Supreme Court ruling has ‘changed landscape' of Peggie tribunal
She said of Tuesday's meetings that it had been 'important' for politicians to hear what Ms Peggie had been through as as result of 'bad policies that NHS Fife, NHS Scotland and the Scottish Government (are) still sticking with'.
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Powys County Times
28 minutes ago
- Powys County Times
Legislation to decriminalise abortion for women clears the Commons
Legislation which would see abortion decriminalised for women terminating their own pregnancies has cleared the Commons. MPs voted 312 to 95, majority 217 to approve the Crime and Policing Bill at third reading on Wednesday. This comes after the Commons backed Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi's amendment, which will remove the threat of 'investigation, arrest, prosecution or imprisonment' of any woman who acts in relation to her own pregnancy. The issue was treated as a matter of conscience, with MPs given a free vote and the Government remaining neutral. Downing Street said the change to abortion laws must be 'workable and safe', following Tuesday's verdict. MPs voted 379 to 137, majority 242, to back Ms Antoniazzi's amendment. A No 10 spokesman said: 'We'll look at this in detail, considering whether any changes are necessary to make it workable and safe. But, of course, this would not change the intent of the amendment passed.' The spokesman added: 'As with all laws, the Government has a responsibility to ensure it is safe and workable.' The Bill will now undergo further scrutiny in the House of Lords. It will also introduce a two-step verification process for the sale of knives and crossbows purchased online, and greater protections for emergency workers from racial and religious abuse during house calls are also included in the Bill. Speaking during report stage on Tuesday, Ms Antoniazzi said she pushed for the change in the law after cases of women being investigated by police over suspected illegal abortions. The Gower MP said: 'This is the right change at the right time. I implore colleagues who want to protect women and girls and abortion services to vote for new clause one. 'Let's ensure that not a single desperate woman ever again is subject to traumatic, criminal investigation at the worst moments in their lives.' Medics or others who facilitate an abortion after the 24-week time limit could still face prosecution if the change becomes law. Though the Government took a neutral stance on the vote, several Cabinet ministers were among the MPs who backed the amendment. They included Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall, Defence Secretary John Healey, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, Environment Secretary Steve Reed, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn, Scotland Secretary Ian Murray, Wales Secretary Jo Stevens and Commons Leader Lucy Powell. Kemi Badenoch and many members of the Conservative front bench voted against it but shadow education secretary Laura Trott voted in favour. Abortion in England and Wales currently remains a criminal offence unless with an authorised provider up to 24 weeks into a pregnancy, with very limited circumstances allowing one after this time, such as when the mother's life is at risk or the child would be born with a severe disability. It is also legal to take prescribed medication at home if a woman is under 10 weeks pregnant.
Rhyl Journal
30 minutes ago
- Rhyl Journal
Televise grooming gang inquiry given public interest, Labour peer urges
Broadcaster Baroness Hazarika, who was previously a political adviser to former prime minister Gordon Brown, Baroness Harman and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, also called for a two-year time limit on the probe, arguing that 'justice delayed is justice denied'. Speaking in Parliament, the Muslim Labour peer again apologised for the crimes carried out by 'wicked, wicked men' and said many in her community felt 'deeply ashamed'. Responding, Home Office minister Lord Hanson of Flint also said he would like to see the inquiry 'speeded up', but this would be subject to discussion with the chairperson, which the Government was looking to swiftly recruit. The full-scale investigation was announced by the Prime Minister following a major review by Baroness Casey into grooming gangs, leading to accusations of a U-turn by Tory critics. Her report, published on Monday, found the ethnicity of perpetrators had been 'shied away from', with data not recorded for two-thirds of offenders. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper claimed officials had dodged the issue of ethnicity among the groups of sex offenders for fear of being called racist, even though available data showed suspects were disproportionately likely to be Asian men. Lord Hanson told peers on Wednesday: 'The Government is determined to root out the horrific crimes of grooming gangs and secure justice for victims.' He pointed out all 12 recommendations made by Lady Casey had been accepted by the administration, including the establishment of a national probe. The minister added: 'The inquiry will be time limited, have statutory powers to direct targeted investigations into local areas with the aim of holding institutions to account for current and historic failures in their response to group-based child sexual exploitation.' Lady Hazarika said: 'I welcome this inquiry. And I just wanted to say that, as a Muslim woman, I want to profoundly apologise for what these wicked, wicked men have done to white working class girls. 'Many of us feel deeply ashamed, and let's not call them grooming gangs. These are rape gangs which operated on an industrial level. 'I hope the inquiry will also hear the voices of Muslim girls who were also abused by these animals.' She added: 'The minister talks about a time limit. Could the inquiry be capped at two years because justice delayed is justice denied? 'Given the public interest, can this inquiry be televised? 'And finally, given the incredible work that Baroness Casey has done, can she be appointed the chair? Because in a world of appalling systemic failure, she is the only public figure that many victims trust.' Lord Hanson said: 'She asks about the timescale for the inquiry, Baroness Casey has indicated it would be around three years. I would like to see it speeded up, but we have to discuss that matter with the potential chair of the inquiry. 'And the Government intends to try to recruit the potential chair of the inquiry as a matter of some speed, and we are in the process of doing that now. 'Baroness Casey herself is currently now going to be engaged in a further report, but we will appoint a chair as soon as possible.' He added: 'As to the matter of televising the proceedings, again if she will bear with me, that again will be a matter of discussion with the chair to determine. 'We want to ensure that we take action speedily on this issue.' He pointed out other recommendation made by Lady Casey would be implemented 'in very short order'. These included making it mandatory to collect ethnicity and nationality data of all suspects in child sexual abuse cases, a change in the law so that all adult sex with under-16s was considered rape, and a review of the criminal records of exploitation victims.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Shocking £81 billion HS2 fiasco has become ultimate symbol of British state ineptitude
Derailed UK THE shocking waste of money and sheer ineptitude of those running HS2 has been beyond staggering. The Sun warned over a decade ago it would be a costly white elephant — and that was when it was predicted to cost £50billion for the whole network. By the time it's finished — assuming it ever is — it will have blown at least £81billion at today's prices, even though the line will now only go from London to Birmingham. What a miserable economic benefit for such a colossal price. HS2 is symptomatic of widespread uselessness in our public services. Instead of getting the job done, bosses spent £8million hiring 167 PR managers and diversity advisers. No one seemed to care that huge sums of public money simply disappeared down the drain. Instead, State failure is routinely rewarded. One HS2 board member is even now the head of the Government's new Office for Value for Money. Britain — once a builder of the world — is now a global laughing stock when it comes to major projects. At this rate you wouldn't trust anyone involved to put together a Hornby train set. Rishi Sunak announces the scrapping of HS2 at the Conservative Party conference 1 Licence to idle MINISTERS must ignore the whinging of left-wing Labour MPs and stop the current insanity of benefits being more worthwhile than work. The incentive to take handouts rather than a job is far too great. Somehow a welfare system that was supposed to be a safety net has become a lifestyle choice for many. Not only is this a huge burden to those who DO work and pay taxes. It has also written off millions of people entirely unnecessarily. Labour worries that taking benefits away will be seen as cruel. Far crueler to preside over a system which does nothing to help people to improve their lives. True reform JUST how far is Labour prepared to go to win genuine reform to European laws which make it almost impossible to deport dangerous foreign criminals? The Government wants to make it harder for offenders to fight deportation because of 'exceptional circumstances'. That might stop paedophiles claiming they would face 'hostility' back home or drug-dealers insisting their children would miss eating chicken nuggets. But abuse of the European Convention on Human Rights is now commonplace.
