“Sir Keir Starmer will seek to use a meeting with President Trump on Monday to increase diplomatic pressure on Israel over humanitarian aid to Gaza. Trump has expressed concern about images of suffering in Gaza and on Sunday said he had spoken to Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister. Trump has broadly indicated support for Netanyahu’s handling of Hamas, which he has accused of stealing food aid, including Netanyahu’s threats of further action if the remaining hostages are not released. Starmer will hold an emergency cabinet meeting on Gaza this week as he comes under mounting pressure from within his government to recognise a Palestinian state. Israel on Sunday made key concessions on the delivery of aid in response to international pressure triggered by images of emaciated children last week. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) set up protected corridors for UN lorry convoys to travel through the war zone and daytime pauses in the fighting to allow residents to receive it.” – The Times
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“Bankrupt Birmingham Council is offering small boat asylum seekers hefty discounts on leisure activities — including swimming, golf and trampolining. The Labour-run authority, which is locked in a bin strike now in its seventh month, is giving migrants up to 25 per cent off through its Passport To Leisure scheme. Migrants, many of whom have crossed the Channel by boat before claiming asylum on reaching the UK, can also get a fifth off on the use of council swimming pools. Martial arts classes are subsidised for migrants under the initiative, as are courses on trampolining, golf, gymnastics and football. The price of a trip to a council wellbeing centre for fitness, yoga, squash and badminton sessions is also cheaper. The council even offers £1 tickets to Aston Villa matches for migrant children, as long as they are accompanied by a full paying adult. In a further slap in the face for taxpayers, asylum seekers get ten per cent off at most council leisure sites, meaning cheaper trips to the theatre, museum and city’s botanical gardens… The council is £3.9billion in debt and declared itself effectively bankrupt in September 2023 with the issue of a Section 114 notice, limiting it to essential spending only. It is also under fire over its handling of a bin strike which has seen mountains of rubbish pile up on the city’s streets.” – The Sun
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> Today: Rupert Matthews: The shadow of Enoch Powell hangs over our two-tier justice system
“Kemi Badenoch has pledged to ban doctors from striking as she insisted Britain needed to cut spending to “live within our means”. The Conservative leader said she would extend rules that prevent police officers and soldiers from striking to deal with what she called the increasingly “militant” British Medical Association (BMA). Labour is scrapping Tory rules that would have allowed ministers to set out minimum levels of service staff would have to provide during strike action in the NHS and other public services. Badenoch said she would restore these for other NHS staff and go even further on doctors. “The BMA has become militant. These strikes are going too far and it is time for action,” she said. Describing the measures as “common-sense proposals to protect patients and the public finances”, Badenoch said: “These strikes will have a significant economic effect, but they will also mean cancelled operations, worry for families of the sick and suffering for those who are unwell. We know that previous strike action by doctors even led to some patients losing their lives.”” – The Times
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> Today: Richard Fuller: How a Conservative government would end the scourge of NHS strikes
Britain isn’t ready to fight for Taiwan – Henry Hill, UnHerd