Jersey employee rights increased with law changes
The Minister for Social Security Deputy Lyndsay Feltham said the changes were made to ensure employers "comply with the law".She said: "These changes are an important step in providing more appropriate levels of compensation for employees who have their employment rights breached. "The vast majority of employers are good employers and have nothing to fear from these changes, but it's important we send a clear message that the worst forms of poor treatment of employees will now carry an increased financial risk."
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The Independent
3 minutes ago
- The Independent
221 MPs call for Britain to recognise Palestinian state amid starvation in Gaza
Some 221 MPs from across different political parties have joined forces to call on the Government to recognise a Palestinian state. The MPs urge the Government to take the step ahead of a United Nations conference in New York next week. This follows France's announcement on Thursday evening it will formally recognise Palestine at a UN summit in September. The MPs' letter, co-ordinated by Sarah Champion – Labour chairwoman of the International Development Select Committee, said: 'We are expectant that the outcome of the conference will be the UK Government outlining when and how it will act on its long-standing commitment on a two-state solution; as well as how it will work with international partners to make this a reality.' Parliamentarians from Labour, the Conservatives, Lib Dems, SNP, Greens, Plaid Cymru, SDLP and independents are among those who signed the letter. Senior signatories include Labour select committee chairs Liam Byrne, Dame Emily Thornberry and Ruth Cadbury, the Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey, as well as Tory former minister Kit Malthouse, and Sir Edward Leigh, Parliament's longest-serving MP. The majority of those who have signed, 131, are Labour MPs. Rotherham MP Ms Champion acknowledged 'recognition alone will not end the suffering in Gaza or the rapid expansion of settlements and settler violence in the West Bank'. But she said it would be an important step on the path towards a two-state solution to end the war. The Labour MP added: 'Recognition would send a powerful symbolic message that we support the rights of the Palestinian people, that they are not alone and they need to maintain hope that there is a route that leads to lasting peace and security for both the Israeli and the Palestinian people.' Ministers have faced growing calls to recognise a Palestinian state immediately amid mounting global anger over the starving population in Gaza. Sir Keir Starmer said on Friday evening that such a move needed to be part of the 'pathway' to peace in the Middle East, which he and allies are working towards. 'That pathway will set out the concrete steps needed to turn the ceasefire so desperately needed, into a lasting peace,' the Prime Minister said. He added: 'Recognition of a Palestinian state has to be one of those steps. I am unequivocal about that. But it must be part of a wider plan which ultimately results in a two-state solution and lasting security for Palestinians and Israelis. The PM also said: 'The appalling scenes in Gaza are unrelenting. 'The continued captivity of hostages, the starvation and denial of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, the increasing violence from extremist settler groups, and Israel's disproportionate military escalation in Gaza are all indefensible. In a statement released on Friday alongside the leaders of France and Germany, the Prime Minister urged 'all parties to bring an end to the conflict by reaching an immediate ceasefire'. Sir Keir, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also called for Israel to stop restricting the flow of aid into Gaza. Charities operating in Gaza have said Israel's blockade and ongoing military offensive are pushing people there towards starvation, warning that they are seeing their own workers and Palestinians 'waste away'. Israel says it allows enough aid into the territory and faults delivery efforts by UN agencies, which say they are hindered by Israeli restrictions and the breakdown of security. As he left for Scotland on Friday, US President Donald Trump suggested that Mr Macron's announcement that France would recognise Palestinian statehood was unimportant. 'What he says doesn't matter', Mr Trump told reporters at the White House. Sir Keir will meet the US president during his five-day private trip to Scotland, due to kick off on Friday. US-led peace talks in Qatar were cut short on Thursday, with Washington's special envoy Steve Witkoff accusing Hamas of a 'lack of desire to reach a ceasefire'. The deal under discussion is expected to include a 60-day ceasefire in which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and the remains of 18 others in phases in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Aid supplies would be ramped up and the two sides would hold negotiations on a lasting truce. Hamas-led militants based in Gaza abducted 251 people in the October 7 attack in 2023 that triggered the war and killed about 1,200 people. Fewer than half of the 50 hostages still in Gaza are believed to be alive. Israel's war in Gaza has killed more than 59,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. It does not distinguish between militants and civilians.
Times
4 minutes ago
- Times
Starmer rejects call to follow Macron in recognising Palestinian state
Sir Keir Starmer has rejected a call by more than 130 Labour MPs to follow Emmanuel Macron and formally recognise a Palestinian state amid concerns that the issue would overshadow President Trump's visit to the UK. The French president announced on Thursday that he would formally recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September, increasing pressure on Starmer. Cabinet ministers have privately been urging the prime minister to do the same and on Friday more than a third of his backbenchers signed a letter calling on him to follow suit. The issue threatens to dominate Trump's four-day visit to the UK, which formally begins on Saturday. Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, said that Macron's decision was 'reckless' and 'only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace'. 'It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7,' he added. Speaking on Friday before flying to Scotland for a five-day visit, Trump said that Macron's announcement 'doesn't matter'. 'He's a very good guy. I like him, but that statement doesn't carry weight,' he said, adding: 'Here's the good news: What he says doesn't matter. It's not going to change anything.' Starmer's reluctance is likely to deepen divisions within the cabinet, with one member of the government immediately branding the response 'deeply inadequate'. A senior government source said that there were concerns that recognising a Palestinian state while Trump was visiting could derail discussions over a US-UK trade deal. Starmer is meeting Trump at his Turnberry golf course on Monday. In a statement released after talks with Macron, Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, and Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, Starmer made clear that he would not bring forward an announcement. Starmer said that while he was 'unequivocal' about recognising a Palestinian state, he would only do so at a time of 'maximum utility to improve the lives of those who are suffering'. It means that the UK will not recognise a Palestinian state until there is a ceasefire with the return of the October 7 hostages, and humanitarian aid is restored to Gaza. Starmer said: 'Alongside our closest allies, I am working on a pathway to peace in the region, focused on the practical solutions that will make a real difference to the lives of those that are suffering in this war. 'That pathway will set out the concrete steps needed to turn the ceasefire, so desperately needed, into a lasting peace. 'Recognition of a Palestinian state has to be one of those steps. I am unequivocal about that. But it must be part of a wider plan which ultimately results in a two-state solution and lasting security for Palestinians and Israelis. This is the way to ensure it is a tool of maximum utility to improve the lives of those who are suffering — which, of course, will always be our ultimate goal.' He said that the scenes in Gaza were 'appalling' and 'unrelenting'. 'The continued captivity of hostages, the starvation and denial of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, the increasing violence from extremist settler groups, and Israel's disproportionate military escalation in Gaza are all indefensible,' he said. A total of 136 Labour MPs — equivalent to a third of Starmer's parliamentary party — have signed a cross-party letter calling for Britain to stand up to its 'historic responsibility' and recognise a Palestinian state. The letter was signed by 221 MPs in total. It said: 'Whilst we appreciate the UK does not have it in its power to bring about a free and independent Palestine, UK recognition would have a significant impact due to our historic connections and our membership on the UN Security Council, so we urge you to take this step. 'British recognition of Palestine would be particularly powerful given its role as the author of the Balfour Declaration and the former Mandatory Power in Palestine. Since 1980 we have backed a two-state solution. Such a recognition would give that position substance as well as living up to a historic responsibility we have to the people under that mandate.' • Why Israel can't brush off France's recognition of a Palestine state The letter was organised by Sarah Champion, a Labour MP and chair of the international development select committee. It was signed by 19 select committee chairs in total including the Labour MPs Emily Thornberry, Tan Dhesi, Debbie Abrahams and Florence Eshalomi. Jess Morden, the chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party, was also a signatory. Israel condemned Macron's decision. Binyamin Netanyahu said the announcement 'rewards terror' and warned that a Palestinian state would be a 'launch pad to annihilate Israel'. The Knesset, Israel's parliament, voted to annex the West Bank — a move which would make a Palestinian state impossible. Itamar Ben-Gvir, national security minister and the most outspoken far-right minister in Netanyahu's cabinet, said: 'Complete halt of 'humanitarian' aid. Total occupation of the Strip. Total destruction of Hamas. Encouragement of migration. Settlement. 'This is not the alternative path — this is the royal road to securing the release of the hostages and achieving victory in the war.' • Israel and US pull out of Gaza ceasefire talks with 'selfish' Hamas Sir Jeremy Greenstock, a former British ambassador to the UN, was one of 50 diplomats who signed a letter calling for Starmer to unilaterally recognise a Palestinian state. He said it would go beyond 'rhetoric' and encourage countries in the Middle East to follow suit.
BBC News
4 minutes ago
- BBC News
Newport: Accountant stole £2.4m to fund gambling addiction
An accountant stole more than £2.4m from companies she worked for in order to fund her gambling Lewis, 40, who was on a £200,000 salary, stole money from five businesses within the same family of companies, Newport Crown Court heard. Her actions caused considerable stress to other members of staff, causing one director to leave, another to lose out on his salary, and one woman unable to access her pension. Lewis, of Wolverhampton, pleaded guilty to five counts of fraud by abuse of position and was sentenced to five years in prison, with each charge to run concurrently. Her actions also meant that the companies, owned by James Davies, did not contribute enough Davies said Lewis was like a daughter to him, and felt like five companies she committed fraud against included Daisy Vale Limited, Charnwood Accounts, Edward Davies Construction and Fastnet Properties Orndal, prosecuting, told the court that Lewis began working for Mr Davies in 2007, first holding a role as a 2017 she was the accountant for the group of companies after she had her accountancy training funded by the company. However, when the company moved over to an online banking system financial problems began to arise. For the first time, the company began to see a substantial and unexplained downturn in suspicions were raised over an increase in third party payments, Lewis officially resigned in 2023 and a new accountant took Lewis contacted Mr Davies about her severance payment he noticed a link between her account details and a number of other payments on the account. 'Crypto companies' Mr Orndal said: "Instead of paying third party people she had been paying herself and disguising them as proper payments."Between 2018 and 2023, the total payments to her account exceeded £3.6m, with the total being more than £2.4m after her salary and other legitimate payments had been deducted. Mr Orndal said that £1.4m of this was sent to known gambling companies but this figure is likely to be higher as it is difficult to identify all gambling also spent £67,000 on crypto companies and £9,000 on FairFX, a bank which accepts payments in different already fraudulently stealing millions from the businesses, Lewis also asked Mr Davies to loan her £163,000 to help her buy a house, but the money was eventually repaid by her mother and a victim impact statement, Mr Davies said Lewis's crimes had "affected the lives of countless people" and she had also taken money from the Davies said one member of staff had been unable to withdraw her pension, despite working at the company for many years, because Lewis did not fund it a victim impact statement, former director Mark Cotter said that the stress on him had led to his GP making him take four to six weeks off work. "I felt forced to leave the company that I had spent a lot of my life trying to build," he added."I'm in disbelief that all of this happened because of Jemma Lewis."Neil Corre, for the defendant, said she was in this position due to her gambling said she did not gamble to win but to continue gambling, adding she had now been free of the addiction for more than a Corre said she hoped to use her experience to help others. "She has lost her job, her home and she may lose her liberty, but her moral compass has been restored," he Lewis, Judge Daniel Williams said: "You have been a gambler for years, since you were 18 and long before you were employed by James Davies. "Your upbringing was privileged but also blighted by trauma and sadness."
