Markus Andrews

Voters in Malta will elect a new Parliament in a few weeks in balloting that will also decide the island nation’s next government. During a political event on Sunday, Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela announced that the election will be held on March 26 in the European Union nation. He said he will advise the Maltese president to dissolve Parliament to clear the way for the election.The Labour Party has been in power since 2013, after winning back-to-back elections. The Nationalists are Malta’s other main political party. The government’s five-year-term was set to end in June.In the last election in 2017, Labour triumphed by taking 55% of the votes.This balloting will be the first time that both the prime minister and his political opponent who leads the Nationalist Party will contest an election as heads of their political parties.Abela replaced Joseph Muscat as Labour Party leader and prime minister in January 2020. Muscat stepped down in the wake of protests that erupted after the arrest of businessman Yorgen Fenech in connection with the car bomb assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who investigated corruption and ties between business and politicians in Malta.Fenech was involved in a major power station deal with the government. Last August, an indictment was issued against Fenech on charges of complicity in the journalist’s murder. The case is ongoing. Heading the Nationalist Party is Bernard Grech, who took over in October 2020 after the party was plagued by internal divisions.In the last five years, opinion polls have showed the Labour Party comfortably ahead of their rivals. The same polls also found a substantial number of undecided voters.Recent political scandals swirling around Abela or his government might affect the mood of voters. One of the scandals centered on Abela’s 2018 work as a lawyer on a property deal that allegedly could have been used as a legal loophole to avoid taxes. Abela has written off such scandal news as “political spin” by opponents. In a possible boost to Labour’s fortunes, Malta’s economic prospects look bright. According to the European Commission’s economic forecast, its economy is expected to grow 6% this year, the highest percentage among EU nations. More

The planned tightening of the benefits system is “deeply concerning” and could have “serious negative consequences” on claimants’ mental health, according to a leading body representing psychologists in the UK.The warning from the British Psychological Society (BPS) comes after work and pensions secretary Therese Coffey last month hailed a new government target to get 500,000 jobseekers back into work by June.Under the existing benefits rules, individuals claiming universal credit while looking for work are given three months to find a job in their preferred sector – or face the possibility of sanctions.But under changes expected to be ushered in next month, claimants will have to apply for roles outside their area after just four weeks. They risk having their benefits cut if they are deemed not to be making “reasonable efforts” to secure a job in any sector.Ms Coffey said the move would ensure people can get “any job now” while critics warned it would force some skilled workers to accept insecure, short-term employment.In a statement to The Independent, the British Psychological Society (BPS), said the decision by the government to reduce the time limit is “deeply concerning, and could have serious negative consequences on claimants’ mental health”.Sarb Bajwa, the organisation’s chief executive, added: “The effects of poverty can reduce individuals’ ability to improve their own circumstances. That is why people looking for jobs need all the help they can get to find suitable employment to help lift them out of poverty, not punitive measures that fail to appreciate the complexities of why they might be out of work and struggling to find a job.“We know that many people struggle to find fulfilling employment due to mental health difficulties, and that proper support can help people with mental health problems live independent and fulfilling lives.”He added that the benefits system should be designed to support vulnerable individuals and “must not cause or exacerbate psychological harm and distress”.Announcing the new Way to Work scheme, Ms Coffey said “helping people to get any job now means they can get a better job and progress into a career.“Way to Work is a step change in our offer to claimants and employers, making sure our job centre network and excellent work coaches can deliver opportunities, jobs and prosperity to all areas of the country.”Labour’s Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow work and pensions secretary, described the changes heralded by Ms Coffey as a “complete misunderstanding of what’s really happening in the labour market”.“Those out of work for long term sickness, including ill mental health, is already at a twenty year high and this ill-thought-through gimmick will do little to truly support those who need tailored help find good jobs,” he told The Independent.It remains to be seen whether the changes will have an impact on the sanction rate, but last month the government also faced criticism for blocking an evaluation into the effectiveness of the sanctions regime commissioned three years ago.The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) claimed the research did not “represent a comprehensive picture of sanctions”.A spokesperson for DWP said: “As part of the way to work campaign, our work coaches will provide tailored, individual support, taking into account mental and physical health when agreeing work requirements.“The intention isn’t to force people into unsuitable work but to encourage people to take up available roles that they are capable of, as we know work is good for mental wellbeing and the best way for people to improve their lives and support their families. People are at least £6,000 better off in full time work than on benefits.” More

Conservative Party donors are being put on a secret “advisory council” with access to ministers and advisors in return for large donations, it has been revealed.The Sunday Times reports that property tycoons, hedge fund managers, and a Russian banker are among a secret club of donors to be given access to government.The board has 14 regular members, most of whom have given at least £250,000 to the Tory party as part of a supposedly “transactional arrangement”, the newspaper says.The members of the board have a combined wealth of at least £30bn when their companies and families are taken into account.In total the group, which includes four billionaires, have donated £22m to the Tory party, £10m of which came under Mr Johnson’s leadership.Members invited to advisory board meetings reportedly used their access to lobby the government directly on Covid-19 strategy and procurement, and received help and advice applying for public appointments. Others are said to have lobbied against higher taxes for the ultra-rich.A Conservative spokesperson said: “We can confirm that, on occasion, senior Conservative politicians, just like senior Labour and Liberal Democrat politicians, do in fact attempt to raise funds for the party they represent.”Anneliese Dodds, chair of the Labour Party, said: “These revelations raise serious national security questions about the cash-for-access culture that Boris Johnson has created at the heart of government.“The prime minister appointed Ben Elliot as co-chair of the Conservative Party, he sanctioned the creation of a secret club of super-rich donors that gets privileged access to ministers, and he has chosen time and again to turn a blind eye to unacceptable conflicts of interest. This is on him.“Boris Johnson must explain what donors with links to Putin’s Russia got in return for their six-figure annual membership fee and clarify whether these meetings had any impact on government policy at the height of the pandemic.” More

A Russian invasion of Ukraine is “very, very highly likely and very, very imminent” a UK foreign minister has said.Speaking on Sunday morning James Cleverly said Vladimir Putin’s government was getting “more aggressive” and “more belligerent”.His comments come as Boris Johnson said such a conflict “could be the biggest war in Europe” since the Second World War.Mr Clevely’s assessment contrasts with that of the German chancellor Olaf Scholz, who on Saturday said the Kremlin had signalled that it was open to dialogue. Mr Scholz and Mr Johnson had both attended the Munich Security conference where the issue was discussed.In an interview at the conference broadcast on Sunday morning Mr Johnson told the BBC’s Sunday Morning programme that economic sanctions against Russia might not be enough to stop an invasionHe added: “We have to accept at the moment that Vladimir Putin is possibly thinking illogically about this and doesn’t see the disaster ahead.”US president Joe Biden on Friday said he was “convinced” Mr Putin was preparing to order troops into Ukraine within days. Mr Johnson told the BBC that “evidence points to” the US assessment being correct.”The fact is that all the signs are that the plan has already in some senses begun,” Mr Johnson said.”That’s what our American friends think and you’re seeing these provocations now in Donbas – these explosions and so on – that we’ve been warning about for a long time.”The plan that we’re seeing is for something that could be the biggest war in Europe since 1945 just in terms of sheer scale.”Meanwhile Mr Cleverly, who is Europe minister at the FCDO told Sky News: “We’ve seen now more aggressive, more belligerent activity by Russia, we’re not seeing the things that we had hoped to see.”So, unfortunately, at the moment, an attack, an invasion seems far more likely than unlikely, but we will continue to work to try and avert that.”He added: “Everything that we see indicates that an invasion is very, very highly likely and very, very imminent, now we will continue working, every day that we can prevent this conflict is a good day at work.”So, we will continue working to try and avert conflict to let Russia know, to let Vladimir Putin know, that there will be significant consequences from the international community, including from the UK through sanctions.”Vladimir Putin has repeatedly denied he has any plans to invade Ukraine but has amassed around 150,000 troops on his country’s border with Ukraine. More

Households could have saved nearly £400 a year in bills during the energy crisis if the government had not scrapped a green policy on homes, according to new analysis.Data from the Liberal Democrats, seen by The Independent, increased this figure from previous estimates to reflect the rising cost of living.It found plans to make all new homes achieve net zero emissions would have shaved hundreds of pounds off household bills when another price cap increase will see them soar in spring. “This is yet another example of how acting sooner on climate change can save consumers money on their bills,” Chris Venables, head of politics at the Green Alliance think tank, told The Independent. The scrapped environmental rules would have prevented new houses from releasing a net amount of carbon into the atmosphere during day-to-day running. Among other factors, this would have been achieved through good energy efficiency – considered key to keeping bills, as well as emissions, down. The Zero Carbon Homes policy was scrapped in 2015, the year before it was due to kick in. A subsequent report estimated it would have saved recently built houses up to £200 a year on energy bills. New research from the House of Commons library, requested by the Lib Dems, said this figure will rise to up to £370 when household bills increase with the new price cap in April. Large family homes built after 2016 could have saved up to this amount under zero carbon homes rules, while the minimum savings were estimated at £265, according to the data. Bills could have been up to £220 a year less in terraced homes and up to £140 less in flats, the research suggests. Wera Hobhouse, the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for climate change and energy, said: “These figures lay bare the Conservatives’ failure in tackling the climate crisis and how their incompetence has worsened the cost of living crisis for so many people.”She added: “Hundreds of pounds have been slapped onto people’s bills by the Conservatives because of their short-sighted decision to scrap energy efficiency standards.”The Independent previously revealed around 800,000 new homes have been built to lower emission standards or without carbon offsets than otherwise have been mandated since. Mr Venables said: “The sooner the UK insulates its leaky housing stock, the sooner millions of Brits will be protected from volatile global fossil fuel markets and be less reliant on gas from Putin’s Russia.”Homes are estimated to account for around a fifth of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions.A Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities spokesperson said it rejected the analysis, claiming it “misunderstands the zero carbon homes policy” and does not take into account other government action. They said the policy involved carbon offsetting “rather than making homes zero carbon” and would have promided “limited benefits to consumers as it wouldn’t necessarily have increased the efficiency of their homes”. The spokesperson said the future homes standard, put forward for 2025, would deliver “genuinely zero carbon ready” homes.The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Standards has been approached for comment. More

Russia’s plan to invade Ukraine would lead to the largest conflict in Europe since the Second World War, the Prime Minister has warned.Boris Johnson said he wanted people to “understand the sheer cost in human life” that an incursion into Ukraine would bring, with casualties on both the Russian and Ukrainian sides, as he continued to urged Moscow to engage in peace talks.Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, meanwhile, used a separate interview to state that President Vladimir Putin “will not stop at Ukraine” as she argued he is looking to piece the Soviet Union back together.The comments came as Ukraine’s military said two soldiers died on Saturday as violence escalated in the east of the country between government forces and rebels.There are growing fears Russia could use the increase in tension in the separatist-held region as a pretext for an attack.The Prime Minister spent Saturday engaged in diplomatic efforts to avoid war as he warned the Kremlin during a speech at the Munich Security Conference of increased financial sanctions should Mr Putin order troops across the border.He also told broadcasters that he believed Mr Putin’s invasion plan was “in motion” with the aggression in the Donbas region potentially a “prelude to bigger action”.In other comments made while in Germany, Mr Johnson warned that the “sheer scale” of the offensive being prepared by Moscow had not been seen for almost 80 years. More

The legal requirement to self-isolate after testing positive for Covid-19 will end next week, Boris Johnson is set to announce.Downing Street said the prime minister will confirm the repeal of all of England’s pandemic regulations when he lays out his “living with Covid” plan on Monday.The PM is expected to say that the vaccination programme, testing, and other new treatments like anti-viral drugs can be relied on to keep people safe – and that infectious people will not be made to stay at home.“Covid will not suddenly disappear, and we need to learn to live with this virus and continue to protect ourselves without restricting our freedoms,” Mr Johnson said ahead of outlining his plan.“We’ve built up strong protections against this virus over the past two years through the vaccine rollouts, tests, new treatments and the best scientific understanding of what this virus can do.“Thanks to our successful vaccination programme and the sheer magnitude of people who have come forward to be jabbed, we are now in a position to set out our plan for living with Covid this week.”But Labour accused the prime minister of “declaring victory before the war is over” in an attempt to distract from Partygate lockdown rule breaking.No 10 said that by the end of the week, self-isolation regulations will be scrapped for those who test positive, as well as for their close contacts.Councils will be required to manage any localised outbreaks of Covid-19 in their areas with existing public health powers, as they would do with other infectious diseases.Downing Street said pharmaceutical interventions would “continue to be our first line of defence” and that the vaccine programme would remain “open to anyone who has not yet come forward”.“Government intervention in people’s lives can now finally end,” Downing Street said. Ninety-one per cent of the UK’s eligible population has had at least one dose of vaccine, with 85 per cent double vaccinated. As well, 38 million booster jabs have been administered. Officials said Monday’s “living with Covid” plan, as well as removing quarantine impositions, will maintain “resilience against future variants with ongoing surveillance capabilities”.This appears to suggest the government will retain state-funded infection sampling, following reports that such studies could be withdrawn as part of the plan.It comes after senior statistician Sir David Spiegelhalter argued that some form of the Office for National Statistics’s coronavirus study should remain in place.The Cambridge University professor, who is a non-executive director for the ONS and chairman of the advisory board for the Covid Infection Survey, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the results had been vital for deciding how to proceed in the pandemic.“It has been absolutely so important as we have gone along,” the professor said on Saturday.“It has been running since April 2020, and so, as I said, I do have a bias here but it is not just me – I think lots of people are saying how important it is, particularly the statistical community.”Wes Streeting, Labour’s shadow health secretary said: “Boris Johnson is declaring victory before the war is over, in an attempt to distract from the police knocking at his door. “Labour doesn’t want to see restrictions in place any longer than they need to be. The government should publish the evidence behind this decision, so the public can have faith that it is being made in the national interest. “Now is not the time to start charging for tests or weaken sick pay, when people are still being asked to behave responsibly.”Labour’s plan for learning to live well with Covid would prepare for new variants and secure our lives, livelihoods and liberties.” More

London’s transport authority could declare bankruptcy if the government does not provide support for it in a matter of days, Sadiq Khan’s office has warned. Transport for London (TfL), which funds most of its operations through fare revenue, saw its income collapse during the pandemic because of a sharp reduction in passengers. The government provided a series of short-term funding deals to keep the public body afloat but the latest one ran out at midnight on Friday without an extension being agreed.Passenger footfall has still not recovered, with Tube ridership just 59 per cent of pre-pandemic levels according to new figures. Meanwhile, TfL bus ridership has returned to around 75 per cent.“We are still in negotiations with the government about a new funding deal for Transport for London and hope to be able to finalise a deal in the coming days,” a spokesperson for the Mayor of London said on Saturday. “It’s vital that the government provides TfL with the long-term funding deal it needs to properly maintain vital transport services in the capital.”The spokesperson said 43,000 jobs outside London depended on TfL’s investment and that “if the government refuses to deliver the funding TfL needs, it could impact TfL’s UK-wide supply chain, hitting jobs and growth and holding back the economic recovery in London and across the UK”.Mr Khan’s office said one option being considered if the government refused support was issuing a report under section 114 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 – effectively declaring TfL bankrupt. The transport authority manages the London Underground, Overground, DLR, buses, other public transport, and also looks after major roads in the capital.The organisation previously suggested that without a long-term funding settlement it would have to take London’s transport system into a period of managed decline, which could even go as far as potentially closing a Tube line. But the government said the Mayor of London must find more money or somehow reduce costs.“We have repeatedly shown our commitment to supporting London’s transport network throughout the pandemic, providing over £4.5bn in emergency funding to Transport for London and pledging a further billion pounds of capital investment every year up until at least 2024-25 – all at a time of significant pressure on the national finances,” a spokesperson for the Department for Transport said.They added: “We’re aware that TfL are still feeling the aftereffects of the pandemic, but it is the Mayor’s responsibility to accelerate overdue reforms that will ensure TfL becomes financially sustainable in a way that is fair to taxpayers. Discussions are ongoing and we will provide an update in due course.”A Transport for London (TfL) spokesperson said: “We continue to discuss our funding requirements with the government. There is no UK recovery from the pandemic without a London recovery and there is no London recovery without a properly funded transport network in the capital. We hope these discussions can be concluded successfully soon.” More