“By the time the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from Birmingham was made, on October 16, pressure on the police had been building for weeks. A petition by Ayoub Khan, the independent local MP, had gained thousands of signatures. Councillors called for a boycott, protests were planned and pro-Palestinian groups were plotting to get the game cancelled. Craig Guildford, the West Midlands chief constable whose job is to police without fear or favour, has insisted that the decision to rule the game “high risk”, citing violence by Maccabi fans at a fixture in Amsterdam, was not politically motivated. Three months on, however, that narrative has unravelled. Guildford’s force has been accused of bowing to pressure from special interests and criticised for choosing intelligence — much of it inaccurate — to fit its position.” – The Times
Editorial
Comment
“A Home Office-funded app is helping Channel migrants find work in the UK after arriving illegally, sparking outrage among critics who say it creates a “pull factor” for illegal migration. Just Good Work – which was developed partly by Migrant Help, a charity with £385million of Home Office funding – is helping asylum seekers search for jobs while awaiting a decision on their application to stay in Britain. The mobile app has been accused of promoting “incentives” for illegal migration, telling users the UK is a “beautiful country with great transport links for easy national and international travel”. It also reassures prospective migrants that the Government “welcomes people who want to work” with a “relatively high minimum wage [and] paid time off”. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: “The Home Office should not be funding or endorsing anything that markets Britain as a place to work, earn and settle while people are still in the asylum system.” He added: “If Labour were serious about stopping the crossings, they would stop funding schemes that make life in the UK look easier after illegal entry.” – Daily Express
“Britain has evacuated its Iranian embassy amid fears of an imminent US strike.The British ambassador to Tehran and all other consular staff vacated the embassy on Wednesday following an assessment of the security situation. The closure was described as temporary by the Foreign Office. British troops, along with their American counterparts, were also withdrawn from the US-run al-Udeid air base in Qatar ahead of potential military action. An RAF plane arrived at the Qatari base on Wednesday morning and was flying back to the British base at Akrotiri in Cyprus hours later, according to flight tracking data. Other US troops have also been moved out of bases in Iraq, out of fear of a potential retaliatory Iranian attack. Officials warned on Wednesday that the US could strike within 24 hours, with two European officials telling Reuters that military intervention was probable.” – Daily Telegraph
Comment
“School workers who stopped a Jewish MP from addressing students also successfully lobbied their bosses to cancel a speaker from an Israeli tech firm. The members of the National Education Union (NEU) warned opponents “don’t mess” with them, as “we are not here to play”. A visit from Damien Egan, the Labour MP for Bristol North East, to Bristol Brunel Academy was cancelled in September because he is the vice-chair of Labour Friends of Israel. On Tuesday Lord Walney, the government’s former anti-extremism adviser, warned the NEU could face a Jeremy Corbyn-style investigation from the EHRC. It has emerged that the multi-academy trust overseeing the school also no-platformed a speaker from Check Point software technologies, an Israeli-owned security company, from its summer conference in July.”- The Times
On ConHome
“China’s new “super-embassy” could be blocked by a five-year legal challenge, The Telegraph can reveal. A residents’ group has vowed to bring legal action and is willing to go to the Supreme Court if Sir Keir Starmer approves the embassy next week. This could tie up ministers in legal proceedings until after the 2029 general election, which, if voting reflected current polling, the Labour Party would lose. The Conservatives and Reform UK told The Telegraph they would pull support for the embassy if the case were still held up in the courts and they won power. It comes after The Telegraph on Monday revealed unredacted drawings showing 208 secret rooms beneath the site of the old Royal Mint in central London. One of the sections reveals an underground chamber measuring up to 40m across and two to three metres deep, which would sit alongside fibre-optic cables transmitting data between the City of London and Canary Wharf. On Tuesday, the White House said it was “deeply concerned” over the plans, with a senior Trump administration official raising fears that China could exploit the UK’s critical infrastructure.” – Daily Telegraph
Today
“Four million people are to be denied the vote in May’s local elections in a “disgraceful attack on democracy” by Labour. The Government is expected to cancel at least 27 council elections, meaning hundreds of councillors will avoid the risk of being voted out. The Tories and Reform UK accused Sir Keir Starmer of “running scared” of the electorate at a time when polls show a collapse in support for Labour. Nigel Farage’s party will on Thursday launch a judicial review in an attempt to make the elections go ahead. The Prime Minister is relying on an obscure clause in the 2000 Local Government Act which gives his ministers the power to delay votes.” – Daily Telegraph