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Friday briefing: Bercow lays down the law to PM – The Guardian, Google News

Friday briefing: Bercow lays down the law to PM – The Guardian, Google News


Top story: Speaker swings behind written constitution

Good morning briefers. I’m Martin Farrer and these are the top stories to help you over the line and into the weekend.

John Bercow has promised that he will be prepared to rip up the parliamentary rulebook to stop any illegal attempt by Boris Johnson to take the UK out of the EU without a deal on 31 October. The Commons Speaker, who announced that he is standing down next month, has been a thorn in the side of hardline Conservative MPs throughout the Brexit process.Delivering the Bingham lecture in London last night, Bercow said he would permit “additional procedural creativity” if necessary to allow parliament to block the prime minister from ignoring the law . He warned: “The only form of Brexit that we have, whenever that might be, will be a Brexit that the House of Commons has explicitly endorsed.” Bercow also said that the Brexit imbroglio had exposed weaknesses in the political system and he was now persuaded that a royal commission was needed to examine whether a written constitution was needed.

The Speaker’s intervention came as Johnsonwas forced to deny accusations that he misled the Queenover the reasons for proroguing parliament this week and as MPscondemned the government “Get ready for Brexit” ad campaignas “misleading”. And in case you need to remind yourself of how we got here, Jon Henleytraces the long road to the crisis of the past 10 days.


Democrats clash– Joe Biden has clashed on the issue of healthcare with Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, his leading rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination,in the latest debate between the candidates. Biden, who was vice-president under Barack Obama for eight years, defended the administration’s Obamacare scheme and challenged his rivals to spell out how they pay for their plans to provide healthcare for all and eliminate private insurance. Questions about gun violence, immigration and trade also revealed a difference of opinion and strong criticism of president Donald Trump.Richard Wolffe reckons Biden was the best – and worst –on the stage in Houston, while Tom McCarthy says the former vice -presidentfumbled his facts. You can read exactly how it all unfolded onour live blog here.


Disease risk –Almost 100, 00 0 people in Britain are at risk of dying becausethey do not know they have the liver disease hepatitis C. Around 95, 600 people, mainly drug users, are thought to have the disease but are unaware of the condition because they have not been diagnosed, Public Health England warns today. Steve Mowle, of the Royal College of GPs, said the figures were “extremely concerning” and called the situation a “significant public health risk”. Nine in 10 people infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) inject recreational drugs such as heroin or have done so. The virus is spread among drug users by sharing contaminated needles.


Knife killing –A man has died and another has been taken to hospitalafter a double stabbing in Camden High Streetin north-west London. Police said they were called to the area, which has many pubs and clubs, shortly after 11 pm last night. They found a man suffering from a stab wound but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Another man in his 20 s was found nearby with a knife wound and was taken to hospital. It is the latest in a series of knife killings to blight the capital this year.


Tunnel vision –It is rated one of the most endangered Victorian buildings in Britain. But campaigners fear that an abandoned railway tunnel hundreds of feet under the Pennines could be lost to the nation if Department of Transport officials get their way and are allowed to fill it with concrete. Heritage groups instead want to restore the 1.4-mile tunnel, which was built to link Halifax and Keighley in 1878, andturn it into a cycle pathas Yorkshire seeks to secure its place as “the beating heart of British cycling”.


Mail models –A study of French postmen’s testicles and a nappy-changing machine were among thewinners of this year Ig Nobel awards, the alternative science prizes that aim to “first make people laugh, and then make them think”. Roger Mieusset, a fertility specialist at the University of Toulouse, found the way to renown by strapping thermometers to the testicles of postmen in order to determine if one sac is warmer than the other. It turns out the left is warmer, but only when a man is clothed. (Who knew?) Britain’s frontrunner was Francis McGlone, a researcher at Liverpool John Moores University, who won for mapping which parts of the body are most pleasurable to scratch.

Today in Focus podcast

Tom Phillips, our Latin America correspondent,describes his recent Amazon tripand examines the impact of the new era of wrecking ushered in by Brazil’s president, Jair Bolsonaro. Also, Rhik Samadder on coping with depression when your job involves trying to amuse people.

(Amazon)

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Lunchtime read: The top 100 films of the 21 st century – discuss

If you’re stuck for something to talk about with friends, family or colleagues this weekend you could do worse than summon upour list of the top (films of the century so far) . Compiled lovingly by our film team, it counts down through the gamut of gangsters, lovers, aliens and animes to arrive at No 1, which goes to… There Will Be Blood. Our lead criticPeter Bradshaw explains why Paul Thomas Anderson’s “strange masterpiece” is top of the pilebut I won’t spoil the rest of the countdown for you. We’ve also askedsome leading directors to pick their favorites.

Sport

Jos Buttler putconfusing thoughts of fatigueto one side and decided to have some fun before the counterattacking half-century that haskept England’s heads above waterin the final Ashes Test. Mitchell Marsh, the Australia all-rounder, is always a controversial pick buthe swung the ball more than any bowlerin the series to grab four England wickets on day one at the Oval. Kyle Sinckler has insisted he is relishing the prospect of playing two matches in five days at the start of England’s Rugby World Cup campaign, claiminghe is well prepared to do so. Europe’s Suzann Pettersen says she is “fine” but willmiss the first morning of the Solheim Cupdue to illness. Anthony Joshua’s trainer Rob McCrackenwill not face any disciplinary actionfor saying he allowed his heavyweight to keep fighting while concussed, after receiving the full backing of the British (Boxing) Board of Control. Clinical first-half finishing from Kim Little and Vivianne Miedema ensured Arsenal will host the second leg with a surelyunassailable four-goal leadover Fiorentina on their Champions League return. And former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, whoannounced his retirement in March, has said he absorbedabout 20 concussions in a lifetimeon the gridiron.

Business

The European Central Bank’s decision to relaunch quantitative easing to boost the ailing eurozone economy has helped to lift stocks in Asia overnight. Mario Draghi, in one of his last acts as ECB president, announcedan interest rate cut and plans to inject € 20 bn a month into the financial markets. But he also warned countries with stronger balance sheets to increase spending in order to take some of the strain off the central bank. Either way, investors liked the extra stimulus and shares pushed higher on the main Asian indices. The FTSE 100 is seen rising 0.3% at the open this morning while sterling is flat at $ 1. 233 and € 1. 114.

The papers

TheTimesis optimistic about a new Brexit plan: “DUP opens door to new Brexit deal for Johnson ”, whereas theGuardianhas:“ Bercow: I ‘ ll stop Johnson breaking the law on Brexit ”. TheTelegraphleads on Corbyn’s plans to charge VAT on private school fees: “Corbyn tax raid on private schools ”and theExpresshas:“ Boris: Labor will ‘clobber’ you with tax hikes ”.

Theisays “NHS hit with £ 600 m interest bill – by Whitehall ”and theSunreports on the BA pilot strike: “British scareways”. TheFTreports on the European Central Bank’s plans to revive eurozone growth: “Draghi calls for urgent spending surge as he relaunches stimulus ”and theMailcarries a report of declining marriage rates:“ Britain turns its back on marriage ”. TheMirrorfeatures a picture of its US editor standing in the midst of burning trees in the Amazon , wearing a full suit, tie and what appears to be a flower in his lapel: “Our world … choking to death”.

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