Top Tory grandee Norman Tebbit and close Margaret Thatcher ally dies, aged 94
Lord Tebbit was a close ally of Margaret Thatcher, serving in multiple high-profile government roles during her time as Prime Minister. His son William said his father died "peacefully at home''.
The Conservative grandee, who was an MP for more than 20 years for Epping and then Chingford, served as Employment Secretary, Trade Secretary and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. After leaving the Commons in 1992, he was appointed to the House of Lords.
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Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Labour's asylum hotel plans in turmoil - why court decision is nightmare for Starmer
Ministers are braced for a string of legal challenges following a High Court decision to grant a temporary injunction preventing asylum seekers being housed at the Bell Hotel in Epping The Government faces a major headache as ministers brace for a wave of legal challenges over asylum hotels following a landmark ruling in Epping. On Tuesday Epping Forest District Council won its demand for a temporary injunction stopping migrants from being housed at the Bell Hotel. The venue has been the scene of violent clashes in recent weeks after a man staying there was charged with assaulting a 14-year-old girl - which he denies. It means every asylum seeker at The Bell has to be moved. And to make matters worse for the Home Office, other councils are expected to follow suit, with around 30,000 people being housed in hotels. Nigel Farage has said 12 local authorities where Reform are the largest party will be weighing up legal challenges. He faces accusations of stirring up tensions. It has sparked fears of more sickening scenes outside asylum hotels, with Home Office lawyers arguing an injunction "runs the risk of acting as an impetus for further violent protests". What did the court decide and why? High Court judges granted an interim injuction following action by Epping Forest District Council. The local authority argued that proper planning procedures had not been followed. Owner Somani Hotels did not notify the planning authority before agreeing to house asylum seekers. In his jusgement Mr Justice Eyre said the firm had "sidestepped the public scrutiny and explanation which would otherwise have taken place". The judge ruled that the hotel must be emptied by 4pm on September 12. He refused to grant the hotel firm a right to challenge his ruling - but the company could still go to the Court of Appeal. There will be a further hearing, expected to last two days, to decide if the injunction is made permanent. Why is this such a big problem for the Government? The ruling opens the door for other councils to challenge asylum hotels in their areas. And as the Home Office pointed out, there is a risk that it could encourage further violent disorder outside hotels. Although the Government has pledged to end the use of asylum hotels by the end of this Parliament, in the short term it still needs somewhere to send people. And Nigel Farage is looking to capitalise, saying Reform-led councils would do "everything in their power to follow Epping's lead". Several councils have already indicated their intention to do so, with Tory-run Broxbourne Council in Hertfordshire saying it was taking legal advice "as a matter of urgency". What happens next? Security Minister Dan Jarvis said he and his colleagues are looking at "contingency plans" to move the people currently at the hotel in Epping. He said the Government is looking over the judgement, and no decision has been made on whether there will be an appeal. And he branded the Bell Hotel "a very specific case", indicating that not all legal challenges will be successful. He told Times Radio: "This was a very specific case concerning a hotel which, since it opened to accommodate asylum seekers five years ago now, has been the subject to a lot of complaints and protests. "Indeed, there's been considerable amount of legal debate about its location and use. If you go back to November 2022 when it came into use for the second time as an asylum hotel - I think Robert Jenrick was the minister responsible for that, by the way - the local council at the time said it was planning a legal challenge over whether the local planning regulations had been followed correctly. "There is quite a long-standing history of concern about this particular hotel, and there's been consideration of previous legal challenges going all the way back." How many asylum hotels are there? There are currently 210 asylum hotels in the UK. Under the Tories at its highest point there were more than 400. It is costing an estimated £5.7million a day, down from over £9million when Rishi Sunak was Prime Minister. The Government has pledged to stop using the hotels, and committed to ending their use by the end of this Parliament. But it does raise questions about where thousands of people are going to go. The Government has ramped up returns, with over 35,000 migrants sent to their homelands since Labour came to power, but more than 28,000 people have come by small boat alone since the start of the year. There are an estimated 30,000 people being accommodated in hotels at the moment. Why are asylum seekers being put in hotels? A series of botched Tory policies saw the asylum backlog balloon between 2020 and 2024. Despite Home Secretary Suella Braverman passing laws declaring that unauthorised arrives could not apply for asylum, small boat arrivals continued. The lack of a return agreement with Europe following Brexit and the shambolic focus on the Tory Rwanda scheme, the number in limbo swelled. In April 2023 this reached an astonishing 175,000 people. In desperation the Conservatives began block booking hotels as it lost control of the asylum system. Is there a risk of more protests? There is very real concern in the corridors of power that the judgement could lead to more disorder. In recent weeks there has been violence outside the Bell Hotel, and asylum hotels have been a flashpoint in the last few years. The Home Office warned the High Court that an injunction there could encourage more protests outside other hotels. A source told the i newspaper: 'Farage is encouraging people to protest outside these hotels. The police have a legal responsibility to keep people safe and maintain public order. This will be at the expense of them going out fighting crime.' Where will people be moved to? Mr Jarvis was repeatedly asked in a series of broadcast interviews, but declined to say where people from the Bell would be moved to. The Government is looking at a range of options to move thousands of people by 2029. Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: 'Everyone agrees that hotels are the wrong answer – they cost the taxpayer billions, trap people in limbo and are flashpoints in communities. "Through our frontline work, we see how protests and hostility leave people who have fled war and persecution feeling terrified and targeted in the very places they are forced to live. This makes an already traumatising situation worse and prevents people from feeling safe. 'Instead of using costly hotels, the Government should partner with local councils to provide safe, cost-effective accommodation within communities. But ultimately, the only way to end hotel use for good is to resolve asylum applications quickly and accurately so people can either rebuild their lives here or return home with dignity. This will cut costs and allow refugees to integrate into their new communities, contribute, and play their part in Britain.'
Western Telegraph
an hour ago
- Western Telegraph
Treasury minister fails to rule out hitting homeowners with capital gains tax
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is reported to be considering ending the current exemption from CGT for primary residences as she seeks ways to raise cash in the face of dire warnings about the state of the public finances. Such a move would see higher-rate taxpayers pay 24% of any gain in the value of their home, while basic rate taxpayers would be hit with an 18% levy. Treasury minister Torsten Bell declined to rule out hitting the sale of family homes with CGT (Jordan Pettitt/PA) The Times reported that under the proposals being considered for the autumn budget, the private residence relief would end for properties above a certain threshold. The threshold is still under consideration but a £1.5 million starting point would hit around 120,000 homeowners who are higher-rate taxpayers with capital gains tax bills of £199,973, the newspaper reported. Treasury minister Torsten Bell declined to rule out hitting people selling their homes with CGT, insisting any potential changes were matters for the Chancellor and would be set out at a budget. Asked to rule out the move, the pensions minister told broadcasters: 'Working people and people's living standards is what this Government is all about. 'We've seen wages rise more in the first 10 months of this Government than the first 10 years of the last Conservative government. 'But of course, as you know, questions for tax are for the budget and they're for chancellors.' Ending primary residence relief could deter people from selling their homes, slowing the housing market and could have a particular impact for older people looking to downsize. The Labour government has ruled out increasing income tax, employees' national insurance contributions and VAT, restricting Ms Reeves' options when it comes to raising money. The scale of the challenge facing her in the autumn budget was illustrated by the NIESR economic think tank warning this month that Ms Reeves is set for a £41 billion shortfall on her self-imposed rule of balancing day-to-day spending with tax receipts in 2029-30.
Wales Online
4 hours ago
- Wales Online
Government strikes returns deal with Iraq in latest bid to deter small boats
Government strikes returns deal with Iraq in latest bid to deter small boats The deal, signed by Home Office minister Dan Jarvis, will set up a formal process to return Iraqis who have arrived in the UK with no right to stay in the country A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to the Border Force compound in Dover, Kent (Image: PA Wire/PA Images) The Government has agreed a new deal with Iraq to return illegal migrants as part of wider moves to limit small boat crossings. The deal, signed by Home Office minister Dan Jarvis, will set up a formal process to return Iraqis who have arrived in the UK with no right to stay in the country. It comes after an £800,000 deal last year with Baghdad to help the country crack down on smuggling networks and organised crime. Earlier this year Sir Keir Starmer and Iraq's prime minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani agreed to strengthen co-operation on migration. Mr Jarvis signed the agreement during a visit to the UK by Iraq's deputy foreign minister Faud Hussein. The Home Office said the accord would allow the "swift" return of illegal migrants. Home Office statistics said since previous deals, the number of Iraqis arriving in the UK by small boat has fallen to 1,900 in the year to March 2025, down from 2,600 in the previous year. Article continues below Mr Jarvis said: "By working together on security, development and migration challenges, we are building stronger relationships that benefit both our countries whilst tackling shared challenges like organised crime and irregular migration." The returns deal is the latest as part of the Home Office's policies to stop small boats crossing the channel. Similar agreements have already been made with Albania and Vietnam since Labour came into power. Another deal with France recently came into force, where small boat migrants who have arrived over the English Channel from the French coast can be returned to the country. The small boats migrant will then be exchanged for a legitimate asylum seeker in France who can demonstrate a genuine family link to the UK. The number has been capped, but it is hoped it will act as a deterrent to those crossing the Channel. The latest figures from the Home Office showed 116 migrants arrived aboard two small boats on August 15. Mr Jarvis said: "This visit reinforces the strength of the UK-Iraq partnership and demonstrates our government's commitment to serious diplomacy that delivers real results. "As someone who served in Iraq, I understand first-hand the importance of building enduring relationships in the region, and the new agreement we have signed is a testament to the trust and co-operation we've built with our Iraqi counterparts." However, the announcement was criticised by Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp. He said: "Over 50,000 illegal immigrants have crossed the Channel in Labour's short time in power, the worst illegal immigration crisis in our history. "Labour has surrendered our borders, and the consequences are being felt in our communities, from rising crime to shocking cases of rape and sexual assault by recent arrivals. "Now they boast about a measly returns deal with Iraq, but barely any small boat arrivals are Iraqi, and most would qualify for asylum anyway. It's a sham designed to look tough while crossings keep soaring. Article continues below "Labour has scrapped Conservative deterrents and created the conditions for chaos, leaving the British people to foot the bill. Only the Conservatives will stop the crossings and restore control of Britain's borders."
