Top story: Commons set for flurry of ‘indicative votes’

Good morning – Warren Murray here with this morning’s news as a job lot.

At least 16 Brexit proposals have been submitted by MPs for “indicative votes” in the Commons today – and it might be fair to say that all bets are off. Proposals tabled under the indicative votes process, masterminded by Oliver Letwin, include a UK-EU Customs Union, a second referendum, joining the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), Common Market 2.0, and no Brexit via the revoking of article 50. The Speaker, John Bercow, will select the options to be debated. We have a scoop this morning revealing that the EU has actually left open the option of an article 50 extension lasting up until 31 March 2020.

Whether the parties will whip for or against some of the proposals remains largely unclear, though Labour is likely to do so for its own policy: a close economic relationship with the EU, including a comprehensive customs union. But the party also might throw its weight behind the similar Common Market 2.0 proposal. The Labour MP Emily Thornberry has also hinted that Labour might support a “confirmatory public ballot” – in other words a second referendum.

On the Conservative side there is self-confessed civil war, especially among the hard Brexiters. They are split between diehard no-dealers and those like Jacob Rees-Mogg, who is now prepared to back Theresa May’s deal rather than face the prospect of a “slow Brexit” or no Brexit at all. Some – Boris Johnson implicitly among them – want the consolation prize of Theresa May’s resignation if they agree to line up behind her plan. May needs the DUP and almost all but around 15 Conservative votes – unless she secures the backing of more Labour MPs. And the DUP coming on board is the caveat for Rees-Mogg to give his support. Last night the DUP was saying it would reject May’s deal if presented with it again, and a year’s delay to Brexit would be better. As the action begins to crank up this morning you will find the politics live blog in its usual place.

Midweek catch-up

> “Outrageous”, “disgusting” and “plain wrong”: reactions from across politics to children in social housing being barred from a playground for their better-off peers. Pressure is being put on the developers who may face a legal challenge.

> Charges have been dropped against the US actor Jussie Smollett who was accused of faking a hate crime attack. Prosecutors said they did not believe he was innocent but his forfeiture of bail and his volunteer work were sufficient amends. The Chicago mayor, Rahm Emanuel, called the outcome a “whitewash of justice”.

> Experts are calling for curbs around supermarket special offers on unhealthy food and drink. Cancer Research UK says the shoppers attracted by these deals end up buying fewer fruits and vegetables and are more often overweight or obese.

> The European parliament has voted to scrap daylight saving by 2021. Individual countries still have to ratify the plan under which they would choose a permanent time zone. Tory MEPs have attacked the plan as causing uncertainty for the UK.

Nice lurk if you can Brexit – A £12m, seven-bedroom apartment next to UN headquarters in New York has been bought for the use of a senior diplomat charged with seeking post-Brexit trade deals. Ensconced in “Penthouse 38” will be Antony Phillipson, the UK trade commissioner for North America and consul general in New York. The pad takes up the whole of the 38th floor of 50 United Nations Plaza, which was designed by British architect Norman Foster’s company. “As well as being the consul general’s residence, it will also be used to support his work to help British businesses as Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for North America,” said the foreign office. “We are in the process of selling the consul general’s current residence.”

Group want Kim gone – Dissidents seeking to overthrow Kim Jong-un’s regime have claimed responsibility for last month’s raid on the North Korean embassy in Madrid. A group calling itself Cheollima Civil Defence says it had been responding to an “urgent situation” inside the embassy. Intruders fled with computers, hard disks and other items after a failed attempt to persuade an embassy official to defect. The group, also known as Free Joseon, said it shared information of “enormous potential value” from the raid with the FBI under confidential terms but added “those terms appear to have been broken”. Spanish authorities are seeking to extradite members of the group from the US including Adrian Hong Chang, who is believed to have been the leader, and reportedly warded off Spanish police by dressing up as a North Korean diplomat complete with traditional jacket and Kim Jong-un lapel badge. After Kim Jong-nam was killed using a nerve agent, you can understand why a group sworn to bring about the downfall of his dictator brother might be highly secretive.

SAS role in Yemen queried – The government has promised to get to the bottom of “very serious” allegations that British SAS soldiers have been injured in a firefight in Yemen with Houthi rebels. It comes as claims swirl that child soldiers are being used in the Saudi-led force fighting the Houthis. The UK is acting as an honest broker at the UN over the Yemen war and is known to be close to the Saudi military but denies it is involved in operations against the Houthis. The former international development secretary Andrew Mitchell told the Commons there were “serious allegations that are authoritative and credible, and fly in the face of assurances that have been given from the despatch box on countless occasions.”

EU red tape on speed – Britain is headed for a “slow Brexit” in at least one respect, as laws to make cars obey the speed limit come into effect across Europe from 2022. Whether or not Britain is still in the EU by then, UK regulators are to adopt the standards. New cars will be fitted with intelligent speed assistance, or ISA, which uses GPS and reads road signs, and slows down a vehicle if it is going too fast. Drivers can override it by planting the right foot, for example to complete a hairy overtaking move. Automated emergency braking and electronic data recorders are also to be made mandatory.

Today in Focus podcast: Mueller – why it’s not over for Trump

The US president has gleefully welcomed the special counsel’s finding of no evidence of collusion with Russia in the 2016 election. However, as the Guardian’s Jon Swaine explains, there are several other investigations that could yet damage his presidency. Plus, Harriet Grant on that London playground segregating rich children from poor.

Lunchtime read: Putting the app into happy

The Upside is a thing we do to show that despite what you read the world is not a completely grim and daunting place. Today, we look at how the digital world, often blamed as the cause of a global mental health crisis, might be able to offer solutions too.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest ‘Early digital engagement with our mental health could reduce the stigma of the therapist’s office.’ Photograph: PeopleImages/Getty Images

Apps, chatbots, avatars and digital counsellors promise everything from daily check-ins and mood tracking to cognitive behavioural therapy and preventive “mental health hygiene”. There is one big question, though: are they any good?

Sport

Raheem Sterling has become a leader in football’s fight against racism and an eloquent spokesman for those looking to clean up attitudes in the game – on and off the pitch. Crewe Alexandra have dramatically changed their position in the face of widespread legal action from Barry Bennell’s victims and agreed the first out-of-court settlement for damages. Hours after Conor McGregor announced his retirement from mixed martial arts, the New York Times reported he is under investigation over allegations of sexual assault.

The Rugby Football Union is ready to risk missing out on Warren Gatland as England’s next head coach because it insists on hedging its bets over Eddie Jones’s successor and will not make an appointment until after the World Cup. Saracens have rejected claims of gamesmanship made by Glasgow’s head coach, Dave Rennie, before Saturday’s Champions Cup quarter-final between the sides. And the British No 1 Kyle Edmund was beaten in two close sets by John Isner in their fourth-round match at the Miami Open, with the climax marred by a fan calling out during a key point.

Business

Asian shares gained some ground overnight despite more weak data from the regional powerhouse economy of China. Profits recorded by industrial companies in the country slumped to their lowest level since 2011 but local shares rebounded on the hope that the government in Beijing would introduce some stimulus measures to boost the economy. The FTSE100 is set to record a modest rise when trading opens. The pound is down at $1.318 and €1.17 this morning.

The papers

The Telegraph’s splash is “Tories tell May to set her exit date today”, with the paper also featuring a front page opinion piece from Boris Johnson who says: “The people’s day of jubilation hijacked by spineless pirates”. The Guardian says “May under pressure to step aside to secure backing for Brexit deal,” the Mail reports “Mogg: Sorry, I will back May’s deal” and the Express continues to be cranky: “Meddling EU is still telling us what to do”.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Guardian front page, Wednesday 27 March 2019

The Times (“Automatic speed limits planned for all new cars”) and the Mirror (“The end of speeding”) have stories saying new cars are to be fitted with gadgets to keep drivers within limits.

The Sun has a story about a jewel heist: “Demon burglar of Fleet Street”, while the FT reports “LCF savings scheme channelled millions to chief before collapse”.

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