Displaying items by tag: British Isles

The Nationality and Borders Bill was proposed by Priti Patel to make provisions for asylum-seekers. However the Bishop of Durham, Paul Butler, said changes to the bill would make the asylum system less fair, not more so. If Patel is successful, those attempting illegal entry could face four years in prison, instead of six months; if they are stopped in the English Channel, they will be returned to France. The bill has already passed through the House of Commons and is currently in the ‘committee stage’ in the House of Lords. If the bill passes through the chamber, amendments will be considered before it is given the Royal Assent. Bishop Paul said, ‘We do not want to see any more people tragically losing their lives in the Channel. In its current form, the bill makes the asylum system more complicated, more cumbersome, and less fair; it provides fewer safe routes and is more expensive.’

After discussions around the Royal Navy working with the Home Office and UK Border Force, it will soon lead operations to limit migrant channel crossings, enabling the Home Office to focus on reforms to the asylum system. Defence select committee chair Tobias Ellwood criticised government plans as ‘rushed’ and a ‘massive distraction’ for the Navy. It is not clear either how the military or other services would be involved or how they could coordinate operations. A source said there was ‘trepidation’ within the MoD about getting involved in such a complex issue. The plans could see Boris Johnson give the Navy authority over government vessels in the channel. Yvette Cooper said we have failed to do the serious and practical work with France that is needed to stop lives being lost and criminal gangs profiting from crossings.

Covid restrictions are easing as scientists believe the surge of Omicron infections ‘has peaked nationally.’ Hospitals in northern England are still struggling with high caseloads, but elsewhere admissions and patients in ICU are stabilising or falling. Covid passes for events have been scrapped. People are no longer being advised to work from home. Some firms are wary about rushing back to offices at a time of high staff absences. However Havas, with 11,500 staff worldwide, will be fully reopening its London office from 24 January. ‘Many of our employees want to come back into the office, but some people are nervous and we don't have a one-size-fits-all approach. We'll be talking to those people individually and finding solutions that work for them.’ The Government wants civil servants back at their desks as an example to other employers. The Chamber of Commerce called for improved access to rapid testing so that firms could confidently bring staff back to workplaces. See also

Macmillan Cancer Support says that there have been nearly 50,000 fewer cancer diagnoses across the UK since the start of the pandemic. This risks an increase in late-stage diagnoses, reducing survival chances. Past surveys have suggested people are reluctant to come forward during surges in Covid cases because they did not want to be a burden to the health service. NHS England cancer director Dame Cally Palmer added it was vital people did not delay now even though hospitals were under huge strain. ‘NHS staff are working hard to ensure that those who are coming forward for checks can be seen quickly so that cancer can be caught at an earlier stage.’ Health minister Maria Caulfield added NHS staff had gone ‘above and beyond’ to keep cancer care going. ‘The NHS is open.’ The plea comes as pressure on hospitals has started to ease a little.

In a paper published on 18 January, the Tony Blair Institute (TBI) said the Government should develop infrastructure to allow it to mobilise new vaccination campaigns within 48 hours. With the likelihood of more Covid variants emerging, a fourth vaccination may soon be needed. TBI says the ability to respond to future outbreaks would depend on a better approach to command and control through a strong, coherent public-health emergency operations centre. Currently governments react, rather than work to ‘stay ahead of the curve. A renewed effort to inoculate 6.2 million still unvaccinated is needed. The unvaccinated are 43% of hospital admissions. TBI suggests using anthropological research and behavioural science to understand why people are not adhering to public health guidance and getting their Covid shots. See

‘Sovereign citizen defence’ uses obsolete ancient law to challenge Covid regulations. They distribute fake legal documents to teachers, parents, and health workers outside schools and hospitals, accusing the Government of ‘vaccine genocide’. ‘Sovereign citizens' and ‘freemen on the land’ wrongly believe they possess legal power to bring politicians, civil servants and scientists before ‘common law courts’, claiming Covid restrictions and vaccinations are illegal. Now a newly-formed group, ‘Alpha Men Assemble’ (AMA), combines anti-vaccine and sovereign citizen beliefs. It trains members in ‘direct action’ in breaking through police lines, marching formations and sparring. They post training sessions online for UK members. Believing they are immune from government rules, they have violently confronted police in Australia and the US. UK’s AMA only started in December, but numbers swelled to 7,000 after a recent training session for recruits.

Conflict between Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine and the Ukrainian military has continued since 2014, with a shaky ceasefire in place. Western and Ukrainian intelligence suggest an invasion or incursion could happen sometime in early 2022. In December Russia amassed 100,000 troops on the border - so Ukrainian army reservists took part in exercises. On 18 January defence secretary Ben Wallace told MPs the UK is supplying Ukraine with short-range anti-tank missiles for self-defence, with a small team of British troops to provide training. He said there was ‘legitimate and real cause for concern’ that the Russian troops could be there for an invasion. Dozens of British troops have been in Ukraine since 2015 to train the armed forces, and the UK has also committed to help rebuild Ukraine's navy following Russia's 2014 invasion of Crimea. Now the UK will provide extra help with security in the light of Russia's ‘increasingly threatening behaviour’.

In a landmark ruling, an employment tribunal declared Mary Onuoha's dismissal for wearing a cross had been both victimisation and harassment, and Croydon NHS Trust had breached her human rights and created a 'humiliating, hostile and threatening environment' for her to work in. Mary was removed from her role as an NHS theatre practitioner and demoted to various administrative roles before resigning after facing two years of hostility from her NHS bosses. She was told that wearing a cross necklace breached the Trust's dress code - even though plain rings, hijabs, turbans and religious bracelets were permitted. The NHS said the wearing of a necklace was an infection risk. The tribunal judge said, ‘it is clear to us that the infection risk of a necklace of the sort the claimant used to wear, when worn by a responsible clinician who complied with handwashing protocol, was very low’.

Attempts to overturn the Supreme Court ruling in a case against a Belfast bakery have been rejected. Seven years ago, Christian-led Ashers Baking Company refused to write ‘support gay marriage’ on a cake. Gareth Lee sued Ashers, then lost his case at the UK Supreme Court. He took the matter to the European Court of Human Rights, arguing that the UK had failed to protect his human rights. Before the Supreme Court ruling, a Belfast county court and an appeal court had both ruled that the bakery had discriminated against Lee on the grounds of sexual orientation.

About thirty people including Boris Johnson attended a ‘bring-your-own-drink’ party in Downing Street’s garden during the first lockdown. The gathering - and others that had happened under Covid restrictions - are now subject to an independent enquiry by Sue Grey. Because of the way he handled recent events and evaded probing questions before admitting attending the drinks party, the PM has damaged public confidence in him. He now faces calls to resign from Labour and some senior Tories. Conservative MP William Wragg said there is a carelessness among people in government over standards and possibly more than that. The inquiry could make or break Johnson’s premiership as his government descends into open warfare as he defied Scottish and English Tory politicians. He survived probably the worst day in his political career without Cabinet resignations, a leadership challenge, or a confidence vote among MPs.