Newslinks for Friday 28th April 2023

Sunak 1) The Prime Minister's 'hard line' on immigration is praised by Meloni

"Giorgia Meloni, Italy's hard-right prime minister, has endorsed Rishi Sunak's tough stance on immigration, in spite of misgivings among her officials about backing the UK policy of deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda. Sunak and Meloni, who held talks in Downing Street on Thursday, hailed "very strong" relations between the two countries on a range of issues, including Ukraine, energy security and tackling illegal migration. Italian officials resisted any formal endorsement by Rome of Sunak's policy of detaining and deporting asylum seekers who cross the English Channel in small boats.

The EU has been critical of the policy. A formal memorandum of understanding issued after the meeting only spoke about co-operating on migration at a high level..." - The Financial Times[1]

  • Italy's 'far-right' Prime Minister doesn't seem so dangerous after all - Fraser Nelson, The Daily Telegraph[2]

Sunak 2) His Illegal Migration Bill "will not allow arrivals to be returned home"

"Rishi Sunak's Illegal Migration Bill will hamstring the government by blocking its ability to return Channel migrants to their home countries, immigration experts have said. The bill, which passed its final hurdle in the House of Commons this week, will bar migrants who enter the UK illegally from claiming asylum and will impose a "duty" on the home secretary to remove them.

However, because of the UK's international legal obligations under the UN Refugee Convention, asylum seekers can be returned to their home country only if their claim has been rejected. Given that the bill will bar them from making a claim in the first place, the UK will not legally be able to send such migrants back to their home country." - The Times[3]

Sunak 3) He won't meet with DeSantis as US presidential hopeful visits the UK

"Rishi Sunak will avoid meeting Donald Trump's principal rival for the Republican presidential nomination who is visiting Britain to burnish his foreign policy credentials. Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, arrives on Friday as part of a four-country tour of key US allies before a potential run for the White House next year.

While the trip has been billed as an international Florida trade mission, it is being seen as a move....to shore up his foreign policy credentials before launching a formal bid for the Republican nomination. But while DeSantis has been greeted by the prime ministers of Japan and South Korea on earlier legs of the trip and was due to meet the Israeli prime minister on Thursday, he will not meet Rishi Sunak in Downing Street." - The Times[4]

  • Can Biden even last four more years? If not, it's awful Harris - Douglas Murray, The Sun[5]

Sunak 4) He may have to decide the fate of BBC Chairman who 'breached rules over Johnson loan'

"The chairman of the BBC breached the rules in failing to declare his involvement in an GBP800,000 loan to Boris Johnson prior to his appointment, an official investigation has concluded.

Richard Sharp will come under intense pressure to quit as head of the corporation following Friday's expected publication of the findings of the two-month long inquiry. The report by Adam Heppinstall KC has found that Mr Sharp broke the code on public appointments by failing to inform the committee that interviewed him... If Mr Sharp refuses to quit, Rishi Sunak will have to decide his fate - presenting the Prime Minister with a second major dilemma, just a week after Dominic Raab was forced to resign following an inquiry into alleged bullying." - The Daily Telegraph[6]

>Today:

UK will "endeavour" to continue Sudan evacuations, says Cleverly

"Foreign secretary James Cleverly has said the UK will "endeavour" to keep evacuating British nationals from Sudan but warned that he could not promise flights would continue after a partially respected three-day ceasefire ended. Speaking in the House of Commons on Thursday, Cleverly said ministers were "pushing hard" to extend the 72-hour truce, scheduled to end at 11pm UK time on Thursday, in order to continue repatriation efforts from an airfield 40km north of Sudan's capital Khartoum. "It is almost impossible for us to predict whether there will be an extension and what the circumstances might be like if the extension does not happen," he said... There are roughly 4,000 dual UK-Sudanese nationals and 400 UK nationals in Sudan." - The Financial Times[7]

  • Inside the UK's 'chaotic' Sudan evacuation - The Times[8]
  • NHS doctors 'face being left behind' - The I[9]

>Today:

Braverman 'to make it easier' for police to arrest Just Stop Oil protestors

"Suella Braverman is to make it easier for police to arrest Just Stop Oil protesters using slow marching tactics to disrupt traffic.

The Home Secretary is to introduce into law a new definition of "serious disruption" aiming to lower the threshold at which police can take action. The move aims to break the legislative deadlock with the Lords, which has rejected parts of the Government Public Order Bill to give police more powers to tackle eco-activist protests. The definition, set out in secondary legislation laid in the Commons on Thursday, would enable police to take action where there was less disruption if a demonstration was part of a cumulative series of protests or affected people who might be passing through the area." - The Daily Telegraph[10]

>Yesterday:

Badenoch to U-turn on plan to scrap or revise all EU law

"The UK government is set to abandon its controversial plan to review or scrap all EU-era law by the end of 2023, in a move that has sparked fury among Tory Eurosceptics. Kemi Badenoch, business secretary, told Tory Brexiters this week that the majority of almost 4,000 pieces of retained EU law would remain on the statute book, with perhaps 800 being removed by the end of the year. Badenoch's allies did not deny on Thursday that the government was preparing to ditch a December 31 2023 "sunset clause" under which EU laws would automatically expire if they had not been revised or retained.

The year-end deadline has alarmed business groups and trade unions, who have warned it could lead to huge uncertainty and the possible loss of key protections." - The Financial Times[11]

  • She is said to have told Eurosceptics it was impossible to remove the rulings despite Sunak's pledge - The Daily Telegraph[12]

Frazer unveils news gambling white paper with new curbs to save "young from addiction"

"Young adults will face tougher gambling curbs amid concerns that they are less able to "regulate" their impulses and make rational decisions. Under-25s will undergo "enhanced" checks on their finances and have stakes limited to a maximum of between GBP2 and GBP4 for online slot machines under the biggest overhaul of gambling legislation for a generation. They will also be asked to present identification before placing a bet.

Ministers believe that young men aged between 18 and 24 are at particularly high risk of becoming addicted, are less able to manage their finances and more vulnerable to peer pressure. Gambling companies will also face a statutory levy, described as a "polluter pays" tax, which will be used to fund research and the treatment of addicts by the NHS." - The Times[13]

  • Gambling needs reform, but how far should it go? - Editorial, The Daily Telegraph[14]
  • For too long, online bookmakers and casinos have been allowed to get away with practices that destroy lives - Editorial, The Times[15]

I will uphold Raab's "very high standards", says successor Chalk

"The new Justice Secretary has pledged to demand "very high standards" of civil servants and expects "no let-up in tempo" despite the enforced resignation of Dominic Raab, his predecessor. In his first interview, Alex Chalk, a successful prosecutor who jailed rapists, extremists and fraudsters, said the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) was too critical a department to lower the standards expected of civil servants.

He said Mr Raab "did the right thing" by resigning after the independent inquiry into bullying allegations, paying tribute to his "huge intellect and industry"... He was speaking on the first prison visit of his tenure to HMP Isis, a jail for men aged 18 to 27 next to Belmarsh, the high security jail in south-east London housing...dangerous terrorists and criminals..." - The Daily Telegraph[16]

Sebastian Payne: It's time for a revolution in the civil service

"We should be more grown up about recognising that civil servants do have political leanings -- it would be astonishing if they did not. What they should not be is neutral or against the government and its policies.

They should be fully on board, offering challenging advice, while being open and transparent about their perspectives. As Lord Maude of Horsham is expected to say in his forthcoming civil service review, there is nothing to fear from politicisation handled sensitively. What it is time for is a new Northcote-Trevelyan, the 1853 foundational report that created the civil service as we know it...

170 years on, its principles are suffocating Whitehall. Many secretaries of state learn of new arrivals in their ministries only through the media." - The Times[17]

>Today: >Yesterday:

Strikes 1) Nurses' walkout curtailed after Barclay's successful court ruling - but new rail action called

"The High Court in London ruled on Thursday that a 48-hour stoppage by the UK's largest nursing union was unlawful, cutting short the most extensive walkout yet over pay.

The decision will roughly halve the length of next week's proposed two-day walkout, the first to affect NHS emergency and critical care, and came as four new rail strikes were called for May and June and unions warned of the stoppages lasting all year. Lawyers for UK health secretary Steve Barclay persuaded the High Court that the second day of next week's strike by members of the Royal College of Nursing fell outside the six-month window permitted for industrial action following a ballot...Mr Justice Linden ruled that plans to continue [the walkout] until May 2 were outside the democratic mandate..." - The Financial Times[22]

Strikes 2) Keegan "living in a fantasy world" about teacher recruitment, says union

"The government is likely to recruit fewer than half of the secondary school trainee teachers it needs this year, new analysis shows. Teachers in England have taken their fifth day of strike action since February and will walk out again next Tuesday as a union leader accused the government of "living in a fantasy world" about the state of education.

The National Education Union (NEU) says that better pay is needed to recruit and retain new teachers and take pressure off the system. The three other main education unions have also rejected the government's most recent pay offer of a GBP1,000 one-off payment for this year and an average pay rise of 4.5 per cent for the next academic year. Fresh figures have been published for initial postgraduate teacher training (ITT) targets." - The Times[28]

Lopez vows to set "heads wobbling" over BBC local radio cuts

"A government minister has vowed to "get some heads wobbling" at the BBC following accusations staff have been subject to gagging clauses over local radio cuts.

Julia Lopez, culture minister, made the comments after a former Labour frontbencher claimed staff at the public service broadcaster were being prevented from speaking out against the cuts and feared losing their redundancy pay if they did so. Dame Diana Johnson, the MP for Kingston upon Hull North, said local radio was being "trashed" by the move to share more programming across 39 local stations... A BBC spokesman denied the claims of gagging clauses...The BBC previously said the local radio cuts...are designed to "modernise" the broadcaster's services..." - The Daily Telegraph[33]

Murrison says he wants a "diplomatic settlement" to end Ukraine war

"The war in Ukraine will end with a "diplomatic settlement" and both sides need to "dial down" the conflict, a defence minister has said.

Andrew Murrison made the comments as Labour claimed that the government's commitment to Ukraine was "flagging". In a Commons debate on Ukraine, Bob Blackman, a Conservative MP, asked Murrison whether the UK would "get involved in an escalation of the war with Russia" if the armed forces help to deliver "more sophisticated weaponry and support to the Ukrainians". Murrison replied: "I hope there won't be an escalation in the war between Ukraine and Russia.

The whole point is that ultimately we have to come to a diplomatic settlement, clearly, and I would urge all parties to dial this down."The debate was secured by Labour..." - The Times[34]

Willetts expresses fears Islamists "will exploit" free speech bill

"New free speech legislation could protect those with extreme views, a former Tory universities minister says. Lord Willetts voiced concerns about the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill, which is expected to be given royal assent imminently. He said this week that the law would result in "quite a lot of legal cases" from across the political spectrum, the Times Higher Education website reported.

Willetts, who was universities minister under David Cameron, told the Westminster Education Forum that the bill was not just about protecting Conservative standpoints. He said he could foresee a situation in which the bill's protections could be claimed by "people with quite extreme Islamic views"." - The Times[35]

SNP has "crashed" the economic case for independence, Ross to warn

"The SNP has "crashed" the economic case for independence after the police launched an investigation into the party's finances, Douglas Ross will argue at the Scottish Tory conference. Ms Ross is expected to tell the Glasgow conference that the scandal, which has seen Nicola Sturgeon's husband arrested and her home searched by police for two days, meant "nobody will ever believe a nationalist on currency, pensions and balancing the books ever again".

He is expected to argue in his keynote speech that the SNP has destroyed the financial case for separation "through their own blunders", and concluded that the Nationalists "lack any credibility". Humza Yousaf, the Scottish First Minister, admitted last week the SNP still owed money to Peter Murrell..." - The Daily Telegraph[36]

Rayner pleads for "soulmate" boyfriend to stay as Labour MP after deselection

"Angela Rayner has said her "soulmate" boyfriend Sam Tarry should remain a Labour MP after his deselection by members. Mr Tarry was blocked from running in Ilford South in a ballot last October, as activists instead chose a council leader to fight the next election in the constituency.

He is a close political ally of Ms Rayner, the deputy Labour leader, and the pair have been romantically linked since her separation from a union boss. Speaking at a fundraising dinner in Mr Tarry's constituency on Wednesday, Ms Rayner said: "If the Labour Party doesn't stand for fairness then what do we stand for? He is one of the most kind-hearted, amazing individuals and he's also my soulmate."...

Mr Tarry has...confirmed his intention to formally challenge the result." - The Daily Telegraph[37]

  • Why next week's local results could 'shatter' Starmer's hopes of a Labour majority in Westminster - The I[38]
  • Abbott could 'stand against Labour' at the next election - The Daily Telegraph[39]

News in Brief:

References

  1. ^ The Financial Times (www.ft.com)
  2. ^ The Daily Telegraph (www.telegraph.co.uk)
  3. ^ The Times (www.thetimes.co.uk)
  4. ^ The Times (www.thetimes.co.uk)
  5. ^ The Sun (www.thesun.co.uk)
  6. ^ The Daily Telegraph (www.telegraph.co.uk)
  7. ^ The Financial Times (www.ft.com)
  8. ^ The Times (www.thetimes.co.uk)
  9. ^ The I (inews.co.uk)
  10. ^ The Daily Telegraph (www.telegraph.co.uk)
  11. ^ The Financial Times (www.ft.com)
  12. ^ The Daily Telegraph (www.telegraph.co.uk)
  13. ^ The Times (www.thetimes.co.uk)
  14. ^ The Daily Telegraph (www.telegraph.co.uk)
  15. ^ The Times (www.thetimes.co.uk)
  16. ^ The Daily Telegraph (www.telegraph.co.uk)
  17. ^ The Times (www.thetimes.co.uk)
  18. ^ The Daily Telegraph (www.telegraph.co.uk)
  19. ^ The Daily Mail (www.dailymail.co.uk)
  20. ^ Daily Express (www.express.co.uk)
  21. ^ The Daily Telegraph (www.telegraph.co.uk)
  22. ^ The Financial Times (www.ft.com)
  23. ^ The Daily Mail (www.dailymail.co.uk)
  24. ^ The Financial Times (www.ft.com)
  25. ^ The Times (www.thetimes.co.uk)
  26. ^ The Daily Telegraph (www.telegraph.co.uk)
  27. ^ The Financial Times (www.ft.com)
  28. ^ The Times (www.thetimes.co.uk)
  29. ^ The Daily Telegraph (www.telegraph.co.uk)
  30. ^ The Daily Mail (www.dailymail.co.uk)
  31. ^ The Sun (www.thesun.co.uk)
  32. ^ The Daily Telegraph (www.telegraph.co.uk)
  33. ^ The Daily Telegraph (www.telegraph.co.uk)
  34. ^ The Times (www.thetimes.co.uk)
  35. ^ The Times (www.thetimes.co.uk)
  36. ^ The Daily Telegraph (www.telegraph.co.uk)
  37. ^ The Daily Telegraph (www.telegraph.co.uk)
  38. ^ The I (inews.co.uk)
  39. ^ The Daily Telegraph (www.telegraph.co.uk)
  40. ^ The Spectator (www.spectator.co.uk)
  41. ^ UnHerd (unherd.com)
  42. ^ The Critic (thecritic.co.uk)
  43. ^ The New Statesman (www.newstatesman.com)

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