UK Politics

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster email Britain and its former partners in the European Union have struck a deal to cooperate more on tackling illegal migration, in the latest sign of a thawing in relations between the two sides following Brexit.The British government said in a statement Friday that U.K. border agencies and Frontex, the EU’s border and coast guard agency, will be able to access each other’s intelligence to secure borders and tackle organized immigration crime. There will also be joint training, deployments of staff from one side to the other, and collaboration on research and development on new technologies. The agreement, which will be signed later in London, doesn’t include any bilateral returns agreement, which means neither side will be obliged to to take any asylum-seekers under burden-sharing arrangements agreed on between the EU’s 27 member states. “Organized immigration crime and people smuggling are global challenges that require shared solutions and ambitions,” U.K. Home Secretary James Cleverly said.“Our landmark working arrangement between the U.K. and Frontex is another crucial step in tackling illegal migration, securing our borders and stopping the boats,” he added.Relations between the two sides on an array of issues has been improving in the past few months, having been severely tested during the drawn-out divorce negotiations that followed Britain’s 2016 vote to leave the EU. The split became final in early 2021 with the agreement of a bare-bones trade and cooperation deal, but relations grew even more testy under strongly pro-Brexit U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson.Rishi Sunak, the current prime minister who took the helm in October 2022, has quietly worked to improve the United Kingdom’s relationship with its European neighbors, though trade friction and deep-rooted mistrust still linger. Last year, for example, he agreed that Britain would rejoin the EU’s $100 billion science-sharing program Horizon Europe.Sunak has made cutting illegal immigration one of the main pillars of his leadership. More than 29,000 people arrived in the U.K. in small boats in 2023, having made the often treacherous journey across the English Channel. Though that was down from nearly 46,000 the year before, Sunak has promised to “stop the boats,” leaving him open to charges that he has failed to achieve one of his main objectives before a general election this year, the date of which he will decide. Opinion polls show that Sunak’s Conservatives are trailing far behind the main opposition Labour Party, and losing support to a new hard-right political party, which is focusing on immigration. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailUnder-25s playing online slot games are to be limited to £2 a spin from September under new measures to protect people from harmful gambling, the Government has announced.Adults aged 25 and over will face a £5 stake limit “to counter the increased risk of significant harm and life-changing losses” from online slots, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said.There is currently no limit on the amount that gamblers can stake on online slots.In 2019 the Government imposed a limit on stakes on the equivalent machines in betting shops – called fixed-odds betting terminals – from £100 to £2.Although millions of people gamble safely every single day, the evidence shows that there is a significantly higher problem gambling rate for online slot gamesStuart Andrew, gambling ministerThe DCMS described the new limits as a “landmark moment” for the regulation of online gambling.Easily accessible online slot games are one of the most addictive forms of gambling, and can be associated with large losses, long sessions, and binge play, according to evidence presented during a consultation over the proposals contained in the Government’s gambling White Paper.Evidence from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities showed that young adults could be particularly vulnerable to gambling-related harm, with under-25s having the highest average problem gambling score of any age group.NHS survey figures also showed a problem gambling rate of 8.7% for online gambling on slots, casino or bingo games – one of the highest rates across gambling activities.Young adults had lower disposable income, ongoing neurological development impacting risk perception and common life stage factors such as managing money for the first time, the DCMS said.Evidence also pointed to a stronger link between gambling-related harm and suicide among young adults.Our research shows a concerning trend with this age group experiencing an increase in harm arising from gambling and online slots are very high-risk productsZoe Osmond, GambleAwareGambling minister Stuart Andrew said: “Although millions of people gamble safely every single day, the evidence shows that there is a significantly higher problem gambling rate for online slot games.“We also know that young adults can be more vulnerable when it comes to gambling-related harms, which is why we committed to addressing both of these issues in our White Paper.“The growing popularity of online gambling is clear to see, so this announcement will level the playing field with the land-based sector and is the next step in a host of measures being introduced this year that will protect people from gambling harms.”Zoe Osmond, chief executive of gambling charity GambleAware, said: “We welcome the Government’s announcement to introduce lower online stake limits for under-25s as an important mechanism to protect young people.“Our research shows a concerning trend with this age group experiencing an increase in harm arising from gambling and online slots are very high-risk products.“As we continue our work to tackle this growing public health issue, we will collaborate with the Government and others across the gambling harms sector to ensure there are no missed opportunities when it comes to the introduction of robust preventative measures, including new regulations such as these.”The £2 limit for under-25s is a step in the right direction, but £5 for over-25s is another missed opportunity to stop the harm to millions and the devastation caused by gambling suicidesCharles Ritchie, Gambling with LivesHowever other campaigners described the limits as a “missed opportunity” after calling for a maximum of £2 or less across the board.Gambling with Lives co-founder Charles Ritchie said: “The £2 limit for under-25s is a step in the right direction, but £5 for over-25s is another missed opportunity to stop the harm to millions and the devastation caused by gambling suicides.“Stake limits offer some reduction in harm but the products are still highly addictive, so we also need much slower spin speeds, affordability checks, and proper public health information about the dangers.”The limits will come into force in September following secondary legislation, with a six-week transition period for operators to become compliant with the general £5 stake limit rules, followed by a further six weeks for the development of any necessary technical solutions to ensure operators are fully compliant with the lower stake limit of £2 for younger adults.The DCMS said responses to the wider White Paper measures would be published “soon”. More

SNP and Conservative MPs walk out of the Commons over the speaker’s handling of the Gaza voteSign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailPrime minister Rishi Sunak has branded Sir Lindsay Hoyle’s handling of the Gaza ceasefire vote “very concerning”, but said the Commons Speaker was “reflecting on what happened”.Mr Sunak warned that parliamentarians should never be intimidated by “extremists” after dozens of Conservative and SNP MPs signed a no-confidence motion in Sir Lindsay.The speaker has apologised to the SNP after the House of Commons descended into chaos. He broke with convention on Wednesday to allow a vote on Labour’s Gaza ceasefire amendment to an SNP motion calling for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza and Israel. The amendment was later passed without vote.He said: “I regret it. I apologise to the SNP… I apologise and I apologise to the House. I made a mistake. We do make mistakes. I own up to mine.“I have a duty of care, and I say that, and if my mistake is looking after members I am guilty.”Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt blamed the Labour Party for the chaotic scenes.Show latest update 1708652700Anger as Northern Ireland excluded from Post Office lawNorthern Ireland’s justice minister says she is deeply disappointed that legislation to exonerate subpostmasters wronged in the Horizon scandal excludes the region.Naomi Long said she would urgently review options to provide an alternative remedy for subpostmasters in Northern Ireland.Details of blanket legislation to exonerate subpostmasters convicted in England and Wales was published on Thursday after Rishi Sunak earlier this year said they were victims of “one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in our nation’s history”.Last month, Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake told MPs that while justice is a devolved issue in Northern Ireland, the Government wanted to see a consistent approach across the UK.However, Ms Long criticised the Westminster Government after it failed to include Northern Ireland in its legislation.Jane Dalton23 February 2024 01:451708648200Victims of Post Office Horizon scandal to have names cleared by new lawJane Dalton23 February 2024 00:301708643723Editorial: Now the war in Gaza is poisoning British politics Some of the arguments about Gaza – in parliament, online, in demonstrations – twist the motives and policies of opponents grotesquely: More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailSir Lindsay Hoyle has apologised twice to MPs following an extraordinary fallout over the Commons Gaza debate on Wednesday.Tory and SNP MPs stormed out of the chamber after Sir Lindsay broke with convention to allow a vote on Labour’s Gaza ceasefire amendment.The simmering row centres on his decision to select Labour’s bid to amend an SNP motion calling for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza and Israel, which was later passed without a division.The SNP had opted to use one of its allocated opposition day debates to press for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages held by Hamas and “an end to the collective punishment of the Palestinian people”.Labour responded by tabling an amendment to the motion in addition to the government’s. It was then Sir Lindsay’s decision to select the party’s amendment for a vote and debate that angered many MPs.The SNP were angry as they felt their opposition day had been hijacked by the speaker – but also because they had hoped to expose divisions over Gaza within the Labour Party.The chaos continued into Thursday, when Sir Keir Starmer was forced to deny he had threatened Sir Lindsay and SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn called for a vote of no confidence in the speaker.So what actually happened in the Commons on Wednesday? And why are the SNP and Tories so outraged?What’s next for Sir Lindsay and the amendment that was agreed?If you have a question, submit it now here, or when I join you live at 11am on Friday 23 January for the “Ask Me Anything” event.Register to submit your question in the comments box under this article. If you’re not already a member, click “sign up” in the comments section to leave your question. For a full guide on how to comment click here.Don’t worry if you can’t see your question – they may be hidden until I join the conversation to answer them. Then join us live on this page as I tackle as many questions as I can. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster email The chaotic debate over a cease-fire in Gaza reverberated through Britain’s Parliament on Thursday as the speaker of the House of Commons faced calls to resign, and lawmakers said they feared for their safety amid pressure from all sides of the issue.After more than six hours of sometimes heated debate on Wednesday, both the governing Conservative Party and the Scottish National Party, or SNP, refused to participate in voting on the question. That left Labour, the largest opposition party, with the largely hollow victory of passing its version of a nonbinding motion calling for an “immediate humanitarian” cease-fire unopposed.Anger over the way the debate unfolded led to more than 50 lawmakers submitting letters of no confidence in Speaker Lindsay Hoyle on Thursday. Hoyle was meeting with the leaders of all three main parties to plot a way forward.Underlying the parliamentary tug-of-war are rising tensions over the Israel-Hamas war, with hundreds of thousands of people marching through London last Saturday in support of the Palestinian cause and figures showing that the number of antisemitic incidents in the United Kingdom jumped almost 150% last year.That is spilling over into Parliament, where the Gaza issue has been “weaponized” and some lawmakers believe they have to vote a particular way to ensure their own safety and the safety of their families, Conservative Charles Walker said during Wednesday’s debate.“This is a far bigger issue than the debate we’re having tonight, because if people are changing their votes in this place, or changing their behaviors in this place, because they are frightened what may happen to them or their families out there, then we have a real problem,” Walker said. “So this point scoring off each other is not going to resolve many issues.”Wednesday’s debate was triggered when the SNP put forward a motion calling for an immediate cease-fire that highlighted the devastation caused by Israel’s attacks on Gaza. The Labour Party offered an amendment that stressed Israel’s need to ensure it never again faces attacks like those that were carried out by Hamas on Oct. 7. The government countered with its own amendment restating its call for an “immediate humanitarian pause” in the fighting.In an effort to ease tensions in Parliament, Hoyle sought to allow separate votes on all three motions.But the speaker’s carefully constructed compromise collapsed when the government withdrew its motion, because Hoyle’s decision departed from House of Commons traditions under which he was expected to reject the Labour amendment. The SNP followed suit, saying lawmakers would no longer have an opportunity to vote on its proposal.Hoyle apologized Thursday and acknowledged that he made a mistake. But he said that he was trying to make sure that all lawmakers had the chance to make their positions clear in a climate of threat and intimidation. “I have a duty of care that I will carry out to protect people,″ he told the Commons. “It is the protection that led me to make a wrong decision, but what I do not apologize (for) is the risk that has been put on all members at the moment. I had serious meetings yesterday with the police on the issues and threats to politicians for us heading to an election.”Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt, who represents the government, blamed Labour for the chaotic scenes during Wednesday’s debate.“This House will never bow to extremists, threats, or intimidation,” she told the Commons on Thursday. “It has not, it will not, it must not.“And I would ask all honorable members not to do this House a further disservice by suggesting that the shameful events that took place yesterday were anything other than party politics on behalf of the Labour Party.”But the Institute for Government, an independent think tank focused on effective government in the U.K., criticized politicians on all sides of the issue for allowing a meaningful debate on Gaza to descend into “embarrassing chaos.”All of the parties are being disingenuous about their motives, with the government and SNP mostly upset, because they lost an opportunity to highlight the divisions within Labour over its Gaza policy, Hannah White, the institute’s director, wrote in an analysis published Thursday.Labour, trying to balance pressures from pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian supporters, only recently changed its policy to support calls for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza.“Political game-playing over parliamentary procedure is unedifying at the best of times, but for parliamentarians to behave in this way during a debate about a conflict in which tens of thousands are dying has undoubtedly brought Parliament into disrepute,” White said. More