Category Archives: prime minister

‘Shockingly Cruel’: Fury As Rishi Sunak Gives In To Tory Right On Migrant Deportations

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Rishi Sunak’s move to ignore human rights judges on migrant deportations has been slammed as “shockingly cruel”.

The prime minister has reportedly caved to Tory rebels and agreed to amend his controversial Illegal Migration Bill so ministers can ignore European judges.

Conservative backbenchers said they reached a deal with Sunak to change new rules to remove migrants arriving on small boats after threatening to revolt over the legislation.

However, the move has sparked a fierce backlash from experts who say it will undermine the rule of law.

Human rights group Liberty described the move as “pathetic political chess playing”, adding: “This shockingly cruel and shameful move will allow the government to knowingly commit human rights abuses and put people in harm’s way.

“A new low, even by the standards of this government for whom lows come thick and fast.

“Reported edits to the government’s Migration Bill will allow ministers to ignore ‘interim measures’ from the European Court of Human Rights that ground deportation flight.

“The court only makes these measures to urgently protect people from irreversible harm – like torture or death.

“Protecting people isn’t controversial. This is the government knowingly putting people’s lives at risk for cheap political points.”

Among the measures reportedly agreed is a plan to give the home secretary powers to disregard injunctions from the European Court of Human Rights – so-called Rule 39 orders.

A former Lord Chief Justice and the Law Society of England and Wales have also expressed concern.

Lord Thomas, a cross-bench peer who headed the judiciary between 2013 and 2017, warned that the proposals could face defeat in the Lords, and that such a move would set “an extraordinarily bad example”.

“I think it is a very serious step for the government to be contemplating putting into force,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

Defending the principle of the European Court of Human Rights, he said the fact of interim decisions in some cases “does not in any way detract from the importance of a judgment being made by a court”.

“Many people would say having the power to ignore a court order is something – unless the circumstances were quite extraordinary – this is a step a government should never take because it is symbolic of a breach of the rule of law.”

Richard Atkinson, the deputy vice-president of the Law Society of England and Wales, said he was concerned that the UK was heading towards a “clear and serious breach of international law”.

The bill has proved hugely controversial with critics warning it leaves the UK foul of its international obligations and right-wing Tories arguing it does not go far enough.

More moderate Tory MPs want the prime minister to commit to establishing safe routes via which asylum seekers can come to Britain.

The bill is aimed at changing the law to make it clear people arriving in the UK illegally will not be able to remain in the country.

A government spokesperson said: “The prime minister and home secretary are focused on delivering the five priorities for 2023 – halving inflation, growing the economy, reducing debt, cutting waiting lists and stopping the boats.

“While we have been clear there is no silver bullet, our Stop the Boats Bill will ensure anyone arriving illegally will be detained and swiftly removed, ending the unfair practice of people skipping the queue.”

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Exclusive: Suella Braverman Admits Immigration Crackdown May Not Be Legal

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Suella Braverman has admitted her immigration crackdown may break international law.

In a letter to MPs, seen by HuffPost UK, the home secretary admitted parts of her plan to stop small boats might be “incompatible” with the European Convention on Human Rights.

Braverman said there is a more than 50% chance her new plan to stop small boats will be compatible with the Human Rights Act.

She formally unveiled her plan in the Commons on Tuesday, saying new legislation will remove asylum seekers and ban them from re-entry if they arrive through unauthorised means.

However, she suggested the plans were still being drawn up as she refused to address the bill’s “full legal complexities”. Braverman went on to say the nation’s “finest legal minds” continue to be involved in its “development”.

In her letter to MPs, Braverman said: “Our approach is robust and novel, which is why I’ve made a statement under Section 19(1)(b) of the Human Rights Act 1998.

“This does not mean that the provisions in the bill are incompatible with the Convention rights, only that there is a more [than] 50% chance that they may not be.

“We are testing the limits but remain confident that this bill is compatible with international law.”

In the Commons, Braverman also refused to make a “definitive statement of compatibility” of her legislation under the Human Rights Act.

“Of course the UK will always seek to uphold international law and I am confident that this bill is compatible with international obligations,” she told the Commons.

Ministers are under pressure from some Tory hardliners to leave the ECHR.

Former levelling up secretary Simon Clarke asked if Braverman’s legislation is frustrated by the ECHR if she would commit to leave it: “Because leave it we must, if in the end this legislation is forestalled.”

Despite Tory MPs welcoming the plan in the Commons, HuffPost UK understands a number of them privately believe it is unworkable.

Earlier this morning former justice secretary Sir Robert Buckland said he had received assurances that the “government isn’t seeking to break international law” but he agreed the proposals will almost certainly become tied up in the courts.

Labour’s shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper branded the bill a “con” and described the plans as “Groundhog Day”.

The bill allows the detention of illegal arrivals without bail or judicial review within the first 28 days of detention, until they can be removed.

It also places a duty on the home secretary to remove illegal entrants and it will “radically narrow the number of challenges and appeals that can suspend removal”.

The bill will also introduce an annual cap, to be decided by Parliament, on the number of refugees the UK will offer sanctuary to through safe and legal routes.

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Labour Increases Poll Lead Over The Tories To 28 Points

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The Labour Party is a whopping 28 points ahead of the Conservatives, according to a fresh poll.

A YouGov voting intention survey shows the Tories on just 22% of the vote – down two points from their previous survey on 8-9 February.

The pollster found Labour on 50% of the vote – an increase of three points from their last poll.

Elsewhere, the Lib Dems have 9% of the vote (-1), while the Greens have 6% (no change) and Reform UK have 7% of the vote (+1).

While polls should always be treated with caution, Labour supporters celebrated the latest figures.

Critics pointed out that the survey contained many in the 24 to 49-year-old age bracket.

However, it follows two other polls published in the last 48-hours that have put Labour well ahead of the Tories.

A Deltapoll survey found Labour on a 22 point lead while a Redfield & Wilton poll put them on a 27 point lead.

According to the YouGov poll, Keir Starmer’s lead over Rishi Sunak has also increased to 13 points.

Participants were asked which party leader would make the best prime minister. Starmer is on 34% of the vote (+1) while Sunak is on 21% (-4).

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‘Taxes Are Private Matters,’ Foreign Secretary Says Over Nadhim Zahawi ‘Error’

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James Cleverly has insisted that tax affairs are “private matters” during a grilling over the finances of the Tory party chairman.

The foreign secretary stressed that Nadhim Zahawi made a “careless error” after it was revealed he paid a settlement to HM Revenue & Customs in relation to a shareholding in YouGov.

Zahawi is under pressure over allegations that he tried to avoid tax and has now had to pay it back as part of a multi-million pound settlement.

Cleverly said he did not know the size of the tax settlement with HMRC or whether Zahawi paid a penalty.

“I don’t know more than is in his statement,” Cleverly said.

Pressed on whether Zahawi should reveal more information, Cleverly said: “People’s taxes are private matters. I know that as politicians we, quite rightly, are expected to have a higher level of disclosure than perhaps other people might do.

“Nadhim has issued a statement where he has admitted that he made a careless error, that this is now resolved.”

Cleverly also swerved questions over whether Zahawi negotiated his tax settlement while he was chancellor, or what Rishi Sunak knew when he appointed him party chairman.

“I’m not an investigator,” he added when it was put to him that he was there to speak on behalf of the government.

Asked whether Zahawi will survive in his role until Wednesday, Cleverly said: “What else am I going to say other than yes, because he’s a very, very effective minister.”

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly faced a grilling
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly faced a grilling

Zahawi, who attends Sunak’s Cabinet, released a statement to “address some of the confusion about my finances”.

However, the statement raised further questions, including whether Zahawi negotiated the settlement when he was chancellor and in charge of the country’s taxation.

Claims started emerging when Zahawi was made chancellor by Boris Johnson last summer, with reports suggesting Cabinet Office officials had alerted the then-prime minister to the HMRC dispute.

Zahawi did not disclose the size of the settlement – reported to be an estimated £4.8 million including a 30% penalty – or confirm whether he paid a fine.

Tax lawyer Dan Neidle, who has been working to expose the minister’s tax affairs, estimated that he owed £3.7 million.

In an unusual move, Zahawi did not take founder shares when he set up YouGov, saying in his statement that his father took shares “in exchange for some capital and his invaluable guidance”.

He continued: “Twenty one years later, when I was being appointed chancellor of the Exchequer, questions were being raised about my tax affairs. I discussed this with the Cabinet Office at the time.

“Following discussions with HMRC, they agreed that my father was entitled to founder shares in YouGov, though they disagreed about the exact allocation. They concluded that this was a ‘careless and not deliberate’ error.

“So that I could focus on my life as a public servant, I chose to settle the matter and pay what they said was due, which was the right thing to do.”

He added that the matter was resolved and that all his tax affairs were “up to date” when he was appointed Tory party chairman by Sunak in October.

But the prime minister is facing questions over what he knew about the matter and when, as well as calls to sack Zahawi.

Sunak’s promise of a premiership of “integrity” was already thrown into disarray this week after he was fined by police for not wearing a seatbelt and criticised for the allocation of levelling-up funding.

Downing Street said it had nothing to add to Zahawi’s statement and confirmed that the prime minister had confidence in him as Tory chairman.

Opposition parties have demanded an independent probe as well as the publication of all of Zahawi’s correspondence with HMRC.

Labour party chairwoman Anneliese Dodds said Sunak needs to remove Zahawi as party chair, adding: “Zahawi still needs to explain when he became aware of the investigation, and if he was chancellor and in charge of our tax system at the time.

“He needs to explain why his legal representatives said his affairs were up to date in December last year only for him to settle a million-pound fine this month.”

Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “Zahawi and his Conservative Cabinet colleagues are arrogantly trying to brush this under the carpet.

“There are facts that still need to be established so there must be an independent investigation to get to the bottom of this.”

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‘Life And Limb Must Come First’ – Grant Shapps Defends Controversial Anti-Strikes Bill

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Grant Shapps today said “life and limb must come first” as he defended a controversial new anti-strike bill.

The Business Secretary was promoting the new law aimed at ensuring a minimum level of service in crucial sectors during industrial action.

Shapps said the government want to end “forever strikes” and argued that the government’s legislation would bring the UK “into line” with other European countries.

The move has sparked threats of legal challenges, while Labour has said it would likely repeal the legislation.

The bill will be introduced to parliament on Tuesday afternoon, a day after crisis talks between ministers and unions failed to resolve industrial disputes involving nurses, teachers and rail workers.

Shapps told GB News: “I’ll be introducing a minimum safety level bill, which will sort of say, ‘look, we will never withdraw the right to strike from people but when there are strikes on life and limb must come first, and there has to be a minimum safety standard put in place for that’.”

He added: “We don’t really ever want to have to use that legislation.

“In those most recent strikes, the Royal College of Nursing, the nurses, agreed a set national level of support.

“Unfortunately, we couldn’t get there with ambulances across the country, meaning there was a bit of a postcode lottery as to whether an ambulance would turn up in the case of something serious, like a heart attack or a stroke.

“We can’t have that, so common sense tells us that we need to have minimum safety levels.”

Health Secretary Steve Barclay is considering backdating next year’s NHS staff pay increase to prevent further strikes.

He suggested that improvements in efficiency could “unlock additional funding”, leading to an increased offer for the 2023/24 pay settlement in the spring.

Sara Gorton, from Unison, said there had been an “acknowledgement” that avoiding strikes would “involve a reach-back” into the current pay year.

It raises the prospect that the pay deal for 2023/24, which is due to be agreed in time for April, could be backdated and applied to the final quarter of the 2022/23 financial year.

Ministers have previously refused to discuss wages for nurses and other public-sector workers, insisting those were matters for the independent pay review bodies.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak will chair his first Cabinet meeting of in 2023 on Tuesday morning.

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2022 Review: A Look Back At A Year When Politics Went Mad

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Every year in British politics is now almost always weirder than the last. But surely 2022 – which saw the country rattle through three prime ministers – will be peak stupid?

Below is a quick rundown of some, if not all, of the bonkers moments of the last year. May it rest in peace.

January

At the start of the year, Boris Johnson was prime minister and under intense pressure over the partygate scandal. On January 12, he admitted had actually attended a No.10 garden event during lockdown. Having previously insisted no rules were broken in Downing Street.

February – Jimmy Savile smear

Johnson spent the first few days of February doubling down on a discredited smear that Keir Starmer failed to prosecute Jimmy Savile. The then prime minister made the allegation during heated Commons debate over the Sue Gray report into partygate. The false claim led Munira Mirza, his policy chief, to resign.

March – Boris’ Russia links

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine saw the British government rollout sanctions on people close to Vladimir Putin’s regime. Johnson himself came under pressure to explain his links to prominent Russians including former KGB agent Alexander Lebedev and Lubov Chernukhin, the wealthy Tory donor and wife of a former Russian minister. Dominic Raab explained it away as the PM simply being “very social”.

April – Partygate fines

On April 12, Johnson was handed a fixed penalty notice by the police for breaking his own Covid lockdown rules. It was the first time a sitting prime minister was found to have broken the law. Despite this, he did not resign.

May – Tractorgate

Tory Neil Parish formally resigned from parliament after he admitted watching porn on his phone in the Commons. Twice. The Tiverton and Honiton MP said it had been a “moment of madness” as he initially was innocently looking at pictures of tractors. Easy mixup.

June – Blue wall blues

On June 23 by-elections were held in the Tory seats of Tiverton and Honiton and Wakefield. The party lost the former to the Lib Dems and the latter to Labour. Ed Davey celebrated his party’s victory with a classically stupid stunt. The double by-election loss did little to settle the nerves of Tory MPs about Johnson’s leadership.

July – Bye bye Boris

After a wave of resignations finally triggered by the Chris Pincher scandal, Johnson resigned as prime minister on July 7. Yet the previous day he had been determined to cling on. The farce was captured live on TV as he was told a delegation of cabinet ministers was at that very moment in No.10 waiting to tell him to quit. The group included very loyal Nadhim Zahawi, who Johnson had promoted to chancellor 24-hours earlier.

Johnson’s resignation triggered a months long Tory leadership contest which included so many idiotic moments it has its own list here.

August – The lady’s not for turning

Perhaps the, highlight, of the contest was Liz Truss announcing plans to pay workers living in cheaper areas of the country less than their counterparts in places like London and the South East.

Tory MPs were livid, with one describing it as “austerity on steroids”. Truss complained there had been a “wilful misrepresentation” of the plan by the media. There had not. Quickly U-turning on the proposal, Truss said it showed she was “honest and decisive”. Perhaps the signs were there all along.

September – Trussonomics

Truss hit the ground as prime minister on September 6. Her tenure lasted 49 days, during which time the Queen died, her mini-Budget caused the markets to have a panic attack and Tory poll ratings cratered. In a boost for Global Britain, the race for survival between her and the Daily Star’s lettuce became international news.

October – Rishi v Boris

Rishi Sunak succeeded Truss as prime minister on October 26, having lost out to her in the contest to takeover from Johnson. But over the course of a crazy weekend at the start of the month, Johnson flew home from his Caribbean holiday to try and stage a dramatic comeback as PM. Before then dropping out of the race in the face over overwhelming opposition from Tory MPs.

November – Hancock in the jungle

As health secretary Matt Hancock helped lead the country through its biggest crisis since WWII. In November 2022 he decided it was a good idea to join ITV’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here. He promptly had the party whip withdrawn and everyone else had to listen to constant jokes about him eating testicles.

December – normal service resumed?

The final month of 2022 in Westminster was somewhat stable when it came to nonsense, as the government grappled with strikes, inflation and the war in Ukraine. This could signal 2023 will be more serious if not calmer. But let’s not count on it.

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Boris Johnson Pulls Out Of Race To Be Prime Minister

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Boris Johnson has ruled himself out of running for the Tory leadership, despite claiming he had the support required to do so.

The former prime minister said he had “much to offer” but that now was “simply not the right time”.

Johnson said he was “well placed” to deliver a Tory win at the next general election but suggested it would be hard to govern a disunited party.

“You can’t govern effectively unless you have a united party in parliament,” he said.

He also confirmed that he had appealed to the other two candidates – Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt – but they had not been able to work out a deal.

Johnson pulled out just a few hours after his campaign team told supporters they had secured the 100 nominations needed from MPs to get on the ballot paper.

A number of cabinet ministers, including Jacob Rees-Mogg and Nadhim Zahawi, had backed their former boss.

One reason why the former PM may have decided not to run is that he is facing an inquiry into whether he lied to the Commons over the partygate scandal.

If found guilty by the Commons Privileges Committee, he could face recall proceedings that would leave him battling for his seat in the Commons if he receives a suspension of 10 days or more.

Former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak.
Former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak.

DANIEL LEAL via Getty Images

It now looks increasingly likely that former chancellor Sunak is heading for No.10 and will be Britain’s next prime minister.

In a statement, Johnson said: “In the last few days I have been overwhelmed by the number of people who suggested that I should once again contest the Conservative Party leadership, both among the public and among friends and colleagues in Parliament.

“I have been attracted because I led our party into a massive election victory less than three years ago – and I believe I am therefore uniquely placed to avert a general election now.

“A general election would be a further disastrous distraction just when the government must focus on the economic pressures faced by families across the country.

“I believe I am well placed to deliver a Conservative victory in 2024 – and tonight I can confirm that I have cleared the very high hurdle of 102 nominations, including a proposer and a seconder, and I could put my nomination in tomorrow.

“There is a very good chance that I would be successful in the election with Conservative Party members – and that I could indeed be back in Downing Street on Friday.

Penny Mordaunt.
Penny Mordaunt.

ISABEL INFANTES via Getty Images

“But in the course of the last days I have sadly come to the conclusion that this would simply not be the right thing to do. You can’t govern effectively unless you have a united party in parliament.

“And though I have reached out to both Rishi and Penny – because I hoped that we could come together in the national interest – we have sadly not been able to work out a way of doing this.

“Therefore I am afraid the best thing is that I do not allow my nomination to go forward and commit my support to whoever succeeds. I believe I have much to offer but I am afraid that this is simply not the right time.”

A source close to Rishi Sunak said: “We are not taking anything for granted. Rishi will be continuing to talk to colleagues tomorrow morning before nomination papers go in, and discussing how best to unite the party and take the country forward.”

A Mordaunt campaign source said: “Penny is still running to be the leader of the Conservative Party.

“Penny is the unifying candidate who is most likely to keep the wings of the Conservative Party together and polling shows that she is the most likely candidate to hold onto the seats the Conservative Party gained in 2019.

“Ed Balls, shadow cabinet ministers and Labour advisers have all said Penny is the candidate Keir Starmer fears the most.”

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