UK

The Home Office has detained the first set of migrants for deportation to Rwanda, with flights set to take off at the beginning of July. A week after Rishi Sunak’s controversial Safety of Rwanda Bill gained royal assent, the government said the first phase of detentions was underway for deportation flights. James Cleverly said enforcement teams are working “at pace to swiftly detain those who have no right to be here” as part of the “pioneering” scheme. James Cleverly said enforcement teams are working ‘at pace to swiftly detain those who have no right to be here’ More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailWatch live as Rishi Sunak faces Sir Keir Starmer at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, 1 May, after the government paid an asylum seeker £3,000 to relocate to Rwanda.The failed asylum claimant became the first person to be paid under a voluntary return scheme running alongside the government’s controversial deportation agreement with the country.He is understood not to be from Rwanda originally.He is also understood to now be in Rwanda after his commercial flight left on Monday evening, The Sun reported.Labour has criticised the move as an expensive attempt by the Conservative Party to gain votes ahead of Thursday’s local elections, in which the Tories are expected to endure heavy losses.“Stopping the boats” is one of the prime minister’s five pledges to the public.Kemi Badenoch said the decision of the failed asylum seeker to voluntarily relocate to Rwanda shows it is a safe country.The business and trade secretary told Times Radio: “One of the big arguments about this scheme was Rwanda wasn’t a safe country, and actually people are volunteering to go there.” More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailThe government has been accused of an “extortionate pre-election gimmick” after paying an asylum seeker £3,000 to relocate to Rwanda.Under a scheme running alongside the government’s controversial deportation agreement with the east African nation, ministers can pay failed asylum applicants up to £3,000 to get on a flight to Kigali.And on Tuesday, an African man became the first to take the government up on its offer, just in time for Thursday’s local elections.Rishi Sunak has moved to end the parliamentary deadlock over his Rwanda Bill which will pave the way for deportation flights to get off the ground once it becomes law (PA) More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailBrian Rose, the London Real Party candidate for London Mayor, has hit out at the Labour and Tory candidates for being obsessed with political attacks rather than substance.MrRose is a banker-turned-broadcaster who previously ran in the 2021 election, placing seventh with 31,111 votes. He was responding to the dispute between incumbent Mr Khan and The Tory’s Susan Hall, over alleged plans to charge London drivers by the mile.The London Real Party candidate said: “This is such a depressingly good example of politicians being obsessed with politics rather than people. There is a huge debate to be had about how we fund investment in our capital’s transport infrastructure, while keeping the air clean.“Yet Khan and Hall have become bogged down in a meaningless tit-for-tat over when and where Khan claimed he was looking at a pay-per-mile approach for London motorists.“Meanwhile, out in the real world, drivers are being milked dry by Khan, TfL remains a case study in how not to fund transport, and London’s main roads remain jammed and polluted because of Khan’s obsession with Low Traffic Neighbourhoods.”‘Khan and Hall have become bogged down in a meaningless tit-for-tat’ More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailAndreas Michli, an independent candidate running for London mayor, has said he will end knife crime and “get a grip on the deaths” in the capital. Mr Mitchli is a health and fitness entrepreneur and gym owner, who describes himself as “just a regular guy – a born and bred London family man”. Speaking to The Independent, he said: I’ve had enough of the way our city is being run, and that is why I am running for mayor. “I could count on one hand the amount of positive good things Sadiq Khan has done, it would most likely be one or two fingers, so I will be doing absolutely everything different to what he’s done. “The main focus of my campaign is around police and crime, in particular, knife crime. That’s an area in which none of the other candidates are addressing there’s 13 candidates in total, as you’re aware, and out of all 13 candidates, I’m the only candidate who’s come forward with a plan to end knife crime in London.”His plan to end knife crime, named Operation Brennan, is a “complete multifaceted approach from all angles to deal with the issue.”He said: “The sole priority of the plan to preserve life and get a grip on the deaths.” “We must reintegrate the police back into the communities as we’ve lost engagement with the police. “There’s ever widening gap, and nobody trusts them anymore. There is a lack of respect for the police and we’re never going to advance in our society with this distrust. We need to address the deeper rooted wider cultural issues surrounding knife crime.” Mr Michli would also reduce City Hall’s share of council tax, scrap Ulez and the Congestion Charge. “Charging people to use our public highways is a fundamental infringement on our right to travel,” he said. “We can’t keep penalising ordinary working-class Londoners for the failings of City Hall.”In relation to Ulez, he claimed “there is very little correlation with the air quality in London and motor usage.” A report published at the end of last year commissioned by Logika Group Air Quality Consultants found more toxic air pollution has been averted by Ulez than is produced by the capital’s airports or its river and rail transport combined. “I genuinely care about ordinary, working class Londoners because I am one of them,” the independent candidate added. “Make London strong. That’s what I want to do.”  His main manifesto pledges include: Make London StrongDeploy Operation BRENNAN to end knife crimeEnact Radical reforms to fix our broken police forceEmpower Londoners to take control of their healthAbolish ULEZ and get a handle on TfL’s financesBuild strong, build plenty, build beautifulReduce City Hall’s share of council taxCombat air pollution without penalising the publicYou can read Andreas Michli’s full manifesto here.When is the London mayoral election? Voters can cast their ballot in person on 2 May, by post or by proxy. Find your nearest polling station here.Everyone will need to show photo ID at polling stations before they vote.The results will be announced at City Hall on Saturday 4 May.Read the full list of candidates here. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailFemi Amin is the Animal Welfare Party candidate for London mayor, who came to the UK as a Afghan refugee when she was 15-years-old. Ms Amin told The Independent that arriving to the UK as a refugee has greatly shaped her perspective, as she bids to replace Sadiq Khan when Londoners go to the polls on Thursday. “I’ve grown up displaced and I’ve learned first-hand the importance of resilience and empathy as a refugee,” she said. “When I first moved to the UK, I did not have the right qualifications, and had to balance college with long working hours. I was on the brink of homelessness. “All these experiences have helped fuel my passion, which is creating a fairer and more compassionate world.”Ms Amin’s main priority is to oppose all forms of discrimination in the capital, including speciesism, she said. “I love how diverse London is, and that’s what’s amazing about the city,” the candidate explained. “The diversity and the inclusivity and the acceptance which has, which has really led me to running for mayor,” she added. “We must take bold action and we need to show that we need to be compassionate as leaders, even if those decisions are difficult.”Regarding policing and crime, the Animal Welfare Party candidate said there must be a holistic approach. “We need to build stronger relationships between the Met Police and the communities they serve,” she told The Independent. “I will increase the numbers of police officers on the street, whilst ensuring the recruitment policy focuses on better reflecting the ethnic and gender diversity of the city.”Ms Amin has set out seven key manifesto pledges:Prioritise the climate and biodiversity crises in all decision-makingSave NHS funds, improve human and planet health by promoting and supporting plant-based lifestylesIncentivise public and active transport, improving reliability, safety and affordabilityEstablish an Animal Welfare Committee to increase protection for the millions of animals in the capitalBuilding homes that are affordable and sustainableOppose speciesism: where wildlife is valued and managed non-lethally, developments in animal-free testing are championed and the sale of foie gras & fur is rejectedDedicate urgently needed space for nature and scrapping the use pesticides and herbicidesShe said: “I want the opportunity to leave a legacy of positive change and progress for Londoners. I would expect to be remembered as someone who prioritised the well-being of all the capital’s residents, both humans and animals included, and I would want foster a city that is inclusive, sustainable and resilient.”You can read Femi Amin’s full manifesto here.The previous Animal Welfare Party candidate, Vanessa Hudson, received 16,826 votes in the 2021 election. When is the London mayoral election?Voters can cast their ballot in person on 2 May, by post or by proxy. Find your nearest polling station here.Everyone will need to show photo ID at polling stations before they vote.The results will be announced at City Hall on Saturday 4 May.Read the full list of candidates here. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailOn May 2, the country will go to the polls as local elections get underway.Alongside the thousands of local councillors, many voters will also pick their candidate for regional metro mayor. Ten of 12 positions are up for grabs this year, representing around 44 per cent of the English population.Metro mayors are directly-elected leaders who chair combined authorities in the UK. These authorities have powers that are devolved from central government, covering areas such as transport, business support, and sometimes housing, crime and health.There are currently ten metro mayors in the UK, but this will rise to 12 after the May 2 elections. A new mayoral post has been created for the East Midlands, while the North of Tyne combined authority will be absorbed into the new larger North East authority.Here’s everything you need to know about the UK’s eight metro mayors facing election battles on May 2:Sadiq Khan, LondonMayor of London Sadiq Khan urged young people to vote on May 2 (Stefan Rousseau/PA) More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailThe final set of local elections before the looming general election offers parties a final litmus test of their electoral prospects before the nation decides who they want hanging the curtains in No.10.But interpreting local election results requires nuance. Historically, challenger and fringe parties often outperform expectations, driven by localised issues and lower turnout.Still, locals can provide insight into broader political trends. These results serve as a barometer of the national mood and potential shifts. This set of locals may set hares running. Rishi Sunak is holding together a divided majority, with murmurs of a leadership challenge looming if losses prove substantial. Speculation is swirling about the possibility of an early general election. Labour’s commanding poll lead suggests inevitable Conservative losses, but the tipping point for altering the party’s course remains uncertain. So, what scenarios constitute disaster or triumph? Delving into the key benchmarks, The Independent dissects where success and failure lie for Labour and the Conservatives.Rishi Sunak’s authority is on a knife-edge as local elections loom More