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Rwanda Wouldn't Agree To Migrant Deal 'Without Lawful Behaviour By The UK'
Home affairs
Rwanda Wouldn't Agree To Migrant Deal "Without Lawful Behaviour By The UK"
Rwanda has said it would not have been able to continue with the deal to allow the UK to forcibly deport asylum seekers to the African country unless the UK complied with "lawful behaviour".
Suella Braverman Says Tories Face 'Electoral Oblivion' If Rwanda Legislation Doesn't Meet Five Tests
Home affairs
Suella Braverman Says Tories Face "Electoral Oblivion" If Rwanda Legislation Doesn't Meet Five Tests
Former home secretary Suella Braverman has set out five key tests that Rishi Sunak's emergency Rwanda legislation must meet if the Prime Minister is to retain the support of MPs on the right of the Conservative party, of whom she is a figurehead.
Tory MPs and Housing Industry Leaders Clash Over Leasehold Reform
Home affairs
Tory MPs and Housing Industry Leaders Clash Over Leasehold Reform
A number of Conservative MPs and housing industry leaders have clashed over a key part of the upcoming Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill, after the Government promised to tackle "unfair" ground rents faced by leaseholders.
Boris Johnson Blames 'Default Mindset' For Failings In Government's Early Response To Covid-19 Pandemic
Coronavirus
Boris Johnson Blames "Default Mindset" For Failings In Government's Early Response To Covid-19 Pandemic
Former prime minister Boris Johnson has blamed a "default mindset" for the early assumption by government that Covid-19 would not seriously impact the UK, when questioned at the Covid Inquiry.
Most People Have 'Stopped Listening' To The Tories, Says 2019 Manifesto Writer
Political parties
Most People Have "Stopped Listening" To The Tories, Says 2019 Manifesto Writer
A majority of voters have "stopped listening" to the Conservatives and the only general election strategy the party has left is trying to scare people about the prospect of a Labour government, an author of the Tory party's last general election manifesto has said.
James Cleverly Signs New Treaty With Rwanda With Guarantee Refugees Won't Be Sent To Unsafe Countries
Foreign affairs
James Cleverly Signs New Treaty With Rwanda With Guarantee Refugees Won't Be Sent To Unsafe Countries
UK Home Secretary James Cleverly signed a new treaty with Rwanda, which he believes will "amplify" the relationship between the two countries in the face of criticism from international bodies and courts.
Mental Health Commissioner Could Offer 'Sustained Leadership' For Patients
Health
Mental Health Commissioner Could Offer "Sustained Leadership" For Patients
The government should create a Mental Health Commissioner for England role in order to offer “sustained leadership” and to put mental health “at the heart” of policymaking, according to a new report.
Visa Salary Threshold Raised To £38,700 In New Measures To Lower Legal Migration
Home affairs
Visa Salary Threshold Raised To £38,700 In New Measures To Lower Legal Migration
Home Secretary James Cleverly has announced that the salary threshold for visas will be raised to nearly £40,000, and care workers will no longer be able to bring dependents to the UK in efforts to bring down legal migration numbers.
Keir Starmer Says Labour Would Bring In 'New Era' Of 'Obsession' With Growth
Economy
Keir Starmer Says Labour Would Bring In "New Era" Of "Obsession" With Growth
Labour leader Keir Starmer has said that Britain is now in a “new era” that needs a “new economic consensus” with an “obsession” for growth and security, in what he described as a “very unusual” stance from Labour.
Lords Vow To Fight Attempts For Rwanda Plans To Bypass Human Rights Laws
Home affairs
Lords Vow To Fight Attempts For Rwanda Plans To Bypass Human Rights Laws
Lords could “fight very hard” any attempt by the government to bypass human rights laws with their new Rwanda legislation, a peer has warned.
Reform Leader Says Tories Should Be Terrified Of His Party
Home affairs
Reform Leader Says Tories Should Be Terrified Of His Party
Conservative MPs should be "shitting themselves" about the threat to their seats from Reform UK at the next general election, its leader has warned, as the right wing party enjoys a bump in the polls at the expense of Rishi Sunak's Tories.
Ministry Of Defence Doubles Payments To Harassment Victims Over Four Years
Defence
Ministry Of Defence Doubles Payments To Harassment Victims Over Four Years
Bullying, harassment and discrimination compensation payments issued by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) have doubled over the past four years.
Former Schools Minister Insists Teachers Must Be Paid More To Avert Staffing Crisis
Education
Former Schools Minister Insists Teachers Must Be Paid More To Avert Staffing Crisis
Nick Gibb, the long-standing former schools minister, has said pay will have to increase to address acute teacher shortages.
Labour MP Wants More 'Wins' On Changing The Law To Tackle Sexual Violence
Home affairs
Labour MP Wants More "Wins" On Changing The Law To Tackle Sexual Violence
Labour MP Sarah Champion wants to work with the Conservative government to push through more law changes to tackle sexual violence against women and girls, after another recent “win” on getting legislation through.
Labour Risks Being 'Hostage To Fortune' By Attacking Tories On Immigration
Political parties
Labour Risks Being "Hostage To Fortune" By Attacking Tories On Immigration
As the government struggles to meet its pledge to significantly reduce immigration, Labour has found a new confidence in attacking the Conservatives on an issue where they wouldn't always hope to have the upper hand with voters.
Rishi Sunak Tells COP28 Climate Politics Is 'Close To Breaking Point'
Environment
Rishi Sunak Tells COP28 Climate Politics Is "Close To Breaking Point"
Rishi Sunak has said “climate politics is close to breaking point” and that targets must be reached in a way that “doesn’t burden working people,” as he defended his decision earlier this year to relax some net zero policies.
Matt Hancock Admits His Covid Rulebreaking Was Damaging To Public Confidence
Coronavirus
Matt Hancock Admits His Covid Rulebreaking Was Damaging To Public Confidence
Former health secretary Matt Hancock has admitted that his "transgression" – having an affair with his aide which broke social distancing rules – might have damaged public confidence and the likelihood of the wider population adhering to the rules themselves.
Tory MP Compares Planning System To “A Scene From The Thick Of It”
Communities
Tory MP Compares Planning System To “A Scene From The Thick Of It”
Former Conservative housing minister Brandon Lewis has said the UK's planning system means that the process to get permission for new developments resembles a scene from satirical TV programme “The Thick of It”.
Tory MPs Back Sir Elton John's Call For Ban On Conversion Therapy
Home affairs
Tory MPs Back Sir Elton John's Call For Ban On Conversion Therapy
Tory MPs have backed Sir Elton John's call for a ban on conversion therapy after he expressed his disappointment that the Government had failed to outlaw the practice.
Matt Hancock Says Health Department 'Rose To The Challenge' Of Covid-19 Pandemic
Coronavirus
Matt Hancock Says Health Department "Rose To The Challenge" Of Covid-19 Pandemic
Former health secretary Matt Hancock has defended his record leading the Department for Health and Social Care during the pandemic to the Covid-19 Inquiry, arguing that he had been the one urging the government to take action against the virus sooner.
Alistair Darling Praised For “Calm Expertise And Honesty” Following Death Aged 70
Political parties
Alistair Darling Praised For “Calm Expertise And Honesty” Following Death Aged 70
Labour leader Keir Starmer has paid tribute to Alistair Darling’s “calm expertise and honesty”, following the death of the former Labour chancellor aged 70.
Unspoken Tension Mounts In Conservative Party Over Rishi Sunak's Rwanda Plans
Home affairs
Unspoken Tension Mounts In Conservative Party Over Rishi Sunak's Rwanda Plans
There is “unspoken tension” and a desire for “realism” among Conservative MPs over the government’s plans to stop small boats, with MPs still waiting for detail on emergency legislation promised by Rishi Sunak.
Labour Calls For Mandatory Ethnicity Pay Gap Reporting As Discrepancy Remains
Social affairs
Labour Calls For Mandatory Ethnicity Pay Gap Reporting As Discrepancy Remains
Labour has renewed its calls for a Race Equality Act after new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed Black people in the UK have consistently earned less than their White counterparts since 2012.
Labour MP Says David Cameron Could Have Committed Contempt Of Parliament Over Private Greensill Flights
Parliament
Labour MP Says David Cameron Could Have Committed Contempt Of Parliament Over Private Greensill Flights
Lord Cameron, the newly-appointed foreign secretary, might have acted in contempt of Parliament by failing to answer a committee question on how many personal flights he took using Greensill private jets, according to a Labour MP.
Civil Liberties Campaigners Warn Digital Pound Could Be 'Detrimental' To Privacy
Economy
Civil Liberties Campaigners Warn Digital Pound Could Be "Detrimental" To Privacy
Big Brother Watch, a leading civil liberties campaign group, has published a report arguing that a new digital pound could be “detrimental to people’s privacy” and worry Government could use it to track people’s spending habits.
Labour Will Attempt To Extend Rules Forcing Landlords To Deal With Mould To Private Sector
Communities
Labour Will Attempt To Extend Rules Forcing Landlords To Deal With Mould To Private Sector
Labour are set to attempt to extend rules that force landlords in social housing to deal with mould issues within a certain timeframe to the private rented sector.
Michael Gove Says Cabinet Office Was Inherently 'Dysfunctional' During Pandemic
Coronavirus
Michael Gove Says Cabinet Office Was Inherently "Dysfunctional" During Pandemic
The Cabinet Office was inherently “dysfunctional” and unprepared for dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, according to former Minister for the Cabinet Office Michael Gove.
MPs Could Vote On Decriminalising Abortion In England And Wales
Health
MPs Could Vote On Decriminalising Abortion In England And Wales
MPs will get the chance to vote on decriminalising abortion in England and Wales, with a Labour MP expected to table an amendment this week.
What To Expect In The New Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill
Political parties
What To Expect In The New Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill
A Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill will be brought forward in Parliament on Monday afternoon, as campaigners and MPs gear up to widen the Bill’s scope and make it more radical.
Sadiq Khan Felt 'Winded' By Covid Spread After Weeks Shut Out Of Cobra Meetings
Health
Sadiq Khan Felt "Winded" By Covid Spread After Weeks Shut Out Of Cobra Meetings
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has told the Covid Inquiry he felt “almost winded” when he was informed of the scale of Covid’s spread in London at a high-level meeting in March 2020, after weeks of his team asking government officials for him to be invited to discussions.
Chancellor Must Act On Energy Bills, Energy Select Committee Chair Says
Energy
Chancellor Must Act On Energy Bills, Energy Select Committee Chair Says
The chair of the energy security and net zero select committee Angus MacNeil has criticised the absence of energy bill support measures in Chancellor's Autumn Statement and has called on Jeremy Hunt to act.
Kwasi Kwarteng Says COP28 Should Not 'Bully' Developing Countries To Net Zero
Environment
Kwasi Kwarteng Says COP28 Should Not "Bully" Developing Countries To Net Zero
Britain and the Western world must ensure action and dialogue to tackle climate change does not become part of a “neocolonial bubble” that "bullies" developing countries towards net zero, according to former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng ahead of COP28.
Can Rishi Sunak Curb Migration Without Also Bringing Down The NHS?
Brexit
Can Rishi Sunak Curb Migration Without Also Bringing Down The NHS?
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is under renewed pressure from restless Conservative MPs to massively reduce net migration before the next general election, but how he does that without putting further strain on the health service and the economy is not clear.
Rishi Sunak Says He Has 'More To Do' To Reduce Net Migration Figures
Home affairs
Rishi Sunak Says He Has "More To Do" To Reduce Net Migration Figures
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said that he has “more to do” if he is going to succeed in bringing down migration numbers, as the Tory backbenches remain restless over last year’s figures being revised to a record high.
Jeremy Hunt Accused Of Being 'Untruthful' About Cost Of Living Support
Social affairs
Jeremy Hunt Accused Of Being "Untruthful" About Cost Of Living Support
Work and pensions committee chair Stephen Timms has accused Jeremy Hunt of providing him with an "untruthful" answer in parliament on the future of the Household Support Fund and has called on the Chancellor to formally correct the record.
Tory MPs Are Back In A Bad Mood Over High Net Migration Figures
Home affairs
Tory MPs Are Back In A Bad Mood Over High Net Migration Figures
A number of Conservative MPs have criticised the Government after net migration figures hit 672,000 in the 12 months ending June 2023, souring the briefly jubilant mood in the party sparked by tax cuts in Jeremy Hunt's Autumn statement.