Yahoo News The catch-up: Your daily 5pm round-up of today's top stories
Day of chaos leaves May clinging on to power
Theresa May has defended her much-maligned Brexit plan to MPs in the face of almost universal criticism that has left her hanging on to power by a thread.
Arch-Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg submitted a letter of no confidence in Mrs May and urged MPs to do the same, bringing the prospect of a leadership contest within touching distance.
Four ministers, including Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab, and three more junior politicians have quit today in protest at the PM’s plan for leaving the EU.
US couple ‘made up heartwarming story to scam strangers’
A US couple who went viral with a heartwarming story about their meeting with a homeless man have been accused of making up the incident to make money.
Kate McClure claimed that homeless man Johnny Bobbitt gave her his last $20 after her car ran out of petrol.
She and her boyfriend Mark D’Amico raised over £300,000 for Mr Bobbitt on GoFundMe.
The couple and Mr Bobbitt now face charges including conspiracy and theft by deception.
Charles Bronson cleared of assaulting prison offer
Notorious prisoner Charles Bronson performed a ‘celebratory jig’ as he was cleared of attempting to seriously harm a prison governor.
Bronson, 66, was said to have lunged at Mark Docherty as he entered a room at HMP Wakefield on January 25.
Representing himself at Leeds Crown Court, Bronson claimed he had intended to give Mr Docherty a “gentle bear hug” and whisper in his ear, but tripped, or was tripped by someone, and fell.
Minister apologises after making up Brexit stat live on air
A senior Tory MP performed an extraordinary U-turn after inventing a statistic about public backing for the Prime Minister’s Brexit plan during a radio interview.
“80% of the British public support this deal….
“I’m producing a number to try to illustrate what I believe…
“I totally apologise for that and I take that back”
Bizarre moment as Govt minister @RoryStewartUK invents #Brexit stat in interview with @EmmaBarnett. pic.twitter.com/QtZvts7mdM
— Radio 5 Live on BBC Sounds (@bbc5live) November 15, 2018
Prisons minister Rory Stewart, a staunch May loyalist, claimed that “80% of the British public support this deal”.
When quizzed over the provenance of the stat, he awkwardly apologised and admitted he’d made it up.
