UK Politics

Ministers have been accused of being “heartless and mean-spirited” after it emerged that a new humanitarian route for Ukrainian refugees amounts to only small adjustments to visa rules which will benefit only certain family members of British citizens.Home secretary Priti Patel told MPs on Monday that the government had introduced a “bespoke humanitarian route” for people fleeing the Russian invasion in Ukraine, saying it would allow an additional 100,000 Ukrainians to seek sanctuary in the UK.However, it later emerged that this does not go beyond the easing of rules for a limited pool of family members of UK residents, which was announced over the weekend and has already been branded a “plaster for an open wound”.Charities and lawyers criticised the government’s failure to do as the EU has done and waive all visa rules for refugees fleeing Ukraine, and said they were sceptical about the claims that 100,000 people would be helped under the changes.Shadow immigration minister Yvette Cooper accused the home secretary of “complete confusion” around what is being offered to Ukrainian refugees, asking her in the House of Commons: “How on earth is the home secretary so unprepared for something she’s been warning about for weeks?”More than 500,000 people have already fled Ukraine since the beginning of the invasion, and the UN estimates that this figure could reach 4 million.Temporary visa concessions announced by the Home Office on Sunday mean that certain family members of British nationals who do not meet the usual eligibility criteria but pass security checks may be granted permission to enter the UK outside the rules for 12 months.However, this only apply to spouses, the parents of children under 18 or a child under 18 and close relatives requiring care – excluding many relatives including parents, adult children, siblings.Immigration barrister Colin Yeo told The Independent he was “sceptical” about Ms Patel’s claim that the concessions would help 100,000 Ukrainians.“There aren’t many Ukrainians in the UK so I can’t see how there are going to be 100,000 eligible family members,” he said, adding: “The contrast with the simple generosity shown by the EU seems quite marked.”A Home Office spokesperson told The Independent the figure was based on “internal estimates” but did not explain how it was reached.Jon Featonby, policy and advocacy manager at the British Red Cross, said he “welcomed” this step but that “much more can and should be done”, and called for the lifting of all visa requirements for Ukrainians wanting to enter the UK.“This would avoid people needing to go through a lengthy visa application process at a moment of crisis for them and their family, bringing the UK in line with many other European countries,” he added.Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said Ms Patel’s announcement fell “well short of what is needed” and did “very little” to reassure Ukrainian’s fleeing war and bloodshed that that they would be able to seek sanctuary in Britain.“Compared to the EU’s decision to take in refugees for up to three years without having to apply for asylum, it is heartless and mean spirited sending a message to desperate Ukrainians in search of safety that unless they have a family member in the UK, they are not welcome,” he said.Caroline Coombs, of campaign group Reunite Families, which has been supporting people in the UK trying to get their relatives out of Ukraine, said Ms Patel’s announcement revealed “nothing new”.“We still have no idea if parents, grandparents and other family members of British citizens and settled people in the UK can come here. People are scared and have no idea what to do,” she said.It comes after 37 Conservatives, including former ministers Jeremy Hunt and Greg Clark, wrote to Boris Johnson on Monday urging the government to act “decisively”, stating: “Ukrainian victims of war seeking refuge are welcome”.Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon meanwhile warned that a failure to waive visa requirements for Ukrainians seeking refuge could be “embarrassing” to the UK government and called on the prime minister to allow anyone fleeing the Russian invasion to come to the UK, “sort the paperwork later on”.A poll by YouGov last week found almost two-thirds of British people would support the introduction of a resettlement scheme for those fleeing Ukraine.The home secretary said: “I am committed to ensuring the UK is as generous as possible to the people of Ukraine, just as we have been to the people of Afghanistan and Hong Kong, and further announcements will be made in due course.” More

Policy proposals that are central to Priti Patel’s controversial borders bill have been voted down in the House of Lords, in what campaigners have described as a “victory for compassion”.The Home Office has been urged to “take heed” after peers rejected plans in the Nationality and Borders Bill to penalise and criminalise refugees based on their method of arrival to the UK under clause 11, and to give ministers powers to strip British citizenship without notice under clause 9.Both measures have already drawn widespread criticism, including from prominent Tory MPs.Clause 11 would see asylum seekers who come to Britain via unauthorised routes – such as in small boats or by stowing away in trucks – criminalised and blocked from being granted refugee status in the UK, regardless of how strong their claim is.They would either be imprisoned or granted a form of temporary status that affords them no access to benefits and no family reunion rights and be regularly re-assessed for removal. The UNHCR has raised alarm that this two-tiered approach would breach the 1951 Refugee Convention.Conservatives, including David Davis and Dominic Grieve, wrote to Boris Johnson warning that the policy is “dangerous” and would see Britain “significantly breach key international obligations”.During report stage of the bill in the House of Lords on Monday evening, peers voted to delete this clause, with 204 against and 126 for.Earlier in the sitting, Lords voted to remove clause 9, which would allow the home secretary to remove a person’s British citizenship without having to notify them if she believed it was in the interests of national security, diplomacy or “otherwise in the public interest”. The government has been able to deprive people of their citizenship for more than a century – but never without informing them. Experts have warned that this policy would leave large swathes of people, particularly those from black and ethnic minority communities, at risk and lead to Windrush-style injustices.Peers voted it down 209 to 193.In response to the clause 11 vote, Sonya Sceats, chief executive at Freedom from Torture, said “At a time of international crisis, this incompetent government has once again found itself on the wrong side of history. “It is time for them to abandon these cruel proposals and cease their inhumane demonisation of people fleeing torture, war and persecution.”Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, described the vote as “a victory for compassion, humanity and the rights of refugees”.“Peers aren’t prepared to see this government undermine a key principle of refugee protection – that we should not discriminate against refugees based on how they travel. People desperately fleeing war and persecution should always have a fair hearing on British soil,” he said.“We urge the government to take heed of what has happened in the Lords today and remove this harmful clause from the bill.”Responding to the Lords’ rejection of clause 9, Maya Foa, director of charity Reprieve, said: “Peers have heard the outcry against this attempted power grab by the home secretary. Now MPs must listen, and strike this discriminatory provision from the bill.“The government’s powers to strip citizenship are already the broadest in the G20. They are used disproportionately against people from ethnic minorities communities. Today the House of Lords said: enough.”The bill will now return to the House of Commons, where it is expected to be voted on again within weeks. More

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has warned his MPs that any of them who attempt to attack Nato or indulge in “false equivalence” with Russian aggression will be kicked out of the party.Sir Keir said there would be “no room” in Labour for anyone who seeking to blame the western alliance for Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.It follows a telling off for the 11 left-wing Labour MPs who were threatened with the loss of the party whip if they didn’t pull support for a Stop the War letter criticising Nato.“Labour’s commitment to democracy, the rule of law and the sovereignty of independent nations is unshakable,” Sir Keir told a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP).He added: “Vladimir Putin is attacking all those things. Nato is defending them. There are groups in this country who haven’t seemed to understand that difference.”Sir Keir warned MPs on the left: “Let me be very clear – There will be no place in this party for false equivalence between the actions of Russia and the actions of Nato.”It comes after leading left-wingers – including key shadow cabinet members during the Jeremy Corbyn-era key, John McDonnell and Diane Abbott – were threatened with the removal of the whip if their names were not taken off the Stop the War letter.The organisation had accused the UK government of “aggressive posturing”, and said that Nato “should call a halt to its eastward expansion”.Other signatories included Richard Burgon, Ian Lavery, Beth Winter, Zarah Sultana, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Apsana Begum, Mick Whitley, Tahir Ali, and Ian Mearns.Around an hour after it being reported, the shadow chief whip had written to the 11 MPs, and all their names had been withdrawn from the statement.Mr Corbyn, the former Labour leader and former chairman of Stop the War who currently sits as an independent having lost the whip, also signed the letter.A Labour spokesperson told The Independent: “The small number of Labour MPs that signed the Stop The War statement have all now withdrawn their names. This shows Labour is under new management.”Sir Keir also scrapped the annual conference of the Young Labour group after activists attacked his backing for Nato during the Ukraine crisis.The party’s youth wing is also to have its funding slashed – and access to its Twitter  account has been restricted for breaches of acceptable “standards of behaviour”.Starmer also used his PLP meeting to warn that the war in Ukraine would “exacerbate” the cost of living crisis – apparently predicting a U-turn on the 1.25 per cent National Insurance rise planned for April“The idea that Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson’s tax rise on working people can still go ahead in April now is just laughable,” he told MPs. More

Conservative MPs have rejected an attempt to protect make misogyny a hate crime in England and Wales in a bid to offer women greater police protection.Tory backbenchers backed the government, as MPs voted 314 to 190 to remove a Lords amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill aimed at making misogyny a hate crime.Labour MP Stella Creasy condemned the government’s refusal to listen to women – telling policing minister Kit Malthouse he could go home without looking over his shoulder but “many of us can’t”.Speaking in support of the move make misogyny a hate crime, the MP for Walthamstow said many of her arguments are the same people “made 20 years ago when it came to recognising racially motivated abuse and religiously motivated abuse”.Ms Creasy added: “The problem for the minister is he says he listens to women, he knows women, he understands this area. But if he understands at all he should listen to the suffragettes who told us it was deeds, not words that matter.”The move rejected by Boris Johnson’s government would have required police forces to record if crimes were motivated by gender hatred.The government has previously said it would follow guidance from the Law Commission, which does not recommend misogyny should be classed as a hate crime.The Home Office had warned that attempts to define misogyny would prove “more harmful than helpful” to the women and girls who are victims of violence.Mr Malthouse told the Commons he “commends the motivation” of those pushing for change, but claimed the move “runs the risk of being damaging to the cause of women’s safety” since the Law Commission had warned of unintended consequences.The policing minister said the government shares the “genuine concern” about the safety of women and girls, and is “determined to make significant inroads” on the matter.Earlier, the government said it was “carefully considering” a new offence of harassment that would criminalise the verbal abuse of women.Home Office minister Rachel Maclean told MPs: “If the work that we are doing with the Law Commission … and others is clear that we need to make a new offence, then that is exactly what we will do.”The division list showed Lucy Allan, MP for Telford, was the only Conservative backbencher to vote against scrapping the amendment. The Liberal Democrats said the Tories were “turning a blind eye” to the problem. Wera Hobhouse MP, the party’s spokesperson for women and equalities, said: “By voting against making misogyny a hate crime, the Conservatives are turning a blind eye to the hatred that fuels violence against women.”The Fawcett Society said the rejection of the proposal to make misogyny a hate crime had left “many women feeling disappointed and frustrated”, adding: “Misogyny is rendered invisible in our current legal and policing responses.”It comes as MPs prepared to vote on a series of measures aimed at cracking down on “noisy” protests as part of the highly controversial policing bill.In January the Lords had defeated contentious curbs on demonstrations proposed in the legislation – including powers to impose conditions on protests judged to be too noisy, and crack down on large-scale protests around parliament.However, Tory MPs were expected to back the government on Monday night and vote against the Lords amendments in a bid to give police forces further powers. More

Britain’s media regulator Ofcom has announced 15 separate investigations into the impartiality of RT, the Kremlin-backed network which continues to be broadcast in the UK.The watchdog said it would probe 15 editions of the hourly news programme on the state-controlled channel – formerly known as Russia Today – broadcast on 27 February.Dame Melanie Dawes, Ofcom’s chief executive, said regulator would conclude investigations into RT’s coverage of the Ukraine invasion “as a matter of urgency”.It comes as foreign secretary Liz Truss warned that a complete ban on the Russian news channel in the UK could lead to a reciprocal ban by Moscow against the BBC and other British channels.Facing calls to “shut down” RT, Ms Truss said: “We are looking at what can be done on RT, but the reality is that if we ban RT in the UK, that is likely to lead to channels like the BBC being banned in Russia.”The foreign secretary added: “And what we want is we want the Russian population to hear the truth about what Vladimir Putin is doing. So there’s a very careful judgment to be made, and that is something the culture secretary is looking at.”Ministers have accused RT of being a tool of a Kremlin “disinformation” campaign, and culture secretary Nadine Dorries asked the UK media regulator to examine whether some action was needed last week.In a response letter, Ofcom told Ms Dorries that the regulator had “already stepped up our oversight of coverage of these events by broadcasters in the UK”.On Sunday, Boris Johnson appeared to go further, criticising RT for “peddling” material that is “doing a lot of damage to the truth” and calling for Ofcom to look at if the channel was “infringing the rules of this country”.When it was put to him that it sounded like he would ban RT if he had the power to do so, Mr Johnson said: “Yes, but the difference between us and Russia is that the power is not with me, and that’s the right thing.”In her statement on Monday, Dame Melanie said: “When reporting on an armed conflict, we recognise it can be difficult for broadcasters to verify information and events, but it is imperative that they make every effort to do so.”The Ofcom chief added: “They must also explain clearly to audiences where there is uncertainty or where events are disputed.”However, she also noted that a “fair and free media is central to Ofcom’s work”, adding: “Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of our approach and fundamental to our democracy.”In 2019, Ofcom fined RT £200,000 for its failure to observe “due impartiality” in seven news and current affairs programmes, including its coverage of the war in Syria and the Salisbury nerve agent attack.RT has also suggested Ofcom would need to look at the BBC too if the regulator is to take it to task over “state sponsorship”. More

The government expects its newly signed New Zealand trade deal to damage the UK’s farming industry, according to its own impact assessment.Figures released on Monday show officials expect agriculture and other food related sectors to take a roughly £150 million hit from the new agreement.The official impact assessment describes the change sparked by the deal as a “reallocation of resources within the economy” and a “process of economic adjustment”.Ministers were accused of “selling British farmers down the river” but the trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said the deal, signed today, “will slash red tape”. The agreement will result in the scrapping of tariffs on many agricultural products coming from New Zealand and UK farmers have said it could drive them out of business. The deal is overall not expected to have a significant impact on the UK economy, with an expected gain of between just 0.02 per cent and 0.03 per cent by 2035 – a total of around £12 per person by that date.But officials admit it could have sharper more concentrated effects on certain sectors of the economy – some negative. “The economic benefits of FTAs do not arise without reallocation of resources within the economy (sometimes referred to as the gains from greater specialisation),” the newly revised impact assessment says.”The process of economic adjustment gives rise to adjustment costs for affected sectors, businesses, and their employees. “The overall structure of the UK economy remains broadly unchanged by the agreement. “However, part of the gains results from a reallocation of resources away from agriculture, forestry, and fishing (around -£48 million) and semi- processed foods (around -£97 million).”Farmers have previously warned of “huge downsides” to the deal, with the National Farmers Union (NFU) saying it “could damage the viability of many British farms in the years ahead”.Some concerns about the deal are related the whether UK farmers will face unfair competition because they have to enforce higher production standards than those abroad.Katie White, campaigns chief at the environmental charity WWF, said on Monday that the new free trade agreement “opens the door to food produced in ways that harm nature and fuel the climate crisis, undermining the UK’s own transition to more sustainable farming”.She said the UK should “adopt a set of core standards – including environmental standards – set in UK law, which will allow us to open up trade in the best products from around the world, but ensure we can filter out goods that are produced at high environmental cost”.Responding to Monday’s news, NFU president Minette Batters said there would ultimately “be no limit to the amount of goods New Zealand can export to the UK”.She added: “I have consistently pointed out that the real risk to UK farmers, and longer term for people wanting to buy British food, from the government’s approach to trade deals is not the individual deals themselves but the cumulative impact of each deal when added together. This deal today shows I was right to be concerned.“Once again, there appears to be extremely little in this New Zealand trade deal to benefit British farmers. UK farm businesses face significantly higher costs of production than farmers in New Zealand, and margins are likely to tighten further in the face of rising input costs, higher energy bills and labour shortages. “The government is now asking British farmers to go toe-to-toe with some of the most export-orientated farmers in the world, without the serious, long-term and properly funded investment in UK agriculture that can enable us to do so; the sort of strategic investment in farming and exports that the New Zealand government has made in recent decades.”Mark Tufnell, president of the Country Land & Business Association (CLA) said there was clearly “opportunity for New Zealand farmers in this deal” but that it was less clear “what the opportunity is for those of us in the UK”.He added: “Over time, New Zealand will be able to sell even larger quantities of meat and dairy produce into the UK, often produced much more cheaply than we can do ourselves. This risks undercutting UK farmers and putting a question mark over the viability of their businesses.“Government is leaving the industry in the dark about what this deal really means for agriculture, setting a worrying precedent for other Free Trade Agreements we may strike with other major food exporters – many of which have far lower animal welfare and environmental standards than we do. “Government promised that suitable checks and balances would be put in place to ensure we would not be undercut in this way. So far they have failed to materialise.”Ministers are however keen to sign trade deals abroad in order to highlight the supposed benefits of leaving the European Union.Liberal Democrat Trade Spokesperson Sarah Olney said: “The Government has negotiated a trade agreement that will actively damage the UK’s farming communities and will bring next to no tangible benefits to our economy.”The Conservatives have proven that they are utterly unable to negotiate trade deals that boost the UK economy and unfortunately this agreement is no exception. “The economic benefits are a drop in the ocean and they will do nothing to mitigate the damage from the red tape and paperwork caused by Boris Johnson’s shambolic EU trade deal.”Instead of delivering Global Britain, this Government is selling British farmers down the river.”The government’s publicity around the deal has focused on potential benefits to other parts of the economy, such as the services sector.Announcing the deal, international trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: “This deal will slash red tape, remove all tariffs and make it easier for our services companies to set up and prosper in New Zealand. “Our trade with New Zealand will soar, benefiting businesses and consumers throughout the UK and helping level up the whole country. “Like all our new trade deals, it is part of a plan to build a network of trade alliances with the most dynamic parts of the world economy, so we set the UK on a path to future prosperity.” A spokesperson for the Department for International Trade said: “British food and drink are among the best in the world. Our deal with New Zealand will be fair and balanced and in the best interests of the whole of the country.“It includes protections for the agriculture industry and tariff liberalisation for sensitive goods will be staged over time, giving UK farmers time to adjust. “A deal with New Zealand is also a stepping stone to joining the £8.4 trillion CPTPP trade bloc, where demand for British beef is increasing, and will mean more opportunities for British exports to those high growth markets.” More

Armed forces minister says people shouldn’t travel to Ukraine to fightVladimir Putin placed nuclear deterrence forces on high alert after comments made by Liz Truss, a Kremlin spokesman revealed today.Dmitry Peskov said that “unacceptable” statements were made “by various representatives at various levels”, and specifically named the foreign secretary.On Sunday Mr Putin said his nuclear order was due to “aggressive statements” by Nato countries and economic sanctions placed on Russia.In response Boris Johnson said the escalation was a “distraction” from the failures of the Russian president’s army to breakthrough in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Labour has criticised new immigration rules brought in to help Ukrainians seeking refuge in the UK, calling them “shameful”.The relaxation of immigration rules comes after the government faced intense criticism over failing to relax the visa requirements for Ukrainian nationals earlier this week.Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper at first said it was a “welcome first step forward”, but when further guidance was later released by the Home Office on Sunday night was critical that the rules did not apply to the “wider family”.Show latest update

1646059959Do not go to Ukraine to fight, says senior Tory MPSenior Tory MP Tobias Ellwood, chair of the select committee, said: “Please, do not go to Ukraine unless you have some kind of combat experience.”It follows foreign secretary Liz Truss said she would “absolutely” support British nationals who chose to go to help fight against the Russian invasion.But defence secretary Ben Wallace has urged Britons not to travel to Ukraine, saying “very dangerous” situation could lead to them being killed.The PM’s spokesperson also said: “We fully recognise the strength of feeling about British people wanting to support the Ukrainians following the Russian invasion … we currently advise against travel to Ukraine.”Adam Forrest reports.Joe Middleton28 February 2022 14:521646058944Boris Johnson blamed EU for Russia’s 2014 attacks on Ukraine and was branded ‘Putin apologist’Boris Johnson blamed the EU for provoking Russia’s earlier attacks on Ukraine in 2014 and was branded a “Putin apologist” amid a storm of criticism.The comments – made at the heart of the Brexit referendum battle, in 2016 – led to the future prime minister being likened to then Ukip leader Nigel Farage and being rebuked by Downing Street.The current crisis has seen Mr Johnson arguing he is leading the West in confronting Moscow’s invasion of its neighbour, by sending weapons to Ukraine and demanding tough sanctions.But, when leading the Brexit campaign, the then-Conservative backbencher took a very different stance over the annexation of Crimea and Putin’s arming of separatists in the east of Ukraine.Our deputy political editor Rob Merrick reports.Joe Middleton28 February 2022 14:351646058044Tory MP correct to delete tweet suggesting seasonal worker scheme for people fleeing war, say No10Downing Street said Home Office minister Kevin Foster was right to delete his tweet suggesting the seasonal worker scheme was a route for Ukrainian people to flee war.The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “I think that tweet was rightly deleted, I think the UK has a proud history of supporting those in need. We’ve done that with Afghanistan and elsewhere and we will continue to do that.”Joe Middleton28 February 2022 14:201646056844Armed forces minister says people shouldn’t travel to Ukraine to fightArmed forces minister says people shouldn’t travel to Ukraine to fightJoe Middleton28 February 2022 14:001646055630Boris Johnson says Putin has made ‘colossal mistake’ as he hails heroic Ukraine resistanceBoris Johnson this morning told cabinet it was becoming clearer by the day that Vladimir Putin had made a “colossal mistake” in invading Ukraine, where “heroic” resistance was inflicting “significant casualties” on Russian forces.The prime minister is to fly to Estonia and Poland on Tuesday as he continues his drive to build international support for Ukraine following the invasion, writes Andrew Woodcock.He told ministers that Putin’s aggression “must fail” and said the UK was determined to continue building international pressure on the Russian president, saying: “The prime minister said we will continue to support Ukraine and its’ people in any way we can.”Joe Middleton28 February 2022 13:401646055044UK signs Brexit trade deal with New Zealand that could damage economyBritain has signed a trade deal with New Zealand, removing trade barriers between the two countries.The deal is the latest agreement signed by the UK since Brexit and will end tariffs on goods between the countries, writes Jon Stone.But the government’s own estimates for the deal published at the start of negotiations suggest that it will either damage the UK economy or have a negligible effect.Joe Middleton28 February 2022 13:301646054144Liz Truss ally hits back at Kremlin claims on nuclear alertAn ally Liz Truss has struck back at the Kremlin’s claims her remarks played a role in Vladimir Putin ordering Russia’s nuclear deterrent on high alert.“Nothing Liz has said warrants that sort of escalation. It’s clearly designed to distract from the situation on the ground in Ukraine,” the ally said.“The Foreign Secretary has always talked about Nato in the context of it being a defensive alliance. Her point is that we stand by Article 5, and that we must do everything we can to help Ukraine short of putting boots on the ground.“We take it very seriously and want to keep the situation calm.”Joe Middleton28 February 2022 13:151646053244It’s time to block Russian companies funding Putin’s regime from UK portsIf we sanction Russia’s largest shipping company, Sovcomflot, then its major clients will have no excuse not to leave their contracts, writes Alistair Carmichael.Joe Middleton28 February 2022 13:001646052344Mental health demand soars as pandemic leaves new mothers ‘isolated’Tens of thousands of new mothers have been left “hopeless” and “isolated” during the pandemic, with the NHS seeing record numbers of referrals to maternal mental health services.Requests for help from new, expectant and bereaved mothers jumped 40 per cent in 2021 compared to 2019, analysis by The Independent has revealed.NHS data shows mental health referrals hit an all-time high of 23,673 in November last year, with average monthly referrals for the whole of 2021 running 21 per cent higher than the year before from 17,226 to 21,990.Our health correspondent Rebecca Thomas has the details.Joe Middleton28 February 2022 12:451646051764Irish premier casts doubt Ukraine could join EU ‘immediately’The Irish premier has today cast doubt on the idea that Ukraine may be able to join the EU with immediate effect.Speaking in Dublin, Micheal Martin said: “I don’t know whether it can be done immediately.“But I certainly would be a proponent and supporter of accelerating it and making it very clear that they can become members of the European Union.“I’ve always favoured the acceleration of the European perspective for countries in our neighbourhood.”In a video speech President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for “Ukraine’s immediate accession” to the EU under a “special procedure”.Joe Middleton28 February 2022 12:36 More