Telegraph understands the following proposals are coming from the Home Office...
1) A ‘one stop shop’ for people appealing deportation. Means all claims must be made at one point rather than one after the other. Would quicken legal process.
2) Reforms to the Modern Slavery Act 2015. Specifically tightening the definition of modern slavery.
Home Office believes it is being used too often by people who legitimately should be deported.
(Others - including perhaps @theresa_may who championed the law - may disagree)
3) Changes to the rules for when someone who had their asylum claim rejected can appeal.
Specifically - focussing on whether they can prove “exceptional circumstances” and tightening the definition of human rights grounds for appealing.
4) Tightly limiting how late people who are being deported can launch last minute appeals.
Proposal is a deadline stating all appeals must be launched 14 days before the date of deportation.
This follows two policy proposals we’ve already reported on...
5) All people illegally entering UK to claim asylum will be removed + have it processed abroad
6) Tightening rules on child asylum claims so people who look over 18 (not over 25 as now) must apply as adults.
These changes amount to a major shake-up of the asylum system - the biggest in 20 years in the eyes of the Home Office.
They are also NOT guaranteed to become the rules. They are being put to consultation shortly, with responses to come back.
Those pushing them are likely to argue it is about fairness and consistency - making the asylum system safer (discouraging dangerous boat crossings), quicker (less legal wrangling) and fairer (rules less open to wrongful use).
BUT...
...The proposed changes are sure to trigger sizeable opposition from human rights groups and Labour.
.... who will likely argue it will make the system harder for people to claim asylum and tougher for wrongful deportation cases to be overturned.
Would expect the asylum rules shake-up to get significant air time over the next week as more details emerge and are scrutinised.
(Worth noting: the Home Office is braced for a potential backlash but believes their proposed changes = considerable improvements.)
Ultimately in raw political terms it comes back to the same old question. Where is the Tory backbench on the changes?
Fewer than 40 Tory MPs oppose some of the changes - fine (given the sizeable majority). But over 40 Tory MPs - problems.
END
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
Children's minister Vicky Ford said if kids get lateral flow test positive, then PCR negative, they CAN’T go back to school
That is wrong, No 10 makes clear. Lateral flow test positive then PCR negative means kids CAN go back to school
Clarity is emerging from the muddle, via an education source.
1) IN SCHOOL
If a pupil gets a lateral flow positive at school... they are advised not to get a PCR test... and even if they do get a PCR test which is negative they must stay at home.
But...
2) AT HOME
If a pupil gets a lateral flow positive at home... they are advised to get a PCR test... and if that PCR test is negative they can go back to school.
Why the difference? Gov argues lateral tests done in school are more trustworthy as those giving them are trained.
Seems to me Keir Starmer’s ‘no tax rises now’ position makes strategic sense.
One of Labour’s big failings in 15, 17, 19 elections was being soundly beaten on the economy.
Having a ‘why are you so pro-business’ row now only helps Starmer’s rebranding project for 2024.
Which is why you suspect Starmer’s office will be pretty relaxed with Corbyn frontbenchers criticising the stance and PM noting it’s a big departure from Labour’s 2019 manifesto.
(All giving big air time to the fact Starmer is abandoning Corbyn’s position on tax and business)
Having Tories throw the quotes from this week back at Starmer in the run-up to the next election (when Labour’s tax offering will inevitably be more progressive than the Conservatives) is the weakness in the strategy. But can worry about that in 2024.
Secrecy at all costs: Inside the Downing Street bunker preparing Britain’s lockdown exit. Longish read with @LOS_Fisher
Rishi, Gove, Hancock handed numbered paper copies of road map they couldn’t take with them amid heightened leak fears 1/ telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/…
Special advisers explicitly warned on recent Zoom calls with No 10 chief of staff Dan Rosenfield against Covid leaks, per multiple sources.
Some have taken a vow of silence fearing for their jobs if they discuss the road map. One: “I don’t want to be sacked”. 2/
Cabinet ministers being “kept in the dark” about the road map. So too many ministers whose briefs directly relate to countering Covid.
The heart of decision-making is ‘The Quad’ (PM, Rishi, Gove, Hancock) plus the scientists: Whitty, Vallance, sometimes JVT. 3/