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Boris Johnson has personally apologised for embarrassing the Queen by requiring her to approve the unlawful suspension of the House of Commons. Royal sources have revealed that there was huge disquiet in the Queen’s household about Johnson’s decision to prorogue parliament for five weeks, even before the Supreme Court ruled last week that it was unlawful. – The Sunday Times
Boris Johnson has come close to apologising for his use of language during the heated Brexit debate, accepting there may have been a misunderstanding over his “humbug” comments. Speaking as the Conservative party conference opened in Manchester, the Prime Minister said “humbug” referred to criticism of his description of new laws forcing him to seek a Brexit extension from the EU as a “surrender” act rather than dismissing concern about death threats to MPs. – Sunday Telegraph
Boris Johnson has ramped up speculation that he is planning to bypass a law that stops the UK from crashing out of the EU without a deal. The prime minister told the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show that Britain can still leave the bloc on 31 October despite the passing of the Benn Act, which aims to prevent a no-deal Brexit by forcing him to ask Brussels for a delay. He also failed to deny holding talks with EU heads of state to request they block any request for a Brexit extension. – Observer
Boris Johnson escaped serious questioning today over whether he had a sexual relationship with an American ex-model who received thousands of pounds of taxpayers money. The Prime Minister insisted he had behaved with ‘full propriety’ towards Jennifer Arcuri when he was mayor of London when he was interviewed by the BBC this morning. – Mail on Sunday
Boris Johnson is facing impeachment proceedings under proposals being considered by opposition parties in the wake of last week’s Supreme Court ruling. Plans to impeach the prime minister were put forward at a meeting of the parties on Thursday and are among options being explored to censure Johnson for the unlawful suspension of parliament. – The Sunday Times
MPs who refuse to accept the result of the EU referendum should not “complain” about the anger building in Parliament and around the country, the Prime Minister’s most senior adviser has said. Dominic Cummings said it was “not surprising that some people are angry” about the delay to Brexit and found it “odd” that MPs who caused the impasse were taken aback by it. – Sunday Telegraph
The business secretary, Andrea Leadsom, has come under fire after it emerged she did not speak to Thomas Cook executives during increasingly frantic talks between the company and the government leading up to its collapse last week. Records of telephone calls and meetings, seen by the Guardian, indicate government ministers were aware the 178-year-old tour operator’s finances had been deteriorating for months. – Observer
Thousands of Remainer and anti-austerity protesters have descended on Manchester city centre today where the Conservative party conference is taking place. The People’s Assembly Against Austerity and the Reject Brexit, Defend Our Democracy march are both holding rallies in the city. A Boris Johnson blimp also accompanied protesters on the march, reminiscent of the much-publicised Donald Trump balloon on his visit to the UK. – Mail on Sunday
One of Britain’s biggest private companies is set to be rocked by a whistleblowing case involving allegations of racist and sexist language, financial mismanagement and fraud. The shoe-maker and retailer Clarks is being sued by its former chief executive, Mike Shearwood, who was forced out last year after being accused of workplace behaviour that breached the company’s code of ethics. – The Sunday Times
The biggest backer and supervisor of Neil Woodford is scrambling to be ready for a “worst-case scenario” when angry investors finally obtain access to cash trapped in his flagship fund. Fund supermarket Hargreaves Lansdown, which has hundreds of thousands of customers with a total of £1.6bn in his equity income fund, is talking to Link Fund Solutions about how to cope with demand when the shutters are lifted later this year. – Sunday Telegraph
About 500 former Wrightbus employees and their families have held a protest outside a church linked to millions of pounds in donations from the owners of the collapsed bus maker. About 1,200 jobs were lost last week when the Ballymena-based producer of the Routemaster bus used in London went into administration. The Unite union has warned a further 1,700 jobs could be at risk in the engineering company’s supply chain. – Observer
The powerful lobby group boss accused of being an architect of Project Fear has launched a blistering attack on the Government’s Brexit plans that puts business at war with Downing Street. Dame Carolyn Fairbairn, director general of the CBI, last night set big business on a collision course with Boris Johnson and his chief adviser Dominic Cummings by warning that a No Deal Brexit would leave firms ‘mired in a swamp of uncertainty’. – Mail on Sunday
Sainsbury’s has warned suppliers that they will be made to foot the bill for the hefty import tariffs that may arise from a no-deal Brexit. Commercial director Paul Mills-Hicks wrote to suppliers last week asking for confirmation that they would continue to serve Sainsbury’s with delivery duty paid (DDP) regardless of whether the UK leaves the EU with a deal. – The Sunday Times
Britain’s next nuclear power plant should be scrapped because it is wastefully expensive and out of date, according to the boss of Ovo Energy. The industry should instead look to the future with ever-cheaper renewable energy, said Stephen Fitzpatrick, the founder and chief executive of the group that will soon be the UK’s second-biggest supplier as Ovo acquires SSE’s consumer business. – Sunday Telegraph
The Bank of England may have to cut interest rates even if a no-deal Brexit is avoided on 31 October, according to a member of the rate-setting monetary policy committee. Michael Saunders said the economy’s persistent weakness meant a delay to Brexit or even a last-minute deal could still leave policymakers with no option but to cut rates. – Observer
Germany’s economic woes threaten to wipe 0.3% off Britain’s national income as exports are hit, economists warn. Germany is believed to have slipped into recession after data last week showed the worst collapse in its industrial sector since the financial crisis. About 10% of the UK’s exports to Europe – or £35bn of a total £350bn in 2018 – go to Germany, a key destination for British machinery, vehicles, aircraft, pharmaceuticals and electronic appliances. – Mail on Sunday
