Newslinks for Tuesday 11th March 2025

Tories warn that the Prime Minister’s making Britain the ‘soft touch of illegal migration’

“Extremists can enter “our country at will” because of Sir Keir Starmer’s open borders policies, the Tories have warned. The Prime Minister was accused of making the UK “the soft touch of Europe on illegal migration” as Channel migrant crossings continued at a record pace. And the arrest of an alleged Palestinian militant gunman after crossing on a small boat has prompted a new border security crisis. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp urged Labour to deport all foreign criminals and to stop issuing visas to countries that refuse to take them back, tabling amendments to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper’s Border Security Bill Mr Philp said: “These tough new measures show the Conservatives are prepared to do whatever it takes to deport foreign criminals from the UK. If a foreign citizen commits a crime here, we should kick them out – it is as simple as that.” – Daily Express

• Tories announce policy to deport all foreign nationals with criminal convictions – Guardian
• Fears gun-toting Palestinian Channel boat migrant who called on God to ‘kill all Jews’ will be allowed to stay in Britain due to human rights laws – Daily Mail
• Alleged Hamas supporter arrested after arrival on small boat – The Times
• ‘Extremist Charged’. ‘Hamas supporter’ from Gaza charged after filming himself ‘arriving in Britain’ on cross-Channel boat – The Sun
• Calling Hamas terrorists is ‘dehumanising’, academic claims at university book launch – Daily Telegraph

Comment

I’ve stood on beaches and watched migrants arrive. What happens next is little short of terrifying – Daily Mail

Trump is turning pro-Palestine activists into martyrs – Unherd

The wellbeing of criminal suspects should never outweigh the cost to the public – Henry Hill Daily Telegraph

…meanwhile, UK couple fined £1,500 after reporting Channel stowaway found in motorhome

“A couple who discovered a boy hidden on the back of their motorhome after their journey from France to Essex have been fined £1,500 by the Home Office. Adrian and Joanne Fenton called the police when they found the person zipped inside the cover of a bike rack after pulling up on their drive at their home in Heybridge. The couple had been travelling in France with friends and returned to the UK by ferry on 15 October. Joanne Fenton, 55, said border officials in Calais and the UK had not inspected the bike rack or the cover before or after the crossing.  They subsequently received a fine from the Home Office for failing to “check that no clandestine entrant was concealed” in the motorhome, which the couple said they were appealing.” – Guardian

• We were fined £1,500 after calling police when we found a migrant in our campervan. We’re being punished for something the professionals missed – Daily Mail

‘Former’ Reform MP Rupert Lowe lays blame for ‘witch-hunt’ at Farage’s door

“Rupert Lowe mocked Reform UK for being able to fit its MPs on the back of a moped as the acrimonious split at the top of Nigel Farage’s party intensified. Lowe accused Farage of a “vindictive witch-hunt” after he was suspended by the party in a messy public row involving claims of bullying and smearing. While Lowe faces claims of aggressive behaviour, he accused Farage’s allies of briefing that he had dementia in a “sick” attempt to discredit him. He argued that the allegations against him had been “maliciously concocted” because of his criticisms of Farage’s leadership last week, accusing the party’s leadership of a “co-ordinated hit job to force me out of Reform”. Lowe seems unlikely to reclaim the Reform whip, and the party is down to four MPs. “The vehicle required to transport my parliamentary party has dropped from a black cab to a moped,” Lowe wrote on social media” – The Times

• Ex-Reform deputy opens door to forming new party with Rupert Lowe – Daily Telegraph
• Nigel Farage and Reform UK face challenge as ex-deputy hints at breakaway party – Daily Express
• ‘Dog-whistle v fog horn’: why Rupert Lowe’s reach on X may not cut through – Guardian
• Musk expresses support for rival to Reform UK as feud in Farage’s party intensifies – FT
• Why the Reform civil war isn’t turning voters off… for now – The i
• Keir Starmer mocks Nigel Farage over Reform civil war in meeting with Labour MPs – Daily Express

Comment

Nigel Farage and Rupert Lowe’s feud helps only one person – Katy Balls Spectator

>Today

I’m a Conservative, not an arsonist so we’re completely rebuilding CCHQ – not burning it down Kemi Badenoch

>Yesterday

Was this weekend Reform UK’s Lowe ebb?

Labour MP resigns after pleading guilty to assault and triggers by-election in Runcorn

“A Labour MP jailed for punching a constituent announced on Monday that he was standing down, but claimed that he was entitled to keep his taxpayer-funded salary because he worked while behind bars. The decision by Mike Amesbury, the MP for Runcorn & Helsby, means that Sir Keir Starmer faces a fight with Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, in his first by-election test as prime minister. Amesbury was given a suspended 10-week prison sentence after he admitted assaulting Paul Fellows, a constituent. He confirmed that he has begun the “statutory process” of winding up his office and that he will resign as an MP “as soon as possible”. He won the Cheshire seat at the general election in July last year with a 14,696 majority, with Reform coming second.” – The Times

• MP jailed for punching man in street to resign, triggering by-election – Daily Telegraph
• ‘They tell us to f**k off’: Why Labour doorstep activists have stopped turning up – The i
• Mike Amesbury resigns as MP, triggering byelection – Guardian

Labour 1) Welfare cuts will save a wasted generation, Keir Starmer tells his MPs

“Sir Keir Starmer told Labour MPs that he was not afraid of taking tough decisions on welfare to save a “wasted generation” of young people as he sought to persuade backbenchers of the need to overhaul sickness benefits. Starmer said the system was “indefensible and unfair”, but a coalition of charities is leading a backlash against his “catastrophic” plan. Liz Kendall, the work and pensions secretary, is expected to meet Labour MPs this week to make the case for a contentious package of reforms that will impose more than £5 billion of cuts and require the long-term sick to prepare for work. While 36 MPs have supported the plans, saying that there was a “moral duty” to reform welfare, Starmer faces questions and unease is widespread among backbenchers. Ministers fear a row that will split the Labour Party.” – The Times

• We’re in worst of all worlds on welfare, says Starmer – Daily Telegraph
• Keir Starmer defends planned welfare cuts to anxious Labour MPs – FT
• Keir Starmer warns Labour MPs that ‘unfair’ welfare bill must be slashed – as PM tries to defuse a growing rebellion over the issue – Daily Mail
• Starmer decries ‘worst of all worlds’ benefits system ahead of deep cuts – Guardian
• Benefits Blitz. Britain’s welfare bill is ‘unsustainable, indefensible and unfair’, says Keir as he faces down Labour rebels – The Sun
• Labour MPs insist on ‘moral duty’ to get long-term sick into work – The Times
• Incompetent self-promoters are about to become even harder to sack – Daily Telegraph

Comment

This Labour Government is about to get a whole lot more Tory – Anne McElvoy The i

Labour 2) NHS job cuts: Up to 7,000 posts to go in Streeting restructure

“Half of all central NHS staff face losing their jobs as the Labour government seizes control of the health service. Wes Streeting, the health secretary, has ordered NHS England to slash up to 7,000 office-based jobs as part of a plan to shrink central bureaucracy and divert resources to frontline care. This will give the Department of Health and Social Care greater oversight of the day-to-day running of the health service, with duplicated jobs “eradicated” under the plans. The NHS told staff on Monday that leaders would be “looking at ways of radically reducing the size of NHS England that could see the centre decrease by around half”, while there would also be a recruitment freeze.” – The Times

Bonfire of bureaucrats! Wes Streeting cuts NHS HQ staff numbers in half – as Health Secretary seeks to tighten his control over the health service – Daily Mail

>Today

Is it time to resist the rise of arms-length bodies? David Willetts

Labour 3) Starmer calls Trump ahead of US talks with Ukraine in Saudi Arabia

“The United States is tonight poised to lift its ban on military aid and intelligence support for Ukraine after a plea by Sir Keir Starmer. The Prime Minister spoke to US President Donald Trump for 20 minutes ahead of peace talks in Saudi Arabia to end the three-year conflict. Downing Street sources said the PM raised the US’s suspension of intelligence-sharing and military aid in their call. UK officials have also been convincing Ukrainian officials of the need to meet US requirements for its military backing to resume. Following his discussion with President Trump, a spokesman for the Prime Minister said he hoped there would be a ‘positive outcome’. – Daily Mail

• Keir Starmer calls for ‘positive’ US-Ukraine talks in call with Donald Trump – FT
• Dialling Don. Starmer holds surprise call with Donald Trump ahead of crunch US-Ukraine peace talks in Saudi Arabia as Zelensky jets in – The Sun
• US and Ukraine officials arrive in Saudi Arabia for talks to repair ties – Guardian
• What Zelensky needs to do in Saudi Arabia – Spectator

>Today

What cards does Russia have?

News In Brief

Tories call on Labour to abandon flagship Employment Rights Bill – CityAM

Trump has Europe in check. We have lost the art of strategy – Unherd

Nimby Watch: Power without pylons is a pipe dream – CapX

Is WFH destroying the ad industry? – The Critic