Conservative MPs consider changing their mind on assisted dying Bill as it faces further challenges
“The assisted dying Bill is at risk of failing because MPs are considering pulling their support. MPs voted 330 to 275 to legalise assisted dying last year in a historic vote. However, just 28 need to switch sides for the Bill to fail when it returns to the House of Commons. The Telegraph understands that at least 15 MPs from Labour, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats who either abstained or supported the Bill previously are now considering voting against it. The shift has emerged as the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is due to return to the Commons on Friday, when MPs will debate and vote on amendments. Charlie Dewhirst, the Conservative MP for Bridlington and the Wolds, previously abstained from voting but has since decided to vote against assisted dying: “I am concerned now that the scope is very wide. There seems to be a lack of protections, for example, for people with autism.” Mr Dewhirst’s colleague Sir David Davis, who previously voted for the Bill, said he was reconsidering his position, citing concerns that GPs would be allowed to “initiate” the assisted dying process.” – Daily Telegraph
- Assisted dying law in jeopardy after complaints ‘Labour is trying to kill me off’ – The i
- Sentiment turning against assisted dying bill, MPs claim – The Times
- Has the Royal College of Psychiatrists killed the assisted suicide bill? – Spectator
- Four reasons MPs think the assisted dying laws won’t work – The i
Three new prisons and jail time for offenders to be limited, to ease prison capacity crisis
“Shabana Mahmood will limit for how long hundreds of repeat offenders can be recalled to prison amid Whitehall predictions that jails will be full again in November. The justice secretary also announced a £4.7bn plan to build three new prisons starting this year, part of a “record expansion” as the government attempts to get to grips with the criminal justice system. Senior Tories accused Mahmood of failing to punish criminals, sarcastically saying repeat offenders would be “quaking in their boots”. In an alarming message delivered at a Downing Street press conference, Mahmood said prisons were 99% full, adding: ‘If we don’t do anything now, we risk a total breakdown in law and order.’”- Guardian
- Labour unveils plans to build three new prisons and make criminals who reoffend serve just a month behind bars in latest soft justice reform to tackle crisis – Daily Mail
- Prisons will run out of space in just 5 months as government unveils raft of new measures to tackle overcrowding crisis – The Sun
- Prison guard has ‘throat slashed by inmate wielding improvised weapon’ in one of three attacks in wave of violence sweeping high-security jails – Daily Mail
Comment
- We are losing control of our prisons – David Shipley, Spectator
Labour 1) PM faces rebellion as MPs urge Starmer to soften welfare cuts
“More than 100 Labour MPs have signed a letter raising concerns about Sir Keir Starmer’s welfare cuts, raising the prospect of a parliamentary defeat for the government unless it changes course. The group, representing more than a quarter of Labour MPs, have told ministers that they are most concerned about the decision to halve the top rate of universal credit incapacity benefits for new claimants. The private letter sent to the chief whip on Wednesday is separate from the public letter signed by 42 Labour MPs last week, which warned that the plans were “impossible to support”. The overlap between the lists of signatories is confined to a small number of MPs, it is understood. The organisers of the private letter wanted to put a “constructive” message to ministers and agreed with the need for reform in principle. It means that the total number of Labour MPs to express concern about the reforms could be as high as 140, out of 403.” – The Times
- Waging War. Fuming Labour MPs think they’re toast at next Election and are considering rebellion against Keir – The Sun
- Rachel Reeves will be forced to raise taxes, says ex-No 10 aide – The Times
- Rayner bails out Khan as he struggles to hit housing target – Daily Telegraph
- Price of butter, chocolate, coffee and potatoes soars – and costs will go higher – The i
Labour 2) Starmer steps up efforts to find ‘return hubs’ for asylum seekers
“Sir Keir Starmer will meet Albania’s prime minister [today] as discussions intensify in the government about plans to send failed asylum seekers to the western Balkans. At the meeting with Edi Rama in Tirana, Starmer will promise to find “shared solutions” to the problem of illegal immigration. Ministers are drawing up plans to send failed asylum seekers to “return hubs” overseas once they have exhausted all avenues of appeal. Countries who could host such hubs include Albania, Serbia, Bosnia and North Macedonia. Any deal would require Britain to pay for each failed asylum seeker relocated. The prime minister has put a promise to “smash the gangs” at the heart of his attempts to reduce illegal migration. He will announce that the UK will supply drones and share intelligence with North Macedonia and Montenegro in an effort to “cripple” the people smugglers. However, ministers acknowledge that the government will need to develop policies to deter people from making the crossings.” – The Times
- Defiant Starmer swipes that critics of his ‘island of strangers’ immigration crackdown are ‘talking rubbish’ as Labour backlash mounts… despite poll suggesting Brits agree – Daily Mail
- Migration minister pledged to not report undocumented migrants and called for amnesty – Daily Express
- Shabana Mahmood: Britain must become a ‘nation of neighbours’ – The Times
- Fury as Labour reopens migrant hotel in UK town with locals scared to leave their homes – Daily Express
Comment
- Our deluded elites are still lying to us about the mass migration disaster – Allister Heath, Daily Telegraph
- Britain is heading the way of France – Gavin Mortimer, Spectator
>Today
In a bid to cut immigration the Government has not explained how it will pay for social care
Labour 3) Taxi driver faces theft charges after Lammy ‘refused to pay £590 fare’
“A French taxi driver faces charges that he stole luggage and cash from the Foreign Secretary during a trip from Italy to the French Alps. David Lammy got into a dispute over a €700 (£590) “additional” fee charged to him and Nicola Green, his wife, as they were driven from Forli, near Bologna, to Flaine, a ski village in Haute Savoie, in April following a state visit by the King to Italy. The Lammys have claimed that Nasim Mumin, a taxi driver who provides a car service for VIPs, demanded more money when they arrived at their destination, even though it was agreed that the fare had been paid in full when they set off. After refusing to pay the driver extra when they arrived at the French resort late at night, the Lammys got out of the car. They have claimed that Mr Mumin drove off with their luggage still in the boot.” – Daily Telegraph
- Taxi driver says he was ‘the victim of assault’ when David Lammy and his wife ‘refused to pay £590 fare after driving them from Italy to French ski resort’ – Daily Mail
- On the Lam-my. Furious taxi driver speeds off with David Lammy’s luggage at posh ski resort in row over £600 fare – The Sun
Former Reform MP Rupert Lowe says Farage ‘weaponised justice’ as ‘threat’ charges against him are dropped
“No criminal charges will be brought against former Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe after claims he made “verbal threats” towards the party’s chairman. The Great Yarmouth MP was suspended from Nigel Farage’s party in March amid a deepening civil war and allegations about his conduct, which he denies. The Crown Prosecution Service said it had decided no criminal charges should be brought against Lowe following “a thorough and detailed review of the evidence”. Lowe welcomed the news, and accused his former party of “a sinister attempt to weaponise the criminal justice system against me”. In a statement, he launched an attack on Farage, his party and its MPs saying: “For the good of our country, Nigel Farage must never be prime minister.” – The Times
- Ex-Reform MP Rupert Lowe won’t face charges over ‘verbal threats’ & slams Farage for ‘weaponising justice system’ – The Sun
Comment
- An alternative to rotten Reform is coming soon – Rupert Lowe, Daily Telegraph
Putin won’t meet Zelensky for peace talks in Istanbul, Kremlin announces
“Vladimir Putin will not travel to Istanbul for talks with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Kremlin has said, rejecting the Ukrainian president’s bold proposal for a face-to-face meeting in Turkey to discuss peace. In a statement late on Wednesday, the Kremlin said its delegation would be led by Vladimir Medinsky, a hardline Putin aide who led the only previous round of direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in 2022.Shortly after the Kremlin’s announcement, a US official said Donald Trump would also skip the talks. Trump had previously suggested he would travel to Turkey only if Putin were present.” – Guardian
- Putin snubs Zelensky peace talks – Daily Telegraph
- Vladimir Putin to skip Russia-Ukraine talks in Turkey – FT
- Putin snubs Zelensky in peace talks as Kremlin issues statement – Daily Express
News in Brief
- Quangos and lazy ministers wreak havoc on our politics – Elliot Keck, CapX
- Pope Leo XIV: the holy critic of artificial intelligence – Peter Franklin, Unherd
- Welcome to the world of ‘polygamous working’ – Henry Hill, CapX
- The myth of the single market – Luis Garicano, Silicon Continent
- Farage has the power to defund Net Zero – The Critic
