Category Archives: Politics

Minister becomes eighth Tory MP to announce they are stepping down at next election – UK politics live

Posted on by

Dehenna Davison, seen as one of the rising stars of the Conservative party, has announced she is standing down at the next election

Downing Street has confirmed that the inquiry into bullying allegations about Dominic Raab, the justice secretary and deputy prime minister, is being expanded to cover claims relating to his period as Brexit secretary, my colleague Pippa Crerar reports.

The inquiry was originally set up to consider two complaints, relating to his time as justice secretary and foreign secretary. But at the Downing Street lobby briefing a No 10 spokesperson said:

I can confirm that the prime minister has now asked the investigator to add a further formal complaint relating to conduct at the Department for Exiting the European Union and to establish the facts in line with the existing terms of reference.

Continue reading...

‘I’m a Tory, get me out of here’: MPs ponder life after parliament

Posted on by

With a deadline to declare their intentions nearing and facing likely election defeat, as many as 50 may opt not to stand

Matt Hancock has just a few days left on I’m a Celebrity before he returns from the safety of the Australian jungle back to the more poisonous environment of the Palace of Westminster.

But this week, more Conservative MPs are pondering ways to get out of there – as a deadline approaches to give notice that they intend to stand at the next election.

Continue reading...

Gillian Keegan says teachers don’t need to threaten strikes

Posted on by

Education secretary says she looks forward to ‘de-escalation’ as unions in England ballot over industrial action

The education secretary has made a veiled plea for teachers in England to “de-escalate” and avoid industrial action, arguing that progress can be made on pay and other concerns without the threat of “harmful” strikes.

All four major teaching unions in England are balloting their members on possible strike action over pay, with the National Education Union and NASUWT saying that the pay rise given in September – about 5% on average – is inadequate given rampant inflation and the cost of living crisis.

Continue reading...

Cap on foreign student numbers could send UK universities ‘over the edge’

Posted on by

Chair of Migration Advisory Committee warns that some institutions would struggle to survive financially

Universities could go bankrupt if the government limits the number of foreign students in a bid to bring down net migration, an adviser on immigration policy has warned.

Rishi Sunak’s potential plan to clamp down on international students taking “low-quality” degrees could “send many universities over the edge”, particularly in poorer regions, the chair of the government’s Migration Advisory Committee said.

Continue reading...

UK foreign secretary visits Kyiv to reaffirm support for Ukraine

Posted on by

James Cleverly, who says Russia will fail in its attempt to ‘break Ukrainian resolve’, announces fresh support package

The foreign secretary, James Cleverly, travelled to Kyiv on Thursday to meet the Ukrainian leadership and promise the UK’s support for as long as it takes to defeat Russia’s brutal efforts to break the country’s resolve.

In his first visit to Ukraine since his appointment as foreign secretary, Cleverly presented a package of support including money for the reconstruction of schools, ambulances, the victims of sexual violence, and grain sales to the world’s poorest markets, such as Sudan and Yemen.

Continue reading...

‘Point of no return’: Chris Packham leads calls for Rishi Sunak to attend Cop15

Posted on by

Conservationist says if world leaders do not go to the summit a strong deal to halt and reverse nature loss is at risk

Chris Packham is urging the British prime minister, Rishi Sunak, to attend a key nature summit to protect the planet for the sake of his great-grandchildren because we are “very close to the point of no return”.

The Cop15 biodiversity summit being held in Montreal from 7-19 December is the nature equivalent of the recent Cop27 climate summit in Egypt, with governments from all over the world expected to agree targets to halt the destruction of the natural world. But world leaders are not expected to attend the once-in-a-decade meeting where the next 10 years of targets will be agreed.

Continue reading...

Nurses to strike for two days as December disruption deepens

Posted on by

Royal College of Nursing announces unprecedented action, likely to to be first in a series of strikes by NHS staff over winter

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has announced its members will stage national strikes – the first in its 106-year history – on 15 and 20 December, with action expected to last for 12 hours on both days.

The unprecedented industrial action will seriously disrupt care and is likely to be the first in a series of strikes over the winter and into the spring by NHS staff, including junior doctors and ambulance workers.

Continue reading...

Online safety bill will criminalise ‘downblousing’ and ‘deepfake’ porn

Posted on by

Nonconsensual explicit images to be tackled in bill returning to parliament next month

Nonconsensual “deepfake” pornography and “downblousing” will be made illegal when the online safety bill returns to parliament in December, the government has announced.

Explicit images taken without someone’s consent, through hidden cameras or surreptitious photography, will be criminalised, including so-called downblousing pictures. A previous law banning “upskirt” voyeurism left a loophole that failed to tackle images that weren’t taken with the intent of photographing the victim’s genitals or buttocks.

Continue reading...

‘Desensitised’ ex-IS followers remain threats, Shamima Begum hearing told

Posted on by

Home Office argues people trafficked to Syria were exposed to extreme violence which poses ‘almighty problem’

People trafficked to Syria and radicalised remain threats to national security as they may be desensitised after exposure to extreme violence, the Home Office has argued, in contesting Shamima Begum’s appeal against the removal of her British citizenship.

Begum was 15 when she travelled from her home in Bethnal Green, east London, through Turkey and into territory controlled by Islamic State (IS). After she was found, nine months pregnant in a Syrian refugee camp in February 2019, the then home secretary, Sajid Javid, revoked her British citizenship on national security grounds.

Continue reading...

UK net migration rose sharply to record 504,000 in past year, ONS says – UK politics live

Posted on by

Number of long-term immigrants arriving in year period was 1.1 million

In the Commons Neil O’Brien, the Cabinet Office minister, is responding to an urgent question tabled by Labour about the procurement of PPE during the pandemic.

The question was tabled by Angela Rayner, the Labour deputy leader, tabled the question. It was inspired by the Guardian story saying documents indicate that the Conservative peer Michelle Mone and her children secretly received £29m originating from the profits of a PPE business that was awarded large government contracts after she recommended it to ministers.

Continue reading...

Dominic Raab facing ‘series’ of bullying claims from civil servants

Posted on by

Deputy PM’s former private secretaries reportedly preparing to submit formal complaints

Dominic Raab is facing multiple fresh complaints from senior civil servants in multiple government departments over allegations of bullying behaviour, according to reports

The deputy prime minister’s former private secretaries, responsible for handling the day-to-day affairs of government ministers, are preparing to submit formal complaints, according to BBC Newsnight.

Continue reading...

Annual UK energy bills would have hit £4,279 without emergency support, Ofgem says

Posted on by

Regulator raises cap for start of 2023 by £730 but government limits typical bill to £3,000 from April

The energy regulator Ofgem has said its price cap will reach £4,279 from January – but households will be shielded by the government’s emergency intervention to keep a lid on bills.

Ofgem said the cap, which is adjusted every quarter, will increase by £730 for the three months from the start of next year. However, the government’s energy price guarantee (EPG) will limit typical household bills to £2,500. Analysts had expected the cap to sit at about £4,200.

Continue reading...

Thursday briefing: Nicola Sturgeon’s bid for a second Scottish referendum isn’t over … yet

Posted on by

In today’s newsletter: the UK supreme court shot down a legal attempt to force another vote. But that doesn’t mean the SNP is out of options

Good morning.

Yesterday, the UK’s supreme court unanimously ruled that the Scottish government cannot hold a vote on independence without permission from Westminster – something four consecutive prime ministers have refused to give the Scottish government. But going to the courts was just one route, among many, that the SNP were taking to make Indyref2 a reality, and they were prepared for an unfavourable outcome.

Michelle Mone | The Conservative peer and her children secretly received £29m originating from the profits of a PPE business that was awarded large government contracts after she recommended it to ministers, documents seen by the Guardian indicate.

NHS | Ambulance crews could not respond to almost one in four 999 calls last month – the most ever – because so many were tied up outside A&Es waiting to hand patients over, dramatic new NHS figures show.

Water | A report from Surfers Against Sewage has found that water companies have been dumping sewage on to beaches and rivers even when it is not raining. The report showed that 146 dry spills had been detected over a 12-month period.

Shamima Begum | Shamima Begum would face the death penalty if sent to Bangladesh, her parents’ country of origin, and is now effectively stateless, a court has heard. The court was told that then home secretary, Sajid Javid, did not consider the consequences of removing her UK citizenship.

Housing | Michael Gove has announced that the Rochdale housing association, where two-year-old Awaab Ishak died from exposure to black mould, will have its funding cut by £1m. Gove added that he would block new funding to other housing providers who were found to be failing their tenants.

Here’s a deeply enjoyable feature wheeze: the people clinging on to old tech, from BlackBerries to typewriters. I can get my head round most of it, but Lisa from Missouri’s abiding love for fax machines will forever be beyond my understanding. Archie

This piece by Erica Berry was a wonderful reminder of how fostering connections can change our lives for the better. Looking back at her own experiences, she explores the beauty and fun in intergenerational friendships. Nimo

Henry Hill, deputy editor of ConservativeHome, has a good piece explaining the unease within Tory ranks over theoretical claims of a Swiss-style deal with the EU but much more besides. The key line: “MPs never really bought into anything one might call ‘Sunakism’”. Archie

Tomorrow is Black Friday and with it comes the advent of sales season. Brittney Rigby has a great guide on how to navigate the Black Friday sales during a cost of living crisis. Nimo

As rumbles about pressure on Ukraine to seek peace talks continue, this Intelligencer piece by Eric Levitz is a smart, even-handed summary of the six questions anyone seeking to influence Kyiv needs to be able to answer. Archie

Continue reading...

EasyJet looks to over-45s in cabin crew recruitment drive

Posted on by

Airline launches campaign targeting ‘empty nesters’ or people looking for challenge later in life

The airline easyJet has launched a recruitment drive urging people over the age of 45 to join its cabin crews, as firms devise new strategies for hiring staff in the UK amid a shortage of workers.

The airline said it has seen a 27% increase in crew aged 45 and over in the past four years, including a 30% increase in over-60s in the past year.

Continue reading...

Senior MPs grill Jeremy Hunt on autumn statement and UK economy – live

Posted on by

The chancellor is facing questions at the Commons Treasury committee

Reed says the Scotland Act gives the Scottish parliament limited powers. It cannot legislate on reserved matters. Those include fundamental matters, including the union of the UK.

If legislation related to the union, or the UK parliament, the Scottish parliament would have no power to enact it.

Continue reading...

Partygate hearings could be put back to new year after No 10 delay

Posted on by

‘Hefty chunk’ of documents handed over to committee last week, four months after request

The privileges committee inquiry into whether Boris Johnson misled the Commons may be delayed until January, after No 10 finally handed over a cache of evidence relating to Partygate four months after it was requested.

The Guardian understands that the autumn deadline for beginning oral evidence sessions, in which the former prime minister will be called as a witness, has been abandoned. Instead, sources said the highly anticipated sessions could be pushed back to after Christmas.

Continue reading...

Suella Braverman says people coming to UK illegally ‘at fault’ for processing chaos

Posted on by

Home secretary faces five legal challenges over crisis at Manston processing centre for asylum seekers

Suella Braverman is facing five legal challenges over a crisis at Manston processing centre but insisted that people seeking asylum in small boats and their smugglers were to blame for the chaos.

The home secretary told MPs that legislation planned to tighten the asylum system would not come before parliament this year. Her most senior civil servant has not yet signed off a £140m deal to send asylum seekers to Rwanda as “value for money”, it emerged.

Continue reading...

Supreme court rules against Scottish parliament holding new independence referendum

Posted on by

Nicola Sturgeon says ‘Scottish democracy will not be denied’ after court blocks route to referendum

The Scottish parliament cannot hold a second independence referendum without Westminster approval, the UK supreme court has ruled, in a unanimous judgment likely to anger Scottish nationalists who say the country’s future is for Scottish voters to decide.

The first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said immediately after the ruling: “Scottish democracy will not be denied.”

Continue reading...

UN to vote on new tax convention proposed by African states

Posted on by

Developing nations hope draft resolution will pave way for fresh talks on global tax policy

Developing nations are hoping to secure greater power over global tax affairs at a critical United Nations vote in New York on Wednesday.

If the body’s members vote in favour of a resolution put forward by the African Group of states, it could pave the way toward fresh intergovernmental talks on global tax policy.

Continue reading...