Theresa May announces new technical training drive to prepare country for Brexit A £170 million package to establish “Institutes of Technology” will also be announced in the government’s long-awaited industrial strategy. It seeks to address Britain’s low productivity compared to other developed countries, something which Philip Hammond, the Chancellor, has prioritised. The strategy will also aim to put technical training on an equal footing to academic higher education – something ministers have targetted for years….High-performing Exeter and Kings College London Mathematics Schools will be taken as the model, with a government source saying the aim is to establish a specialist maths school in every British city. The proposals will be outlined in a government “green paper”, with ministers urging feedback from people and institutions across the UK before deciding how to proceed. – Sunday Telegraph Theresa May’s industrial strategy must show how every part of the country prospers after Brexit – Birmingham Mail May’s ‘10 pillars’ to get Britain’s mojo back – Sunday Times (£) Four versions of Brexit law prepared as Government braced for Supreme Court defeat in Article 50 case Four different versions of the law giving Theresa May the power to start Brexit have already been prepared as ministers brace themselves for Supreme Court defeat this week… The Acts of Parliament have been kept as short as possible to make sure Mrs May is given the power to trigger Article 50 as soon as possible if needed. They range from a “belt and braces” law that will make explicit that Britain is leaving more than a dozen EU agencies – such as Euratom, which controls the nuclear energy market – to the simplest wording possible. – Sunday Telegraph David Davis to put Article 50 Bill to Parliament within hours of Supreme Court ruling – Sunday Express Cross-party group of MPs plots to halt ‘hard Brexit’ plans The Labour, Lib Dem, Green and some pro-EU Tory MPs say May has no mandate for the “extreme Brexit” options speech she made last Tuesday – including the adoption of World Trade Organisation (WTO) tariffs if the UK cannot strike a free-trade deal with the EU within two years. They are now co-operating to try to prevent this… In a further sign that pressure is building to soften the Brexit plans, 43 Labour MPs, frustrated by their own party leader Jeremy Corbyn’s refusal to take a harder line against May on the issue, have written directly to the prime minister protesting at her plans to take the UK out of the single market and customs union, and at her willingness to default to the WTO system. – The Observer Labour rebels defy Corbyn and threaten PM with ‘hard Brexit’ revolt – Sky News Carwyn Jones and Leanne Wood are about to unveil their own alternative Brexit plan [Wales’]First Minister Carwyn Jones and Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood will on Monday launch an alternative Brexit plan that would see the UK remain within the European Single Market. They will argue that Theresa May’s proposal to leave the Single Market would be disastrous for the Welsh economy, and for that of the UK as a whole. A White Paper, to be launched on Monday morning by Mr Jones and Ms Wood at the Welsh Government’s office in London, will set out how they believe the UK could tighten immigration controls while not breaching EU rules on freedom of movement – an essential requirement for participation in the Single Market. – Wales Online A Brexit plan to benefit Wales – Carwyn Jones AM and Leanne Wood AMfor the Sunday Times (£) Wales now has the chance to stand tall without its EU crutch – Andrew RT Davies AM for the Sunday Times (£) Donald Trump plans new deal for Britain as Theresa May becomes first foreign leader to meet new president since inauguration Donald Trump is planning a new deal for Britain this week as Theresa May becomes the first foreign leader to meet him since the inauguration… Mr Trump’s team was said to be considering a “passporting deal” which would allow British and American firms to set up and trade in each other’s countries with minimum regulatory hurdles. At present, British banks have a passporting deal with European Union – which mean British banks can carry out financial services anywhere in the 28 member states under one set of regulations. – Sunday Telegraph Theresa May to meet Donald Trump on Friday – BBC President Trump may not only Make America Great Again but could spell great things for UK too – Sun on Sunday Says Passporting deal with Trump’s America may be in the bank for Brexit Britain – Sunday Express Britain has to find a way to work with Donald Trump – Sunday Telegraph View This is May’s chance to start building her global Britain – Gerald Lyons for the Sunday Times (£) The most likely trade partners will want something in return. And it could be awkward. – Stephen Bush for the New Statesman’s Staggers blog Europe quakes at new world-view – Sunday Times (£) Australia to seek UK migration deal in Brexit trade talks Britain will have to relax immigration rules for Australians if it wants to secure a free trade deal with the Commonwealth nation, its high commissioner to London has said. Alexander Downer said Australia would seek better access for its businesspeople before agreeing a post-Brexit trade deal with the UK. – The Observer Britain welcomes ballet dancers and nurses in new post-Brexit immigration policy – Sunday Express Don’t ruin the party! EU officials fear Brexit will begin on 60th anniversary of Treaty of Rome It t has been pencilled in for years. March 25 2017, the 60th anniversary of the agreement that effectively gave birth to the European Union. But now EU officials fear their celebrations for the Treaty of Rome could be thrown into jeopardy by Theresa May’s plans for Brexit. EU figures have contacted government ministers to ensure that the Prime Minister does not pick their anniversary for triggering Brexit talks. – Sunday Telegraph Senior BBC figure struggles to justify its reporting of Brexit The editor of BBC Political News suffered a car-crash interview when she struggled to answer whether the taxpayer-funded institution had been biased in its ‘hostile reporting’ against Brexit. Katy Searle, editor of BBC Political News, was forced to defend the taxpayer-funded journalists’ controversial coverage of Brexit negotiations. During a cringe-worthy segment, the BBC challenged its own reporting on the debate around leaving the EU after hundreds complained its journalists were politically biased.- Sunday Express John Rentoul: The Supreme Court’s decision on Tuesday will be a defeat for Theresa May, but it’s Labour that will really suffer There will be attempts to amend the Bill, and it is possible that “soft” amendments that are not designed to obstruct it might succeed, especially in the Lords. An amendment to guarantee the rights of EU citizens already here, for example. But the Bill will go through and the main story of its passage is likely to be Labour disarray. It is only after it is passed, Article 50 invoked and the negotiations begin that Labour has any chance of turning the debate round to a forensic critique of the Government’s policy. For Corbyn and Starmer, 31 March cannot come soon enough. – John Rentoul for The Independent Simon Heffer: If Remainers are so democratic, why do they insist on subverting the will of the people? Despite Mrs May’s speech, there are still some tragic figures in our public life who pretend to be democratic politicians, but who wish to subvert and ignore democracy. The ridiculous Tim Farron, semi-hysterical leader of the Liberal Democrats, has rebuked Jeremy Corbyn for asking Labour MPs to vote for the triggering of Article 50. Mr Farron and his eight Lib Dem colleagues seem to think they should exercise a veto on the views of 17.2 million people. But, far worse, we have Nicola Sturgeon manufacturing such outrage at what Mrs May said that, despite the people of Scotland saying they wish to stay in the United Kingdom, she says there may have to be another referendum because she will not accept being in the United Kingdom. Since she needs Westminster’s authority for a referendum – which, by the way, she would lose – and there is no sign of that, is she planning to declare UDI? – Simon Heffer for the Daily Telegraph Brexit comment in brief UK’s not scared of the Brussels bunny boilers who reacted to Theresa May’s calm Brexit plans with hysterical, irrational fury – Tony Parsons for the Sun on Sunday Empty threats are wasted on EU leaders. Mrs May must target their voters – Dominic Lawson for the Sunday Times (£) Theresa May must give English regions the power to get the job done – John Prescott for the Sunday Mirror The PM’s ‘clarity’ on Brexit was nothing more than triumphalist folly – Observer editorial We know the mood of Brexit… but not the detail – Simon Watkins for the Mail on Sunday Germany’s dominance is waning – John Redwood MP for Comment Central Europe’s priority now is to keep the union of 27 together – Observer editorial The people of Stoke-on-Trent, Britain’s Brexit capital, can rebuild our national identity by voting Ukip – Paul Nuttall MEP for the Sunday Telegraph (£) Maltese Presidency presents its priorities – Parliament Magazine Brexit news in brief UKIP leader Paul Nuttall confirmed to stand in Stoke Central by-election – BBC Sir Keir Starmer says Labour will fight the Government ‘all the way’ if the Great Repeal Bill hands ministers powers to dump rights – The Independent Brexit should lead to better jobs and living standards, demand union leaders – Sunday Mirror Stay put for Brexit deal, banks urged – Sunday Telegraph Brexit will ‘destroy’ Northern Ireland’s Good Friday Agreement peace deal, claims Gerry Adams – Sunday Mirror Immigration is lowest concern on young voters’ Brexit list – The Observer Merkel’s rising star scents Brexit deal with May – The Sunday Times (£) Financial markets body to probe Brexit risk to EU-27 – Sky News