Starmer says ‘Reeves here to stay' as tears and turmoil rock Labour in Commons
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has backed Rachel Reeves to be Chancellor 'into the next election and for many years after' after her tearful appearance at Prime Minister's Questions.
After Ms Reeves was filmed crying in the Commons Mr Starmer said it was 'absolutely wrong' to suggest her tears were related to a welfare U-turn.
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Extra.ie
11 hours ago
- Extra.ie
OJ Simpson defence lawyer says Ireland is 'most anti-Semitic country in Europe'
An American lawyer has hit out at Ireland, saying the country made a 'horrible, bigoted, anti-Semitic choice' during the second World War when they chose to stay neutral. Alan Dershowitz is a former Professor of Law at Harvard having obtained his education at Yale. The 86-year-old said that Ireland had 'become the most anti-Zionist, anti-Israel [and] anti-Semitic country in all of Europe.' An American lawyer has hit out at Ireland, saying the country made a 'horrible, bigoted, anti-Semitic choice' during the second World War when they chose to stay neutral. Pic: GENYA SAVILOV/AFP via Getty Images The defence lawyer for OJ Simpson was on Newstalk Breakfast on Thursday morning discussing the verdict in the racketeering trial of music mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs. Somehow, Dershowitz turned the conversation to anti-Semitism in Ireland, as he hit out at the exportation of singers 'yelling and screaming 'Death, death to the IDF.'' Presenter Ciara Kelly was quick to point out that the music act who had made that chant during Glastonbury was actually a British artist, and clarified Kneecap 'often use the chant, 'Free, free Palestine.'' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Newstalk (@newstalkfm) Ciara said: 'I don't believe for a moment that Irish people believe themselves to be anti-Semitic, but I do believe that they are strongly against Israel's action in general in Gaza. 'Largely because, I think, as a post-colonial state ourselves, I think they identify with the Palestinians greatly.' Dershowitz reiterated his belief that Ireland is 'the most anti-Israel country in all of Europe.' Presenter Ciara Kelly was quick to point out that the music act who had that chant during Glastonbury was actually a British artist, and clarified Kneecap 'often use the chant, 'Free, free Palestine.'' Pic: Newstalk/ Instagram 'There's a long history of anti-Semitism,' the lawyer claimed, 'Ireland is the only country in Europe, Western country, that refused to support the British and American war against Nazism.' Ciara again interjected to explain: 'Ireland was neutral during the Second World War, as were other countries in Europe.' Dershowitz branded the choice as 'outrageous,' adding that Ireland made a 'horrible, bigoted, anti-Semitic choice.' A clip of the interview was shared to Newstalk's social media page with many responding to the conversation and hitting out at the lawyer. One said: 'I'm not sure that a man who was closely associated with Jeffrey Epstein should be lecturing anyone else on morality.' Another praised Ciara, while a third wrote: 'This person is garbage. Irish should not even discuss what comes out of him. 'Proud to be Irish and of Ireland's neutrality.'
Irish Post
12 hours ago
- Irish Post
New easier British citizenship route for Irish citizens launched
IRISH people living in the UK will soon be able to apply for British citizenship under a new easier, cheaper route, strengthening the unique relationship between the two countries. This is on foot of the Private Members' Bill introduced by Rt. Hon. Gavin Robinson MP which gave the Home Office the opportunity to focus on this aspect of immigration law. Migration and Citizenship Minister Seema Malhotra is visiting Belfast today (3 July) to formally welcome the commencement of the British Nationality (Irish Citizens) Act 2024. The new route, part of the Act, makes it easier for Irish citizens to become British. Applicants will be subject to a more streamlined digital application process and will not be required to demonstrate knowledge of English language or sit the Life in the UK test. The registration fee will be 50% cheaper than for other nationalities, at £723 for adults and £607 for children. Children looked after by the local authority will be processed free of charge, as will those who can credibly demonstrate they can't afford the application fee. Minister Malhotra said: 'The UK and Ireland enjoy a close and continued shared history and geographic links that have fostered deep cultural connections and family ties across generations. 'This new route represents the unique relationship between our two countries and builds upon the Common Travel Area arrangements that have benefited citizens of both nations for decades. "I am pleased the route will enable eligible Irish nationals who have made their home in the UK to fully participate in British society while maintaining their Irish citizenship.' From 22 July 2025, which is when the British Nationality (Irish Citizens) Act 2024 comes into force, Irish citizens living in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man will be able to apply for British citizenship under this new, easier route. An Irish citizen will be able to register as a British citizen where: — They can show they have been living in the UK for the previous five years — During the five years, they must have not been absent for a total of more than 450 days — During the final year, they must have not been absent for more than 90 days — During the five years, they must have not been in breach of the immigration laws — They are of good character. Minister Malhotra told The Irish Post: 'These changes are about recognising what makes the UK's relationship with Ireland so special. 'From 22 July, as our closest friends and neighbours, eligible Irish people will be able to benefit from a simpler British citizenship registration process and won't be required to take English language or Life in the UK tests. 'This change honours the unique contribution of Irish people to British society, who have helped shape our culture, build our infrastructure and strengthen our communities across every region of the UK for generations. 'It's about giving Irish nationals the chance to officially embrace both identities, and this new pathway cements that special relationship for the future.' A spokesperson from the Home Office said that there has not been a huge demand for this facility – with only around 300 to 400 Irish people a year, from the Irish Republic, applying to become British citizens. Background to the law: The new British citizenship route for Irish citizens resident in the UK has been a long-standing consideration by Parliament and has been raised previously at both the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee (who released a report on 30 June 2021 advocating for an easier and cheaper pathway for Irish citizens living in the UK to become British citizens: Citizenship and Passport Processes in Northern Ireland) and in Westminster Hall debates. The Home Office statement says: "The Private Members' Bill introduced by Rt. Hon. Gavin Robinson MP gave the Home Office the opportunity to rectify this deficiency in British nationality law." See More: British Citizenship, Gavin Robinson
The Irish Sun
12 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Benefits reforms would decimate my £14k handouts, without PIP my luxuries like fags & posh pet accessories would be gone
A SENSE of ease comes over me, as I read the news on the sun-trap terrace which overlooks my sprawling garden as I realise my benefits aren't going anywhere. Until Tuesday a guillotine was hanging above me, threatening to cut off my monthly PIP payments, but thanks to a retreat from Keir Starmer they're safe… for now. 5 Erica Crompton says she depends on her £295 PIP she receives a month Credit: SUPPLIED 5 She believes should be able to spend her stipend on little luxuries Reforms would have seen disabled Brits like me face stricter tests to qualify for support the changes have now been shelved entirely — with no set date for when, or if, they will happen How long my comfortable life will last remains to be seen as it seems my £14,400 income from Universal Credit and PIP are always up for grabs, no matter the party in power. I've come to see the majority of political parties as the real thugs. Whoever is in power, you can guarantee they'll have threatened - or have already implemented - major cuts to my income. Read More on Real Lives Had Labour's suggested cuts come into play I may have lost £600 of the total sum of £1200 I receive in benefits a month. It might seem like a lot but I implore you to bear in mind that minimum wages, full-time, meets £2,000 a month. So, my total benefits aren't exactly a footballer's salary or an heir's trust fund. For Universal Credit, I now get £381 housing benefit; £201 for caring over 24 hours a week and £400 for being unemployed due to my PIP is a standard, monthly payment of £295 I always get. It helps with costs associated with my illness - regardless of whether or not I'm in work. Most read in Fabulous The proposal of a points system for PIP meant I would lose it completely as I only score 2 points for a few concerns over 12 questions (in total mine was 11 points). For example: communication can be hard in groups and I often fall out with friends and family - especially on the internet, phone or Whatsapp. Disability benefit explained - what you can claim Or I might need prompting for my weekly bath, simply because I'm getting smelly. These side effects all only score 2 points, not the proposed 4 to keep PIP. This week Reeve's plans were watered down by Starmer, thanks to some more moral Labour backbenchers (with backbones?) Given the hateful responses I receive when I speak publicly about claiming benefits, I doubt I've heard the last of any of our 'disability benefits being axed.' As I casually scroll through the comments I received on social media, I get more angry faces and hateful comments than murderers, child killers and rapists. I have to disagree with all of them and believe I - we - deserve support from the state for a severe mental illness, mine is schizo-affective disorder, and for putting in 50 hours a week caring for my partner, a wheelchair user. I also believe without the cost of children, I should be able to spend my stipend on little luxuries like my 60 fags a day habit and hand-painted cat food bowls which I imported for £75 from India. I'm aware that many countries' welfare states don't exist, like India where my cat bowls hail from, so I'm still grateful for any support I do receive. What is PIP? HOUSEHOLDS suffering from a long-term illness, disability or mental health condition can get extra help through personal independence payments (PIP). The maximum you can receive from the Government benefit is £172.75 a week. PIP is for those over 16 and under the state pension age, currently 66. Crucially, you must also have a health condition or disability where you either have had difficulties with daily living or getting around - or both- for three months, and you expect these difficulties to continue for at least nine months (unless you're terminally ill with less than 12 months to live). You can also claim PIP if you're in or out of work and if you're already getting limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA) payments if you claim Universal Credit. PIP is made up of two parts and whether you get one or both of these depends on how severely your condition affects you. You may get the mobility part of PIP if you need help going out or moving around. The weekly rate for this is either £26.90 or £71. While on the daily living part of PIP, the weekly rate is either £68.10 or £101.75 - and you could get both elements, so up to £172.75 in total. You can claim PIP at the same time as other benefits, except the armed forces independence payment. Make a claim by calling the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on 0800 917 2222. 5 Erica qualifies for PIP due to her schizo-affective disorder but she would have lost it had Labour's proposed reforms come into place Credit: Supplied 5 As well as Universal Credit she receives a carers allowance for acting as her partner Paul's carer Credit: Erica Crompton It's not just trolls saying I'm a 'leech' or 'scrounger' who I face criticism from though - even doctors can't agree on what schizophrenia is and many naysayers even go as far as to say "it's only in the mind & there's nothing wrong at all" or that it's just a 'human response to traumatic life events'. But what they don't factor in is the major physical toll my mental health takes on my body. I'd like to offer these negative Nellys a day's worth of my medication and see how they get on. My boyfriend Paul was mostly in bed asleep for three days after just one dose he mistook for a paracetamol which I've taken three times a day for over two decades. This tiredness is real. Paranoia is real, it's hard to be around more than one person when you're trying to read code behind everyone's speech (a typical schizo-spectrum symptom known as 'thought broadcasting'). The poor personal hygiene is real, I might only bathe once a week. My anxiety is crippling, too, but I've learned to put on a brave face and try to remain calm and positive. Still, even a brave face doesn't erase a churning stomach. But Reeve's 'four point' system didn't take these things into account. You may well have needed to prove that you have an actual carer come in to wash your bottom twice a day to get 4 points on PIP benefits. WHAT WERE THE PROPOSED CHANGED TO PIP? DISABLED Brits would have faced stricter tests to qualify for support under the original benefits crackdown. They would have needed to score at least four points in one activity like washing, dressing, or preparing food. Currently, people can qualify by scoring eight points across multiple tasks, making it easier to access the benefit. Last week, Labour agreed to limit the crackdown to new claimants only after a backlash from MPs. But under the latest retreat, the changes have now been shelved entirely — with no set date for when, or if, they will happen. Sir Keir Starmer suffered a major rebellion this week by 49 of his own MPs tonight as his welfare reforms scraped through after another round of last-minute concessions. But after more fury from the backbenches, he shelved controversial disability benefit reforms to stave off a Labour revolt. Ministers have now scrapped plans to tighten rules for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) after furious backbenchers warned they would sink the controversial Bill. In the end, MPs voted the legislation through by a majority of 75, with 335 in favour and 260 against. Any proposed changes to Personal Independence Payments now won't kick in until after a review has taken place. The PIP benefits - the main disability welfare payment for those with a disability - is subject to a review by Welfare Minister Sir Stephen Timms. The benefit payments are in place to help those affected with daily tasks such as mobility. Payments currently start at £1,500 but rise to £9,600 which are paid out even if someone is still working. The daily living rate comes in at £73.90 for the lower rate and £110.40 for the higher rate. Figures show that the mobility rate is worth £29.20 and rises to £77.05 for the higher rate. Ministers have revealed that 1,000 people per day are claiming PIP - which is the equivalent of the size of Leicester every year. Following a major rebellion, those who are now claiming PIP be able to claim the same amount of money. But for new claimants from November 2026, there will be a set of stricter measures set out as the government aims to reduce spending on the benefits and get people back to work. Never mind reeking too much to leave the house and be in public - let alone in an office. This idea that work might make us better - which Reeves drove home and used to justify her cruel cuts - felt like gaslighting. 'We believe if you can work, you should work.' she stated. But PIP is a benefit you can also claim while working. Like me, many need their benefits - both PIP and Universal Credit - to 'top-up' part-time work wages and that allows them to manage their disability, to care for a loved one, or both. For ten years in my twenties I worked two-three jobs to make ends meet. I always ended up on the mental health crisis phoneline, with a duty nurse telling me I needed to take substantial time off or quit my job. Eventually I quit working full-time for good, and my mental health has improved markedly. I now care full-time and put in 10-16 hours of writing a week. I know first hand, poverty doesn't cure mental illness (or any disability) - it exasperates them, and only makes them worse - putting even more strain on an already underfunded NHS. Therefore any kind of cuts to disability benefits, particularly those that penalise people with mental health issues will only cost us more in the long run, both in budgets and lives. And while I appreciate that reforms may be on hold for now I dread to think what could come out in Sir Stephen Timms' PIP review at the end of 2026. But I beg Labour not to cast people like me aside. We're not scroungers and for us PIP is a lifeline. 5 Erica says that for people like her, PIP is a lifeline Credit: Erica Cartier
