UK Builders Still Able to Hire From Abroad Under Visa Clampdown
Construction workers from abroad will still be able to migrate to the UK despite tighter visa restrictions announced by the government, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said, as Labour attempts to slash migration without damaging critical sectors of the economy.
Speaking to Parliament's Home Affairs Committee on Tuesday, Cooper said officials had already identified a series of occupations that would not appear on the new Temporary Shortage List. That list will allow employers to bring workers into the country who would not otherwise be eligible, because the job is classed as below degree level.
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Medscape
an hour ago
- Medscape
GMC Updates Fitness to Practise Rules Amid PA Criticism
The General Medical Council (GMC) has published updated fitness to practise guidance aimed at providing greater clarity and consistency in handling concerns about medical professionals in the UK. The changes follow long-standing criticisms of the GMC's approach to fitness to practise (FtP) investigations and its promises to introduce more compassionate procedures. However, the updated guidance drew immediate criticism for treating doctors under the same regulatory framework as physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs). Key Changes to Assessment Process The updates to FtP guidance provide case examiners with a framework for assessing whether concerns received by the GMC should be interpreted as meaning that a doctor may pose a risk to the public. This follows changes made last year by the regulator to investigations involving violence and dishonesty. These gave decision-makers more discretion in minor cases judged to represent a lower risk to public protection. The new guidance introduces three core questions for decision-makers when assessing whether concerns should proceed to investigation: What is the seriousness of the concern? What is the impact of relevant context? How has the doctor responded? Factors that may increase seriousness include repeat behaviour, abuse of position, or allegations involving vulnerable individuals. Decision-makers will also consider working environment, personal circumstances, and whether the professional has shown insight and remediation. Investigation Triggers Fitness to practise investigations may still be initiated for: Misconduct Poor performance Criminal conviction or caution Physical or mental ill-health affecting practice Determination by another regulatory body Insufficient knowledge of English The thresholds for FtP concerns remain unchanged, but the assessment process will be more structured. The Medical Protection Society (MPS) welcomed the GMC's efforts 'to deliver a fitness to practise process that is fairer and more compassionate'. Dr Rob Hendry, the society's medical director, told Medscape News UK : 'Finding out that fitness to practise is being called into question can have a significant impact on a doctor's mental wellbeing.' He added that the MPS had 'long called for more to be done to ensure doctors are not dragged through this stressful process unnecessarily'. Doctors' Association Raises Concerns The new guidance brings FtP decisions for doctors into line with how cases involving PAs and AAs are considered. The GMC assumed responsibility for regulation of PAs and AAs in December 2024. The move was vigorously opposed by many in the medical profession, particularly by GPs who wanted medical associates kept out of general practice altogether. The Doctors' Association UK (DAUK) appreciated the GMC's attempt to clarify its guidance but expressed concern about aligning doctor regulation with PA and AA processes. Helen Fernandes, DAUK chair, highlighted that the GMC has not set standards or scope of clinical practice for medical associates. 'If there was an issue around the clinical decision-making of a PA or AA, there are no standards against which they can be judged," she told Medscape News UK . This contrasts with doctors' clinical conduct being assessed against strict standards for many years. DAUK has expressed unease about how doctors will be held accountable for supervising PAs and AAs, noting that the GMC has attributed supervision responsibilities to anyone working with them in a team. "This guidance seems to add more confusion to an already confused picture, which we believe doesn't help our members – but more importantly, doesn't help our patients or the wider public," Fernandes said. The updated guidance is available on the GMC's website.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Illegal immigrant can stay in UK for daughter he does not speak to
An asylum judge allowed an illegal immigrant stay in Britain despite 'contradictory findings' that his relationship with his daughter was good – but had also broken down. Andrew Kung'u Gichuhi, from Kenya, won his appeal to remain in the country, with a new hearing pending, after an immigration judge said Mr Gichuhi could stay in the UK because he had a 'genuine and subsisting' relationship with his daughter, and it would not be right to expect her to leave Britain. But, later on in her judgment, she appeared to contradict her earlier comments, saying there had been a breakdown in the father-daughter relationship. After the Home Office argued that her findings were 'irrational', an upper tribunal judge has now ruled that Mr Gichuhi's claim should be heard again. The case, disclosed in court papers, is the latest example uncovered by The Telegraph in which illegal migrants or convicted foreign criminals have been able to remain in the UK or halt their deportations on human rights grounds. Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, has announced plans to kerb judges' powers to block deportations with new 'common sense' rules to clarify how they interpret the Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) article eight, which provides the right to a family life. The Home Secretary's rules are also intended to strengthen the public interest test, in which courts need to be hold themselves accountable and only grant exceptions to laws with justified reasons. Mr Gichuhi was living in the UK illegally as an unmarried partner of a British national when he applied for citizenship. The Home Office rejected his application, arguing that there were 'no insurmountable obstacles to family life with his partner continuing in Kenya'. The Home Office said he did not have a 'genuine and subsisting' relationship with his daughter, from a previous marriage. Mr Gichuhi appealed the decision to a lower-tier tribunal. The unnamed judge found that there was a 'genuine and subsisting' parental relationship between Gichuhi and his daughter, who 'could not reasonably be expected to leave the United Kingdom'. But later in the judgment, she said the relationship was 'broken down' and that there was 'no contact' between the Mr Gichuhi and his daughter. In the appeal against the 'irrational' finding, the Home Office said 'a relationship could not be both genuine and subsisting and broken down'. It added the judge had also been 'speculating about the possibility of future contact'. Those representing Mr Gichuhi argued that the judge had been 'entitled' to find that the relationship was subsisting, because he sent £100 a month to his daughter's bank account. They said he sent the money on an 'entirely voluntary basis', and his daughter had not returned the money. However, while they argued that a relationship could be 'genuine and subsisting' in 'the absence of contact', they accepted that 'subsisting was the antithesis of broken down'. For this reason, Mr Gichuhi's lawyers accepted that the judge's position was 'at least contradictory' and she had not explained how 'the contradictory positions were reconciled'. Upper Tribunal Judges Adrian Seelhoff and Sean O'Brien concluded: 'Consequently, the judge's finding at that [Mr Gichuhi's] relationship with his daughter had 'broken down' is inconsistent with her finding later in that paragraph that it was 'subsisting'. 'No attempt had been made to reconcile these contradictory findings. It follows that the judge's decision involved the making of an error of law.' They ruled that the case must be reheard afresh by another judge. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Greta Thunberg and the Freedom Flotilla Coalition are sailing to Gaza, but will they make it?
There are a number of things that could cause the ship to turn around, like lack of food and water or problems with the engine. The well-known Swedish activist Greta Thunberg is sailing to Gaza as of June 5. According to reports, she is aboard the Madleen, a sailboat that the Freedom Flotilla Coalition is operating. A report at Democracy Now noted that when the ship sailed from Catania in Sicily, it had 12 people on board, including actor Liam Cunningham, known for his role in the series Game of Thrones. The ship is named for 'Gaza's first fisherwoman,' the report said. According to The Marine Executive, the boat 'corresponds to a UK-registered 18-meter (59-foot) sailing vessel named Barcarole.' The vessel left port on June 1 on what is thought to be an estimated 2,000 km trip. The boat has a website devoted to tracking it. 'In partnership with Forensic Architecture, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition has equipped the Madleen with an advanced tracking system. This technology plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety of those on board, maintaining transparency about the vessel's location, and holding potential aggressors accountable for their actions,' the Freedom Flotilla said. As of June 5, the tracker had stopped working. Israel has said the sailboat will not be allowed to dock in Gaza. This is not the first time a group of activists has tried to sail to Gaza. In 2010, hundreds of activists boarded six ships off Turkey and tried to get to Gaza. The IDF carried out a raid on their lead ship, the Mavi Marmara. Nine people were killed in the melee with the IDF, and the ship was towed to Ashdod. In 2015, another attempt to sail to Gaza was frustrated when a ship was damaged at a Greek port. The 2025 group that is trying to reach Gaza already had issues off Malta. In May, the Conscience ship claimed to have suffered damage and loss of power off Malta before heading to Gaza. Activists claimed the ship was hit by drones. This explains why the crew of the Madleen, while sailing off the coast of Crete, were afraid on the evening of June 3-4 when they thought a drone was circling the ship. Activists posted videos and claimed to be in distress. It turned out, according to reports, that the drone was from the Greek coast guard. The Madleen was around 68km outside of Greece's territorial waters. For Thunberg, this is not her first long voyage at sea. She also did transatlantic voyages in 2019 to get to a climate conference in New York. Therefore, she is experienced at sailing long distances. It is not clear if all the other members of the crew have the same experience. A long journey of 2,000 km can take many days. A sailing vessel may make around six to twelve knots an hour, meaning it may sail between 100 nautical miles and 250 a day. Therefore, it can take more than four days to make the journey. When one is sailing at sea in the open ocean, a boat doesn't usually stop. This is because there is wind, and even when the wind drops, the boat can continue on its journey on a diesel engine. On the engine alone, it could also make around 200km a day or more. A sailboat won't usually use its diesel engine for a long period of time because it doesn't want to waste fuel. On a long journey like this boat is embarking on, it won't want to go to port, so it will want to conserve fuel. The reason that the Madleen won't want to put into port in Greece or Cyprus is likely because they will fear sabotage to their boat or that authorities will prevent their journey. Greece and Cyprus are both close friends of Israel. The boat won't want to stop in Egypt because it is an authoritarian state, although Egypt is an option. Turkey could also be an option because Ankara tends to back Hamas. The vessel could also divert to Lebanon or Syria. Sailing at sea over numerous days is challenging. A vessel may have GPS and satellite phones; however, sailing at night is complex. This is because a small sailboat has to cross shipping lanes. It will be near large ships. It is hard to see a sailboat at night. A sailboat usually will have red and green lights, one on each side at the front, indicating port and starboard. It will have a white light on the stern and may also place lights on the mast. A white light on the mast will indicate the vessel is under engine power. According to Marine Traffic, a vessel called Barcarole appeared to be south of Crete on June 5 in the afternoon. It also appeared to be heading slowly west at 1.5 knots. This means it is drifting or has stopped. It is unclear why. The photo for Barcarole shows a vessel that looks the same as the Madleen, with a Palestinian flag. The vessel appears to be a ketch, a type of two-masted sailboat with a mainmast that is taller than the smaller mizzenmast toward the rear. If the sailboat is off Cyprus, it will still have several days of sailing to reach the coast off Israel. Since the ship has been at sea for five days now, it means they will need to make sure they have enough food and water for the crew. They will also need to continue making contingency plans in case issues happen with their engine or other equipment. The vessel appears to be in a sealane near a number of large container ships. The Horae crude oil tanker is to the west, and a barge carrier and a cargo ship are to the east. The crew may be suffering from boredom, seasickness, or crowding on a ship like this. Being at sea for so long with so many people can become a difficult experience, even for seasoned and veteran sailors. It remains to be seen what other challenges they face.
