The UK government is attempting to rush through Parliament new laws that could undermine workers’ ability to take strike action to defend their pay and conditions.
It allows Ministers to write regulations in any services within six sectors (health, education, fire and rescue, border force, nuclear decommissioning and transport) that will force workers to work during strike action.
Employers will then issue work notices naming who has to work and what they must do.
Workers could be sacked and unions face huge damages if they fail to comply.
First in the firing line will be ambulance, fire and rail workers, with the government seeking to ram through new rules by the summer.
The TUC believes this new law is undemocratic by forcing workers to cross picket lines even if they have voted to strike in a legal ballot.
It is counter-productive: the government’s own analysis has warned that it could lead to more strikes.
And it ignores the steps that workers already take to ensure that life-and-limb cover is in place during industrial action.
Workers could be sacked
Workers could now be sacked for taking strike action that has been agreed in a democratic ballot.
If a person specified in their employer’s work notice continues to take strike action despite being required to work during the strike, they will lose their protection from automatic unfair dismissal.
This currently applies for first 12 weeks of a strike.
This is a gross infringement of individuals’ freedom.
It is also a U-turn on ministers’ initial pledge was to protect individuals from penalties.
The significant risk of dismissal for workers who speak up about their pay and conditions will do nothing to resolve staffing shortages in public services.
Unions might have to pay large damages
The Bill says a union must take “reasonable steps” to ensure that all its members identified in the work notice do not take part in the strike action.
If it doesn’t it could union could face an injunction to stop the strike or have to pay huge damages. These costs come out of members’ subs.
The cap for damages was last year raised to £1 million.
The legislation doesn’t say what a “reasonable step” constitutes leaving trade unions uncertain of their responsibilities.
The TUC also believes that forcing unions to send their members across picket lines is a significant infringement of their freedoms
Probably against international law
Ministers claim they are following similar systems in France, Spain and Italy.
But European unions disagree.
The European Trades Union Congress says: “The UK already has among the most draconian restrictions on the right to strike in Europe, and the UK government’s plans would push it even further away from normal, democratic practice across Europe.”
You can’t legislate away dissatisfaction
Workers taking industrial action today have endured the longest wage squeeze since Napoleonic times.
Workers in the public sector have seen their wages fall much further behind those of other workers: public sector pay rises are currently running at less than half the rate of those in the private sector.
For example, in the NHS nurses are earning £5,000 a year less in real terms than they were in 2010. For midwives and paramedics this rises to over £6,000.
This Bill will do nothing to help those workers, or to resolve current industrial disputes.
And it will do nothing to support those using public services, who are seeing the consequences of a decade of austerity.
Companies like TUI Musement, GetYourGuide, Trip.com, AttractionTickets.com and Jet2holidays are STILL, exploiting wildlife for profit despite 84%1 of UK citizens who believe that tour operators should not sell activities that cause wild animals suffering, according to a report by World Animal Protection.
Elephant riding, selfies with tiger cubs and swimming with dolphins were some of the cruel wildlife activities on offer by these travel brands, according to the Real Responsible Traveller report.
The study reviewed 9 leading travel companies on their commitment to animal welfare and wildlife friendly tourism with the aim to help holiday makers plan a wildlife friendly holiday.
Thousands of wild animals every year are forced to perform for tourist entertainment or be subjects for tourist “experiences” that are incredibly unnatural and stressful for them.
This skeletal baby elephant was forced to “rave” to music, “play” musical instruments, and perform tricks, all for tourists’ entertainment at Phuket Zoo in Thailand. Despite a global campaign to free him, he died after his back legs snapped beneath him.
For example, elephants in entertainment are captured in the wild or born into captivity and taken from their mothers at an early age. They are then subjected to violent training regimes causing huge physical and psychological harm.
Dolphins used for entertainment are mostly bred in captivity, (although some are still captured from the wild) and kept in barren tanks a tiny fraction of their natural home range which creates huge distress for these wonderful animals.
Travelling responsibly means never including captive wildlife entertainment or experiences on your itinerary and refusing to book your holiday with travel companies which may claim to offer responsible, sustainable travel, while continuing to profit from wild animal exploitation.
The report also shows the travel companies who have made significant, positive steps for wildlife over recent years including Airbnb, and Booking.com. Expedia has improved in some areas, having stopped selling captive dolphin entertainment in 2021.
Katheryn Wise, World Animal Protection, Wildlife Campaign Manager, said: “Holiday makers have made it clear; they don’t want tour operators selling animal suffering, but the reality is, suffering is still being sold under the guise of entertainment.
“Who you book your holiday with matters. TUI Musement, Jet2holidays, GetYourGuide Trip.com and Attraction Tickets.com are STILL exploiting captive wild animals.
“World Animal Protection is urging responsible travellers to join us in challenging these companies to do better for animals. Real responsible travellers have the power to act and create lasting change for wild animals by refusing to support companies that still treat wild animals as commodities who they can exploit for profit.
“We are also urging the UK government to take action by passing the Animals (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Bill, which sees its second parliamentary reading take place on February 3rd. This important bill intends to stop the sale and advertising of activities abroad which involve low standards of welfare for animals.”
The Real ResponsibleTraveller report builds on World Animal Protection’s 2020 Tracking the Travel Industry report, which assessed Airbnb, AttractionTickets.com, Booking.com, DER Touristik, Expedia, Flight Centre, GetYourGuide, Klook, The Travel Corporation, Viator, Trip.com and TUI Musement.
World Animal Protection commissioned the University of Surrey who independently analysed the public commitments travel companies have, and haven’t, made.
Companies were scored across four key areas:
Commitment: Availability and quality of published animal welfare policies and how applicable they are to all their brands
Targets and performance: Availability and scope of published time bound targets and reports on progress towards meeting animal welfare commitments
Changing industry supply: Availability and quality of engagement with suppliers and the overall industry, to implement wildlife-friendly changes
Changing consumer demand: Availability and quality of educational animal welfare content and tools to empower consumers to make wildlife-friendly travel choices
They are cruelly trained, chained, abused and exposed to frequent interactions with tourists, loud noises and constant camera flashes. This is no life for a tiger, and why we’re calling on Thai authorities to introduce a breeding ban of captive tigers in Thailand and for better welfare standards for tigers in entertainment venues. In the picture: Tigers spend the day chained for tourist photos. The teeth of this one had also been clipped.
World Animal Protection then checked to see if they offered any of the five “animal attractions”:
Elephant rides, feeding and washing
Feeding or petting primates
Selfies, shows, petting or walking with big cats
Swimming with captive dolphins and dolphin shows
The sale of any interactive “experiences” involving any captive wild animals (including for example sea lions, crocodiles and alligators)
For more information about industry best practices and how holidaymakers can make their concerns known to the travel companies click here.
More than 100 projects awarded share of £2.1 billion from Round 2 of UK government’s flagship Levelling Up Fund to create jobs and boost the economy
More than 100 projects awarded share of £2.1 billion from Round 2 of government’s flagship Levelling Up Fund
Projects will benefit millions of people across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and create jobs and boost economic growth
£672 million to develop better transport links, £821 million to kick-start community regeneration and £594 million to restore local heritage sites
Successful bids include Eden Project North in Morecambe, a new AI campus in Blackpool, regeneration in Gateshead, and rail improvements in Cornwall
Landmark levelling up funding will breathe new life into more than 100 communities, with up to £2.1 billion awarded today to transformational projects across the United Kingdom.
These include Eden Project North visitor attraction in Morecambe (above), a new AI campus in Blackpool, a new rail link in Cornwall, and a major regeneration scheme in Gateshead that will create jobs and grow the economy.
Major government investment will benefit millions of people across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland and spread opportunity to historically overlooked areas – with £672 million to develop better transport links, £821 million to kick-start community regeneration, and £594 million to restore local heritage sites.
A total of 111 areas have been awarded funding from the second of the government’s flagship Levelling Up Fund, providing greater investment in communities that will create new jobs, drive economic growth, help restore people’s pride in the places where they live, and spread opportunity more equally. Secretaries of State will be visiting winning projects across the UK to see how local leaders will deliver for local people.
This will drive forward the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy by levelling up and provide the foundations for building a better future in communities across the UK. By working as one United Kingdom, the country is better able to collectively tackle the individual challenges faced by every region and nation across the country.
The government has also confirmed there will be a further round of the Levelling Up Fund, providing more opportunity to level up places across the UK.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Through greater investment in local areas, we can grow the economy, create good jobs and spread opportunity everywhere.That’s why we are backing more than 100 projects with new transformational funding to level up local communities across the United Kingdom.
“By reaching even more parts of the country than before, we will build a future of optimism and pride in people’s lives and the places they call home.”
Projects awarded Levelling Up Fund money today include:
Eden Project North will receive £50 million to transform a derelict site on Morecambe’s seafront into a world class visitor attraction. It will also kick-start regeneration more widely in Morecambe, creating jobs, supporting tourism and encouraging investment in the seaside town.
Cardiff Crossrail has been allocated £50 million from the fund to improve the journey to and from the city and raise the economic performance of the wider region.
Blackpool Council and Wyre Council will receive £40 million to deliver a new Multiversity, a carbon-neutral, education campus in Blackpool’s Talbot Gateway Central Business District. This historic funding allows Blackpool and The Fylde College to replace their ageing out-of-town centre facilities with world-class state-of-the-art ones in the heart of the town centre. The Multiversity will promote higher-level skills, including automation and artificial intelligence, helping young people secure jobs of the future.
Nearly £27 million has been guaranteed for a new roll-on, roll-off ferry for Fair Isle in the Shetland Islands. The service is a lifeline for the island, supporting its residents, visitors and supply chains, and without its replacement the community will become further isolated.
A total of £20 million is going towards the regeneration of Gateshead Quays and the Sage, which will include a new arena, exhibition centre, hotels, and other hospitality. The development will attract nearly 800,000 visitors a year and will create more than 1,150 new jobs.
A £50 million grant will help create a new direct train service, linking 4 of Cornwall’s largest urban areas: Newquay, St Austell, Truro, and Falmouth/Penryn. This will level up access to jobs, skills, education, and amenities in one of the most economically disadvantaged areas in the UK.
There is £5.1 million to build new female changing rooms in 20 rugby clubs across Northern Ireland.
The UK government will also today launch an interactive map online so people can see which projects in their area are receiving Levelling Up Fund investment. This will be available at https://levellingup.campaign.gov.uk/.
Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said: “We are firing the starting gun on more than a hundred transformational projects in every corner of the UK that will revitalise communities that have historically been overlooked but are bursting with potential.
“This new funding will create jobs, drive economic growth, and help to restore local pride. We are delivering on the people’s priorities, levelling up across the UK to ensure that no matter where you are from, you can go as far as your talents will take you.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt said: “This is a major down payment on local jobs, growth and regeneration, all part of our mission to level up opportunity across the country.
“To unlock more growth right across the country, we are making it easier for locally-elected leaders to make things happen without banging on a Whitehall door by extending devolution deals to all areas of England that want them by 2030.”
The successful bids announced today follows the allocation of £1.7 billion to 105 projects from Round 1 of the Levelling Up Fund in 2021. The government confirmed last year that Round 2 funding would match Round 1 but increased this by more than £400 million after receiving a high number of transformative bids – taking the total allocated so far from the fund to £3.8 billion.
Today’s allocations also come on top of significant action already taken by the government to level up communities across the country. This includes opening 7 freeports, signing 6 devolution deals, connecting 740,000 homes and business with gigabit broadband, and helping 70 community groups take ownership of their cherished pubs, clubs and local landmarks at risk of closure.
The Towns Fund has been providing funding of up £25 million, to 101 towns in order to boost local economies outside of big cities and deliver vital infrastructure.
Developing better transport links
More than £670 million from the Levelling Fund has been allocated to 26 projects across the United Kingdom to improve transport links.
This includes £40 million for the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to transform its bus services, especially in areas of deprivation and for communities who do not have access to a car.
The North East Combined Authority will receive nearly £20 million to buy more than 50 new electric buses. This will provide more than 3,000 seats for passengers, improve air quality, reduce congestion and support businesses in the region.
Belfast International Airport will receive £2.3 million to purchase an electric bus fleet, which will have significant benefits for travellers and local people with better air quality and reduced noise.
Nearly £27 million has been guaranteed for a new roll-on, roll-off ferry for the Shetland Fair Isle in Scotland, providing a lifeline for the community, visitors and vital supply chains.
Revitalising towns and cities
Over £760 million is being provided to regenerate towns and cities and unlock thousands of new homes.
This includes £20 million to regenerate Accrington town centre, which will see the renovation of the Grade II listed Accrington Market Hall into a bustling food hall and trading space and the refurbish of the vacant and dilapidated Burtons Chambers and Market Chambers into band-new office spaces.
There is £18 million for a transformation of Cleethorpes seafront, including the historic market square and regenerating Pier Gardens.
The construction of Willenhall Garden City in Walsall will be accelerated by a £20 million grant, which will unlock a £210 million regeneration plan, enabling the delivery of new homes, parks, and a railway station.
More £17 million will level up Leek Town Centre through a refurbishment plan that will upgrade the old market halls for new business use, upgrade the public library and museum, and create a swimming facility as part of wider town centre regeneration.
Restoring local heritage
£545 million will restore local landmarks and protect them for generations to come.
This includes nearly £18 million to transform the Grand Pavilion in Porthcawl, one of the most recognisable buildings in South Wales, which is currently deteriorating after years of piecemeal refurbishments.
There is £20 million to restore the Grade II listed Haigh Hall in Wigan, which will rejuvenate the area and make the site a popular destination for culture, community, events and hospitality.
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack has made an order under section 35 of the Scotland Act 1998, preventing the Scottish Parliament’s Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill from proceeding to Royal Assent.
Oral statement by Scottish Secretary Alister Jack to the House of Commons yesterday in relation to the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill:
Mr Speaker, today I will make an order under section 35 of the Scotland Act 1998 preventing the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill from proceeding to Royal Assent.
This Order will mean the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament will not submit the Bill for Royal Assent.
This Government believes however that transgender people deserve our respect, our support and our understanding.
My decision is centred on the legislation’s consequences for the operation of reserved matters, including equality legislation across Scotland, England and Wales.
The Scottish Government’s Bill would introduce a new process for applying for legal gender recognition in Scotland.
The changes include reducing the minimum age a person can apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate from eighteen to sixteen, and removing the need for a medical diagnosis and evidence of having lived for two years in their acquired gender.
The Bill would amend the Gender Recognition Act 2004, which legislated for a single gender recognition system across the UK and which received a Legislative Consent Motion from the Scottish Parliament.
The approach taken in the Scottish Government’s Gender Recognition Reform Bill was the subject of intense debate in the Scottish Parliament.
A number of significant amendments were tabled right up until the end of the Bill’s passage.
And the Minister for Women and Equalities corresponded with and met with the Cabinet Secretary Shona Robison to discuss the UK Government’s concerns, before the Bill had reached its final stage.
Mr Speaker, I have not taken this decision lightly.
The Government has looked closely at the potential impact of the Bill and I have considered all relevant policy and operational implications, together with the Minister for Women and Equalities.
And it is our assessment that the Bill would have a serious adverse impact, among other things, on the operation of the Equality Act 2010.
Those adverse effects include impacts on the operation of single-sex clubs, associations and schools, and protections such as equal pay.
The Government shares the concerns of many members of the public and civic society groups regarding the potential impact of the Bill on women and girls.
The Bill also risks creating significant complications from having two different gender recognition regimes in the UK and allowing more fraudulent or bad faith applications.
The Government is today publishing a full Statement of Reasons, alongside the order, which will set in full the adverse effects the Government is concerned about (see below – Ed.).
Mr Speaker, I would like to address the claims put forward by those who would seek to politicise this decision and claim that this is some kind of “constitutional outrage” and you can hear them Mr Speaker, you can hear them.
The section 35 power was included in the Scotland Act, which established the Scottish Parliament.
This the first time the power has been exercised and I acknowledge that this is a significant decision.
The powers in Section 35 of the Scotland Act are not new, and this Government has not created them. They have existed as long as devolution itself.
And we should be clear that the power was included in the Act by the architects of devolution for a reason. Donald Dewar himself noted that the power struck an “important balance”.
The section 35 power provides a sensible measure to ensure that devolved legislation does not have adverse impacts on reserved matters, including on equalities legislation such as the Equality Act 2010.
This is not about preventing the Scottish Parliament from legislating on devolved matters but about ensuring that we do not have legal frameworks in one part of the UK which have adverse effects on reserved matters.
And we should be clear that this is absolutely not about the UK Government being able to veto Scottish Parliament legislation whenever it chooses, as some have implied.
The power can only be exercised on specific grounds – and the fact that this is the first time it has been necessary to exercise the power in almost twenty-five years of devolution emphasises that it is not a power to be used lightly.
In the instance of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, I have concluded that the bill would have serious, adverse effects on the operation of the Equality Act 2010.
As I set out in my correspondence with the First Minister yesterday, I would prefer not to be in this situation.
The UK Government does all we can to respect the devolution settlement and to resolve disputes.
It is open to the Scottish Government to bring back an amended Bill for reconsideration in the Scottish Parliament.
So to conclude, Mr Speaker, I have set out to the Scottish Government that should they choose to do so, I hope we can work together to find a constructive way forward that both respects devolution and the operation of UK Parliament legislation.
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told the BBC that the Scottish government will seek a judicial review of the Westminster government’s decision at the Court of Session in Edinburgh.
There’s every possibility that this constitutional wrangle will end up in the UK’s Supreme Court.
New plan sets out steps to unlock the potential of smart electric vehicle charging, including allowing motorists to power their homes using the electricity stored in their electric vehicle
electric vehicle drivers could save hundreds of pounds each year while cutting emissions by smarter charging of their electric vehicles
billpayers without electric vehicles will also benefit from a more sustainable, secure and efficient electricity system
projects, including a street lamppost capable of charging electric vehicles and selling power back to the grid, will receive a share of £16 million funding
Electric vehicle consumers are set to benefit from lower energy bills and cheaper motoring thanks to a landmark plan to unlock the potential of smart electric vehicle charging.
The Electric Vehicle Smart Charging Action Plan published today (Tuesday 17 January) by the government and Ofgem, sets out steps being taken to seize on the significant potential of smart charging and make it the preferred method of long duration charging by 2025.
Smart charging harnesses the potential of energy use data and the latest energy innovations to deliver significant benefits for consumers, including allowing motorists to charge electric vehicles when electricity is cheaper or cleaner, allowing consumers to power their home using electricity stored in their electric vehicle, or even sell it back to the grid for profit. It is expected high mileage motorists could save up to £1,000 a year through smarter charging.
And to back this up further, the government has today also announced £16 million funding from the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP) for technologies that harness the potential of smart charging, including a smart street lamppost which will enable motorists to access smart charging on the move, and projects that will enable domestic appliances, from heat pumps to electric vehicle charge points and batteries, to integrate into a smarter energy system.
Energy and Climate Minister Graham Stuart said: “We want to make smart charging an easier choice for drivers of electric vehicles, whether that is charging on the driveway, at the workplace, or parked on the street. To do that we need to build new network infrastructure at pace, using the latest available technologies.
“Today’s plan sets out how we will work with Ofgem and industry to kickstart the market for smart charging, which we are backing up with £16 million in innovation funding. This will let people take control of their energy usage, in the most convenient and low-cost way.
Ofgem Director for Strategy and Decarbonisation Neil Kenward said: “As energy regulator, we’re helping create the infrastructure to deliver Britain’s net zero future at the lowest cost to customers.
“This latest innovative plan will help to maximise the benefits of smart charging, offer vital savings to consumers and reduce the overall cost of energy by seizing the opportunities to use batteries to both power homes and fuel the wider grid.”
Today’s announcements build on the major steps already taken by the government to enable smart and flexible electric vehicle charging. As of July 2022, all new charge points sold for private now must have smart functionality and the UK is consulting on a new policy and technical framework to unlock the benefits of domestic smart, flexible energy, and enhance its cybersecurity.
Through the plan, the government will improve publicly available information and evidence on smart charging, support the implementation of robust consumer service standards and ensure private charge points are secure and compatible with the latest energy innovations.
The roll out of intelligent and automated smart charging will deliver a win-win situation for all consumers. Reduced electricity system costs will lower prices for everyone, motorists will pay less for charging their electric vehicle, and the electricity powering electric vehicles will be cleaner and greener.
The government and Ofgem will seek to remove the barriers that currently prevent the full development of a diverse and competitive smart charging market, while making sure the energy system is ready to respond to the upturn in energy demand that electric vehicles will bring.
£229,000 to a project led by Otaski Energy Solutions (Gateshead, Tyne and Wear) to develop a smart street lamppost capable of charging electric vehicles and sharing power back to the grid
£220,000 to V2X-Flex (Reigate, Surrey), a project led by EV Dot Energy Ltd to develop prototype software and a new business model which will reduce entry barriers for the domestic use of V2X bi-directional chargers to provide energy flexibility services
£165,000 to BEVScanV2X (London), a project led by Agile Charging Ltd to develop technology that could overcome battery degradation by creating a cost-effective tool to monitor and advise best approaches to maximise battery life and financial returns from smart charging
Among those receiving funding today through the Interoperable Demand-Side Response (IDSR) Programme, which supports technologies that allow consumers to remotely increase or decrease their energy use to take advantage of when energy is cheaper or more renewables are on the grid, are:
£510,000 to Energy Smart Heat Pump (Chertsey, Surrey), a project by Samsung Electronics UK and their project partners Passiv UK to design and develop a technology solution that is able to provide demand side response (DSR) services via Samsung Heat Pumps, giving greater control of their usage on the basis of cost or carbon savings
£1.2 million to Smart-DSRFlex (Manchester), a project by Landis & Gyr UK to demonstrate how DSR technology can help to manage a renewables-based electricity grid using the smart meter system
£29,000 to Open DSR for All (Manchester), a project by Carbon Co-op to explore the benefits and technical barriers to an accessible approach to domestic DSR, potentially enabling more products being able to offer DSR in future
Depending on tariff, mileage, and charging patterns, smarter charging could save an average driver up to £200, and a high mileage driver up to £1000 a year by delaying the power demand from electric vehicles at peak periods, such as 4pm to 9pm on winter evenings. By helping to efficiently balance when energy is generated and used on the electricity grid, the technology could contribute to reducing electricity prices for consumers across the network.
Delivering the steps set out in the Action Plan will help make smart charging the norm at home and work by 2025. It is the ambition that in the late 2020s smart charging will also become more commonplace at long-duration public charging, such as on-street or at transport hubs.
‘This is a full-frontal attack on our democratically elected Scottish Parliament‘ – First Minister Nicola Sturgeon
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack has made an order under section 35 of the Scotland Act 1998, preventing the Scottish Parliament’s Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill from proceeding to Royal Assent.
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said last night: “I have decided to make an order under section 35 of the Scotland Act 1998, preventing the Scottish Parliament’s Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill from proceeding to Royal Assent.
“After thorough and careful consideration of all the relevant advice and the policy implications, I am concerned that this legislation would have an adverse impact on the operation of Great Britain-wide equalities legislation.
“Transgender people who are going through the process to change their legal sex deserve our respect, support and understanding. My decision today is about the legislation’s consequences for the operation of GB-wide equalities protections and other reserved matters.
“I have not taken this decision lightly. The Bill would have a significant impact on, amongst other things, GB-wide equalities matters in Scotland, England and Wales. I have concluded, therefore, that this is the necessary and correct course of action.
“If the Scottish Government chooses to bring an amended Bill back for reconsideration in the Scottish Parliament, I hope we can work together to find a constructive way forward that both respects devolution and the operation of UK Parliament legislation.
“I have written today to the First Minister and the Scottish Parliament’s Presiding Officer informing them of my decision.”
Reacting to the announcement last night, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: “This is a full-frontal attack on our democratically elected Scottish Parliament and it’s ability to make it’s own decisions on devolved matters.
“@scotgov will defend the legislation & stand up for Scotland’s Parliament. If this Westminster veto succeeds, it will be first of many”
The Scottish Secretary will address Westminster later today to further explain the reasons for this unprecedented decision. Doubtless Holyrood, too, will have much to say.
LIBERTY: ‘This latest attack on our rights must be resisted.’
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is ‘backing the police’ to clamp down on highly disruptive and dangerous protests, under plans announced today.
Through an amendment tabled to the Public Order Bill, the Government will broaden the legal definition of ‘serious disruption’, giving police greater flexibility and clarity over when to intervene to stop the disruptive minority who use tactics such as blocking roads and slow marching to inflict misery on the public.
While the Government has already given police additional powers to prevent protestors using guerrilla tactics, police chiefs have told the Prime Minister that there is some uncertainty over what reaches the threshold of ‘serious disruption’.
The changes introduced today will give police officers absolute clarity over when they should step in. In practice, this will mean:
police will not need to wait for disruption to take place and can shut protests down before chaos erupts
police will not need to treat a series of protests by the same group as standalone incidents but will be able to consider their total impact
police will be able to consider long-running campaigns designed to cause repeat disruption over a period of days or weeks
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “The right to protest is a fundamental principle of our democracy, but this is not absolute. A balance must be struck between the rights of individuals and the rights of the hard-working majority to go about their day-to-day business.
“We cannot have protests conducted by a small minority disrupting the lives of the ordinary public. It’s not acceptable and we’re going to bring it to an end.
“The police asked us for more clarity to crack down on these guerrilla tactics, and we have listened.”
Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service, Sir Mark Rowley said: “The Met has a long history of policing protests, responding quickly and effectively to incidents involving crime and where serious disruption is caused, often in challenging situations. We have specialist officers trained to deal with a range of tactics, but this is complex, time-consuming work.
“It is clearly understood that everybody has the right to protest. Increasingly however police are getting drawn into complex legal arguments about the balance between that right to protest and the rights of others to go about their daily lives free from serious disruption. The lack of clarity in the legislation and the increasing complexity of the case law is making this more difficult and more contested.
“It is for Parliament to decide the law, and along with other police chiefs, I made the case for a clearer legal framework in relation to protest, obstruction and public nuisance laws. We have not sought any new powers to curtail or constrain protest, but have asked for legal clarity about where the balance of rights should be struck.
“I welcome the government’s proposal to introduce a legal definition of “serious disruption” and “reasonable excuse”. In practical terms, Parliament providing such clarity will create a clearer line for the police to enforce when protests impact upon others who simply wish to go about their lawful business.”
National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Public Order and Public Safety, Chief Constable BJ Harrington, said: ““We welcome the constructive conversations with government over more clearly defining serious disruption.This will support officers in confidently and quickly taking action and making arrests where appropriate.
“Policing is not anti-protest, but there is a difference between protest and criminal activism, and we are committed to responding quickly and effectively to activists who deliberately disrupt people’s lives through dangerous, reckless, and criminal acts.
“Police have a responsibility to appropriately balance the rights of the public who are going about their daily business lawfully and the rights of those protesting.”
The College of Policing have confirmed today that they will produce guidance outlining the additional powers given to officers over the last year.
National Highways is also reviewing its guidance, taking learnings from previous protests to ensure that roads are reopened as quickly as it is safe to do so.
Today’s announcement is the latest step in the UK Government’s continued commitment to tackle the highly disruptive protests that the British public have been increasingly subjected to over the last few years’.
Through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, the Government introduced a statutory offence of public nuisance and created powers for the police to place conditions on unjustifiably noisy protests and increased the sentences for obstructing the highway.
Measures already announced in the Public Order Bill include creating a new criminal offence for interfering with key national infrastructure and for ‘locking-on’.
The Prime Minister also sat down with the Home Secretary and police chiefs in December to give a clear message that the Government expects protesters who disrupt the lives of others to be swiftly removed and arrested.
LIBERTY:PROPOSED NEW POLICE POWERS TO ARREST PROTESTERS BEFORE DISRUPTION BEGINS MUST BE RESISTED
Responding to news that the Government have introduced an amendment to the Public Order Bill that will give police new powers to arrest protesters on the chance that they intend to cause serious disruption, Director of Liberty Martha Spurrier said: “Protest is a fundamental right, not a gift from the State. But our right to protest continues to be attacked by a Government determined to silence people and hide from accountability.
“These new proposals should be seen for what they are: a desperate attempt to shut down any route for ordinary people to make their voices heard. Allowing the police to shut down protests before any disruption has taken place simply on the off-chance that it might sets a dangerous precedent, not to mention making the job of officers policing protests much more complex.
“From championing refugee rights to raising the alarm on the cost-of-living crisis, striking for workers’ rights, and fighting for racial and climate justice, protest today remains a crucial way for people to hold the Government to account. This latest attack on our rights must be resisted.”
RoSPA: Government must extend 2023 deadline for EU Law repeal to avoid life-saving laws falling over a cliff edge
The debate on the Retained EU Law Bill and trading standards featured at The Commons on Thursday
RoSPA calls to keep people safe from accidents and injury by ensuring there’s enough time to conduct a thorough review and consultation process to maintain the UK’s position as a beacon of safety
– Bill provides an ‘opportunity’ to pave the way for more effective legislation and regulations by assessing each law individually, over a greater time period – according to RoSPA
With Thursday’s adjournment debate on the Retained EU Law Bill and trading standards set to rage on, the Royal Society of the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has reiterated its calls for a delay to the proposed implementation of the Bill at the end of this year.
Under the Bill, the Government is committed to repealing or replacing over 4,000 pieces of law taken from the UK’s previous membership of the bloc by December 2023, including compulsory seatbelt usage, workplace safety legislation, toy safety regulations, the working time directive and more.
A growing list of organisations, politicians and peers have expressed concern over rushing through the Bill, saying there is not enough time to thoroughly assess, adapt or improve each law, and if essential laws are repealed on mass this year, without proper review and consultation, many lives will be lost as a result.
Errol Taylor, Chief Executive of RoSPA, says that if managed correctly, this Bill could offer an opportunity to arrive at a successful destination, but that cannot happen if the Government sticks by its current 2023 deadline, which represents a cliff edge over which will fall essential life-saving legislation.
“At RoSPA, we’re proud to say we’re world leaders in the safety field and work with UK Government to prevent accidents and the unnecessary loss of life. Consequently, the headlong rush to abolish regulations is alarming.
“While we agree that the revision and sanitation of standards could be a positive step, we need to ensure we do this sensibly and in consultation. The Bill offers a huge opportunity for health and safety professionals to lead the way in protecting and enhancing people’s lives, and we want to be at the forefront of that.
“Ultimately, the importance lies in the preservation of the aim and intention of legislation, whether that’s protecting children, drivers or the elderly – not in how we get there.”
Some of the key laws set to be abolished, include:
The 2011 Toys (Safety) Regulations – dictating how toys are marketed, to make clear if they might be choking hazards, contain toxic chemicals, or if there is a danger that parts may come loose
The 1993 Motor Vehicles (Wearing of Seat Belts By Children in Front Seats) Regulations – setting out limited exceptions
The 2015 Construction (Design and Management) Regulations – to ensure proper oversight of building projects to mitigate “the risks involved”, ensure firms employ “the right people for the right job” and communicate dangers “effectively”
The 2012 Control of Asbestos Regulations – requiring all building owners to maintain accurate registers of where there is dangerous asbestos to avoid accidental exposure
2011 legislation “on the provision of food information to consumers” – which sets out “requirements for food and drink labelling”, to alert shoppers to potentially deadly allergens
The 1999 Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations – specifying what actions an employer must take.
Sir Jonathan Jones, the former head of the Government Legal Department, said leaving a needlessly short space of time to review such a large amount of legislation, was a ‘terrible way to make law.’ [1]
This has been echoed by Chris Fox, the Liberal Democrat business spokesperson in the Lords[JA1][JB2][JB3] , as well as leading industry bodies like the Trades Union Congress (TUC), the Institute of Directors (IoD) and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, who say that the Bill will hinder economic growth2.
The Prime Minister has announced the UK will send tanks and self-propelled guns to aid the Ukrainian offensive
As the first anniversary of the war approaches, the PM has stressed the need for an international strategy to break the stalemate
This week the Foreign and Defence Secretaries will meet counterparts to galvanise international action
The Prime Minister is set to accelerate the UK’s diplomatic and military support to Ukraine in the weeks ahead in a bid to push Russia further back and secure a lasting peace.
A flurry of UK diplomatic activity will take place across the globe this week after the Prime Minister directed senior ministers to drive international action as we approach the first anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in late February.
The Prime Minister has already committed to match or exceed the UK’s defence support for Ukraine in 2023 and he instructed ministers and officials this week to ensure we are being proactive as possible across the full spectrum of our support.
UK defence and security officials believe a window has opened up where Russia is on the backfoot due to resupply issues and plummeting morale. The Prime Minister is therefore encouraging allies to deploy their planned support for 2023 as soon as possible to have maximum impact.
Sending Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine is the start of a gear change in the UK’s support. A squadron of 14 tanks will go into the country in the coming weeks after the Prime Minister told President Zelenskyy that the UK would provide additional support to aid Ukraine’s land war. Around 30 AS90s, which are large, self-propelled guns, operated by five gunners, are expected to follow. The Defence Secretary will set out further details of this support in the House of Commons on Monday.
The UK will begin training the Ukrainian Armed Forces to use the tanks and guns in the coming days, as part of wider UK efforts which have seen thousands of Ukrainian troops trained in the UK over the last six months.
The Prime Minister has tasked the Defence Secretary with bringing together European allies to ensure the surge of global military support is as strategic and coordinated as possible. The Defence Secretary will travel to Estonia and Germany this week to work with NATO allies and other international partners to this end.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Secretary will travel to the United States later this week to discuss how the UK and US can leverage our position as leading supporters of Ukraine to galvanise further international action.
He will also travel to Canada – another of Ukraine’s staunchest supporters – to discuss closer coordination on international sanctions and our coordinated effort to boost our support to Ukraine.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: “As the people of Ukraine approach their second year living under relentless Russian bombardment, the Prime Minister is dedicated to ensuring Ukraine wins this war.
“Alongside his closest military advisors, he has analysed the military picture, looked at the strategic impact of the UK’s support and identified a window where he thinks the UK and its allies can have maximum impact.
“The Prime Minister is clear that a long and static war only serves Russia’s ends. That’s why he and his ministers will be speaking to our allies across the world in the days and weeks ahead to ramp up pressure on Putin and secure a better future for Ukraine.”
In the lead up to the one-year anniversary of the invasion, the Prime Minister will seek to demonstrate the UK’s power as an international catalyst with influence across NATO, the G7, the Joint Expeditionary Force and elsewhere.
He will work with partners to put Ukraine in the strongest possible place to enter future peace negotiations from a position of military, economic and diplomatic strength and secure a strong and lasting peace.
Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport and Forth Green Freeport have been jointly selected by the Scottish and UK governments to become Scotland’s first Green Freeports.
Following a rigorous assessment and selection process, the two winning bids will be supported by up to £52 million in start-up funding and will benefit from tax reliefs and other incentives through a combination of devolved and reserved powers.
Applicants to become a Green Freeport in Scotland were required to demonstrate how they would contribute towards a just transition to net zero emissions by 2045 and create new, green jobs. They were also required to set out how they would support high-quality employment opportunities with fair work conditions at their core.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “This is a milestone achievement in the process to deliver Green Freeports for Scotland.
“Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport and Forth Green Freeport will support businesses to create high-quality, well-paid new jobs, promote growth and regeneration, and make a significant contribution to achieving our net zero ambitions. .
“A rigorous joint selection process has been followed. The successful applicants showed a strong determination to embed fair work practices, including payment of the Real Living Wage, and to enshrine net zero initiatives in their work.
“We look forward to working closely with them to ensure they deliver maximum positive impact and become operational as soon as possible.
“We will also work with the unsuccessful bidders to consider how they can build on the plans set out in their bids to deliver jobs and growth in their regions outside the Green Freeports programme.
“Scotland has a rich history of innovation, trade and manufacturing and as we look to seize the many opportunities achieving net zero offers, the creation of these internationally competitive clusters of excellence will help us to create new green jobs, deliver a just transition and support our economic transformation.”
Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said: “Scotland has areas of outstanding opportunity but there are also places that can benefit from more investment to truly level up communities that have been overlooked.
“This is a shared challenge faced by us all across the UK, which is why I’m delighted the UK and Scottish governments have collaborated to deliver two Green Freeports in Scotland, which will undoubtedly be transformative for future generations.
“Inverness and Cromarty Firth and the Firth of Forth are fantastic areas for these new Green Freeports to set up, ensuring the benefits are felt right across Scotland. This will help to create exciting new jobs, boost business and encourage investment in the local areas and beyond.”
The Forth Green Freeport bid aspires to deliver up to an additional 50,000 jobs across the UK, generate £6 billion in investment and contribute over £4 billion in GVA across sites in Grangemouth, Rosyth, Leith, Burntisland and Edinburgh Airport.
Its activities will focus on renewables, advanced manufacturing, alternative fuels, carbon capture utilisation and storage, shipbuilding, logistics and the creative industries.
Lothian Conservative MSP Miles Briggs said: “I am delighted that Forth Ports, based at Leith docs, has won Greenport status along the Firth of Forth.
“Securing Greenport status is something I have been campaigning on for a long time and will bring huge economic, environmental and social benefits to the region. The team at Forth Ports did extremely well with their bid for the Firth of Forth to be one of two locations for a Greenport in Scotland.
“This is a great example of the UK Government and Scottish Government working together for the betterment of Scotland. The Firth of Forth Greenport area will be key in Scotland’s efforts to become net zero by 2045.”
Charles Hammond OBE, Chief Executive of Forth Ports and lead Forth Green Freeport bid partner with sites at Leith, Grangemouth, Rosyth and Burntisland, welcomed the shortlisting by the Scottish and UK Governments: “Today’s shortlisting is great news for Scotland, for new green jobs and for the country’s drive to net zero.
“Together with our consortium partners, our bid will re-industrialise the nation and create large scale economic development. Our green freeport will accelerate investment and generate 50,000 new green jobs by acting as a catalyst for new technologies and renewable energy manufacturing. This has the potential to unlock £6 billion of private and public investment for Scotland and create new training facilities, factories, logistics parks, rail, freight and fuel terminals and to enhance our creative industries.
“The benefits of trade will be spread widely into the communities that need it the most, through the establishment of a green growth investment corridor creating tens of thousands of jobs in low carbon logistics, renewable energy, green manufacturing and alternative fuels. These new jobs will not just be in Grangemouth, Leith and Rosyth, but in Glasgow and Edinburgh; the Lothians, Stirling and Falkirk; Dunfermline and Burntisland; and across the UK.”
The Forth Green Freeport consortium is a private and public partnership that includes: Forth Ports; Babcock; INEOS; Edinburgh Airport; Scarborough Muir Group; Falkirk Council; Fife Council; and The City of Edinburgh Council.
The bid’s strategically located tax and customs sites span 550 hectares in Grangemouth, Leith, Rosyth, Burntisland and Edinburgh Airport. This will increase trade through Scotland’s sea and air gateways and support the growth of trading businesses across the Firth of Forth and at sites spread north, south and west of the estuary. These locations are at the heart of Scotland’s international trade, with goods representing 30% of Scotland’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) flowing through Grangemouth alone.
Cllr Cecil Meiklejohn, Leader of Falkirk Council, said: “The Forth Green Freeport bid is underpinned by a set of social values that includes inclusivity, combatting of illicit activity, anti-trafficking and safety and security of both goods and people.
“Falkirk Council is delighted that the Forth Green Freeport Bid has been successful and looks forward to working with the UK and Scottish Governments and other partners to ensure that the Green Freeport brings forward not only inward investment but real benefits for our communities.
“We are particularly pleased that the Forth Green Freeport Bid commits not only to Net Zero by 2045, but to both fair work principles and a skills fund for the benefit of local people.”
Cllr Altany Craik, Spokesperson – Finance, Economy & Strategic Planning, Fife Council, said: “Fife Council welcome Government commitment to the Forth Green Freeport Designation and look forward to continuing close working with all including Forth Ports to deliver the jobs, investment and economic outcomes that can now be realised for Fife.
“The opportunity to reindustrialise the Forth sustainably and to harness the strategic employment and investment opportunities along our Fife Forth coast will enable all parts of Fife and in particular Mid Fife, to benefit economically.”
Cllr Cammy Day, Leader of City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Forth Ports’ bid to become a Green Freeport has been approved by the Scottish and UK Government. A Freeport will be positive for the north of Edinburgh and our economy as a whole.
“Our long-term investment in the tram extension to Newhaven is already unlocking this part of the city for long-term development and regeneration. Plus, our £1.3 billion green vision for Granton Waterfront is creating a brand new coastal community, with jobs and thousands of net zero homes.
“By progressing the vision for a Green Freeport at the Port of Leith and a customs site at Edinburgh Airport, we could unlock a whole east-west corridor of net zero economic growth. But it’s important that this is sustainable change and inclusive – we want to see the project provide pathways into work and learning for disadvantaged young people from the area.
“I’ve made it clear that we need fair work, fair opportunities, the living wage, a unionised workforce and community benefits as central to the delivery of this project going forward and I look forward to working with Forth Ports and the Scottish Government to make this happen.”
There has not been a universal welcome, however. Edinburgh Green councillor for Leith Chas Booth said: “Very disappointing news. Freeports undermine workers’ rights and risk a race to the bottom on environmental protection.
“Any jobs will be displaced from elsewhere, not be new. This is bad news for #Leith and I will continue to oppose.”
