Politics (Page 70)

A ny move to allow ministers to ignore European Court of Human Rights orders stopping the removal of migrants would undermine the rule of law, a former top judge has warned. Lord Thomas, a former Lord Chief Justice and cross-bench peer, expressed deep reservations amid reports that the Government has caved in to backbench Tory rebels and agreed to amend its controversial Illegal Migration Bill allowing ministers to ignore European judges in certain situations. One group of Tory MPs said a deal has been reached with Rishi Sunak on proposed amendments, with reports that among the measures agreed is a plan to give the Home Secretary powers to disregard injunctions from the European Court of Human Rights – so-called RuleContinue Reading

T he Government has reportedly caved to backbench Tory rebels and agreed to amend its controversial Illegal Migration Bill, allowing ministers to ignore European judges in certain situations. A group of Conservative MPs say they have reached a deal with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to change new rules for removing people who arrive in the UK on small boats after threatening to revolt over the legislation, according to reports. Danny Kruger, who is on the right of the party and among those leading the calls, said he was “grateful to the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary for their work”, the BBC said. A source close to the MPs reportedly said ministers had agreed to give the Home Secretary powersContinue Reading

P olice have failed to attend 4.3 million reports of anti-social behaviour since 2019, the Liberal Democrats claimed as the deadline for the Government’s manifesto pledge to hire 20,000 more officers looms. Leader Sir Ed Davey accused the Tories of “empty promises” as the party said its research showed about 75% of incidents did not result in a call-out to the scene in some areas. The Lib Dems obtained data through freedom of information requests sent to 45 police forces across the UK, 38 of which responded. Of these, the worst performers in 2022 were Avon & Somerset and Cambridgeshire – with 81% and 80% of anti-social behaviour reports going unattended respectively, according to the party. It’s clear this GovernmentContinue Reading

R eform of Stormont’s powersharing structures can only be considered when devolution is back up and running, the Prime Minister has said. Rishi Sunak said he understood the frustration of those calling for changes to the governance arrangements to prevent regular collapses of the assembly and executive in Northern Ireland. The institutions incorporate a system based on mutual veto powers, enabling blocs of unionist and nationalist MLAs to stop moves that otherwise command majority support and, in extreme circumstances, pull down the institutions and prevent them operating. The DUP is currently exercising its veto to blockade Stormont in protest at post-Brexit trading arrangements. In 2017, Sinn Fein collapsed the ministerial executive amid a furore about a botched green energy scheme.Continue Reading

R ishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer have clashed over the justice system and crime at Prime Minister’s Questions. Sir Keir said there was a record backlog in the court system which meant“violent criminals go free”, while the PM hit back branding the Labour leader “Sir Softy. Soft on crime. Soft on criminals.” Mr Starmer claimed ‘thousands of criminals aren’t in prison” because of “the wrecking ball that the Tories have taken to criminal justice”. Mr Sunak said: “What’s the record since 2010, crime down by 50% under the Conservative Government. 20,000 more police officers, we’ve given them more powers and we’ve toughened up sentencing all opposed by Sir Softy over there.” The pair clashed amid a serious setback onContinue Reading

T he SNP is facing a “critical moment” with decisive action needed, or it “will be in trouble”, defeated leadership candidate Kate Forbes has said. The former Holyrood finance secretary, who was defeated by Humza Yousaf in the race to succeed Nicola Sturgeon as SNP leader and ScottishFirst Minister, spoke out as police investigations into the party’s finances continued. Former chief executive Peter Murrell – who is married to Ms Sturgeon – has been arrested and questioned, before being later released without charge, with the couple’s home also being searched by officers. On Tuesday Police Scotland also arrested SNP treasurer Colin Beattie, also the MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, as part of Police Scotland’s ongoing investigation into how moreContinue Reading

T he SNP is facing a “pretty critical moment” with decisive action needed, or it “will be in trouble”, defeated leadership candidate Kate Forbes has said. The former Holyrood finance secretary, who was defeated by Humza Yousaf in the race to succeed Nicola Sturgeon as SNP leader and Scottish First Minister, spoke out as police investigations into the party’s finances continued. Former chief executive Peter Murrell – who is married to Ms Sturgeon – has been arrested and questioned, before being later released without charge, with the couple’s home also being searched by officers. On Tuesday Police Scotland also arrested SNP treasurer Colin Beattie, also the MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, as part of Police Scotland’s ongoing investigation intoContinue Reading

P eople are “praying they don’t fall ill” because they “can no longer be sure their 999 call will be answered or that an ambulance will arrive when they need one”, Labour has said. The party made the comments after it was revealed that one 999 caller in December was forced to wait for an hour-and-a-half before their call was answered. Labour sent freedom of information requests to all 10 ambulance trusts in England to find out the longest ambulance response time in December. The longest 999 response in December was in Yorkshire where a caller waited for an hour and 37 minutes, Labour said. Four trusts responded to the request at the time Labour published the data. The partyContinue Reading