Westminster’s Committee of Privileges has published written evidence submitted by Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP, ahead of hearing his oral evidence today (Wednesday).
The Committee initially received the written evidence from Mr Johnson on Monday afternoon at 2.32pm in unredacted form.
The evidence submitted had a number of errors and typos, and, a final corrected version was not submitted to the Privileges Committee until 8.02 am yesterday morning.
Redactions have been made in the published version to protect the identity of some witnesses, in consultation with Mr Johnson, particularly junior-ranking civil servants.
Mr Johnson’s written submission contains no new documentary evidence.
The Committee has set out its own views of its processes in reports published in July and September 2022. The Committee will consider carefully the further arguments made by Mr Johnson and respond to them in its final report.
Throughout this inquiry the Committee has received and followed the advice of its legal adviser, former Senior President of Tribunals and Lord Justice of Appeal Rt Hon Sir Ernest Ryder, as well as the impartial Clerks of the House. The Committee remains confident in the fairness of its processes and in its compliance at all times with the rules and practice of the House of Commons.
From the start of its inquiry the Committee has offered Mr Johnson the opportunity to provide written evidence. In its report published on 2 March 2023, the Committee set out a summary of principal issues to be raised with Mr Johnson in oral evidence, at his request, and at the same time disclosed to him all the evidence received by the Committee and the identities of all witnesses.
Mr Johnson has now provided written evidence, which can be read here.
Ahead of the oral evidence session on Wednesday, the Committee will be publishing, again by agreement with Mr Johnson, a “core bundle” of documents to which the Committee and Mr Johnson may refer in the course of the questioning.
These documents will be published on the Committee website at 9.00 am today.
The Committee of Privileges will hear oral evidence in public from Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP from 2pm today (Wednesday 22 March).
The session can be watched on Parliament TV here. There is no approximate end time for the session.
Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch and Ukrainian First Minister sign UK-Ukraine Digital Trade Agreement to provide vital support for Ukrainian economy
Department for Business and Trade mobilises UK businesses to engage in future reconstruction projects in Ukraine with major conference
UK pledges to extend the removal of tariffs on all Ukrainian products until March 2024
The UK today [Monday 20 March] signed a pivotal digital trade deal with Ukraine that will support the country’s economy and greatly enhance the UK-Ukraine trade and investment relationship.
The Department for Business and Trade today hosted a number of Ukrainian ministers, as well as 200 UK and international businesses and officials, at Mansion House to lay the foundation for closer future co-operation.
The Road to Ukraine Recovery Conference, geared towards supporting Ukraine’s National Recovery Plan and mobilising UK businesses to engage in future Ukraine reconstruction projects, opened with a welcome from the Business and Trade Secretary. This event, and our mobilisation of UK industry, is a key stepping stone on our route to the Ukraine Recovery Conference that will be hosted in London in June.
Ms Badenoch, alongside Ukraine’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Yulia Svyrydenko, virtually signed a ground-breaking new Digital Trade Agreement (DTA) that will help Ukraine support its economy through the current crisis and lay foundations for its recovery and revival.
Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch MP said: “The historic digital trade deal signed today paves the way for a new era of modern trade between our two countries.
“We are also extending tariff free trade on imports from Ukraine to early 2024, providing much needed support to Ukrainian businesses. These initiatives will help protect jobs, livelihoods and families now and in Ukraine’s post-war future.”
Since June 2022, UK negotiators worked at record pace with their Ukrainian counterparts to deliver a deal after President Zelenskyy highlighted the important role Ukraine’s first ever digitally focused trade agreement could play in bolstering his country’s economy.
Ukraine will have guaranteed access to the financial services crucial for reconstruction efforts through the deal’s facilitation of cross-border data flows. Ukrainian businesses will also be able to trade more efficiently and cheaply with the UK through electronic transactions, e-signatures, and e-contracts.
First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy for Ukraine, Yuliia Svyrydenko said: “This digital trade agreement illustrates that Ukrainian IT companies operating in Ukraine are in demand around the world despite all the challenges of war.
“The UA-UK Digital Trade Agreement has enshrined core freedoms for trade in digital goods and services. Ukraine believes that an open and free framework for the digital economy is the best investment in future oriented development.”
The UK’s total military, humanitarian and economic support pledged since 24 February 2022 now amounts to over £4 billion. The UK is a key partner for Ukraine in its reconstruction efforts.
We hosted the UK-Ukraine Infrastructure Summit in June 2022, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreeing to play a leading role in the reconstruction of Kyiv Oblast and set up the Infrastructure Taskforce to implement this agreement.
Stuart Senior, Member of the Supervisory Board, Gleeds said: “As international construction consultants, Gleeds has had a presence in Ukraine for many years. We welcome this new agreement which strengthens UK-Ukraine relationships and helps Ukraine’s increasing development as a modern, open economy.
“The DTA will remove barriers to digital trade and enable partnership initiatives and collaborative working to be delivered more effectively. It will also further enhance the acceleration of economic recovery through the faster delivery of critical infrastructure reconstruction projects by implementing better processes and standards.”
In the margins of the Road to URC event, the UK confirmed its intention to extend the removal of tariffs on Ukrainian products until March 2024. This follows the UK’s world-leading decision in May 2022 to cut tariffs on all goods from Ukraine to zero and will provide much needed support to Ukrainian businesses given the impact of the war on Ukraine’s ability to export goods.
The UK also continues to support Ukraine through decisive sanctions against Russia. The UK and its allies have introduced the most severe economic sanctions ever imposed on a major economy, including on £20 billion (96%) of UK-Russia goods trade from 2021.
Sanctions are having deep and damaging consequences for Putin’s ability to wage war. Since the start of the invasion, UK goods imports from Russia have fallen by 99% and goods exports to Russia have fallen by 80%.
Hourglass (Safer Ageing) calls on the SNP leadership contenders to support safer ageing
Hourglass has asked the three contenders for the Scottish National Party leadership to commit to safer ageing and to support older victim-survivors of abuse.
Older people are at risk of becoming victims of physical, financial, sexual or psychological abuse. Many others suffer abuse due to simple neglect. Older people are much less likely to report abuse and when they do the experience can be traumatic.
At present, insufficient data is collected on abuse of older people in Scotland. This lack of information is one reason this issue does not get the attention or resources it desperately needs.
Hourglass have called on the three leadership contenders Kate Forbes, Ash Regan and Humza Yousaf to commit to the following actions if they become the Scottish First Minister:
1. Collecting all relevant data on the abuse of older people. 2. Develop a safer ageing strategy for Scotland 3. Host a Safer Ageing forum with Hourglass at Holyrood later this year.
Richard Robinson, CEO of Hourglass said:“The Scottish Government need to take action to prevent abuse of older people.
“The first step is to collect the data on reported abuse. The second is to develop a safer ageing strategy which will outline how the Scottish Government intend to tackle this problem. Thirdly, this is an issue that is seldom talked about. We need the Scottish Government to work with us to raise awareness of this issue.
“Hourglass (Safer Ageing) is the only charity in Scotland that specialises in supporting older victims of abuse. We have nearly 30 years of working in Scotland and throughout the UK and Ireland, where we have continued to see an increase in demand for our services.”
George Foulkes, Hourglass Patron said:“We have an ageing population and the next First Minister of Scotland needs to be to take this seriously.
“The Scottish Government need a safer ageing strategy to protect older people from abuse and neglect.”
The charity is urging those keen to support the charity to make a donation by visiting https://wearehourglass.org/donate or Text SAFER to 70460 to donate £10.
Texts cost £10 plus one standard rate message and you’ll be opting in to hear more about our work and fundraising via telephone and SMS.
If you’d like to give £10 but do not wish to receive marketing communications text SAFERNOINFO to 70460.
A recent ONS survey showed that an estimated 2.3 million people in the UK suffer from long COVID. Of these, nearly 10 thousand NHS workers are currently absent because of long COVID, according to a recent BBC panorama documentary (writes FOYSOL CHOUDHURY MSP).
Sadly, many of these key workers have contracted Covid-19 through their essential work to save lives during the worst of the pandemic, having been put more at risk by working on the frontline, often without adequate PPE.
Now, a far cry from the weekly applauses and hero’s welcome given during the COVID-19 lockdowns, key workers with long COVID have sadly been seemingly abandoned and forced to face severe financial impact due to contracting COVID-19 in their line of work.
It is simply unacceptable that these same key workers who risked their lives are now in a position where they are being forced to declare themselves bankrupt or to sell their house, as they face the prospect of halved and altogether stopped standard sick pay.
This is the situation my constituent Cass Macdonald is in. On Tuesday, I spoke in my colleague, Jackie Baillie’s, debate on long COVID to highlight the impact of long COVID on my constituents like Cass.
Cass was a full-time NHS nurse who contracted COVID-19 when they were advised it was safe to work in an office nursing role, despite multiple underlying health conditions and advice by the same Government to shield.
Shockingly, the Keyworker Petition UK team’s recent survey showed that Cass is part of the 20% of key workers with long COVID surveyed who said they were at risk of losing their home due to financial circumstances. The survey also showed that 68.7% of those surveyed said they were struggling financially. This is simply unacceptable. But not only are key workers with long COVID facing unacceptable financial burden-they also have to battle with a health service which does not properly understand the complex nature and consequences of long COVID.
Another of my constituents, Marie-Claire, who is an NHS doctor with long COVID, told me that there was growing stigma towards long COVID in the medical community and that her colleagues often had little understanding about the severity or specifics of the illness.When key workers are having to battle long COVID and the severe financial impact of contracting this condition, they should not also have to face the frustrating situation of having to educate the public, politicians and medical professionals on this debilitating condition.
On Wednesday, Cass and other key workers will deliver a petition with over 118, 000 backers to Westminster, urging the UK Government to create a pension and compensation scheme for all keyworkers who have developed long COVID as a result of their frontline, and often not adequately protected, work during the pandemic.
As noted in my speech on Tuesday, the Scottish Government has a role to play too. Not only must it do more to ensure adequate support and compensation for key workers who are struggling with long COVID, but it has an important role to play in reducing the stigma around long COVID and ensuring that health authorities in Scotland have the tools to adequately identify and treat long COVID in patients. Recent figures suggest that up to 175, 000 people in Scotland have reported suffering from long COVID, which is approximately 3.3% of the population.
The Scottish Government must ensure employers are supported in recognising the importance of flexibility and phased returns to work for employees with long COVID. It must do more to increase public awareness of the dangers of long COVID and highlight how you could be affected by this despite being vaccinated.
TODAY 15th of March is International Long COVID Awareness Day. I’ve lodged questions to the Scottish Government on support for key workers with long COVID before and now I am imploring the Scottish Government again, in recognition of this day, to act now to help people like Cass, Marie-Claire and the thousands of others suffering from long COVID across Scotland.
Chancellor sets out next stage of the Government’s plan to halve inflation, grow the economy and reduce debt.
Building on the stability he gained from Autumn Statement, Jeremy Hunt will set out next steps to drive economic growth across the UK.
Plan will help ease the cost of living, remove barriers into work to boost incomes, drive business investment, and support new, high-growth industries of the future.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt will unveil the next phase of the Government’s plan to halve inflation, grow the economy and reduce debt in his Spring Budget today.
In his first Budget speech as Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt is expected to build on the stability gained at the Autumn Statement, with new measures to support families and businesses with the cost of living, before setting out an agenda to grow the UK economy.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt is expected to say:“In the Autumn we took difficult decisions to deliver stability and sound money. Today, we deliver the next part of our plan: a Budget for growth.
“Not just growth from emerging out of a downturn. But long term, sustainable, healthy growth that pays for our NHS and schools, finds good jobs for young people, provides a safety net for older people … all whilst making our country one of the most prosperous in the world.
“Today I deliver that by removing the obstacles that stop businesses investing; tackling the labour shortages that stop them recruiting; breaking down the barriers that stop people working and harnessing British ingenuity to make us a science and tech superpower.”
The Government is already protecting struggling families with one-off payments worth £94 billion. After a decade of reforms, people on low incomes can now earn £1,000 a month without paying tax or national insurance thanks to rises in tax thresholds. This has helped to lift two million people out of absolute poverty, after housing costs, including 400,000 pensioners and 500,000 children.
The Chancellor is expected to announce fairness reforms to energy bills, bringing the bills of families on prepayment meters in line with average direct debit energy bill under the Energy Price Guarantee. This will enable four million families to save £45 a year on their energy bills from July.
He will also announce his plan to go even further with and ambition to get hundreds of thousands more people into work. Support will focus on disabled people and those with long-term health conditions, parents, the over 50s, and people on Universal Credit. The changes are also expected to encourage benefit claimants to move into work or increase their hours with increased sanctions enforcement and Work Coach support, and childcare costs on Universal Credit to be paid up front.
The Chancellor is also expected to reject the narrative of decline, champion the successes the UK has achieved over the past decade, with a promise to build on the country’s competitive advantages to spread wealth and opportunity everywhere.
UK BUDGET MUST REVERSE TORY COST OF LIVING CRISIS
TOMMY SHEPPARD MP AND DEIDRE BROCK MP: SLASH ENERGY BILLS AND PUT MONEY BACK IN PEOPLE’S POCKETS
The SNP has said “the number one priority for the UK budget must be to put money back into people’s pockets” – warning the Tories can’t continue to hammer household incomes.
Ahead of today’s budget, Tommy Sheppard MP and Deidre Brock MP have urged Jeremy Hunt to deliver a comprehensive package to boost household incomes and economic growth. The MPs for Edinburgh East and Edinburgh North & Leith have challenged the Chancellor to deliver the SNP’s five-point plan:
Saving families £1400 on energy bills – by cutting the Energy Price Guarantee to £2000 and maintaining the £400 Energy Bill Support Scheme to the summer.
Raising public sector pay and benefits by CPI – putting money into the pockets of millions of workers and delivering Barnett consequentials for Scottish spending.
Scrapping Tory plans to raise the pension age to 68 and reinstating the Triple Lock – so no one must struggle in old age.
Re-joining the European Single Market – to boost economic growth and halt the multi-billion pound long-term damage being caused by Brexit.
Investing in green growth – by competing with EU and US subsidies to attract green investment.
In addition to the headroom identified by the IFS, and the billions of pounds saved as a result of the falling wholesale price of gas, the SNP is calling for the Chancellor to scrap non-dom tax status, tax share buy backs, and expand the windfall tax, which would raise billions more to fund cost of living support for ordinary households.
Commenting, Edinburgh East MP, Tommy Sheppard said: “The number one priority for the UK budget must be to put money back into people’s pockets – and reverse this Tory-made cost of living crisis.
“Scotland is a wealthy, energy-rich country but families are being fleeced by Westminster. By refusing to act, the Tories are showing why Scotland needs independence, so we can escape Westminster control, re-join the EU, and build a fair and prosperous economy.
“Families are sick to the back teeth of being ripped off by the Tory government. Instead of hammering household incomes, the Chancellor must save families £1,400 by slashing energy bills and deliver a comprehensive package of support.
“The SNP’s five-point plan would reduce bills, raise incomes and boost economic growth, at a time when many families are struggling to get by. With energy companies making record profits and the wholesale price of gas falling, there is no excuse for failing to act.”
Edinburgh North & Leith MP, Deidre Brock, added: “The SNP Scottish Government is doing everything it can with limited fiscal powers, including delivering the Scottish Child Payment, higher energy bill support, and higher public sector pay.
“The UK government must finally step up to the plate and use its reserved powers to introduce a Real Living Wage and raise public sector pay and benefits by CPI. In doing so, it would raise the incomes of millions of workers and deliver Barnett consequentials which would benefit Edinburgh and Scotland.
“This UK Budget is all about choices. Instead of making families in Edinburgh pay for Westminster failure, the Tories must fund support by scrapping non-dom tax status, expanding the windfall tax and taxing share buy backs, which would raise billions.
“And if we are serious about delivering economic growth and reversing decline, the UK government must re-join the European single market and properly invest in green energy.
“Scotland is suffering the consequences of Westminster control. The Tories trashed the economy with Brexit, austerity cuts and thirteen years of mismanagement. And with the pro-Brexit Labour Party becoming a pound-shop Tory tribute act, it’s clear independence is the only way for Scotland to secure the real change we need.”
Budget predictions – Bank of Scotland
Chris Lawrie, area director for Scotland at Bank of Scotland, said: “Business confidence in Scotland rose in recent months and, after business rates were frozen in a bid to help smaller businesses in the Scottish Budget, firms will be looking to the Chancellor to continue supporting long-term, sustainable growth and encourage higher levels of productivity.
“Growing the economy is key and the Budget is an opportunity to bring further stability and encourage investment in future growth. The Chancellor could show that he can help meet these ambitions by increasing capital allowances and providing the greater certainty and support businesses need to invest in a more high-tech, low-carbon economy.”
Humza Yousaf will appoint a senior figure to head up Scottish Government strategy for re-joining the EU and is planning to stage a European summit in Scotland if he is elected SNP leader and First Minister.
In a letter to David Clarke, chair of the European Movement in Scotland, Mr Yousaf says: “If elected as First Minister I would seek to rebuild closer relationships with the EU as a matter of priority, bringing Scotland back to Europe, where we belong. I would envision having someone in place to lead this strategy.”
He adds: ” We want to re-join Europe because we want to re-join the scientific research community as well as build transparent trading standards and regulations that sit within the EU. It is also, vitally, about working on issues of climate change and biodiversity on land and sea at a European level to ensure best practice and shared responsibilities.”
Mr Yousaf tells Scotland’s leading pro-European campaign that the person leading the strategy of re-joining “as a small independent country” would be tasked with rebuilding the infrastructure “to help us transition back into Europe.” He does not rule out making this a cabinet-level role, he adds.
“I am confident we will return to Europe. We must. I must be very clear regarding my unwavering commitment to Europe, however. If elected as First Minister, I would work firmly with the belief that the only way Scotland can return to Europe is as an independent country. I will re-affirm the case to the people of Scotland, then, that our place in Europe is as a small independent country.”
The current health secretary says he intends hosting a European summit in Scotland is he wins the three-cornered contest.
“We would intend to engage in honest dialogue with not only our fellow EU partners the Greens/ European Free Alliance, but other EU groups that are open to democracy and furthering social justice across Europe,” he explains.
He also confirms that the SNP will set up its own permanent office in Brussels as a way of “establishing our presence as a small European nation at the heart of Europe and ensuring Scotland’s case for returning to Europe be heard by our European neighbours.”
David Clarke, chair of the European Movement in Scotland commented: “Europe should be centre stage of any political discussion in this country.
“Brexit has been the disaster we always knew it would be. There is but one way to overcome the chaos and economic deprivation of the last few years and that is to re-join the European Union as soon as possible. We applaud any politician from any party willing to tell this truth and to take steps to put this into action.”
As the ‘continuity candidate’, Yousaf has the backing of a raft of senior SNP politicians in his bid to become party leader and First Minister, but whether he will have the support of rank and file members who are looking for a radical change in direction in the fight for independence is another matter.
SNP members will have the opportunity to have their say when voting opens tomorrow.
Opposition parties have already made up their minds:
HOUSEHOLDS ACROSS EDINBURGH SUFFERING FROM TORY-MADE COST OF LIVING CRISIS
The Chancellor must use next week’s budget to tackle the Tory-made cost of living crisis harming households across Edinburgh, Tommy Sheppard MP and Deidre Brock MP have said.
Polling carried out by Survation in partnership with campaign group 38Degrees revealed the stark impact of rising costs imposed on households in recent months, with findings showing in Edinburgh East: 21% of people have missed rent payments in the last six months, 32% haven’t been able to afford to turn the heating on, and 21% fear they may have to use a foodbank.
Meanwhile, in Edinburgh North and Leith the figures are even higher, with 22% of people have missed rent payments over the same period, 41% unable to afford to turn the heating on and 28% are worried they may have to use a foodbank.
Commenting, Edinburgh North and Leith MP Deidre Brock, said: “All eyes are on next week’s budget to see what support is on offer to assist households through a cost-of-living crisis of the Tories’ making.
“People and families across Edinburgh are suffering from a toxic mix of inflation, soaring energy costs, rising mortgage rates, and Tory austerity and cannot afford continued inaction from the UK government.
“If the Chancellor wants to provide, he can start by cutting the Energy Price Guarantee to £2000 and maintaining the £400 Energy Bill Support Scheme to the summer, a move that would save households £1,400.
“The fact thousands of my constituents are missing rent payments, are living without heating through the cold months, are relying on foodbanks is a disgrace that should shame the Tories into taking serious action – but I won’t hold my breath.”
Tommy Sheppard MP for Edinburgh East added: “These figures have soared, like costs, under Westminster Tory rule and we’re unlikely to see what families desperately need from a party that throughout its existence has lacked the political will to help the most vulnerable.
“In Scotland we’ve used our limited powers to support households, including with the introduction of the Scottish Child payment, described as ‘game-changing’ by leading charities. But it shouldn’t be for the SNP Scottish Government to constantly have to mitigate the worst of Tory rule.
“The impact of the Tory-made cost of living crisis has set out further proof that only with the full powers of independence can we offer real support through difficult times and secure just economic prosperity that works for everyone in our society.”
CLEAN SWEEP: LIB DEMS ROMP HOME IN CORSTORPHINE MURRAYFIELD BY-ELECTION
The Liberal Democrats have won the Corstorphine Murrayfield by-election. The rampant Lib Dems won at Stage One of the voting process 0 amassing more votes than all the other candidates combined – and they now hold all three seats in the ward.
Fiona Bennett’s emphatic victory reinforces the Lib Dem team at the City Chambers to 13 councillors, five behind the biggest party the SNP.
Edinburgh’s ‘ruling’ Labour group has just 12 councillors and last month was forced to adopt the Lib Dem budget plans to cling on to power.
Labour finished fourth in first preference votes in the by-election, which was brought about by the resignation of former SNP Lord Provost Frank Ross.
The declaration was made early this morning (Friday, 10 March) by Returning Officer for Edinburgh, city council chief exec Andrew Kerr.
Returning Officer, Andrew Kerr, said: “Thanks to everyone who took part in the by-election helping to elect a new councillor to represent their views on matters affecting the ward and the entire city.
“I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Fiona Bennett as a new councillor and I look forward to working with her.
“I also want to thank our elections team who have worked hard over recent months to make sure this by-election ran so smoothly.”
The turnout for the by-election was a fair 42.3%.
Jubilant Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton remarked on Twitter: “Get in! So delighted for Cllr Fiona Bennett and the team she built and inspired around her.
“Important observations-
Lib Dems now second biggest party in Edinburgh
SNP down by almost 1/3rd
“This is the biggest council by-election win in our party’s history.”
Corstorphine Murrayfield by-election, first preferences:
Responding to this year’s 2023 International Women’s Day, Foysol Choudhury MSP said:“International Women’s Day is a wonderful celebration dating back over 100 years. It is a chance to celebrate women’s achievements and raise awareness of the continued fight for equality.
“International Women’s Day highlights the ever-evolving issues women have faced: voting rights, equality in the workplace and under the law and changing social attitudes.
“It is important that we also use International Women’s Day to highlight the experience of women from a diverse range of backgrounds.
“For example, in Ukraine, we are seeing women struggle disproportionately with human trafficking when being displaced. This is something I have addressed in the Scottish Parliament’s debate marking a year of war in Ukraine.
“In 2022, I spoke to the Scottish Parliament about the importance of creating opportunities that specifically target women from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds to get involved in sport, as hostility and abuse within sport can lead to low-levels of participation from BAME women and girls.
“For International Women’s Day 2023, I spoke in the Scottish Parliament debate on Wednesday to address how women from ethnic minorities can face overlapping systems of discrimination: both racism and misogyny.
“Many women from ethnic minorities experience misogyny in different ways and we need to recognise this multiplicity of experience in order to tackle misogyny.
“I am also particularly worried about the treatment of women when wearing items such as the hijab. Many Muslim women wear these as a sign of modesty and faith, but in the UK they have been met with violence and harassment.
“I’ve even heard cases of women avoiding train stations in fear that someone would push them on to the tracks.
“International Women’s Day is a wonderful opportunity to make efforts to combat these issues.
“There are already tracks being made on some of these issues, for example Scottish Rugby recently announced a system was being put in place to allow concerns to be raised over racism and misogyny.
“This can’t be the end point, however. The commitment to these underrepresented women needs to remain a core element of all sports, and indeed all sectors, across Scotland.
“The involvement of ethnic and religious minority women to the same level as everyone else needs to happen before Scotland can confidently say it is a diverse and accepting nation with equality for all.”
Laws include legal duty on the Home Secretary to remove anyone who enters the UK illegally
Earlier this year the Prime Minister made stopping the boats one of his 5 promises to the British people. The ‘Stop the Boats’ – or Illegal Migration – Bill will fulfil that promise by ending illegal entry as a route to asylum in the UK.
This will remove the incentive for people to risk their lives through these dangerous and unnecessary journeys and pull the rug from under the criminal gangs profiting from this misery once and for all.
People who arrive in the UK illegally will instead be detained and swiftly removed to their home country if safe, or another safe third country, such as Rwanda, where they will be supported to rebuild their lives.
Anyone illegally entering the UK will be prevented from accessing the UK’s world-leading modern slavery support or abusing these laws to block their removal. Any other challenges or human rights claims can also only be heard after removal, remotely.
By ending illegal immigration as a route to asylum, stopping the boats and taking back control of our borders the Bill will ensure the UK can better support people coming through fair, safe and legal routes.
The UK will always be a compassionate country, as demonstrated by the nation opening its hearts and homes to those from fleeing from Afghanistan and Ukraine, and under this Bill, Parliament will set an annual cap on the number of refugees settled via safe and legal routes, taking into account local authority capacity for housing, public services and the support communities rightly expect.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: “The British people rightly expect us to solve this crisis and that’s what myself and the Prime Minister fully intend to do. We must stop the boats.
“It is completely unfair that people who travel through a string of safe countries then come to the UK illegally and abuse our asylum laws to avoid removal.
“It has to stop. By bringing in new laws, I am making it absolutely clear that the only route to the UK is a safe and legal route. If you come here illegally, you won’t be able to claim asylum or build a life here.
“You will not be allowed to stay. You will be returned home if safe, or to a safe third country like Rwanda. It’s the only way to prevent people risking their lives and paying criminals thousands of pounds to get here.”
The Bill, introduced to Parliament yesterday (7 March 2023), will mean anyone who enters the UK illegally and who has passed through a safe country will be legally required to be removed and the Home Secretary will have the power to enforce it.
Migrants may be detained for 28 days with no recourse for bail or judicial review, and then for as long as there is a reasonable prospect of removal.
In exceptional circumstances if there is a risk that someone would suffer a real risk of serious and irreversible harm when they are relocated to that specific safe third country, they would not be removed until it was safe to do so. Even in these cases you will have a maximum 45 days to remain in the UK before your appeal is exhausted.
The annual number settled via safe and legal routes will be kept under review, and if there is a humanitarian crisis within the world that requires a response, then the UK will step up and offer sanctuary to those in need, as we have done for tens of thousands of Ukrainians and Afghans.
The Bill forms part of the action the UK Government is taking to stop small boat crossings and illegal migration as a whole. This includes:
an agreement with Albania that recognises their status as a safe country
a new dedicated unit to speed up the processing of Albanian cases – since the announcement in December we have returned over 3000 illegal migrants, including over 500 Albanians
ending the legacy backlog of asylum claims by the end of 2023 – we have already doubled decision makers and we will double the number again and we are changing the system to make it more productive
reducing the use of hotels, with the government currently spending £6.2 million a day, by moving asylum seekers to cheaper alternative accommodation
established the Small Boats Operational Command in December, enabling us from January to protect the resources of our Immigration Enforcement teams – as a direct result of this change, we have been able to significantly increase the numbers of immigration enforcement visits undertaken, deliver a 50% uplift in enforcement visits per month and have seen a corresponding increase in arrests
doubling the funding for Operation Invigor, which brings together the NCA, Home Office Intelligence and UK policing to disrupt organised crime groups who are smuggling people from source countries to the beaches of northern France
our joint work with France saw nearly 33,000 Channel crossings prevented in 2022, compared to just over 23,000 in 2021 – since the UK-France Joint Intelligence Cell (JIC) was established in July 2020, 59 organised criminal groups involved in small boats crossings
clamping down on people smugglers, with over 350 arrests made since the Nationality and Borders Act became law
welcoming current collaboration with the French to tackle illegal migration, which includes agreeing further action at the UK/FR Leaders’ Summit
Summary of Bill measures:
Duty to make arrangements for removal – the Home Secretary will have a legal duty to remove people who have entered the UK illegally.
Detention and bail – strengthening detention powers so people can only apply for bail from the Courts (First-tier Tribunal) after 28 days (although habeus corpus will remain).
Unaccompanied children – minors who come to the UK illegally will not be removed to a safe third country until adulthood, except in limited circumstances.
Entry, citizenship and settlement – people who come to the UK illegally will be prevented from settling in the country and will face a permanent ban from returning.
Asylum – people who come here illegally will have their asylum claims deemed inadmissible and considered in a safe third country.
Modern slavery – modern slavery referrals for those who come to the UK illegally will be disqualified under public order grounds under the terms of the international anti-trafficking treaty, ECAT.
Legal proceedings – limiting the circumstances in which legal challenges will prevent someone from being removed from the UK. Most legal challenges will be considered when someone has been successfully removed from the UK.
Expanding the list of countries that are considered safe in law – this will make it unquestionably clear when someone doesn’t need our protection because they are obviously not at risk of persecution in their home country.
Annual number of people using safe and legal routes – committing to resettling a specific number of refugees in the UK every year.
Today we are introducing new legislation to keep my promise to you – to stop the boats.
My policy is very simple, it is this country—and your government—who should decide who comes here, not criminal gangs.
The first step is understanding the nature—and scale—of what we are dealing with.
The number of people entering the UK illegally in small boats has more than quadrupled in the last two years.
Those illegally crossing the Channel are not directly fleeing a war-torn country… or persecution… or an imminent threat to life.
They have travelled through safe, European countries.
They are paying people smugglers huge sums to make this dangerous, and sometimes tragic, journey.
The reason that criminal gangs continue to bring small boats over here is because they know that our system can be exploited…
….that once here…illegal migrants can make a multitude of asylum, modern slavery and spurious human rights claims to frustrate their removal.
And the risk remains that those individuals just disappear into the black economy.
That is the reality we must deal with…
And with 100 million people displaced around the world…
….if we do not deal with it now, the situation will just get worse and worse.
People must know that if they come here illegally it will result in their detention and swift removal.
Once this happens – and they know it will happen – they will not come, and the boats will stop.
That is why today we are introducing legislation to make clear that if you come here illegally you can’t claim asylum…
…you can’t benefit from our modern slavery protections…
….you can’t make spurious human rights claims
…and you can’t stay.
We will detain those who come here illegally and then remove them in weeks, either to their own country if it is safe to do so, or to a safe third country like Rwanda.
And once you are removed, you will be banned—as you are in America and Australia—from ever re-entering our country.
This is how we will break the business model of the people smugglers; this is how we will take back control of our borders.
Now, this Bill provides the legal framework needed to deliver this in a way that no other legislation has done before.
This is tough but it is necessary and it is fair.
This legislation will be retrospective.
If you come on a small boat today, the measures in this bill will apply to you.
And this is just part of what we are doing.
I’ve always been clear this is a complex problem that can’t be solved overnight and will require us to use every tool at our disposal.
That’s why I’ve already secured the largest ever small boats deal with France.
And patrols on French beaches are already up 40 per cent.
I also promised progress on enforcement and we’ve increased raids on illegal working by 50 per cent.
I’ve also negotiated a new deal with Albania, which accounted for a third of all small boats arrivals.
And that’s already delivering. We’ve returned 500 illegal migrants to Albania and we are seeing far fewer come as a result.
This shows that there is nothing inevitable about illegal migration.
Deterrence works, and with will and determination, the government can get on top of it—and we will.
Now, this will always be a compassionate and generous country.
It is something that we’re all rightly proud of.
Just look at how we have welcomed Ukrainians, Syrians from refugee camps, and embraced Hong Kongers fleeing the Chinese clampdown.
But the current situation is neither moral nor sustainable. It cannot go on.
It’s completely unfair on the British people…
….who have opened their homes to genuine refugees…
….but are now having to spend nearly £6 million a day to put up illegal migrants in hotels.
It’s unfair on the people who have come to this country legally to see others skipping the queue.
And it’s devastatingly unfair on those who most need our help but can’t get it as our asylum system is being overwhelmed by those travelling illegally across the Channel.
If we can’t stop the boats, our ability to help genuine refugees in future will be constrained.
Full control of our borders will allow us to decide who to help, and to provide safe and legal routes for those most in need.
I understand there will be debate about the toughness of these measures… all I can say is that we have tried it every other way… and it has not worked.
So I say again: my policy is very simple, it is this country—and your government—who should decide who comes here, not criminal gangs.
And I will do whatever is necessary to achieve that.
