Uk politics

PMQs today was a missed opportunity for Jeremy Corbyn. Corbyn chose to go on the NHS, rather than Donald Trump’s border policy. But this needn’t have been a mistake. Corbyn, after a rather long preamble, started off by asking what taxes would rise to pay for this increased spending. Theresa May replied that Philip Hammond would set all this out in due course. At this point, Corbyn should have asked May to rule out specific tax increases, for example an increase in National Insurance, or to embrace certain measures, such as removing the earnings cap on National Insurance contributions. This would have put May on the spot more. Instead, he kept his questions general, allowing May to block away with relative ease.

Theresa May has said a Brexit dividend will help fund the NHS cash boost, but does it actually exist? It was left to health minister Jackie Doyle-Price to convince viewers on the Daily Politics that it does. But Mr S wasn't entirely convinced by her explanation: Andrew Neil: It surely stands to reason that there is no Brexit dividend to finance these rises. Jackie Doyle-Price: Well, the secretary of state made clear in his statement that this would come in a reduction of subscriptions (to the EU) but also, we will have to look at taxes as well. AN: But there is no reduction of subscriptions in 19/20 or 20/21, they continue during the transition period. So in these two years at least and probably for a third year, there is no Brexit dividend, correct?

To the Westbourne summer party where James Bethell and Iain Anderson were celebrating the new merger between their respective companies Westbourne and Cicero. Only the speech didn't go quite to plan. To much laughter, Bethell told partygoers that the Cabinet big beasts hadn't been able to make the bash – but had sent their apologies. Boris Johnson had wanted to have his cake and eat it, Theresa May to try and bake a cake and David Davis was too busy delivering said cake... Only as the public affairs honcho was reading out the Brexit Secretary's 'excuse', Davis walked in to the party and grabbed the mic: 'Let me read it out for you... sorry not to be here I am an SAS man who is busy delivering cake' Davis was certainly in a cheery mood at the bash.

It's that time of the week again: crunch time for Theresa May. Tomorrow MPs will vote again on Dominic Grieve's meaningful vote amendment along with the government's 'compromise' meaningful vote amendment. The problem with that compromise is it's already been rejected by several Remain Tory rebels – who say the Prime Minister personally misled them last week on the issue. The problem with their preferred amendment is that it has been rejected by the government on the grounds that it would tie their hands in the negotiations. Only one side can come out of this the winner. Government figures are sounding increasingly confident that they have the numbers to defeat Grieve's amendment.

Brexit must happen. Of course it must, for the people have decreed it should and, in this instance, their command cannot, as it can be in other circumstances, be countermanded. That leaves ample room for argument over the precise shape of Brexit – for it turns out there are many kinds of Brexit – but the essence of the matter is clear: Brexit must mean Brexit. It is possible to be sanguine about this and to recognise that even as the net impact of Brexit is likely to be negative in an economic sense, some sectors of the economy may benefit from it. In many areas, there is undoubtedly an opportunity to do some things differently and, who knows and with some luck, perhaps even do them better. The sky may darken; it should not fall.