Newslinks for Thursday the 10th of April 2025

Tories point to Victorian health crisis in Birmingham as strike causes tensions on the left

“Birmingham could face a 19th Century-style public health emergency unless ministers come down hard on the unions to end the weeks-long bin strike, a senior Tory warns today. Kevin Hollinrake warned that the Unite-led dispute could drag England’s second city back to the Victorian era, as rats feast on tons and tons of uncollected household waste… The shadow local government secretary said the result of Labour’s failure to intervene decisively was ‘rubbish-strewn streets, overflowing bins and rats the size of cats roaming freely’. Conservatives in Birmingham are demanding that the city council declare a public health emergency, amid fears that rising spring temperatures could lead to an outbreak of diseases. The Unite union launched an all-out strike last month over pay and jobs which has seen lorries blockaded inside their depot. It has led to grim scenes of waste piling up on streets and demands for soldiers to be brought in to clear the backlog.” – Daily Mail

• A tale of two cities: Birmingham bin strikes hit city’s poorest areas hardest as rubbish overflows into the streets…but posh roads just metres away are spotless – Daily Mail
• Unions split over ‘ridiculous’ Birmingham bin strike – The Times
• Wish you were here? As Birmingham battles the rats, its MP is on a Japanese jolly in five-star hotel and dining at swanky Kill Bill – Daily Mail

Global 1) Labour try to protect UK economy from US tariffs, despite Trump tariff pause

“The Government is considering bringing forward spending plans pencilled in for June to boost growth and protect the economy from the turmoil sparked by Donald Trump’s tariffs. The i Paper understands that ministers are considering speeding up announcements sketched in for the Spending Review in June, where Government departments have been able to finalise deals with the Treasury. Sir Keir Starmer spoke on Wednesday of the need to go “further and faster” on growth, amid warnings that Trump’s trade war could wipe out Rachel Reeves’s room for manoeuvre in the autumn Budget, and force her to choose once again between raising taxes or cutting spending to balance the books.” – The i

• Even with a tariff exemption economy will suffer, Starmer admits – The Times
• Fresh headache for Rachel Reeves as UK gilt yields spike to 1998 levels – City AM
• What is Trump doing to the bond markets? – CapX
• New cancer drugs could face NHS shortages and price hikes due to tariffs – The i

Comment

• Britain has drifted for too long, it’s time to lead again – Julia Willemyns CapX
• Radical government can get us through this crisis. Starmer is talking the talk – we’ll soon know if he can walk the walk – Andrew Neil Daily Mail
• A Prime Minister’s plans being undone by the OBR…we’ve heard that one before – Kwasi Kwateng Daily Telegraph

>Yesterday

Six tests that will reveal whether Starmer is serious about equipping Britain for Trump’s new world

Trump may be discrediting any sensible case for strategic, narrowly-targeted tariffs

Global 2) Markets surge as Trump backs down for 90 days on global tariffs but doubles down on China

“Donald Trump has paused his tariff onslaught for 90 days in a major climbdown he blamed on people “getting a little bit afraid”. It followed a global market meltdown in which investors dumped US debt over fears that the president’s trade war would tip the US into recession. Mr Trump announced the 90-day delay on social media on Wednesday night, making the concession to countries he said had not hit back against his levies, while simultaneously raising import taxes on China from 104pc to 125pc. The stunning reversal led to shares on Wall Street posting their biggest gains since 2001, as Mr Trump signalled that “there will be fair deals for everybody” – The Telegraph

• Trump tariffs news: Stocks surge as president announces 90-day pause – The Times
• Global stocks soar as Donald Trump backs down from trade war – FT
• Trump tariff pause sends markets soaring, with S&P 500 seeing one of biggest days since second world war – The Guardian
• ‘Art of the Deal’ Trump ‘masters’ trade war as US stocks see historic surge after 90-day tariff pause – but China gets 125% hike – The Sun
• Trump reveals exactly why he enacted 90-day tariffs pause and whether it was always part of his plan – Daily Mail
• Trump tariffs: US President announces 90-day tariffs pause – but slaps 125% levy on China – Daily Express
• US-China trade war intensifies as Beijing’s tariffs come into effect after Trump pause – Guardian

Comment

• Why has Trump backed down on tariffs? – Kate Andrews, Spectator
• Cosying up to China now is even more mistaken than it was 15 years ago – David Blair
• Trump v Xi trade war makes world a scarier place – China could launch full scale invasion of Taiwan – Michael Clarke, The Sun

>Today

To get revenge for tariffs China could stoke tension between the US and its Asian allies

Global 3) Zelensky reveals US surprise at Chinese troops found fighting in Ukraine

“Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Beijing of turning a blind eye to the recruitment of Chinese nationals to fight for Russia, adding he believed the US was “very surprised” by the revelation. The Ukrainian leader said Kyiv has obtained passport details of at least 155 fighters from China in the war. While Zelenskyy said Beijing knew its citizens were there, he didn’t believe the country had given “some kind of command” they join the fight.” – The Guardian

• Zelensky erupts ‘Beijing knows’ as over 150 Chinese soldiers ‘fighting against Ukraine’ – Daily Express
• Beijing ‘IS allowing Putin to its recruit Chinese fighters to join its war in Ukraine – and 155 have already signed up’ – Daily Mail
• More than 150 Chinese fighting for Russia, claims Zelensky – Telegraph

Labour slammed by former equality tsar for climb down over rape gang inquiry – for ‘political’ reasons

“Plans for five local grooming gang inquiries have been dropped because Labour did not want to offend Pakistani voters, Sir Trevor Phillips has declared. Sir Trevor, the former chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, branded the Government’s approach to the scandal “utterly, utterly shameful”. The TV presenter said the shift is “so obviously political”, adding ministers and civil servants “should be ashamed of themselves”. Many of the rapists are men from “Pakistani or Muslim backgrounds”, Sir Trevor said. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper in January said that the Government would provide £5 million to support Telford-style local probes…. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “More people were sentenced in Rotherham for the Summer riots than have been for the grooming gangs scandal.” – Daily Express

• Government accused of watering down grooming gang inquiries plans – The Times
• Labour branded ‘utterly shameful’ by ex-equalities watchdog over ‘political’ grooming gang U-turn as minister hints promised inquiries may not happen – Daily Mail

Comment

• The shocking truth about Labour’s Asian grooming gang whitewash – and how Keir Starmer and his party betrayed white working-class girls – Dan Hodges Daily Mail

Minority report. Fears expressed over personal data driven crime ‘prediction’ system

“A system that aims to ­predict who may go on to commit ­serious violent crimes, including murder, by analysing data held by police and probation services is being developed by the government. The Ministry of Justice is working with researchers on a test project that uses algorithms to identify patterns in the personal data, in an effort to improve public safety, according to documents that were obtained by freedom of information requests by the pressure group Statewatch. Officials say the project remains in the research phase and is based exclusively on data from individuals with at least one conviction. However, campaigners have raised concerns that it risks profiling people based on sensitive personal information, including data relating to mental health, self-harm and domestic abuse.” – The Times

• Government creating Minority Report-style ‘murder prediction tool’ that uses personal data to identify most likely killers – Daily Mail

Lawyers launch Hammas backed attempt to remove them from UK terrorism list

“Hamas is using the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) to challenge its proscription as a terrorist organisation in the UK. British lawyers acting on behalf of Hamas have submitted a 106-page legal application to Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, appealing against the Government’s designation of the organisation as terrorists. It claims the ban breaches Hamas supporters’ human rights under the ECHR by “unlawfully restricting” their freedom of speech and rights to protest. It also says it is disproportionate and claims Hamas poses “no threat to the UK people”, and that banning it breaches Britain’s obligations under international law to be “not complicit in a genocide” – Daily Telegraph

Hamas calls on UK government to remove it from list of banned terrorist groups – The Guardian

News in brief

• Did Trump really mean to slap tariffs on the world? – Ross Clark, Spectator
• The British economy needs a hero – Craig Drake, The Critic
• Beware Keir Starmer’s secret police Britain doesn’t need an FBI – Dominic Adler Unherd
• Eco-protestors cannot be above the law – Henry Hill CapX