“An “unacceptable rise in anti-Semitism” has taken place on University campuses, Rishi Sunak has said, after summoning vice-chancellors…to discuss the safety of Jewish students. The Prime Minister wants a zero-tolerance approach to the intimidation of Jewish students by a “vocal and aggressive minority” whose right to free speech does not entitle them to harass people. Mr Sunak will meet university leaders…after pro-Palestinian…encampments were set up at Oxford, Cambridge and elsewhere…Jewish students have said they feel “cut off” from university life by protests that have gone on since Israel’s war with Hamas began… Oxford Action for Palestine is insisting that students who want to join their tented village…agree with a radical manifesto…” – The Daily Telegraph
>Today:
“Britain is to build Europe’s first facility for producing advanced nuclear fuel, in a bid to bolster energy security and squeeze Russia out of the lucrative export market. Unveiling £200million in support for the new plant in Cheshire, Rishi Sunak said the move would ‘prise Vladimir Putin’s blood-soaked hands off Europe’s energy market’. Russia is currently the only commercial producer of advanced nuclear fuels required to run the next generation of modular nuclear reactors. Under the new proposal, nuclear specialist Urenco will build a uranium enrichment plant at Capenhurst, near Ellesmere Port, capable of producing 10 tonnes a year of the fuel by the early 2030s. Government sources said the energy produced would be equivalent to burning one million tonnes of coal per year.” – The Daily Mail
“Michael Gove invoked Kate Moss at Cabinet on Tuesday as he warned right-wing Tories against “comfort eating” by pursuing hard-line policies that “make us feel good about ourselves”. The levelling up secretary said that the Tories are at the best when they are united and have a “broad appeal” to the rest of the country after suffering heavy losses in the local elections. He suggested the Tories should follow the controversial advice of Kate Moss, the model, from an interview in 2009. “As Kate Moss once said ‘nothing tastes as good as skinny feels’,” he said. He also argued that the Tories risk drowning out the “wonderful orchestra” of their broad policy platform — including social justice, which he has championed — by focusing on right-wing measures.” – The Times
>Today:
>Yesterday:
“Israel risks committing war crimes if it continues its latest offensive in Gaza without coming up with a “credible” plan to protect civilians sheltering in Rafah, the UK has warned. Deputy foreign secretary Andrew Mitchell said he has been “clear” that “there would have to be a plan which respected international humanitarian law and we have not yet seen such a plan”. i understands the warnings have been echoed in private by British ministers and diplomats, with Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron in contact with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and foreign minister Israel Katz. The UK has been warning Israel that a full-blown incursion in Rafah…will make it harder for Tel Aviv to justify that its forces’ actions are in line with international law…” – The I
“Grant Shapps has ordered a “specialist” review of the Ministry of Defence payroll contractor that was hacked by China. The Defence Secretary told MPs on Tuesday that a “full review” of the contractor, Shared Services Connected Ltd (SCCL), had been requested across Government, not just in the MoD. In a statement to the Commons, Mr Shapps said: “We’ve launched a full investigation, drawing on Cabinet Office support and specialist external expertise to examine the potential failings of the contractor and to minimise the risk of similar incidents in the future.” He added that initial investigations had not found evidence that any data had been “removed”, although he cautioned that those affected personnel had been alerted as a precautionary measure.” – The Daily Telegraph
“Some prisoners will be freed up to 70 days early after ministers quietly extended an emergency early release scheme to alleviate the prison overcrowding crisis. An email sent to probation and prison staff…said measures introduced less than two months ago had failed to ease pressure in men’s prisons in England and Wales. It said that a scheme that allows prisoners to be set free before their release date will be extended from 35 days to 70 days from May 23. In the email…officials accept that the changes will “create additional work for many people at a time when we know we have our own resource challenges”…Violent offenders, including domestic abusers, sentenced to less than four years in prison are eligible for the scheme, as are burglars, thieves and fraudsters.” – The Times
>Today:
“The Home Office should be split up because it is “incapable” of controlling immigration and securing Britain’s borders, two former Tory ministers have said in a report. Robert Jenrick, the former immigration minister, and Neil O’Brien, the former housing minister, have called for a new Department of Border Security and Immigration Control…The rest of the Home Office’s responsibilities should be covered by a new Department for Policing and National Security. Jenrick and O’Brien, writing in a Centre for Policy Studies report…said that the overhaul would be an opportunity to “instill a totally different culture in the Home Office”… New…figures revealed that more than 2,000 migrants had arrived in the UK in small boats since Rishi Sunak’s Safety of Rwanda Act became law…” – The Times
“A leaked message suggests the new Labour First Minister of Wales may have misled the Covid Inquiry when he denied intentionally deleting WhatsApp correspondence. Vaughan Gething, who took over as First Minister in March, could be recalled to the inquiry after the message emerged appearing to contradict his claims he did not delete WhatsApp messages during the pandemic. Mr Gething, who was the health minister during the pandemic, told the inquiry in March that his lost messages were not deleted by him but by the Welsh Senedd’s IT team during a security rebuild… However, a message leaked to news website Nation.Cymru has now cast doubt on Mr Gething’s version of events… A spokesman for the inquiry confirmed it had been made aware of the message…” – The Daily Telegraph
“Trade unions leaders will meet Keir Starmer next Tuesday after several expressed public reservations about changes to the party’s workers’ rights policy – and warned there should be no watering down of what has been pledged. It comes as party sources admitted that only draft legislation would be published within 100 days of taking power – rather than a full bill before parliament. Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, has said businesses would have “nothing to fear from the changes”, which include ending enforced zero hours contracts and “day one” protections from unfair dismissal. Labour is preparing the guidance with the final version of proposals to be sent out to candidates to use for election campaigning.” – The Guardian
“Sadiq Khan has been criticised after suggesting there must be equally strong criticism of the actions of Hamas and Israel. Mr Khan, the Labour Mayor of London, used the same language to condemn the Oct 7 massacre, in which Hamas killed 1,200 Israeli civilians, and the bombardment of Gaza by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) that has followed. Speaking after he was sworn in for a third term at City Hall, Mr Khan told The Telegraph: “It’s an issue of humanity and I think you’ve got to show equivalence…”…His remarks, seven months on from the Oct 7 atrocity, were criticised as an “insult” to its victims, as Downing Street said there was “no equivalence” between Hamas, a proscribed terrorist organisation, and Israel’s elected leadership.” – The Daily Telegraph
“David Lammy will meet with Trump officials on Wednesday as Labour attempts to forge closer ties with Republican officials ahead of elections on both sides of the Atlantic later this year. The shadow Foreign Secretary will meet with a raft of senior Republican figures and deliver a speech to a right-leaning think-tank on a two-day visit to Washington, DC this week. The whistle-stop tour will include meetings with Elbridge Colby, a key ally of Mr Trump who served in the Defence Department while he was president, and Fred Fleitz, the former head of the National Security Council during the previous Trump administration. Mr Lammy will also meet with senior Republican figures, including senators Lindsey Graham and JD Vance…” – The I
“Labour mayor Andy Burnham yesterday urged the Government to let him suspend the Right to Buy scheme in Greater Manchester. He blamed the policy for making the housing crisis ‘worse every year’ as he pledged to press pause in his region. Mr Burnham vowed to build 10,000 homes across Greater Manchester after he was elected for a third term in last week’s mayoral elections. Margaret Thatcher’s Right to Buy policy, introduced in 1980, allows council tenants to buy homes at a discount, helping them get on the housing ladder. Labour’s Deputy Leader Angela Rayner benefited from the former prime minister’s scheme when she purchased her home in 2007. But she has vowed to review elements of the policy if Labour wins the next election…” – The Daily Mail
“John Swinney vowed to change personally and politically as he was voted in as Scotland’s new first minister. He said he would ditch the partisan politics that has dominated the SNP and Holyrood and instead embrace a more collaborative approach to government. In a symbolic gesture after being confirmed as Humza Yousaf’s replacement, Swinney walked around the debating chamber to shake hands with each opposition party leader. The SNP will have to win over other parties to pass budgets and other laws it brings forward and Swinney, who was Nicola Sturgeon’s deputy for her time in office, reiterated his desire to work with unionist parties and listen to voters who are opposed to Scottish independence.” – The Times
“A Green Party politician has been accused of treating voters with “utter contempt” after stepping down from the London Assembly just three days after she was re-elected. Sian Berry, a former co-leader of the Greens, said she was quitting to spend “even more time” in Brighton, where she hopes to become an MP at the next general election. Ms Berry has been selected as the Green candidate for Brighton Pavilion – a seat currently held by Caroline Lucas, the party’s only MP, who is quitting politics at the end of this parliament. London-wide assembly members…are elected through a list system, under which people vote for a party rather than individual candidates. The vacant position will be filled by Zoë Garbett, the Greens’ unsuccessful mayoral hopeful…” – The Daily Telegraph