I will still deliver Brexit, says May

tax in his draft Budget for 2018-19, including increasing the charge to 21p for those earning more than £24,000 a year.

The higher rates of income tax are also being increased, going to 41p and 46p. PRIMARY schools should put their best teachers in reception class as children taught well in their first year achieve better GCSEs more than a decade later, educational experts have found.

A study of 40,000 children in England has shown that an effective start in school boosts development through compulsory education to the age of 16. Researchers measured children’s reading and maths development at four, then at the end of the reception year, at seven, 11 and 16. BEREAVED families and survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire stood together in a moment of reflection, holding aloft pictures of lost loved ones, at the end of an emotional memorial service at St Paul’s yesterday.

Hundreds of mourners gathered outside the historic cathedral clutching white roses and comforting each other beneath a banner with “Grenfell” inside a green heart.

The Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry were among the high-profile guests who attended to pay their respects, six months on from THERESA MAY has insisted that she remains “on course to deliver on Brexit” despite her humiliating defeat in the House of Commons.

Arriving at a European Council summit in Brussels, the Prime Minister said her flagship EU (Withdrawal) Bill was making “good progress” despite Wednesday’s setback, which she said was the Government’s only defeat in 36 votes on the legislation.

Leaders of the other 27 EU states are expected to give the green light to the start of the second phase of Brexit talks in Mrs May’s absence today, the second day of the two-day summit.

But doubt remains over when negotiations on the future trade relationship will begin, with leaked documents suggesting that guidelines for talks on the new relationship will not even be drawn up until March.

Arriving shortly before Mrs May, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there was “a good chance that the second phase can now begin”.

And Dutch PM Mark Rutte played down suggestions that Mrs May’s Commons defeat had diminished her authority in the fire. Also present was Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Prime Minister Theresa May, who entered through a side door, rather than the main entrance.

Dr David Ison, Dean of St Paul’s, welcomed more than 1,500 guests to the service, extending his words to “those painfully affected”. Brussels, saying: “I think she still has formidable stature here.”

Asked about Wednesday night’s vote to give MPs a “meaningful” vote on the final EU withdrawal deal, Mrs May said: “I am disappointed with the amendment but actually the EU (Withdrawal) Bill is making good progress through the House of Commons and we are on course to deliver on Brexit.”

Asked whether she will be forced to make further concessions to backbench rebels over Europe, Mrs May said: “We have actually had 36 votes on the EU (Withdrawal) Bill and we have won 35 of those votes, with an average majority of 22. The Bill is making good progress. We are on course to deliver Brexit, we are on course to deliver the vote of the British people.”

Mrs May, who was the last leader to arrive at the summit yesterday after attending the Grenfell Tower memorial service at St Paul’s Cathedral, said she was looking forward to addressing the other 27 over dinner about the “deep and special relationship” which she hopes to forge between the UK and EU after Brexit.

But she was coming under pressure to spell out in more detail what she wants from a future trade deal.

Mr Rutte said the PM was “holding her cards close to her heart” but it was now “up to her and the UK Government to sketch out that future relationship”.

“First we have to see what she wants,” said Mr Rutte. “Does she want to stay in the single market? Does she want to stay in the customs union? Or both?

“If that is the case, that will entail certain obligations.”

Luxembourg’s PM Xavier Bettel suggested that her defeat in the Commons would add to the pressure on the PM by further limiting the time available for her to strike a deal.