'Very concerning': PM speaks out on Commons chaos

The Speaker changing the "usual ways in which parliament works" was "very concerning", according to the prime minister - who did not say whether he accepted Sir Lindsay Hoyle's apology.

from Political News - International and UK Politics | Sky News https://ift.tt/a6leFQA

Argentina lashes out at UK 'provocation' over Falklands: 'We won't stand for it!'

Argentina has lashed out at Lord David Cameron over the Foreign Secretary’s visit to the Falkland Islands.

The former Prime Minister touched down in Port Stanley on Monday ahead of a wider tour covering Paraguay, Brazil and New York.

He used the visit to pay his respects to all those British personnel who served in the 74-day conflict.

The war claimed the lives of 255 British servicemen, three islanders and 649 Argentine personnel.

However, Lord Cameron’s visit sparked a furious response from an Argentinian Governor.

Gustavo Melella said: “We will not stand for it. The presence of David Cameron on our Malvinas Islands constitutes a new British provocation and seeks to diminish our legitimate sovereignty claims over our territories and maintain colonialism in the 21st century.”

Lord Cameron’s visit saw the Foreign Secretary meet leaders of the Falkland Islands Government and a range of community groups.

During his visit, Cameron said: “The Falkland Islands are a valued part of the British family, and we are clear that as long as they want to remain part of the family, the issue of sovereignty will not be up for discussion.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

• Falklands are ARGENTINIAN claim huge number of Europeans in proof UK fight for islands' security is not over
  
• Falkland Islands will ALWAYS be defended by Britain vows Lord Cameron after Argentina demands UK hand over control
• Britain sends warning to Argentina over Falkland Islands - 'Not up for discussion'

“The Falkland Islanders should be proud of the modern, prosperous community they have built.

“The islands are a thriving economy, where as well as farming and fishing, there is a priority given to conservation and sustainability.”

Britain has been forced to counter several recent attacks from Buenos Aires over the Falklands.

Firebrand Libertarian Javier Milei, who won a resounding victory in Argentina’s recent election, said sovereignty over the Falklands was “non-negotiable”.

He added: “We have to make every effort to recover the islands through diplomatic channels.”

Argentina claims sovereignty of the Falklands by suggesting it was territory inherited following independence in 1816.

However, the British claim dates back to 1690 when they made the first recorded landing on the islands.

Despite Buenos Aires' unwavering commitment to taking the Falklands, a referendum held in 2013 revealed more than 99 per cent of residents want to remain part of the UK.

from GB News https://ift.tt/ayVC0Oq

How Speaker broke convention to incur wrath of Tories and SNP

There was chaos in the Commons this afternoon before the debate on a Gaza ceasefire even got under way.

from Political News - International and UK Politics | Sky News https://ift.tt/8h9nwvX

Sunak has still to win over key group as sector plunges into crisis - analysis by Katherine Forster

‘I’ve got your back’.

That’s what Rishi Sunak told farmers in Birmingham today.

Prime Ministers don’t usually grace the National Farmers’ Union’s annual conference. But Rishi Sunak moved Cabinet to Monday so he could be there today. The last PM to address them was Gordon Brown way back in 2008.

There’s an election coming, and the Tories are worried about not just the Red Wall, but losing seats in usually safe Conservative seats in the country. They currently hold 96 of the most rural seats in England, but a recent poll by Survation and the Country Land & Business Association suggests they could be left with just 43 after the next election. Labour could take 51.

Little wonder then that the Prime Minister took the time to woo the rural vote.

Thanking his audience for feeding us, he said ‘We don’t celebrate you enough.’ He burnished his country credentials as a Yorkshire MP, saying he’d pledged to champion agriculture right from the start. He talked of walking the fields of the Dales, visiting farms, even milking a cow.

The warm words were backed with pledges to maintain the farming budget for England at £2.4billion a year, with the largest ever grants - some £427million in the next financial year.

£220million is earmarked for technology and innovation, including robotics to help harvest crops. Worker shortages have been a problem since Brexit, with the supply of cheap EU labour drying up; automation could be transformative.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

• Falklands are ARGENTINIAN claim Europeans in proof UK sovereignty battle is not over
• British farmers slam Europe protests after Sunak intervention
• Top border chief SACKED after claiming hundreds of high-risk flights landed without checks

Sunak pledged to slash red tape too, so that farmers can diversify with farm shops, sporting facilities and such like.

Millions watched Jeremy Clarkson’s battles to open a farm shop and then a restaurant in his wildly successful series ‘Clarkson’s Farm’.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has put food security back in the spotlight, Sunak said, pledging ‘never to take food security for granted’, and introducing a new Food Security Index. He acknowledged too the challenges coming from climate change.

The stranglehold of supermarkets squeezing down what they pay suppliers is a massive issue. Dairy farmers, for instance, are often producing milk at a loss. So Sunak committed to ensuring farmers get a fair price for their food, with legislation coming in the dairy sector initially, followed by the pig sector and others.

It all went down well enough in the hall. In contrast to last year, when the then Environment Secretary Therese Coffey was booed.

But the NFU President Minette Batters and farmers asking questions from the floor stressed that farming is in crisis. Soaring prices for fuel and fertiliser, climate change, supermarket power, Brexit barriers and trade deals are all taking their toll.

The warm words and thanks are one thing. But really changing the lot of farmers in the UK is quite another.

Will these measures be enough to make a substantial difference, and persuade farmers to stick with the Tories rather than roll the dice for change and a Labour government?

We’ll find out later this year.

from GB News https://ift.tt/rl9TBO5

British farmers slam Europe protests after Sunak intervention - 'not what we do in UK'

British farmers have slammed the Europe protests after and claimed that this is "not what we do in the UK."

Farmers from Spain, Italy and Belgium have been protesting recently, worried that EU’s Green Deal plan will place limits on the use of chemicals and on greenhouse gas emissions will result in a reduction in production and income.

Speaking to farmers in the UK today, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the Government's plans to boost the UK's food security.

Sunak made a bid to win farmers' trust, telling them that he believed food security "was a vital part of our national security".

Speaking to GB News one farmer said: "The grants will be good for us, we'll look at them at getting new machines in and try and make life a bit easier with them.

"But the PM never really committed to a lot of stuff. The general public never really got to hear from farmers speaking about what we're going through and how it's difficult for us. So I think it's good and there's been some protests in Wales recently.

A different farmer said: "We're very fortunate in the UK that we have the public behind us. It's just everybody else that we haven't got.

"All the people that make the decisions. Now, I don't think protests are something that we need to do in the UK just yet.

"I am up for a quiet protest. I've looked at some of the things online and it's just gone a little bit too far in my eyes.

"You know, there's criminal damage and stuff like that, you've got to have that element of respect."

Another person said: "The PM obviously had some announcements about further funding for farming.

"The £2,000 for the management fee, which was good, but it didn't answer some of the questions sufficiently.

"Things like storage of water and flooding we need more things like that."

Sunak said £220million will be put into new food-productivity schemes, farm technology and automation to "reduce reliance on overseas workers" during the next financial year.

He also announced the Farm to Fork food-security summit held last year will become an annual event.

He also told delegates that "we don't celebrate you enough and so on behalf of the nation I just wanted to say thank you," before saying: "I've got your back".

Regulations are due to be laid in Parliament on Wednesday to ensure reasonable contracts for the dairy sector, similar rules for the pig and egg sector will follow.

from GB News https://ift.tt/DHkVKLE

Home Office fires chief inspector of borders and immigration

The Home Office has fired the chief inspector of borders and immigration after he "lost the confidence" of the home secretary.

from Political News - International and UK Politics | Sky News https://ift.tt/kVgWrOh

As schools issued with mobile phone guidance - many worry laws not keeping up with modern life

A statistic that may bewilder anyone older than around 35 - by age 12, 97% of pupils have a mobile phone.

from Political News - International and UK Politics | Sky News https://ift.tt/hro2UCd