.

8. Psychologists call again for smacking ban

School psychologists are calling for smacking to be banned, saying it is bad for children’s emotional development. John Drewicz of the Association of Educational Psychologists said: “Smacking is harmful to a child’s mental health, it models aggressive behaviour and it says to them that it is OK to use violence.” Sixty countries have bans.

9. Lottery winner charged with faking £2.5m ticket

A builder who won £2.5m on the National Lottery in 2009 has been charged with faking the ticket, which he handed in shortly before a six-month deadline expired on an unclaimed jackpot. Edward Putnam, 53, owns two houses in Hertfordshire. If found guilty, he could be forced to pay the money back and be jailed for up to seven years.

10. Briefing: constituency boundary shake-up explained

The political map of Britain may soon be redrawn, following the publication of the final recommendations for new parliamentary boundaries.

So what difference would the proposed changes make and which parties have the most to lose?

Constituency boundary shake-up: everything you need to know