Diane Abbott expressed her concern over the comments made by Conservative Party donor Frank Hester, stating that she found it alarming. This occurred during a conversation between them.

According to the report at 5:17pm, it was stated that Diane Abbott made racist remarks.

• Children will no longer be prescribed puberty blockers at gender identity clinics, NHS England has confirmed. As PA Media reports, the government said it welcomed the “landmark decision”, adding it would help ensure care is based on evidence and is in the “best interests of the child”. Puberty blockers, which pause the physical changes of puberty such as breast development or facial hair, will now only be available to children as part of clinical research trials.

I traveled to India recently in a final effort to complete the deal before spring. If that doesn’t happen, the last opportunity before the UK election will likely be in the summer.

The spokesperson for Sunak stated:

The leaders expressed their satisfaction with the successful partnership between the UK and India and deliberated on recent advancements in negotiations for a free trade agreement. They reached a consensus on the significance of achieving a groundbreaking and all-encompassing deal that brings advantages to both nations.

The prime minister emphasized the significance of achieving a bold conclusion on trade in goods and services. They agreed to maintain close communication and eagerly anticipated continued advancements in trade negotiations.

This week, India revealed a trade agreement worth $100 billion with the European Free Trade Association, which includes non-EU countries such as Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.

Replied forcefully to Starmer’s criticism – with reports of No 10’s indecisiveness on issuing an apology.

In the Ghey situation, Badenoch was advocating an “anti-woke” stance. Presently, she is showing more support for the “woke” movement than No 10. (Refer to 5.17pm). However, in both instances, she took a stronger stance than what was proposed by Downing Street, and in both cases, she may have been more in line with the beliefs of Conservative Party members.

Badenoch, in her role as minister for women and equalities, has the authority to address these matters. However, her actions may also contribute to the belief that she is strategically positioning herself for a potential future leadership race.

According to reports, Diane Abbott’s statements on X were deemed to be racist.

Hester’s 2019 comments, as reported, were racist. I welcome his apology.

Abbott and I have differing opinions on many things. However, the thought of associating criticism of her with her race is extremely disturbing.

It is never okay to equate one’s opinions with their race… (1/2)

Parliament members face a challenging task of managing various priorities, often while facing intimidation as was observed during a recent session.

Certain individuals make thoughtless remarks without considering the situation.

In situations where there is genuine remorse, it is important to have room for forgiveness (2/2).

This goes beyond what No 10 was saying about Hester’s comments this morning, although Badenoch’s “as reported” line implies she is leaving open the option that Hester did not use the words reported.

Hester has not denied using the words reported by the Guardian. But his spokesperson has told the BBC that comments he has given saying he was rude about Abbott, but not racist, should not be taken as confirmation that he did use the words reported.

The current budget for public services will increase by £1.6bn.

At 3:58pm, Hester released a statement acknowledging that his comments regarding Abbott were disrespectful in a private meeting. However, he clarifies that his criticism was not based on her gender or race. He further emphasizes that racism should not be tolerated in public spheres as it is harmful.

According to reporting from Times journalist Aubrey Allegretti, Keir Starmer used excessive influence to persuade Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle to allow a vote on Labour’s Gaza motion.

The three deputy speakers of the House of Commons – Dame Eleanor Laing, Dame Rosie Winterton, and Nigel Evans – made the decision as Hoyle had recused himself due to his personal involvement in the issue.

The three deputy speakers, in a letter addressed to Sir Graham Brady, the chair of the backbench 1922 Committee for the Conservative party, stated that there has been no previous instance of an inquiry of this nature. The letter was co-signed by Owen Thompson, the SNP chief whip, and Liz Saville Roberts, the leader of Plaid Cymru in Westminster.

The House of Commons committee for privileges investigates claims of individuals improperly influencing the work of Members of Parliament. This includes the use of threats. Following Hoyle’s declaration that he would overlook parliamentary rules to permit a vote on a Labour amendment related to the SNP’s motion on Gaza, there were accusations that Starmer used threats to achieve this result – potentially by stating that Labour MPs would oust Hoyle from his position in the future if he did not comply.

Starmer firmly refuted this allegation, as there is no significant proof to support it. The Labour party claims that he attempted to convince Hoyle to hold the vote by stating that MPs would be at risk of facing further threats from individuals with extremist opinions on the Gaza conflict if it did not take place.

The three deputy speakers expressed in their letter that the speaker should have the ability to privately discuss with MPs, and that initiating a privileges committee investigation into his dialogue with Starmer would contradict this principle.

Some also mention that there is no prior instance of initiating an investigation solely based on unverified allegations about conversations held in a confidential setting.

A letter from the three deputy speakers regarding their decision has been published by Allegretti.

Diane Abbott mentioned that she sees racism as a dangerous element that should not be tolerated in society.

After accurately quoting me as saying “I despise racism,” the @guardian newspaper has requested that I confirm making the following statements at the same meeting 5 years ago which they recently reported on. They allege that I informed staff:

In my opinion, racism is rooted in a strong dislike and fear of people who are different from ourselves. This is similar to homophobia in that it is not only based on skin color or religious beliefs, but can also extend to those who come from a neighboring country or even different regions within our own country, as we see here.

I confirm that my stance remains the same regarding the repugnance and repulsiveness of prejudice against individuals due to their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or geographical location. Racism, specifically, is a toxic element that should not be tolerated in society.

The UK benefits immensely from the rich diversity of people – like my parents – who had roots in another land, religion and culture. We should celebrate those differences which have made us the world’s most successful multi-ethnic, multi-faith democracy. And we should have the confidence to discuss our differences openly and even playfully without seeking to cause offence.

Hester published a statement regarding the story on X yesterday afternoon, following the release of a report about him by the Guardian.

The entirety of the speech is available here, and within it there is a section in which Coutinho states that this policy is in line with the UK’s goal of achieving net zero.

There are two justifications for why utilizing backup gas is not conflicting with our aim to be a world leader in achieving net zero emissions.

Initially, we anticipate all future gas power plants to be constructed with net zero capabilities.

This implies that companies need to construct power plants that are capable of being linked to carbon capture technology or can be altered to utilize hydrogen instead of gas.

Secondly, the use of gas power plants will decrease as we continue to invest in renewable energy sources and long-term storage solutions.

However, as we incorporate additional adaptable resources into our operations, we will not take any chances.

Over the last six months, we have faced allegations of reneging on our goal of achieving net zero.

Allow me to address this directly: Britain is the epitome of achieving net zero.

Our greenhouse gas emissions have been reduced by half since 1990.

No one has exceeded our achievements among the top 20 economies globally.

However, numerous specialists and activists refuse to acknowledge this interpretation.

According to Rebecca Newsom, who leads the Greenpeace UK political team,

This recent statement should be acknowledged as what it truly is – compromises made for the benefit of the gas industry. It highlights the firm grip that the fossil fuel sector continues to hold over the government’s choices and the inadequate abilities of ministers in fulfilling their promised policies.

Coutinho has not provided a strategy for managing gas plant emissions after 2035, even though the government has expressed the goal of achieving a zero carbon power system by that same date. There seems to be a discrepancy.

According to Stuart Haszeldine, a professor at Edinburgh University who specializes in carbon capture and storage, …

The United Kingdom has a goal of achieving zero carbon electricity by 2035, but it is likely to be unsuccessful.

Constructing gas-powered power plants without any means of transporting and storing carbon dioxide is a reckless decision. This not only relinquishes global leadership, but also regresses the UK to a position of promoting climate change.

And Prof Jim Watson, head of the Institute for Sustainable Resources, at University College London (UCL), said:

Constructing additional power facilities that use “natural gas” as their source of energy is not an effective solution for achieving a balance between supply and demand in a power sector that aims to reduce carbon emissions. The UK currently has a significant amount of these types of plants in operation.

On the other hand, attention should be directed towards incorporating green hydrogen, produced from renewable sources, or implementing carbon capture and storage technologies onto newer plants. These solutions are currently feasible.

The Science Media Centre has released a more diverse compilation of responses from scholars here.

Labour says that releasing inmates two months early from their jail sentence is the most extreme early release seen in England and Wales.

According to PA Media, Alex Chalk, the secretary of justice, recently declared the expansion of the ECSL program to last up to 60 days, instead of its previous duration of 18 days, as a solution to alleviate the issue of overcrowding in prisons. This information comes from PA’s report.

The authorities have stated that the action will be temporary and limited to individuals considered “low-level offenders”.

Chalk released a written statement to parliament after 8pm, which was criticized by Labour as being insufficient given the seriousness of the matter. He later appeared in person at the Commons to provide an update to MPs.

The expansion was deemed “unprecedented” by Shadow Justice Secretary, Shabana Mahmood.

In response to Chalk’s comment in the House of Commons, she stated: “We must not underestimate the severity of this early prisoner release, as it is the most extreme we have ever experienced in this country. Despite his lengthy 11-page and 10-minute statement, it was only mentioned in one paragraph.”

This action will have a significant impact and raise alarm throughout our nation. The secretary of state appears to believe that a discreet written statement released late last night and a single paragraph today is satisfactory, but it is not.

The Labour politician asked several inquiries to her counterpart, such as the amount of individuals who have been released through the program, which correctional facilities are utilizing it, and if those convicted of domestic abuse and stalking are qualified under its conditions.

Mahmood stated: “The request for transparency regarding the size and consequences of this program has been denied by the government. This approach is not acceptable for administering the criminal justice system or governing the nation.”

While Chalk did not offer specific responses to her inquiries, she reassured that the government would make every effort to safeguard the public’s well-being.

The plan will be temporary, but Downing Street declined to provide a specific date for when it will be terminated.

When asked about the duration of its implementation, the spokesperson for the prime minister stated that they could not predict, but the measure is definitely meant to be temporary. It is the responsibility of the governors to utilize it according to their specific situations.

Based on data from the Ministry of Justice, there were 88,220 individuals in prison as of March 8th. The maximum capacity of the facilities is slightly above 89,000.

At noon, provide the complete quotation.

suspended from the parliamentary Labour party because of a letter she wrote to the Observer that suggested that antisemitism wasn’t as serious as the racism suffered by black people, and that it was more akin to prejudice.

Asked if Abbott should be reinstated, Shami Chakrabarti told the World at One that she hoped Keir Starmer’s acknowledgment today that Abbott has been a “trailblazer” (see 10.13am) might help lead to her having the whip restored. Chakrabarti said:

I prefer not to meddle in the discussions that [Abbott] needs to have with the labor whips.

I paid close attention to the words of our leader, Keir Starmer, regarding Diana and the challenges she has faced as a trailblazer.

I trust that this will be considered in addition to her prompt and heartfelt apologies for the letter.

“A 2017 report by Amnesty International found that Abbott received the highest amount of online abuse among all members of parliament.”

She is feeling uneasy and distressed, but as usual, she is putting on a strong front and attempting not to worry her friends. However, I must admit my heart is racing and I am quite upset and anxious for her.

Hester has released a statement acknowledging that he was “impolite” in a personal meeting regarding Abbott, but clarifying that his comments were not related to her gender or race.

According to the BBC, a representative for Hester denies that his statement should be interpreted as confirmation of the reported words. However, Hester has also not refuted uttering those words.

The extended statement indicated that this decision confirmed the disappointment of Tory supporters towards the government. Additionally, it stated that the government’s messaging has become increasingly implausible.

Our survey results indicate the public’s opinion of our performance since 2019. We can no longer claim that ‘the strategy is effective’. It is imperative that we take immediate action to alter our course.

It appears that No 10 did not receive or is choosing to disregard the message. Downing Street has shared the summary of today’s cabinet meeting, which demonstrates Rishi Sunak’s continued determination that his plan is effective. According to a spokesperson from No 10:

The prime minister inquired about the latest labor market data from the work and pensions secretary. He stated that the statistics indicate the success of the plan, as evidenced by record high payroll employment, seven consecutive months of real wage growth, and a lower inactivity rate compared to the US, France, and Italy.

The prime minister provided an update on efforts to reduce crime and increase safety on our streets. He stated that our efforts in cracking down on crime and anti-social behavior have been effective, resulting in a 50% decrease in violent and local crime since 2010. He also announced plans to construct 20,000 new prison spaces, the largest undertaking since the Victorian era, which he had previously financed as chancellor.

Based on the report from No 10, James Cleverly, who is the home secretary, informed the cabinet that there has been an increase in police recruitment, a decrease in overall crime, and an increase in deportations of foreign offenders. Meanwhile, Alex Chalk, the justice secretary, shared with colleagues that the rate of recidivism among former prisoners has gone down from 31% in 2010 to 25%. This improvement is attributed to efforts to ensure that prisoners are not left without housing or employment upon their release, resulting in double the number of offenders finding employment within six months of leaving prison in the past year.

Source: theguardian.com