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Thursday, April 18, 2024

Former senior civil servant accused officials behind small boats policy of 'harbouring racist views'

A former senior civil servant criticised some of the policymakers behind the illegal migration bill, accusing them of "harbouring racist views" about immigrants, it has emerged.

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Home Office worker arrested after 'trying to sell UK residency for £2,000 to asylum seeker'

A Home Office case worker allegedly tried to sell UK residency for £2,000 to an asylum seeker living in Northern Ireland.

The employee was arrested after being suspended by the Home Office.

It is alleged that the worker contacted a vulnerable man and asked for £2,000 in return for approving his refugee application.

Officers are now investigating the claims after being called in by the Home Office, which said that it expected "the highest standards" from its staff.

The victim, identified as Renas, said that he was contacted by a staff member employed as an asylum "decision maker" in the north of England.

In early March, Renas said he received a call where the person claimed that "95 per cent of people like you" have their applications rejected.

The employee reportedly suggested a direct payment would warrant success.

“He said I could be sure he would refuse my application,” Renas told the BBC. But if I could help him, he could help me and he asked for some money. He asked for £2,000.

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"He basically offered me a positive decision."

The former journalist initially thought it was "a total scam", but soon realised that the man worked at the Home Office.

Video footage has also been passed onto police which appears to show a person using a laptop which features the official Home Office software.

$The Home Office is reportedly paying influencers\u200b$

In a statement, Lancashire police said: "We can confirm we have arrested a man on suspicion of misconduct in public office, suspicion of money laundering, bribery, and computer misuse offences.

"Officers from Lancashire Constabulary alongside partners from the Home Office arrested the man, in his 30s, in the Ramsgreave area of Blackburn. An investigation remains in its early stages and enquiries are ongoing."

A Home Office spokesman said: "We expect the highest standards from our staff to ensure asylum claims are properly considered, decisions are sound and that protection is granted to those who genuinely need it.

"The member of staff was arrested and suspended. It would be inappropriate to comment further as the matter is subject to a live police investigation."

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Mark Menzies won't last the week as an MP, Ruth Davidson predicts

Conservative peer Ruth Davidson does not think Mark Menzies will survive the week as an MP.

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Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Yousaf to DITCH flagship climate change policy of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 75%

Scotland is set to scrap its target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 75 per cent by 2030.

Figures suggest that the government has missed eight of the last 12 annual targets, as ministers are told that reaching the milestone "is unachievable".

It is believed that goal of reaching "net-zero" by 2045 will remain.

First Minister Humza Yousaf is expected to make a statement at Holyrood on Thursday afternoon, the BBC reports.

Independent advisory group, The Climate Change Committee (CCC) warned Scotland in 2022 that it had lost its lead over the rest of the UK in tackling the issue.

In March, the group said that its 2030 target was "unreachable".

Scotland's emissions reduction target for 2030 was tougher than for the UK as a whole.

It comes after Nicola Sturgeon's government was the first in the world to announce a climate emergency and Glasgow hosted the COP26 climate summit in 2021.

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In 2019, parties argued at Holyrood over how quickly Scotland could speed up the rate of decarbonisation.

Experts warned that the pace was far beyond what they had planned for.

By 2021 greenhouse gas emissions had fallen by 49.2 per cent compared with the baseline level in 1990.

However, the law required a 51.1 per cent drop to remain on track.

The Scottish Government is now likely to introduce a system of "carbon budgets" used by the UK and Welsh governments.

Instead of annual goals, Government chiefs would be told how much greenhouse gas could "safely" be emitted during a parliamentary term.

Ministers would then be required to arrange a plan to achieve the target

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MSPs back plans to increase minimum alcohol unit price by 30%

MSPs have voted to increase the minimum unit price of alcohol by 30%.

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Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Sunak's smoking ban bill breezes through first hurdle despite major Tory rebellion as Labour support PM's flagship policy

Rishi Sunak’s proposal to ban young people from ever being able to legally smoke tobacco has cleared its first Commons hurdle.

The proposal passed despite a swathe of Conservative MPs voting against it.

MPs voted 383 to 67, majority of 316, to give the Tobacco and Vapes Bill a second reading.

Conservative MP for Gloucester Richard Graham has said the tobacco and vapes Bill is a “huge credit” to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

$\u200bThe proposal from Sunak passed in the commons$

He told the Commons: "I think it’s huge credit to this Prime Minister that he has set out a vision with clarity, pursues it with determination, and is absolutely clear that where this House to vote this through, this would be part of whatever legacy he in the future leaves as a politician keen to make a difference."

Conservative MP for Don Valley Nick Fletcher told the Commons: “Is it more evidence of the creation of that nanny state? I believe so.

"If we take more and more decisions away from adults, then more adults will continually rely more and more on the state to make decisions for them. This is not a good thing and sadly will only create more powerful Governments and weaker individuals."

He added: "I want our society to help raise warriors as I believe going forward we are going to need as many as we can find, smokers or not."

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Later in the debate Conservative MP for Leigh James Grundy said he would support the Bill but wanted to see stricter action taken against illegal sale of tobacco and vapes.

He said: "I say the Government should go further, the Government must go further. I think if someone is selling illegal tobacco and vapes they should be held accountable.

"If someone was selling, for example, beer or spirits made out of turpentine or toilet water, people would be outraged and there would be a demand for action, but that is happening day in day out, week in week out with illegal and counterfeit tobacco and vapes."

Following the Commons vote, Deborah Arnott, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health (Ash), said: "Parliament has today begun the process of consigning smoking to the ‘ash heap’ of history. However, this is only the first step, the Bill must now go through committee and another vote before going through the same process in the House of Lords.

She added: "The passage of the Bill should be expedited to ensure it is on the statute book before the general election.

"The public, who overwhelmingly support the legislation, expect nothing less."

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Rwanda enforcement officers told all leave is cancelled, as government hopes law will pass

Immigration enforcement staff have had their leave cancelled as the government hopes its plan to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda will become law this week.

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