6 ** Sunday 4 March 2018 The Sunday Telegraph The Sunday Telegraph Sunday 4 March 2018 ** 7 Politics Data protection Bill hijacked in Blair is wrong about the Lords ‘threatens to muzzle press’ UK’s security after Brexit, claims former spy chief Street spokesman warned that the were shocking. The [Culture] select privacy actions,” Mr Whittingdale Former culture secretary amendments “would threaten the free committee that I chaired at the time writes. “No national or major local warns legislation changes press by the back door” and confirmed played a part in exposing those prac- newspaper has been willing to join By Edward Malnick tially talking-shops for networkers – that the Government would seek to re- tices which led to criminal prosecu- such a regulator and so almost every Whitehall editor Breaking the deadlock May useful, perhaps, but not suited to the would have made Oxfam move them at the next stage of the leg- tions and the setting up of the Leveson publisher would be at risk. and Sturgeon in it together exchange of actionable intelligence.” islation’s passage through the Inquiry. That inquiry sat for 15 months “It would have a massive chilling ef- POLITICIANS such as Tony Blair talk- Meanwhile, Liam Fox, the Interna- Haiti expose ‘impossible’ Commons, after a debate tomorrow. and cost over £5 million. fect on investigative journalism and ing up the importance of the European Theresa May Friday, Mrs May tional Trade Secretary, writes in By Edward Malnick Last week Matt Hancock, the Cul- “As a result, an entirely new body would make investigations such as the Union to Britain’s security fail to grasp and Nicola telephoned Ms today’s newspaper that remaining in a Whitehall editor ture Secretary, said the Government – IPSO – was set up to adjudicate Paradise Papers or the Oxfam scandal the “practical reality” of counter-terror Sturgeon, the Sturgeon and customs union after Brexit would would not implement the second complaints against the press and to impossible to publish.” operations, a former spy chief has told Scottish First Carwyn Jones, amount to a “betrayal of Britain’s na- “DEEPLY damaging” changes to data stage of the Leveson Inquiry, set investigate abuse. It is independent Meanwhile, Max Mosley, the former The Sunday Telegraph. Minister, have the Welsh First tional interests”. Dr Fox said proposals protection legislation by peers threaten up by David Cameron after the and has powers to impose real Formula One boss who is bankrolling Sir Richard Dearlove, the former agreed to work Minister, to being pushed by Labour and senior EU press freedom and would have made it phone hacking scandal, which sanctions including front page cor- Impress, said he would apologise for a head of MI6, suggested that Mr Blair to break a discuss her figures would lead to Britain “impossible” for newspapers to expose was due to examine relations be- rections and fines.” racist leaflet published in his name if a did not understand key intelligence deadlock Brexit vision. “abandon[ing] our global ambitions”. scandals such as the sexual misconduct tween journalists and the police. He added: “A further Leveson in- “West Indian migrant” personally told considerations when he questioned between The Scottish His intervention came amid signs of Oxfam workers in Haiti, a former The Conservatives had ruled quiry would not even cover the in- him they were “really upset”. how Britain could fight terrorism with- Westminster and Welsh that some pro-Europe Tories threaten- Tory culture secretary warns today. out the move in their election creasingly powerful news providers Mr Mosley published the election out “enhanced integration of intelli- and Holyrood governments ing a rebellion over the customs union Writing in The Sunday Telegraph manifesto but peers inserted an which are online and almost entirely pamphlet in 1961. It claimed “coloured gence and surveillance”, in a speech over Brexit. fear a issue may drop their support for an ahead of an attempt by ministers to amendment into the Data Protec- unregulated.” immigrants” spread disease. last week in which the former prime After her Westminster amendment to the Government’s Trade overturn House of Lords amendments tion Bill in January which would revive A second, “even more damaging” In an interview with The Guardian, minister expressed hope that the Brit- speech on “power grab”. Bill as a result of the compromise set that “hijacked” a Government bill, it. The move was opposed by senior fig- amendment introduced by the Lords he said: “I don’t think I’ve ever been a ish people would “change their mind” out by Theresa May. Sarah Wollaston, John Whittingdale says that the provi- ures including Lord Judge and Lord would force newspapers that are not racist. I know you can say that was a about Brexit. intelligence and security partnerships. who was among eight Tories backing sions are being used by politicians to Woolf, the former lords chief justice. members of the separate Impress regu- racist leaflet, but I’ve never had a prob- In a significant intervention, Sir Speaking to this newspaper, he said of an amendment requiring the UK to “muzzle the press and to subject it to “During its passage through the lator, which is approved by the Gov- lem about different races.” Richard also called for Britain to in- Mr Blair’s speech last week: “I under- “participate after exit day in a customs Government controls”. House of Lords, the Bill was hijacked to ernment, to pay the cost of data He added: “If there was a West In- crease its defence budget after Brexit, stand what Tony Blair is saying but he union with the EU”, told BBC Radio 4’s The Conservative MP singled out include provisions which would be protection actions even in cases where dian immigrant here in this room, who adding his weight to calls by senior To- is really talking theoretically – he’s not, The Week in Westminster: “We’re all go- Jeremy Corbyn for criticism after a deeply damaging to the freedom of our the claims are dismissed by courts. said to me: ‘That really upset me,’ I ries lobbying the Treasury for a rise in in my view, talking practically. ing to have to accept that we won’t get video produced by the Labour leader press,” Mr Whittingdale writes. “The “This clause mimics Section 40 of would apologise to them profusely.” spending. “We should definitely in- “On the anti-terrorism side we have our way on everything.” warned the press: “change is coming”. revelations of phone hacking by the the Crime and Courts Act which pro- crease our defence expenditure,” he a very effective mechanism, which I’ve This week the EU will issue its draft His intervention came as a Downing News of the World and other papers posed the same penalties in libel and John Whittingdale: Page 19 said. “As part of Brexit we should in- described in the paper. negotiating guidelines. Charles Grant, crease our defence and security contri- “Politicians have never worked in the director of the Centre for European bution to continental Europe. We this area and they don’t understand Reform, said he feared “middle of the should say ‘we’re leaving, we’re going things like source sensitivity, they road” voters perceived the EU’s atti- to enhance the relationship’. don’t understand that when you share tude as “excessively tough” in rhetoric “In the end I think this will make a intelligence that’s sensitive you can’t over a future economic relationship. big difference to our position in Europe share it simultaneously with 27 [mem- “People in the EU don’t understand on a number of other issues.” ber states], you certainly can’t share it that will make British voters quite hos- Sir Richard’s comments come as with some of the newer smaller EU tile to the EU, which is not in its best Briefings for Brexit, a new group of member states because their services interests because it will make it harder some 40 academics campaigning for a are not sufficiently secure.” for British politicians to convince vot- clean break from the EU, publishes a Sir Richard writes in the Briefings ers of the need for greater coopera- paper by the former spy chief setting for Brexit paper: “Everything of impor- tion,” he warned. “I don’t think that’s out how there is “no reason” Brexit tance is exchanged bilaterally rather the intention of the EU but there’s cer-

JOHN NGUYEN FOR THE TELEGRAPH FOR JOHN NGUYEN should “disrupt or lessen” any existing than through EU fora, which are essen- tainly a risk of that perception.” Remaining in a customs union with the EU would be a betrayal of Britain’s best interests

Minister additional problems in have campaigned for a fairer deal for Comment parliament in a clear demonstration of developing countries must understand why he is unfit for office. We have no how a customs union would tie our idea what his customs union would hands for the future. consist of as he seems particularly Moreover, whatever sectors a clueless, even for him, on the details. customs union covered, were the EU By Liam Fox But we do know what the general to make its own new trade agreements international trade secretary disadvantages of any customs union in the future, we would be forced to would be. First, for the goods we sell, allow goods from other countries into here has been a great deal of we would have to accept EU trade our market tariff-free, on terms set by discussion in recent days around rules without any say in how they Brussels, without guaranteed tariff- T the concept of some sort of were made. That is not what the free access to the markets of other customs union with the EU post- British people voted for. countries in return. If we were to Brexit. The debate has been Secondly, it would limit our ability disagree, Brussels could overrule us. Set example on Facebook abuse, MPs are told complicated by a lack of consistency to reach new trade agreements with It would be a betrayal of Britain’s around the terms involved. Some the world’s fastest-growing economies. national interests. What we do want to people have been unclear about the We would be unable to offer a full see are new customs arrangements, By Harry Yorke Elizabeth Linder, founded Facebook’s politics division in that they are getting the real deal – not warned that focusing only on social me- difference between the Customs range of economic sectors in any designed to minimise any unnecessary Political corresPondent who founded the Europe, the Middle East and Africa, a PR team’s practised spokesperson,” dia firms was akin to “whack-a-mole”. Union, a customs union and customs future talks so we would be much less costs or regulations at our borders so social media giant’s told The Sunday Telegraph that the Ms Linder said. “This isn’t about hav- “I think so much of politics is attack arrangements. So here goes. attractive partners for any of the major that trade can continue as frictionless IT IS politicians rather than Facebook politics division, onus was on society’s “leaders” to set ing that perfectly polished message. mentality. That is one of the biggest The Customs Union is a legal EU economies where we want to achieve as possible. Remaining in a customs who need to do more to tackle abuse says it has been an example. She added that their use of What really works on these platforms challenges of our political system,” she entity. As we are leaving the European new arrangements. And thirdly, it union of any type would only make online, the founder of the organisa- used for attacks divisive rhetoric online was “not only is not only people who are authentic, said. “That’s why so many good people Union, necessarily, we cannot remain would limit our ability to develop our sense if we were to abandon our global tion’s politics division has said. unhealthy for society but also incredi- but amateurs, who talk in a way that is don’t go into politics, because they in the Customs Union which is open trade and development policies that ambitions and limit our abilities to Taking a swipe at “hardline” MPs bly disappointing”. accessible.” don’t want to be involved in that. only to EU member states. The would offer new ways for the world’s shape our trade policy. That we are not who use the site irresponsibly, Eliza- Ms Linder, who left Facebook in May Her comments come amid growing “I think that is a way that a lot of indi- alternative has been proposed that we poorest nations to trade their way out willing to do, as we must be free to beth Linder claims that the organisa- 2016, suggested that Jeremy Corbyn pressure on social media companies to viduals think they should use social enter a new customs union with the of poverty. We would have to accept determine our own trading future tion’s attempts to promote “enlightened has been successful on social media be- do more to eradicate bullying and har- media. The idea that most of these peo- EU. This has been proposed by Jeremy the EU Common External Tariff which taking the opportunity of the huge conversation” have been hampered by cause he appears more authentic than assment online. However, Ms Linder, ple have is that they should go out there Corbyn. The Labour leader is willing sets the rates of duty that developing growth in global markets. In the politicians who use social media to at- Theresa May. “When people hear Jer- who has advised leaders including Da- out there with their short fast attack to betray millions of Labour Leave countries must pay to sell their goods referendum we voted to take back tack one another. Ms Linder, who emy Corbyn speak, they get a sense vid Cameron and François Hollande, lines.” voters to try to cause the Prime into the EU and the UK. Those who control. That is what we must deliver. May’s business panel hasn’t met in months

By Edward Malnick be held quarterly, meaning Whitehall editor that one is now around two months overdue. At the first THE panel of industry lead- meeting, in July, attended by ers set up by Theresa May to senior executives from firms “build business confidence” such as Vodafone, Aston during the Brexit negotia- Martin, and Nestle, Mrs May tions has not met for five “committed to using this fo- months, The Sunday Tele- rum to focus on wider issues graph has learned. of importance to the UK The Prime Minister’s busi- economy”. ness advisory council, which Separately, Chris Branni- Mrs May described as “an im- gan, Mrs May’s government portant part of our prepara- relations director, responsi- tions for leaving the EU”, was ble for communicating gov- last convened in October. ernment policy to businesses Separately, the key Down- and interest groups, stepped ing Street role responsible down from Downing Street for liaising with businesses after the election in June, has also been left unfilled leaving a vacancy which re- since last summer’s election, mains today. leaving what one senior in- dustry figure described as a “black hole at the heart of Greg Clark, the the administration”. Business This newspaper under- Secretary, was stands that Mrs May’s team at the last had been seeking to appoint meeting of the a senior business executive council as director of government relations but had failed to find a suitable candidate Jon McLeod, chairman of willing to accept the role. Weber Shandwick, the pub- Last night one senior Con- lic affairs firm, said: “The un- servative said although use- filled No 10 role has become ful engagement work was something of a black hole at being carried out by individ- the heart of the administra- ual departments and Greg tion, despite there being Clark, the Business Secre- some talented people be- tary, it was “ludicrous” that hind the black door.” the council last met in Octo- A Downing Street source ber when “the one thing the said Mrs May “regularly Government has got to get meets business leaders to right is keeping businesses discuss Brexit”, pointing to confident”. round table events hosted by The MP added of the un- the Prime Minister for spe- filled business liaison role: cific industries and Euro- “It is incredibly bad.” pean and Japanese Mrs May set up the busi- businesses, as well as a trip ness advisory council, which to China with business lead- was intended to have a rotat- ers last month. The business ing membership, last sum- advisory council is “due to mer. Meetings were due to meet this month”.