Good morning and welcome to your Monday morning briefing. We are at the midway point of the election campaign – two and a half weeks down, two and a half to go. We have a roundup for you of the election news and the best of the rest. You can follow our rolling politics news on the liveblog[1].
What’s going on?
You’ve heard of take-out-the-trash day? That’s when a government wants to bury a story and publishes it while the attention of voters is elsewhere. John Crace suggest this strategy was at play[2] when the Conservatives launched their campaign manifesto[3] on a Sunday, “a day when almost everyone would either be watching football, Sir David Attenborough or Countryfile”. Crace writes that the Tories managed to deliver “a manifesto with almost nothing in it”.
The manifesto is conspicuous for its lack of eye-catching policies, with Larry Elliott writing[4] that Johnson is “seeking to run down the clock” with a “cautious, tepid manifesto”. One thing it does tell us is the stark difference between the public spending plans outlined by the two parties, with Johnson promising to fork out £2.9bn more a year, against the £83bn outlined by Jeremy Corbyn. Among the headline promises is that the Conservatives would deliver 50,000 nurses, a line that we have fact-checked[5] and found somewhat wanting.
Corbyn will be in the East Midlands today talking about the housing crisis, as Labour prepares to announce a plan to compel property developers to meet the costs of building at least 50,000 discounted homes[6] as part of a package of measures to help renters and first-time buyers.
At a glance
The day ahead
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Corbyn will be in the East Midlands announcing Labour’s housing policy.
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Chuka Umunna will be delivering a speech for the Lib Dems this morning.
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The Tories have a Welsh campaign launch at 3pm in north Wales.
Sign up here[7] to receive Andrew Sparrow’s afternoon round-up from the campaign trail – direct to your email inbox.
Best of the rest
> Hong Kong’s voters have turned out in record numbers to deliver a landslide for pro-democracy campaigners in local elections[8], handing them control of every one of the region’s 18 councils for the first time.
The results are a rebuke to China’s government and its Hong Kong CEO[9] in a vote widely seen as a proxy referendum on the city’s protest movement. Prominent pro-Beijing candidates were evicted from previously safe seats.
> Leaked Communist party files show the internal workings of the vast chain of internment camps China has used to detain at least a million people from Muslim minorities[10]. Some of the rules for what China says are vocational training centres: “Never allow escapes, never allow trouble … There must be full video surveillance coverage[11] of dormitories and classrooms … Adhere to the daily concentrated study of the national language (Mandarin).” The papers reveal how China maintains a vast database on people it sees as threats, including dual nationals moving in and out of the country – even using a particular file-sharing app[12] can get you flagged for “re-education”. Closer to home, extensive links between British universities and Chinese defence companies, including missile manufacturers, could threaten UK national security interests[13], says an analysis.
> Congressional Republicans have dug in to defend Donald Trump[14], no matter what untruths they need to tell[15] to try and undermine the impeachment inquiry, while the White House is preparing for a senate trial that would determine whether the president stays in office. Meanwhile the US navy secretary, Richard Spencer, has been removed after a row with the White House over his handling of the case of Edward Gallagher[16], a Navy Seal officer convicted for posing with an Isis fighter’s corpse.
Today in Focus podcast: Netflix and the empire of debt
Mark Lawson and Dan Milmo discuss the sustainability of the streaming service[17]. Plus: Lara Spirit on why you should register to vote before Tuesday’s deadline.
Netflix and the empire of debt
Lunchtime read: Dennis Quaid on new love and new roles
The Hollywood star talks to Martha Hayes about his much-discussed engagement to a PhD student, why TV is now more interesting than film[18] – and how he hopes to see the end of casting-couch culture.
Sport
Manchester United came back from 2-0 down to take the lead against Sheffield United, but Oli McBurnie’s 90th-minute goal survived a VAR check to clinch a point for the Blades[19]. The comeback, though, masked an abysmal display[20] from Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s side, writes Jonathan Wilson. Vicky Jepson said Liverpool “have too much quality in our squad to worry,” after a 1-0 defeat by Arsenal[21] extended their WSL run to seven games without a win. Two cherished Spaniards, Rafael Nadal and Roberto Bautista Agut, beat Canada 2-0 to win the 2019 Davis Cup[22] in front of a capacity home crowd on a night of soaring emotions in the aptly named Caja Mágica.
Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje and Billy Vunipola look set to boost Saracens’ Premiership survival bid with the director of rugby, Mark McCall, revealing the England trio are closing in on their returns for the club[23]. Tom Curry made his first club appearance after the World Cup as Sale won their European Champions’ Cup game[24] 25-15 against La Rochelle, who had one red card and two yellows. Roman Abramovich[25] has rejected bidders who think they can buy Chelsea at a “bargain” price and remains just as involved[26] in the club as he has ever been, chairman Bruce Buck says. And celebrations of Flamengo’s Copa Libertadores victory came to an abrupt end in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, when clashes erupted between a group of supporters and police[27].
Business
Asian shares have mostly moved higher, from Sydney to Tokyo. Local election results in Hong Kong might not be market-friendly, as the rebuke to Carrie Lam’s leadership could bring up political uncertainties, but could also mark a turning point in stopping the violent clashes, said Margaret Yang, market analyst at CMC Markets in Singapore. The pound clocks on for the week at $1.284 and €1.165 while the FTSE is trending 0.38% higher at time of writing.
The papers
The start of the week is a lockout for Johnson and the Tory manifesto. “Stakes have never been higher” was the quote that leapt out at the Metro’s front page desk. The FT begs to differ, calling it a “low-risk pitch to voters”. The Guardian goes with “Johnson stakes just £2.9bn in public spending gamble” – contrasted with the £83bn outlined by Corbyn.
“Johnson places NHS at heart of ‘critical’ election” says the Times. “Boris pledges 50,000 extra nurses” is how the Express welcomes the manifesto.
“Johnson sets out health and safety manifesto” – seasonal corny wordplay narrowly averted in the i. But wait, here it is in the Sun: “Merry Brexmas and a happy BLUE year” – saying Johnson is promising “Brexit … then end to austerity” and “£650m a week boost for NHS”.
Sign up
The Guardian Morning Briefing is delivered to thousands of inboxes bright and early every weekday. If you are not already receiving it by email, you can sign up here[28].
For more news: www.theguardian.com[29]
References
- ^ follow our rolling politics news on the liveblog (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ John Crace suggest this strategy was at play (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ launched their campaign manifesto (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ Larry Elliott writing (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ we have fact-checked (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ compel property developers to meet the costs of building at least 50,000 discounted homes (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ Sign up here (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ landslide for pro-democracy campaigners in local elections (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ rebuke to China’s government and its Hong Kong CEO (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ detain at least a million people from Muslim minorities (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ full video surveillance coverage (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ using a particular file-sharing app (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ threaten UK national security interests (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ defend Donald Trump (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ untruths they need to tell (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ handling of the case of Edward Gallagher (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ sustainability of the streaming service (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ why TV is now more interesting than film (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ to clinch a point for the Blades (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ masked an abysmal display (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ a 1-0 defeat by Arsenal (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ to win the 2019 Davis Cup (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ closing in on their returns for the club (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ Sale won their European Champions’ Cup game (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ Roman Abramovich (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ remains just as involved (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ clashes erupted between a group of supporters and police (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ sign up here (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ www.theguardian.com (www.theguardian.com)
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