Latest news with #Angela Rayner
Daily Mail
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Ministers are under pressure to ditch 'two-tier' plans for a new definition of Islamophobia
Ministers are under pressure to ditch 'two-tier' plans for a new definition of Islamophobia after an official report raised concerns about free speech. The study ordered by the Commission for Countering Extremism found that the public do not believe Islam needs further protection – with many saying the law has already gone too far in limiting discussion. More than a third of voters said they self-censor their language when discussing Islam for fear of potential repercussions. The report found that the public is broadly happy with the protections given to most religions. But 39 per cent of people said Islam enjoys too much protection in law, compared with just 18 per cent who think it needs more. 'Islam is the only religion asked about where a larger proportion of the public think it is protected too much,' the report stated. The findings came as a consultation closed yesterday on government plans for a new definition of Islamophobia, championed by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, which critics have warned could create a blasphemy law 'by the back door'. MPs last night said the plan could create a 'two-tier' system in which people would be barred from criticising Islam in the way they can with other religions. In opposition, Labour signed up to a definition of Islamophobia which suggests the term 'Asian grooming gangs ' is racist. Ministers established a 'working group' in February to create a new definition. Critics fear it will reach similar conclusions and warn it would have a 'chilling effect' on free speech if adopted. Tory MP Nick Timothy, who has been encouraging people to respond to the 'rigged' consultation, said the study underlined public concerns about the issue. The former Downing Street chief of staff said: 'The research shows what everyone already knows. The threat of violence, self-censorship and our new de facto blasphemy laws mean our freedom of speech is need a government prepared to stand up before the mob, not surrender to it.' Fellow Tory Richard Holden, chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Freedom of Speech, accused ministers of pandering to hardline campaigners on the issue because of the electoral threat posed to Labour by pro-Gaza independents. He said: 'No one should be subjected to bigotry or hatred and individuals are rightly protected already under the law from we should never do, though, is allow Labour to single out a religion from challenge and debate as they try and win votes from certain communities. 'Angela Rayner and Sir Keir Starmer must not be allowed to create a two-tier system in which Islam gets special protection while those who raise safeguarding concerns, speak plainly or make factual observations find themselves targeted, punished and ostracised.' The Commission for Countering Extremism was set up in 2018 to provide expert advice to the Home Office on tackling extremism in society. The study ordered by the Commission for Countering Extremism found that the public do not believe Islam needs further protection – with many saying the law has already gone too far in limiting discussion The body commissioned pollsters Ipsos to conduct the survey on public attitudes towards free speech. It was published last week. No10 has insisted it is committed to free speech and will not adopt a policy that prevents legitimate criticism of Islam. A spokesman for the Prime Minister said: 'Any working group proposal must be compatible with the unchanging right of citizens to exercise freedom of speech and expression. But we also need to take a step back. 'Levels of Islamophobia are at a record high and the work to develop a definition of anti-Muslim hatred or Islamophobia is aimed at improving understanding of unacceptable treatment and prejudice against Muslim communities.'
Sky News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News
Unite votes to suspend Angela Rayner over Birmingham bin strike
Labour's largest union donor, Unite, has voted to suspend Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner over her role in the Birmingham bin strike row. Members of the trade union, one of the UK's largest, also "overwhelmingly" voted to "re-examine its relationship" with Labour over the issue. They said Ms Rayner, who is also housing, communities and local government secretary, Birmingham Council's leader, John Cotton, and other Labour councillors had been suspended for "bringing the union into disrepute". There was confusion over Ms Rayner's membership of Unite, with her office having said she was no longer a member and resigned months ago and therefore could not be suspended. But Unite said she was registered as a member. Parliament's latest register of interests had her down as a member in May. The union said an emergency motion was put to members at its policy conference in Brighton on Friday. Unite is one of the Labour Party's largest union donors, donating £414,610 in the first quarter of 2025 - the highest amount in that period by a union, company or individual. The union condemned Birmingham's Labour council and the government for "attacking the bin workers". Mountains of rubbish have been piling up in the city since January after workers first went on strike over changes to their pay, with all-out strike action starting in March. An agreement has still not been made. 2:58 Ms Rayner and the councillors had their membership suspended for "effectively firing and rehiring the workers, who are striking over pay cuts of up to £8,000", the union added. 'Missing in action' General secretary Sharon Graham told Sky News on Saturday morning: "Angela Rayner, who has the power to solve this dispute, has been missing in action, has not been involved, is refusing to come to the table." She had earlier said: "Unite is crystal clear, it will call out bad employers regardless of the colour of their rosette. "Angela Rayner has had every opportunity to intervene and resolve this dispute but has instead backed a rogue council that has peddled lies and smeared its workers fighting huge pay cuts. "The disgraceful actions of the government and a so-called Labour council, is essentially fire and rehire and makes a joke of the Employment Relations Act promises. "People up and down the country are asking whose side is the Labour government on and coming up with the answer not workers." Sir Keir Starmer's spokesman said the government's "priority is and always has been the residents of Birmingham". He said the decision by Unite workers to go on strike had "caused disruption" to the city. "We've worked to clean up streets and remain in close contact with the council [...] as we support its recovery," he added. A total of 800 Unite delegates voted on the motion.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Tory opponents of Angela Rayner's strikers charter will celebrate ‘Norman Tebbit Day' in honour of Margaret Thatcher's union-bashing ally
Opponents of Angela Rayner 's controversial new industrial laws will tomorrow celebrate 'Norman Tebbit Day' in honour of Margaret Thatcher 's late union-bashing ally. Tory peers will use a debate in the Lords to try to amend Ms Rayner's Employment Rights Bill, which critics say will make it harder to employ workers, leave businesses vulnerable to strikes and force firms to employ diversity officers to censor conversations they deem inappropriate. The Bill also contains a raft of other measures. They include the end of zero-hours contracts, strengthened redundancy rights, more flexible working and the power for ministers to take companies to employment tribunals on behalf of employees – even if they do not want to sue. The peers are planning to amend measures granting access rights for union officials, and new electronic balloting which would make it easier for union reps to persuade workers to back industrial action. Lord Tebbit, who died aged 94 on July 7, led Mrs Thatcher's drive to restrict the unions' ability to bring industrial action. He described Marxist totalitarians in unions as 'small in number, anti-democratic forces [which] have gained great power through the trades union movement'. The peers are also expected to raise fears that hostile states such as Russia, Iran and North Korea could cyber-hack the e-ballots. As The Mail on Sunday revealed earlier this month, under the Bill employers must protect their staff from harassment by third parties. It means, for example, that a worker could take an employer to a tribunal if they feel jokes or banter they overhear was offensive on grounds such as race, sex or religion if their bosses didn't do 'all they could' to prevent it. That is likely to lead to firms taking on more diversity officers to monitor what people are saying to help them prove they had taken steps to protect their workers. The Bill fails to stipulate any ring fence allowing the expression of opinions on political, moral, religious or social matters. Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith said: 'Angela Rayner's extreme union charter will take us right back to the 1970s, a period Norman Tebbit fought tooth and nail to drag Britain out of. 'These laws will see the unions run rife, strangle private enterprise and grind the country to a halt. 'Most worryingly are measures which risk industrial sabotage. This goes against everything Tebbit fought for, and must be stopped at once'.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Ministers ‘have their fingers in their ears' over bin strikes, says Sharon Graham
Ministers 'have their fingers in their ears' over the ongoing Birmingham bin strikes, the boss of one of Britain's biggest unions has said. The prime minister and Angela Rayner must 'get in the room, sort it out and stop letting this continue for no reason,' Sharon Graham warned. The outspoken Unite chief said she is not the prime minister's ' favourite trade union leader … probably because I call things out'. But, with the bin strikes running since January, Ms Graham called for the prime minister and his deputy to resolve the dispute. The strikes have resulted in huge piles of rubbish across Birmingham as well as rat infestations and unsanitary conditions. The left-winger has been increasingly critical of Labour 's time in government in recent weeks, and Unite is reexamining its relationship with the Labour party, with disaffiliation a real prospect. The union also took the incendiary step this month of voting to suspend Ms Rayner's membership over the strikes, with Ms Graham accusing her of failing to back workers. Ms Rayner had resigned her membership some months earlier. 'Angela Rayner has had every opportunity to intervene and resolve this dispute, but has instead backed a rogue council that has peddled lies and smeared its workers fighting huge pay cuts,' Ms Graham said this month. And, doubling down in an interview with The Times, she called for a major change of course from Labour. 'People were voting for hope,' she said after Labour's first year in power. 'They are not voting for despair, are they?' Ms Graham said she has been 'in more government rooms than I've had hot dinners in the last year', but that 'getting a hearing and being listened to are two very different things'. She warned that if Sir Keir and Ms Rayner keep 'attacking workers' then she would be happy to pull the union's backing of Labour - which would deal a major financial blow to the party. 'Is there something to be said for an authentic voice for workers, independent, strong unions, where your first, second and third priority is the workers?' she told The Times. She added that, if Unite had voted on whether to abandon its link to Labour, it would have passed 'without a shadow of a doubt'. But, with hopes her pressure on the party will force a rethink in Downing Street, she said 'we've got time to recoup this'. 'They've been in for a year. They've made some errors but there's no point going further and faster when you're heading for a cliff. They have time to address some of this stuff, but they're going to have to move fast,' Ms Graham said. She added: 'I think if we're here at the end of next year in the same position, I think there's a real problem.' Ms Graham was also a vocal critic of the government's decision to scrap winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners. Despite the U-turn, she said there are older people who will now never vote Labour again. A Labour Party Spokesperson said: "The Labour Government has introduced the biggest upgrade in workers' rights in a generation to address low pay, insecure work, and poor working conditions, which will benefit 15 million workers across the country. Only Labour is delivering the change working people voted for and so deserve."
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Court rules law passed after Grenfell is retrospective
A court has said that building owners and developers cannot recoup costs from leaseholders for fire safety remediation work. The Court of Appeal ruling on two separate cases earlier this month could have far-reaching implications for who bears the costs of building safety-related costs in the the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, safety issues were discovered in buildings constructed years or decades court's ruling means that building owners can't charge leaseholders for fire safety defects that were discovered before 2022. 'A retrospective approach' The judges ruled that parts of the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA) can be applied retrospectively, favouring leaseholders and law came into force in June 2022 in response to the issues raised by the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The retrospective nature of the law was a key factor in its creation, and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Angela Rayner made written submissions to the court attesting to said: "A retrospective approach provides for effective routes to redress against those responsible for historical building safety defects that have only recently come to light, whatever level of the supply chain they operated at."The court decisions relate to disputes about Hippersley Point in Abbey Wood, south east London and five residential blocks in the East Village Estate in the Olympic Park in Stratford, east the Hippersley case, the tower block's owner Adriatic wanted to charge leaseholders the costs incurred during a tribunal process in which it asked to do away with certain regulations so it could charge residents more than £250 each to carry out remedial fire safety works. In the East Village case, judge looked at an application from the social housing provider and long leaseholder Triathlon which wanted to make the East Village developers pay for remedying fire safety defects via remediation contribution orders (RCO).The East Village RCOs were the first to be made under the BSA, with the developers appealing the First Tier Tribunal's original decision to allow the safety defects at Hippersley Point and in the East Village Estate were both discovered prior to when the BSA became both cases, the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of leaseholders over developers, deciding that parts of the BSA do have retrospective Nitej Davda, a partner at law firm Cripps, said it was "quite unusual" for such legislation to have retrospective effect. He said: "If you take a step back and you think about what happened with Grenfell, which is where all of this emanates from ultimately, and then you think about what is the intention behind the legislation and what is it intended to do."The BSA is intended to do two things fundamentally. "It is intended to give leaseholders protection and it is intended to make developers pay. "If it doesn't have retrospective effect then you are trying to make the act work with at least one hand tied behind your back."
