The Daily T: What the Left gets wrong about Margaret Thatcher
She is simultaneously one of the most loved and hated figures in British history. But Margaret Thatcher certainly made an indelible mark on our politics.
Broadcaster and political commentator Iain Dale is the author of Thatcher, a new book on the Iron Lady, which seeks to bust some of the myths around our first female prime minister and introduce her to a younger audience.
Camilla and Gordon speak to Iain about his personal interactions with Thatcher – including coming dangerously close to vomiting on her shoes – and what she would have made of Brexit and Nigel Farage.
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The Independent
33 minutes ago
- The Independent
A burqa ban won't protect or unite Britain – it will divide us
It wasn't surprising to hear newly elected Reform MP Sarah Pochin call for a ban on the burqa – such calls resurface from time to time. What was surprising, however, was her decision to use her very first parliamentary question to raise this issue, rather than ask about pressing concerns such as the cost of living, NHS pressures or the rise in crime levels. Instead, she chose to single out and stigmatise Muslim women, making unfounded claims about public safety. On reflection, though, Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) provided a high-profile national platform, making it an ideal stage to stir further negativity towards Muslims. Unsurprisingly, Suella Braverman, known for her history of making disparaging remarks about Muslims, quickly added her voice. Targeting Muslims has become a convenient marketing tool for some right-wing politicians – a tactic used to gain support, attract media attention and generate publicity, regardless of the real-life consequences. Only a tiny minority of Muslim women in Britain have adopted the face veil (niqab) or the burqa – a long garment covering the entire body from head to foot, including the face. With a Muslim population of around four million, there has been no formal attempt to measure how many women wear the veil – but estimates suggest the number is likely to be only in the hundreds or low thousands. Similarly, in other European countries, estimates range from just 300 to 2,000. So why does such a small number attract so much public and political attention? The most common arguments used to justify prohibiting the veil in public are actually irrational. Tired and prejudiced tropes are used, such as suggesting women are being forced to wear the veil and need to be 'liberated', that it is a threat to public safety, that it is an obstacle to integration, or that it is simply visually offensive. Let's examine each of these claims more closely. Debates around women who wear the face veil are often driven by assumptions rather than grounded in evidence. In reality, the vast majority of Muslim women who choose to wear it do so voluntarily and for a variety of reasons – religious, cultural or personal. For many, it's an expression of faith, identity, modesty or spiritual commitment. Some even find it empowering, as it shifts the focus from appearance to character. Yes, there are cases where women may be pressured or forced to wear the veil – but these are instances of domestic abuse and coercive control, which require targeted support and awareness, not sweeping bans. I run the Muslim Women's Network Helpline, and in our 10 years of service, we've encountered only a handful of such cases. Concerns about identity concealment are often tied to public safety, yet there is no credible evidence linking the burqa to security threats in the UK. Security protocols already exist in sensitive settings (e.g. banks, airports and courts), where face coverings may need to be removed temporarily for identification purposes – and such situations are managed respectfully and without incident. This public safety narrative seems more about stoking fear than addressing real risks. Also, why is there so much anxiety about the anonymity of veiled Muslim women, especially in a world where much of our communication now happens online – through emails, social media and digital platforms – where anonymity is commonplace? Many people conceal their identities online to spread misinformation or abuse, yet this form of anonymity rarely provokes the same level of scrutiny by the same politicians. Claims that a burqa ban will promote community cohesion and integration are likely to have the opposite effect – deepening divisions instead. When any group feels threatened or pressured to conform through such hostile measures, they are more likely to become even more attached to how they express their identity. For the small minority of women who wear the veil, it may bring personal, social or economic challenges, but it remains their choice. Meanwhile, the vast majority of Muslim women who do not wear the veil continue to face significant social and economic barriers that are often overlooked. If concerns about integration and community cohesion were genuine, politicians would prioritise addressing the systemic discrimination and inequalities these women regularly experience. Some argue the burqa should be banned because it is considered offensive. Not everything that is offensive is prohibited. For example, in the UK, the right to offend is protected as part of freedom of speech, allowing the expression of unpopular or controversial views provided no harm is caused and laws are not broken. Similarly, while some may find the burqa visually offensive, the right of Muslim women to express their identity in this way must also be respected, because their clothing does not harm anyone. It is clearly a frightening time for Muslim women, especially those who are visibly identifiable by their clothing. Coded language by politicians that normalises hostility towards Muslims, fuels fear and hatred, and deepens societal intolerance, is making them feel unsafe. I therefore urge parliamentarians across all political parties to reject divisive rhetoric and commit instead to policies that address gendered anti-Muslim discrimination. Muslim women must be empowered to make independent choices about their own bodies – whatever those choices may be – and they must be able to live with dignity and equality.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Labour minister who claimed majority of Channel migrants were women and children now says he was only talking about ONE boat - as nearly 1,000 more cross to UK
A Labour Minister has had to issue a clarification after claiming on Question Time that 90 percent of people arriving in the UK on small boats are women and children, as another 919 made the dangerous journey across the Channel on Friday. Darren Jones, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, made the claim during Thursday's programme before hastily 'clarifying' he was referring to one specific boat after the figure was widely debunked online. The row came as Reform's Zia Yusuf, who revealed an inner chaos to the party when he abruptly quit as chairman last week before returning two days later in a new role, also made false claims when he said 'more than 90 percent' are men. Mr Jones provoked fury when he said that 'the majority of the people in these boats are children, babies and women'. Following cries of disbelief from members of the public, Mr Yusuf - who prevoiously said getting Reform elected was 'not a good use of my time' - interjected to say that 'more than 90 per cent of them are adult men', which is also incorrect. Home Office figures show 73 percent percent of small boat arrivals in 2024 - or 26,999 out of all 36,816 arrivals - were adult males. More than 14,800 people have arrived in Britain after making the crossing so far in 2025 - making it the highest start to the year on record, which experts have blamed on an usually high number of calm weather days. On Friday, another 919 people arrived in 14 small boats after making the dangerous crossing from France. The figure makes yesterday's arrivals the second highest number so far this year. On Question Time last night following Mr Yusuf's intervention, host Fiona Bruce turned to Mr Jones and asked: 'You're saying that's not true?' He replied: 'I'm saying it's not true. I'm saying this is controversial for a reason and you're told you're not supposed to challenge the audience on Question Time, but I'm going to. 'When there are babies and children put into that position by human trafficking gangs, who are coming across the Channel with skin burns from the oil from those boats mixing with the salt sea water, I would ask any of you to look at those babies and children and say 'go back'. Mr Yusuf hit back: 'In my previous answer, I made the case that this Government prioritises foreign citizens over citizens of the United Kingdom. After that testimony, I can rest my case. 'The vast, vast majority of people making the journey from France by small boat are fighting age, military age, males, not women and children. 'We're talking about asylum hotels, and Rachel Reeves saying we're going to shut down asylum hotels. 'I spent many weeks in the constituency of Runcorn and Helsby. Runcorn is a very deprived area. And do you know the issue that exercised people so much? The reason is primarily because of HMOs – houses of multiple occupancies. 'In an unholy alliance of Serco and Yvette Cooper, illegal migrants are being deposited into communities and there's no say for the local people.' Taking to X (formerly Twitter) this evening, Mr Jones clarified his position but maintained the percentage of migrants that are adult males is 'not north of 90 percent'. A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard the RNLI Ramsgate Lifeboat on Friday An overloaded dinghy is pictured as it attempts to make the perilous journey cross the Channel from France He wrote: 'Of course the overall majority of people arriving illegally on small boats are men - but not 'north of 90 percent' as Reform claimed. 'On @bbcquestiontime I shared a story from my visit to the Border Security Command about a dinghy that arrived mostly carrying women, children and babies who had suffered horrific burns. 'I'm happy to clarify this given how this is now being misrepresented. 'Labour committed new funding this week to secure our borders while Reform have voted against giving our police the powers needed to smash the gangs fuelling this vile trade.' At her spending review on Wednesday, Rachel Reeves pledged that migrants would be moved out of hotel accommodation by the time of the next general election, due in 2029. Ms Reeves also promised £1 billion of savings by speeding up the asylum system, along with £280 million investment in future years for the new Border Security Command. Latest figures show £3.1 billion was spent on housing asylum seekers in hotels in 2023-24, out of a total asylum support bill of £4.7 billion. More than 30,000 asylum seekers are housed in about 200 hotels across Britain, many of whom arrived illegally in dinghies, and ministers are looking at moving them into derelict tower blocks and student digs. But despite Ms Reeves' pledge to end the use of hotels, the Tories pointed out that the small print of her Spending Review documents revealed that £2.5 billion will still be spent each year on asylum support by the end of the decade. It comes as dramatic pictures emerged of French police using tear gas and pepper spray to disperse hundreds of migrants trying to board boats headed for Britain. Some officers were seen entering the water and dragging them back to shore. A major point of contention between Britain and France has been the French authorities' refusal to turn back migrants who are already in the water. Despite officers' efforts, a significant number of migrants were able to successfully cross this morning - with pictures showing them at Dover. A major point of contention between Britain and France has been the French authorities' refusal to turn back migrants who are already in the water A record five months of the year has brought the provisional arrivals today so far to 14,812 arrivals. This has also surpassed the highest total recorded for the first six months of the year, which was previously 13,489 on June 30 last year. In 2024, the number of arrivals did not reach more than 14,000 until July 9 (14,058). The Government has vowed to crack down on people-smuggling and Channel crossings since coming to power in July last year. This includes funding elite officers to increase patrols along the northern French coastline and launching a specialist intelligence unit in Dunkirk to track down people smugglers. It has also established a Border Security Command to lead strategy and its Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, currently going through Parliament, seeks to introduce new criminal offences and hand counter terror-style powers to law enforcement agencies to target smuggling gangs. However, critics have repeatedly warned the 'smash the gangs' strategy will not work unless there is a deterrent strong enough to prevent migrants from wanting to make the crossing in the first place. Yesterday, a spokesman for the PM repeatedly refused to engaged with questions about whether Mr Jones was right. 'The Government is absolutely focused on tackling these vile smuggling gangs… ' they said. Asked again about Home Office figures suggesting he is wrong, the spokesman said: 'The focus of the government is tackling these vile gangs that deal in misery.' Pressed if the PM had confidence in Mr Jones, the spokesman said: 'Yes.' Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: 'Darren Jones is completely out of touch with reality. 'Since 2018, 73 percent of small boat arrivals have been single adult men. Yet Labour MPs like Jones still push the fairytale that these boats are full of women and babies. It's a dangerous distortion of the truth. 'No wonder this is shaping up to be the worst year on record for small boat crossings. If this is what passes for reality inside the Labour Government, Britain is in serious trouble.' A Home Office spokesperson said: 'We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security. 'The people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die as long as they pay, and we will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice. 'That is why this Government has put together a serious plan to take down these networks at every stage, and why we are investing up to an additional £280 million per year by 2028-29 in the Border Security Command. 'Through international intelligence-sharing under our Border Security Command, enhanced enforcement operations in northern France and tougher legislation in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, we are strengthening international partnerships and boosting our ability to identify, disrupt and dismantle criminal gangs whilst strengthening the security of our borders.'
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
The Ballymena violence has nothing to do with ‘protecting women'. It is racism, pure and simple
In 1972, loyalist paramilitaries fired bullets into the home of a Catholic woman, Sarah McClenaghan. That night she was at home with her lodger, a Protestant, and her disabled teenage son, David. After forcing her son to get his mother's rosary beads, proving that she was Catholic, a loyalist paramilitary raped Sarah. David was tortured. The gang then shot them both, David dying of his wounds. I thought about David and Sarah as I watched rolling news of the pogroms in Ballymena. I thought about them in light of the lie that violence against women and girls has been imported to Northern Ireland via migrants or asylum seekers. It's always been here. The rioters say they are acting to drive out foreigners who pose a threat to women and girls. The irony isn't lost on anybody with knowledge of the local area. Modern-day loyalist paramilitaries are reportedly involved with the violence. In the Belfast Telegraph this week, journalist Allison Morris reported that members of the South East Antrim Ulster Defence Association are among the rioters. 'The organisation,' she writes, 'has been regularly named by our sister paper, the Sunday Life, as protecting sex offenders.' Morris regularly faces death threats for her brave reporting. The riots in Ballymena are about racism and nothing more. Hatred smothers every brick and petrol bomb thrown. Nobody causing trouble cares about women or children. There are no legitimate concerns at the heart of this. Local Facebook groups with links to the far right are asking for addresses to hit – Roma people are the main target of their ire. Flyers posted around towns and cities call for people to take a stand to protect 'our women' and 'our Christian values'. The trigger for the violence in Ballymena was the trauma and pain of a local family. Earlier in the week, two 14-year-old boys were arrested and charged with the attempted rape of a young girl. Romanian interpreters were required at court. After the arrests, the alleged victim's family asked for support and solidarity from their local community. Hundreds did so, peacefully protesting to show the family that they weren't alone. Then came the violence. The chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said the victim of the alleged assault has been 'further traumatised' by the rioting. Her family have publicly called for the violence to stop. Women have never been safe in Northern Ireland. Generations bore the weight of the Troubles, running households and raising children with absent husbands. Hundreds were murdered in the conflict. During the peace talks that led to the Good Friday agreement, the Women's Coalition, a political party, described the 30-year conflict as an 'armed patriarchy'. Northern Ireland isn't a place where women and girls are cherished. The PSNI recorded 4,090 sexual offences in Northern Ireland in 2023-24. Twenty-five women have been killed in five years, mostly by white men from Northern Ireland. I knew one of them: Natalie McNally. We used to be mates. She last contacted me to ask about the home-buying process (I used to be a conveyancing solicitor). Natalie was buying her first house and the process was dragging on. She was killed in that same house in December 2022, her 15-week-old son in her belly. I was holding my own four-week-old son when I learned that she was dead. The trial is due to take place in November, with the accused previously indicating that he is pleading not guilty. Well, some say, if we have lots of homegrown criminals, we don't need more. This is, again, another racist argument, an age-old trope that non-white men are sexual deviants. The problem is men, full stop. In every country in the world, in every community and every faith, people hate women. Misogyny doesn't respect borders. Fascists want to talk about foreign men to distract from their own disgusting behaviour. Immigration concerns have featured heavily in the news. Because of the Troubles, Northern Ireland always had low levels of migration. That has changed in recent years. Net migration reached its highest levels in 15 years in 2024. No doubt this has changed certain areas and proved alienating for local people and migrants alike. However, according to a Northern Ireland assembly report, Northern Ireland is still the least diverse region of the UK. Only 3.4% of people are from a minority ethnic group, compared to 18.3% in England. Before migrant numbers rose, Northern Ireland's public services were on their knees. The health service has all but collapsed. The housing system is under considerable strain, we don't have enough housing to meet demand and rents have risen to unaffordable levels. People have migrated into this mess. It would be churlish to deny that higher numbers have put pressure on the system. But it's a flat-out lie to blame migrants and refugees for this country's ills. Migrants didn't decimate the NHS. Refugees didn't underfund social housing and homeless services. Local and national politicians did that. They are doing very little to fix the systems that broke under their watch. It's easier to blame people working as Deliveroo drivers. Northern Ireland needs to tackle its fondness for racism and xenophobia. Racially motivated hate crime is at its highest level since records began. It affects every community, Catholic and Protestant. You can't 'legitimate concern' your way through a pogrom and doing so only validates hatred. If women in Northern Ireland rioted every time one of us was attacked, the country would lie in ashes. Sarah Creighton is a lawyer, writer and political commentator from Northern Ireland
