'Content' of trade talks with U.S. matters more than dates, Moe says
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Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Starmer faces pushback for opening door to Palestinian statehood
Sir Keir Starmer is facing pushback after announcing the UK will recognise a Palestinian state if the crisis in Gaza is not brought to an end. The Prime Minister said the UK could take the step of recognising Palestine's statehood in September, ahead of a major UN gathering. The UK will only refrain from doing so if Israel allows more aid into Gaza, stops annexing land in the West Bank, agrees to a ceasefire and signs up to a long-term, peace process over the next two months. Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, must immediately release all remaining Israeli hostages, sign up to a ceasefire, disarm and 'accept that they will play no part in the government of Gaza', Sir Keir also said. But the PM's announcement rewards 'Hamas's monstrous terrorism', his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, claimed. In a statement on social media site X, Israel's prime minister added: 'Appeasement towards jihadist terrorists always fails.' Donald Trump, who met Sir Keir on Monday and discussed measures to end the starvation faced by Gazans, suggested the pair had not talked about recognising Palestinian statehood. But Mr Trump said he did not mind the PM 'taking a position' on the issue. This was a contrast with his reaction to Emmanuel Macron's announcement that France will recognise Palestine at the UN General Assembly in September, which the US president said would make no difference. Other figures within the US administration have taken a harder line on recognising Palestine. US state department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce suggested a UN conference called to discuss recognising a Palestinian state as part of a two-state solution was a 'publicity stunt' and called it a 'slap in the face' to the victims of the October 7 attacks. She also suggested that the UK announcement could risk 'rewarding Hamas'. Sir Keir said the Government's 'primary aim' was getting aid into Gaza and getting hostages released when asked why UK recognition of the state of Palestine was conditional. He added he was 'particularly concerned that the very idea of a two-state solution is reducing and feels further away today than it has for many, many years'. While Sir Keir signalled the UK could back away from recognising a Palestinian state if his conditions are met, No 10 is understood to believe that such a two-state solution would also proceed from negotiations towards a sustained peace. The UK and its allies need to see 'at least 500 trucks entering Gaza every day' to deliver aid, the Prime Minister added, and are together 'mounting a major effort to get humanitarian supplies back in' by air and by land. Sir Keir spoke with a series of world leaders throughout Tuesday, including Mr Netanyahu, and King Abdullah II of Jordan, whose nation is leading efforts to airdrop aid into Gaza. About 20 tonnes of aid have been dropped by the UK and Jordan in recent days, according to Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Foreign repression on UK soil rising ‘unchecked', MPs and peers warn
Foreign states are becoming bolder in their attempts to silence dissidents in the UK and the Government must take stronger action, parliamentarians have warned. In a report published on Wednesday, the Joint Committee on Human Rights said transnational repression had increased in recent years, with foreign states using online harassment, lawsuits and physical violence to intimidate people in the UK. MI5 investigations into threats from other states have increased 48% since 2022, the report said, while committee chairman Lord David Alton warned the rise was 'going unchecked'. He said: 'This risks undermining the UK's ability to protect the human rights of its citizens and those who have sought safety within its borders. 'We have seen prominent cases of Hong Kongers with bounties placed on their heads, Iran intimidating journalists – but evidence submitted to the inquiry suggest this may be the tip of the iceberg.' The warning comes amid rising concern about transnational repression, including reports that China has offered rewards for people turning in pro-democracy Hong Kong activists based in the UK. Last month, Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee warned that Iran had attempted to kidnap or murder at least 15 UK-based people since 2022, while Russia has also targeted dissidents including the attempt to kill Sergei and Yulia Skripal with Novichok in 2018. While the cross-party human rights committee said China, Russia and Iran were the 'most flagrant' perpetrators of transnational repression in the UK, it highlighted evidence suggesting a string of other countries including India, Rwanda, Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain had sought to target people in Britain. MPs and peers said they had also received 'substantial' evidence of intimidation by the Eritrean government, including surveillance of anti-government activists and infiltration of community groups and churches in an effort to isolate opponents of the regime. The committee went on to criticise Interpol, saying the organisation had refused to acknowledge misuse of 'red notices' – international requests for an arrest – to harass dissidents or take any steps to address this. Almost half of the 6,550 public red notices currently in circulation have been issued at Russia's request. Lord Alton said: 'We want to see a two-pronged approach from the Government. 'More needs to be done to give support and protection to the individuals and communities most at risk of transnational repression. 'We also want to see transnational repression prioritised in diplomatic relations and leadership at an international level to tackle the misuse and exploitation of systems of justice to silence and intimidate.' As well as pressing Interpol for action on abuse of red notices, the committee urged the Government to provide more training on transnational repression for police officers in the UK and greater protection from vexatious lawsuits known as Slapps (strategic lawsuits against public participation). The committee also called for China to be placed in the highest tier of the foreign influence registration scheme that came into effect last month, saying its omission risked 'undermining the credibility and coherence' of the scheme given the extent of Chinese transnational repression. An Interpol spokesperson said: 'Every year, thousands of the world's most serious criminals are arrested thanks to Interpol's systems. 'Children are saved from sexual exploitation and terrorists, cyber criminals and traffickers are brought to justice. 'Interpol knows red notices are powerful tools for law enforcement co-operation, which is why we have robust processes for ensuring that all Interpol notices and diffusions comply with our rules. 'Our constitution forbids Interpol from undertaking activities of a political, military, religious or racial character and all our databases and activities must also comply with the universal declaration for human rights.' A Home Office spokesperson said: 'We take the threat of transnational repression extremely seriously. 'Any attempts by a foreign state to coerce, intimidate, harass, or harm individuals on UK soil are considered a threat to our national security and sovereignty, and will not be tolerated. 'The committee's review echoes many of the same findings and recommendations from the Defending Democracy Taskforce report on TNR, published in May, and we are already taking action arising from those recommendations to further strengthen our response.'
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
New company tasked with building up to 40,000 homes on brownfield railway land
The Government has launched a property company to oversee the release of brownfield sites on surplus railway land to enable tens of thousands of new homes to be built. Platform4 will ensure up to 40,000 homes are built over the next decade, the Department for Transport (DfT) said. The organisation will initially operate across England and Wales, with potential to expand to Scotland. Its roles were previously carried out by London and Continental Railways Ltd and Network Rail's property team, with each managing different aspects of the process. The DfT said this 'fragmented approach' often led to 'inefficiencies, duplicated efforts and missed opportunities'. Profits generated from Platform4 will be reinvested into Britain's railways. The business is expected to generate an additional £227 million by delivering development faster and at a larger scale than before. Four locations already earmarked for regeneration are Newcastle Forth Yards (an opportunity for up to 600 new homes), Manchester Mayfield (up to 1,500 new homes), Cambridge (425 new homes), and Nottingham (200 new homes). Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: 'Our railways are more than just connections between places – they create economic opportunity and drive regeneration. 'It's exciting to picture the thousands of families who will live in these future homes, the vibrant neighbourhoods springing up, and the new businesses that will launch thanks to these developments. 'Platform4 will breathe new life into these spaces, delivering tens of thousands of new homes as part of our Plan for Change promise to build 1.5 million homes, while reviving communities around rail stations, supporting jobs and driving economic growth.' Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said: 'We are facing a housing crisis which has led to a generation being locked out of homeownership, all while land sits empty and disused across the country. 'We said we'd do everything possible to get Britain building, and that's why today we're setting out how we'll get more homes built across surplus railway network sites in line with our brownfield-first approach.' Platform4 will be chaired by Bek Seeley, who has held several roles in regeneration projects. She said: 'Working alongside our partners and local authorities, we will create sustainable places that bring communities and customers together and leave a positive legacy for future generations.'
