“Keir Starmer has been warned by his own MPs and party grandees that Labour risks losing the next election unless he does more to tackle illegal migration. The Prime Minister was urged by his own side to take more radical action, including suspending human rights protections and copying Denmark’s hardline ‘zero refugee’ approach amid growing public concern over his Government’s handling of the crisis.As he travelled to Europe for a holiday with his family, a YouGov poll found that 71 per cent of voters – including 56 per cent of Labour supporters – believe he is dealing with the issue of asylum hotels badly. Almost four in ten (37 per cent) said immigration and asylum is the most important issue facing the country but fewer than one in ten (9 per cent) said Labour was the best party to tackle it. Even 16 per cent of those who voted for Sir Keir’s party at the last election thought Reform UK would do a better job at securing the borders. It comes after a record 111,084 asylum claims were lodged in Labour’s first year in power, despite the Prime Minister’s vow to ‘smash the gangs’.Official figures also revealed last week that the number of asylum-seekers being housed in hotels across the country has risen by 8 per cent in the past year, while councils across the country are now trying to end the practice in the wake of a landmark court case.” – Daily Mail
Editorial
Comment
Today
“The council tax due on Angela Rayner’s grace-and-favour home in central London is being paid by the public. The bill for Ms Rayner’s flat in Admiralty House is covered by the taxpayer because it is designated as a second home, The Telegraph can disclose.Ms Rayner has listed a property in her Ashton-under-Lyne constituency as her primary residence, even though this is around 200 miles away from her office in London. The Tories accused ministers of a “cover-up” over Ms Rayner’s tax affairs and cast doubt over claims that Ashton-under-Lyne is her primary residence, given her role at the heart of the Government in London. Kevin Hollinrake, the Conservative Party chairman, said: “It is staggering hypocrisy for the Deputy Prime Minister to push punitive new taxes on family homes while apparently avoiding those same taxes herself. One rule for Rayner, another for everyone else.” – Daily Telegraph
Comment
“Worried firms are bracing themselves for a £2.5billion Labour tax double whammy. They will be clobbered twice — first by an inflation rate increase in business rates in April, then by a Rachel Reeves surcharge, experts say. Business rates are the property tax that companies must pay just to occupy their shops, pubs, factories and offices. The Tories last night warned thousands of struggling firms would be crippled.Shadow Housing Secretary James Cleverly said: “Once again, Labour is hammering the high street. Raising business rates for thousands of hard-working small businesses across England was one of Labour’s first acts in office. And despite our opposition to it, and clear evidence of the damaging impact it will have, they have pressed ahead — consequences be damned.” – The Sun
Comment
Yesterday
“Schools will need to give democracy lessons to children from the age of 11 and ask teachers to leave their politics at the classroom door to help prepare for votes at 16, the head of the UK elections watchdog has said. Vijay Rangarajan, the chief executive of the Electoral Commission, said democratic education would be rolled out at first to those aged over 14 in preparation for votes at 16 at the next election. However, he said this would ultimately need to start at age 11 in order for pupils to be in the best position to take advantage of being able to vote at 16 and 17. The Electoral Commission is preparing material to give to schools to help with democratic education, amid calls from some politicians, such as David Blunkett, for better preparation.In an interview, Rangarajan said huge work was going into the citizenship material to make it “impartial”, and said schools and teachers have a role in making sure they do not attempt to sway students in how to vote. “We’re going to need teachers to be really good at leaving their own personal views a bit at the door here,” he said. “And making clear, when they have got personal views, it’s just personal views.” – Guardian
“When Reform UK swept to power in 12 local authorities in May, it promised change. From Elon Musk-style efficiency savings and scrapping net zero policies to flying the Union flag, Nigel Farage’s success in the local elections owed much to Reform’s national electoral strategy. Since then, Reform’s new local authorities have been embroiled in a series of extraordinary controversies, from a teenager running a council with an annual budget and assets of £2 billion to a councillor quitting after calling on the navy to shoot at small boats. Reform says it has already had significant successes in its central policy of slashing costs and waste. But it is also coming up against the reality of statutory duties, such as providing adult social care and special-needs education.” – The Times
“Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook has begun a standoff with Donald Trump, refusing to leave her post after Trump announced he had fired her Monday evening. Cook’s sacking was the first in the 111-year history of the Federal Reserve, as Trump all but guaranteed a replacement that would back the president’s calls to slash interest rates. However, Cook released a statement Monday night that suggested she wasn’t going anywhere. “President Trump purported to fire me ‘for cause’ when no cause exists under the law, and he has no authority to do so,’ she said. ‘I will not resign. I will continue to carry out my duties to help the American economy as I have been doing since 2022.” – Daily Mail