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Bridget Phillipson, the opposition party’s education spokesperson, has denounced the high number of students in England who are not attending school as a disgraceful issue. During a discussion in Parliament about a motion proposed by the Labour party to create a law establishing a nationwide record of children not enrolled in school, she stated:
It is a shocking issue that countless children are not attending school on a daily and weekly basis. Skipping school is not just a standalone issue, but rather a sign of underlying problems and can lead to additional concerns.
The Labour party was defeated in the vote with a margin of 303 votes to 189, resulting in a majority of 114.
The recent release from Edelman, which was published today, contains damaging information about the Conservative party and Rishi Sunak’s administration. Here is a portion of the news release from Edelman.
Since 2021, trust in government overall fell by 15 points while, trust in local government also plummeted, from 53% to 41% over the same period. The timeframe suggests the incumbent government led by Rishi Sunak hasn’t been able to shake off the impact of either the Partygate scandal or the economic shock of Liz Truss’s short-lived tenure as prime minister.
In 2021, there has been a significant increase in the number of people who believe that the government only caters to specific groups, with a record high of 69%. Similarly, the percentage of those who view the government as “corrupt and biased” has also risen by 23 points. Less than a quarter of individuals (24%) see the government as “honest and fair”. Additionally, there has been a record increase of 19 points in the number of people (60%) who perceive the government as completely ineffective in bringing about positive change.
The report includes a graph that displays the UK ranking low on a list of countries in terms of trust in government. Trust has decreased by seven points from the previous year. The data is derived from responses to inquiries about whether individuals believe their country’s institutions are trustworthy in making ethical decisions.
However, the top two countries on this trust index are Saudi Arabia and China, both known for their oppressive governments. This indicates that in certain nations, the trust index may not accurately reflect the government’s level of integrity and honesty, but rather reflects the level of safety individuals feel in openly criticizing their rulers when participating in surveys.
According to Edelman, the 30% statistic for the UK is significantly lower compared to other similar countries like France (39%), Germany (42%), and Ireland (45%). However, it is not the lowest on record as it is only the lowest since 2012.
At 11:56am, the Tories released a statement from Dame Andrea Leadsom, a health minister, in response. She stated:
In Wales, where Labour holds power, less than 50% of patients in need of eye care are being seen within the designated time frame.
The Labour party is unable to explain how they would fund this announcement. Similar to their irresponsible spending of £28 billion per year, they do not have a strategy, resulting in less funding for the NHS.
The Labour party has stated that they will not increase taxes or violate their borrowing regulations in order to fulfill their £28 billion promise. However, the continuous criticism of this policy has caused the party to feel uneasy and, as mentioned by Kiran Stacey last week, they are currently reevaluating the future of this pledge.
The secretary for Northern Ireland has officially announced that the government will delay the legal deadline for triggering new elections due to the absence of a power-sharing executive at Stormont until February 8th.
He believes that the DUP may have changed their minds by then and will no longer be boycotting, stating that he feels this postponement will be enough.
I will be presenting the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill tomorrow to enable the reconstruction of Stormont.
The Bill contains only one condition: to prolong the duration during which Stormont can lawfully resume until February 8th.
I am dedicated to reinstating devolution and substantial strides have been taken towards achieving that goal. I have confidence that this legislation, given the limited timeframe, will be adequate.
Rishi Sunak.
The most recent political advertisements on Facebook from the Conservative party are promising voters a “personalized video from the Prime Minister.”
Individuals are prompted to register on a website by providing their email address, name, and town. Upon submission, they will receive a personalized message as follows… 1/3
It then emails you a video that welcomes you by name ‘Hi XYZ’ and includes a personalised poster ‘XYZ’s priorities are my priorities’ 2/3
Other personalised touches include a laptop featuring a ‘Task list: XYZ’s priorities’ and a mocked-up eponymous newspaper on how they’re delivering for your area 3/3
The Guido Fawkes website claims that the video featuring Sunak is not AI-generated and that Sunak personally recorded all the content, similar to what Nigel Farage would do.
Tomorrow, Northern Ireland will discuss the air attacks on the Houthis and the situation in the Red Sea before moving on to debate.
A new law is necessary due to the expiration of the deadline for the establishment of a power-sharing executive. Without a new bill, new assembly elections would be necessary. The government aims to prevent this by passing legislation, as reported by the BBC, which will set 8 February as the new deadline.
Government officials are currently involved in discussions aimed at convincing the DUP to end their refusal to participate in power sharing, a stance they have maintained for nearly two years.
Rishi Sunak faced criticism for the UK’s stance on the conflict and Israeli Prime Minister’s rejection of a two-state solution.
John McDonnell, the former shadow chancellor of Labour, inquired of the prime minister:
Is he unaware that without an immediate ceasefire, any plan or chance for success will ultimately fail, and that the Netanyahu cabinet is now hindering peace rather than promoting it?
According to McDonnell, a doctor in Gaza stated in an interview on BBC Radio 4’s Today program that due to the severe lack of medical resources, he had to perform amputations on children without the use of anaesthesia.
Members of Parliament (MPs) also attempted to question the prime minister about remarks made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week, in which he stated that he has informed the United States of his opposition to the creation of a Palestinian state after the end of the conflict in Gaza.
Layla Moran, the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for foreign affairs, informed Sunak that Netanyahu’s statements had raised expectations for peace and aligned with Hamas’ perspective. She also referenced reports stating that the number of casualties in Gaza had risen to 25,000, and expressed concern for her own family members who were still stuck there.
She mentioned that although you may desire to remain hopeful, it seems to have transformed into utter despair.
Sunak stated that an urgent pause was necessary to provide assistance and evacuate hostages from Gaza. He advised MPs against connecting the conditions in the Red Sea and Gaza, and assured that the UK would acknowledge the establishment of a Palestinian state at a suitable time for the progress of peace.
The bill for Rwanda has been passed by parliament.
The government was overruled by peers when they approved a resolution stating that the UK should not ratify the asylum partnership with Rwanda until all of its protective measures have been put into place. This is because Parliament is being asked to make a decision on whether or not Rwanda is a safe country based on this agreement. The peers’ vote was in agreement with the findings of a report from the international agreements committee, which includes members from multiple political parties.
The agreement between the UK and Rwanda, also known as a treaty, supports the recently passed Rwanda bill by supposedly guaranteeing the safety of asylum seekers in Rwanda – as stated in the bill. However, the Lords committee stated that it is currently too soon to determine if these safeguards have been implemented.
The House of Lords does not possess the authority to veto treaties, thus the government has the option to disregard the vote calling for a postponement of treaty ratification. The spokesperson for the Prime Minister indicated that this is the course of action that will be taken. When questioned about the next steps, the spokesperson informed reporters:
The treaty will adhere to standard procedures for review and approval. The government may choose to make a statement about the treaty in the House of Commons, but this should not affect our timeline for passing the bill and commencing flights.
As per the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act of 2010, which outlines the process for ratifying treaties, the House of Commons has the authority to postpone ratification. However, the House of Lords does not possess this ability. In the event that the House of Lords votes against a treaty, the government still has the option to ratify it, as long as a statement is released explaining their decision.
The representative also stated that the Lords committee did not discover anything disagreeable in the treaty itself. They also mentioned that Rwanda is expected to have the measures outlined in the treaty implemented by spring, with hopes of resuming flights.
The legal advice outlining the justification for the air strikes last night is consistent with the reasoning used for the attacks on January 11th. Here is a portion of the advice.
The Houthis have been consistently attacking ships in the Red Sea, including those flagged by the UK and other countries. On January 9th, they launched an attack on HMS Diamond using several drones. These attacks have continued, with 10 more occurring since January 11th. The government believes that unless measures are taken to stop them, the attacks will persist.
The decision to use military force in targeting specific locations to weaken the Houthi’s abilities and prevent future attacks was legally justified. It was deemed necessary and appropriate to retaliate against the Houthis’ attacks, and this was the most practical solution available to address the issue.
According to international law, the UK is allowed to use force in situations where it is necessary to defend itself from an actual or imminent armed attack, and the amount of force used is appropriate and fair.
According to Andrew Gwynne (Lab), both Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, do not support a two-state solution. Therefore, what actions is the UK taking to facilitate this outcome?
Sunak affirms that the UK government is dedicated to achieving the two-state solution and is collaborating with partners to bring it to fruition.
Stephen Timms, a Labour party member, inquires about the reasoning behind Sunak’s assertion that there is global backing for the air strikes, yet only two nations have taken part.
Sunak states that the mission received support from Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, and Bahrain. He also mentions that twelve countries have expressed their backing for the ongoing events.
According to John Crace, a writer for the Guardian, there is little excitement surrounding the statement made by backbenchers today.
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Last week, there was a large crowd in the Commons for Sunak’s statement following the Yemen strikes. However, today the room is nearly empty as Sunak makes a statement about another round of strikes. It seems that no one is particularly concerned anymore.
John Cryer, a member of the Labour Party, inquires about the timeline for the government’s complete prohibition of the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps).
Sunak states that the government refrains from discussing which groups may be subject to proscription. However, he confirms that it has been penalized as an organization.
Valerie Vaz, a member of the Labour Party, inquires about the number of civilian casualties resulting from attacks in the UK.
According to Sunak, the information indicates that there were no innocent victims in the initial strike and the goal was to reduce them once more during last night’s attacks. He states that there is no proof of any civilian casualties.
Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, expressed his satisfaction that the Commons will be discussing the airstrikes tomorrow, but stated that he believes there should be a formal vote. He also noted that Sunak has not adequately clarified how he plans to prevent regional escalation.
Source: theguardian.com
