Markus Andrews

The UK government has been urged to implement a national day of remembrance for the abolition of slavery, in an effort to help “once and for all stamp out racism.” Monday is recognised globally as the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition, an initiative introduced by UNESCO in 1998. It recognises the millions who suffered as a result of the Transatlantic slave trade, highlighting the impact this has had on generations of Black people around the world.The day itself is geared at helping to advocate for an end to modern day slavery in its various iterations and Unite, one of the largest trade unions in the UK, has echoed this motion, and called for a UK-specific day of remembrance. “Unite calls on the government to support the organisation of an annual remembrance day and commit resources for education and raising awareness to mark this high profile event,” the union said in a written statement. “We recoil at the leftovers of slavery still evidenced in our society today (…) The legacy of the Slave Trade continues to manifest itself in different forms, through colonialism, apartheid, racism, poverty, economic and social deprivation, unfair trade agreements and huge debts owed to developing countries to the rich developed nations. The ongoing disgraceful treatment of the Windrush generation is a prime example of this shameful legacy.”Earlier this year, the Government-appointed Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities (CRED) published a report which concluded that Britain is no longer a country where the “system is deliberately rigged against ethnic minorities”.The findings were widely condemned by prominent figures across British politics, media, academia and by organisations including the United Nations.The commission’s chairman, Tony Sewell, was further accused of putting a “positive spin on slavery and empire” when explaining its recommendation on teaching history in schools when he wrote the following in the report’s foreword: “There is a new story about the Caribbean experience which speaks to the slave period not only being about profit and suffering but how culturally African people transformed themselves into a remodelled African/Britain.” More

Downing Street has acknowledged that the Taliban would have to be involved in any discussions on extending the 31 August deadline for the pull-out of international troops from Afghanistan, after a spokesman for the militant group warned of “consequences” if evacuation operations continue beyond the end of the month.Speaking to Sky News in Qatar, Dr Suhail Shaheen described the end-of-August date for the final withdrawal of US forces as a “red line” and said there was “no need” for any foreign military presence after that date.Boris Johnson will personally lobby US President Joe Biden in a G7 summit on Tuesday to extend US operations in the hope of maximising numbers evacuated from Kabul airport.But his official spokesman told reporters that even if the president agrees to delay the final withdrawal, further evacuations will be dependent on some Taliban co-operation.“It’s important we get a unified approach through the G7 about what our approach will be, and also that we gain more clarity over over what is achievable under the current timeline we’re working to,” said the PM’s spokesman.“And then, when we have had that discussion, further discussions may be had with the Taliban about what is feasible. But I think it’s entirely right that we do absolutely everything possible to get as many people out (as possible).”The UK will not push for sanctions on the Taliban in the G7 video-conference, but it is likely that a final communique will include calls for guarantees on the provision of aid and respect for human rights, which are also the focus of a draft resolution for the UN Security Council being worked on by Britain and France.The spokesman confirmed that “discussions on the ground” had been held with the Taliban on co-operation with the evacuation process, though it is thought this may in many cases extend only to informal talks with the group’s representatives around the airport.It is understood that co-operation of this kind has allowed the number of evacuees processed by the UK to rise from around 1,000 to 1,800 a day in recent days.Mr Johnson’s spokesman said the UK government had set no firm date on when its evacuation operation would end, and said he was not aware of any “direct communication” from the Taliban over whether they regard 31 August as a hard deadline.But Dr Shaheen told Sky: “It’s a red line. President Biden announced that on 31 August they would withdraw all their military forces. So if they extend it that means they are extending occupation while there is no need for that.“If the US or UK were to seek additional time to continue evacuations – the answer is No. Or there would be consequences.“It will create mistrust between us. If they are intent on continuing the occupation it will provoke a reaction.”The UK government has said that not everyone eligible for evacuation to Britain will be able to benefit from the ongoing airlift by the 31 August deadline.Armed forces minister James Heappey has said approximately 1,800 UK nationals still in the country and more than 2,200 Afghans who helped British forces are the “focus” of the Government’s evacuation efforts.But others involved in Afghan politics, civil society and women’s representation may be considered for inclusion even if they have not worked directly with UK organisations. No target has been set for the total to be helped, as the number of those thought to be eligible is fluctuating on an hourly basis.Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon has called on Mr Johnson not to “cut and run” from Afghanistan.“I support calls to ensure that there isn’t a cut-and-run operation in Afghanistan, that Nato countries are there and meeting their responsibilities for as long as is necessary,” Ms Sturgeon told the PA news agency.“The world has a massive responsibility towards people in Afghanistan and it’s really important that that responsibility is lived up to.”No 10 said it was recognised that it would be “extremely challenging” for eligible Afghans not in Kabul to get to the airport to evacuate. Those unable to leave during the current airlift would be encouraged to apply for resettlement later, either from Afghanistan or a neighbouring country. “This is the first phase of our operation, evacuating largely British nationals and those under the ARAP (Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy) scheme out in the time that we have,” said the PM’s spokesman. “We will then move to the next phase, whereby we’ll be able to resettle (people) over the coming days, weeks and months, and indeed years, as we did with the Syrian scheme. “Now I appreciate that … presents challenges for those wishing to leave Afghanistan who might not be based in Kabul, who might have to get to neighbouring countries, for example. “We will continue to provide support through the Foreign Office, there’s contacts both for those within Afghanistan and those outside of Afghanistan who want information about family members they may have remaining. So, we will continue to do everything possible.”Defence secretary Ben Wallace made clear the British evacuation operation will end with the departure of US troops who are securing the airport.Speaking to reporters in Fort George, near Inverness, he said: “The Prime Minister is, obviously at the G7, going to try and raise the prospect of seeing if the United States will extend.“It’s really important for people to understand the United States have over 6,000 people in Kabul airport and when they withdraw that will take away the framework … and we will have to go as well.“I don’t think there is any likelihood of staying on after the United States. If their timetable extends even by a day or two, that will give us a day or two more to evacuate people.“Because we are really down to hours now, not weeks, and we have to make sure we exploit every minute to get people out.” More

The chair of an influential Westminster sleaze watchdog has warned that it is no longer sufficiently ethnically diverse, after the appointment of a Bullingdon Club friend of Boris Johnson left an all-white governing panel.In a highly unusual letter to cabinet minister Michael Gove, Lord Evans of Weardale warned of a lack of “visible diversity” among members of the Committee on Standards in Public Life and said the watchdog “needs to be representative of the people we serve”.The departure of Monisha Shah and the appointments of Ewen Fergusson and Professor Gillian Peele in July left the eight-strong committee all-white for the first time since at least 2015.In his letter, former MI5 boss Lord Evans said that a number of members of the committee had “expressed concerns about our lack of visible diversity now as a group”.He warned Mr Gove: “With a remit across public life, the committee needs to be representative of the people we serve.”And he urged the Cabinet Office minister to ensure the department gives “due weight” to the issue of maintaining diversity when filling the next expected vacancy in January next year.The appointment of City solicitor Mr Fergusson sparked controversy last month because he was a member with the prime minister of Oxford University’s exclusive male-only Bullingdon Club dining society.He appeared alongside Mr Johnson and David Cameron in the famous 1987 photograph of club members posing in its uniform of white tie and tails.Former committee chair Sir Alistair Graham denounced Mr Fergusson’s appointment at the time as “completely inappropriate”.And he today told The Independent that it was vital the committee – which advises the prime minister on arrangements for upholding ethical standards of conduct across public life in England – should be representative of the nation’s people.“There’s been a lot of serious question marks over appointments made during the pandemic,” said Sir Alistair. “I think it is unfortunate that this feeling has developed that you have got to have gone to the same school or university or be good mates with a senior minister to be appointed to public.“It is true to say that all public institutions, and certainly the CSPL, should have a representative mix of people from the population as a whole, including people from ethnic minority groups.“Members from ethnic minority backgrounds might bring a different perspective to standards issues and they might be more fully aware of what is affecting participation in politics by those communities. It is about making sure that there is a full integrity of the committee by being genuinely representative.”Mr Fergusson and Prof Peele were on a shortlist of qualified candidates to replace Ms Shah and Jane Ramsey drawn up by a panel including Lord Evans and an independent member alongside two Cabinet Office officials, but the final choice was made by Mr Gove. More

Boris Johnson is expected to use a G7 meeting to push for US president Joe Biden to extend the Kabul evacuation deadline beyond 31 August.But a UK defence minister had admitted the Taliban may not allow evacuation effort to continue beyond the end of the month.“We have been having these conversations with the Americans,” armed forces minister James Heappey said on Monday. “This isn’t just a decision that gets taken in Washington – the Taliban gets a vote on this as well.”The minister told Sky News: “I think it’s far from certain that the Taliban are going to be willing to allow the international community to extend beyond the end of the month.”Acknowledging that the Taliban had been an “effective partner” in the evacuations so far, Mr Heappey urged the militants to show “they want to be a part of the international system” by allowing the flights to continue.The armed forces minister also admitted there is a “hard reality” that the UK will not be able to evacuate all the refugees it hopes to from Kabul airport.“We will get out as many as we possibly can but we have been clear throughout that there is a hard reality that we won’t be able to get out everybody that we want to,” he said – adding that the flights were “not the only route to the UK”.Foreign secretary Dominic Raab and defence Secretary Ben Wallace held talks with their Washington counterparts over the weekend to press home the desire for US troops to remain in Afghanistan beyond August in order to continue to secure the airport for flights.The prime minister is due to use an emergency G7 summit on Tuesday to personally lobby Mr Biden on the issue. In a tweet, he said it was “vital that the international community works together to ensure safe evacuations”.Foreign Office minister James Cleverly told BBC that the government would continue to try to convince the White House to extend the exit deadline. “Obviously the more time that we’ve got, the more people we can evacuate and that’s what we’re pushing for,” said Mr Cleverly.But the US president signalled on Sunday that he did not want US armed forces to stay in the country beyond August. “Our hope is that we don’t have to extend but there are discussions going on about how far we are.”Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has written to Mr Johnson calling for more details on how the UK is planning the next stages of the rescue mission.Sir Keir asked whether Mr Johnson had “spoken personally” to Mr Biden – and whether the UK was working on a contingency plan with Nato allies to “hold Kabul airport without US troops”.Government officials said there is “no fixed date” on when the UK will withdraw but it is feared that without US boots on the ground, the remaining allied forces would be unable to secure Hamid Karzai International Airport.The armed forces minister said on Monday that the airlift from Kabul airport is “underpinned” by US forces and it could not happen without them.“It is certainly the case that the mission in Kabul this week is fundamentally underpinned by a US presence,” Mr Heappey told Sky News. “So, there is a hard reality that there would be no international airlift without the way that the US are underpinning it.”The minister also said there is “every reason” the Taliban should be proscribed as a terrorist organisation. “I think that there is every reason to think that they should be,” he told Times Radio. “But by the same token they are a group of people with whom we are very much needing to work with right now.”The Ministry of Defence confirmed that 5,725 people have been repatriated since rescue efforts began on August 13, with 3,100 of them Afghan individuals and their families.On Sunday, 1,721 people were airlifted from Kabul by the Royal Air Force across eight flights.Brigadier Dan Blanchford, the most senior UK military officer on the ground in Kabul, said British troops had “witnessed some harrowing scenes”, with at least seven Afghan civilians confirmed to have died outside the airfield gates amid chaotic crowds.It has been reported that as many as 20 people have been killed in the past week while trying to get into the departure point.Brigadier Blanchford, Commander Joint Forces Operations, said UK armed forces were “redoubling” their efforts to “speed up the process” of helping people make their exit – with the Times reporting that the RAF hopes to fly out as many as 2,000 people per day.The newspaper also said the military will be extending the deadline for the last RAF evacuation, pushing it back from Tuesday to Friday or Saturday, with the evacuation programme expanded from 6,000 people eligible to come to Britain to more than 12,000. More

The UK’s evacuation operation in Afghanistan will stop whenever the US military withdraws troops from Kabul, the defence secretary has confirmed.Ben Wallace has said the Kabul evacuation effort is “down to hours now, not weeks” as he conceded British troops’ involvement in getting people out the country will end when the US leaves.“The prime minister is obviously at the G7 going to try and raise the prospect of seeing if the US will extend,” Mr Wallace said on Boris Johnson’s bid to get Joe Biden to push the deadline beyond 31 August.Speaking to reporters on Monday, the minister: “It’s really important for people to understand the United States have over 6,000 people in Kabul airport and when they withdraw that will take away the framework … and we will have to go as well.”Mr Wallace added: “I don’t think there is any likelihood of staying on after the United States. If their timetable extends even by a day or two, that will give us a day or two more to evacuate people.”The defence secretary claimed time was running out to evacuate remaining Britons and Afghan who worked with the British mission. “We are really down to hours now, not weeks, and we have to make sure we exploit every minute to get people out.”Mr Wallace also made clear that the Taliban may not allow evacuation effort to continue beyond the end of the month. “The US and G7 are not the only stakeholders in this – the Taliban now have a vote and the security situation is precarious. But I would also say it’s in the Taliban interests to keep the country open.”The Taliban has warned the US president that there will “be consequences” if he keeps any troops in Afghanistan past the end of August. Suhail Shaheen, a spokesperson for the militant group, said the deadline set by Washington was a “red line” and must be respected.Mr Wallace and foreign secretary Dominic Raab held talks with their Washington counterparts over the weekend to press home the desire for US troops to remain in Afghanistan beyond August.The prime minister is due to use an emergency G7 summit on Tuesday to personally lobby Mr Biden on the issue. Mr Johnson said it was “vital that the international community works together to ensure safe evacuations”.But the US president has signalled that he does not want US armed forces to stay in the country beyond August. “Our hope is that we don’t have to extend but there are discussions going on about how far we are.”The Ministry of Defence confirmed that 5,725 people have been repatriated since rescue efforts began on August 13, with 3,100 of them Afghan individuals and their families.On Sunday, 1,721 people were airlifted from Kabul by the Royal Air Force across eight flights.Brigadier Dan Blanchford, the most senior UK military officer on the ground in Kabul, said British troops had “witnessed some harrowing scenes”, with at least seven Afghan civilians confirmed to have died outside the airfield gates amid chaotic crowds. More

English cricket legend Sir Ian “Beefy” Botham has been appointed the UK’s new trade envoy to Australia, the government has revealed.International trade secretary Liz Truss said the Brexit-backing sports star would do a “brilliant job” drumming up trade for Britain as one of 10 new envoys around the world.“Delighted we have appointed cricket legend Ian Botham as our new trade envoy to Australia,” the cabinet minister tweeted.“Ian will bat for business down under and help them seize the opportunities created by our historic trade deal. He’ll do a brilliant job.”A Leave campaigner, Sir Ian has attacked the “dying EU” and been a fierce critic of anti-Brexit voices. “When are these people going to accept and get on with the fact that we had a referendum … Move on!!” he tweeted in 2016.Sir Ian – handed a peerage last year by Boris Johnson’s government alongside other Brexit campaigners – said: “It’s a great honour to carry out this role in a country that I love and have come to know so well.The ex-England cricketer – who reportedly once said “Aussies are big and empty, just like the country” – added: “I have spent a significant amount of my career in Australia, and I am excited to have the opportunity.”Labour accused the Conservatives of “hypocrisy” after the cricket icon was handed the role. Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner recalled Tory MP Natalie Elphicke’s criticism of Marcus Rashford for “playing politics” with his work on food poverty, for which the Dover MP later apologised.“England footballer Marcus Rashford should stick to football and not get involved in politics when he tries to make sure kids don’t go hungry,” said Ms Rayner. “But former England cricketer Ian Botham should get involved in politics and is appointed a government trade envoy.”Several other Brexiteers have been handed top jobs with Ms Truss’s department. Baroness Kate Hoey, the former Labour MP who was given a peerage in 2020, has been appointed trade envoy to Ghana. DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has been handed the equivalent role for Cameroon.Meanwhile, Tory MP David Mundell has been made trade envoy to New Zealand, and Labour MP Stephen Timms takes up the same post for both Switzerland and Liechtenstein.John Woodcock – the former Labour MP who endorsed the Conservatives at the last general election – has been appointed to Tanzania. There are also roles for Tory MPs Mark Eastwood (Pakistan), Marco Longhi (Brazil), Conor Burns (Canada) and Felicity Buchan (Iceland and Norway).“Trade envoys are parliamentarians appointed by the prime minister, drawn from both Houses and across the political spectrum,” said a spokesperson for the Department for International Trade. “The roles are unpaid and voluntary.”George Brandis, Australia’s ambassador in the UK, said he was delighted by Sir Ian’s appointment. “Marvellous news Liz and what a fantastic appointment!” he tweeted.He added: “Australia looks forward to welcoming Lord Botham down under – and to working with him to strengthen the trading links between our two countries.”Criticising the appointment, SNP MP Angus MacNeil, chair of the international trade select committee, said: “An Australian trade deal can only recover £2 of every £490 that Brexit costs. Spin, bowlers or otherwise, won’t change this.”Former civil servant and anti-Brexit campaigner Siobhan Benita added: “If you didn’t already think Global Britain has become a laughing stock on the world stage, the appointment of Ian Botham as the UK’s trade envoy to Australia really should start ringing some alarm bells.”Many on social media were dubious about Sir Ian’s appointment, with some sharing excerpts from an interview he gave to The Guardian in November 2020 on his appointment to the Lords.He said: “I’m enjoying it and will be at Westminster more often when we get back to normal, especially when they are debating something I know about – like sport or the countryside. Not much point if it’s a trade deal with Japan.” More

More than 80 private travel testing companies have been warned over listing prices on the government’s official website which are lower than those offered on their own sites at the point of checkout.Sajid Javid, the health secretary, said 82 businesses were being sent a two-strike warning while a further 57 were being removed from gov.uk’s “find a travel test provider” page altogether.Brands will be removed from the list if they fail to take action within three days of strike one as part of the new two-strike policy, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said.It comes after the DHSC carried out a review of the pricing and service standards of the day two and day eight testing providers officially recommended by the government.The inspection found that 82 – which makes up around 18 per cent of all day two and day eight providers listed – advertised far lower prices on gov.uk than those on offer when users clicked through to the brand’s official website.“It is absolutely unacceptable for any private testing company to be taking advantage of holidaymakers and today’s action clamps down on this cowboy behaviour,” Mr Javid said in a statement about the issue.“Fifty-seven firms will be removed from the gov.uk list and a further 82 will be given a two-strike warning – if they advertise misleading prices ever again, they’re off.”Some of those being removed were on account of them no longer offering a day two and day eight testing service, Mr Javid added.He also said the gov.uk website would be updated to reflect the true cost of the tests.“We are also introducing regular spot checks this week to make sure all private providers follow the rules and meet our high standards of transparency,” he said.The checks will include DHSC officials ensuring companies are complying with the rules to ensure that prices displayed are accurate, providers are legitimate, and companies have not changed their name to get back on the list.Meanwhile, findings from the department’s review will be shared with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to support their own review of the market and align recommendations and actions.There has been much confusion and anger over the changing costs and requirements of coronavirus travel tests.Earlier this month it was confirmed that UK holidaymakers would benefit from cheaper packages. As of 13 August, the cost of NHS Test and Trace tests for international arrivals were reduced from £88 to £68 for green or fully vaccinated amber arrivals. For those either not fully jabbed or returning from amber list countries, the cost decreased from £170 to £136.The cuts came following months-long criticism from the struggling travelling industry that the cost of tests was too much, and would could discourage families from booking trips abroad.On the gov.uk website, for instance, some providers listed charge as much as £390 or even £575 for the tests – adding a significant chunk onto travel plans for bigger groups.The CMA – Britain’s competition regulator – is currently investigating the market for laboratory-analysed PCR Covid-19 tests. On Thursday, the CMA said it would explore “immediate actions” that the government could take ahead of the conclusion of its probe.Under the current travel guidance, anyone entering England must have pre-booked two Covid tests: one to be taken on day two, or sooner, after arriving into the country and one on day eight – or later depending on availability.Children aged four and under do not need to take these tests. More

Labour is set to commit to reducing the rate benefits are scaled back by for claimants in work in a bid to boost the incomes of the lowest-paid households in Britain.Speaking to The Independent, the shadow work and pensions secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the party would slash the taper rate of universal credit payments if it forms the next government.In a speech on Monday, the Labour frontbencher will also vow to use “every tool” at the party’s disposal to prevent an imminent cut in universal credit payments, including an attempt to force a vote when the Commons returns.Iain Duncan Smith, the former Conservative cabinet minister who introduced universal credit, has previously urged ministers to lower the taper rate – a system that gradually reduces benefits as hours at work increase.Under the current taper rate of 63 per cent, for every £1 earned over a work allowance, payments are automatically reduced by 63p — in addition to any income tax or national insurance due.Labour said that a single parent working 30 hours a week under the current system loses £573 a month of their universal credit entitlement, “making their effective marginal tax rate 75 per cent”.Describing in-work poverty as one of the biggest issues facing the country, Mr Reynolds said reducing the rate would allow people to keep more of the money they earn.However, he declined to provide a “specific figure” on what Labour would reduce the taper rate too, adding: “Obviously we’ve got to look at the economic conditions around the election.”The party, which has previously committed to scrapping the universal credit system, is yet to outline plans on a replacement but Mr Reynolds said: “I am very clear that in terms of replacing universal credit, this bit about how it interacts with low-paid work has to be a major bit of reform.”It comes as controversy has emerged over the government’s decision to remove the £20-per-week uplift in universal credit, which was introduced at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic to alleviate financial pressures on some families.Despite repeated calls from anti-poverty campaigners, cross-party MPs, including Conservatives in northern constituencies and former cabinet ministers, Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak have resisted pressure to extend the increase.Last month, the prime minister’s former homelessness adviser, Dame Louise Casey, told The Independent it would be an “unnecessary evil” to cut the benefit, warning it would lead to increased reliance on food banks in winter.On Monday, Mr Reynolds will make another appeal to backbench Conservative MPs to oppose the government cut — that is, if Labour is successful in its bid to force the issue to a vote in the Commons.“When parliament returns, we will be fighting this cut with every tool at our disposal. Will Conservative MPs stand up to the chancellor and prime minister and defeat this cut?” he will say. “Or will they let the government spend money on handing out dodgy contracts to their mates and pub landlords while cutting the incomes of millions of working families?” More