Palestine Motion is a ‘violent organisation’ that has dedicated ‘important harm’, says No 10
Palestine Motion is a “violent organisation” that has dedicated “important harm,” Downing Road stated.
Requested about folks arrested as a part of protests linked to the group, the prime minister’s official spokesperson stated:
We’ve stated that many individuals might not but know the truth of this organisation, however the assessments are very clear: it is a violent organisation that has dedicated violence, important harm, intensive legal harm, and as I say, it has met the exams as set out underneath the Terrorism Act to be proscribed.
Key occasions
Conservative shadow overseas secretary Priti Patel accused ministers of making an attempt to “cowl up” the price of ceding the Chagos Islands – formally generally known as the British Indian Ocean Territory – to Mauritius, accusing them of utilizing an “accountancy trick” to cost the deal at £3.4bn, as a substitute of the £34.7bn determine produced by the federal government actuary’s division, as revealed within the Telegraph’s report.
The fee was lowered by civil servants utilizing inflation estimates over 99 years, then reportedly lowered once more by between 2.5 and three.5% per yr underneath the Treasury’s social time choice price accountancy methodology used for long-term tasks.
“We’ve all recognized it’s a horrible cope with big prices to hard-pressed British taxpayers,” Patel wrote within the Telegraph.
“However for months, ministers in public and parliament have sought to cowl up the true quantities.”
Patel stated that “as a substitute of proudly owning as much as the prices, Labour has used an accountancy trick to assert the quantity was solely £3.4bn – nonetheless an enormous waste of cash”.
Labour has stated beforehand that the Conservative authorities wasted £700m of taxpayers’ cash on the failed Rwanda deportation scheme, which survived the tenure of three former prime ministers and was overseen by 4 former dwelling secretaries, together with Patel.
The Telegraph reported that the federal government’s Chagos Islands deal will value ten instances greater than Keir Starmer beforehand claimed. A freedom of data request response revealed that the price of freely giving the islands to Mauritius is estimated at £34.7bn, a lot increased than the £3.4bn determine the prime minister has beforehand cited in public, based on the report.
A No 10 spokesperson, nonetheless, stated in the present day that the deal will value “a median of £100m a yr”, including that this can complete lower than £3bn.
The spokesperson informed journalists that this “compares favourably with different base agreements” and equates to “lower than 0.2%” of the defence price range.
Beneath the settlement, Britain cedes management over the islands to Mauritius however leases the biggest one, Diego Garcia, for 99 years to proceed working a joint US-UK navy base there.
Downing Road stated the deal was a “authorized necessity” and backed by the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, that are a part of an intelligence-sharing partnership with the UK.
Badenoch suggests establishing ‘camps’ may very well be an alternative choice to asylum seeker inns
Kemi Badenoch appeared to recommend the establishing of “camps” when talking about potential options to utilizing inns to deal with asylum seekers.
As she met members of the group in Epping, Essex, the Conservative social gathering chief stated: “We’ve received to show issues round in a short time. We can not use guidelines from 1995, or 2005, and even 2015 for 2025.
“Our world is altering in a short time, and we have to adapt to it.”
Badenoch stated: “Is it potential for us to arrange camps and police that, quite than bringing all of this trouble into communities?
“As a celebration, we have to additionally hear from the group about what you assume the options are. We don’t have all of the solutions; it’s vital that we ensure that the group is a part of the issue solved.”
Vladimir Putin ought to by no means be trusted “so far as you possibly can throw him,” Downing Road stated.
Requested whether or not Keir Starmer thought the Russian chief may very well be trusted in peace talks over the way forward for Ukraine, the prime minister’s official spokesman stated: “By no means belief president Putin so far as you possibly can throw him, however we clearly will assist Ukraine.
“We’ll clearly assist president Trump and European nations as we enter these negotiations.
“However it’s precisely why we’ve been main this work on the coalition of the keen, as a result of any ceasefire, as I say, can not simply be a chance for president Putin to go away, re-arm, restrengthen, after which go once more.
“So we’re not going to depart it to belief. We’re going to make sure that we’re ready such that we obtain a ceasefire.
Palestine Motion is a ‘violent organisation’ that has dedicated ‘important harm’, says No 10
Palestine Motion is a “violent organisation” that has dedicated “important harm,” Downing Road stated.
Requested about folks arrested as a part of protests linked to the group, the prime minister’s official spokesperson stated:
We’ve stated that many individuals might not but know the truth of this organisation, however the assessments are very clear: it is a violent organisation that has dedicated violence, important harm, intensive legal harm, and as I say, it has met the exams as set out underneath the Terrorism Act to be proscribed.
Starmer ‘gravely involved’ about focusing on of journalists in Gaza
Prime minister Keir Starmer is “gravely involved” concerning the repeated focusing on of journalists in Gaza, his spokesperson stated on Monday, after 5 reporters have been killed in an Israeli airstrike.
Israel’s navy stated it focused and killed outstanding Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al Sharif, alleging he had headed a Hamas militant cell and was concerned in rocket assaults on Israel.
Al Jazeera, which is funded by the Qatari authorities, rejected the assertion, and earlier than his loss of life, Al Sharif had additionally rejected such claims by Israel.
“We’re gravely involved by the repeated focusing on of journalists in Gaza,” Starmer’s spokesperson informed reporters.
“Reporters protecting conflicts are afforded safety underneath worldwide humanitarian legislation, and journalists should be capable of report independently, with out concern, and Israel should guarantee journalists can perform their work safely.”
Requested concerning the declare that one of many journalists was linked to Hamas, Starmer’s spokesperson stated: “That needs to be investigated totally and independently, however we’re gravely involved by the repeated focusing on of journalists”.
Donald Trump “clearly does respect ladies” however the US president can typically seem as a “little bit of a chauvinist”, Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin has stated.
Requested about whether or not Reform UK had discovered itself “aligning” with Trump, Pochin informed the PA information company: “This social gathering is just not aligned with Donald Trump.
“Donald Trump does what he does over the pond, and we do what we do.
“And when Nigel [Farage] turns into the prime minister in 2029, then you will notice a Reform authorities which is dedicated to the protection and the safety of girls and women on this nation.
“And the opposite factor I might say is, Donald Trump definitely comes throughout at instances, once I take a look at him by means of the tv or the media, as probably a little bit of a chauvinist, or no matter.
“However take a look at his group. I imply, his press secretary [Karoline Leavitt] is superior – can’t keep in mind her title – however he has a variety of very senior ladies in his group.
“So truly, he clearly does respect ladies and promotes ladies in his group, as Nigel may be very a lot doing, as you’ve seen in the present day, with 4 senior ladies internet hosting this press convention.”
A-level leads to England anticipated to return to close pre-pandemic ranges
Richard Adams
Richard Adams is the Guardian’s training editor
College students in England are anticipated to obtain A-level grades which are nearer to regular for the primary time for the reason that Covid pandemic triggered faculty closures and examination cancellations.
The grades will extra carefully resemble these given out in 2019, earlier than the pandemic, with the proportion of A* to E grades linked to nationwide outcomes from the GCSE exams taken by the identical pupils two years in the past.
Whereas many of the college students who sat A-levels this spring have been affected by pandemic disruption throughout their early years at secondary faculty, they would be the first group to have gone by means of their examination years with out main turbulence …
Faculty leavers in England hoping to go to school have acquired increased numbers of provides as establishments have aggressively sought to fill locations after a downturn in worldwide functions.
Universities normally provide locations on undergraduate programs which are conditional on reaching sure A-level grades. However Mike Nicholson, director of recruitment, admissions and participation on the College of Cambridge, stated many universities would most likely be “wanting very fastidiously” at accepting candidates who narrowly failed to realize the required grades.
Nicholson stated:
If the scholar, as an illustration, wanted three As [and] will get AAB, so long as the B is just not in one thing that’s completely essential for the course, I feel there’s a really sturdy chance the scholar would discover they’d be getting a spot.
You may learn the total story right here:
Talking forward of A-level outcomes day on Thursday, Bridget Phillipson stated it was a “nationwide shame” that so many younger folks – particularly white working-class pupils – have been unable to get the required grades for college.
Phillipson stated:
It’s a nationwide shame that so many younger persons are written off and don’t get what they should obtain and thrive.
Far too many younger folks, notably white working-class British college students, don’t get the examination outcomes that they want at GCSE or A-level to permit them to proceed onto college.
Fewer than a fifth (18.6%) of white British pupils eligible without cost faculty meals achieved not less than a grade 5 – which is taken into account a “sturdy move” – of their English and maths GCSEs in 2023-24, in contrast with 45.9% of all state faculty pupils in England, based on Division for Schooling (DfE) knowledge.
The Telegraph additionally reviews that the DfE will publish knowledge displaying faculty suspension and exclusion ranges amongst white working-class pupils for the primary time underneath new reforms.
Schooling secretary able to ‘redouble efforts’ to chop down on faculty absences
The training secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has reaffirmed her dedication to attempt to cut back the variety of kids lacking lessons at faculties.
Writing in the Daily Telegraph, she stated progress was being made, albeit slowly, regardless of authorities figures displaying the variety of kids in England who missed not less than half of their lessons rose to almost 150,000 final autumn.
There have been requires better funding in psychological well being assist for kids who’re affected by anxiousness and despair and it’s broadly thought that prime unattendance ranges are partly a product of the pandemic and its lockdowns.
The federal government has been accused of not correctly investing in focused assist and being too centered on slogans quite than concrete motion.
After taking on as training secretary final July, Phillipson confirmed plans for unauthorised vacation fines to rise from £60 to £80. This enhance got here into impact in August 2024.
New “attendance hubs” have been launched to assist cut back persistent faculty absences, together with free breakfast golf equipment that are supposed to enhance pupil absence and attainment over the long run.
However since Covid each authorised absences for sickness and unauthorised absences have remained stubbornly excessive.
“Reversing the dangerous attitudes in direction of faculty attendance is not going to occur in a single day. However we’re starting to make progress,” Phillipson wrote within the Telegraph on Monday.
“Now could be the time to redouble our efforts to get extra kids again by means of the college gates.”
“It’s the place they study the habits that may form them all through life. It’s the place the constructing blocks of a wholesome society are laid,” she wrote.
Jail inhabitants of England and Wales jumps to its highest quantity in almost a yr
The jail inhabitants in England and Wales has ballooned over recent decades, primarily due to longer sentences and court backlogs.
Final yr, 1000’s of prisoners have been launched early in an emergency effort to cope with jail overcrowding.
The federal government lately accepted suggestions made in David Gauke’s sentencing review, together with curbing the usage of quick custodial sentences, which might see as much as 10,000 fewer folks despatched to jail over the following three years. However these measures will take time to develop into laws.
Within the meantime, the jail inhabitants of England and Wales has apparently continued to rise.
A complete of 88,238 folks have been in jail as of 11 August, up 231 on the earlier week and an increase of greater than 1,200 previously two months, according to data published by the Ministry of Justice on Monday.
The entire is now simply 283 beneath the file excessive of 88,521, which was set on 6 September 2024 within the aftermath of final summer season’s dysfunction in cities and cities throughout components of the nation.
Motoring teams have welcomed the federal government’s new highway security plans however, as my colleague Kevin Rawlinson notes in this story, are urging ministers to go additional with measures they consider might shield youthful drivers and their passengers.
“The time has come for a daring and proactive method to highway security. This technique is way overdue as highway deaths have plateaued over the past decade,” stated the AA’s president, Edmund King.
“We consider these new measures is not going to solely modernise our method to saving lives but additionally present renewed momentum in making our roads safer for everybody.”
Imaginative and prescient checks for older drivers and focusing on drink and drug drivers have been “sensible steps that may make an actual distinction”, he stated. However failing to introduce limits on new drivers transporting peer-age passengers for six months was “a significant oversight”, he added.
Nicholas Lyes, the director of coverage and requirements on the highway security charity IAM RoadSmart, stated:
Given progress on decreasing deadly and severe collisions has stalled in recent times, we welcome the UK authorities’s ambition to publish an up to date highway security technique with the reported measures being a step in the correct course.
Whereas many drivers over the age of 70 are protected and competent, well being points and confidence can have an effect on driving skills, so it’s wise to evaluate whether or not adjustments should be made.
We might additionally assist decreasing the drink-drive restrict in England and Wales, alongside measures to focus on drug-driving. Nonetheless, these would require considerably extra backing for roads policing groups to successfully implement new legal guidelines.
UK highway security push might see necessary eye exams for older drivers
Regardless of it being the summer season recess, there was a flurry of political exercise over the latest days and weeks.
The newest reported proposal sees over 70s going through the prospect of being banned from the roads in the event that they fail obligatory eye exams.
The measures, first reported by The Times, will probably function in a brand new highway security technique set to be printed by the federal government later this yr.
They arrive amid concern concerning the variety of folks being killed or significantly injured on Britain’s roads.
Final yr, 1,633 folks have been killed and nearly 28,000 significantly injured in site visitors incidents, and numbers have remained comparatively fixed after a big fall between 2000 and 2010.
Beneath the plans being thought of by the transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, the drink-drive restrict in England and Wales may very well be minimize from 35 micrograms of alcohol a 100ml of breath to 22 micrograms.
This determine could be in keeping with Scotland, which minimize its drink-drive restrict in 2014, and the remainder of Europe, the place no different nation has a restrict as excessive as that in England and Wales.
The UK can be one in all solely three European nations to depend on self-reporting of eyesight issues that have an effect on driving, main ministers to think about obligatory eye exams each three years for drivers aged over 70 and a driving ban for individuals who fail. You may learn extra on the proposals here.
Extra nations added to UK’s ‘deport first’ scheme for overseas criminals
In different information, a hostile atmosphere period deportation coverage is being expanded by Labour as the federal government continues to attempt to restrict the menace from Reform by speaking and appearing toughly on migration.
Overseas criminals from 15 extra nations, together with India, Bulgaria and Australia, face deportation earlier than they’ve an opportunity to enchantment towards the choice to take away them, in a widening of the federal government’s “deport first, enchantment later” scheme.
This brings the overall affected nations to 23 (you may learn the federal government’s press launch here for a full checklist and our write up and evaluation of the coverage here).
The scheme, which was launched by the Conservatives in 2014 and applies to England and Wales, permits the UK to deport offenders who’ve had a human rights declare towards their elimination rejected, with any appeals heard from overseas over a video hyperlink.
Beforehand, offenders from these nations might keep within the UK whereas their circumstances went by means of the appeals system, a course of that would usually take a very long time.
Officers have stated growing deportations will assist ease strain on overcrowded prisons. However figures from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) from the top of June recommend there are presently simply 772 prisoners from the 15 new nations coated by “deport now, enchantment later”.
The transfer comes after a separate announcement by the MoJ over the weekend that overseas criminals can now be deported as quickly as they’re despatched to jail in a bid to fight the overcrowding disaster.
My colleagues Henry Dyer and Rob Evans solely revealed final week that Richard Dannatt, a former head of the British military and a member of the Home of Lords, urged ministers to crack down on Palestine Motion on the request of a US defence firm that employs him as an adviser. Right here is an extract from their story:
Richard Dannatt wrote privately to 2 separate Dwelling Workplace ministers asking them to handle the “menace” posed by the group after its activists focused a manufacturing unit in 2022.
The activists precipitated intensive harm to the manufacturing unit which is run by Teledyne, a US multinational that sells technology for navy, aerospace and different functions. Lord Dannatt has been a paid adviser to the corporate since 2022.
Dannatt’s involvement after the assault on the manufacturing unit in Wales led to allegations heard later in court docket that the peer was “searching for to affect” the legal investigation into the Palestine Motion activists.
As we mentioned in the opening post, the Metropolitan police, a power underneath big budgetary and useful resource strain, arrested a complete of 532 folks on Saturday on the largest demonstration regarding Palestine Motion for the reason that group was proscribed final month.
Detained protesters have been taken to prisoner processing factors within the Westminster space.
These whose particulars may very well be confirmed have been launched on bail to look at a police station at a future date.
The Met stated 522 folks have been held for displaying an merchandise in assist of a proscribed organisation, and there have been an extra 10 arrests, six for assaults on officers, two for breaching Public Order Act situations, one arrest for obstructing a constable within the execution of their obligation, and one for a racially aggravated public order offence.
Anybody displaying assist for Palestine Motion ‘will really feel the total power of the legislation’, justice minister says
Good morning and welcome to our reside protection of UK politics.
The federal government has defended its controversial proscription of protest group Palestine Motion, with the justice minister, Alex Davies-Jones, saying supporters of a “terrorist organisation will really feel the total power of the legislation”.
The feedback come after an enormous demonstration towards the proscription occurred in London over the weekend in which 532 people were arrested. The vast majority of these arrested, 348, have been aged 50 or over, based on official figures.
Responding to questions concerning the protest this morning on BBC Breakfast, Davies-Jones stated:
I need to thank the police for his or her bravery and their braveness in finishing up their diligent duties within the line of public safety, and I need to state that the correct to peacefully protest on this nation is a cornerstone of our democracy, and naturally, we respect that.
However almost about Palestine Motion, they’re a proscribed terrorist organisation and their actions haven’t been peaceable.
They’ve violently carried out legal harm to RAF plane. We have now credible reviews of them focusing on Jewish-owned companies right here in the UK, and there are different causes which we will’t disclose due to nationwide safety.
However they’re a proscribed terrorist organisation and anybody displaying assist for that terrorist organisation will really feel the total power of the legislation.
The house secretary, Yvette Cooper, proscribed Palestine Action last month underneath the Terrorism Act after activists precipitated an estimated £7m of harm to jets on the RAF Brize Norton navy base in Oxfordshire.
It made membership of or assist for it a legal offence, punishable by as much as 14 years in jail.
The federal government justifies the ban by saying it narrowly targets a gaggle that has been organising severe criminality.
However critics say the ban is a draconian clampdown on freedom of expression and is the newest erosion of civil liberties which were introduced in underneath successive governments.
Palestine Motion is interesting towards the ban after a High Court ruling on 30 July gave it permission to take action. We can have extra on Palestine Motion shortly.
Here’s what else is on the agenda for the remainder of the day:
11am: Reform UK press convention.
11.30am: Foyer briefing with the prime minister’s spokesperson, who will probably be requested concerning the extent of the UK’s involvement in the Trump-Putin Ukraine summit in Alaska on Friday.
Late morning: Kemi Badenoch, the chief of the opposition, visits East Anglia to spotlight native considerations about the usage of asylum inns.
