UK

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailMichael Gove will today warn that the rise of antisemitism in Britain is a sign that the country is “descending into darkness”.The communities secretary is set to speak to the Jewish community in London amid huge concerns at the way there has been a 147 per cent increase in antisemitic incidents since 2022. The number has risen from 1,662 in 2022 to 2,699 incidents in the UK during the period on or after 7 October 2023 – the day when Hamas terrorists slaughtered and kidnapped hundreds of Jews in Israel.Mr Gove’s hard-hitting speech will come on the same day as Lord Walney publishes a landmark report on political violence and disruption, and ahead of the publication of the government’s Counter Extremism Action Plan in the coming weeks.The senior minister will identify three forms of extremism of Islamism, the far right and hard left as “all sharing a common thread” of antisemitism. Communities secretary Michael Gove is set to speak about antisemitism today More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailSome of the world’s leading AI scientists have called for stronger action on AI risk from world leaders, as the AI Seoul Summit begins on Tuesday, warning that progress has been insufficient since the first AI Safety Summit in the UK six months ago.Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will co-host a virtual meeting of world leaders with South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday to open the summit, where he will say that managing the risks posed by artificial intelligence is “one of the most profound responsibilities” faced by governments.However, in a new expert consensus paper published in the journal Science, 25 of the world’s leading scientists in the technology say governments are moving too slowly to regulate the rapidly evolving technology and there has not been enough progress since the previous summit.They argue that world leaders must take seriously the possibility that more powerful general use AI systems – which are capable of regularly outperforming humans – will be developed in the current decade or next, and respond accordingly.Professor Philip Torr, Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, and co-author on the paper, said: “The world agreed during the last AI summit that we needed action, but now it is time to go from vague proposals to concrete commitments.“This paper provides many important recommendations for what companies and governments should commit to do.”In the paper, the experts say rapid-response institutions for AI oversight must be established, with far greater funding that many governments currently plan, while also mandating more rigorous risk assessments with enforceable consequences, rather than the current model of voluntary, unspecified evaluations.The experts include Turing award winners, Nobel laureates, and authors of standard AI textbooks, and hail from major AI powerbases including the UK, US, China and the EU.Stuart Russell, professor of computer science at the University of California at Berkeley, and author of a textbook on AI, said: “This is a consensus paper by leading experts, and it calls for strict regulation by governments, not voluntary codes of conduct written by industry.“It’s time to get serious about advanced AI systems. These are not toys. Increasing their capabilities before we understand how to make them safe is utterly reckless.“Companies will complain that it’s too hard to satisfy regulations — that ‘regulation stifles innovation’. That’s ridiculous. There are more regulations on sandwich shops than there are on AI companies.”Ahead of the summit, the first iteration of a new scientific report on AI safety – the first of its kind and commissioned at the AI Safety Summit in November – found the experts involved to be uncertain on the technology’s future.They said that while AI could boost wellbeing, prosperity and scientific research in the future, it could also be used to power widespread disinformation and fraud, disrupt jobs and reinforce inequality.As well as highlighting the potential benefits and risks, it warns there is not universal agreement among experts on a range of topics around AI, including the state of current AI capabilities and how those could evolve over time, and the likelihood of extreme risks – such as losing control over the technology – occurring.The interim report is set to be used as a starting point for discussions among world leaders, industry experts, researchers and tech giants at the latest two-day summit in Seoul.It comes as the pace of innovation in the sector shows no sign of slowing down, with ChatGPT maker OpenAI, Google and Microsoft all announcing swathes of new AI-powered tools and products in the days ahead of the summit.And another heavyweight in the tech industry, Apple, is due to make its own AI announcements in early June. More

Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UKSign up to our Brexit email for the latest insightDavid Cameron has admitted that the plan is for EU Frontex border guards to police the entry into Gibraltar in a deal to allow “a fluid border” between the Rock and Spain.The foreign secretary was giving evidence to the European Scrutiny Committee which has raised serious concerns over the impact on UK sovereignty with the proposed treaty.The row has broken out because of a need for Gibraltar to come to a longer border solution with the EU as a result of Brexit.Had the UK voted to remain in the EU, the free travel provisions would not have been a problem but with 15,000 crossings a day, the Gibraltan and UK governments are seeking a solution. Gibraltar opposed Brexit with 96 per cent voting Remain.Lord David Cameron discussed Gibraltar More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailLabour will build a new generation of towns in a bid to tackle the housing crisis, Angela Rayner will say in an attempt to impress the house-building sector.The deputy Labour leader has said the “foundations of our past” are the inspiration for the proposals, pointing to her party’s record in government following the Second World War, when towns like Stevenage and Basildon were built.Speaking at the UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF), a property industry conference, Ms Rayner is expected to say Labour will back “developers who deliver” if it wins power.Ms Rayner, who is also the shadow housing secretary, will tell the conference a Labour government would set high standards on design, quality, affordable homes, green spaces and infrastructure.New towns will be a crucial part of Labour’s plans to grasp the ongoing housing crisis across Britain, she is expected to say.Labour will build a new generation of towns in a bid to tackle the housing crisis, Angela Rayner will say More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailA Tory foreign minister has slammed the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision to seek arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders as a “repugnant” moral equivalence.UK deputy foreign secretary Andrew Mitchell said the court’s request “smacked of an unworthy and ludicrous” comparison between Israel and Hamas – and it would not help end the war.The ICC sought arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, defence minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri, and Ismail Haniyeh, for allegations of war crimes on Monday.Mr Mitchell said: “This smacks of an unworthy and ludicrous sense of moral equivalence between a murderous proscribed terrorist organisation and the democratically elected government of Israel seeking to protect its citizens.“We do not believe the ICC prosecutor seeking warrants will help with a ceasefire. As we have said from the outset, we do not think the ICC has jurisdiction in this case.”Top left to bottom right: Yoav Gallant, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ismail Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif More

Brexit betrayal: David Cameron set to sell Gibraltar out in EU ‘capitulation’Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UKSign up to our Brexit email for the latest insightForeign secretary David Cameron is giving evidence to MPs and members of the Commons European scrutiny over the planned treaty for Gibraltar.Both governments are currently in the process of agreeing a post-Brexit treaty amid fears Gibraltar could become subject to Schengen area rules.MPs warned the Brexiteer that his promise of a stronger sovereignty has failed and it could lead to a loss of control of British territories. They are concerned Lord Cameron’s draft would leave UK citizens at the mercy of EU Frontex border guards and give them the power to turn away people from the territory.During today’s Commons session, MPs are demanding answers to a list of key questions following evidence sessions with foreign minister David Rutley and Gibraltar’s chief minister Fabian Picardo.It comes as National Audit Office warned the Government is splashing £4.7bn in Brexit border checks system. The watchdog also found there is no clear timetable to fully implement its post-Brexit border controls.Sir Jim Ratcliffe has joined criticism and has slammed the Conservative Government for the way post-Brexit policies were handled, saying it didn’t turn out as people anticipated. Show latest update 1716195203In full: What are MPs key concerns over the UK-EU Gibraltar deal?Schengen controls at Gibraltar’s airport: MPs are concerned about the introduction of rules that would restrict the free movement of UK citizens.Implications for residents: The Committee highlighted the significant disruption for Gibraltarians who could face checks to enter their own territory. New EU Entry/Exit regime: With the new EU Entry/Exit regime starting in October, there are fears over biometric registration requirements which could cause delays for travellers and workers. Impact on UK nationals: MPs say there is uncertainty on whether time spent in Gibraltar would count towards the 90 days for non-EU nationals in the Schengen Area. Military and security concerns: MP’s are worried about a potential EU border guards force that would block UK and NATO military personnel from entering the territory. Oversight by the European Court of Justice: There are concerns about the court having a say on border and trade matters. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailSelf-driving vehicles could be used on Britain’s roads in just two years, a Cabinet minister claimed, as a Bill outlining the legal framework for autonomous vehicles became law.Transport Secretary Mark Harper said the deployment of the technology will be “a real boost to both safety and our economy”.The Automated Vehicles Bill received royal assent on Monday.Britain stands at the threshold of an automotive revolutionMark Harper, Transport SecretaryThe legislation, which applies across Britain, delivers “the most comprehensive legal framework of its kind worldwide”, according to the Department for Transport (DfT).It means motorists will not be held responsible for the action of a vehicle in self-driving mode, with businesses such as insurers, manufacturers and software developers liable when something goes wrong.The DfT added that self-driving vehicles must achieve a level of safety at least as high as “careful and competent human drivers”.Trials of autonomous vehicle technology are ongoing across the UK, such as by Wayve in London and Oxa in Oxford.Mr Harper said: “Britain stands at the threshold of an automotive revolution, and this new law is a milestone moment for our self-driving industry which has the potential to change the way we travel forever.“While this doesn’t take away people’s ability to choose to drive themselves, our landmark legislation means self-driving vehicles can be rolled out on British roads as soon as 2026, in a real boost to both safety and our economy.”Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said: “This is a watershed moment for UK automotive innovation and road safety in the UK.“Self-driving vehicles will revolutionise our society, and this new law will help turn ambition into reality, putting the UK alongside a handful of other global markets that already have their regulatory frameworks in place.“The industry will continue its close collaboration with government and other stakeholders to develop the necessary secondary legislation that will enable the safe and responsible commercial roll out of self-driving vehicles and the significant social and economic benefits they will afford the UK.” More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailA post-Brexit border control system designed to “take control” of Britain’s borders has no clear timetable for completion, warned the National Audit Office (NAO) on Monday.The public spending watchdog said repeated changes and deferrals to the government’s flagship plan for full import controls from the EU was leading to uncertainty for businesses and extra costs for government and ports.The Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) is being brought in through phases, with the second for animal and plant exports coming in on 30 April. A third part of the model on safety and security declarations is due to be introduced in October – but it’s not clear when full controls will be in place.Lorries at the Sevington Inland Border Facility in Ashford as the National Audit Office warns over uncertainty for a post-Brexit border controls system More