Today, the minister for justice, James Cartlidge, faced questions from the shadow minister, Steve Reed. Reed referred to the average time between a victim reporting a rape and the case coming to trial “hitting a new high of over 1,000 days” and that the government proposal to give magistrates more sentencing powers “could make the…
Labour MP, Jim McMahon, started the opposition day debate with a speech on food insecurity in the UK. McMahon referred to the “rocketing household bills and the cost of food”, suggesting that a “tax levy on oil and gas companies” would “cushion rocketing energy bills”. The MP for Oldham West and Royston also labelled the…
Following “abuse” towards Keir Starmer outside parliament last night, the Speaker of the House, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, made a statement, which reminded MPs that their “words have consequences”. This follows “reports that some abuse was directed towards the leader of the opposition related to claims made by the prime minister”. Hoyle repeated his previous remarks,…
Northern Ireland minister Conor Burns says the DUP’s withdrawal from the first minister post in Stormont will not “fundamentally alter” the government’s plans. Giving evidence to the Northern Ireland affairs committee, Burns said the government’s strategy to resolve the issues surrounding the Northern Ireland Protocol will remain undeterred. Burns said: “The plan is clear and…
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has laid out plans to spread the costs of rising energy prices for “80% of homes in England”. Sunak told the House of Commons today that it would be “dishonest” to pretend we do not have to adjust the energy price cap, which will rise to £1,971 from April.. The Chancellor faced…
Minister of state, Kit Malthouse, made a statement to the House of Commons following an investigation into “bullying and misogyny in Charing Cross Police Station”. Malthouse told the House: “Misogynistic, racist and homophobic behaviour became commonplace between officers”. The Conservative MP said that he hoped that the investigations taking place, including one by the Home…
Andy Burnham has warned the government that its Integrated Rail Plan ‘isn’t as good as it can be’, warning the north could come out “second best” under the current proposals. The mayor of Greater Manchester stressed the plan was a “once in 200-year decision for the country”. The transport committee was holding its first evidence…
A leading defence journalist has warned that Russia has the capabilities to invade Ukraine in a ‘matter of days’, and could choose to do so during the upcoming Winter Olympics. Shashank Joshi defence editor at The Economist, made the comments whilst giving evidence to the foreign affairs committee’s one-off session on the situation in Ukraine.…
The government’s building remediation process ‘should have started some time ago’, according to a leading trade association. Earlier this month, housing secretary Michael Gove announced plans to force developers to pay for remediation costs of unsafe cladding across the UK. David O’Leary, policy director of the Home Builders Federation, said the picture of how many…
The former director general of the border force warned a defence committee hearing this morning that ‘The navy can’t prioritise saving life and stopping migrants at the same time’. Sir Charles Montgomery, who is also a retired royal navy officer, made the comments during an evidence session on the use of the military in countering…
