Latest news with #ImranHussain
Sky News
3 days ago
- Sky News
'Controlling' husband who murdered wife as she pushed their baby in pram in Bradford jailed
A man who killed his wife as she pushed their seven-month-old baby in a pram has been handed a life sentence, with a minimum term of 28 years. Habibur Masum, 26, was last month found guilty of murdering Kulsuma Akter, 27, in a "ferocious" knife attack after tracing her to a refuge she was staying in to escape his "violence, jealousy and controlling behaviour", a court heard. He was also found guilty of one count of assault, one of making threats to kill and one charge of stalking. Ms Akter suffered more than 25 knife injuries after Masum found her through her phone location and confronted her in a street in Bradford, West Yorkshire, on 6 April last year. After fleeing the scene, Masum boarded a bus and CCTV footage showed him smiling, prosecutor Steve Wood KC told Bradford Crown Court. He was arrested after a four-day manhunt, having been found 150 miles away in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, where he and Ms Akter lived when they first came to the UK from Bangladesh. He had already pleaded guilty to manslaughter and possession of a knife but denied murder, claiming he had intended to kill himself in front of his wife but "totally lost control". In a victim impact statement read to the court on Tuesday, Ms Akter's brother Imran Hussain said he "cannot comprehend that this has happened" to his "baby sister". "My parents still struggle with losing their daughter, their youngest daughter, their baby," he added. "There is now such a deep, painful void in our lives. "She did not deserve what she experienced at the hands of Masum. "This for us will be a life sentence." Please refresh the page for the latest version.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
HMRC set to close Bradford office in 2027 - with staff offered jobs in Leeds
POLITICIANS have expressed "deep disappointment" and called for a "serious rethink" after HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) confirmed it was pushing ahead with plans to close its office in Bradford - with staff set to be offered jobs in Leeds. Back in 2015, HMRC announced its Centenary Court site would shut in 2020-21 - but then a U-turn was made, with officials saying the base would close in 2027. The Telegraph & Argus has now learned HMRC plans to go ahead and shut its Bradford office in January 2027. Approximately 1,100 people work there. The news was revealed this week to Bradford East Labour MP Imran Hussain in a letter from HMRC chief executive John-Paul Marks, who said: "Colleagues currently based in Bradford will be offered a job in Leeds regional centre and we expect the vast majority of colleagues to continue their career with HMRC." He added: "In addition to financial savings, HMRC's locations strategy is enabling HMRC to operate from a cost-effective estate to better meet the needs of the public." A spokesperson for HMRC added: "We're moving staff to our modern regional centre in Leeds, in line with previously announced plans, so they can work in an environment that enables them to better meet the needs of the public. "It will also save taxpayers' money. "We remain committed to the region, with all 1,100 roles remaining in West Yorkshire." It is understood workers at Bradford's HMRC site were notified of the news on Wednesday. 'We need a serious rethink' Mr Hussain told the T&A: "Bradford is one of the UK's largest cities and should not be treated as a secondary location within West Yorkshire. "Assuming that staff can simply relocate to Leeds ignores the very real challenges many - especially long-serving, highly-skilled employees - will face. "While HMRC has indicated that jobs will remain in the region via relocation to Leeds, this plan misses the opportunity to invest in Bradford's potential and disregards the significant public investment already committed to regenerating the city. Imran Hussain, Bradford East Labour MP (Image: Parliament) "This decision risks draining talent from HMRC, damaging local employment, and undermining confidence in the public sector's commitment to Bradford. "We need a serious rethink - one that puts Bradford's people and future first. "While I understand that the decision to close the Bradford office was made under the previous Government, it doesn't align with the Government's 'opportunities for all' agenda. "Bradford is precisely the kind of city that 'opportunities for all' was meant to support - and withdrawing a major public sector employer undermines that objective." Mr Hussain has now written to James Murray, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, to express his "deep concern" - criticising the move as "disappointing and highly disruptive". He said he wanted to "make a last plea to pause the decision and to reconsider this approach". "I hope you can engage meaningfully with local stakeholders to explore alternative options that would retain HMRC's presence in Bradford," he added. "I would be happy to meet with you to discuss the Government's wider plans on locating Government offices in Bradford." 'Bradford has a lot to offer' Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, leader of Bradford Council, told the T&A she had also written to the minister - saying the Bradford district has "a lot to offer". She said: "We campaigned against the last Government's decision to take good, valuable jobs out of the district and consolidate HMRC staff into fewer offices elsewhere. Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, leader of Bradford Council (Image: Newsquest) "But the last Government still said no. "So it's very disappointing to see HMRC finally close their doors and go. "Many private sector organisations and businesses have chosen to locate in Bradford district and there's no reason why we, as one of the biggest cities in the country, can't host other Government initiatives, programmes or departments. "Given the strongly stated intention from this new Government to put more in the regions outside London, I've written to the minister requesting a discussion on which opportunities might be available for Bradford in the future. "We have a lot to offer."
The Herald Scotland
27-06-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
DWP Universal Credit and PIP cuts U-turn by Government
The announcement comes after crisis talks with backbenchers, with some 126 MPs within the party signing an amendment that would halt the legislation in its tracks. Sir Keir Starmer's Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill has its second reading on Tuesday, the first opportunity for MPs to support or reject it. A spokesperson for Number 10 said: 'We have listened to MPs who support the principle of reform but are worried about the pace of change for those already supported by the system. I've made it clear: I won't vote for any cuts to PIP. We should be building a system that lifts people up — not taking vital support away from those who need it most. — Imran Hussain MP (@Imran_HussainMP) June 26, 2025 'This package will preserve the social security system for those who need it by putting it on a sustainable footing, provide dignity for those unable to work, supports those who can and reduce anxiety for those currently in the system. 'Our reforms are underpinned by Labour values and our determination to deliver the change the country voted for last year.' The Government's original package restricted eligibility for the personal independence payment (Pip), the main disability payment in England, and limited the sickness-related element of universal credit. The PIP Cuts DWP Welfare Bill must be pulled. I've signed an amendment to the Bill alongside 100+ calling for a pause and rethink. The Government must #PullTheBill and #StopTheCuts to #PIP#York — 💙Rachael Maskell MP (@RachaelMaskell) June 25, 2025 What's changed? Existing claimants were to be given a 13-week phase-out period of financial support in an earlier move that was seen as a bid to head off opposition by aiming to soften the impact of the changes. In her letter, the Work and Pensions Secretary said: 'We recognise the proposed changes have been a source of uncertainty and anxiety. 'We will ensure that all of those currently receiving PIP will stay within the current system. The new eligibility requirements will be implemented from November 2026 for new claims only. 'Secondly, we will adjust the pathway of Universal Credit payment rates to make sure all existing recipients of the UC health element – and any new claimant meeting the severe conditions criteria – have their incomes fully protected in real terms.' She said a ministerial review would ensure the benefit is 'fair and fit for the future' and will be a 'coproduction' with disabled people, organisations which represent them and MPs. 'These important reforms are rooted in Labour values, and we want to get them right,' she said. This U-turn could protect 370,000 existing claimants The change in Pip payments would protect some 370,000 existing claimants who were expected to lose out following reassessment. If the legislation clears its first hurdle on Tuesday, it will then face a few hours' examination by all MPs the following week – rather than days or weeks in front of a committee tasked with looking at the Bill. The so-called 'reasoned amendment' tabled by Treasury select committee chairwoman Dame Meg Hillier had argued that disabled people have not been properly consulted and further scrutiny of the changes is needed. She said: 'This is a good deal. It is massive changes to ensure the most vulnerable people are protected… and, crucially, involving disabled people themselves in the design of future benefit changes.' While the concessions look set to reassure some of those who had been leading the rebellion, other MPs remained opposed before the announcement. The Disability Benefit Cuts Bill has been published. On average PIP recipients will lose £4,500 a year. These are the deepest cuts to disability benefits since George Osborne - impacting 3 million people. This won't create jobs, it will create poverty. MPs must vote against. — Neil Duncan-Jordan MP (@NeilForPoole) June 18, 2025 Have all the MPs backed this concession? Speaking before the concessions were revealed, Rachel Maskell said: 'As the Government is seeking to reform the system, they should protect all disabled people until they have completed their co-produced consultation and co-produced implementation. 'I cannot vote for something that will have such a significant impact … as disabled people are not involved, it is just a backroom deal.' One MP said that ministers would need to 'go back to the drawing board' to make the Bill acceptable. Another said they expected the legislation would get through second reading if the Government conceded the key sticking points relating to existing Pip claimants, the health element of universal credit and a policy consultation. 'It would need to be in the Bill, not just a commitment,' they said. Speaking in the Commons on Wednesday, Sir Keir told MPs he wanted the reforms to reflect 'Labour values of fairness' and that discussions about the changes would continue over the coming days. He insisted there was 'consensus across the House on the urgent need for reform' of the 'broken' welfare system. 'I know colleagues across the House are eager to start fixing that, and so am I, and that all colleagues want to get this right, and so do I,' he said. 'We want to see reform implemented with Labour values of fairness. 'That conversation will continue in the coming days, so we can begin making change together on Tuesday.' What have campaigners said about the concessions? There was a mixed reaction among charities to the prospect of concessions. Learning disability charity Mencap said the news would be a 'huge relief to thousands of people living in fear of what the future holds'. 'It is the right thing to do and sends a clear message – cutting disability benefits is not a fair way to mend the black hole in the public purse,' director of strategy Jackie O'Sullivan said. But the MS Society urged rebels to hold firm and block the Bill, insisting any Government offer to water down the reforms would amount to 'kicking the can down the road and delaying an inevitable disaster'. Head of campaigns at the charity, Charlotte Gill, said: 'We urge MPs not to be swayed by these last-ditch attempts to force through a harmful Bill with supposed concessions. 'The only way to avoid a catastrophe today and in the future is to stop the cuts altogether by halting the Bill in its tracks.' Recommended reading: What about opposition MPs? The Tories described concessions as 'the latest in a growing list of screeching U-turns' from the Government. Shadow chancellor Mel Stride said: 'Under pressure from his own MPs, Starmer has made another completely unfunded spending commitment. 'Labour's welfare chaos will cost hardworking taxpayers. 'We can't afford Labour.'
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Universal Credit and PIP cuts halted as Starmer announces benefits U-turn
DWP disability benefits changes will not be applied to people who currently receive the personal independence payment (Pip), after the Government made concessions to Labour rebels on controversial welfare reforms. A letter from Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall to MPs said adjustments to Universal Credit would also see incomes protected. The announcement comes after crisis talks with backbenchers, with some 126 MPs within the party signing an amendment that would halt the legislation in its tracks. Sir Keir Starmer's Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill has its second reading on Tuesday, the first opportunity for MPs to support or reject it. A spokesperson for Number 10 said: 'We have listened to MPs who support the principle of reform but are worried about the pace of change for those already supported by the system. I've made it clear: I won't vote for any cuts to PIP. We should be building a system that lifts people up — not taking vital support away from those who need it most. — Imran Hussain MP (@Imran_HussainMP) June 26, 2025 'This package will preserve the social security system for those who need it by putting it on a sustainable footing, provide dignity for those unable to work, supports those who can and reduce anxiety for those currently in the system. 'Our reforms are underpinned by Labour values and our determination to deliver the change the country voted for last year.' The Government's original package restricted eligibility for the personal independence payment (Pip), the main disability payment in England, and limited the sickness-related element of universal credit. The PIP Cuts DWP Welfare Bill must be pulled. I've signed an amendment to the Bill alongside 100+ calling for a pause and rethink. The Government must #PullTheBill and #StopTheCuts to #PIP#York — 💙Rachael Maskell MP (@RachaelMaskell) June 25, 2025 Existing claimants were to be given a 13-week phase-out period of financial support in an earlier move that was seen as a bid to head off opposition by aiming to soften the impact of the changes. In her letter, the Work and Pensions Secretary said: 'We recognise the proposed changes have been a source of uncertainty and anxiety. 'We will ensure that all of those currently receiving PIP will stay within the current system. The new eligibility requirements will be implemented from November 2026 for new claims only. 'Secondly, we will adjust the pathway of Universal Credit payment rates to make sure all existing recipients of the UC health element – and any new claimant meeting the severe conditions criteria – have their incomes fully protected in real terms.' She said a ministerial review would ensure the benefit is 'fair and fit for the future' and will be a 'coproduction' with disabled people, organisations which represent them and MPs. 'These important reforms are rooted in Labour values, and we want to get them right,' she said. The change in Pip payments would protect some 370,000 existing claimants who were expected to lose out following reassessment. If the legislation clears its first hurdle on Tuesday, it will then face a few hours' examination by all MPs the following week – rather than days or weeks in front of a committee tasked with looking at the Bill. The so-called 'reasoned amendment' tabled by Treasury select committee chairwoman Dame Meg Hillier had argued that disabled people have not been properly consulted and further scrutiny of the changes is needed. She said: 'This is a good deal. It is massive changes to ensure the most vulnerable people are protected… and, crucially, involving disabled people themselves in the design of future benefit changes.' While the concessions look set to reassure some of those who had been leading the rebellion, other MPs remained opposed before the announcement. The Disability Benefit Cuts Bill has been published. On average PIP recipients will lose £4,500 a year. These are the deepest cuts to disability benefits since George Osborne - impacting 3 million people. This won't create jobs, it will create poverty. MPs must vote against. — Neil Duncan-Jordan MP (@NeilForPoole) June 18, 2025 Speaking before the concessions were revealed, Rachel Maskell said: 'As the Government is seeking to reform the system, they should protect all disabled people until they have completed their co-produced consultation and co-produced implementation. 'I cannot vote for something that will have such a significant impact … as disabled people are not involved, it is just a backroom deal.' One MP said that ministers would need to 'go back to the drawing board' to make the Bill acceptable. Another said they expected the legislation would get through second reading if the Government conceded the key sticking points relating to existing Pip claimants, the health element of universal credit and a policy consultation. 'It would need to be in the Bill, not just a commitment,' they said. Speaking in the Commons on Wednesday, Sir Keir told MPs he wanted the reforms to reflect 'Labour values of fairness' and that discussions about the changes would continue over the coming days. He insisted there was 'consensus across the House on the urgent need for reform' of the 'broken' welfare system. 'I know colleagues across the House are eager to start fixing that, and so am I, and that all colleagues want to get this right, and so do I,' he said. 'We want to see reform implemented with Labour values of fairness. 'That conversation will continue in the coming days, so we can begin making change together on Tuesday.' There was a mixed reaction among charities to the prospect of concessions. Learning disability charity Mencap said the news would be a 'huge relief to thousands of people living in fear of what the future holds'. 'It is the right thing to do and sends a clear message – cutting disability benefits is not a fair way to mend the black hole in the public purse,' director of strategy Jackie O'Sullivan said. But the MS Society urged rebels to hold firm and block the Bill, insisting any Government offer to water down the reforms would amount to 'kicking the can down the road and delaying an inevitable disaster'. Head of campaigns at the charity, Charlotte Gill, said: 'We urge MPs not to be swayed by these last-ditch attempts to force through a harmful Bill with supposed concessions. 'The only way to avoid a catastrophe today and in the future is to stop the cuts altogether by halting the Bill in its tracks.' Recommended reading: Labour MPs rebel over DWP disability benefits cuts HMRC urging parents to claim £2,000 tax-free childcare Child Trust Funds worth £1.4bn in unclaimed accounts The Tories described concessions as 'the latest in a growing list of screeching U-turns' from the Government. Shadow chancellor Mel Stride said: 'Under pressure from his own MPs, Starmer has made another completely unfunded spending commitment. 'Labour's welfare chaos will cost hardworking taxpayers. 'We can't afford Labour.'
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Labour MPs call for action on benefits after winter fuel U-turn
Labour MPs have broadly welcomed the government's decision to reinstate winter fuel payments for three-quarters of pensioners but some are using the U-turn to renew their calls for planned benefit cuts to be reversed. Nine million pensioners in England and Wales with an annual income of £35,000 or less will now be eligible for up to £300 to help with energy bills this winter. Labour MPs thanked the government for listening to their concerns, arguing means testing the payment was fair but that the threshold was set too low last year. However, several urged ministers to also think again on planned cuts to disability payments, while others called for the two-child benefit cap to be scrapped. Under planned changes to the benefits system it would be harder for people with less severe conditions to claim personal independence payments (Pips), while the government is promising more support to help people get into work. While the two-child benefit cap policy prevents most families from claiming means-tested benefits for any third or additional children born after April 2017, which critics say has pushed people into poverty. Ministers are considering lifting the cap, with a decision expected in the autumn, when a child poverty strategy is published. Pressure from Labour backbenchers over the issues - as well as on winter fuel payments - has been growing since the party's poor performance at local election's in May. The winter fuel payment was previously paid to all pensioners but last year the government announced only those receiving pension credit or another means-tested benefit would be eligible in England and Wales. The original cut last year was estimated to save £1.7bn, with the government arguing it was necessary because of the state of the public finances. But the move, which meant more than 10 million pensioners did not receive the payment in 2024, was criticised by charities, unions, opposition parties and many Labour MPs. Following mounting pressure, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced a U-turn last month, with the details of who will get the payment this winter set out on Monday. The chancellor said she would detail how the £1.25bn policy would be paid for in the autumn Budget. How much is the winter fuel payment and who will get it? Labour hope to put winter fuel misstep behind them At-a-glance: Key changes to benefits in welfare shake-up Imran Hussain was among the Labour MPs to call for the planned benefit cuts to be scrapped in response to a government statement in the Commons on changes to winter fuel payments. "It is clear the government has listened, so I ask them to listen again to the growing calls in this chamber and scrap their planned, devastating cuts to disability support," the MP for Bradford East said. Fellow Labour MPs Nadia Whittome and Richard Burgon also welcomed the winter fuel U-turn but urged the government to listen to backbench concerns over benefit cuts. In response, Torsten Bell, who is both a Treasury minister and pensions minister, told MPs there needed to be "a better system focusing on supporting those who can work into work". He added that the status quo - where 1,000 people a day are going onto Pips - was not "a position that anybody should support". Labour MP Rachael Maskell, who has been a leading campaigner for restoring winter fuel payments, welcomed the government's change in policy, saying it was "long overdue". She told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme the £35,000 salary threshold for the payment was a "sensible measure". However, Maskell called on the government to consider a larger payment following increases in energy prices over the past year. The MP for York Central also urged a rethink on planned benefit cuts, adding: "You can't rob disabled people in order to pay older people, that doesn't make sense." Meanwhile, she was among several MPs to reiterate their calls for the government to scrap the two-child benefit cap. In the Commons Rebecca Long Bailey, Labour MP for Salford, also asked for reassurances minsters "are doing all they can to outline plans to lift the two-child cap on universal credit as soon as possible" to bring children out of poverty. In response Bell said "all levers to reduce child poverty are on the table". The minister added: "She's absolutely right to raise this issue, it is one of the core purposes of this government. "We cannot carry on with a situation where large families, huge percentages of them, are in poverty." The Conservatives have called for the government to apologise to pensioners who lost out on winter fuel payments last year. Shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately described the U-turn as "the most humiliating climbdown a government has ever faced in its first year in office". She told the Commons "this rushed reversal raises as many questions as it answers", arguing the move was "totally unfunded" and could lead to tax rises. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: "Finally the chancellor has listened to the Liberal Democrats and the tireless campaigners in realising how disastrous this policy was, but the misery it has caused cannot be overstated. "Countless pensioners were forced to choose between heating and eating all whilst the government buried its head in the sand for months on end, ignoring those who were really suffering." Sign up for our Politics Essential newsletter to read top political analysis, gain insight from across the UK and stay up to speed with the big moments. It'll be delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
