Tata Steel: Port Talbot closure forces UK to rely on China for steel as MP raises ‘national security’ concerns
About 2,800 jobs will go over the next 18 months, with a further 300 to be lost after
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Tata’s decision to axe 3,000 jobs at its plant in South Wales will leave the UK reliant on foreign steel imports for years to come, as an MP warned the move raised “serious questions” about national security.
Stephen Kinnock, the shadow minister for immigration and Labour MP for Aberavon - home of the Port Talbot steelworks - said the move leaves the UK the only G20 country unable to make “its own steel from scratch”.
Earlier Tata confirmed plans to close blast furnaces at the plant, with the loss of more than 3,000 jobs. About 2,800 jobs will go over the next 18 months, with a further 300 to be lost after. The Indian-owned firm said the plans were aimed at “reversing more than a decade of losses”.
The move also sparked outrage among several unions.
A statement by the GMB and Community said: “It is an absolute disgrace that Tata Steel, and the UK government, appear intent on pursuing the cheapest instead of the best plan for our industry, our steelworkers and our country.”
Starmer has formally written to Cabinet Office asking for access to officials
Keir Starmer has officially written to the head of the civil service asking for permission for Labour to begin access talks with officials.
It was revealed in an ITV three-month behind-the-scenes documentary with the Labour Party leader, which airs tonight.
Earlier today the Labour leader addressed an all-staff gathering in London, expected to be the last such event before voters go to the polls.
On Tuesday it emerged that hundreds of Labour MPs and prospective candidates have been sent a “campaigning bible” urging them to go deep into Tory Party territory.
It also marked the next phase of the party’s election preparations and campaigning on its five missions, summing up key policies, arguments for change, their tangible benefits for voters and case studies, Labour List reported.
Sunak meets Border Force staff after passing Rwanda Bill
Rishi Sunak has met with Border Force staff after the Rwanda bill passed through the Commons.
The prime minister visited workers at Gatwick Airport, where he met a sniffer dog and chatted with those present.
Therese Coffey hits back after mistaking Rwanda capital for another country
Therese Coffey has hit back at “keyboard snipers” after she was mocked for mistaking the Rwandan capital for another country.
The top Tory, who served as deputy prime minister under Liz Truss, insisted that Kigali is “of course” the capital city of Rwanda, saying she was not involved in a mix-up over the two.
Archie Mitchell reports:
Therese Coffey hits back after mistaking Rwanda capital for another country
The former deputy prime minister hit out at Labour’s shadow home secretary over her use of the phrase ‘Kigali government’ in the Commons
Devastating poll result shows only 10% of voters under 50 would support Conservatives at next election
Only 10 per cent of voters under the age of 50 would vote Conservative in the next general election, according to a new YouGovpoll.
The survey of more than 2,000 adults found only 20 per cent said they would vote for Rishi Sunak’s party, while fewer than half (49 per cent) of those who back the Tories in 2019 intend to support the party.
Zoe Grunewald reports:
Only 10% of voters under 50 would support Conservatives at next election - poll
Support for Rishi Sunak’s party is at its lowest level since Liz Truss’ final days at prime minister
Sunak tweet claiming to have cleared asylum backlog reemerges after watchdog rebuke
Rishi Sunak’s tweet claiming the government had cleared the asylum backlog has remerged after it was branded misleading by a watchdog.
Earlier, the UK Statistics Authority said the government’s repeated claims to have cleared the backlog may have misled voters and affected trust in politics.
You can read that story in full here:
Rishi Sunak rapped by watchdog over claim to have ‘cleared’ asylum backlog
Comes after the PM was accused of trying to ‘cook the books’ and a ‘barefaced lie’
Autumn election is a ‘risky business’, think tank chief warns
Holding an election in November is a “risky business” for the Conservative Party due to the potential impact of the US presidential contest, a think tank chief has warned.
Torsten Bell, chief executive of the Resolution Foundation, made the comment after Jacob Rees-Mogg said he would prefer Donald Trump to Joe Biden as the US president.
“This is why I think a mid-November general election in the UK is a risky business for the Tories - if their MPs are actually going to say they’re Trump fans you’ll make this a (weirdly) big part of our short campaign,” he said.
Lords timetable for Rwanda Bill already agreed - report
The timetable for debating the Rwanda Bill in the House of Lords has already been agreed.
The legislation will get its second reading on 29 January, before moving to the committee stage on 12, 14 and 19 February, the BBC reports.
A report will probably be ready by 4 March, with a third reading on 12 March.
“So MPs will be looking at (ie trying to remove) Lords amendments by about 18 March,” BBC chief political correspondent Henry Zeffman says.
MPs back plan to designate Islamist political group Hizb ut-Tahrir as terrorist
MPs have backed plans to ban Islamist political group Hizb ut-Tahrir as a terrorist organisation.
Hizb ut-Tahrir has organised rallies which took place on the streets of London alongside pro-Palestine marches in recent months, following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
In the House of Commons, security minister Tom Tugendhat said the proscription order would cover the entire global organisation, as well as all regional branches including Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain.
He told MPs: “This proscription will serve as a reminder that the United Kingdom does not and will never tolerate the promotion of or encouragement of terrorism.
“It will send the message that promoting or encouraging Hamas’ sickening attack on October 7 is utterly unacceptable and at odds with the values of this country.”
Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda bill is ‘step toward totalitarianism’, leading lawyer warns
What was Rishi Sunak’s press conference all about? - Analysis
The Independent’s political correspondent Zoe Grunewald has run the rule over the prime minister’s press conference this morning.
Rishi Sunak’s almost-impromptu press conference has left journalists scratching their heads.
It is highly unusual for a prime minister to call an emergency press conference at twelve hours-notice with nothing at all new to announce. Mr Sunak confirmed – as was already known - that the hotly contentious Rwanda bill would now be making its way into the Lords, having passed its third reading last night.
He called upon peers to pass it. He could not provide any new information, such as when the first flight to Rwanda might take off, nor whether the government would succeed in its pledge to stop the boats entirely.
Rather, the press conference simply confirmed two things. First, that Mr Sunak is measuring the success of his premiership on whether the Rwanda scheme lives or dies.
By drawing attention to its successful passage through the Commons, he is highlighting its importance - and his success. He is making Rwanda his personal yard-stick. Second, that the prime minister is haunted by division. Having government legislation pass in the Commons should not worthy of a press briefing, it is a basic expectation of governance.
But Mr Sunak’s party is so very fractured that the simplest achievement, for a moment, seemed impossible. The prime minister may have wished to demonstrate that his victory in the Conservative power struggle yesterday is evidence that he is a strong and competent leader.
But the reality is that many will still be asking why it was all so difficult in the first place.
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