“Cops were today given new guidance on how to police anti-Israel protests – amid fears thousands are plotting to descend on Whitehall this weekend. This morning the PM summoned police chiefs to No10 as he ordered £3 million of emergency funding to protect Jewish schools and synagogues in Britain. Mr Sunak told cops they have his full backing to throw the book at anyone glorifying terrorism – amid a 400 per cent increase in antisemitic attacks last week. It comes as two Jewish primary schools in London will close to staff and students tomorrow amid major security fears… The growing concern came as the founder of terror group Hamas called for Friday to be a global day of rage against supporters of Israel wherever they are in the world.” – The Sun
>Today:
“Britain will send warships and aircraft to help Israel in a major show of support following the Hamas terror attacks. Downing Street confirmed that a military package including the multi-role Poseidon (P8) aircraft as well as the Royal Navy ships RFA Argus and RFA Lyme Bay would be dispatched imminently to the eastern Mediterranean. The P8 aircraft will start flying from Friday in order to track threats to regional stability, including the transfer of weapons to terrorist groups. P8s are equipped with sensors and weapons systems for anti-submarine warfare, as well as surveillance and search and rescue missions. RFA Argus acts as a floating medical facility during times of crisis or war while RFA Lyme Bay carries troops, vehicles and ammunition.” – The Daily Telegraph
“Israel published photographs that it said showed the mutilated bodies of babies allegedly murdered by Hamas, the Palestinian terrorist group responsible for a series of massacres last weekend. The pictures were posted on Israeli government social media. “This is the most difficult image we have ever posted but we need each and every one of you to know. This happened,” it said on Twitter/X. It said the images, which The Times is choosing not to publish as they are too graphic, had been taken by the armed forces, who had found “mutilated bodies” in settlements attacked by Hamas on Saturday. The decision followed a row over allegations by some Israeli soldiers, without evidence, that babies had been beheaded.” – The Times
Editorials:
Comment:
“Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch is demanding that a leading trade union ends its ties with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. In a letter to Unite’s chief Sharon Graham, Ms Badenoch says she is “appalled” the trade union can endorse the organisation’s actions. The PSC is featured on the union’s website. Ms Badenoch said: “I am at a loss as to how Unite can associate itself with a group that espouses views that encourage the anti-Semitism and violence we are witnessing.” Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is under pressure to suspend MP Apsana Begum from his party after she posed with the group last weekend. The PSC is one of the union’s affiliated campaign groups and the union attended their conference last November.” – The Sun
“Rishi Sunak’s popularity has fallen to a record low since the Conservative Party conference, according to polling for The Times. The YouGov survey found that only 20 per cent of voters believed Sunak would make the best prime minister, down five points in a week. This is his lowest approval rating since he entered Downing Street last year and will concern Tory strategists trying to present him as the candidate of change at the next election. Sir Keir Starmer’s rating fell by two points, to 32 per cent. Highlighting the uncertainty among voters a year before the likely date of the next election, 43 per cent of voters said they were not sure who would make the best leader. The poll…suggested that, overall, Labour had seen a modest bounce in support.” – The Times
“Rishi Sunak masterminded the defection of a high-profile SNP MP to the Tories after she was ostracised by Scottish nationalists at Westminster. Lisa Cameron, who has represented East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow since 2015, agreed to join the Tory benches following one-to-one talks with the Prime Minister, the Telegraph understands. It is the first time in history that an SNP parliamentarian has joined the Conservatives. The move follows a bitter row within the SNP group over Dr Cameron’s backing of the victim of sex pest MP Patrick Grady, who was last year suspended from the Commons for two days for making drunken sexual advances to a then-teenage staffer. She had faced being ousted as an SNP candidate in an internal selection contest…” – The Daily Telegraph
>Yesterday:
“Jeremy Hunt has been warned he will force more people into homelessness unless he ends a three-year freeze on housing rental benefits given to some of the country’s poorest households. Nineteen bodies, including some of Britain’s best-known homelessness charities, have written to the Chancellor urging him to increase Local Housing Allowance (LHA), The Telegraph can reveal. The rates of LHA, which is paid to people who qualify for housing benefit but rent in the private sector, have remained frozen since April 2020. Since then rental prices have soared, pushed up during the cost of living crisis that has seen inflation rise sharply, which has meant in real terms the financial support’s value has been eroded.” – The Daily Telegraph
“Prisons in England and Wales are close to bursting point partly as a result of changes to sentencing rules intended to ensure serious offenders remain behind bars for longer, the government has acknowledged. Speaking on Sky news on Thursday, health secretary Steve Barclay refused to confirm or deny a report in The Times that prisons were so crowded that circuit court judges had been ordered from next week to delay the sentencing of convicted criminals on bail. The Times reported that Lord Justice Edis, the senior presiding judge in England and Wales, had also told judges to use the cells in magistrates’ courts to hold suspects accused of the most serious crimes who were remanded in custody.” – The Financial Times
“Sir Keir Starmer has held “detailed and very extensive” talks with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) over Labour’s plans for a closer relationship with the EU. Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the DUP’s leader, revealed he had opened discussions with the leader of the Labour Party over scrapping the Irish Sea border if they win the next election. “I have met several times with Keir Starmer, I’m aware of the stance they’re likely to take in the event that the Labour government is formed after the general election,” Sir Jeffrey told The Telegraph. “Labour are very much aware of our concerns and of the issues that need to be addressed,” he said after having also held talks with Hilary Benn, the shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland.” – The Daily Telegraph