Top story: ‘Preference in the job market to resident workers’
Good morning – I’m Warren Murray, we all know how this works, let’s get on with it shall we?
Leaked papers have exposed a Home Office plan to deter EU migration to Britain by ending free movement of labour immediately after Brexit – prioritising highly skilled workers and curtailing the right of lower-skilled migrants to live and work freely in the UK. For those who make it in, the right to bring in family members will be severely restricted if the plan is adopted by the government.
The document obtained by the Guardian says the measures would aim to give “preference in the job market to resident workers” and restrict EU migrants’ right to settle. EU entrants to Britain would have to show a passport, instead of the current national identity card, and get a biometric residence permit if allowed to stay longer than a few months. The document has a strong “Britain first” theme throughout. It states: “The government will take a view on the economic and social needs of the country as regards migration, rather than leaving this decision entirely to EU citizens and their employers.”
Labour’s Yvette Cooper, who chairs the home affairs select committee, said the government was supposed to be waiting for an independent report on migration before deciding what to do, but now the process appeared “completely confused”. She suggested trade talks with the EU could be hurt, and others said adopting the policy would mean a backlash against Britons living and working on the continent. An EU Brexit delegate, the German MEP Elmar Brok, said the revelations would cause mistrust at a crucial time in negotiations. But Charlie Elphicke, the Conservative MP for Dover, said the Brexit vote had been a clear instruction to end uncontrolled EU migration and the document followed this principle.
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Irma roars into Caribbean – Antigua and Barbuda is the first country in the path of the most severe hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic. We are covering the situation live as Caribbean islands feel the impact of Hurricane Irma.
Wind speeds of 185mph (295km/h) have already put the category 5 storm into the record books, with its destructive power fuelled by warm seas. This is a major story to watch today, as there is potential for severe damage to the communities in Irma’s path.
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You are drinking plastic – Fibres of plastic have been found in tap water samples from around the world, emphasising the ubiquitous material’s runaway infiltration of the environment. Researchers are worried we are drinking “microplastics” that are then broken down and release chemical toxins into our bodies, with unknown effects. Overall there were plastic fibres in 83% of samples – in the UK, the figure was 72%. Almost 300m tonnes of plastic is produced each year – for everything from packaging to carpet and clothing – and with just 20% recycled or incinerated, much of it ends up littering the air, land and sea. Environmental health expert Professor Frank Kelly from King’s College London says research is urgently needed to determine the health risk posed by ingested plastic.
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Tackling endometriosis – A crippling illness that afflicts 1.5 million women in Britain is to be targeted for quicker diagnosis and treatment. The clinical authority Nice is issuing the first ever guidance on endometriosis, advising doctors of the need to listen seriously to women who complain of severe pelvic and period pain. On average, diagnosis currently takes seven or eight years – during which time women can find themselves in great pain and distress, unable to work and even lose their fertility, while being told they are making a fuss about normal period pain, as one sufferer explains. The condition is caused by tissue from the womb growing in other organs such as the fallopian tubes or bladder. Nice is pushing for a proper diagnosis and treatment network to be set up.
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Submarine murder case – The Danish inventor who admits disposing of the body of a journalist he took on board his homemade submarine is facing a murder charge. Peter Madsen, 46, claims a hatch door fatally struck Kim Wall on the head and he sunk her remains in a panic, then planned to scuttle the vessel and kill himself in the process. Madsen was picked up in August when the Nautilus sank just as rescuers arrived – he initially claimed the sinking was an accident and that he had earlier dropped off Wall alive and well on a beach. Her torso was later found floating off Copenhagen. A judge has continued Madsen’s detention after ruling there is a reasonable suspicion of murder.
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Fake news – A Brazilian “war photographer” who became celebrated online was a fraud, it has emerged. Eduardo Martins was interviewed for the BBC and had work published in the Wall Street Journal and Vice after claiming to be a surfer and leukaemia survivor who “found what I really wanted” when he became a photographer in conflict zones including Iraq and Syria. In fact, he passed off photos of a blond British surfer named Max Hepworth-Povey as himself – and stole other photographers’ images, then doctored them and presented them as his own. The BBC’s Brazilian site eventually twigged and published an exposé. Martins then deleted his Instagram account and vanished, after telling one contact that he was going travelling in Australia.
Lunchtime read: Possessed by seitan
Jeremy Corbyn says he can’t quite make the full transition from vegetarian to a vegan diet eschewing animal food products altogether. But it is easier and tastier than ever today, writes Rebecca Nicholson, especially with the range of vegan “junk food” on offer.
A meat substitute called seitan underpins much of the menu – appearing in everything from fried “chicken” to “ribs”, kebabs and fake bacon – while the flesh of the jackfruit apparently works well in place of pulled pork. There are other innovative substitutions and the pictures look plenty appetising as Rebecca catalogues the vegan comfort food scene from London to Sheffield, Manchester and Glasgow.
Sport
Venus Williams has set up an all-American semi-final against Sloane Stephens at the US Open after a thrilling three-set victory over Petra Kvitova.
In a busy night of World Cup qualifiers, Wales beat Moldova 2-0 to tighten their grip on second place in Group D while Ireland’s hopes of taking the spot suffered a big blow when they lost 1-0 at home to leaders Serbia. Meanwhile, Syrians have got something to celebrate for once, after their team qualified for a play-off against Australia by grabbing a late goal to draw 2-2 with Iran in Tehran. And the man who brought the Olympics to Rio is being questioned by Brazilian police as part of an investigation into alleged corruption within the IOC.
Business
Stock markets in Asia have fallen amid continued tension over North Korea’s nuclear capability. The Tokyo market fell 0.7% at the opening bell before clawing back some ground while other Asian bourses followed suit. Hong Kong was worst hit, falling 1% by midday. The FTSE 100 is set to fall 0.4% this morning, according to futures trading.
The pound is up to $1.303 and €1.094.
The papers
It is not often one paper’s story dominates the front of all the rest. But the Guardian’s exclusive on the leaked Home Office documents laying out a post-Brexit plan for immigration does just that. Some papers are more wiling than others to credit where the story came from, though.
The FT splashes with the story, saying the Home Office plan is “strict” and creates “hurdles” for those wanting to work in Britain. The Telegraph highlights the part of the report that says low-skilled EU workers will only be allowed to stay in the UK for two years. The Mail also follows that line and says companies will be encouraged to put British workers first. The Times’ splash headline is “Immediate end to free movement after Brexit” – it says the plans are understood to have created a cabinet split.
Meanwhile, but very relevant all the same, the Mirror leads with news that the NHS is facing its worst nursing shortage ever with 40,000 positions unfilled. No real surprise as the Sun goes its own way to feature an interview with Prince Harry’s American girlfriend. “Harry and I are a great love story” the headline reads.
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