Politics update: Johnson faces court trial over EU referendum ‘lies’, Home Office risks new Windrush scandal over EU settled status scheme

Politics update 30.05.2019 Boris Johnson Trial Court Case

Here’s your morning Politics Update.

Brexiteers outraged as Boris Johnson faces trial over “lying” in EU referendum

Boris Johnson

Jacob Rees-Mogg and allies of Boris Johnson have spoken out on the possible court trial faced by the former foreign secretary for his “lying and misleading” during the EU referendum.

Johnson has been summoned by a judge to appear in court, after a crowdfunded prosecution case was brought against the Conservative MP for claims he made during the 2016 EU referendum, most notably the claim that EU membership was costing the UK £350m a week.

Allies of Johnson have denounced the move to summons him, with one aide telling the Independent magazine the case was “nothing less than a politically-motivated attempt to reverse Brexit and crush the will of the people”. Meanwhile, Rees-Mogg has said the trial is “neither right nor proper”.

A written judgment handed down by District Judge Margot Coleman on Wednesday said: “Having considered all the relevant factors, I am satisfied that this is a proper case to issue the summons as requested for the three offences [of misconduct in a public office].

“The charges are indictable only. This means the proposed defendant will be required to attend this court for a preliminary hearing, and the case will then be sent to the crown court for trial.”

 

Government at risk of another Windrush scandal over EU settlements

Brexit

The government risks seeing another Windrush-like scandal unfold if “serious concerns” about the EU settlement scheme are not addressed, MPs have warned.

The Commons Home Affairs Committee said that many EU citizens attempting to use the new system in place to apply for settled status have been “blighted” by technical difficulties.

The Home Office said that the scheme was “performing well”, adding that it had “taken great care to learn from the experience of the Windrush generation”.

 

Raab: it should not be easier to change gender

Dominic-Raab

Dominic Raab has said that it should not be easier to change your gender, whilst stating he would not necessarily describe himself as a feminist.

Raab, who has put himself forward as a potential Tory leadership candidate, claimed that whilst he wanted a society which is “tolerant and warm”, it is important that young people think “very carefully” about whether to change their gender.

Asked whether he would make it easier to change gender if he were prime minister, Raab said: “I certainly don’t think I want to make it easier. I think you need to be very careful with people of that age.

Later asked if he regarded himself as a feminist, he replied “probably not”, but added: “I would describe myself as someone who’s a champion of equality and meritocracy.”

Raab came under fire in 2011 for claiming that some feminists were “obnoxious bigots” and insisting that men were getting a “raw deal” in many areas of life. He defended these comments on Wednesday, saying: “The point I was making is that sexism is wrong and it’s wrong if it’s said about a woman or about a man.

“I think equality is too precious a value for us to put up with double standards. I do think we should call hypocrisy out in political debate and political life,” he added.

 

What the Papers Say

The Times

The Times leads with the story that graduates could be paying back their student loans into their sixties, under new proposals made by former banker Philip Augar.

The review by Augar also recommends that fees should be cut from £9,250 a year to £7,500.

Daily Mail

 

The Guardian

Daily Express

Daily Mirror

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