1. Three ministers say they are willing to break rank on Brexit
Three cabinet ministers have said publicly that Brexit should be delayed if Parliament does not approve a deal in the coming days. Greg Clark, Amber Rudd and David Gauke told the Daily Mail time was running out and said if there is no breakthrough in negotiations soon they are prepared to defy Theresa May and vote for a delay. Crucial Commons votes are due for next week.
2. Ladbrokes 'gagged gambling addict who stole £1.8m'
Ladbrokes used a non-disclosure agreement to prevent a gambling addict, and the victims whose money he stole, from reporting how it allegedly encouraged his illegal betting, reports The Times. Britain’s biggest betting company also allegedly helped a customer illegally gamble for three years from Dubai, where betting is outlawed. A QC,said: “More than simply turning a blind eye, Ladbroke’s encouraged and actively facilitated this illegal gambling activity.”
3. GPs group call for abortion to be decriminalised
The Royal College of General Practitioners has called for abortion to be decriminalised after a poll of its members found that nearly two thirds supported the move. Although abortion is illegal under an 1861 law, the 1967 Abortion Act created exceptions if a woman could get two doctors to agree that termination was necessary and provided it took place on registered premises. The Times says the RCPG’s call will add significant weight to the campaign.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Latest Videos FromThe Week
4. 'Jihadi Jack' misses pasties and wants to come home
The man known as “Jihadi Jack” says he wants to come home to the UK five years after running away to Syria. Jack Letts, who is being held in a Kurdish prison accused of being a member of Islamic State, says that he is missing his mother, pasties and episodes of Doctor Who. The Oxford-born Letts told ITN: “If the UK accepted me then I’d go back to the UK, it’s my home.”
5. R Kelly in police custody accused of sexual abuse
R Kelly is in police custody after turning himself in at the Chicago police precinct last night. The singer has been charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse for incidents dating back as far as May 1998. Kelly, who was acquitted of child pornography charges in 2008, has denied any sexual misconduct. He is expected to appear in court for a bond hearing on Saturday.
6. Temperatures to reach double February average this weekend
Temperatures are expected to soar to 70F (21C) this weekend - more than twice as high than average for February. As an area of high pressure continues to dominate the UK, Met Office meteorologist Dean Hall said: “It's exceptionally mild for the time of year. It's pretty impressive bearing in mind this time last year we were talking about the Beast from the East. What a difference 12 months makes.”
7. Ministers to tell May she must quit within three months
Cabinet ministers will make it clear they think Theresa May must go in three months, reports The Guardian. The senior figures want the Prime Minister to leave after the first phase of the Brexit negotiations finishes or risk being defeated in a vote of no confidence at the end of 2019. However, May wants to stay deeper into the Brexit process to secure herself a legacy.
8. Pensioners die after van crashes into car in Eltham
A man and a woman in their 70s died after a van being chased by police crashed into their car in London. Officers in a patrol car say they were chasing the Ford Transit van after they noticed it being driven “erratically at speed” at about 12am. They claim the vehicle failed to stop and at about 12.06am was involved in a crash in Eltham. The man and woman in the car were pronounced dead at the scene.
9. Will top house builder be stripped of Help to Buy right?
Britain’s leading housebuilder could be stripped of its right to sell Help to Buy homes after it was accused of poor standards and hidden charges. The Times reports that ministers are reviewing Persimmon’s participation in the government scheme, which accounted for 50% of the homes it built last year. It would be a blow for the firm: since Help to Buy was introduced, its profit per house has almost tripled, rising from £22,114 in 2012 to £60,219 in 2018.
10. BBC and ITV to announce a streaming rival to Netflix
The BBC and ITV are to charge viewers to stream thousands of their classic shows on a new “Britflix” rival to Netflix to be announced next week. The leading broadcasters have been in talks for more than a year about pooling their archives to compete with global streaming giants such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Among the classics that could feature on the service are Fawlty Towers, Inspector Morse, Midsomer Murders and Absolutely Fabulous.
