“Sir Keir Starmer has told Donald Trump to negotiate with Iran, despite the regime firing missiles at allies across the Middle East. The Prime Minister called on the US to reach a settlement with Tehran, saying it was his “strong view” that the two countries need to “de-escalate” the crisis through talks. The comments threaten to strain the special relationship further, after Sir Keir’s initial decision to block the use of Diego Garcia, the military base in the Chagos Islands, for strikes on Iran. On Thursday, the US president refused to deny reports, first revealed by The Telegraph, that he had described Sir Keir as a “loser”, and repeated that he was “not Winston Churchill”. The Prime Minister remains under growing pressure over his handling of the Iran crisis and faces accusations that he has not done enough to support allies and British bases in the region. Iranian drones hit RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus on Sunday, but Sir Keir took 72 hours to decide to deploy the Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon. The ship is undergoing welding work and is not expected to reach the island for a fortnight, well after warships sent by France and Spain. Iran continued attacks on Thursday, hitting an airport in Azerbaijan with a drone, injuring four civilians.” – Daily Telegraph
Comment:
> Today:
> Yesterday:
“The MP whose husband was arrested this week on suspicion of spying for China has resigned the Labour whip while an internal investigation is carried out. Joani Reid, the MP for East Kilbride and Strathaven, said on Thursday night she would temporarily stand down from the parliamentary party while the inquiry takes place. Labour confirmed she had been administratively suspended, which has the effect of suspending the whip, while the internal investigation is carried out. A spokesperson said: “Joani Reid has agreed to fully cooperate with the Labour party’s investigation into these matters”. Her husband, David Taylor, was arrested on Wednesday under the National Security Act along with two other men aged 43 and 68. Police said on Thursday they had been released on bail until May. Reid said in a statement on Thursday night: “This week has been the worst of my life. The shock of recent days has been difficult for me and my family. I want to reiterate something very important: I am not under investigation by the police and no accusations have been made against me. I have done nothing wrong.”” – The Guardian
“Failed asylum seeker families will be offered taxpayer-funded golden goodbyes of up to £40,000 to leave Britain under a controversial pilot scheme. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood unveiled the payout as part of her migration crackdown. But critics branded it a “kick in the teeth” for taxpayers. It comes as latest figures show 2,688 migrants in 42 boats have made the Channel crossing so far this year. A group was brought into the Port of Ramsgate yesterday by a Border Force vessel, taking the total so far this month to 479 in seven boats. Under the new plans, about 150 families whose asylum claims have already been rejected will be offered £10,000 a person — capped at £40,000 — if they agree to leave voluntarily.” – The Sun
Comment:
> Yesterday:
“Graduates may be spared the chancellor’s salary sacrifice raid after the House of Lords warned that it would be an “assault on Gen Z”. Peers backed an amendment today to exclude graduates from the government’s plans to cap at £2,000 the annual amount workers can pay into their pensions while saving on national insurance. This is because a quirk of the policy would cost those with student loans more owing to the fact that repayments are directly tied to how much of their salary is liable for national insurance. Analysis by The Times shows that a graduate earning £50,000 a year and paying 10 per cent of their salary into their pension through salary sacrifice would end up paying an extra £270 on their loans under the chancellor’s proposals. Lord Leigh of Hurley, a Conservative life peer, tabled an amendment in the House of Lords today calling for any pension contributions over the new £2,000 limit to be excluded from student loan repayment calculations. Peers voted 208 to 142 in favour of his amendment, meaning that it will go back to MPs in the House of Commons to consider.” – The Times