UK Politics

Raab refuses to rule out tougher Covid measures before Christmas-.mp4Thursday’s by-election in the usually ultra-safe Conservative seat of North Shropshire is on a “knife edge’, the leader of the Liberal Democrats has said. Speaking three days ahead of the vote, Ed Davey told The Independent that his party has a good chance of winning the constituency, following the resignation of the disgraced Tory MP Owen Paterson. “We’ve had some good by-election victories over the years, but this would be off the scale,” he added.Other difficulties for the government include the prospect of the largest rebellion of Boris Johnson’s premiership, with over 70 backbenchers threatening to defy the whip and vote against the government’s new Plan B measures to slow the spread of the omicron variant. It is also reported that up to 10 ministerial aides could resign to oppose the controls, with up to four votes on the measures expected to take place on Tuesday evening.The measures – including Covid passes for entry into nightclubs and other venues – are expected to pass the Commons with the support of Labour, who back tighter controls.Elsewhere, the justice secretary Dominic Raab has been accused by Labour of “endangering the public” through his proposed changes to the Human Rights Act. Show latest update

1639492921Sturgeon urges Scots to limit socialising Nicola Sturgeon has encouraged people in Scotland to limit their social circles to a maximum of three households over the Christmas period.The first minister’s plea comes amid the spread of the omicron variant. My colleague Adam Forrest has this report: Rory Sullivan14 December 2021 14:421639492167UK to remove 11 African countries from travel ‘red list’ The UK will remove travel restrictions to and from 11 African countries from tomorrow, Sajid Javid has confirmed.Speaking earlier in the Commons, the health secretary said: “Omicron is a grave threat. We acted early to slow its spread, strengthening our testing regime and placing 11 countries on the travel red list.“But despite those swift steps the data over the past few days has shown more cause concern. I’d like to reinforce with the House today, to all honourable members why omicron represents such a risk to the progress that we’ve all made so far together.”Rory Sullivan14 December 2021 14:291639491778Health secretary announces Plan B Covid measuresHealth secretary Sajid Javid is announcing the government’s new “Plan B” coronavirus measures in the Commons.“These are not steps that we would take lightly. I firmly believe in individual liberty and that curbs should be placed on our freedoms only in the gravest of circumstances,” he said.His words come as dozens of Tory backbenchers could vote against the government on legislation including the mandatory use of Covid passports for entry into entertainment venues. Rory Sullivan14 December 2021 14:221639490871Man detained for attempting to drive car through parliament gatesA man has been detained after trying to drive a car through the UK parliament’s gates, according to police.He has since been detainted under the Mental Health Act, the Metropolitan Police said.Zoe Tidman14 December 2021 14:071639490286Government guilty of ‘growing authoritarianism’, says Labour MPBoris Johnson’s party is guilty of “growing authoritarianism” after it announced its plan to water down human rights legislation, a Labour MP has claimed. Addressing justice secretary Dominic Raab, Clive Lewis, who represents Norwich South, said “If we were playing authoritarian bingo then after today’s statement from the secretary of state, we’d have a full house.“Not only have you come for our trade union rights, our rights to vote, our rights to protest, (but) our human rights now are up for grabs. Today’s statement does nothing to strengthen human rights, it does everything to weaken them.“This isn’t a party of freedom opposite, it’s a party of growing authoritarianism and many of you over there know it.”In response, Mr Raab said the Labour politician’s statement had highlighted “the importance of protecting free speech and rambunctious debate even though he’s wrong about everything he says”. Rory Sullivan14 December 2021 13:581639489217Rachel Reeves test positive for Covid-19Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves has tested positive for coronavirus. The Labour frontbencher announced the news on Tuesday, three days after she received her booster shot. Ms Reeves said that she would have voted in favour of Plan B Covid restrictions if she was in the Commons this afternoon. “Vaccines are our best weapon against Covid,” she added.
Rory Sullivan14 December 2021 13:401639488206Human rights lawyers react to Raab proposals Human rights experts have accused the government of being the first liberal democracy to reduce rather than increase rights protections. Here’s a tweet from barrister Adam Wagner on the justice secretary’s new proposal: Rory Sullivan14 December 2021 13:231639486913Human rights ‘not safe in Tory hands’, says Caroline LucasThe only Green MP has lambasted the government over its decision to change the Human Rights Act. Caroline Lucas, who represents Brighton Pavilion, tweeted: “Our fundamental rights are being taken away by this government one by one – the right to protest, citizenship rights, the right to vote without showing photo ID.”“Basic rights including human rights are not safe in Tory hands. This proves it,” she added. Rory Sullivan14 December 2021 13:011639486468Raab reveals Human Rights Act proposalDominic Raab is now speaking in the Commons on his proposed changes to the Human Rights Act. The justice secretary said the UK will “remain a party to the European Convention on Human Rights” but wants to “change, reform, to revise” how the convention is interpreted by the British courts. “Let me just be very clear at the outset: my critique is levelled at the Human Rights Act, the way it operates – it’s not levelled at the UK judiciary, who have quite properly sought to implement legislation passed in this House,” he said.The deputy prime minister added that the new system will allow the UK to deport foreign nationals more easily. Rory Sullivan14 December 2021 12:541639486114No 10 denies cancellation of Covid passport vote The government has rejected speculation that it will withdraw its vote on Covid passports in the face of a sizeable Tory backbench rebellion. Here’s the Sun’s Harry Cole with the latest: Rory Sullivan14 December 2021 12:48 More

Chief medical officer Chris Whitty has warned Boris Johnson to expect a “significant increase” in hospitalisations from the omicron variant of Covid-19 in the UK.The warning came as the head of NHS Providers – which represents health trusts – told MPs that hospitals were preparing for a large rise in Covid patients over the Christmas period, at a time when the service is already “beyond full stretch”. Mr Johnson told cabinet this morning that the UK can expect a “huge spike” of Covid cases as omicron becomes the dominant variant in the UK.The highly contagious variant, first detected in South Africa, is thought to have become the dominant strain in hotspot London today and will “inevitably” soon overtake delta elsewhere in the country, said the prime minister’s official spokesperson.Briefing the regular weekly meeting of cabinet, Prof Whitty told ministers that it was “too early to say” whether cases of the new strain were beginning to level off in South Africa after rising vertiginously in recent weeks. And he said there was “no reliable evidence” that the omicron wave has peaked in South Africa yet.The regular weekly meeting of Mr Johnson’s most senior ministers was held virtually for the first time in several months, in recognition of the rapid increase in omicron infections – believed to have reached 200,000 a day in the UK – and the government’s new guidance to work from home if possible.Cabinet was told that omicron continues to spread at a “concerning” rate, with almost 4,500 confirmed cases, 10 hospitalisations and one known death.The number of confirmed cases is signficantly lower than the estimated current rate of infections because of the time lag between becoming infected, developing symptoms, taking a test and genome sequencing of the results.Because omicron rates are believed to double every two or three days, total numbers of infections are always likely to outstrip confirmed cases by a massive factor.Prof Whitty said it was not yet known how severe the new variant is, in terms of causing serious illness or death.But he told cabinet that “we can expect a significant increase in hospitalisations as cases increase”, Mr Johnson’s spokesperson told reporters.Meanwhile, NHS Providers chief executive Chris Hopson told the all-party parliamentary group on coronavirus that trusts are expecting a rise in hospitalisations.“If you have a very large number of people infected with omicron … it doesn’t take a particularly large percentage of people to be hospitalised before you get a large raw number of hospitalisations,” said Mr Hopson.“The government wants to make vaccinations the absolute priority. We were already beyond full stretch … we’re now facing the prospect of significant number of hospitalisations probably starting within the next week to two weeks.“Add all of that together, and there is a huge amount of pressure on the service.”The PM’s spokesperson said that difficulties accessing lateral flow and PCR tests on Monday were caused by a sudden spike in demand following Mr Johnson’s address to the nation on Sunday evening, and were not due to any shortage in home-testing kits or delivery drivers.Some 230,000 boxes containing 1.6m lateral flow tests were sent out on Monday, but the spike in demand surpassed the number of Royal Mail delivery slots available, said the spokesperson. Arrangements are being made to increase capacity “significantly”, including by drawing on services from Amazon and other delivery companies, and kits should be available from pharmacies and other locations, he added. The government is not requesting the public to hold back on posting Christmas cards and presents to free up capacity, as the two systems are entirely separate, he said.And despite the expected surge in cases, there are currently no plans to restrict Christmas parties or get-togethers, though anyone attending a crowded event where they will mingle with people they do not normally meet is encouraged to take a test in advance.Challenged over why the PM did not think it time to impose more stringent restrictions, the spokesperson said: “Thanks to the vaccination programme, particularly thanks to the booster programme, we have severely reduced the link between cases, severe illness and death.“The impact of vaccinations and boosters on the omicron variant with regards to illness and death are still not known. And so it’s right that we strike a balanced and proportionate approach whilst we get further evidence on this variant.“We are not being complacent, which is why we have brought forward so drastically the target for getting everyone boosted because that is the single biggest action we can take whilst we find out more about this variant.” More

A senior Conservative MP has warned Brexit is “destroying” British agriculture, as he condemned a government minister for failing to act.A furious Neil Parish laid into Neil Foster, the immigration minister, for ignoring a recommendation to make it easier to bring in EU butchers and other workers – leading to a huge shortage.The chair of the Commons environment committee warned that planting of vegetables was down 25 per cent and poultry production by 12.5 per cent, since Brexit.“We are seeing our industry slowly being destroyed,” Mr Parish told the minister – demanding to know why the migration advisory committee’s call for farm workers to be placed on the shortage list was rejected.“I thought Brexit was about encouraging production in this country, not discouraging it. This is down to labour shortages.”Mr Parish accused the minister of claiming “it’s no problem, it wasn’t our problem” adding: “It is, I’m sorry minister.”But Mr Foster hit back, arguing there was a “problem with uptake” and blaming employers for failing to sign up to a visa scheme to bring in workers.Warnings of farm labour shortages have raged for months, after Brexit slammed the door on the ability of EU nationals to move to the UK and work freely.In October, ministers performed a U-turn by allowing 800 butchers and 5,500 poultry workers  to enter the UK on short-term visas – having rejected putting them on the shortage list, to ease entry.But Mr Foster admitted the number of butchers actually in place is under 100 – after the farm industry protested at the cost and bureaucracy of the visa system.He criticised companies that have failed to apply to sponsor visas, telling the committee: “They could be used immediately if people wanted to do so.”But Sheryll Murray, a fellow Tory committee member, told the minister: “We are seeing pigs slaughtered on the farm because of your slow process.”The criticism came as a coalition of agriculture groups attacked “short-term fixes” that were failing to find a long-term solution to the supply crisis.Dr Zoe Davies, chief executive of the National Pig Association, said: “The UK pig sector is still in meltdown as worker shortages continue to impact our ability to process the number of pigs we already have on farms.”The National Farmers Union (NFU) demanded a commitment to avoid Britain’s self-sufficiency in food production falling from the current 60 per cent.“Britain’s farmers are world-leaders in producing climate friendly food and, over the past 18 months, have been working hard to keep shelves and fridges full despite many being impacted by severe supply chain issues, particularly worker shortages,” said president Minette Batters.“Government has tried to paper over the cracks with short-term fixes but, if we want to avoid this crisis continuing, long-term solutions are urgently needed.” More

Deputy prime minister Dominic Raab sparked confusion over the number of Britons suffering serious with illness from the omicron variant after he wrongly stated that the hospitalisations had shot up to 250. The cabinet minister initially told Sky News on Tuesday morning that the number of people now in hospital with the new Covid variant was 250. “Last I saw it was in the low hundreds – 250 the last time I looked.”However, Mr Raab then revised his figure down from 250 to nine when he appeared on BBC Breakfast. “I know we’ve had one death – I think we’ve got nine people who are in hospital with [omicron].”Mr Raab “misunderstood” or “misheard” host Kay Burley’s question about hospitalisations and gave an incorrect figure during his appearance, according to Sky News.A Whitehall official told The Independent that the latest figure remains 10 hospital cases with omicron, pending a further update from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).The figures shared by the UKHSA on Monday showed 10 people in hospital with omicron, and health secretary Sajid Javid also said on Monday there were 10 hospitalisations with the variant.Mr Raab went on to confirm that there were omicron hospitalisations were “10 at the moment” when he was quizzed over his earlier mistake during a later appearance on ITV’s Good Morning Britain.After being interrupted, the cabinet minister said: “Can I answer the question? I understand you like ranting at your politicians in the morning but can I answer the question because it’s a fair challenge and I want to answer it.”He added: “First of all, I misheard one of the questions around whether it was hospitalisations of omicron-related patients or more generally, but the figures are: 1 death from omicron, 10 in hospital, and I can tell you the latest daily hospitalisations, for all Covid strains, run at 900.”Meanwhile, Mr Raab did not rule out further Covid restrictions being considered for Christmas or New Year to deal with the rapid rise in omicron cases.“These issues are always discussed,” he told Times Radio. “But we have got plan B – that’s what we think is required over the Christmas period.”The justice secretary also acknowledged “teething problems” after people were seen queuing for hours to get booster jabs and the booking website struggled to cope with the demand for appointments.Mr Raab insisted the issue with ordering lateral flow tests from the government website is not due to a lack of the tests.He told BBC Breakfast: “The problem isn’t supply and volume, the problem is the allocation and distribution, or the delivery, of it. We know that in relation to the online system there were some challenges yesterday and that’s partly because of the proportion they’ve got each day.” Mr Raab also urged Conservative rebels to back the government’s plan B restrictions in the Commons on Tuesday, arguing that Covid certification is not a “big step or a slippery slope”.At least 70 Tories are expected to rebel and vote against the government later today, with backbencher Marcus Fysh comparing the health pass for nightclubs and large events to Nazi Germany.But the deputy PM claimed that Tory backbenchers’ concerns over the mandatory introduction of passes are “overstated” and said Mr Fysh’s remarks were not a “reasonable critique”. More

A crucial by-election in an ultra-safe Conservative constituency is on a “knife edge”, according to the Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, who claimed traditional Tory voters feel they have been “taken for granted”.Just three days before voters head to the polls in North Shropshire, Sir Ed appeared optimistic about his party’s prospects – despite coming third with just 10 per cent of the vote share in 2019 – and said there was a “really good chance of winning” if Labour and Green supporters voted tactically.After the Liberal Democrats’ previous surprise victory against the Conservatives in the Chesham and Amersham by-election earlier this year, he told The Independent: “We’ve had some good by-election victories over the years – this would be off the scale.”The by-election was triggered last month after Owen Paterson, who was found to have flouted rules on lobbying, resigned as an MP when Boris Johnson performed a U-turn on widely condemned proposals to create a Tory-dominated committee to review Commons sleaze rules.Given the Conservatives have held the seat for almost 200 years and commanded a 23,000-strong majority at the 2019 general election, a defeat on Thursday would represent a stunning blow for the prime minister and inevitably raise further questions over his leadership.But after bookies positioned the Lib Dems as favourites to win the by-election, Sir Ed, a former cabinet minister during the coalition government, said: “I think that’s probably slightly over-egging it. I think we really are in a good place – there’s no doubt it could go either way, it’s either going to be a Conservative MP or a going to be a Liberal Democrat MP. We’ve got a good chance; it’s on a knife-edge.”Sir Ed, who has visited the constituency five times during the campaign, claimed his party’s prospects “got progressively better”, saying: “Two things have happened: clearly we’ve been able to attract that disaffected Tory vote – and then we’ve seen increasingly Labour supporters willing to vote for us.”“There’s a real sense that we could be, potentially, overtaking the Tories. We’re not there yet.”He said 500 of party activists were canvassing over the weekend in North Shropshire, with thousands of voters contacted on the doorstep, and claimed: “Boris Johnson is not liked. This is what would have been a true blue seat and it’s Conservative party loyalists – lifelong Tories – they don’t like Boris Johnson.“This sense that they’ve been taken for granted, that they’ve been left behind, that Boris Johnson doesn’t care, it’s a really big one… and I think on a dark December evening that will motivate our people to come out, and I think it’s going to motivate Conservative voters to back us.“If enough [Labour and Green] vote tactically, we’ve got a really good chance of winning. If Labour and Green voters stick with their own party, then I think the Conservatives might just sneak back in.”He said: “If the prime minister loses this election, it will be one of the most shocking defeats ever, for any prime minister. This should be a rock-solid, safe Conservative constituency. They’ve had Conservative MPs for 200 years.”Labour frontbencher Yasmin Qureshi told Times Radio that the party were “never going to win” North Shropshire but stressed the Liberal Democrats had an “opportunity to do so”.“It’s not just soft-pedalling – I do think that in constituencies like these ones, where Labour don’t have a huge amount of resources… we know, realistically, we have no chance of winning,” she said.A Conservative Party spokesperson said Neil Shastri-Hurst was “the only candidate with a plan to deliver for the people of North Shropshire.“Neil will work positively with the government to get things done and isn’t focused on the short-term aim of using this by-election for yet more party politics,” they added.“Voters are experiencing a strong campaign from five parties – as well as ourselves, you have Labour working to defend their second place, the Greens keen to build on their breakthrough in the local elections especially in Oswestry, the Reform Party in the mix and the Liberal Democrats trying to catch up and overtake Labour.” More

Deputy prime minister Dominic Raab has urged Conservative rebels to back the government’s plan B restrictions, arguing that Covid certification is not a “big step or a slippery slope”.Boris Johnson is facing the biggest Commons revolt of his premiership on Tuesday as MPs prepare to vote on Covid passes for large venues, the extension of mandatory face masks and changes to self-isolation rules.At least 70 Tories are expected to rebel and vote against the government later today, with backbencher Marcus Fysh comparing the health pass for nightclubs and large events to Nazi Germany.But the deputy PM claimed that Tory backbenchers’ concerns over the mandatory introduction of passes are “overstated”.Mr Raab told Sky News: “Even if you haven’t had the double jab or, in due course, the booster, you can still rely on the lateral flow test – which is why I think some of these concerns about this are overstated.”Arguing it is not just proof of vaccination but of a negative lateral flow test as well, he told Times Radio: “I don’t think this is a big step or a slippery slope, but I do understand the concerns and that’s why we should have a proper debate.The deputy PM added: “Ultimately, I think people should vote for these measures – they are a proportionate, targeted approach given what we don’t know and the precautionary approach we need to take, just temporarily, while we get to grips with omicron.”Asked about Mr Fysh’s remarks comparing certification to Nazi Germany, Mr Raab said: “I don’t accept it and I don’t think it’s right and I don’t think it’s a reasonable critique. But I do understand concerns that people have.”He added: “I don’t think that is particularly intrusive thing to do in order that we protect ourselves and others around us … it’s a sensible, precautionary public health measure that will protect us all.”According to a tally of Tory MPs by The Spectator magazine, 79 Conservative MPs – including former ministers, some of the 2019 intake, as well as lockdown-sceptics – have said they will vote against or abstain on the plan B measures.It is reported that up to 10 ministerial aides could resign to oppose the controls, with up to four votes on the measures expected to take place on Tuesday evening. But the measures are expected to pass the Commons with the support of Labour, who back tighter controls.Mr Raab did not rule out further Covid restrictions being considered for Christmas or New Year, saying: “These issues are always discussed but we have got plan B – that’s what we think is required over the Christmas period.”The justice secretary also acknowledged “teething problems” after people were seen queuing for hours to get coronavirus booster vaccines and the booking website struggled to cope with the demand for appointments.Meanwhile, Tory MP Sir Roger Gale told Times Radio on Monday evening he had considered submitting a letter of no confidence in the prime minister and warned if the voters send a message to No 10 at Thursday’s by-election in North Shropshire “then that could be a tipping point”. More

Downing Street staff have been told not to “destroy any relevant information” as an investigation into illegal Christmas parties allegedly held at No 10 begins.The latest development comes shortly after Boris Johnson – prompted by a public backlash – agreed to an inquiry into the possible flouting of coronavirus guidelines. At the time of the alleged parties, indoor socialising was banned in London, which was subject to extensive Covid restrictions.As part of the internal investigation being handled by cabinet secretary Simon Case, Martin Reynolds, the prime minister’s principal private secretary, has written to Downing Street staff telling them to cooperate with the inquiry, ITV News reported. In an email seen by the broadcaster, Mr Reynolds urged Downing Street staff not to dispose of any potentially incriminating material, before adding that any evidence which suggests possible law-breaking would be handed to police. Some staff members will soon be called to answer questions on what happened late last year, ITV quoted the letter as saying. However, as Mr Reynolds noted in his message, government emails are automatically deleted after three months as part of security measures in place, meaning any from last year would need to be recovered first. Over the weekend, the Sunday Mirror published a photo that appeared to show the prime minister flanked by colleagues while hosting a Christmas quiz on 15 December 2020.This followed the leaking of a video in which senior government advisers can be heard joking about a party alleged to have taken place on 18 December 2020, when the capital was under tier 3 restrictions.After these revelations came to light, Mr Johnson continued to insist his innocence, saying on Monday: “I can tell you that I certainly broke no rules.”Nevertheless, these government scandals seem to have tarnished Mr Johnson and the Conservatives, whose popularity with the public have dropped dramatically in the past few weeks.The latest Ipsos Mori poll suggests that 13 per cent more people now think Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer would be a better prime minister than Mr Johnson.Meanwhile, other recent surveys put Labour ahead of the Tories, including a YouGov poll from 9 December, which had Labour on 37 per cent of the vote and the Conservatives on 33 per cent, a four point gain and a three point decrease respectively, compared to the previous week.Given the government’s seeming slump in fortunes, the Liberal Democrats believe they can win Thursday’s by-election in North Shropshire, a seat the Tories won by more than 20,000 votes in the 2019 general election. More

A controversial overhaul of the Human Rights Act will make it easier to deport asylum seekers who claim the right to a family life to stay in the UK.Offenders are expected to lose the ability to mount the defence if they are convicted of any “imprisonable” crime or any “terror-related activity”, under the long-awaited shake-up.Dominic Raab, the justice secretary – who has described the current protections as “nonsense” – is determined to restrict the ability of judges to make decisions on a case-by-case basis.In a statement to the Commons, he will claim the new “Bill of Rights” will restore “common-sense” and cut the number of refugees attempting dangerous Channel crossings.The UK will retain its “commitment to the European Convention on Human Rights”, he will argue – while Priti Patel’s push to also target asylum claimants at risk from torture in their home countries has been rejected.But Amnesty International accused ministers of potentially “aligning themselves with authoritarian regimes around the world”, by watering down the Human Rights Act.The Law Society accused Mr Raab of “political rhetoric” when the reality was the landmark legislation did not prevent judges delivering “British justice based on British laws”.Labour said Mr Raab should be focusing on a criminal justice system in crisis with “huge delays in prosecuting criminals and shamefully low conviction rates for rape and sexual offences”.Big changes have been expected since Mr Raab – who was recorded, in 2009, saying: “I don’t support the Human Rights Act” – was handed the justice brief in his cabinet demotion in September.A few weeks later, he was attacked for misrepresenting the case of “a drug dealer convicted of beating his ex-partner” to claim the act was being abused.But the justice secretary will double down on the claim, arguing up to 70 per cent of successful human rights challenges are brought by foreign offenders who “cite a right to family life”.Under the plans, likely to be a centrepiece of next year’s Queen’s Speech, a “permission stage” will “intercept frivolous claims that sap the energy and resource of courts”.Mr Raab will also claim the shake-up will “restore parliament’s role as the ultimate decision-maker” through greater freedom to “interpret rulings from the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg”.But Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty’s chief executive, said: “We need to put a stop to this aggressive human rights roll-back. Human rights are not sweets in a sweet shop for ministers to pick and choose from.”I Stephanie Boyce, the Law Society’s president, said: “Every case is different, making it necessary to weigh each on its own particulars. Talk of restricting rights is dangerous and does not reflect the nuanced job the courts have to do.”And Steve Reed, the shadow justice secretary, said: “Dominic Raab is ignoring all that so he can tinker with human rights laws as a distraction from the avalanche of corruption that has overwhelmed this out-of-touch Conservative government.” More