Latest news with #pre-Brexit
Irish Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Daily Mirror
UK tourists rage at 'inhuman' Brexit queues at airport in travel hotspot
An emergency meeting has been called among top Spanish politicians after British travellers found themselves trapped in two-hour queues and "inhuman" conditions at the start of the school holidays, before even making it through passport control. On Monday (May 26), around 500 UK holidaymakers found themselves stuck waiting on the tarmac at Tenerife South Airport for up to 45 minutes, before disembarking to find broken-down escalators and vast lines stretching in and out of the terminal to have their passports checked. At the airport, some travellers reported seeing four officials manning just two passport control booths. As a result, passengers were crammed into a situation described as "claustrophobic" and "third world," reports The Mirror. Lourdes Tourecillas, a local resident who was returning from Bristol, told Canarian Weekly: "Some parents lifted their children onto their shoulders to stop them from suffocating." "There were no toilets, and people were visibly distressed," she added. The President of Tenerife's ruling council, Rosa Dávila, has called an emergency meeting in light of the incident, with chaos and long queues becoming a common problem at the busy airport during peak tourism periods. Dávila called the situation "unacceptable", but blamed the situation on the continued failure to provide sufficient staff for border checks ever since the UK left the European Union. She added: "This is a structural issue. We can't continue to operate with the same staffing levels we had pre-Brexit." A major issue facing travellers on Monday was the inability of the airport's automated checking systems to process children's passports. This meant families having to queue with kids and baggage for hours in sweltering, lengthy, lines to kick off their holidays. The council's President said she had written to mainland politicians, but received no meaningful response. "There's a serious lack of respect towards Tenerife. We're managing essential services locally, but without state support, we're being left to fail," she said. Lope Afonso, Tenerife's Tourism Minister, warned: "This is the first impression our visitors get. After hours on a plane, they're met with long waits and no explanation. It's not acceptable, and it's hurting our brand as a quality tourist destination. "Tenerife competes globally. Other countries have adapted their systems since Brexit. Why haven't we?" He also had a warning for summer travellers if Spanish mainland politicians don't take action, saying: "We need immediate solutions to avoid this happening again, especially with the busy summer season ahead."
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Civil Service spends £27m on diversity in a year
Whitehall spent £27 million on diversity in a single year, the first ever audit of bureaucracy 'wokery' has revealed. An internal report from the Cabinet Office, commissioned by the last Conservative government, reveals there are 380 'equality, diversity and inclusion' (EDI) staff in the Civil Service. They are paid £53,000 a year on average and their salaries cost taxpayers £20 million overall. EDI staff in departments have been criticised for promoting contested theories such as that there is a spectrum of genders and that people can be guilty of microaggressions towards other people based on their race, gender or sexuality. Gender-critical feminists have also claimed it can make them reluctant to speak openly about their views but proponents claim they ensure minority communities are treated fairly. The cost of activities, including learning and development sessions, added up to £4.9 million in departments and £700,000 cross-government. Another £800,000 was spent on 'external benchmarking' and membership of EDI organisations such as the controversial LGBT charity Stonewall. And £700,000 went towards diversity and inclusion staff networks. This comes to a total of £27.1 million in just one year. This amount would pay for the winter fuel payments of 135,000 pensioners, or would fund the employment of more than 1,000 nurses. The report found that the equivalent of 350 people within departments worked full time in EDI roles, along with 30 in cross-governmental functions. It also said there are 570 'diversity staff networks' in government departments. These networks, with 2,965 committee members, represent different minority groups, and some Civil Service members spend half their weeks running them. The report came as it emerged the Government is planning to get rid of around 50,000 Civil Service posts – one in 10 – to get the size of Whitehall down to pre-Brexit levels. Last night, one Right-leaning think tank called on Labour to go further and sack a half of human resources staff and two in three communications roles to help save £5 billion a year. Meanwhile, Reform UK has made slashing diversity and inclusion roles a key part of its policy platform. The document, Civil Service EDI Expenditure Review Data, appeared on the Cabinet Office website on Thursday afternoon. A total of 19 ministerial departments and 45 arm's-length bodies responded to the government review. The research also looked at how much was spent on EDI in the big five departments – Department for Work and Pensions, Home Office, HM Revenue and Customs, Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Justice. In 2023-24, the total spent in these five departments was £12.8 million. A government spokesman said the £27 million equated to 0.006 per cent of Civil Service spend. 'This spending took place under the previous government,' she said. 'We are absolutely focused on ensuring every pound spent of taxpayer money delivers for the public – ending hospital backlogs, putting police back on the beat and securing our borders.' Meanwhile, the Policy Exchange think tank called on the Government to go further and reduce the Civil Service by 80,000. Within this, the report proposes halving the size of the senior Civil Service, the policy profession and the HR profession and a 70 per cent reduction in communications staff. Commenting on the report, a former Treasury second permanent secretary said: 'Whether you believe in a big or a small state, we should all want one that is efficient and effective. 'An over-resourced administrative machine inevitably generates ever more process for itself and slows itself down.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Daily Record
'Inhuman' queues at Spanish airport force officials into emergency meeting
Tenerife's President has called for an emergency meeting after 'inhuman' queues at the Spanish airport left Brits and other tourists waiting for two hours in a 'third world' situation. Top Spanish officials have urgently convened following a debacle that saw British holidaymakers caught in two-hour queues and facing "inhuman" conditions at the onset of the school holidays, all before they could even pass through passport control. On Monday (May 26), approximately 500 UK tourists were left stranded on the tarmac at Tenerife South Airport for as long as 45 minutes. Upon disembarking, they were greeted by out-of-service escalators and extensive queues snaking through the terminal for passport inspection. Inside the airport, reports emerged of only four officials operating a mere two passport booths, leading to overcrowded conditions that passengers labelled as "claustrophobic" and reminiscent of "third world" standards. Lourdes Tourecillas, a local returning from Bristol, recounted to Canarian Weekly the dire situation: "Some parents lifted their children onto their shoulders to stop them from suffocating," she said, also noting the absence of toilets and visible distress among the people. Rosa Dávila, President of Tenerife's governing council, has responded to the incident with an emergency meeting, as such chaos and lengthy queues have become all too familiar scenes at this bustling hub during high tourist seasons, reports the Mirror. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Dávila has deemed the circumstances "unacceptable" but pointed to the ongoing issue of inadequate staffing for border controls since Britain's departure from the European Union as the root cause. She added: "This is a structural issue. We can't continue to operate with the same staffing levels we had pre-Brexit." Monday posed a significant challenge for travellers as the airport's automated checking systems failed to process children's passports effectively. Consequently, families were subjected to long queues in the sweltering heat, with their children and luggage in tow, creating a stressful start to their holidays. The council's President expressed her frustration after reaching out to mainland politicians and getting no substantial reply. "There's a serious lack of respect towards Tenerife. We're managing essential services locally, but without state support, we're being left to fail," she stated. Lope Afonso, Tenerife's Tourism Minister, conveyed his concerns regarding the negative impact on the island's tourism image. "This is the first impression our visitors get. After hours on a plane, they're met with long waits and no explanation. It's not acceptable, and it's hurting our brand as a quality tourist destination," he remarked. "Tenerife competes globally. Other countries have adapted their systems since Brexit. Why haven't we?". A warning was also issued by him for future holiday goers, especially in anticipation of the forthcoming summer rush, underlining the urgency of the situation. "We need immediate solutions to avoid this happening again, especially with the busy summer season ahead," he cautioned.
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Spanish officials face emergency after Brits experience 'inhumane' queues
Hundreds of British holidaymakers found themselves trapped in 'inhumane conditions' at a packed Spanish airport with just two booths open to check their passports An emergency meeting has been called among top Spanish politicians after British travellers found themselves trapped in two-hour queues and "inhuman" conditions at the start of the school holidays, before even making it through passport control. On Monday (May 26), around 500 UK holidaymakers found themselves stuck waiting on the tarmac at Tenerife South Airport for up to 45 minutes, before disembarking to find broken-down escalators and vast lines stretching in and out of the terminal to have their passports checked. At the airport, some travellers reported seeing four officials manning just two passport control booths. As a result, passengers were crammed into a situation described as "claustrophobic" and "third world". Lourdes Tourecillas, a local resident who was returning from Bristol, told Canarian Weekly that, "Some parents lifted their children onto their shoulders to stop them from suffocating," adding, "there were no toilets, and people were visibly distressed.' The President of Tenerife's ruling council, Rosa Dávila, has called an emergency meeting in light of the incident, with chaos and long queues becoming a common problem at the busy airport during peak tourism periods. Dávila called the situation "unacceptable" but blamed the situation on the continued failure to provide sufficient staff for border checks ever since the UK left the European Union. She added: 'This is a structural issue. We can't continue to operate with the same staffing levels we had pre-Brexit." A major issue facing travellers on Monday was the inability of the airport's automated checking systems to process children's passports. This meant families having to queue with kids and baggage for hours in sweltering, lengthy, lines to kick off their holidays. The council's President said she had written to mainland politicians, but received no meaningful response. "There's a serious lack of respect towards Tenerife. We're managing essential services locally, but without state support, we're being left to fail,' she said. Lope Afonso, Tenerife's Tourism Minister, warned: 'This is the first impression our visitors get. After hours on a plane, they're met with long waits and no explanation. It's not acceptable, and it's hurting our brand as a quality tourist destination,' he said. 'Tenerife competes globally. Other countries have adapted their systems since Brexit. Why haven't we?' He also had a warning for summer travellers, if mainland politicians don't take action, saying: "We need immediate solutions to avoid this happening again, especially with the busy summer season ahead."
Epoch Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
Net Migration Halves in a Year, But Still Far Higher Than Pre-Pandemic: ONS
Net migration nearly halved in the course of one year, but still remains far higher than in the previous years before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). In the year to December 2024, the difference between the number of people moving to the UK and leaving was an estimated 431,000, down 49.9 percent from 860,000 the year before, the largest numerical drop in any 12-month period. The ONS's director of population statistics, Mary Gregory, said on Thursday that the decline was largely driven by a falling number of immigrants coming to the UK to work and study, 'particularly student dependants.' This followed policy change from early 2024 by the previous Conservative government, which put in place Long-Term Immigration Falls The ONS said that the largest drop in immigration was from non-EU nationals coming here to work, falling 108,000, or 49 percent. Immigration for study purposes declined by 17 percent. Long-term immigration also fell to 948,000, down 28.5 percent from 1,326,000 in the previous year, the first time in three years the figure was below 1 million. Emigration also rose by around 11 percent to an estimated 517,000, up from 466,000 on the previous year. Gregory said that was especially owing to 'people leaving who originally came on study visas once pandemic travel restrictions to the UK were eased.' Related Stories 5/12/2025 5/14/2025 The impact of Conservative policy on dependant visas saw an 86 percent (105,000) reduction in study dependants, and a 35 percent (81,000) decrease in the number of work dependants. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said that the fall in net migration is 'welcome after the figures quadrupled to nearly a million in the last parliament.' 'Our Immigration White Paper sets out radical reforms to further reduce net migration,' she added. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp He added that the figures were 'still far too high and need to go down a lot further.' Higher Than Pre-Pandemic Levels While these figures are a dramatic decline on 2022 and 2023, they are still far higher than the pre-pandemic era, and well above the pre-Brexit peak of roughly 300,000. Net migration was broadly flat in the years leading up to the lockdown, standing at 208,000 in 2017, 276,000 in 2018, and 184,000 in 2019. They then fell sharply in 2020 to 93,000, when travel restrictions were put in place. Net migration then rose to 484,000 in 2021, 873,000 in 2022, and dropped slightly to 860,000 in 2023. Estimated net migration to the UK. PA Media The Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford noted that this 'recording-breaking decline' was possible 'primarily because numbers had previously been so high.' 'The declines reflect a period of policy liberalisation post-Brexit which saw net migration reach a record 906,000 in the year to June 2023, followed by restrictions in early 2024, both under the previous government,' the Migration Observatory said. For scale of how large a number current net migration figures still are, political commentator Matt Goodwin Migration Observatory researcher Ben Brindle said that net migration figures will continue to fall, as the previous government's restrictions 'are not yet fully visible in the data.' 'Last week's policy proposals should reduce migration further, though by a small amount. Because these declines will not necessarily take us to particularly low levels, by historical standards,' he added. 'Relatively Small' Economic Impact The Labour government has maintained the previous administration's visa rules, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announcing further measures to bring down legal immigration in the White Paper These include ending the recruitment of overseas care workers, raising the skills requirements for visas to degree level, and charging universities a levy on international students. Migration Observatory Director Madeleine Sumption said the economic impact of this fall in migrant workers is 'actually likely to be relatively small.' She added, 'That's because the groups that have driven the decline, such as study and work dependants, are neither the highest skilled, highest-paid migrants who make substantial contributions to tax revenues, nor the most disadvantaged groups that require substantial support.' Similarly, Downing Street indicated that it was not concerned that a fall in migrant workers would lead to a workforce shortage. The prime minister's official spokesman said, 'We are, for the first time, setting out a strategy to properly bring together a domestic skills strategy together with an immigration strategy.' 'So we will be reducing our reliance on overseas labour by training up our domestic workforce and ensuring, as the public rightly expects, that our border system is secure,' he added. PA Media contributed to this report.
