“Councillors have launched a revolt after Labour cancelled local elections for 4.6 million people. Norfolk county council – one of Britain’s biggest – has been hit by resignations in protest over the election delays, which have been described as a “democratic outrage”. Meanwhile, the leader of Welwyn Hatfield council stood down after a backlash over postponed voting drove its ruling coalition to the brink of collapse. Essex – another major council that was thought to have been considering delaying its May elections – announced on Thursday that it would hold a vote after all. The Telegraph understands that a string of councillors across Britain are also considering whether to stand down, potentially forcing local authorities to hold dozens of by-elections. Earlier this month, Labour announced plans to deny millions of people the vote, leaving some having no say over who controls their local services and council tax for up to seven years. Elections have been cancelled at 30 councils over claims that a looming reorganisation of local government makes holding ballots expensive, complicated and unnecessary. The Telegraph has launched a Campaign for Democracy, calling for ministers to be stripped of their legal powers to cancel local elections without a full vote in Parliament.” Critics said the latest council resignations showed Labour’s plans were “descending into farce”. This week, four councillors in Tory-run Norfolk resigned in protest. Edward Connolly, a Conservative councillor, Emma Corlett and Maxine Webb, Independent Progressive Group councillors, and independent councillor Simon Ring announced they would step down to give residents their right to vote.” – Daily Telegraph
Comment:
> Yesterday:
“Keir Starmer will leave China virtually empty- handed, despite his craven kowtowing, critics said last night. The Prime Minister comes away with only warm words and marginal deals, having flown 5,000 miles with the promise of ‘history-making’ talks with president Xi Jinping. Having hyped up the benefits the trip to Beijing would bring for Britain before he left, Sir Keir returns with only a halving of tariffs on whisky exports, plus the end of visas for tourists and businesses on short visits to China. In spite of the friendly talk between the pair on the first prime ministerial visit for eight years, Sir Keir failed to secure a commitment for the release of Jimmy Lai, the British democracy activist jailed in Hong Kong; or the lifting of sanctions on MPs and peers who have spoken out against China’s human rights abuses. The leaders also discussed Ukraine but there was no indication that Sir Keir persuaded president Xi to end his support for Russia. Downing Street would not even say if Sir Keir – dubbed Kowtow Keir for allowing Beijing to build a mega-embassy in London – had raised the scandals of Chinese intelligence services trying to infiltrate Parliament or hacking the phones of aides to former Tory prime ministers. And No 10 sparked fresh outrage last night by opening the door to president Xi – who last came to Britain a decade ago under David Cameron’s ‘golden era’ of close relations between the two countries – visiting the UK again.” – Daily Mail
Comment:
“Supporters of assisted dying have been accused of using “bullying tactics” to force peers to back a change in the law, despite opposition to the plans in the House of Lords. Lord Falconer of Thoroton warned on Wednesday that he was prepared to use a rare parliamentary procedure to push the legislation onto the statute book. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is being debated in the Lords but is likely to be talked out of time by peers who claim it is badly flawed. Falconer, a former justice secretary, said that if this were to happen, he would invoke the Parliament Act, which can allow a bill backed by MPs but blocked by peers in two successive sessions to become law without approval from the Lords. “The issue about assisted dying is very controversial, but ultimately somebody in our constitution has got to decide whether the country should make the change,” he told the BBC. “The people who should decide it should be the elected representatives in the Commons. If they make up their mind but are blocked in giving effect to that decision by a small number of peers then the constitutional answer is the Parliament Act.” Falconer added: “It is clear to me that, while we would strongly urge the Lords to come to a conclusion while there is still time, the Parliament Act is an option.” The move would require the unamended bill to be reintroduced in the next session of parliament later this year. If peers again blocked it, the Commons could force it onto the statute book. However, the tactic could result in some MPs switching sides to oppose the bill. The legislation only passed with a majority of 22 when it was last voted on in the Commons.” – The Times
Comment:
> Today: